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ABSTRACTThis study explores the potential feasibility of cultivating two determinate-type bell peppers, i.e. Hungarian Enigma Hot (HEH) and Hungarian Enigma Sweet (HES), in a ground bioregenerative life-support device. Fruits of the Hugarian Engima Sweet (HES) variety is advantageous for digestion due to it has thin cuticle and collenchyma at the same time the parenchyma of mesocarp of it is thin. β-carotene and caspanthin were the dominant carotenoids in both fruit varieties. Up to 55 tentative phytochemicals were not only in fruits but also in green juice processed from green leafy shoots. The green juice was also a rich source of protein (24–27% w/w) and a source of macro- and microelements. The findings of this study could hold valuable insights for the advancement of sustainable food production and resource utilization in space environments, with potential applications for long-duration space missions and beyond.Key policy highlight Two determinate-growth green pepper varieties with specific characteristics were grown in ground bioregenerative life-support research deviceFruits of the Hugarian Engima Sweet (HES) variety is advantageous for digestion as it has thin cuticle and collenchyma at the same time the parenchyma of mesocarp is thinThe green juice processed from green leafy shoots is a rich source of protein (24–27% w/w), luteins, flavonoids, phenolic acids and derivatives.With the change in color of the fruits from green to red, β-carotene and capanthin as carotenoids showed the greatest increase.Content of flavonoids and phenolic components, i.e. quercetin-3-O-d-glucopyranoside, rutin (quercetin-3-O-rutinoside), caffeic acid and ferulic acid showed a decreased trend during fruit ripening.

Abstract The diurnal bees, lepidopterans, and other pollinators are among the most studied flower‐visiting insect taxa. They mostly play distinct functions in temperate grasslands and ecotones of grassland‐forest mosaics (such as in forest steppes). Although orthopterans are widely distributed in these habitats, however, their flower visitation is nearly unknown, especially in the temperate zone. During the development of traps with chemical lures to catch Lepidoptera pests, large numbers of Orthoptera were caught that provide a chance for studying the flower visitation and odor and indirectly the host plant preference of seven temperate zone Tettigoniidae species. Data on the attractivity of isoamyl alcohol‐based semisynthetic lures for Meconema thalassinum and efficiency of phenylacetaldehyde‐based lures on Leptophyes albovittata and Phaneroptera falcata were reported for the first time. Additionally, analysis of nature photos collected from internet sources, as part of a passive citizen science also supports the revealed preference of these species. Based on photos, the studied orthopterans mainly visit Asteraceae species including the most preferred Tanacetum vulgare, Pulicaria dysenterica, Achillea millefolium, Solidago canadensis, and Centaurea scabiosa. Based on catches of volatile traps, the first data were recorded on the attractivity of phenylacetaldehyde‐ and isoamyl alcohol‐based lures on three temperate zone Orthoptera species. Results of a passive citizen science study strengthen these results that may increase the knowledge on the host plant and habitat preference of Orthoptera species.

The toxins produced by Aspergillus flavus can significantly inhibit the use of maize. As a result of climate change, toxin production is a problem not only in tropical and subtropical areas but in an increasing number of European countries, including Hungary. The effect of meteorological factors and irrigation on mould colonization and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) mycotoxin production by A. flavus were investigated in natural conditions, as well as the inoculation with a toxigenic isolate in a complex field experiment for three years. As a result of irrigation, the occurrence of fungi increased, and toxin production decreased. The mould count of fungi and toxin accumulation showed differences during the examined growing seasons. The highest AFB1 content was found in 2021. The main environmental factors in predicting mould count were temperature (Tavg, Tmax ≥ 30 °C, Tmax ≥ 32 °C, Tmax ≥ 35 °C) and atmospheric drought (RHmin ≤ 40%). Toxin production was determined by extremely high daily maximum temperatures (Tmax ≥ 35 °C). At natural contamination, the effect of Tmax ≥ 35 °C on AFB1 was maximal (r = 0.560–0.569) in the R4 stage. In the case of artificial inoculation, correlations with environmental factors were stronger (r = 0.665–0.834) during the R2–R6 stages.

Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabr., 1794) (Acari: Ixodidae) is parasite that spreads many diseases which are dangerous to humans and animals. Microelement lithium was found to have promising potential against the detrimental bee pest Varroa destructor. Furthermore, its effectiveness was confirmed against Dermanyssus gallinae, a major parasite of poultry, in vitro. In the present study, we investigated whether the efficacy of lithium chloride extends to other parasitic species, such as D. reticulatus. Our results revealed, for the first time, that the effectiveness of lithium chloride extends to D. reticulatus, confirmed to have 100% mortality at a relatively high minimum concentration of 1.38 M in vitro. The 24 h and 48 h median lethal concentration (LC50) values proved to be 0.654 M and 0.481 M, respectively, for this species. Our pilot study may contribute to a better understanding of the properties of lithium ion. Furthermore, it may elicit further studies aiming to reveal whether the different environmental mineral conditions may influence the D. reticulatus population. Further studies might reveal whether lithium has any possible veterinary relevance.

Green biorefining uses fresh lignocellulosic biomass to produce green juice and pressed fibre fractions by wet fractionation. The latter is a byproduct, accounting for 25–32% of the starting material. In this study, the composition (glucan, xylan, arabinan, lignin, total phenol, flavonoid and protein) of pressed fibres obtained from four alfalfa, four soy and one broccoli varieties were determined at different harvest times. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the effects of harvest time and variety on the measured parameters. In most of the cases, there were interactions between the effects of harvest time and variety. Among alfalfa varieties, OLI1 had the highest carbohydrate (52.09 w/w%) and DIM3 had the lowest lignin (13.02 w/w%) content. In the case of soy, the ADV2 variety had the highest carbohydrate (53.47 w/w%) and PK1 had the lowest lignin (11.14 w/w%) content. Broccoli contained low amounts of carbohydrates (44.94 w/w%) and lignin (10.16 w/w%). The phenolic and flavonoid contents were similar for each species, but the protein content was the highest in alfalfa fibre. Based on these data, the most promising species, varieties and harvesting time can be selected in terms of a certain component that could be essential to produce functional foods with enhanced nutritional value.

Fruit samples were analysed to investigate the suitability of Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) for the rapid discrimination of elderberry genotypes. Parallel analysis with classical chemical techniques and spectral measurements was performed on 11 cultivars originating from various European countries. The titratable acidity (TA) and soluble solids content (SSC) of the fruit, and the geographical origin and breeding method of the cultivar were used as reference data. Three spectrum transformation methods (standard normal variation, multiplicative scatter correction and first derivative) were applied in the calibration process. The statistical analysis and comparison of the samples was carried out using principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). In all cases the analysis demonstrated a correlation between the spectra and both the chemical traits (TA and SSC) of the fruit and the other reference data, indicating that pattern recognition was not a chance occurrence. This work provides the first evidence that the NIR technique can be successfully applied to distinguish between elderberry genotypes on the basis of fruit quality, thus opening up new possibilities in breeding cultivars for food industry purposes.

Mycotoxin contaminations in the feed and food chain are common. Either directly or indirectly, mycotoxins enter the human body through the consumption of food of plant and animal origin. Bacteria with a high mycotoxin elimination capability can reduce mycotoxin contamination in feed and food. Four Gram-positive endospore-forming bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis AMK10/1, Lysinibacillus boronitolerans AMK9/1, Lysinibacillus fusiformis AMK10/2, and Rummeliibacillus suwonensis AMK9/2) were isolated from fermented forages and tested for their deoxynivalenol (DON), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and zearalenone (ZEA) elimination potentials. Notably, the contribution of bacterial cell wall fractions to the observed outstanding ZEA elimination rates was demonstrated; however, the ZEA elimination differed considerably within the tested group of Gram-positive bacteria. It is worth noting that the purified cell wall of L. boronitolerans AMK9/1, L. fusiformis AMK10/2 and B. thuringiensis AMK10/1 were highly efficient in eliminating ZEA and the teichoic acid fractions of B. thuringiensis AMK10/1, and L. fusiformis AMK10/2 could also be successfully used in ZEA binding. The ZEA elimination capacity of viable R. suwonensis AMK9/2 cells was outstanding (40%). Meanwhile, R. suwonensis AMK9/2 and L. boronitolerans AMK9/1 cells produced significant esterase activities, and ZEA elimination of the cell wall fractions of that species did not correlate with esterase activity. DON and AFB1 binding capabilities of the tested bacterial cells and their cell wall fractions were low, except for B. thuringiensis AMK10/1, where the observed high 64% AFB1 elimination could be linked to the surface layer (S-layer) fraction of the cell wall.

