BackgroundOrganic vegetable production has a demand for alternative fertilizers to replace fertilizers from sources that are not organic, that is, typically animal-based ones from conventional farming. AimsThe aim of this study was to develop production strategies of plant-based fertilizers to maximize cumulative nitrogen (N) production (equal to N yield by green manure crops), while maintaining a low carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio, and to test the fertilizer value in organic vegetable production. MethodsThe plant-based fertilizers consisted of the perennial green manure crops-alfalfa, white clover, red clover, and a mixture of red clover and ryegrass-and the annual green-manure crops-broad bean, lupine, and pea. The crops were cut several times at different developmental stages. The harvested crops were used fresh or pelleted as fertilizers for field-grown white cabbage and leek. The fertilizer value was tested with respect to biomass, N offtake, N recovery, and soil mineral N (N-min). Poultry manure and an unfertilized treatment were used as controls. ResultsThe cumulative N production of the perennial green manure crops ranged from 300 to 640 kg N ha(-1) y(-1) when cut two to five times. The highest productions occurred at early and intermediate developmental stages, when cut three to four times. Annual green manure crops produced 110-320 kg N ha(-1) y(-1), since repeated cutting was restricted. The C:N ratio of the green manure crops was 8.5-20.5, and increased with developmental stage. The fertilizer value of green manure, as measured in white cabbage and leek, was comparable to animal-based manure on the condition that the C:N ratio was low (<18). N recovery was 20%-49% for green manure and 29%-42% for poultry manure. A positive correlation was detected between soil N-min and vegetable N offtake shortly after incorporating the green manure crops, indicating synchrony between N release and crop demand. ConclusionsPlant-based fertilizers represent highly productive and efficient fertilizers that can substitute conventional animal-based fertilizers in organic vegetable production.

Artiklen beskriver in vivo forsog med levende smagrise, der fodres enten med standard fravaenningsfoder eller med samme foder tilsat en plantecocktaikl af ramslog og tyttebaer. Forsoget viste at grisene fodret med plantecocktail fik op mod 100 gange lavere E coli koncentration malt i mave-tarm og i afforing end hos grisene, der fik standard foder. Resultatet er lovende i forhold til at finde nye losninger mod fravaenningsdiarre nar zink udfases og antibiotika onskes reduceret.

Artiklen beskriver resultater af in vitro forsog med antibakterielle planter mod E. coli i mave-tarm indhold fra fravaenningsgrise. Bade effekter af enkeltplantearter ved forskellige koncentrationer og kombinationer af arter er dokumenteret at have antibakterielle effekt.

Artiklen indeholder et kort summary af MAFFRA projektets resultater, pa antibakterielle planter, in vitro forsog, in vivo forsog med fravaennings grise.

Aerial parts and roots of Echinacea purpurea were harvested consecutively in order to find the best strategy for harvest of both types of plant material for an optimal content of bioactive alkamides and caffeic acid derivatives. Four caffeic acid derivatives and 15 alkamides were identified and quantified. The aerial parts were harvested in bud, bloom, and wilting stage and the roots were harvested 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after each harvest of aerial parts. The highest yield per area of both alkamides and caffeic acid derivatives is achieved when the aerial parts are harvested late (wilting stage). To obtain an optimal content of alkamides and caffeic acid derivatives it is not recommendable to harvest the aerial parts and the roots in the same year. If the aerial parts must be harvested, the roots should be harvested 1 week after because this will result in the most optimal concentration of bioactive compounds in both products.

The physiological effects of the Stevia-derived compounds, rebaudioside A, stevioside and steviol have been the focus of several studies due to their use as sweeteners in food. Despite that, little is known about their potential food-drug interactions. In the present study, IPEC-J2 cells and primary hepatocytes were used to investigate the effect of rebaudioside A, stevioside and steviol on cytochrome p450 (CYP) mRNA expression. Moreover, hepatic microsomes were used to investigate direct interactions between the compounds and specific CYP activity. In IPEC-J2 no changes in mRNA expression of CYP1A1 or CYP3A29 were observed with the Stevia-derived compounds. In primary hepatocytes all three tested compounds induced a significant increase in CYP3A29 expression. The tested compounds had no direct effect on specific CYP activity. In conclusion, rebaudioside A, stevioside and steviol induce only minor or no changes to the CYP expression and activity, and are not likely to cause food-drug interactions.

Internal project report with information on cultivation, quality characterizaation of antibacterial chemical compounds, production of powders used in in vitro and in vivo trials.

