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Search Results (585)

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Keywords = sweet potato

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23 pages, 14898 KiB  
Article
A Detection Method for Sweet Potato Leaf Spot Disease and Leaf-Eating Pests
by Kang Xu, Yan Hou, Wenbin Sun, Dongquan Chen, Danyang Lv, Jiejie Xing and Ranbing Yang
Agriculture 2025, 15(5), 503; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15050503 - 26 Feb 2025
Viewed by 79
Abstract
Traditional sweet potato disease and pest detection methods have the limitations of low efficiency, poor accuracy and manual dependence, while deep learning-based target detection can achieve an efficient and accurate detection. This paper proposed an efficient sweet potato leaf disease and pest detection [...] Read more.
Traditional sweet potato disease and pest detection methods have the limitations of low efficiency, poor accuracy and manual dependence, while deep learning-based target detection can achieve an efficient and accurate detection. This paper proposed an efficient sweet potato leaf disease and pest detection method SPLDPvB, as well as a low-complexity version SPLDPvT, to achieve accurate identification of sweet potato leaf spots and pests, such as hawk moth and wheat moth. First, a residual module containing three depthwise separable convolutional layers and a skip connection was proposed to effectively retain key feature information. Then, an efficient feature extraction module integrating the residual module and the attention mechanism was designed to significantly improve the feature extraction capability. Finally, in the model architecture, only the structure of the backbone network and the decoupling head combination was retained, and the traditional backbone network was replaced by an efficient feature extraction module, which greatly reduced the model complexity. The experimental results showed that the mAP0.5 and mAP0.5:0.95 of the proposed SPLDPvB model were 88.7% and 74.6%, respectively, and the number of parameters and the amount of calculation were 1.1 M and 7.7 G, respectively. Compared with YOLOv11S, mAP0.5 and mAP0.5:0.95 increased by 2.3% and 2.8%, respectively, and the number of parameters and the amount of calculation were reduced by 88.2% and 63.8%, respectively. The proposed model achieves higher detection accuracy with significantly reduced complexity, demonstrating excellent performance in detecting sweet potato leaf pests and diseases. This method realizes the automatic detection of sweet potato leaf pests and diseases and provides technical guidance for the accurate identification and spraying of pests and diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Digital Agriculture)
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19 pages, 3638 KiB  
Article
Systematic Analysis of Stay-Green Genes in Six Ipomoea Species Reveals the Evolutionary Dynamics, Carotenoid and Anthocyanin Accumulation, and Stress Responses of Sweet Potato
by Zhidan Zuo, Huihui Ma, Longteng Li, Jialin Qian, Minghui Zhang, Xiang Li, Yeshun Sheng and Yuxin Wang
Genes 2025, 16(3), 266; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes16030266 - 24 Feb 2025
Viewed by 117
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Stay-green proteins (SGRs) play a vital role in regulating plant chlorophyll degradation and senescence. However, this gene family has not been explored in Ipomoea species and sweet potato. Methods: A total of 19 SGR family genes (SGRs) were identified using [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Stay-green proteins (SGRs) play a vital role in regulating plant chlorophyll degradation and senescence. However, this gene family has not been explored in Ipomoea species and sweet potato. Methods: A total of 19 SGR family genes (SGRs) were identified using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) methods. The proteins’ physiological properties, evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships, conserved domain and motifs, gene structures, collinearity, and promoter cis-elements were systematically analyzed. Moreover, expression patterns and protein interaction network analyses were performed for sweet potato. Results: In this study, we identified 19 SGRs in six Ipomoea species. These