This study presents the contents of alpha-methylenecyclopropylglycine, a potentially toxic amino acid, in the peel, pulp and seed fractions of two well-known litchi varieties, namely Shahi and China, over a span of three harvestseasons. For analysing alpha-methylenecyclopropylglycine, an LC-MS/MS-based method was validated. The methodaccuracies fell within 75-110 % (RSD, <15 %) at 0.1 mg/kg (LOQ) and higher levels. A comparative evaluation of the results in peel, pulp and seed at 30 days before harvest (DBH), 15-DBH, and edible-ripe stage revealed that alpha-methylenecyclopropylglycine content increased as the litchi seeds grew towards maturity, regardless of the cultivar. In arils, at maturity, the concentration of alpha-methylenecyclopropylglycine ranged from not-detected to 11.7 mu g/g dry weight. The Shahi cultivar showed slightly higher alpha-methylenecyclopropylglycine content in comparison to China litchi. This paper presents the first known analysis of combined seasonal data on different fruit components at various growth stages for the two chosen litchi cultivars grown in India.

The present study was carried out during 2021 and 2022 at ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh to evaluate bioactive compounds, antioxidant and browning enzymes activity in peel of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria Stand.) fruit “Kashi Ganga” over pulp. Notably, it was observed that bottle gourd peel showed significantly higher bioactives and antioxidant capacity over fruit pulp, which is generally consumed. Two-fold stronger antioxidant capacity was observed in peel (91%) over pulp (43%). Antioxidant enzyme activities were 2.84 (catalase) and 5.67 (ascorbate peroxidase) fold higher in peel over pulp. The chlorophyll content in peel (48 µg/g FW) was 4-fold higher over pulp (12 µg/g FW). No significant difference in browning enzyme activity polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase were recorded. Higher cellulose content in peel (1.15 g/100 g FW) over pulp (0.5 g/100 g FW) was found. This indicated that health benefits can be enhanced by including peel along with pulp in diet.

Design of experiments is the designing of any experiment that aims to describe or explain the variation of information under the hypothesis. In design of experiment, there are number of designs available in literature for different type of situations. Each design has its own properties and limitations. In agricultural system research as well as in other research also, we use these designs for conducting our experiments for obtaining the best results. But sometimes while conducting the experiment, the choices of design become wrong. Thus, the result so obtained sometimes misleads us to infer the exact result. To overcome this situation, it is imperative to find out a methodology to choose the best possible design based on the situation of the experiment. The focus of this paper is to develop computer algorithm for the choice of best design for a given situation using web based program and vice versa and also provide other important information for frequently used design in agricultural research.

Nine carrot genotypes differing in outer colour from red, orange, purple, yellow and white were selected and scored on Hedonic scale by a semi-trained panel. Data were analysed by principal component analysis and correlation coefficients. Findings reinforced that red and orange colours are most acceptable. Purple genotypes showed intermediate overall acceptability scores (6.63 ± 0.19 and 6.81 ± 0.18, respectively). Notably, it was found that white and yellow carrot scored as low as 5.07 ± 0.26, 6.06 ± 0.26, respectively, projecting their poor probable liking. All three red types were more distant than orange-coloured roots which were relatively nearer on bi-plot. Correlation coefficients showed that red genotype was at most extreme point with yellow and white carrots.

Eggplant is a valuable commercial vegetable widely consumed due to its unique meaty taste and nutritional and functional properties. The present investigation was done with the aim to assess the bioactive properties and enzymatic activities in twenty three different long and round type eggplant genotypes to ascertain their amenability for processable traits. The eggplants were harvested at commercial maturity stage and assessed for total phenolics content, total flavonoids, antioxidant capacity and browning related enzymatic activities (polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase). The results indicated that there were significant dissimilarities among all genotypes with regard to their functional compounds content and browning enzyme activities. The biochemical screening showed maximum phenolics content in Kashi Taru (81.1 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g fresh weight) which was about 4.0-fold higher than IVBL-23 (19.3 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g fresh weight). Additionally, total flavonoids content varied from 1.86 (IVBHL-UT-6 and IVBHR-18) to 5.83 mg rutin equivalent/100 g fresh weight (IVBHL-UT-1). The total antioxidant capacity among different eggplant cultivars varied by about 1.3-fold. These findings are useful for pre-breeding parental selection and assorting genotypes for higher antioxidant capacity and processable traits. About 3.5-fold variation in browning enzymatic activity clearly indicates the scope for selecting cultivars with lesser flesh browning and thus, higher suitability for processing particularly for development of products like eggplant extract, dips or dried flakes.