In addition to the application of macronutrients (N, P, K), there has been an increasing interest in studying the effects of different micronutrients on growth and development in plant populations under abiotic and biotic stresses. Experimental results have demonstrated the role of silicon in mitigating environmental stresses on plants (especially in silicon accumulating plant species). Furthermore, as the silicon content of soils available to plants can vary greatly depending on soil type, the many positive results have led to increased interest in silicon as a nutrient in sustainable agriculture over the last decade. The grouping of plant species according to silicon accumulation is constantly changing as a result of new findings. There are also many new research results on the formation of phytoliths and their role in the plants. The use of silicon as a nutrient is becoming more widespread in crop production practices based on research results reporting beneficial effects. Controversial results have also been obtained on the use of different Si-containing materials as fertilizers. Many questions remain to be clarified about the uptake, transport, and role of silicon in plant life processes, such as stress management. Future research is needed to address these issues. This review discusses the role and beneficial effects of silicon in plants as a valuable tool for regulating biological and abiotic stresses. Our aim was to provide an overview of recent research on the role and importance of silicon in sustainable crop production and to highlight possible directions for further research.

Several feed preservation methods can ensure lower mycotoxin contamination levels enter the food life cycle, and a relatively common wet preservation method of forage plant materials is fermentation. This study aimed to characterize the microbiological state and mycotoxin contamination of fermented silages and haylages (corn, alfalfa, rye, and triticale), their main microbiota, and isolation of bacteria with mycotoxin resistance. Bacteria that remain viable throughout the fermentation process and possess high mycotoxin resistance can have a biotechnological benefit. Lactic acid bacteria, primarily found in corn silage, were Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolates. Meanwhile, a high percentage of alfalfa silage and haylage was characterized by Lactiplantibacillus pentosus. In rye silage and haylage samples, Pediococci were the typical bacteria. Bacterial isolates were characterized by deoxynivalenol and zearalenon resistance. Some of them were sensitive to aflatoxin B1, while ochratoxin A caused 33–86% growth inhibition of the cultures. The mycotoxin resistant organisms are under further research, aiming for mycotoxin elimination in feed.

Organic and ecological farming programs require new and efficient biostimulants with beneficial properties for the sustainable and safe production of seedlings and ornamental plants. We examined the effect of non-fermented and lacto-fermented alfalfa brown juice (BJ) on seed germination and the vegetative, physiological, and anatomical properties of French marigold (Tagetes patula L. ’Csemő’) plants which were treated with 0.5–10% fermented and non-fermented BJ, with tap water applied as a control. Applying 0.5% fermented BJ significantly improved seed germination compared with non-fermented BJ, resulting in an increase of 9.6, 11.2, 10.9, and 41.7% in the final germination percent, germination rate index, germination index, and vigor index, respectively. In addition, it increased the root and shoot length by 7.9 and 16.1%, respectively, root and shoot dry mass by 20 and 47.6%, respectively, and the number of leaves by 28.8% compared to the control. Furthermore, an increase in contents of water-soluble phenol, chlorophyll a and b, and carotenoid was reported upon the application of 0.5% fermented BJ, while peroxidase activity decreased. Our results prove that alfalfa BJ can be enrolled as a biostimulant as part of the circular farming approach which supports the sustainable horticultural practice.