SGRs were divided into four subgroups according to their phylogenetic relationships. Domian analysis revealed that SGRs had the conserved “stay-green” domain. Gene structure analysis showed that SGRs had similar structures. The collinearity analysis revealed that the SGRs originated from two genes, with one gene undergoing duplication during evolution history; moreover, the SGRs experienced rearrangement throughout the evolutionary process in the Ipomoea species. Cis-elements related to pigment biosynthesis and hormone and stress responses were found. In addition, expression pattern analysis showed that IbSGRs, especially IbSGR1, IbSGR2, and IbSGR3, might play an important role in pigment accumulation. The SGRs could also respond to stress responses (i.e., cold, drought, and salt) and take part in hormone crosstalk (i.e., abscisic acid (ABA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), salicylic acid (SA)). Conclusions: Taken together, the findings of this study provide new insights for further understanding the functions of SGRs and candidate genes for pigment accumulation and stress tolerance in sweet potatoes. Full article
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17 pages, 7444 KiB  
Article
Ultrastructure of the Sensilla on Antennae and Mouthparts of Larval and Adult Cylas formicarius (Coleoptera: Brentidae)
by Yuanchang Xu, Pengbo He, Faxu Lu, Mengjiao Li, Shahzad Munir, Mingfu Zhao, Yixin Wu, Yueqiu He and Guowen Tang
Insects 2025, 16(3), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16030235 - 21 Feb 2025
Viewed by 217
Abstract
The quarantine pest, Cylas formicarius, is a key pest of sweet potatoes during both production and storage, posing a major threat to food security in various countries. To investigate behavioral mechanisms, the ultrastructure of the heads of larval and adult stages was [...] Read more.
The quarantine pest, Cylas formicarius, is a key pest of sweet potatoes during both production and storage, posing a major threat to food security in various countries. To investigate behavioral mechanisms, the ultrastructure of the heads of larval and adult stages was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, with an emphasis on the sensilla of the mouthparts and antennae. The results reveal degeneration of the antennae and ocelli in larvae. The larval mouthparts are equipped with three types and six subtypes of sensilla. Both male and female adults have four types and six subtypes of sensilla on their mouthparts. Compared to larvae, the adult mouthparts display a greater diversity of sensilla types and higher numbers of sensilla basicaonica (SB), sensilla chaetica (SC), and sensilla digitiformia (SD). Adult antennae consist of a scape, a pedicel, and eight flagellomeres (F1–F8), with F8 showing sexual dimorphism. Seven types of sensilla, excluding SB and sensilla ligulate (SL), each with two subtypes, were identified on the antennae of adults of both sexes. SC, sensilla furcatea, Böhm bristles, and SL were newly observed in the antennae of C. formicarius adults. Additionally, one type and seven subtypes of sensilla on the adult antennae exhibit distinct sexual dimorphism in terms of structure or number. The relationship between the head structure and adaptability of C. formicarius was examined, and the functions of each sensilla were discussed, providing a theoretical basis for future studies on the behavior of this pest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Insect Physiology, Reproduction and Development)
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17 pages, 2936 KiB  
Article
Influence of Cover Crop Root Functional Traits on Sweet Potato Yield and Soil Microbial Communities
by Xinyi Chen, Jie Zhang, Wangbiao Xia, Yangyang Shao, Zhirong Liu, Jian Guo, Wenjing Qin, Li Wan, Jia Liu, Ying Liu and Juntong Zhang
Microorganisms 2025, 13(3), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13030471 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 152
Abstract
The symbiotic relationship between cover crops and soil microorganisms is closely linked to nutrient cycling and crop growth within agroecosystems. However, how cover crops with different root functional traits influence soil microbial communities, soil properties, and crop yields has remained understudied. This study [...] Read more.
