Investigations on Temperature and Cultivar Variability in Microbial Dynamics and Enzyme Activity in Sweet Potato Rhizospheres | Chapter 2 | Geography, Earth Science and Environment: Research Highlights Vol. 8

Background: Sweet potato [Ipomea batatas (L.) Lam.] is an important root crop known for its nutritional, medicinal, industrial and economic values. It is the fourth most important root crop in terms of the quantity of production and ranks seventh in global food production.

Aim: To determine the influence of temperature on sweet potato yield, soil enzyme activity and composition of the microbial community in the rhizosphere during early growth stage-65DAP.

Study Design: The study was conducted as a Completely Randomized Design with a 2x2 factorial treatment arrangement of two temperatures and two cultivars —and four replications in time.

Place and Duration of Study: George Washington Carver Agricultural Experiment Station, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee Alabama, between February to December 2022.

Methodology: Two sweet potato cultivars, Beauregard and Whatley/Loretan, were planted and exposed to high (32/26°C) and optimal (28/22°C) diurnal temperatures in a plant growth chamber. Standard cultural practices for irrigation and fertilizer application were followed. The plants were harvested 65 days after planting (65 DAP) and rhizosphere samples from both cultivars were collected. The microbial composition, including bacterial 16S rDNA and fungal ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer), was analyzed using a standard DNA-Based Quantitative Technique The extracellular enzymes, Acid Phosphatases (P-acid), β-Glucosidase (GLU), N-acetylglucosaminidase (β-NAG) and phosphodiesterase (DIEST) were analyzed using fluorometric microplate enzyme assays.

Results: Bacterial communities were dominated by phyla Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria, whereas fungi were dominated by the Ascomycota across the samples. Temperature significantly affected the abundance of some bacterial phyla (Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia and Chloroflexi) and all identified fungal phyla (Ascomycota, Mucoromycota, and Entomophthoromycota). Cultivars affected bacterial Phylum Gemmatimonadetes and fungi phyla Mucoromycetes and Ascomycota, with their higher relative abundances found in Whatley/Loretan than in Beauregard. There were significant interactions between temperature and cultivars for bacteria phyla Acidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Firmicutes and Fungi Entomophthoromycota. Additionally, high temperatures influenced the activities of key soil enzymes—acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase, and β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase—in the rhizosphere of sweet potato, irrespective of cultivars.

Conclusion: The bacterial and fungal populations and activities of key soil enzymes in the rhizosphere of Whatley/Loretan and Beauregard sweet potato cultivars were significantly impacted by high temperatures. These enzymes play a crucial role in the decomposition of organic matter, as well as phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), and carbon (C) cycling, thereby regulating nutrient availability for plant uptake.

 

Author (s) Details

Devotha Mwazembe
College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences and G. W. Carver Agricultural Experiment Station, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL 36088.2, United States.

 

D.G. Mortley
College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences and G. W. Carver Agricultural Experiment Station, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL 36088.2, United States.

 

R. Shang
College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences and G. W. Carver Agricultural Experiment Station, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL 36088.2, United States.

 

R, O, Ankumah
College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences and G. W. Carver Agricultural Experiment Station, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL 36088.2, United States.

 

O. Idehen
College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences and G. W. Carver Agricultural Experiment Station, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL 36088.2, United States.

 

J. Quansah
College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences and G. W. Carver Agricultural Experiment Station, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL 36088.2, United States.

 

S. Fall
College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences and G. W. Carver Agricultural Experiment Station, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL 36088.2, United States.

 

V. S. Santhosh Mithra
ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Sreekariyam, Thiruvananthapuram, 695017, Kerala, India.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/geserh/v8/4647

Production of Planting Material of Selected Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) Clones under Different Multiplication Methods | Chapter 9 | Research Advances and Challenges in Agricultural Sciences Vol. 7

Sweet potato is a staple food that contributes to food security for communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its storage roots are rich in energy, proteins, vitamins and other important micronutrients. The crop is among the traditional food crops grown in Kenya. Production of sweet potato in coastal Kenya is low and this has been associated with scarcity of planting material at the onset of rains. A study was therefore conducted at the Pwani University farm to evaluate different methods for the production of sweet potato planting material. The methods (treatments) evaluated in this study were: Planting in pits without lining, planting in pits with lining, planting on flat ground, planting in sacks without lining and planting in sacks with lining. A Randomized Complete Block Design was used, with factorial arrangement of treatments which were replicated three times. Vine yield data was collected from the experimental plots and subjected to the analysis of variance using the General Linear Model. In the long rains season, sweet potato in the treatments without lining produced longer vines than those in the treatments with lining. Different vine planting methods produced similar vine lengths in the off-season multiplication under irrigation. The planting methods without lining are recommended for use by farmers during the long rains season multiplication of planting material. It is also recommended that farmers start the multiplication during off-season and continue up to the beginning of the long rains season, so as to obtain enough planting material at the onset of the planting season for sweet potato. This will also lead to the production of excess planting material which may be used to expand the area under sweet potato.

Author(s) Details:

Bahati Abdallah,
Department of Crop Sciences, Pwani University, P. O. Box 195 – 80108, Kilifi, Kenya.

Hemedi Mkuzi Saha,
Department of Crop Sciences, Pwani University, P. O. Box 195 – 80108, Kilifi, Kenya.

Stephen Mwangi Githiri,
Department of Horticulture and Food Security, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P. O. Box 62000 – 00200, Nairobi, Kenya.