Different herbal preparations of Echinacea purpurea L. (purple coneflower) are widely used in North America and Europe for the prevention or treatment of infectious diseases and enhancement of the immune system [1]. The therapeutic compounds of interest in E. purpurea are believed to be alkamides, caffeic acid derivatives and polysaccharides [2]. Aerial parts and roots of E. purpurea were harvested consecutively in order to find the best strategy for harvest of both types of plant material in relation to high content of bioactive alkamides and caffeic acid derivatives. The hypothesis of the present investigation was that the developmental stage at harvest of aerial parts affects the content of alkamides and caffeic acid derivatives of both aerial parts and the subsequent harvested root parts. The aerial parts were harvested in bud, bloom and wilting stage and the roots were harvested one week, one month and three months after each harvest of aerial parts. Four caffeic acid derivatives (caftaric acid, chlorogenic acid, cichoric acid and echinacoside) and 15 alkamides were identified in plant samples by LC–MS and quantified by reverse-phase HPLC-DAD [3]. The concentration of caffeic acid derivatives decreased with later harvest stages of aerial parts whereas concentration of most alkamides increased. The concentration of caffeic acid derivatives showed a significant interaction between harvest stage of aerial parts and subsequent harvest time of roots. Furthermore, it was found that the concentration of alkamides in roots is higher if the aerial parts are not harvested prior to root harvest. It is therefore not recommendable to harvest the aerial parts the same year as the roots are harvested. If the aerial parts must be harvested the roots should be harvested one week after in order to secure the highest content of bioactive compounds in the roots.

The article describes in detail the results obtained by screening antibacterial plant species against E. coli in gastro-intestinal models in the MAFFRA project, both effects of single plants at different concentrations and synergistic effects of combining i.e. ramsons with acidic berries.

The purpose was to examine the week long stress effect on full grown plants of Artemisia annua (A. annua) with attention to the content of artemisinin (AN) and its immediate precursors in young leaves. In two separate experiments, clonally propagated plants were stress treated either once or weekly for five weeks by sandblasting or spraying with salicylic acid, chitosan oligosaccharide, H2O2 or NaCl.

Projektet NO-CAST har undersogt, om man kan begraense behovet for kastrering af okologiske hangrise ved at benytte fodring og management som redskaber til at mindske indholdet af stofferne skatol og androstenon, der giver ornelugt. Forsog gennemfort i projektet tyder pa, at androstenon er et storre problem i okologisk produktion af hangrise end i konventionel produktion. Men det blev vist, at frasorteringen kan reduceres markant ved at fodre udelukkende med korn eller med 15 pct. cikorie de sidste fire dage inden slagtning og ved at reducere slagtevaegten med 25 kg. Den gennemsnitlige afregningspris per kg stiger, fordi faerre grise bliver sorteret fra, og fordi kodprocenten er hojere, men stigningen opvejer dog ikke vaerditabet som folge af den lavere slagtevaegt.(citat: ICROFS ’Ny viden om okologi’ 2015). I forbindelse med NO-CAST projektet under ICROFS program Organic RDD1 har Institut for Fodevarer, Arslev (AU Arslev) dyrket og leveret de planteprodukter, der er blevet anvendt i fodringsforsogene. De afgroder der blev dyrket var rod-cikorie, gul og bla lupin og jordskokker. Afgroderne blev dyrket efter okologiske principper pa AU, Arslevs okologisk drevne marker. Torret cikorierod og torret jordskok blev afprovet i fodringsforsog med grise af chefforsker Hanne Maribo fra VidenCenter for Svineproduktion (SEGES). Man regner med at det er effekten af det hoje indhold af inulin (Fruktan: dvs. langkaedede fruktosemolekyler) i cikorie og jordskok, der pavirker sammensaetningen af mikroorganismer i grisenes fordojelsessystem. AU Arslev skulle foruden produktion af kvalitetsravarer til griseforsogene ogsa undersoge hvordan afgroderne dyrkes bedst okologisk, og om muligt give et bud pa dyrkningsokonomien. Her bringes resultater for okologisk dyrkning af cikorierod (Cichorium intybus L. var. sativum) som torret fodertilsaetning til grise.

The purpose was to examine the week long stress effect on full grown plants of Artemisia annua (A. annua) with attention to the content of artemisinin (AN) and its immediate precursors in young leaves. In two separate experiments, clonally propagated plants were stress treated either once or weekly for five weeks by sandblasting or spraying with salicylic acid, chitosan oligosaccharide, H2O2 or NaCl. Contents of AN and AN related compounds (AN-c) were analysed in leaf samples from the upper part of plants using triple-quadrupole UPLC-MRM-MS. Results showed that concentrations of the quantified AN and AN-c were statistically unchanged in response to multiple stress treatments, whereas plants responded to singularly applied stress treatments by a response wave of temporarily lowering the concentrations of several compounds related to the dihydroartemisinic (DHAA) branch of the biosynthetic pathway of AN. Response waves were similar among treatments, and only the timings varied. Results demonstrated that the applied stress initiated transient response waves through the DHAA related branch of biosynthetic pathway of AN. The speed of responses varied, with treatment of salicylic acid and chitosan oligosaccharide producing the fastest responses, followed by H2O2, NaCl and sandblasting.

Torret cikorierod kan reducere ornelugten hos hangrise og mindske generne ved parasitter, men dansk dyrket cikorie er i ojeblikket for dyrt for de okologiske svineproducenter. Det viser beregninger i forbindelse med dyrkningsforsog.

This summary describes briefly th echallenges of how to obtain a reproducible prepration from Herbs and berries for use in i.e. meat products.

Ramsons (Allium ursinum) contain sulphur compounds that display strong antibacterial activity against Listeria, Salmonella and E. coli. Onion bulbs and flowers have a higher concentration of allicin than leaves and stems and display higher inhibitory activity. Grinded onion bulbs have shown strong antibacterial effects in meat test models and may potentially be used as an alternative to preserve organic meat products. Cultivation methods are investigated.