As a protein-rich, underutilized crop, green soybean could be exploited to produce hydrolysates containing angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides. Defatted green soybean was hydrolyzed using four different food-grade proteases (Alcalase, Papain, Flavourzyme and Bromelain) and their ACE inhibitory activities were evaluated. The Alcalase-generated green soybean hydrolysate showed the highest ACE inhibitory activity (IC50: 0.14 mg/mL at 6 h hydrolysis time) followed by Papain (IC50: 0.20 mg/mL at 5 h hydrolysis time), Bromelain (IC50: 0.36 mg/mL at 6 h hydrolysis time) and Flavourzyme (IC50: 1.14 mg/mL at 6 h hydrolysis time) hydrolysates. The Alcalase-generated hydrolysate was profiled based on its hydrophobicity and isoelectric point using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and isoelectric point focusing (IEF) fractionators. The Alcalase-generated green soybean hydrolysate comprising of peptides EAQRLLF, PSLRSYLAE, PDRSIHGRQLAE, FITAFR and RGQVLS, revealed the highest ACE inhibitory activity of 94.19%, 99.31%, 92.92%, 101.51% and 90.40%, respectively, while their IC50 values were 878 μM, 532 μM, 1552 μM, 1342 μM and 993 μM, respectively. It can be concluded that Alcalase-digested green soybean hydrolysates could be exploited as a source of peptides to be incorporated into functional foods with antihypertensive activity.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the protective activity of D-Pinitol against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The animals were divided into six groups, with each group consisting of six animals. Group I animals served as normal controls and received olive oil vehicle (1.0 ml/kg body weight intraperitoneally). Group II rats served as CCl4 controls, which received 30% CCl4 suspended in olive oil (3.0 ml/kg body weight intraperitoneally) twice a week for 4 weeks. Group III rats were treated with 30% CCl4 suspended in olive oil (3.0 ml/kg body weight intraperitoneally) twice a week for 4 weeks, followed by D-Pinitol (100 mg/kg body weight) given for 28 days intragastrically. Group IV rats received D-Pinitol alone at a concentration of 100 mg/kg body weight for 28 days intragastrically. At the end of the experimental period, serum marker enzymes and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were significantly increased in group II animals. On the other hand, D-Pinitol treatment significantly decreased marker enzymes and LPO levels and increased the antioxidant level. CYP expression was also investigated. Therefore, the present study revealed that D-Pinitol acts as a protective agent by decreasing metabolic activation of xenobiotics through its antioxidant nature.
In phytoremediation of co-contaminated soil, the simultaneous and efficient remediation of multiple pollutants is a major challenge rather than the removal of pollutants. A laboratory-scale experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of 5% addition of each of three different organic waste amendments (tea leaves, soy cake, and potato skin) to enhance the phytoaccumulation of lead (60 mg kg(-1)) and diesel fuel (25,000 mg kg(-1)) in co-contaminated soil by Dracaena reflexa Lam for a period of 180 day. The highest rate of oil degradation was recorded in co-contaminated soil planted with D. reflexa and amended with soy cake (75%), followed by potato skin (52.8%) and tea leaves (50.6%). Although plants did not accumulate hydrocarbon from the contaminated soil, significant bioaccumulation of lead in the roots and stems of D. reflexa was observed. At the end of 180 days, 16.7 and 9.8 mg kg(-1) of lead in the stems and roots of D. reflexa were recorded, respectively, for the treatment with tea leaves. These findings demonstrate the potential of organic waste amendments in enhancing phytoremediation of oil and bioaccumulation of lead.
This study explored the potential of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) from agrowastes, okara (soybean solid waste), oil palm trunk (OPT), and oil palm frond (OPF) obtained via alkali treatment, in the nanoencapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus . SDF solutions were amended with 8% poly(vinyl alcohol) to produce nanofibers using electrospinning technology. The spinning solution made from okara had a higher pH value at 5.39 ± 0.01 and a higher viscosity at 578.00 ± 11.02 mPa·s (P < 0.05), which resulted in finer fibers. FTIR spectra of nanofibers showed the presence of hemicellulose material in the SDF. Thermal behavior of nanofibers suggested possible thermal protection of probiotics in heat-processed foods. L. acidophilus was incorporated into the spinning solution to produce nanofiber-encapsulated probiotic, measuring 229-703 nm, visible under fluorescence microscopy. Viability studies showed good bacterial survivability of 78.6-90% under electrospinning conditions and retained viability at refrigeration temperature during the 21 day storage study.
