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Environmental conditions, including temperature and the occurrence of phenological stages at the optimum temperature, are effective factors on seed yield, oil content and fatty acids. An experiment was carried out as strip block based on randomized completed block design with three replications in Safiabad Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Dezful during two cropping seasons (2017-2019). Vertical factors consisted of six levels of sowing date (23 Sep, Oct 7, 22 Oct, Nov 6, 21 Nov, Dec 6), and horizontal factors were seven genotypes (Agamx, Hyola4815, Hyola50, Hyola401, Safi6, Zabol9 and Zabol13). Elevated temperatures resulting from postponed sowing dates during the silique formation and seed filling phases led to a decline in seed yield, oil content, and modifications in the fatty acid composition of the studied canola genotypes. The highest (43.04 %) and lowest (38.81 %) oil content over the two years of testing were attributed to the genotypes Hyola50 and Hyola4815, respectively. Postponing the sowing date contributed to a higher accumulation of oleic acid in the examined genotypes. The maximum oleic acid content (62.14 %) was observed on Dec. 6 for the genotype Hyola50, while the minimum oleic acid content (50 %) was recorded on Sep. 23 for the genotype Zabol9 during two years of the experiment. Variations in climatic conditions across the two experimental years elicited distinct responses in the studied genotypes based on the sowing date. In the first year, Agamax genotype produced the highest seed yield (3357 kg ha -1 ) on Oct 7th, but in the second year the highest seed yield (2888.9 kg ha -1 ) belonged to the second sowing date (Oct. 7) and Hyola50 genotype. Based on the test results, the susceptibility of canola genotypes to temperature, rainfall, and lodging during seed filling period varied between the two years of the experiment. The percentage reduction in seed yield for the Hyola50 and Agamax genotypes was 32 % and 40 %, respectively. Climatic factors, particularly temperature and the synchronization of phenological stages with optimal thermal conditions, play a crucial role in determining seed yield, oil content, and fatty acid composition. Furthermore, the selection of heat-tolerant genotypes is essential for maintaining yield stability., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2025 The Authors.)

High temperatures can impede the growth and development of soybean plants, resulting in decreased yield and seed quality. Heat-induced damage can be mitigated by adjusting sowing date and selecting genotypes that are suitable for cultivation in hot climates. A 2-year (2017-2018) field experiment was conducted at Safiabad Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, employing a split-plot design with three replications. The main plots were assigned three different sowing dates (June 22, July 6, and July 21), while the subplots featured eight soybean genotypes (SF1, SF2, SF3, SK93, M13, SG4, SG5, and Salend) belonged to IV to VI maturity groups. Temperature affected the fatty acid composition across all genotypes. Planting soybeans on June 22 and July 6 resulted in a 16% and 8% decrease in seed yield, respectively, compared to planting on July 21 over 2 years of experiments. SK93 exhibited the highest oil content (25.59%) when sown on the third date (July 21), whereas the SF3 genotype planted on June 22 displayed the lowest oil content (18.68%). Based on our findings, a decrease of approximately 0.33% in oil content and a 0.7% increase in protein content were observed with a one-degree temperature rise from 33°C during the seed-filling period. When the temperature ranged between 36°C and 38°C, the highest seed yield (2665-3008 kg.ha -1 ) was obtained, whereas the lowest seed yield (1940 kg.ha -1 ) occurred at 41.60°C. Delaying planting led to a higher seed yield (19.72%) and enhanced seed oil content (11.54%). The indeterminate growth genotype SK93 consistently showed the highest average seed yield (3231 kg.ha -1 ) over the 2-year experiment, exceeding other genotypes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s). Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Rice, has long been an inseparable part of the human diet all over the world. As one of the most rapidly growing crops, rice has played a key role in securing the food chain of low-income food-deficit countries. Starch is the main component in rice granules which other than its nutritional essence, plays a key role in defining the physicochemical attributes of rice-based products. However, rice starch suffers from weak techno-functional characteristics (e.g., retrogradability of pastes, opacity of gels, and low shear/temperature resistibility. Green modification techniques (i.e. Non-thermal methods, Novel thermal (e.g., microwave, and ohmic heating) and enzymatic approaches) were shown to be potent tools in modifying rice starch characteristics without the exertion of unfavorable chemical reagents. This study corroborated the potential of green techniques for rice starch modification and provided deep insight for their further application instead of unsafe chemical methods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The convergence of carbohydrate polymers and metal nanoparticles (MNPs) holds great promise for biomedical applications. Researchers aim to exploit the capability of carbohydrate matrices to modulate the physicochemical properties of MNPs, promote their therapeutic efficiency, improve targeted drug delivery, and enhance their biocompatibility. Therefore, understanding various attributes of both carbohydrates and MNPs is the key to harnessing them for biomedical applications. The many distinct types of carbohydrate-MNP systems confer unique capabilities for drug delivery, wound healing, tissue engineering, cancer treatment, and even food packaging. Here, we introduce distinct physicochemical/biological properties of carbohydrates and MNPs, and discuss their potentials and shortcomings (alone and in combination) for biomedical applications. We then offer an overview on carbohydrate-MNP systems and how they can be utilized to improve biomedical outcomes. Last but not least, future perspectives toward the application of such systems are highlighted., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Electrospun fibers (EFs) have emerged as promising one-dimensional materials for a myriad of research/commercial applications due to their outstanding structural and physicochemical features. Polymers of either synthetic or natural precursors are applied to design EFs as carriers for bioactive compounds. For engineering food systems, it is crucial to exploit polymers characterized by non-toxicity, non-immunogenicity, biocompatibility, slow/controllable biodegradability, and structural integrity. The unique attributes of protein-based biomaterials endow a wide diversity of desirable features to EFs for meeting the requirements of advanced food/biomedical applications. In this review paper, after an overview on electrospinning, different protein materials (plant- and animal-based) as biodegradable/biocompatible building blocks for designing EFs will be highlighted. The potential application of protein-based EFs in loading bioactive compounds with the intention to inspire interests in both academia and industry will be summarized. This review concludes with a discussion of prevailing challenges in using protein EFs for the bioactive vehicle development., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Several bacterial strains belonging to Serratia spp. possess biocontrol capability, both against phytopathogens and human pathogenic species, thanks to the production of secondary metabolites, including as a red-pink, non-diffusible pigment, 2-methyl-3-pentyl-6-methoxyprodiginine (prodigiosin). Botrytis cinerea is the causal agent of gray mold, which is an economically relevant disease of many crops worldwide. Gray mold is normally controlled by chemical fungicides, but the environmental and health concerns about the overuse of pesticides call for environmentally friendly approaches, such as the use of biocontrol agents. In this study, the efficacy of a specific strain of Serratia rubidaea (Mar61-01) and its metabolite prodigiosin were assessed against B. cinerea under in vitro and in vivo conditions. This strain was effective against B. cinerea , and the effect of prodigiosin was confirmed under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The strain suppressed mycelial growth of B. cinerea (71.72%) in the dual-culture method. The volatile compounds produced by the strain inhibited mycelial growth and conidia germination of B. cinerea by 65.01% and 71.63%, respectively. Efficacy of prodigiosin produced by S. rubidaea Mar61-01 on mycelial biomass of B. cinerea was 94.15% at the highest concentration tested (420 µg/mL). The effect of prodigiosin on plant enzymes associated with induction of resistance was also studied, indicating that the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) were increased when prodigiosin was added to the B. cinerea inoculum on strawberry fruits, while catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) did not change. In addition, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by S. rubidaea Mar61-01 reduced mycelial growth and inhibited conidial germination of B. cinerea in vitro. The findings confirmed the relevant role of prodigiosin produced by S. rubidaea Mar61-01 in the biocontrol of B. cinerea of strawberries, but also indicate that there are multiple mechanisms of action, where the VOCs produced by the bacterium and the plant-defense reaction may contribute to the control of the phytopathogen. Serratia rubidaea Mar61-01 could be a suitable strain, both to enlarge our knowledge about the potential of Serratia as a biocontrol agent of B. cinerea and to develop new biofungicides to protect strawberries in post-harvest biocontrol.

