Mating studies were conducted on 78 isolates of Fusarium species section Liseola from rice, sugarcane and maize. From the crosses with tester strains of Gibberella fujikuroi species complex, 64.1% (50 out of 78 isolates) were cross-fertile with tester strains of mating populations A to E. The results of the mating studies showed that of the 50 isolates, 19 belonged to mating population A (Gibberella moniliformis), 18 to mating population B (Gibberella sacchari), 4 to mating population E (Gibberella subglutinans), 6 to mating population D (Gibberella intermedia) and 3 to mating population C (G. fujikuroi). Identification of several mating populations from rice, sugarcane and maize could be important biological entities under field conditions.
This study examined the potential of untreated and alkali-pretreated sugarcane bagasse (SCB) in cellulase, reducing sugar (RS) and fungal biomass production via solid state fermentation (SSF) using Pycnoporus sanguineus. The impact of the composition, structure and cellulase adsorption ability of SCB on the production of cellulase, RS and fungal biomass was investigated. From the morphological and compositional analyses, untreated SCB has relatively more structural changes with a higher percentage of depolymerisation on the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin content compared to alkali-pretreated SCB. Thus, untreated SCB favoured the production of cellulase and fungal biomass whereas alkali-pretreated SCB yielded a higher amount of RS. The composition and morphology of untreated SCB did not encourage RS production and this suggested that RS produced during SSF might be consumed in a faster rate by the more abundantly grown fungus. Besides that, alkali-pretreated SCB with higher cellulase adsorption ability could have adsorbed the cellulase produced and resulted in a lower cellulase titre. In short, the production of specific bioproducts via SSF is dependent on the structure and composition of the substrate applied.
The main goal of the present work was to develop a value-added product of biodegradable material for sustainable packaging. The use of agriculture waste-derived carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) mainly is to reduce the cost involved in the development of the film, at present commercially available CMS is costly. The main focus of the research is to translate the agricultural waste-derived CMC to useful biodegradable polymer suitable for packaging material. During this process CMC was extracted from the agricultural waste mainly sugar cane bagasse and the blends were prepared using CMC (waste derived), gelatin, agar and varied concentrations of glycerol; 1.5% (sample A), 2% (sample B), and 2.5% (sample C) was added. Thus, the film derived from the sample C (gelatin + CMC + agar) with 2.0% glycerol as a plasticizer exhibited excellent properties than other samples A and B. The physiochemical properties of each developed biodegradable plastics (sample A, B, C) were characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The swelling test, solubility in different solvents, oil permeability coefficient, water permeability (WP), mechanical strength of the produced material was claimed to be a good material for packaging and meanwhile its biodegradability (soil burial method) indicated their environmental compatibility nature and commercial properties. The reflected work is a novel approach, and which is vital in the conversion of organic waste to value-added product development. There is also another way to utilize commercial CMC in preparation of polymeric blends for the packaging material, which can save considerable time involved in the recovery of CMC from sugarcane bagasse.
Background. Vascular occlusion or thrombosis was often attributed to uncontrolled platelet activation. Influence of sugarcane policosanol extract on platelet was reported but little was known of rice bran policosanol, particularly its mechanisms of actions on platelet activities. Objective. Antiplatelet mechanisms of rice bran policosanol extract (RBE) were studied using hyperlipidemic Sprague Dawley rats. Ex vivo platelet aggregation, platelet count (PC), bleeding time (BT), and coagulation time were assayed. Serum eicosanoids and other aggregation-related metabolites levels were quantified. Design. Rats were divided into 6 groups for comparisons (vehicle control Tween 20/H2O, high dose policosanol 500 mg/kg, middle dose policosanol 250 mg/kg, low dose policosanol 100 mg/kg, and positive control aspirin 30 mg/kg). Results. Low dose 100 mg/kg of RBE inhibited aggregation by 42.32 ± 4.31% and this was comparable with the effect of 30 mg/kg aspirin, 43.91 ± 5.27%. Results showed that there were no significant differences in PC, BT, and coagulation time among various groups after RBE treatment. Serum thromboxane A2 was attenuated while prostacyclin level increased upon RBE treatment. Conclusions. RBE reduced ex vivo ADP-induced platelet aggregation without giving adverse effects. No changes in full blood count suggested that rice bran policosanol did not disturb biological blood cell production and destruction yet it reduced aggregation through different mechanisms.