Assessment of calcium bioavailability from non-dairy foods containing moderate amounts of calcium is especially important in populations that have habitually low dairy consumption. Absorption of calcium from milk and tempeh (a traditional fermented soy product) was compared in a sample of Malay subjects. A randomized, crossover design was utilized to assess calcium absorption in 20 postmenopausal women from either a glass of milk (114 g) or from a meal of tempeh (206 g); each containing 130 mg calcium. At each study of Phase 1 (mid-July) and Phase 2 (mid-August), intravenous (42)Ca and oral (44)Ca were administered and calcium absorption was measured in 24-h urine collections post-dosing; with a 1-month washout period between phases. Absorption of calcium from tempeh did not differ significantly from milk (36.9 +/- 10.6% vs. 34.3 +/- 8.6%, respectively). Due to differences in the calcium content of tempeh, four servings of this product would be needed to get the same amount of absorbed calcium as that obtained from a 4-ounce glass of milk. Tempeh may provide readily available calcium for this population of women at risk for low bone mass.
We evaluated the efficacy of supplementation of active Mitsuokella jalaludinii culture (AMJC) on the growth performance, nutrient use, and mineral concentrations in tibia bone and plasma of broiler chickens fed corn-soybean meal diets. Dietary treatments included low-nonphytate P (NPP) feed (containing 0.24% and 0.232% NPP for chicks from 1 to 21 and 22 to 42 d of age, respectively), low-NPP feed added with different levels of AMJC (equivalent to 250, 500, 750, and 1,000 U phytase/kg of feed), and normal-NPP feed (containing 0.46 and 0.354% NPP for chicks from 1 to 21 and 22 to 42 d of age, respectively). Supplementation of AMJC to low-NPP feed increased (P < 0.05) weight gain and feed intake and decreased (P < 0.05) feed:gain ratio of chickens during the whole experiment (Days 1 to 42). Supplementation of AMJC increased (P < 0.05) the AME value, digestibility of DM and CP, and retention of P, Ca, and Cu. Mn retention in broilers was only increased (P < 0.05) by AMJC supplementation from 18 to 20 d of age, and Zn retention was improved (P < 0.05) only at a high level of AMJC (equivalent to 1,000 U phytase/kg of feed) supplementation. Chicks fed low-NPP feed added with AMJC had similar tibia ash percentages as those fed the normal-NPP diet. Generally, supplementing AMJC to low-NPP feed increased (P < 0.05) Ca, decreased significantly (P < 0.05) Mn and Cu, but did not affect Zn and P concentrations in tibia ash. Supplementing AMJC also increased (P < 0.05) plasma P but had no effect on plasma Ca or Mn. Plasma Zn concentration was increased only when a high level of AMJC (equivalent to 1,000 U phytase/kg of feed) was used. In conclusion, AMJC supplementation to low-NPP feed improved growth performance; AME value; digestibility of CP and DM; use of Ca, P, and Cu; and bone mineralization.
