Purpose: The present study aimed to utilize the equine dung as an organic nitrogen supplement in commercial compost formulations for the cultivation of white button mushroom. Method: Four different compost formulations (C1 to C4) were prepared using wheat straw or in combination with paddy straw as the basic ligno-cellulosic substrate material. The initial nitrogen levels were maintained at 1.48-1.79% by incorporating various nitrogen enrichment materials such as chicken manure, equine dung, mustard oil cake and wheat bran. Results: The C4 compost formulation (composed of wheat straw-150 kg, equine dung-400 kg, mustard oil cake-30 kg, wheat bran-30 kg, gypsum-25 kg, and urea-6 kg) exhibited the highest biological efficiency of 18.20%, outperforming poultry manure-based compost formulations. Among the various physico-chemical properties of the matured compost, the C:N ratio was identified as a critical factor for achieving higher yields and an extended cropping period. Conclusion: The experimental findings demonstrate an environmentally sustainable approach for utilizing equine dung waste in a productive way to cultivate protein-rich food. This study highlights the potential of equine dung as a valuable component in compost formulations for white button mushroom production.

The present study was aimed to evaluate different strains of oyster mushrooms during rainy and winter seasons for higher yield and comparative nutritive value. The strain PL-19-05 took minimum time (8.75 days) for spawn run in rainy season which was significantly faster than other strains in both the seasons. While the strain Pl-19-04 took maximum time of 17.75 days in winter season. The strain PL-19-06 took minimum days (18 days) for pin head initiation followed by the strain PL-19-04 and PL-19-01 in rainy season. Higher fruiting body yield and biological efficiency (932.32 g kg of substrate dry weight and -1 93.23%) were achieved by the strain PL-19-06 in the winter season, followed by the strain PL-19-01 (910.66 g kg of substrate dry weight and 91.07%) in winter and PL-19-06 (901.00 g kg of substrate dry -1 -1 weight and 90.10%) in rainy season. The lowest yield and biological efficiency were observed in PL-19-02 (708.25 g kg of substrate dry weight and 70.83%) in rainy season. Nutritional analysis revealed the highest -1 moisture content (90.51%) and carbohydrate (45.75%) in the strain PL-19-07, whereas the strain PL-19-03 had the highest protein content (8.43 mg 100 mg ). The results of this study revealed that winter season was -1 found suitable for most of the strains but the strain PL-19-06 could be recommended for commercial cultivation in both seasons.. KEYWORDS :Biological efficiency, oyster mushroom

The purpose of the present study is to degrade kitchen waste efficiently by using consortia of potential bio-degrading microorganisms that helps in the conversion of waste residues into organic fertilizers. The research contributes in lowering greenhouse gas emissions, reducing pollution and conserving landfill space. By developing such potential biodegrading consortia, kitchen waste degradation can be accelerated offering a sustainable disposal solution. The biodegrading microorganisms were isolated from the kitchen waste samples by serial dilution method. The qualitative screening of the isolates was done on specific media viz. tributyrin agar, skim milk agar, carboxy methyl cellulose agar, and starch agar followed by quantitative screening evaluated by different enzymatic assays viz., lipase, cellulase, amylase and protease. Further the compatibility of the potential isolates was checked by streak plate method and dual culture method for the development of consortia. 42 microbial isolates were isolated from the sample. Out of these, 19 were identified as potential based on qualitative and quantitative screenings and 8 among them had significant enzymatic activity. On the basis of compatibility assessments, four microbial consortia (CI, CII, CIII and CIV) were developed with consortium III emerging as the most effective in both qualitative as well as quantitative terms. The present study provided a potential microbial consortium that processed kitchen waste efficiently and environment-friendly thus providing the benefit of converting waste residues into organic fertilizer.