This study investigated the effects of treating bell pepper fruit cv. Rehana by dipping with spermidine and spermine (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mM) and coating with chitosan (1%) on fruit quality, bio-active compounds, antioxidant enzyme activities, shelf life and senescence related compounds. The fruit were stored at 10 degrees C and 80-90% RH for 56 days. The results revealed that synergistic treatment of spermine 1.5 mM and chitosan 1% (T7) was most effective for reducing weight loss, electrolyte leakage, maintaining fruit quality and enhancing antioxidant activity over other treatments during storage. The bell pepper fruit of T7 treatment exhibited lowered weight loss by 47.6%, electrolyte leakage by 62.6%, malondialdehyde accumulation by 28.3% while maintaining higher total phenols by 68.8%, total carotenoid by 21.9%, ascorbic acid by 15%, total chlorophyll by 30.4%, catalase activity by 34.3% in comparison to control (T1) on the last day of storage. Other treatments showed intermediate effects. The results suggest potential beneficial influence of synergistic treatment of polyamines, particularly spermine 1.5 mM with chitosan in extending shelf life of bell pepper by about 28 days relative to control with notable preservation of bioactive compounds, antioxidant enzymes and slowing senescence indicators over untreated fruit.(c) 2022 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Black plum (Syzygium cumini L. Skeels) is a tropical and sub-tropical fruit having several medicinal properties, especially in curing diabetes. Due to non-climacteric nature, the fruit is harvested at ripe stage. However, presence of thin skin and rapid softening make the fruit highly susceptible to moisture loss and microbial attack, which drastically reduce its shelf life. Black plum, due to its high perishability cannot be stored more than 2 -3 days at ambient conditions. In the present study, the effect of pre-storage polyamines treatment on quality and storability of black plum fruit was investigated. Ripe fruits were treated with putrescine (PUT) and spermine (SPM) each at 0.5 mM and 1.0 mM concentration by immersion method while, control fruit were treated with distilled water. The fruit were stored at ambient conditions (27 +/- 3 degrees C, 85 +/- 5% RH) for 6 days. Results revealed that 1.0 mM PUT treatment was most effective in minimizing weight loss and spoilage of about 1.5-fold compared to control. The treated fruits also retained higher anthocyanins and minimized lipid peroxidation than control. The loss of bioactive compounds like total phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid and antioxidant capacity also minimized in response to polyamine treatments. The soluble solids content retained higher in 1.0 mM PUT-treated fruits but, polyamine treatments did not affect acid content. The findings of the study can be beneficially exploited in extending storability, long distant marketing and reducing postharvest loss of black plum fruit. (c) 2021 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In this study, fourteen commercial litchi cultivars grown under Indian condition were analysed for variations in total anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, total phenolics, total flavonoids and total antioxidant activity. Significant differences were obtained among the cultivars with respect to different bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. About 2.35-fold variation in ascorbic acid, 1.88-fold variation in total phenolics, 3.70-fold variation in total flavonoids and 2.02-fold variation in total anthocyanins were recorded among the different litchi cultivars. The total antioxidant activity among the litchi cultivars were also found to vary about 1.51-fold. Principal component analysis showed that the first three components represented 76.45% of total variation. Hierarchical cluster analysis classified the cultivars into six groups based on bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Among the cultivars evaluated, Dehra Rose, Bombay, Deshi and Large Red were found to be rich in bioactive compounds and exhibited higher antioxidant activity than other cultivars. These can be used in crop improvement programme to breed varieties rich in phytochemicals and to develop functional food-based products to increase dietary intake of health promoting bioactive compounds.

A new method of constructing multi-level supersaturated designs has been proposed. The method of construction is based on the association between the rows of the design. An algorithm has been developed to construct such designs. The designs constructed by this method are both fNOD - optimal and χ2 - optimal. A catalogue of 11 optimal multi-level supersaturated designs have also prepared. AMS Subject Classification: 62K15, 62K05, 62K99

•Postharvest combination treatment of salicylic acid and chitosan reduced pericarp browning, preserved bioactive compounds and other sensory quality of litchi fruit during storage at 4°C.•Fruits treated with SA (1.0mM)+chitosan (2%) showed 1.4-fold lower pericarp browning, maintained 88% higher total anthocyanins and preserved bioactive compounds like phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid and antioxidant capacity, compared to control.•Combination treatment of SA (1.0mM) and chitosan (2%) minimized weight loss and decay loss of fruit during storage.•This treatment delayed increase in total soluble solids however, it did not affect the titratable acidity of fruit.