Some infants intolerant to cow's milk protein (CMP) are often also intolerant to other food proteins including soy protein (SP). The effect of CMP and SP in infants recovering from diarrhoeal disease was studied in 22 infants who were maintained on an hypo-allergenic formula for 4-6 weeks. The infants were then challenged successively, initially with SP, followed 24 h later with CMP and then rechallenged with SP 24 h after CMP provocation. Three groups were recognized on the basis of clinical symptoms and mucosal changes following SP challenge. Group 1 comprised four infants who developed clinical and histological reactions on SP challenge. The subsequent CMP challenge, 24 h after the initial SP challenge, resulted in clinical symptoms in three of the four infants, and they developed increased mucosal injury. Rechallenge with SP in the three infants caused development of severe clinical symptoms. Group 2 comprised 12 infants who developed histological reaction but had no clinical symptoms to initial SP challenge. The subsequent CMP challenge caused further progression in mucosal pathology in 11 of the 12 infants and six also had associated clinical symptoms. Rechallenge with SP in the latter six infants resulted in development of clinical symptoms in three and tolerance to SP in three infants. Group 3 comprised six infants who tolerated SP and CMP but one of these infants developed mild histological changes to CMP. The progression of mucosal injury following SP and CMP challenge was associated with a significant decrease in mucosal disaccharidases, alkaline phosphatase levels and presence of reducing sugar in the stools. The 1 h blood xylose level continued to decrease significantly following the pre-SP, post-SP, and post-CMP challenge. It appears that the small bowel mucosa of young infants recovering from diarrhoeal disease remains sensitive not only to CMP but also to SP. The feeding of these proteins in rapid successive sequence to infants with mucosal damage might result in further progression of the mucosal injury. Thus, the exclusion for a variable period of time of antigenic food proteins like CMP and SP from the diet of young infants recovering from diarrhoea might reduce the risk of inducing mucosal sensitivity to these proteins in susceptible infants.
The present study was undertaken to compare the neuroprotective effects between total isoflavones from soybean and tempeh against scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunction. Total isoflavones (10, 20 and 40mg/kg) from soybean (SI) and tempeh (TI) were administered orally to different groups of rats (n=6) for 15days. Piracetam (400mg/kg, p.o.) was used as a standard drug while scopolamine (1mg/kg, i.p.) was used to induce amnesia in the animals. Radial arm and elevated plus mazes served as exteroceptive behavioural models to measure memory. Brain cholinergic activities (acetylcholine and acetylcholinesterase) and neuroinflammatory activities (COX-1, COX-2, IL-1β and IL10) were also assessed. Treatment with SI and TI significantly reversed the scopolamine effect and improved memory with TI group at 40mg/kg, p.o. exhibiting the best improvement (p<0.001) in rats. The TI (10, 20 and 40mg/kg, p.o.) significantly increased (p<0.001) acetylcholine and reduced acetylcholinesterase levels. Meanwhile, only a high dose (40mg/kg, p.o.) of SI showed significant improvement (p<0.05) in the cholinergic activities. Neuroinflammation study also showed that TI (40mg/kg, p.o.) was able to reduce inflammation better than SI. The TI ameliorates scopolamine-induced memory in rats through the cholinergic neuronal pathway and by prevention of neuroinflammation.
The current investigation evaluated the potential of proniosome as a carrier to enhance skin permeation and skin retention of a highly lipophilic compound, α-mangostin. α-Mangostin proniosomes were prepared using the coacervation phase seperation method. Upon hydration, α-mangostin loaded niosomes were characterized for size, polydispersity index (PDI), entrapment efficiency (EE) and ζ-potential. The in vitro permeation experiments with dermis-split Yucatan Micropig (YMP) skin revealed that proniosomes composed of Spans, soya lecithin and cholesterol were able to enhance the skin permeation of α-mangostin with a factor range from 1.8- to 8.0-fold as compared to the control suspension. Furthermore, incorporation of soya lecithin in the proniosomal formulation significantly enhanced the viable epidermis/dermis (VED) concentration of α-mangostin. All the proniosomal formulations (except for S20L) had significantly (p<0.05) enhanced deposition of α-mangostin in the VED layer with a factor range from 2.5- to 2.9-fold as compared to the control suspension. Since addition of Spans and soya lecithin in water improved the solubility of α-mangostin, this would be related to the enhancement of skin permeation and skin concentration of α-mangostin. The choice of non-ionic surfactant in proniosomes is an important factor governing the skin permeation and skin retention of α-mangostin. These results suggested that proniosomes can be utilized as a carrier for highly lipophilic compound like α-mangostin for topical application.