The present work was aimed at studying the effect of different substrates on growth and biometabolite production in Cordyceps militaris fruiting body. Of the seven substrates tested alone and in combination with brown rice, it was observed that the combination of pearl millet and brown rice showed the highest yield of fruit body with biological efficiency of 104.3 ± 2.08%. Among the three major biometabolites (cordycepin, adenosine and D-mannitol), cordycepin was found to be highest [11.05 ± 0.03 mg/g dry weight (DW)] in fruit bodies grown on kidney bean. Adenosine was highest (3.30 ± 0.01 mg/g DW) in fruit bodies grown on pearl millet and D-mannitol content of 15.53 ± 0.23 mg/g DW was observed to be highest in fruit bodies obtained from substrate combination composed of cowpea and brown rice. The study highlights that choice of substrate significantly affects the yield and metabolite production of C. militaris.

Mushroom bioactive proteins have gained significant attention due to their physiological properties, and their functionality can be significantly enhanced through hydrolysis. Traditional methods of protein hydrolysis, such as enzymatic and chemical processes, often involve high costs, potential toxicity, and environmental concerns. Fermentation presents a sustainable and efficient approach for producing bioactive peptides and food-grade protein hydrolysates. However, there remains a need to optimize fermentation parameters for different mushroom species to maximize the yield, bioactivity and functional properties of the resulting protein hydrolysates.This study was conducted to establish optimal fermentation conditions using selected Lactobacillus strains for the efficient hydrolysis of proteins from three distinct edible mushroom species (Pleurotus florida, Agaricus bisporus, and Calocybe indica). The resulting hydrolysates were evaluated for their bioactive potential, focusing on antidiabetic (α-amylase inhibition) and antihypertensive (ACE inhibition) activities, as well as their functional properties, including oil absorption, emulsifying activity and stability, foaming capacity and stability, water absorption, whitening index, and browning index. The crude protein hydrolysates exhibited enhanced ACE inhibitory (IC₅₀: 0.01 mg/mL) and α-amylase inhibitory (IC₅₀: 3.17 mg/mL) activities. They also demonstrated the following functional properties: foaming capacity (19.50–24.43

Drought is the most complex and devastating abiotic stress that limits yield and quality attributes. Metabolites produced are the biochemical indicators of any type of stressed imposed on plant system. In the present study the ameliorative effect of seed priming and foliar application of 0.25 % chitosan was evaluated on red kidney bean variety grown under induced drought stress. Seed bio-priming resulted in increase in total reducing sugar and free amino acid (23.88 ± 0.21 and 8.18 ± 0.02 mg/g DW contents, respectively). The higher value of IC50 for α-amylase (67.40 ± 0.01 mg/ml) and α-glucosidase (30.92 ± 0.01 mg/ml) inhibition activity was observed in the seeds obtained from the treatment SP20. Proanthocyanidin in seeds was observed in the range of 0.71-1.53 mg/g DW across treatments. Chitosan-treated plants exhibited increased chlorophyll, proline with enhanced activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, Proline dehydrogenase and Pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase and reduced malondialdehyde content. The LC-MS analysis revealed 15 sugars and 21 amino acids in the seed samples. This study highlights the potential of chitosan bio-priming in imparting drought tolerance. It also aligns with sustainable development goals and offers a sustainable approach to improving red kidney bean productivity and nutritional quality under water-limited conditions.

The study examines the impact of climate change-induced drought on red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cv. VL Rajma 63 and evaluates the effectiveness of 0.25

Impact of heat stress during March and April months have significant reflections on the occurrence of phenological stages of wheat. The current investigation aimed to analyze the impact of three varieties of wheat planted in three different environments (dates of sowing) and three levels of nitrogen to study their effects with respect to the occurrence of reproductive stages. Field experiments were conducted with three wheat varieties viz., HD 2967, RSP 561 and WH 1105, which were sown in 3 sowing environments/dates, viz., 25th October-early, 14th November-normal and 4th December-late and 3 levels of nitrogen, viz., 100, 125 and 150 kg/ha randomized in 3 replications under a split-split plot design in rabi season 2015-16 and 2016-17. The experiment was sown at the Agromet Research Farm of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-J), Chatha. Experimental conditions and results obtained from the experiments were used as a database for calibration of Crop Environment Resource Synthesis (CERES)-a Wheat model under Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) version 4.6 package for studying the effects of changing climatic conditions on wheat phenology. The varietal specific genetic coefficients were calibrated and validated for all the 3 wheat varieties. On comparison of the results obtained from the calibration and validation data of various wheat varieties; the researchers came to a very good and valid conclusion to predict the days of occurrence of various phenological stages of wheat. The parametres R2, d-stat, RMSE and nRMSE were used for comparing CERES-Wheat model results with the actual data and the values were excellent.