Using suitable incomplete block designs with block size three, orthogonally blocked three-level second-order designs are proposed. These designs have reasonably high D-efficiencies and are often much smaller than the existing designs, in terms of block size and/or the total number of points.

The purpose of the present work is to extend the work of Gupta et al. (2010) to s-level column balanced supersaturated designs. Addition of runs to an existing E(χ2)-optimal supersaturated design and to study the optimality of the resulting design is an important issue. This paper considers the study of the optimality of the resulting design. A lower bound to E(χ2) has been obtained for the extended supersaturated designs. Some examples and a small catalogue of E(χ2)-optimal supersaturated designs are also presented.

Supersaturated Designs (SSDs) are fractional factorial designs in which the run size is not enough to estimate the main effects of all the factors in the experiment. Two-level SSDs have been studied extensively in the literature. The thrust of research has been on obtaining lower bounds to the value of E ( s 2 ), a measure of departure from orthogonality, and constructing designs that attain these lower bounds. The focus of this paper is to review the literature on two-level SSDs.

Motivated by the computer search algorithms for constructing two-level supersaturated designs by Heavlin and Finnegan (1993), Li and Wu (1997), Nguyen (1996), Lejeune (2003) and Gupta, Parsad, Kole and Bhar (2008), this paper develops an algorithm to generate multi-level supersaturated designs. Popular E(fNOD) and E(χ2) criterion have been used as a measure of non-orthogonality for the designs generated. The algorithm also ensures that no two columns in the designs generated are fully aliased. A catalogue of 120 optimal supersaturated designs for different number of factors m, design runs n, with 5 ≤ n ≤ 16 runs, and different number of factor levels q, with 3 ≤ q ≤ 6, has been prepared. All the designs generated are fNOD-optimal; some designs are χ2-optimal too.

The purpose of this article is to introduce a new class of extended E(s2)-optimal two level supersaturated designs obtained by adding runs to an existing E(s2)-optimal two level supersaturated design. The extended design is a union of two optimal SSDs belonging to different classes. New lower bound to E(s2) has been obtained for the extended supersaturated designs. Some examples and a small catalogue of E(s2)-optimal SSDs are also included.

The purpose of this article is to generate mixed-level unbalanced or non-U-type supersaturated designs using computer intensive procedures. Lower bounds to modified E(fUNOD) and χU2(D) criteria have been used to measure the efficiency of the generated non-U-type mixed-level supersaturated designs. The catalogue of unbalanced mixed-level supersaturated designs has been given. The designs generated are such that no two columns are fully aliased.

This article describes a general method of construction of supersaturated designs for asymmetric factorials obtained by exploiting the concept of resolvable orthogonal arrays and Hadamard matrices. The supersaturated design constructed here has a restricted form of t.qζ∥n, where ζ factors are at q-levels each and one factor is at t-levels and the number of runs is n. The designs obtained have the factor at t-levels always orthogonal to the ζ factors with q levels each in the symmetric design qζ∥n. The method of construction is illustrated with the help of examples. A catalogue of designs obtained is prepared and fNOD-efficiency and χ2-efficiency of the designs are given. Many designs are optimal while other designs have high efficiencies. The efficiency of the resulting design is better than that of the symmetric design qζ∥n.

Gupta et. al. (2008, 2010) constructed two level SSDs through computer algorithm. They used lower bound to E(s2) to measure the efficiency of the generated design. In this article we modify the algorithm of Gupta et. al. (2008, 2010) to construct two level SSDs for both balance as well as nearly balanced cases. Instead E(s2) we have used rmax and fmax criterion to compare the design among the class of E(s2) optimal designs. This algorithm generates design in such a way that all the columns of the design matrix are distinct and no two columns are fully aliased. A catalogue of 30 optimal supersaturated designs which are best with respect to rmax and fmax criterion among the class of E(s 2) optimal SSDs have also been prepared. AMS Subject Classification: 62K15, 62K05, 62K99.