Reported here is a summary of the proceedings of the Symposium on Plant Polyphenols: Nutrition, Health and Innovations, which was cosponsored by the Southeast Asia Region branch of the International Life Sciences Institute and the Nutrition Society of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 22-23, 2009. The symposium provided a timely update of research regarding the protective effects of polyphenols in chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well as the development of innovative polyphenol-containing food products with enhanced nutritive and health properties. Presentations covered polyphenols from a wide range of food sources such as tea, coffee, nuts and seeds, cocoa and chocolate, soy, and Asian fruits, vegetables, and spices. The symposium was attended by a large and diverse group of nutritionists, dietitians, researchers and allied health professionals, as well as management, research and development, and marketing personnel from the food and beverage industry. Their enthusiastic participation was a testament to the increasing awareness and interest in polyphenols in the prevention and control of chronic diseases. Presented here are some of the highlights and important information from the symposium.
Jatropha seed cake (JSC) is an excellent source of protein but does contain some antinutritional factors (ANF) that can act as toxins and thus negatively affect the growth and health status of fish. While this can limit the use of JSC, detoxified Jatropha protein isolate (DJPI) may be a better option. An 8-week study was performed to evaluate dietary DJPI to common carp Cyprinus carpio. Five iso-nitrogenous diets (crude protein of 38%) were formulated that consisted of a C ontrol (fish meal (FM) based protein), J 50 or J 75 (50 and 75% of FM protein replaced by DJPI), and S 50 or S 75 (50 and 75% of FM protein replaced by soy protein isolate, SPI) and fed to triplicate groups of 75 carp fingerlings (75; av. wt. ± SD; 11.4 ± 0.25 g). The growth, feeding efficiencies, digestibility, plasma biochemistry, and intestinal enzymes were measured. Results showed that growth performance of fish fed the S 75- or DJPI-based diets were not significantly different from those fed the C ontrol diet, while carp fed the S 50 had significantly better growth than the J 75 diet. Fish fed the J 75 diet had significantly lower protein and lipid digestibility as well as significantly lower intestinal amylase and protease activities than all other groups. However, all plant protein-based diets led to significantly higher crude protein, crude lipid, and gross energy in the body of common carp compared to the control treatment. Plasma cholesterol and creatinine significantly decreased in the plant protein fed groups, although plasma triglyceride as well as the red blood cells count, hematocrit, albumin, globulin, total plasma protein, and lysozyme activity were higher in plant protein fed groups compared to FM fed group. White blood cells, hemoglobulin concentration, alkaline phosphatase and alanine transaminase activities, and glucose level in blood did not differ significantly among treatments. The results suggest that the DJPI is non-toxic to carp and can be used to replace FM in the diets of common carp up to 75%, but further research to potentially reduce some inherent ANF within this protein source, such as non-starch polysaccharides, may improve nutrient utilization.
A single line flow injection analysis (FIA) method that incorporated a preconcentrator column packed with C(18) particles and capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detector (C(4)D) was developed for the determination of free fatty acid (FFA) in vegetable oils. The carrier stream was methanol/1.5 mM sodium acetate (pH 8) 80:20 (v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min(-1). Calibration curve was well correlated (r(2)=0.9995) within the range of 1-200 mg L(-1) FFA (expressed as palmitic acid). Sampling rate of 40-60 h(-1) was achieved. Good agreement was found between the standard non-aqueous titrimetry method and the proposed method when applied to the determination of FFA in palm (crude, olein, and refined, bleached and deodorised) and other vegetable (soybean, rice bran, walnut, corn and olive) oils. The proposed method offers distinct advantages over the official method, especially in terms of simplicity, high sampling rate, economy of solvents and sample, offering considerable promise as a low cost automated system that needs minimum human intervention over long periods of time.
