Explore the vast range of titles available.

Chocolate is one of the most consumed foods worldwide and cacao fermentation contributes to the unique sensory characteristics of chocolate products. However, comparative changes in volatiles occurring during fermentation of Criollo, Forastero, and Nacional cacao—three of the most representative cultivars worldwide—have not been reported. Beans of each cultivar were fermented for five days and samples were taken every 24 hours. Volatiles from each sample were adsorbed into a solid phase microextraction fiber and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Aroma potential of each compound was determined using available databases. Multivariate data analyses showed partial clustering of samples according to cultivars at the start of the fermentation but complete clustering was observed at the end of the fermentation. The Criollo cacao produced floral, fruity, and woody aroma volatiles including linalool, epoxylinalool, benzeneethanol, pentanol acetate, germacrene, α-copaene, aromadendrene, 3,6-heptanedione, butanal, 1-phenyl ethenone, 2-nonanone, and 2-pentanone. Nacional cacao produced fruity, green, and woody aroma volatiles including 2-nonanone, 3-octen-1-ol, 2-octanol acetate, 2-undecanone, valencene, and aromadendrene. The Forastero cacao yielded floral and sweet aroma volatiles such as epoxylinalool, pentanoic acid, benzeneacetaldehyde, and benzaldehyde. This is the first report of volatiles produced during fermentation of Criollo, Forastero, and Nacional cacao from the same origin.

Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) is an essential food for half of the global population and is vital in maintaining global food security. Climate change, increasing population and recent incident of COVID pandemic has generated financial burden and threaten the global food security. Due to theses factors rice cultivation also has to face significant challenges. frequent weather changes pose a considerable challenge to agricultural planning, which was previously relaying on consistent seasonal variations. In this context, rice cultivation is particularly sensitive to cold, where its development and productivity inhibited by low temperatures (< 18 °C). Developing rice varietes with low temprature tolerence and good yield potential is one of the major goals of current breeding efforts of plant scientists. For this purpose, short duration and early rice varieties are most favorable to avoid cold stress and yield more in less number of days. this study was designed to investigate the effect of low temperatures on different rice varieties. the study was designed to identify low temprature tolerent genotypes with early and regular cultivation. For this, thirty-four genotypes were evaluated in two gorwing seasons (2018–2019) with four different sowing times. Statistically sowing time showed significant interaction between all yield contributing parameters. The data indicate that exposure to low temperatures during the reproductive phase prolongs the maturation period of the crop, also length of the panicle and the fertility of the spikelets drops, resulting in a significant decrease in the production of sensitive varieties. Some varieties are more sensitive to cold stress compared to others. In the Egyptian context, Giza176, Sakha104, and Sakha107 are recommended for early cultivation, while the genotypes Giza 179, Sakha101, Sakha104, and GZ 9730-1-1-1-1 are indicated for the normal cultivation period. The Sakha104 variety is particularly notable, as it is recommended for both purposes. In addition, the data obtained in this study provide valuable information for selecting rice varieties suitable for double cropping in the North Delta of Egypt. This study also contributes to the existing literature, providing insights into the resilience of rice cultivation in the face of climate change.

Background This study examines the effectiveness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF, Rhizophagus irregularis ) as a bioprotection strategy to improve wheat’s physiological and biochemical responses. This study utilized soil inoculation with AMF and plant-controlled infestation with aphids, conducted over four weeks with three replicates per treatment. Results Although aphid infestation reduced root colonization by 26.8% and hyphal length by 30.7%, with no effect on arbuscular numbers ( p  < 0.05), AMF treatment improved growth, physiology, and metabolism of AMF-treated plants, especially under aphid infestation. AMF-treated plants showed a 51% increase in fresh weight and a 38% improvement in photosynthetic rates under infestation, indicating enhanced photosynthetic efficiency compared to controls. At the metabolism level, AMF application, particularly in infested plants, increased the levels of several amino acids, such as asparagine and glutamine, which increased by 23% and 20%, respectively. AMF treatment significantly boosted nitrogen metabolism enzymes, with activity increasing up to 4.8-fold in infested plants and arginase activity rising by 49% in infested and 290% in non-infested conditions. This metabolic shift elevated antioxidant levels, increasing flavonoids by 40% and polyphenols by 95% under aphid infestation. Additionally, antimicrobial efficacy improved, with AMF-treated plant extracts showing 30–67% larger inhibition zones against pathogens like Staphylococcus epidermidis and Salmonella typhimurium than untreated plants ( p  < 0.05). Conclusions This research examined the potential of AMF as a sustainable pest management tool, specifically focusing on its ability to enhance crop health and boost defenses against biotic stress. The study further highlights how AMF treatment improves antimicrobial efficacy, which can be integrated into farming practices to maintain plant growth while offering distinct advantages over conventional pest management strategies.