The application of low-cost adsorbents obtained from plant wastes as a replacement for costly conventional methods of removing heavy metal ions from wastewater has been reviewed. It is well known that cellulosic waste materials can be obtained and employed as cheap adsorbents and their performance to remove heavy metal ions can be affected upon chemical treatment. In general, chemically modified plant wastes exhibit higher adsorption capacities than unmodified forms. Numerous chemicals have been used for modifications which include mineral and organic acids, bases, oxidizing agent, organic compounds, etc. In this review, an extensive list of plant wastes as adsorbents including rice husks, spent grain, sawdust, sugarcane bagasse, fruit wastes, weeds and others has been compiled. Some of the treated adsorbents show good adsorption capacities for Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and Ni.
Xylene, a recalcitrant compound present in wastewater from activities of petrochemical and chemical industries causes chronic problems for living organisms and the environment. Xylene contaminated wastewater may be biodegraded through a benthic microbial fuel cell (BMFC) as seen in this study. Xylene was oxidized into intermediate 3-methyl benzoic acid and entirely converted into non-toxic carbon dioxide. The highest voltage of the BMFC reactor was generated at 410 mV between 23 and 90 days when cell potential was 1 kΩ. The reactor achieved a maximum power density of about 63 mW/m2, and a current of 0.4 mA which was optimized from variable resistance (20 Ω - 1 kΩ). However, the maximum biodegradation efficiency of the BMFC was at 87.8%. The cyclic voltammetry curve helped to determine that the specific capacitance was 0.124 F/g after 30 days of the BMFC operation. Furthermore, the fitting equivalent circuit was observed with the help of Nyquist plot for calculating overall internal resistance of 65.82 Ω on 30th day and 124.5 Ω on 80th day. Staphylococcus edaphicus and Staphylococcus sparophiticus were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as the dominant species in the control and BMFC electrode, presumably associated with xylene biodegradation.
Oil palm trunks (OPT) are logged for replantation and the fiber residues are disposed of into the palm plantation area. The fiber residues are expected to increase soil fertility through recycling of carbon and minerals via fiber decomposition. This study investigated the effects of OPT fiber disposal and other lignocellulosic biomass on plant growth and microbial diversity in the soil environment. Four treatment plots were tested: (A) soil+OPT fiber (1:20), (B) soil+sugarcane bagasse (1:20), (C) soil+cellulose powder (1:20), and (D) unamended soil as a negative control. Low plant height, decreased chlorophyll content, and low biomass was observed in corn grown on soil mixed with OPT fiber, cellulose, and sugarcane bagasse, when compared with those of the control. The plants grown with OPT fiber were deficient in total nitrogen and magnesium when compared with those without fiber amendment, which suggested that nitrogen and minerals in soil might be taken up by changing microflora because of the OPT fibers presence. To confirm differences in the soil microflora, metagenomics analysis was performed on untreated soil and soil from each lignocellulose treatment. The microflora of soils mixed with OPT fiber, cellulose and sugarcane bagasse revealed substantial increases in bacteria such as families Cytophagaceae and Oscillospiraceae, and two major fungal genera, Trichoderma and Trichocladium, that are involved in lignocellulose degradation. OPT fiber resulted in a drastic increase in the ratios and amounts of Trichocladium in the soil when compared with those of cellulose and sugarcane bagasse. These results indicate that unregulated disposal of OPT fiber into plantation areas could result in nutrient loss from soil by increasing the abundance of microorganisms involved in lignocellulose decomposition.
Proverbs are created when people started to observe and understand the nature around them. Proverbs consist of literal meanings and implicated meanings. The way these proverbs have been said, portrays the beauty and smoothness of the language to which the proverbs belong. This research is mainly conducted to distinguish Indian community's intellectual and philosophical abilities in conveying direct and indirect meanings. The theoretical framework used in this research is inquisitive semantics by Nor Hashimah Jalaluddin (2014). This is a qualitative research. The researcher attained 25 datas by interviewing four (4) Indian informants. However, this research acquired only three 3 data in which the image of sugarcane has been used. Finding shows that the Indian community's proverbs are established from their observation towards nature and the Indian community has their own philosophical understanding and also intellectual standards in the creation of proverbs. Actual meanings behind the data used in this research have been successfully decoded using the theory of inquisitive semantics. In a nutshell, this study is highly justifiable as the theory used in this research is a renowned and authoritative theory.