Processing of soybeans to other products and consumption of soy products is increasing worldwide mainly due to acclaimed health benefits. Processing can alter soybean sensory appeal, nutritive value and potentially affect consumer health. Rhizopus oligosporus was used to ferment soybean for 3 days. The tempeh flour (TF) was produced form tempeh while defatted tempeh flour (DTF) was then produced from TF by immersing in hexane solvent while soy protein isolate (SPI) was prepared from DTF by using alkali and acid followed by neutralization treatment. In this study, nutritional properties and amino acid content of tempeh, TF, DTF and SPI were determined. Therefore, the objective of this study is was to evaluate the effect of each treatment on the chemical composition and amino acid content for all the samples. The results showed that the nutritional properties (total ash, moisture, crude fat, total carbohydrate and crude fibre) were reduced significantly (p < 0.05) except for protein content. Protein content was significantly (p < 0.05) increased by 50.5% in SPI. For amino acid content, the results obtained showed that SPI contain highest amount of essential and non-essential amino acid followed by DTF, Tempeh and TF. Glutamic acid was found to be the highest amino acid component in all samples. The evaluation from the results showed that SPI can be considered as potential functional food ingredients.
BACKGROUND: The increasing costs of feed has subsequently increased the costs of production of livestock, thereby decreasing the profit margin of this sector. The utilization of agro-industrial by-products has to some extent substitute some of the corn grains and soyabean meal, commonly used in animal feeds. In Malaysia, palm kernel cake (PKC) is a by-product of the oil palm industry and is frequently used to supply both crude protein (14-16% CP) and energy (11 MJ/kg) in ruminants. The energy and protein content are adequate for maintenance in the majority of ruminants. However, highly available energy supplementation is known to improve growth performance and protein deposition. This study was carried out to determine the effect on the quality of meat and fatty acid composition of the semitendinosus (ST), supraspinatus (SS), and longissimus lumborum (LL) muscles of Dorper lambs by including corn as an energy source in a basal diet of PKC urea-treated rice straw.
RESULTS: The results show that the LL muscle-drip loss was greater in animals supplemented with 5% corn compared to the other groups. Higher pH values of SS and LL muscles were observed in animals supplemented with 5 and 10% corn. Furthermore, the L* value of ST muscle was increased in lambs fed on 5% corn while, reduced in those fed on 0% corn, but the a* and b* values were not significantly different in the treatment groups. The fatty acid composition of the SS muscles showed that lambs fed on 10% corn had higher levels of sum PUFA n-3 compared to those fed on 0% corn. The concentration of C18:1trans11 and CLA c12 t10 in ST muscle from the lambs fed on supplemented diets were higher than those of the controls.
CONCLUSION: This study has concluded the supplementation of corn as a source of energy into a PKC urea-treated rice straw-based diet increased the PUFA concentrations of muscles as compared to control groups.
For the first time, Rhizophora spp. (Rh. spp.) particleboard phantoms were developed using defatted soy flour (DSF) and soy protein isolate (SPI) modified by sodium hydroxide and itaconic acid polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (IA-PAE) adhesive. The microstructural characterization and X-ray diffraction patterns of the material revealed that the modified DSF and SPI adhesives became more compact and homogeneous when NaOH/IA-PAE was added, which prevented damage by moisture. It was confirmed that the composite is crystalline with (101), (002), and (004) orientations. Phantoms made of this material were scanned with X-ray computed tomography (CT) typically used for abdominal examinations with varying energies corresponding to 80, 120, and 135 kVp, to determine CT numbers, electron densities, and density distribution profiles. The radiation attenuation parameters were found to be not significantly different from those of water (XCOM) with p values [Formula: see text] 0.05 for DSF and SPI. The DSF- and SPI-based particleboard phantoms showed CT numbers close to those of water at the three X-ray CT energies. In addition, electron density and density distribution profiles of DSF-SPI-Rh. spp. particleboard phantoms with 15 wt% IA-PAE content were even closer to those of water and other commercial phantom materials at the three X-ray CT energies. It is concluded that DSF-SPI with NaOH/IA-PAE added can be used as a potential adhesive in Rh. spp. particleboard phantoms for radiation dosimetry.
