Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 15 (3), pp. 001-006, March, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Bioaccumulation and Distribution of Heavy Metals in Agricultural Plants Cultivated Near the Itakpe Iron Mine, Nigeria

Matthews-Amune, Omono Christiana*and Kakulu, Samuel

Department of Chemistry, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

Accepted November 25, 2024

Heavy metal accumulation in plants is of importance due to toxicity effects in humans and other biota. Crop plants were sampled around Itakpe mine, Okene, Nigeria for the determination of the heavy metals cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Crop plants samples were collected during the dry and rainy seasons and digested with 4:1 mixture of HNO3 and HClO4. Recovery studies gave 80-120 % for crop plants. The average mean concentration of metallic levels in crop plants were 0.07±0.01, 0.14±0.10, 0.02±0.01, 0.09±0.01, 0.06±0.02, 0.25±0.13 µg/g. The heavy metal concentrations of crops grown on control soil were relatively lower than those in the Itakpe mining site soil. The observed concentrations of heavy metals in the studied plants were below the FAO/WHO limit guideline for food. The presence of Zn and Cu in plants and the higher level of metals observed in the mining site farm crops compared with the control farm show that agrochemicals and mining contribute to the metallic levels in the Itakpe mining environment.

Keywords: Crop plants, Heavy metal, Agrochemicals, Mining.
 

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 15 (3), pp. 001-008, March, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Enhancing Lycopene Production in Tomato Roots through Genetic Transformation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes

Wahyu Widoretno1*, Ratna Perwitasari1, Estri Laras Arumingtyas1, Edi Priyo Utomo2, Tatik Wardiati3

1)Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, University of Brawijaya Jl. Veteran Malang 65145
East Java Indonesia
2)Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, University of Brawijaya Jl. Veteran Malang
65145 East Java Indonesia
3)Faculty of Agriculture, University of Brawijaya Jl Veteran Malang 65145 East Java Indonesia

Accepted November 25, 2024

Different cell density of Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC 15834 and inoculation time were tested to investigate the ability for transformation and production of 1ycopene in Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. Agrobacterim rhizogenes used in this study were able to produce hairy roots. The transformation frequency was 33-59%. Bacterial cell density and inoculation time didn’t affect on transformation frequency and root number per explants but affected growth and 1ycopene content of hairy root. The developed culture exhibited fast growth and high lateral branching on hormone-free liquid MS medium. Higher bacterial cell density OD and longer inoculation time decreased fresh weight of hairy roots. Cell density of Agrobacterium significantly affected 1ycopene content of hairy root while effect of inoculation length was non significant at 5% probability level. Cell density OD = 0.5 on all inoculation time produced 1ycopene content higher than that of cell density OD = 1.0. The highest fresh weight (1970 mg) and 1ycopene content (1.68 µg/g) was observed after 6 weeks of hairy roots culture produced by inoculation of Agrobacterium at cell density OD = 0.5 for 15 minutes. Lycopene content of root closely related to growth of hairy root.

Keywords: Agrobacterium rhizogenes, Lycopersicon esculentum, 1ycopene, hairy root, secondary metabolite, cell density, inoculation time.
 

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 15 (3), pp. 001-008, March, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Bioelectricity Production in Warm Climate Sediment Plant Microbial Fuel Cells Utilizing Typha domingensis 

Cervantes-Alcalá1 R., Arrocha-Arcos1 A. A., Peralta-Peláez1* L. A., and Ortega-Clemente2 L. A.

1Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Alimentos (UNIDA), Ecological and Environmental Engineering and Sciences Lab. Veracruz Institute of Technology (ITVer), Postcode 91860. Veracruz, Ver, Mexico.

2Division of Postgraduate Studies and Research. Boca del Río Institute of Technology (ITBoca), Postcode 94290 Boca del Río, Veracruz, Mexico.

Accepted November 25, 2024

Wetlands are ecosystems rich in organic matter due to the high biomass of vegetation that characterize them. This organic matter could be used as a substrate in devices to generate electricity through Sediment Plant Microbial Fuel Cells (SPMFC). In this study we applied the SPMFC concept adapted to Typha domingensis Pers., a typical wetland plant. SPMFCs were constructed with glass cells and graphite electrodes under natural environmental conditions. Electrical current production was 47.9 ± 10.98 mA/m2 with 6.12 ± 2.53 mW/m2 power (data normalized to plant growth area). Trials were performed using an electrical motor (CEBEK 0.7V and 10 mA) which moved a cardboard propeller for 15 min intervals during 6 days.