Aflatoxins (AFs) are toxic secondary metabolites produced mostly by Aspergillus species. AF contamination entering the feed and food chain has been a crucial long-term issue for veterinarians, medicals, agroindustry experts, and researchers working in this field. Although different (physical, chemical, and biological) technologies have been developed, tested, and employed to mitigate the detrimental effects of mycotoxins, including AFs, universal methods are still not available to reduce AF levels in feed and food in the last decades. Possible biological control by bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, their excretes, the role of the ruminal degradation, pre-harvest biocontrol by competitive exclusion or biofungicides, and post-harvest technologies and practices based on biological agents currently used to alleviate the toxic effects of AFs are collected in this review. Pre-harvest biocontrol technologies can give us the greatest opportunity to reduce AF production on the spot. Together with post-harvest applications of bacteria or fungal cultures, these technologies can help us strictly reduce AF contamination without synthetic chemicals.

Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo hermanni) are popular pets. Blood biochemistry is an essential tool for the early diagnosis of the diseases. The objective of the study was to investigate the biological variations in selected blood biochemical values in healthy tortoises through repeated samplings in the same animals. We also aimed to evaluate the values in time-related manner of sampling. Blood samples were taken five times (in two-month intervals) from the dorsal coccygeal vein. Twelve clinically healthy 2,5 year- old male tortoises were housed indoors. For each dataset, the mean, the standard deviation and the 95\% confidence interval of the mean were calculated. Mixed effect linear model was fitted with blood parameters as response variables, samples as fix factors and individuals as random factors. The mean levels and standard deviations are as follows: Ca, 2.3 ± 0.3 mmol/l; ionized Ca, 1.3 ± 0.4 mmol/l; P, 1.1 ± 0.3 mmol/l; uric acid, 121.1 ± 56.3 µmol/l; AST, 76.8 ± 42.8 IU/l; sodium, 127.7 ± 4.0 mmol/l; potassium, 4.5 ± 0.6 mmol/l. Except AST, sampling time had significant effect on the parameters. Despite the statistically significant difference between the collected samples, standard deviations were small in all samplings except for the uric acid. Accordingly, the clinical relevance of the sampling seems to be important especially for uric acid. In order to eliminate the possible effects of the time of sampling, repeated measurements are recommended if biochemical parameters are not in the reference intervals.

Due to the substantial damage caused in Hungarian plum orchards by the spread of plum pox virus (PPV), high-yielding, often self-fertile German, Serbian and Romanian cultivars with better resistance to PPV have been introduced. Observations on growth characteristics, flowering and harvest time, yield potential and PPV resistance have been made in commercial plum orchards and gene bank collections since 2006, and these were supplemented with laboratory analysis on the fruit. German cultivars have spread widely in recent years, so it is particularly important to investigate the production value of these cultivars. In addition to field observations, a detailed analysis has been made over the last two years of the physical and chemical properties of the fruit of the most promising German cultivars (‘Topfive’, ‘Toptaste’, ‘Tophit’, ‘Topend Plus’ and ‘Jojo’) and of the control cultivars ‘Cacanska rodna’ and ‘Stanley’. The use of the German cultivars led to a lengthening of the harvest period, as fruit could still be harvested from ‘Topend Plus’ even in the middle of October. The onset of bearing was early for these cultivars, which had good yield potential, producing large numbers of buds not only on the spurs, but also on the long shoots. With the exception of ‘Jojo’ the cultivars exhibited greater initial vigour and the scaffold branches grew at a steeper angle, so greater care was required to form a favourable crown structure. The cultivar most resistant to PPV was ‘Jojo’, and ‘Topend Plus’ exhibited moderately severe leaf symptoms, while the other cultivars had only mild leaf symptoms. Among the cultivars included in the study, ‘Topend Plus’ and ‘Tophit’ had the largest fruit size, while ‘Toptaste’ had outstanding chemical properties, especially as regards the soluble solids and polyphenol contents.