The study examined the effect of 0.25

The present study was carried out to optimize the strain and evaluate the effect of amendment of growth media with different hormone concentrations for enhancing mycelium growth of lion's mane mushroom Hericium erinaceus under in vitro conditions. Among the five strains of H. erinaceus, He-04 strain showed maximum average GR (GRavr) of 4.78 mm d-1. Five different media, potato dextrose agar (PDA), malt extract agar, sawdust extract agar, wheat straw extract agar, and rice straw extract agar, amended with four concentrations (10, 20, 30, and 40 ppm) of gibberellic acid, kinetin, and indole acetic acid, were evaluated for promotion of mycelial growth of H. erinaceus. PDA was observed to be the best media promoting the mycelial growth of H. erinaceus. The highest mycelial GRavr 8.47 mm d-1 was observed in PDA amended with indole acetic acid (10 ppm) followed by gibberellic acid and kinetin (30 ppm) decreasing mycelial GRav to 8.15 and 7.75mm d-1, respectively. Temperature of 25°C and pH 7.0 was found to be the best for mycelium growth of H. erinaceus.

Essential oil (EO) obtained from plants is gaining considerable attention due to its usage as preservative and natural source of antioxidants in food industry. The post distilled debris obtained after the oil extraction is usually regarded as waste but recent studies have evinced their antioxidant potential. Thus, the aim of our study was to explore the phytochemical profile and antioxidant potential of the EO and post distilled debris obtained after oil extraction from Aegle marmelos. Antioxidant potential of A. marmelos EO and post distilled debris extracts was estimated using in-vitro assays such as DPPH free radical scavenging, Reducing power and Chelation power. The total phenol in the extracts was spectrophotometrically quantified. Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) and Reverse-Phase High Performance liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis was conducted to reveal the bioactive components present in EO and post distilled debris extracts respectively. EO from leaves showed moderate antioxidant activity however the post distilled debris from leaves and fruit rind evinced the potent antioxidant activity. GC–MS analysis of leaf and fruit rind EO revealed presence of many bioactive components including alpha-pinene, caryophyllene, limonene and p-cymene as major components. The RP-HPLC analysis of Aegle marmelos post distilled methanolic extracts unveiled rich polyphenolic profile with lofty levels of gallic acid (GA) and syringic acid (SA). The plant waste obtained after extracting EO from A. marmelos may be further exploited as a potential source of antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical products.

Mushroom production in India has registered a considerable growth in the recent times. However, cultivation of shiitake mushroom, which represents a major share at a global level, is still at a primitive stage in the Indian subcontinent. The scarcity of raw materials and the cost of energy for substrate sterilization are the major hurdles for a large-scale production. The present study delves into the possibility of growing shiitake mushroom on lignocellulosic biomass (saw dust and wheat straw) processed with different heat treatments to develop a cost-effective production technology. Six different strains of shiitake mushroom, viz., DMRO-35, 51, 297, 388s, 410, 412, were used in this study. The substrates were exposed to a pasteurization temperature of 80 ± 5 °C in a bulk pasteurization chamber for three different times (H1–H3) and also to a high-pressure sterilization (H4) in an autoclave. DMRO-388s was found to be the most productive strain, irrespective of the substrate and heat treatment method used. Significant differences were observed in the biological yield depending on the type of substrate and heat treatment. Changes in the biochemical composition of the lignocellulosic residues in three different stages, viz., pre heat treatment, inoculation and primordial formation stages, were recorded. Changes in heat treatment levels and duration significantly altered the cellulose/lignin ratio of the growing substrate. High-pressure sterilization aided the rapid degradation of lignin in the substrate and increased its bioavailability, thereby facilitating the fungus achieving its potential yield. A significant correlation in the positive direction between the yield levels of the tested strains and the consumption of lignin in the growing substrate was found, suggesting the significance of pre heat treatment for the bioconversion of lignin and its subsequent utilization in the solid-state fermentation process. The substrate pre heat treatment under high-pressure sterilization was proved to be beneficial to obtain the maximum yields of shiitake mushroom.