The poverty of disease resistance gene reservoirs limits the breeding of crops for durable resistance against evolutionary dynamic pathogens. Zymoseptoria tritici which causes Septoria tritici blotch (STB), represents one of the most genetically diverse and devastating wheat pathogens worldwide. No fully virulent Z. tritici isolates against synthetic wheats carrying the major resistant gene Stb16q have been identified. Here, we use comparative genomics, mutagenesis and complementation to identify Stb16q, which confers broad-spectrum resistance against Z. tritici. The Stb16q gene encodes a plasma membrane cysteine-rich receptor-like kinase that was recently introduced into cultivated wheat and which considerably slows penetration and intercellular growth of the pathogen.

This study assessed the feasibility of using essential oils (EOs) against Colletotrichum nymphaeae inciting strawberry anthracnose. Two EOs, extracted from Allium sativum (garlic) and Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), were selected because their fungicide efficacy was already well characterized under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. We characterized both EOs in terms of efficacy and impact on qualitative traits and sensory quality of strawberry fruit. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the Diallyl trisulfide (29.08%) and (α)-pinene (15.779%) as the main components of A. sativum and R. officinalis EOs, respectively. Both A. sativum and R. officinalis EOs significantly inhibited the mycelial growth and conidial germination of C. nymphaeae in contact and vapor assays compared with untreated control. However, EC 50 assay indicated A. sativum EO was more effective than R. officinalis EO against the pathogen. Malformations of the vegetative structures of the pathogen exposed to both EOs were revealed as shriveled, collapsed, and swelling mycelia in the cultures. Both EOs confirmed their efficacy under in vivo and greenhouse conditions; in fact, they significantly reduced the development of fruit decay and anthracnose disease incidence and severity, compared with untreated controls. Both EOs preserved sensory attributes and quality parameters of strawberry fruit including firmness, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity, and anthocyanin, but may leave unwanted smells. These findings suggest that two EOs can potentially represent an alternative to synthetic chemical fungicides against C. nymphaeae preserving fruit quality factors, although their cost and the impact on the fruit odor must be carefully taken into consideration before developing a commercial product., (Copyright © 2020 Hosseini, Amini, Saba, Karimi and Pertot.)

Culture filtrates (CFs) of the fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici were assayed for necrosis-inducing activity after infiltration in leaves of various wheat cultivars. Active fractions were partially purified and characterized. The necrosis-inducing factors in CFs are proteinaceous, heat stable and their necrosis-inducing activity is temperature and light dependent. The in planta activity of CFs was tested by a time series of proteinase K (PK) co-infiltrations, which was unable to affect activity 30min after CF infiltrations. This suggests that the necrosis inducing proteins (NIPs) are either absent from the apoplast and likely actively transported into mesophyll cells or protected from the protease by association with a receptor. Alternatively, plant cell death signaling pathways might be fully engaged during the first 30min and cannot be reversed even after PK treatment. Further fractionation of the CFs with the highest necrosis-inducing activity involved fast performance liquid chromatography, SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry. This revealed that most of the proteins present in the fractions have not been described before. The two most prominent ZtNIP encoding candidates were heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris and subsequent infiltration assays showed their differential activity in a range of wheat cultivars., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)