This paper presents a comparison between data from single modality and fusion methods to classify Tualang honey as pure or adulterated using Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) statistical classification approaches. Ten different brands of certified pure Tualang honey were obtained throughout peninsular Malaysia and Sumatera, Indonesia. Various concentrations of two types of sugar solution (beet and cane sugar) were used in this investigation to create honey samples of 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% adulteration concentrations. Honey data extracted from an electronic nose (e-nose) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were gathered, analyzed and compared based on fusion methods. Visual observation of classification plots revealed that the PCA approach able to distinct pure and adulterated honey samples better than the LDA technique. Overall, the validated classification results based on FTIR data (88.0%) gave higher classification accuracy than e-nose data (76.5%) using the LDA technique. Honey classification based on normalized low-level and intermediate-level FTIR and e-nose fusion data scored classification accuracies of 92.2% and 88.7%, respectively using the Stepwise LDA method. The results suggested that pure and adulterated honey samples were better classified using FTIR and e-nose fusion data than single modality data.
Traditional postpartum practices generally involve food proscriptions and prescriptions. Certain foods are prohibited due to their properties such as “windy”, “cold” and “hot”. As lactating mother needs higher energy and protein intake, this practice may impact their ability to meet their nutritional requirements. Consequently, their health may not be fully restored, wound healing would be slowed, and lactation success may be interfered. This study was conducted in Kuantan, Pahang, to investigate Malay mothers’ perception on confinement dietary practices during postpartum period. A total of 80 respondents aged between 23-43 years old were interviewed using a questionnaire which consisted of an extensive list of food items. It was found that 100% of respondents mentioned that they do observe the traditional postpartum practices after childbirth with most of them (63.0%) chose to confine for up to 44 days. Flavored rice, roti canai and various types of noodle were generally avoided during postpartum period due to their ‘oily/fatty’ property. Tubers, and most fruits and vegetables were also avoided due to their ‘cold’ property. Moreover, the famous ‘reason’ for exclusion of fish was ‘bisa’ and ‘causing itchiness’ for seafood. Milk and dairy products were included in majority of respondents’ diet. Out of 80, 43 (53.8%) respondents avoided soy sauce because it was believed to give negative effect on wound healing. Other than
that, iced drink, tea and sugarcane drink were avoided due to their ‘cold’ and ‘sharp/sour’ properties. In addition, statistical tests of all food items show that there is no difference in terms of level of acceptance for each food between women delivered via normal delivery or caesarean section. It is concluded that postpartum food taboo beliefs are still prevalent among Malay women. Extensive food prohibition and restriction causes limited food choices which may affect mothers’ nutritional intake. Thus, a more balanced diet should be recommended for Malay mothers during postpartum period to ensure adequate nutrient intake, as much as culturally acceptable.
Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method based on solidification of floating organic droplet (DLLME-SFO) was developed for the analysis of triazines. As model compounds four selected triazine herbicides namely, simazine, atrazine, secbumeton and cyanazine were employed to estimate the extraction efficiency. The experimental conditions were comprehensively studied for the DLLME-SFO method. Under the use of 10 μL of 1-undecanol as extraction solvent, 100 μL of acetonitrile as disperser solvent and 5% (w/v) NaCl for 3 min the results demonstrated that the repeatability (RSD%) of the optimised DLLME-SFO method ranged from 0.03% to 5.1% and the linearity in the range of 0.01-100 ppb. Low limits of detection (0.037-0.008 ppb), and good enrichment factors (195-322) were obtained. The DLLME-SFO method applied in water and sugarcane samples showed excellent relative recoveries (95.7-116.9%) with RSDs <8.6% (n=3) for all samples.
Different agricultural residues were considered in this study for their ability to support cellulolytic enzyme production by Aspergillus niger. A total of eleven agricultural residues including finger millet hulls, sorghum hulls, soybean hulls, groundnut husk, banana peels, corn stalk, cassava peels, sugarcane bagasse, saw dust, rice straw and sheanut cake were subjected to three pretreatment (acid, alkali and oxidative) methods. All the residues supported the growth and production of cellulases by A. niger after 96 h of incubation. Maximum cellulase production was found in alkali-treated soybean hulls with CMCase, FPase and β-glucosidase yields of 9.91 ± 0.04, 6.20 ± 0.13 and 5.69 ± 0.29 U/g, respectively. Further studies in assessing the potential of soybean hulls are being considered to optimize the medium composition and process parameters for enhanced cellulase production.