Wariara Kariuki,
Scott Christian University, P. O. Box 49 – 90100, Machakos, Kenya.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/RACAS-V7/article/view/14267

The Drying Kinetics of Pre-Treated Sweet Potato Strips | Chapter 1 | Contemporary Perspective on Science, Technology and Research Vol. 6

 Sweet potatoes are prone to the fungi, Rhizopus oryzae that results in fast spoilage upon delivery due to its moisture content (MC). This problem can be addressed by a drying process where a hot tray air dryer was used. The decrease in MC can prolong the shelf-life of the sweet potato. Also, pre-treating sweet potato with sodium metabisulfite results in unique flavor, color and texture attributes which are the main drivers of consumer acceptability of the products.  Sweet potatoes were cut uniformly into 30x5x5 mm dimension. The sweet potato strips were soaked in 2%(w/v) Potassium Metabisulfite (KMS) solution at 50°C for 15 minutes and were drained under standard condition. The treated sweet potato strips were dried at 40°C, 50°C, 60° C until the constant weight was obtained. Laplace Transform Model, Non-Linear Decomposition Model, and Page Model are the three mathematical models that were compared to determine what is the best fit for the drying of the sweet potato. Based on data gathered, The Page model was found to be the most suitable to describe the drying characteristics of treated sweet potato strips with the least total error and highest coefficient of determination. The optimum drying temperature was 60°C with a drying time of 46 minutes to achieve 10% MC that inhibit the growth of Rhizopus oryzae. The pre-treatment of sweet potato strips avoids the undesirable changes such as the natural color and texture of sweet potatoes after air-drying.

Author(s) Details:

Lola Domnina Pestaño,
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Santo Tomas, 1015 España Boulevard, Manila-1004, Philippines and Research Center for Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, 1015 España Boulevard, Manila 1004, Philippines. 

Fauve Ira Alexa V. Obregon,
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Santo Tomas, 1015 España Boulevard, Manila-1004, Philippines.

Maria Blesy C. Silvano,
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Santo Tomas, 1015 España Boulevard, Manila-1004, Philippines.

Jeelaine G. Vicencio,
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Santo Tomas, 1015 España Boulevard, Manila-1004, Philippines.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/CPSTR-V6/article/view/13558

Influence of Pre-drying and Drying Treatments on the Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Purple Sweet Potato Flour | Chapter 1 | Current Perspectives in Agriculture and Food Science Vol. 5

 The study was attended to determine the belongings of pre-drying and drying treatments on purple sweet vegetable flour's physicochemical, working, antioxidant activity, and phytochemical components (PSPF). The flours were groomed from purple-fleshed sweet vegetable slices soaked in water, 1% citric acid solution, and steam for 15 min before drying. The piping hot process increased the antioxidant project of raw purple-fleshed sweet vegetable roots by 28.56% and presented PSPF with intense color attributes, an nearly neutral pH, the maximal total soluble complete content, highest water absorption index, water-dissolved index, swelling ability, gelation capacity, and antioxidant activity but shortest fat absorption competency values compared to added pre-drying treatments. pH was shortest, and total phenolic, flavonoid, and anthocyanidin contents were best in samples soaked in 1% citric acid solution before drying. Based on b*/a* percentages, all flours were red main and were more peonidin rich. Therefore, the best quality crush into fine grains was produced when sweet vegetable slices were steamed before drying.

Author(s) Details:

Queenie Ann L. Curayag,
Department of Food Science, College of Human Ecology, Central Mindanao University, University Town, Musuan, Bukidnon 8714, Philippines.

Erlinda I. Dizon,
Institute of Food Science and Technology, Food Science Cluster, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna 4031, Philippines.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/CPAFS-V5/article/view/11743

Investigation of the Drying Kinetics of Pre-treated and Untreated Sweet Potato to Prevent the Growth of the Fungi Rhizopus oryzae| Chapter 4 | Current Perspectives in Agriculture and Food Science Vol. 1

 Sweet vegetables are susceptible to the fungi Rhizopus oryzae, that causes rapid spoilage upon transmittal due to the dampness content, which can cultivate a fungus that produces a bad smell and a cottony white color. The decline in moisture content can offer the sweet potato's useful life of product. This problem maybe addressed by a drying process using a slick tray dryer. The drying action of pre-treated and not cooked sweet potatoes was investigated to produce drained sweet potatoes outside the growth of the fungi. Sweet vegetables were peeled and cut into 5x5x30 mm evenly. For the pre-treatment, the sliced sweet vegetable strips were soaked in 2%(w/v) Potassium Metabisulfite (KMS) answer at 50∘C for 15 minutes and were exhausted under standard conditions. The pre-treated and not cooked sweet potato strips were drained in separate trays at 40∘C, 50∘C and 60∘C using a slick dryer until the neverending weight of the batch was got. Numerical simulation utilizing the Laplace Transform Model, Non-Linear Decomposition Model, and Page Model were compared to decide the best fit model for the drying of the pre-medicated and untreated sweet potato strips. Based on the dossier gathered, the Page Model was raise to be ultimate suitable model to describe the drying traits of pre-treated and not cooked sweet potato strips. The best drying temperature was 60∘C and thought a drying time of 46.01 minutes utilizing the Lagrange interpolation to reach 10% moisture that restrict the growth of Rhizopus oryzae. The air-dried pre-considered samples showed a good neurological quality limit such as color and makeup compared to air-dried not cooked sample.  The pre-treated sweet vegetable strips avoid the unacceptable changes such as the unrefined color, texture and odor of sweet vegetables after air-drying.

Author(s) Details:

Lola Domnina B. Pestaño,
Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines and Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines.

Fauve Ira Alexa V. Obregon,
Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines and Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines.

Maria Blesy C. Silvano,
Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines.

Jeelaine G. Vicencio,
Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/CPAFS-V1/article/view/8915