Drought stress affects plant growth and production. To cope with drought stress, plants induced physiological and metabolic changes, serving as a protective approach under drought-stress conditions. The response to drought can vary based on plant type (C3 vs. C4) and the intensity of the stress. Therefore, here we aimed to investigate the different responses of wheat C3- Triticum aestivum and C4- Amaranthus caudatus plants to drought stress. To this end, the growth, photosynthetic parameters, oxidative stress, total antioxidant capacity, primary metabolites (amino acids and organic and fatty acids) and secondary metabolites (polyamines) were analyzed. Drought stress reduced growth, biomass, relative water content, water potential, and photosynthesis in both plants, with more severe effects observed in wheat. Drought-induced reduction in photosynthesis was linked to lower stomatal conductance, reduced photosynthetic enzyme activity, and decreased Fv/Fm, indicating impaired PSII function, effects that were more pronounced in wheat than in amaranth. This was accompanied by increased oxidative damage, as indicated by elevated levels of lipid peroxidation. To cope with drought stress, both plants accumulated metabolites involved in antioxidant defense and osmoregulation, including total antioxidant capacity, soluble sugars, proline, polyamines, organic acids, and fatty acids. This response was more pronounced in wheat, indicating its active deployment of defenses to cope with significant stress, in contrast to Amaranthus ' greater physiological resilience.

Cacao demand is continuously increasing, and variations in cacao prices have been associated with the aroma of fermented cacao beans. However, the role of microorganisms in the formation of volatile-aroma compounds during fermentation remains unclear. Microbial diversity in Nacional × Trinitario cacao was characterized during spontaneous fermentation by using culture-based methods and next-generation sequencing (NGS) of DNA amplicons. Cacao beans that were spontaneously fermented for 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h were UV-sterilized prior to the inoculation of the microbial isolates obtained by the culture-based methods. The volatile formation in inoculated cacao beans was evaluated by GC-MS. The species isolated during fermentation included yeast, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida metapsilosis; lactic acid bacteria (LAB), such as Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Liquorilactobacillus nagelii; acetic acid bacteria (AAB), such as Acetobacter pasteurianus, Acetobacter ghanensis and Acetobacter syzygii, as well as other species, such as Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Additionally, NGS revealed an abundance of environmental microorganisms, including Escherichia spp., Pantoea spp., Staphylococcus spp., Botrytis spp., Tetrapisispora spp. and Pichia spp., among others. During the lab-scale fermentation, the inoculation of S. cerevisiae mostly yielded alcohols, while LAB and AAB produced volatiles associated with floral, almond and fruity notes throughout the fermentation, but AAB also produced acetic acid with a sour aroma. Similarly, the inoculation of C. metapsilosis and Bacillus spp. in 96 h fermented cacao beans yielded esters with floral aromas. This is the first report describing the role of microorganisms in volatile formation during fine-flavor cacao fermentation.