The global trend in increasing plant-based protein diets due to health and ideological reasons, has created an increased demand for food legumes that exceeds current production. To meet this demand, it is timely to reduce relying solely on soybean, and explore the potential of the underutilised legumes that are cultivated regionally. Underutilised legumes are rich in protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients that are essential for consumer. However, relatively little is known about their anti-nutritional properties and processing methods. Anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) such as enzyme inhibitors are prevalent in legumes and may interfere with digestibility and nutrient absorption. Nevertheless, an optimised food processing method will overcome this challenge and warrant a safe inclusion of legume in plant-based protein diets. Hence current study aimed to optimise the food processing methods (soaking, wet heating, autoclaving and freezing) and evaluate their efficiency in eliminating the enzyme inhibitors [trypsin, chymotrypsin (CIA) and α-amylase (AIA) inhibitors] present in seven underutilised legumes. Current study showed that autoclaving at 121 °C for 15 min reduced the AIA in all underutilised legumes tested. The AIA and CIA of bambara groundnut were successfully inactivated by wet heating at 50 °C for 60 min, and by autoclaving at 121 °C for 15 min. While the CIA of chickpea was successfully inactivated by freezing at - 80 °C for 24 h.
Soybean (Glycine max L.) is one of the most economically important crops in the world, and anthracnose is known to infect soybean in most countries. Colletotrichum truncatum is the common pathogen causing anthracnose of soybean. However, at least five species of Colletotrichum have been reported on soybean worldwide (2). In July 2010, anthracnose symptoms were observed on soybean in the experimental fields of the agriculture station in Ladang Dua, University Putra Malaysia located in Selangor state of Malaysia. Symptoms were initially observed on a few plants randomly within one field, but after 4 weeks, the disease was found in two additional fields scattered across an area of 1 km2. Pinkish-brown lesions were observed on the pods, and the formation of dark lesions on the leaves and stems was sometimes followed by stem girdling, dieback, and distorted growth. At later stages, numerous epidermal acervuli developed in the lesions, and mucilaginous conidial masses appeared during periods of high relative humidity. Conidia produced in acervuli were straight, cylindric, hyaline, and aseptate, with both ends rounded. Conidia measured (mean ± SD) 14.2 ± 0.6 × 3.6 ± 0.7 μm, and the L/W ratio was 3.95 μm. Six isolates of the fungus were obtained and identified as C. gloeosporioides on the basis of morphological characterization (3). The isolates were deposited in the University Putra of Malaysia Culture Collection (UPMCC). PDA cultures were white at first and subsequently became grayish to pink to reddish-brown. Amplification and sequence analysis of coding and none-coding regions of the ITS-rDNA (GenBank JX669450), actin (JX827430), β-tubulin (JX827454), histone (JX827448), chitin synthase (JX827436), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (JX827442) obtained from the representative isolate, CGM50, aligned with deposited sequences from GenBank and revealed 99 to 100% sequence identity with C. gloeosporioides strains (JX258757, JX009790, GQ849434, HM575301, JQ005413, and JX00948 from GenBank). One representative isolate, CGM50, was used for pathogenicity testing. Four non-infected detached leaves and pods of 24-day-old G. max var. Palmetto were surface-sterilized and inoculated by placing 10 μl of a conidial suspension (106 conidia ml-1) using either the wound/drop or non-wound/drop method (4), with 10 μl distilled water as a negative control. Leaves and pods were incubated at 25°C, 98% RH. The experiment was repeated twice. Five days after inoculation, the development of typical field symptoms, including acervuli formation, occurred on the leaves and pods of inoculated plants, but not on the negative controls. A fungus with the same colony and conidial morphology as CGM50 was recovered from the lesions on the inoculated leaves and pods. Anthracnose caused by C. gloeosporioides on soybean plants has been reported previously in different countries, but not in Malaysia (3). Geographically, the climate of Malaysia is highly conducive to maintain and cause outbreaks of anthracnose all year round; thus, the development of management recommendations will be inevitable for anthracnose control. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. gloeosporioides causing anthracnose on soybean in Malaysia. References: (1) U. Damm et al. Fungal Diversity 39:45, 2009. (2) S. L. Chen et al. J. Phytopathol. 154:654, 2006. (3) B. C. Sutton. The Genus Glomerella and its Anamorph Colletotrichum. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, 1992. (4) P. P. Than et al. Plant Pathol. 57:562, 2008. ERRATUM: A correction was made to this Disease Note on May 19, 2014. The author N. Soleimani was added.