The amount of sugarcane bagasse and rice straw in the state of Perlis (Malaysia) is abundant while its utilization is still limited. One of the alternatives for the bagasse and straw utilization is as pulp raw material. This paper reviews on pulp from sugarcane bagasse and rice straw and its suitability for paper production. In this study, the pulp was extracted by the Soxhlet extraction method. The objective of this study was to investigate the cellulose, lignin and silica content of the pulp from sugarcane bagasse and rice straw. For rice straw, the presence of large amount of pentosanes in the pulp and black liquors, which also contain silica were decreased the using of straw in the paper industry. Therefore, formic acid pulping and NaOH treatment are studied to reduce or prevent silica. The isolated pulp samples were further characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to investigate their fiber dimensions.
The proliferation of pathogenic fungi in sugarcane crops poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity and economic sustainability. Early identification and management of sugarcane diseases are therefore crucial to mitigate the adverse impacts of these pathogens. In this study, visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (380-1400 nm) combined with a novel wavelength selection method, referred to as modified flower pollination algorithm (MFPA), was utilized for sugarcane disease recognition. The selected wavelengths were incorporated into machine learning models, including Naïve Bayes, random forest, and support vector machine (SVM). The developed simplified SVM model, which utilized the MFPA wavelength selection method yielded the best performances, achieving a precision value of 0.9753, a sensitivity value of 0.9259, a specificity value of 0.9524, and an accuracy of 0.9487. These results outperformed those obtained by other wavelength selection approaches, including the selectivity ratio, variable importance in projection, and the baseline method of the flower pollination algorithm.
Spectroscopy in the visible and near-infrared region (Vis-NIR) region has proven to be an effective technique for quantifying the chlorophyll contents of plants, which serves as an important indicator of their photosynthetic rate and health status. However, the Vis-NIR spectroscopy analysis confronts a significant challenge concerning the existence of spectral variations and interferences induced by diverse factors. Hence, the selection of characteristic wavelengths plays a crucial role in Vis-NIR spectroscopy analysis. In this study, a novel wavelength selection approach known as the modified regression coefficient (MRC) selection method was introduced to enhance the diagnostic accuracy of chlorophyll content in sugarcane leaves. Experimental data comprising spectral reflectance measurements (220-1400 nm) were collected from sugarcane leaf samples at different growth stages, including seedling, tillering, and jointing, and the corresponding chlorophyll contents were measured. The proposed MRC method was employed to select optimal wavelengths for analysis, and subsequent partial least squares regression (PLSR) and Gaussian process regression (GPR) models were developed to establish the relationship between the selected wavelengths and the measured chlorophyll contents. In comparison to full-spectrum modelling and other commonly employed wavelength selection techniques, the proposed simplified MRC-GPR model, utilizing a subset of 291 selected wavelengths, demonstrated superior performance. The MRC-GPR model achieved higher coefficient of determination of 0.9665 and 0.8659, and lower root mean squared error of 1.7624 and 3.2029, for calibration set and prediction set, respectively. Results showed that the GPR model, a nonlinear regression approach, outperformed the PLSR model.
In this present study, the tungsten oxide/amino-functionalized sugarcane bagasse derived-carbon quantum dots (WO3/N-CQDs) composite has successfully been prepared through a simple mixing process. The WO3 was synthesized through a precipitation method, and CQDs were amino-functionalized using ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid (EDTA) and ethylenediamine (EDA) through one-pot hydrothermal method. It is revealed that N-CQDs incorporation into WO3 alters the bandgap energy, crystallinity, surface area, and photoluminescence (PL) properties. The produced composites exhibit higher monoclinic WO3 crystallinity, larger surface area, lower bandgap energy and quenched photoluminescence intensity. The as-prepared WO3/N-CQDs composites exhibit better adsorption and photocatalytic degradation performance of methylene blue (MB) than the pristine WO3. It shows that the combination of N-CQDs and WO3 enhanced visible light absorption, by lowering the bandgap energy of WO3 from 2.175 to 1.495 eV. The best performance composite is WO3/N-CQDs EDA 2.5% with an efficiency of 96.86%, removal rate constant of 0.02017/min, and chemical oxidation demand (COD) removal efficiency achieved 84.61%. Moreover, the WO3/N-CQDs EDA 2.5% shows a significant photocatalytic activity even at higher MB initial concentration with 92.93% removal for 50 ppm MB. Subsequently, the composite also has good stability after a sequential 3-times cycle of degradation with 86.85% removal. The increasing photocatalytic performance is affected by the quenching effect of PL and lower bandgap energy. The lower intensity of the PL indicates the reduced charge carrier recombination resulting in increased photocatalytic activity. The combination of N-CQDs and WO3 resulted in improved photodegradation, which shows its significant potential to be utilized for wastewater treatment.