Oat ( Avena sativa L.) is an important cereal crop threatened by insect stress from the grain aphid ( Sitobion avenae ), which reduces photosynthetic efficiency, sugars, amino acids, and nitrogen metabolism, ultimately impairing plant growth. This study explores the beneficial effects of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) on oat plants under grain aphid infestation, focusing on physiological and biochemical responses. Four treatments were applied: non-infested control, SeNP-treated non-infested, aphid-infested control, and SeNPs + aphid-infested plants. Seed priming was performed with a 30 mg L⁻ 1 SeNP solution, followed by controlled aphid infestation over five weeks, with three replicates per treatment. Aphid stress alone decreased chlorophyll a and b, modified pigment composition, altered sugar profiles, and induced strong shifts in amino acid, fatty acid, and organic acid metabolism. Application of SeNPs to aphid-infested plants significantly enhanced photosynthetic pigments (+ 37% to + 47%), increased soluble sugars (glucose and fructose + 25% to + 34%), and improved total nitrogen content (+ 39%) along with key nitrogen-metabolism enzymes including GDH (+ 113%), GOGAT (+ 46%), and GS (+ 54%). In non-infested plants, SeNPs also increased sucrose accumulation (+ 34%). SeNPs further elevated antioxidant metabolites, with total antioxidant capacity rising by 30% under infestation, and polyphenols and tocopherols increasing by 58% and 33%, respectively. Importantly, SeNP treatment reduced aphid body weight by 30% and decreased apterous morphs by 20%, indicating enhanced plant defensive capacity. In conclusion, the research highlighted the potential of SeNPs to enhance the resilience of oat plants against grain aphid stress by improving physiological parameters, boosting sugar and nitrogen metabolism, and increasing antioxidant levels, resulting in decreased aphid populations and modified growth patterns. Future studies should explore field-scale applications and evaluate long-term ecological and agronomic impacts of nano-enabled insect-stress management strategies.

The present study explored the effects of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) on wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) in the context of grain aphid infestation, aiming to promote crop resilience to biotic stress. Wheat seeds were treated with BABA at 50 µM before being cultivated in a controlled environment, revealing significant improvements in the physiological and biochemical responses of the treated plants, particularly under aphid pressure.  BABA treatment led to substantial increases in photosynthetic efficiency and antioxidant defenses, with a remarkable 39% enhancement in photosynthetic rates compared to untreated infested plants. The investigation into amino acid composition revealed significant following BABA application, where some amino acids such as proline, phenylalanine, asparagine and glutamine levels rose particularly in infested plants. These shifts in amino acid profile acted as precursors to the enhanced antioxidant metabolites, which resulted in increased content of antioxidant molecules in BABA-treated plants, with flavonoids rising by 24%, polyphenols by 58% and tocopherols by 55% compared to untreated plants under aphid infestation. Moreover, studying anthocyanin metabolism, as an important flavonoid pigment, helped to understand how variations in phenylalanine amino acid content can increase the production of anthocyanins in BABA-treated plants under both infestation (+ 296%) and non-infestation conditions (+ 90%). Furthermore, BABA-treated plants exhibited a 47% increase in fresh weight under infestation conditions. These results underscore BABA’s potential as a biostimulant that promotes healthier physiological responses in wheat, positioning it as a valuable tool in sustainable pest management strategies.

Black Sigatoka is the most widespread banana disease worldwide. It is caused by Pseudocercospora fijiensis , a fungal pathogen known for developing resistance to fungicides such as thiabendazole. Despite the increasing costs associated with the use of chemicals to control this disease, the pathogen’s mechanisms for fungicide resistance are not fully understood. The metabolite profiles of P . fijiensis isolates with different levels of resistance to thiabendazole were characterized by GC-MS. A total of 33 isolates were obtained from symptomatic banana plants and the sensitivity of each isolate to thiabendazole was assessed at 0, 1, 10, 100, 1000, and 10000 μg.mL -1 . Then, the metabolite profile of each isolate was assessed using GC-MS. Metabolites such as hexadecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, octadecadienoic acid and octadecanoic acid were significantly over-accumulated in the presence of thiabendazole at 10 μg.mL -1 . Phosphoric acid, L-proline, and D-allose increased in concentration with time in the presence of 100 μg.mL -1 of thiabendazole, and mannonic acid, 1-hexadecanol, D-sorbitol and tetracosanoic acid were only detected in the presence of the fungicide. Metabolic pathways including that of fructose, mannose metabolism, the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and ABC transporters were upregulated in resistant isolates. Our findings show an increment of tetracosanoic (myristic) acid suggesting a possible β-tubulin-compensation mechanism in resistant isolates. The presence of myristic acid promoted the generation of diacylglycerol kinase δ which facilitated the production of β-tubulin in other studies. Additionally, important changes in the metabolite profiles were observed as soon as six hours after exposure to the fungicide showing an early response of the pathogen. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that describes the changes in the metabolite profile of P . fijiensis resistant to thiabendazole when exposed to the fungicide.