The symbiotic relationship between cover crops and soil microorganisms is closely linked to nutrient cycling and crop growth within agroecosystems. However, how cover crops with different root functional traits influence soil microbial communities, soil properties, and crop yields has remained understudied. This study assessed the root traits of hairy vetch (HV) and rapeseed (RP), along with soil properties, sweet potato yield, and microbial enzyme activity under red soil dryland conditions. High-throughput sequencing was also employed to characterize the diversity, composition, and network structure of soil bacterial and fungal communities. According to the plant economic spectrum theory and our research results on plant root traits, HV can be identified as a resource-acquisitive cover crop, and RP treatment can be identified as a resource-conservative cover crop. Although RP treatment did not significantly increase the sweet potato yield, the increase rate reached 8.49%. Resource-conservative cover crops were associated with increased pH, SOC, and TP, which enhanced bacterial species diversity and boosted the populations of Chloroflexi and Alphaproteobacteria. In contrast, resource-acquisitive cover crops promoted the proliferation of Gammaproteobacteria. Network analysis indicated that resource-conservative cover crops facilitated network complexity through intensified intra-community competition. Resource-acquisitive cover crops enhanced the stability of microbial communities. Collectively, these findings underscore the distinct advantages of cover crops with varying root functional traits in shaping soil microbial communities. Appropriate cover crop rotations can effectively regulate microbial communities and hold the potential to enhance crop yield. Full article
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1 pages, 153 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Xu et al. Whole-Genome Sequencing and Genome Annotation of Pathogenic Elsinoë batatas Causing Stem and Foliage Scab Disease in Sweet Potato. J. Fungi 2024, 10, 882
by Yuan Xu, Yuqing Liu, Yihan Wang, Yi Liu and Guopeng Zhu
J. Fungi 2025, 11(3), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11030166 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 132
Abstract
In the original article [...] Full article
23 pages, 4600 KiB  
Article
Bridging the Gender Gap in Climate-Resilient Sweet Potato Farming: A Case Study from Goromonzi District, Zimbabwe
by Jean-Claude Baraka Munyaka, Olivier Gallay, Jérôme Chenal, Edward Mutandwa, Ximena Salgado, Tariro Pindayi, Davison Gondo, Herbert Pfuma, Rumbidzai Mhembere, Tinotenda Tamanikwa and Shawn Chipise
Systems 2025, 13(2), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13020135 - 19 Feb 2025
Viewed by 160
Abstract
This study delves into the gender-specific challenges and opportunities in sweet potato farming in Goromonzi District, Zimbabwe, against the backdrop of escalating droughts. Through a blend of surveys, expert analysis, and high-resolution satellite imagery, the research uncovers critical factors shaping sweet potato production—ranging [...] Read more.
This study delves into the gender-specific challenges and opportunities in sweet potato farming in Goromonzi District, Zimbabwe, against the backdrop of escalating droughts. Through a blend of surveys, expert analysis, and high-resolution satellite imagery, the research uncovers critical factors shaping sweet potato production—ranging from land access and cultivation techniques to harvesting and market dynamics. By leveraging the multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) framework, the study evaluates these factors’ importance and presents innovative, gender-inclusive strategies to foster climate resilience. Remote sensing tools map the severity of droughts, while data analysis reveals the interconnected challenges faced by farmers. The findings spotlight the urgent need for equitable resource access and support systems to empower both female farmers, paving the way for sustainable agriculture in an era of climate uncertainty. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-criteria Decision Making in Supply Chain Management)
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29 pages, 4045 KiB  
Article
Advanced Digital Solutions for Food Traceability: Enhancing Origin, Quality, and Safety Through NIRS, RFID, Blockchain, and IoT
by Matyas Lukacs, Fruzsina Toth, Roland Horvath, Gyula Solymos, Boglárka Alpár, Peter Varga, Istvan Kertesz, Zoltan Gillay, Laszlo Baranyai, Jozsef Felfoldi, Quang D. Nguyen, Zoltan Kovacs and Laszlo Friedrich
J. Sens. Actuator Netw. 2025, 14(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/jsan14010021 - 17 Feb 2025
Viewed by 222
Abstract
The rapid growth of the human population, the increase in consumer needs regarding food authenticity, and the sub-par synchronization between agricultural and food industry production necessitate the development of reliable track and tracing solutions for food commodities. The present research proposes a simple [...] Read more.