The last decade has witnessed dramatic changes in global food consumption patterns mainly because of population growth and economic development. Food substitutions for healthier eating, such as swapping regular servings of meat for protein-rich crops, is an emerging diet trend that may shape the future of food systems and the environment worldwide. To meet the erratic consumer demand in a rapidly changing world where resources become increasingly scarce due largely to anthropogenic activity, the need to develop crops that benefit both human health and the environment has become urgent. Legumes are often considered to be affordable plant-based sources of dietary proteins. Growing legumes provides significant benefits to cropping systems and the environment because of their natural ability to perform symbiotic nitrogen fixation, which enhances both soil fertility and water-use efficiency. In recent years, the focus in legume research has seen a transition from merely improving economically important species such as soybeans to increasingly turning attention to some promising underutilized species whose genetic resources hold the potential to address global challenges such as food security and climate change. Pulse crops have gained in popularity as an affordable source of food or feed; in fact, the United Nations designated 2016 as the International Year of Pulses, proclaiming their critical role in enhancing global food security. Given that many studies have been conducted on numerous underutilized pulse crops across the world, we provide a systematic review of the related literature to identify gaps and opportunities in pulse crop genetics research. We then discuss plausible strategies for developing and using pulse crops to strengthen food and nutrition security in the face of climate and anthropogenic changes.
This study was conducted to determine the physical and chemical composition of goat milk produced by eight local farms located in the central region of Malaysia. Farms 1 to 4 (F1-SC, F2-SP, F3-SP, F4-SBC) reared Saanen-type goats while farms 5 to 8 (F5-JK, F6-JPEC, F7-JTC, F8-JC), Jamnapari-type goats. The common feedstuffs used in all farms comprised of fresh or silage from Napier grass, feed pellets, and brans while two farms, F5-JK and F6-JPEC supplemented the feeds with soybean-based product. The total solid content, dry matter, and proximate composition of goat milk and feedstuffs from the different farms were determined and the results analysed using principal component analysis. Total solid content of goat milk from the Jamnapari crossbreed had the highest solid content ranging from 11.81% to 17.54% compared to milk from farms with Saanen and Saanen crossbreed (10.95% to 14.63%). Jamnapari-type goats from F5-JK, F6-JPEC, and F8-JC had significantly higher (p < 0.05) milk fat and protein contents (7.36%, 7.14%, and 6.59% fat; 5.08%, 6.19%, and 4.23% protein, respectively) than milk from other farms but, milk produced by Saanen-type goats from F4-SBC contained similar protein content (4.34%) to that from F8-JC. Total ash and carbohydrate contents in milk ranged between 0.67% to 0.86% and 3.26% to 4.71%, respectively, regardless of goat breed. Feeding soybean-based products appear to have a positive influence on milk fat and protein content in Jamnaparitype goats.
Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is an underutilised legume crop, which has long been recognised as a protein-rich and drought-tolerant crop, used extensively in Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of the study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) involved in agronomic and drought-related traits using an expression marker-based genetic map based on major crop resources developed in soybean. The gene expression markers (GEMs) were generated at the (unmasked) probe-pair level after cross-hybridisation of bambara groundnut leaf RNA to the Affymetrix Soybean Genome GeneChip. A total of 753 markers grouped at an LOD (Logarithm of odds) of three, with 527 markers mapped into linkage groups. From this initial map, a spaced expression marker-based genetic map consisting of 13 linkage groups containing 218 GEMs, spanning 982.7 cM (centimorgan) of the bambara groundnut genome, was developed. Of the QTL detected, 46% were detected in both control and drought treatment populations, suggesting that they are the result of intrinsic trait differences between the parental lines used to construct the cross, with 31% detected in only one of the conditions. The present GEM map in bambara groundnut provides one technically feasible route for the translation of information and resources from major and model plant species to underutilised and resource-poor crops.