Fertilization management is a key issue in plant nutrition to produce plants with good quality and quantity. Deproteinized leaf juice or brown juice (BJ) is a by-product during the isolation of leaf protein from biomass crops such as alfalfa. The idea of using BJ as a biostimulant fits well in the aspect of circular economy since BJ is currently a problematic issue of the leaf protein production approach. Fractionation of one-kilogram fresh biomass results in approximately 500 cm3 BJ. Due to fast spoil of fresh BJ, if left on room temperature, it is found that fermentation of fresh BJ using lactic acid bacteria and reducing its pH increases its stability and storage on room temperature. In the present study, we examined the effect of fermented alfalfa BJ on vegetative, physiological, and anatomical properties of the versatile sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. ‘Bíborfelhő’) plants. Sweet basil seedlings were sprayed at different doses of fermented alfalfa BJ (i.e., 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.5%) and tap water served as a control (0.0% BJ). The results revealed that foliar application of fermented alfalfa BJ significantly improved the biometrical features of sweet basil plants. Plants treated with fermented BJ showed significantly higher values of all the measured parameters compared to the control (0.0%), except for the number of leaves per plants where control plants (0.0%) had more leaves. However, the leaves of control plants (0.0%) were smaller than treated plants as data of leaf area showed. Fermented alfalfa BJ significantly increased the content of photosynthetic pigments (chl a and chl b), relative chlorophyll (SPAD value), lengths of stem and root, fresh masses of stem, root, and leaves, volumes of stem and root, and leaf area. Despite all rates of fermented BJ displayed higher values over control plants (0.0%), the rate of 0.5% was the best one supported by results. Application of fermented alfalfa BJ influenced the anatomical parameters as well. These findings demonstrate the possible use of fermented alfalfa BJ as a promising novel plant biostimulant.

Brown juice is a byproduct of fractionated green biomass during leaf protein isolation. It represents approximately 45%−50% of the total pressed fresh biomass. Disposal of brown juice is a serious issue in leaf protein production due to its high biological oxygen demand and carbohydrates content. The current study aimed to find a possible potential use of brown juice. Therefore, chemical and biochemical properties of brown juice—derived from alfalfa green biomass—were determined before and after fermentation by lactic acid bacteria. Additionally, the growth stimulation potential of fermented brown juice on plumed cockscomb (Celosia argantea var. plumose ‘Arrabona’) plants were tested. Celosia seedlings were sprayed at different rates of fermented brown juice (i.e., 0.5%, 1%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10%) and tap water was applied as control. The results revealed that lactic acid bacteria successfully enhanced the stabilization of brown juice via reducing sugars content and increasing organic acids content. After fermentation, contents of glucose monomers were 15 times lower; while concentrations of lactic and acetic acids increased by 7- and 10-fold, respectively. This caused a reduction in the pH of fermented brown juice by 13.9%. Treating Celosia plants at lower rates of fermented brown juice (up to 1.0%) significantly induced their growth dynamics and antioxidant capacity. Higher values of vegetative parameters were measured in treated plants compared to control. The brown juice treatments caused significant changes in histological parameters as well. The activity of catalase and peroxidase increased in plants that received fermented brown juice especially at low rates. Moreover, an increase in water-soluble protein and phenol was measured in different tissues of plants sprayed with fermented brown juice. Malondialdehyde content was lowered in treated plants compared to control. Fermented brown juice at high rates slightly reduced the amount of photosynthetic pigments; however, this reduction was not reported for low rates of fermented brown juice. These results surely illustrate the potential use of fermented alfalfa brown juice as a growth stimulator for crops particularly at rates below 2.5%.

The taxonomic value of phytolith assemblages and their degree of variability within different species of the same genus is still an undervalued issue in the botanical range of phytolith studies. However the understanding of grass phytolith variance and its implications to plant systematics is doubtless. In the present study phytoliths of the lateral shoots (leaves) of nine, globally distributed Poa species (Pooideae – Poaceae) are described. Phytoliths were recovered from Poa specimens by the dry ashing technique. Altogether 6223 disarticulated phytoliths were counted (approximately 500–700 phytoliths per species) in 54 plant samples, which cover six shoots of nine species. Not only the relative frequency of each morphotype was calculated, but measurements were conducted to determine the biogenic silica content of Poa lateral shoots. A phytolith reference collection for the nine selected species of a worldwide importance was also compiled. The description of the most significant phytolith morphotypes and their taxonomic relationships are given here. Results suggest that the biogenic silica content of the Poa lateral shoots was determined to be relatively high within all nine species. Phytolith assemblage data was subjected to multivariate statistical analyses (e.g., CA and PCA) in order to find differences and similarities among the nine Poa species. Results show that the two closely related Poa of the P. pratensis species group, namely the P. pratensis and P. angustifolia, only slightly differ from the other Poa species if we consider their rondel-trapeziform short cells (SC) phytolith frequencies.