The rapid growth of the human population, the increase in consumer needs regarding food authenticity, and the sub-par synchronization between agricultural and food industry production necessitate the development of reliable track and tracing solutions for food commodities. The present research proposes a simple and affordable digital system that could be implemented in most production processes to improve transparency and productivity. The system combines non-destructive, rapid quality assessment methods, such as near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and computer/machine vision (CV/MV), with track and tracing functionalities revolving around the Internet of Things (IoT) and radio frequency identification (RFID). Meanwhile, authenticity is provided by a self-developed blockchain-based solution that validates all data and documentation “from farm to fork”. The system is introduced by taking certified Hungarian sweet potato production as a model scenario. Each element of the proposed system is discussed in detail individually and as a part of an integrated system, capable of automatizing most production flows while maintaining complete transparency and compliance with authority requirements. The results include the data and trust model of the system with sequence diagrams simulating the interactions between participants. The study lays the groundwork for future research and industrial applications combining digital tools to improve the productivity and authenticity of the agri-food industry, potentially increasing the level of trust between participants, most importantly for the consumers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Trends and Prospects in Security, Encryption and Encoding)
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23 pages, 4913 KiB  
Article
Sweet Potato Yield Prediction Using Machine Learning Based on Multispectral Images Acquired from a Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
by Kriti Singh, Yanbo Huang, Wyatt Young, Lorin Harvey, Mark Hall, Xin Zhang, Edgar Lobaton, Johnie Jenkins and Mark Shankle
Agriculture 2025, 15(4), 420; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15040420 - 17 Feb 2025
Viewed by 284
Abstract
Accurate prediction of sweet potato yield is crucial for effective crop management. This study investigates the use of vegetation indices (VIs) extracted from multispectral images acquired by a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) throughout the growing season, along with in situ-measured plant physiological [...] Read more.
Accurate prediction of sweet potato yield is crucial for effective crop management. This study investigates the use of vegetation indices (VIs) extracted from multispectral images acquired by a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) throughout the growing season, along with in situ-measured plant physiological parameters, to predict sweet potato yield. The data acquisition process through UAV field imaging is discussed in detail along with the extraction process for the multispectral bands that we use as features. The experiment is designed with a combination of different nitrogen application rates and cover crop treatments. The dependence of VIs and crop physiological parameters, such as leaf chlorophyll content, plant biomass, vine length, and leaf nitrogen content, on yield is evaluated through feature selection methods and model performance. Classical machine learning (ML) approaches and tree-based algorithms, like XGBoost and Random Forest, are implemented. Additionally, a soft-voting ML model ensemble approach is employed to improve performance of yield prediction. Individual models are trained and tested for different cover crop and nitrogen treatments to capture the relationships between the treatments and the target yield variable. The performance of the ML algorithms is evaluated using various popular model performance metrics like R2, RMSE, and MAE. Through modelling the data for cover crops and nitrogen treatment rates using individual models, the relationships and effects of different treatments on yield are explored. Important VIs useful for the study are identified through feature selection and model performance evaluation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Digital Agriculture)
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15 pages, 3675 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Effects of Sweet Potato Leaves on Skin Health—From Antimicrobial to Immunomodulator
by Manuela Machado, Sara Silva, Manuela Pintado and Eduardo M. Costa
Molecules 2025, 30(4), 855; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30040855 - 13 Feb 2025
Viewed by 472
Abstract
Sweet potato leaves (SPL), an agricultural byproduct, hold significant potential in dermatological applications due to their bioactive compounds. This study evaluates the phenolic profile of SPL extracts and investigates their biological activities relevant to skin health. Extract fingerprinting, through uHPLC-DAD and LC–MS, identified [...] Read more.