This study was designed to determine the physicochemical, antioxidant and microbial properties of fresh sugarcane juice
with calamansi juice addition. The sugarcane that was used in the experiments was the black cane variety (Saccharum
officinarum). Sugarcane pressed with and without their peel was juiced and added with calamansi juice before analysis
was carried out. Standard method was used to analyse physicochemical properties such as pH, total soluble solids,
acidity and colour of sugarcane juice. Total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH and FRAP assay were conducted for antioxidant
properties. Total plate count and yeast and mould count were carried out for the microbiological analyses. Two way
analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows significant (p<0.05) difference on colour of sugarcane juiced after extraction with and
without peel. There were no significant (p>0.05) difference shown for pH, acidity and total soluble solids of sugarcane
juice pressed with and without peel. Sugarcane juice pressed with peel produced higher antioxidant value compared
to sugarcane pressed without peel. However, sugarcane juice pressed without peeled showed a lower microbial count
compared to sugarcane juice pressed with peel. The addition of calamansi juice proved to have significant (p<0.05)
effect on colour, antioxidant and microbial count of the sugarcane juices.
The current investigation concerns with preparation eco-friendly and cost-effective adsorbent (mesoporous silica nanoparticles (SBL)) based on black liquor (BL) containing lignin derived from sugarcane bagasse and combining it with sodium silicate derived from blast furnace slag (BFS) for thorium adsorption. Thorium ions were adsorbed from an aqueous solution using the synthesized bio-sorbent (SBL), which was then assessed by X-ray diffraction, BET surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Th(IV) sorption properties, including the pH effect, uptake rate, and sorption isotherms across various temperatures were investigated. The maximum sorption capacity of Th(IV) on SBL is 158.88 mg/L at pH value of 4328 K, and 60 min contact time. We demonstrated that the adsorption processes comport well with pseudo-second-order and Langmuir adsorption models considering the kinetics and equilibrium data. According to thermodynamic inspections results, the Th(IV) adsorption process exhibited endothermic and random behavior suggested by positive ΔH° and ΔS° values, while the negative ΔG° values indicated a spontaneous sorption process. The maximum Th(IV) desorption from the loaded SBL (Th/SBL) was carried out at 0.25 M of NaHCO3 and 60 min of contact. Sorption/desorption processes have five successive cycles. Finally, this study suggests that the recycling of BFS and BL can be exploited for the procurement of a promising Th(IV) adsorbents.
Sugarcane juice (Saccharum officinarum) is a proven nutritious beverage with high levels of antioxidants, polyphenols, and other beneficial nutrients. It has recently gained consumer interest due to its high nutritional profile and alkaline nature. Still, high polyphenolic and sugar content start the fermentation in juice, resulting in dark coloration. Lately, some novel techniques have been introduced to extend shelf life and improve the nutritional value of sugarcane juice. The introduction of such processing technologies is beneficial over conventional processes and essential for producing chemical-free, high-quality, fresh juices. The synergistic impact of these novel technologies is also advantageous for preserving sugarcane juice. In literature, novel thermal, non-thermal and hurdle technologies have been executed to preserve sugarcane juice. These technologies include high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), ultrasound (US), pulsed electric field (PEF), ultraviolet irradiation (UV), ohmic heating (OH), microwave (MW), microfludization and ozone treatment. This review manifests the impact of novel thermal, non-thermal, and synergistic technologies on sugarcane juice processing and preservation characteristics. Non-thermal techniques have been successfully proved effective and showed better results than novel thermal treatments. Because they reduced microbial load and retained nutritional content, while thermal treatments degraded nutrients and flavor of sugarcane juice. Among non-thermal treatments, HHP is the most efficient technique for the preservation of sugarcane juice while OH is preferable in thermal techniques due to less nutritional loss.
This study describes a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with dispersive solid-phase extraction method based on phenyl-functionalized magnetic sorbent for the preconcentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from environmental water, sugarcane juice, and tea samples prior to gas chromatography with mass spectrometry analysis. Several important parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were investigated thoroughly, including the mass of sorbent, type and volume of extraction solvent, extraction time, type of desorption solvent, desorption time, type and amount of salt-induced demulsifier, and sample volume. Under the optimized extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometric conditions, the method revealed good linearity (10-100000 ng/L) with coefficient of determination (R2 ) of ≥0.9951, low limits of detection (3-16 ng/L), high enrichment factors (61-239), and satisfactory analyte recoveries (86.3-109.1%) with the relative standard deviations