The Cumans appeared in Eastern Europe in the second half of the 11th century. In the first part of my study, I present a brief survey of the Cuman attacks against the Byzantine Empire until 1091. In 1091 they fought along the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnénos (1081–1118) against the Pechenegs. In the battle of Lebunion, Alexios and his Cuman allies decisively defeated the Pechenegs. The Pechenegs defeated at the Battle of Lebunion lived at that time in the region Paristrion on Byzantine side of the Danube. In the same year, the Cumans attacked the Hungarian Kingdom as well. The purpose of this study is to search for an answer to the three questions: Who invited the Cumans into the Byzantine Empire? What was the role of the Cumans in the battle of Lebunion in which the Byzantines achieved a great victory over the Pechenegs? Could the Cumans be identical with the nomads who attacked the Hungarian Kingdom in the same year?

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen, and the detection and differentiation of this bacterium from the nonpathogenic Listeria species are of great importance to the food industry. Differentiation of Listeria species is very difficult, even with the sophisticated MALDI-TOF MS technique because of the close genetic relationship of the species and the usual gene transfer. The present paper emphasizes the difficulties of the differentiation through the standardized detection and confirmation according to ISO 11290-1:1996 and basic available L. monocytogenes detection methods and tests (such as API Listeria test, MALDI-TOF MS analysis, and hly gene PCR). With the increase of reports on the pathogenesis of atypical Listeria strains in humans, the significance of species level determination has become questionable, especially in food quality control, and the detection of pathogenic characteristics seems to be more relevant.

This paper is meant to be the first part of a two part unit that will be published next. The objective of this paper is to be an introduction of agri-product evaluation, within which a short summary of essentials of diversity measurement is given and to share experience on evaluation of environmental friendly agri-product. For biodiversity measurement and extern effects, literature of related publications was processed and experience gained over experimental projects on environmental-friendly technologies was summed up. Methods applied were based on influence-response approach which guided us all through the research work. It can be stated that one diversity measure or one diversity function fails to describe communities of living beings; therefore, at least two methods should be used in parallel. Scale-dependent description of diversity is necessary, which provides us with new information that can not be revealed by traditional methods. To identify external effects, we have to take influences of use of a specific product into account and the responses generated by use of that product. Influences might appear in parallel or can build up one another, similarly to the generated responses of environment. To be as precise as possible, it is suggested that we take into account only clear responses. Influence response relations are shown here using terms and concepts in broad sense and in general. More sophisticated application of terms and concepts is needed to evaluate properly and in monetary terms.We will make efforts to clarify terms and their use in the future.

This paper is meant to be the first part of a two part unit that will be published next. The objective of this paper is to be an introduction of agri-product evaluation, with in which a short summary of essentials of diversity measurement is given and to share experience on evaluation of environmental friendly agri-product. For biodiversity measurement and extern effects, literature of related publications was processed and experience gained over experimental projects on environmental-friendly technologies was summed up. Methods applied were based on influence-response approach which guided us all through the research work. It can be stated that one diversity measure or one diversity function fails to describe communities of living beings; therefore, at least two methods should be used in parallel. Scale-dependent description of diversity is necessary, which provides us with new information that can not be revealed by traditional methods. To identify external effects, we have to take influences of use of a specific product into account and the responses generated by use of that product. Influences might appear in parallel or can build up one another, similarly to the generated responses of environment. To be as precise as possible, it is suggested that we take into account only clear responses. Influence-response relations are shown here using terms and concepts in broad sense and in general. More sophisticated application of terms and concepts is needed to evaluate properly and in monetary terms.We will make efforts to clarify terms and their use in the future.

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