Sweet potato leaves (SPL), an agricultural byproduct, hold significant potential in dermatological applications due to their bioactive compounds. This study evaluates the phenolic profile of SPL extracts and investigates their biological activities relevant to skin health. Extract fingerprinting, through uHPLC-DAD and LC–MS, identified phenolic acids and flavonoids, with cynarin, neochlorogenic acid, and spiraeoside being predominant. The presence of hyperoside was detected. From a biological standpoint, SPL demonstrated notable antimicrobial activity, with MICs ranging from 2.5 to 5 mg/mL against various bacterial strains, such as MRSA and P. aeruginosa, and effective antibiofilm activity, as it reduced biofilm formation by over 80% for most tested strains. When evaluating its effect upon keratinocytes, the cytotoxicity assessment revealed safe usage concentrations at 111 µg/mL and immunomodulatory capacities, as it increased IL-6 production in unchallenged cells but had no synergistic effects under inflammatory stimuli. While preliminary, and with more assays being necessary, these findings highlight SPL’s potential as a natural agent for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory applications in skin-related applications and open a new avenue for a possible added value application of SPL. Full article
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13 pages, 895 KiB  
Article
Pulsed Electric Field Treatment of Sweet Potatoes to Reduce Oil and Acrylamide in Kettle Chips
by Mark M. Skinner, Morgan A. Fong, Tauras P. Rimkus, Alyssa N. Hendricks, Tina P. Truong, Luke G. Woodbury, Xinzhu Pu and Owen M. McDougal
Foods 2025, 14(4), 577; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14040577 - 10 Feb 2025
Viewed by 708
Abstract
The purpose of this investigation was to utilize pulsed electric field (PEF) technology to make sweet potato kettle chips (SPKC) healthier by lowering the amount of oil absorbed and reducing the amount of acrylamide formed during frying. Sweet potatoes were treated continuously in [...] Read more.
The purpose of this investigation was to utilize pulsed electric field (PEF) technology to make sweet potato kettle chips (SPKC) healthier by lowering the amount of oil absorbed and reducing the amount of acrylamide formed during frying. Sweet potatoes were treated continuously in an Elea PEF Advantage Belt One system and prepared as SPKC, without peeling and sliced to a thickness of 1.7 mm. The specific energy for PEF application was set to either low (1.5 kJ/kg) or high (3.0 kJ/kg) with a field strength of 1.0 kV/cm and a pulse width of 6 μm. Batches of 500 g unrinsed potato slices were fried in canola oil at 130 °C for 360 s. The oil content in 3.0 g of fried SPKC was 1.39 g or 46.3%, whereas the oil content was 37.9% for high and 37.7% for low PEF-treatment conditions. Acrylamide (AA) in the fried SPKC was quantified by mass spectrometry to be 0.668 μg/g in the non-PEF control and 0.498 μg/g for low and 0.370 μg/g for high PEF treatment. The results of this study support the use of PEF in SPKC processing to reduce oil absorbance during frying by up to 9% and lower AA by up to 45%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Innovative Processing Technologies on Food Quality)
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21 pages, 1576 KiB  
Review
Advances in Processing Techniques and Determinants of Sweet Potato Starch Gelatinization
by Songtao Yang, Wentao Hu, Shuai Qiao, Wei Song and Wenfang Tan
Foods 2025, 14(4), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14040545 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 740
Abstract
Sweet potato starch is an important source of starch in food processing, but its natural functionality is relatively limited, restricting its performance in certain applications. Gelatinized sweet potato starch, with enhanced structural and functional properties, has broader potential applications in food products. During [...] Read more.
Sweet potato starch is an important source of starch in food processing, but its natural functionality is relatively limited, restricting its performance in certain applications. Gelatinized sweet potato starch, with enhanced structural and functional properties, has broader potential applications in food products. During the gelatinization process, the crystalline structure of sweet potato starch changes, making it suitable for use in various food formulations. Gelatinized sweet potato starch can be produced through techniques such as moist heat processing, extrusion, and spray drying, with the gelatinization effect influenced by factors such as moisture content and temperature. This review summarizes the gelatinization techniques and influencing factors for sweet potato starch, highlighting how structural changes under different conditions affect the quality of the final food products. Understanding these techniques and influencing factors helps optimize the gelatinization process of sweet potato starch, enhancing its application in foods such as noodles and baked goods. This knowledge provides theoretical support and practical guidance for the further utilization of sweet potato starch in the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
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16 pages, 805 KiB  
Article
Production and Physicochemical and Microbiological Evaluation of Orange-Flesh Sweet Potato Flatbread Infused with Spinach as a Healthy Food Option
by Colleen Castillo, Vidya de Gannes, Gaius Eudoxie, Wendy-Ann P. Isaac and Sivakumar Karuppusamy
Processes 2025, 13(2), 427; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13020427 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 473
Abstract
Consumers’ preferences for healthier food products are increasing worldwide. Flatbread, a highly versatile product traditionally formulated with wheat flour (WF), offers significant potential for innovation and value addition through biofortification. Biofortification of flatbread was assessed with orange-flesh sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) [...] Read more.