Keywords: Constructed Wetland, Typha domingensis, renewable energy, green electricity, microbial fuel cell.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 15 (2), pp. 001-011, February, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Review

Bioinformatics Applications in Biological Research

1Ibiam O. F. A. and 2Ekwe A.

1Department of Applied Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Ebonyi State.
2Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Ebonyi State.
E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted November 25, 2024

Bioinformatics is the application of information technology to the field of molecular biology. The primary goal of bioinformatics is to increase our understanding of biological processes. What sets it apart from other approaches, however, is its focus on developing and applying computationally intensive techniques (e.g., data mining, machine learning algorithms, and visualization) to achieve this goal. Bioinformatics derives knowledge from computer analysis of biological data. These can consist of the information stored in the genetic code, but also experimental results from various sources, patient statistics, and scientific literature. Research in bioinformatics includes method development for storage, retrieval, and analysis of the data. Bioinformatics is a rapidly developing branch of biology and is highly interdisciplinary, using techniques and concepts from informatics, statistics, mathematics, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and linguistics. It has many practical applications in different areas of biology and medicine.

Keywords: Bioinformatics, Analysis, Scientific, Research, Data.
 

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 15 (2), pp. 001-008, February, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of silver nanoparticles in some crop plants, Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and corn (Zea mays L.)

Hediat M. H. Salama

Botany and Microbiology Department, Science Collage, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted December 13, 2024

Effects of silver nanoparticles on plant growth parameters such as shoot and root lengths, leaf surface area, chlorophyll, carbohydrate and protein contents of economic important pulses, common bean (phaseolus vulgaris L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) was probed in the present research. The study was carried out in a randomized block design with three replications. Five levels of silver nanoparticles (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm) were used. After germination, daily supply with 15 ml from each concentration was carried out for 12 days during plant growth. The results showed that small concentrations of silver nanoparticles had a stimulating effect on the growth of the plantlets, while the enhanced concentrations induced an inhibitory effect. However, increasing concentration of silver nanoparticles from 20 to 60 ppm has led to an increase in shoot and root lengths, leaf surface area, chlorophyll, carbohydrate and protein contents of the two tested crop plants. Additionally, the lowest amount of these parameters was found with control plants, but the enhancing level of silver nanoparticles resulting in the reduction of these compounds.

Keywords: Ag nanoparticles, chlorophyll, carbohydrate, protein, plants.
 

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 15 (2), pp. 001-009, February, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of Cobalt Chloride Stress on Physiological, Biochemical, and Enzymatic Parameters and Protein Profile in Cyamopsis tetragonoloba

*P. Gurusaravanan1, S. Vinoth1, Roy John 1, G. Siva1, N. Boopala Bhagavan2, V. Pandiyarajan3 and N. Jayabalan1

1Department of Plant Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli – 620 024, Tamil Nadu,
India.
2Department of Biotechnology, Sri Kalishwari College, Sivakasi – 626130. Tamil Nadu, India
3Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College, Sivakasi – 626 124. Tamil
Nadu, India.

Accepted December 14, 2024

We investigated the changes in the morphology, biochemical, antioxidant enzyme activity and protein profiles in Cyamopsis tetragonoliba (L). The crop was treated with different concentrations of CoCl2 (25, 50, 75, 100, 125 µM-1) and the changes in growth, protectively induced oxidative stress in relation to metal stress after 14 days old plant were examined. In this study, the lower concentration of 25 µM cobalt chloride has increased the plant productivity than the other concentrations tested. Chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments decreased significantly in the stressed leaves for their adaptation in stressed condition. The two isozymes CAT 1 and CAT 2 activity were detected from the extract of treated and stress leaves were subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Most prominent peroxidase enzymes were induced by accumulation CoCl2 and possibly resulting in improved effectiveness of the enzyme at high concentration of stressed leaves. The protein profile of cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoliba L.) strongly influenced by severe heavy metal stress (100 µM and 125 µM). It was analyzed through SDS-PAGE and found four new polypeptides, hence it was concluded that more number of new proteins (190 kDa, 54 kDa, 38 kDa and 33 kDa) were synthesized in stress treated plants and it was highly intensive and probably constitutes stress tolerant proteins.

Keywords: Biomass, protein, antioxidants, cluster bean, CoCl2.