Application of 0.25% chitosan during seed priming or its foliage spray on Phaseolus vulgaris L. grown under restricted irrigations was assessed for its role in the enhancement of bioactive properties like antioxidant potential of dry seed. Seven hydroxycinnamic acid and eleven hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives were identified and quantified in seeds collected from treated plants using LC-MS/MS. The major phenolics in all the treatments were in the order; ferulic acid > p-coumaric acid > o-coumaric acid > gallic acid and salicylic acid. However, the concentrations of each differed significantly at p < 0.01, with ferulic acid (324.304 µg/g) in red kidney bean seed grown under 30% irrigation with primed seed as the most predominant phenolic. Phenolics reported are representative of the phenylpropanoid pathway having a defined role in combating abiotic stress. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity, metal chelation, and reducing power antioxidant activities of the crude extract of seeds were investigated and found to elevate with increase in imposing more drought stress. Total soluble phenol content was found to have a strong correlation with the antioxidant activities with DPPH radical scavenging activity (-0.88), reducing power activity (0.87) and chelating power activity (-0.85). Principal components PC1 and PC2 accounted for almost 64.40% as the principal contributors in augmenting the bioactive properties and drought resilience. Overall, our findings indicate that 0.25% chitosan as seed and foliar spray augments bioactive properties and drought resilience in drought induced red kidney beans.

The diverse microclimatic belts of the Western Himalayan region of India are considered hot spots for genetic diversity of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Western Himalayan beans are known for various agronomically superior/important traits including unique aroma, taste and cooking quality. In the present study, 25 unlinked genomic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers distributed across the common bean genome were used to assess the genetic/allelic diversity among and within populations belonging to the Jammu and Kashmir regions of the Western Himalayas. These two regions are considered most important hot-spots for common bean diversity in western-Himalayas. The analysis of genotypic data of SSR markers revealed a total of 263 alleles with an average of 10.52 alleles per locus. The genetic diversity analysis revealed higher variability in bean landraces belonging to Jammu region (He = 0.73) as compared to genotypes from Kashmir region (He = 0.647) and some exotic genotypes (0.71). The genotypes were also phenotyped for four important nutritional traits and the analysis of trait data revealed that sugar content was highest in common bean genotypes from Jammu region, while protein, starch and phenol content were highest in exotic common bean genotypes. Therefore, the superiority of common bean germplasm from Jammu region may be due to a higher level of allelic diversity, more private alleles and higher sugar content. The diverse genotypes based on genotypic data and trait performance will prove useful in future breeding programs aimed at enhancing nutritional contents of common bean varieties.

Climate change has led to long term shift in temperature and weather regimes leading to unprecedented drought conditions. In this study varying degree of drought stress was imposed by restricting irrigation in red kidney bean along with application of chitosan as seed and foliar prime. LC-MS/MS was used to study the metabolic footprints (flavonoids and anthocyanin) in the red kidney bean varieties (BR 104 and VL Rajma 63). Presence of 14 flavonoid compounds and four anthocyanins (delphinidin>cyaniding>pelargonidin>malvidin) obtained from 0.25% chitosan primed red kidney bean were resolved through LC-MS/MS analysis. The concentration of flavonoid compounds in all the treatments was found in the order of naringenin>quercetin>luteolin>hesperetin>myricetin. Correlation studies revealed strong correlation of 0.95 among catechin-naringenin, galangin-hesperetin and epicatechin-kaempferol in BR 104 variety. Antioxidant activities were investigated by assessing radical scavenging activity, chelating power and reducing power assay in both varieties. Principle component (PC) analysis depicted through biplot showed 44.7% contribution towards PC1 and 28.6% towards PC2 in BR 104 variety. 0.25% chitosan as seed and foliar priming with imposed drought stress was found to improve the antioxidant contents of seed by regulating polyphenols which have diverse role in stress management.