Consumers’ preferences for healthier food products are increasing worldwide. Flatbread, a highly versatile product traditionally formulated with wheat flour (WF), offers significant potential for innovation and value addition through biofortification. Biofortification of flatbread was assessed with orange-flesh sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) flour (OFSP) infused with spinach (Amaranthus dubius). The purpose of this experiment was to ascertain the impact of adding local OFSP flour and spinach on the physicochemical, sensory, and microbial aspects of sweet potato-spinach infused WF flatbread. Six different flatbread formulations were created using OFSP flour, WF, and spinach. The study utilized a randomised 3 × 2 factorial design, with each treatment reproduced four times, totalling 24 treatments. Sensory evaluation for OFSP flour-spinach flatbreads received appreciable scores. OFSP flour flatbreads exhibited acceptable levels of protein, ash, fat, and moisture. The study provided formulations for value-added flatbread with the efficient inclusion of local agricultural resources OFSP and spinach to produce healthier food product offerings that were microbiologically safe. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy and Efficient Use of Resources (Volume II))
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13 pages, 6502 KiB  
Article
Melatonin-Induced Transcriptome Variation of Sweet Potato Under Heat Stress
by Mengzhao Wang, Yang Zhou, Bei Liang, Sunjeet Kumar, Wenjie Zhao, Tianjia Liu, Yongping Li and Guopeng Zhu
Plants 2025, 14(3), 430; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14030430 - 1 Feb 2025
Viewed by 575
Abstract
Melatonin (MT) has been widely recognized for its ability to mitigate the effects of abiotic stress and regulate plant development. In this study, we investigated the role of exogenous MT in enhancing heat tolerance in sweet potato, with a particular focus on its [...] Read more.
Melatonin (MT) has been widely recognized for its ability to mitigate the effects of abiotic stress and regulate plant development. In this study, we investigated the role of exogenous MT in enhancing heat tolerance in sweet potato, with a particular focus on its capacity to alleviate heat stress-induced damage. MT treatment significantly reduced oxidative stress, as evidenced by decreased levels of hydrogen peroxide, superoxide ions, and malondialdehyde (MDA), all of which were elevated under heat stress. To uncover the underlying mechanisms, RNA sequencing was performed on three experimental groups: control (CK), heat stress alone (HS), and MT pre-treatment followed by heat stress (MH). A total of 3491, 3280, and 1171 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the CK vs. HS, CK vs. MH, and HS vs. MH comparisons, respectively. MT treatment notably modulated the expression of genes involved in redox regulation and nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism. Moreover, MT enhanced the expression of genes associated with key signaling pathways, including mitogen-activated protein kinases (MPK3) and plant hormone signal transduction components, such as ethylene response factor (ERF). These findings offer novel insights into the mechanisms by which exogenous MT enhances heat tolerance in sweet potato, highlighting its role in regulating antioxidant systems, metabolic pathways, and hormone signaling. This study presents valuable strategies for improving crop resilience to heat stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Response to Abiotic Stress and Climate Change)
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14 pages, 2382 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Analysis of Peanut Skin Adulterants by Fourier Transform Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Chemometrics
by Wangfei Luo, Jihong Deng, Chenxi Li and Hui Jiang
Foods 2025, 14(3), 466; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030466 - 1 Feb 2025
Viewed by 504
Abstract
Peanut skin is a potential medicinal material. The adulteration of peanut skin samples with starchy substances severely affects their medicinal value. This study aimed to quantitatively analyze the adulterants present in peanut skin using Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy. Two adulterants, sweet potato [...] Read more.
