Commercial products from bio-active extractives in cypress milling residues.

Extractive components obtained from milling residues of white cypress were studied for chemical identity and bioactivity with a view to developing a commercial use for these components, thus increasing the value of the residues and improving the economics of cypress sawn wood production. Extracts obtained by solvent or steam extraction techniques from cypress sawdust were each fractionated by a range of techniques into groups of similar compounds. Crude extracts and fractions were screened against a range of agricultural pests and diseases, including two fungi, subterranean termites, fruit spotting bugs, two-spotted mites, thrips, heliothis, banana scab moths, silverleaf whiteflies, cattle tick adults and larvae, and ruminant gastrointestinal nematodes. Additional screening was undertaken where encouraging results were achieved, for two-spotted mites, thrips, silverleaf whiteflies, cattle tick adults and ruminant gastrointestinal nematodes. After considering degrees of efficacy against, and economic importance of, the agricultural pests, and likely production costs of extracts and fractions, the crude extract (oil) produced by steam distillation was chosen for further study against silverleaf whitefly. A useful degree of control was achievable when this oil was applied to tomato or eggplant at 0.1%, with much less harmful effects on a beneficial insect. Activity of the oil against silverleaf whitefly was undiminished 3.5 years after it was generated. There was little benefit from supplementing the extract with co-formulated paraffinic oil. From the steam distilled oil, fifty-five compounds were characterised, thirty-five compounds representing 92.478 % of the oil, with guaiol (20.8%) and citronellic acid (15.9%) most abundant. These two compounds, and a group of oxygenated compounds containing bulnesol and a range of eudesmols, were found to account for most of the activity against silverleaf whitefly. This application was recommended for first progression to commercialisation.

Impact of low temperature storage on active and storage forms of folate in choy sum (Brassica rapa subsp parachinensis)

Choy sum (Brassica rapa subsp. parachinensis) is a dark green leafy vegetable that contains high folate (vitamin B9) levels comparable to spinach. Folate is essential for the maintenance of human health and is obtained solely through dietary means. Analysis of the edible portion of choy sum by both microbiological assay and LC-MS/MS indicated that total folate activity remained significantly unchanged over 3 weeks storage at 4 degrees C. Inedible fractions consisted primarily of outer leaves, which showed signs of rotting after 14d, and a combination of rotting and yellowing after 21 d, contributing to 20% and 40% of product removal, respectively. Following deconjugation of the folate present in choy sum to monoglutamate and diglutamate derivatives, the principal forms (vitamers) of folate detected in choy sum were 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyl tetrahydrofolate, followed by tetrahydrofolate (THF), 5,10-methenyl-THF, and 10-formyl folic acid. During storage, a significant decline in 5-formyl-THF was observed, with a slight but not significant increase in the combined 5-methyl-THF derivatives. The decline in 5-formyl-THF in relation to the other folate vitamers present may indicate that 5-formyl-THF is being utilised as a folate storage reserve, being interconverted to more metabolically active forms of folate, such as 5-methyl-THF. Although folate vitamer profile changed over the storage period, total folate activity did not significantly change. From a human nutritional perspective this is important, as while particular folate vitamers (e.g. 5-methyl-THF) are necessary for maintaining vital aspects of plant metabolism, it is less important to the human diet, as humans can absorb and interconvert multiple forms of folate. The current trial indicates that it is possible to store choy sum for up to 3 weeks at 4 degrees C without significantly affecting total folate concentration of the edible portion. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Circulating concentrations of leptin, ovarian follicle number, and oocyte lipid content and active mitochondria, in Zebu crossbred cows maintained on standard or improved nutrition

Zebu (Bos indicus) crossbred beef cows (Droughtmaster) were maintained long-term (16 months) on standard nutrition (SN) or improved nutrition (IN). Cows on IN had better body condition and greater (P<0.05) circulating concentrations of leptin than cows on SN (0.7±0.1n/ml and 1.7±0.1n/ml, respectively). There were no outstanding differences between SN and IN cows in basal number of ovarian follicles (≤4mm, 5-8mm, and≥9mm) and there were also no differences in number of oocytes recovered by oocyte pick-up. Cows on IN had a greater (P<0.05) number of total follicles after stimulation with FSH than cows on SN. Oocytes from cows on IN had greater (P<0.05) lipid content than cows on SN (-0.23±0.16 and 0.20±0.18 arbitrary units, respectively) and oocytes of the former cows also tended to have more active mitochondria, although this was not significant. Cows on IN showed a positive relationship (R2=0.31, P<0.05) between plasma leptin and oocyte lipid content. Lipids are utilized by oocytes during high energy consumptive processes including fertilization and early cleavage. The greater lipid content of oocytes from IN cows could therefore confer a reproductive advantage. The present study has shown relationships between nutrition, body condition, circulating leptin, and oocyte lipid content, but a clear cause-and-effect requires further investigation in the cow. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.