Although drought responses of C3 and C4 plants have been widely investigated, direct comparative analyses of their physiological and detailed metabolic biosynthetic adaptations remain limited. This study provided a detailed pathway-level analysis of drought stress responses in a Brassica oleracea ( kale, C3) versus Echinochloa crus-galli (barnyard grass, C4) moving beyond previous comparisons that typically focus on broad physiological differences. Our study integrates multi-level physiological, molecular, biochemical, and metabolic data, emphasizing specific drought-adaptive biosynthetic pathways such as anthocyanin and glucosinolate synthesis. Drought stress significantly reduced biomass and photosynthetic efficiency ( p  < 0.05) in both species, with kale exhibiting greater declines. Kale also accumulated higher oxidative stress indicators, with H₂O₂ and lipid peroxidation (MDA) increasing by 21.81% and 113%, respectively, relative to barnyard grass, indicating stronger oxidative damage. Both species significantly upregulated antioxidants metabolites and enzymes, reflecting activation of protective mechanisms. Anthocyanin content rose by 83% in barnyard grass and 113% in kale under drought. Detailed pathway analysis revealed elevated precursor levels (phenylalanine and p-coumaroyl-CoA) and increased activities and gene expression of key enzymes in the phenylpropanoid pathway, including cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H), chalcone synthase (CHS), and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL), highlighting the specific C3-C4 photosynthetic-type biochemical strategies for drought adaptation. The strong activation of defense pathways such as anthocyanin and glucosinolate biosynthesis suggests that kale compensates for its lower drought tolerance by increasing metabolic flexibility. Molecular evidence further supports induced expression of anthocyanin related biosynthetic genes. The detailed, multi-level metabolic analysis uncover the -specific C3-C4 photosynthetic-type biochemical strategies for drought adaptation. This work advances plant physiology knowledge by revealing how C3 and C4 plants differ in metabolic drought adaptations, offering practical relevance for both crop improvement and weed management. This reveals key physiological and biochemical differences, with kale (C3) needing more metabolic adjustment to handle drought.

This study investigates the differential responses of two maize genotypes, SC180 and SC168, to salt stress, aiming to elucidate the mechanisms underlying salinity tolerance and identify traits associated with improved stress resilience. Salinity stress, imposed by 150 mM NaCl, adversely affected various growth parameters in both genotypes. SC180 exhibited a more pronounced reduction in shoot length (13.6%) and root length (13.6%) compared to SC168, which showed minimal reductions (3.0% and 2.3%, respectively). Additionally, dry weight losses in SC180's leaves, stems, and roots were significantly greater than those in SC168. Under salinity stress, both genotypes accumulated Na + in all organs, with SC168 showing higher Na + concentrations. However, K + levels decreased more significantly in SC180's leaves than in SC168's. The study also assessed physiological responses, noting that SC180 experienced a substantial reduction in relative water content (RWC) in leaves (22.7%), while SC168's RWC remained relatively stable (5.15%). Proline accumulation, a marker for osmotic adjustment, increased 2.3-fold in SC168 compared onefold in SC180. Oxidative stress indicators, such as electrolyte leakage and hydrogen peroxide levels, were elevated in both genotypes under salt stress, with SC180 showing higher increases (48.5% and 48.7%, respectively) than SC168 (35.25% and 22.0%). Moreover, antioxidant enzymes (APX, CAT, POD, SOD, GR) activities were significantly enhanced in SC168 under salinity stress, whereas SC180 showed no significant changes in these activities. Stress indices, used to quantify and compare salinity tolerance, consistently ranked SC168 as more tolerant (average rank = 1.08) compared to SC180 (average rank = 1.92). Correlation analyses further confirmed that SC168's superior tolerance was associated with better Na + regulation, maintenance of K + levels, and a robust antioxidant defense system. In conclusion, SC168 demonstrated greater resilience to salinity stress, attributed to its efficient ion regulation, stable water status, enhanced osmotic adjustment, and strong antioxidant response. These findings provide valuable insights for breeding and developing salinity-tolerant maize varieties.