Peanut skin is a potential medicinal material. The adulteration of peanut skin samples with starchy substances severely affects their medicinal value. This study aimed to quantitatively analyze the adulterants present in peanut skin using Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy. Two adulterants, sweet potato starch and corn starch, were included in this study. First, spectral information of the adulterated samples was collected for characterization. Then, the applicability of different preprocessing methods and techniques to the obtained spectral data was compared. Subsequently, the Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS) algorithm was used to extract effective variables from the preprocessed spectral data, and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), a Support Vector Machine (SVM), and a Black Kite Algorithm-Support Vector Machine (BKA-SVM) were employed to predict the adulterant content in the samples, as well as the overall adulteration level. The results showed that the BKA-SVM model performed excellently in predicting the content of sweet potato starch, corn starch, and overall adulterants, with determination coefficients (R2P) of 0.9833, 0.9893, and 0.9987, respectively. The experimental results indicate that FT-NIR spectroscopy combined with advanced machine learning techniques can effectively and accurately detect adulterants in peanut skin, providing a reliable technological support for food safety detection. Full article
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22 pages, 5040 KiB  
Article
Different Efficacy of Five Soluble Dietary Fibers on Alleviating Loperamide-Induced Constipation in Mice: Influences of Different Structural Features
by Zhiguo Zhang, Buyu Liu, Wei Liu, Xingquan Liu, Chengcheng Zhang, Weiwei Hu and Weicheng Wu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1236; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031236 - 31 Jan 2025
Viewed by 542
Abstract
Different dietary fibers have distinct structures, leading to significant variations in their laxative effects. To explore how these structural differences impact constipation intervention, a 14-day study was conducted on loperamide-induced constipated mice using five dietary fibers: soluble dietary fiber from steamed sweet potato [...] Read more.
Different dietary fibers have distinct structures, leading to significant variations in their laxative effects. To explore how these structural differences impact constipation intervention, a 14-day study was conducted on loperamide-induced constipated mice using five dietary fibers: soluble dietary fiber from steamed sweet potato (SDF-S), oat β-glucan (OB), polydextrose (PD), arabinogalactan (AG), and inulin (IN). The results showed that four fibers, excluding PD, significantly improved gastrointestinal (GI) transit rate (p < 0.05), although PD had the highest fecal moisture, it was significantly different from the lowest IN (p < 0.05). AG and IN resulted in higher 6 h fecal weights compared to other fibers. SDF-S and OB were more effective in modulating serum levels of gastrointestinal hormones. The different monosaccharide compositions and glycosidic bonds of these fibers led to distinct changes in gut microbiota composition and SCFA profiles. Galactose and arabinose in AG were linked to increased abundance of Lachnospiraceae_UCG-006, Bacteroides, and Odoribacter, promoting butyrate fermentation, which is positively correlated with GI transit rate. Glucose in SDF-S, OB, and PD favored acetate fermentation positively correlated with fecal moisture. Fructose in IN encouraged the proliferation of Muribaculaceae_unclassified and Ruminococcus, associated with butyrate fermentation and increased 6 h stool weight, respectively. The β-glycosidic bonds in OB may lead to high butyrate production through the selective proliferation of Lachnospiraceae_unclassified. Minor components like fucose, rhamnose, and ribose were positively correlated with the abundance of Oscillospiraceae_unclassified, Anaerotignum, and Lachnospiraceae_unclassified. In conclusion, the unique monosaccharide compositions and glycosidic bond differences in dietary fibers selectively promote the proliferation of fiber-degrading and butyrate-producing bacteria, resulting in varied effects on constipation relief. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Compounds for Counteracting GI and Liver Diseases)
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