https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/22454/3/SUPERCRITICAL%20FLUID%20EXTRACTION.pdf

Supercritical fluid extraction: Recent advances and applications

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is known as the most successful microbial insecticide against different orders of insect pests in agriculture and medicine. Moreover, Bt toxin genes also have been efficiently used to enhance resistance to insect pests in genetically modified crops. In light of the scientific advantages of new molecular biology technologies, recently, some other new potentials of Bt have been explored. These new environmental features include the toxicity against nematodes, mites, and ticks, antagonistic effects against plant and animal pathogenic bacteria and fungi, plant growth-promoting activities (PGPR), bioremediation of different heavy metals and other pollutants, biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles, production of polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymer, and anticancer activities (due to parasporins). This review comprehensively describes recent advances in the Bt whole-genome studies, the last updated known Bt toxins and their functions, and application of cry genes in plant genetic engineering. Moreover, the review thoroughly describes the new features of Bt which make it a suitable cell factory that might be used for production of different novel valuable bioproducts.

Bacillus thuringiensis: a successful insecticide with new environmental features and tidings

The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) produces delta-endotoxins that possess toxic properties and can be used as biopesticides, as well as a source of genes for the construction of transgenic plants resistant to insects. In Brazil, the introduction of Bt soybean with insecticidal properties to the velvetbean caterpillar, the main insect pest of soybean, has been seen a promising tool in the management of these agroecosystems. However, the increase in stink bug populations in this culture, in various regions of the country, which are not susceptible to the existing genetically modified plants, requires application of chemicals that damage the environment. Little is known about the actual toxicity of Bt to Hemiptera, since these insects present sucking mouthparts, which hamper toxicity assays with artificial diets containing toxins of this bacterium. In recent studies of cytotoxicity with the gut of different hemipterans, susceptibility in the mechanism of action of delta-endotoxins has been demonstrated, which can generate promising subsidies for the control of these insect pests in soybean. This paper aims to review the studies related to the selection, application and mode of action of Bt in the biological control of the major pest of soybean, Anticarsia gemmatalis, and an analysis of advances in research on the use of Bt for control hemipterans.

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Mode of Action and Specificity of Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins in the Control of Caterpillars and Stink Bugs in Soybean Culture

Solid waste treatment and disposal is a global challenge for the development of a sustainable society. The problem has been exacerbated by a rise in waste products as a result of population growth and urbanization. Ever-increasing municipal solid waste, together with its high proportion of organic waste and its unscientific disposal, contributes to Greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants. Municipal solid waste (MSW) mismanagement not only has harmful environmental consequences but also poses public health risks and raises other socioeconomic concerns. The mitigation approach requires an environmentally sustainable interpretation of the waste for its management and treatment. The waste-to-energy conversion provides a solution to environmental issues such as Greenhouse gas emission and waste management, thereby helping to achieve a green environment with a simultaneously prospering economy. This paper provides a comprehensive review of municipal solid waste generation and its characteristics. It provides a bird's-eye view of the suitability of various technologies for energy production, providing up-to-date information about it. It also covers challenges and perspectives in this field of research.

Municipal solid waste as a sustainable resource for energy production: State-of-the-art review

Evaluation on feedstock, technologies, catalyst and reactor for sustainable biodiesel production: A review

The characterization of nematode-effective strains and cry genes in the Iranian Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) collection (70 isolates) is presented. Characterization was based on PCR analysis using 12 specific primers for cry5, cry6, cry12, cry13, cry14, and cry21 genes encoding proteins active against nematodes, crystal morphology, and protein band patterns as well as their nematicidal activity on root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) and two free-living nematodes (Chiloplacus tenuis and Acrobeloides enoplus). PCR results with primers for these genes showed that 22 isolates (31.5%) contain a minimum of one nematode-active cry gene. Strains containing the cry6 gene were the most abundant and represent 22.8% of the isolates. Bt strains harboring cry14 genes were also abundant (14.2%). cry21 and cry5 genes were less abundant, found in 4.2% and 2.8% of the strains, respectively. In total, six different nematode-active cry gene profiles were detected in this collection. Four isolates did not show the expected PCR product size for cry5, cry6, and cry21 genes; they might contain potentially novel insecticidal crystal protein genes. Twenty-two Bt isolates containing nematode-active cry genes were selected for preliminary bioassays on M. incognita. Based on these bioassays, four isolates were selected for detailed bioassays. Isolates YD5 and KON4 at 2 x 10(8) CFU/mL concentrations showed 77% and 81% toxicity on M. incognita, respectively. The free-living nematodes C. tenuis and A. enoplus were more susceptible and the highest mortality was observed within 48 h of incubation at all of the concentrations tested. Maximum mortality was recorded for isolates SN1 and KON4 at 2 x 10(8) CFU/mL concentrations and resulted in 68% and 77% adults deaths of C. tenuis and 68% and 72% for A. enoplus, respectively. Our results showed that PCR is a useful technique for toxicity prediction of nematicidal Bt isolates.

Molecular detection of nematicidal crystalliferous Bacillus thuringiensis strains of Iran and evaluation of their toxicity on free-living and plant-parasitic nematodes

Coleopteran-specific and putative novel cry genes in Iranian native Bacillus thuringiensis collection.

Biodiesel has huge potentials as a green and technologically feasible alternative to fossil diesel However, biodiesel production from edible oil crops has been widely criticized while nonedible oil plants are associated with some serious disadvantages, such as high cost, low oil yield, and unsuitable oil composition The next generation sequencing (NGS), omics technologies, and genetic engineering have opened new paths toward achieving high performance-oil plants varieties for commercial biodiesel production The intent of the present review paper is to review and critically discuss the recent genetic and metabolic engineering strategies developed to overcome the shortcoming faced in nonedible plants, including Jatropha curcas and Camelina sativa, as emerging platforms for biodiesel production These strategies have been looked into three different categories Through the first strategy aimed at enhancing oil content, the key genes involved in triacylglycerols (TAGs) biosynthesis pathway (eg, diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase), and glycerol‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD1)), genes affecting seed size and plant growth (eg, transcription factors (WRI1), auxin response factor 19 (ARF19),  leafy cotyledon1 (LEC1), purple acid phosphatase 2 (PAP2), G-protein c subunit 3 (AGG3), and flowering locus T (FT)), as well as genes involved in TAGs degradation (eg, sugar-dependent protein 1 triacylglycerol lipase (SDP1)) have been deliberated While through the second strategy targeting enhanced oil composition, suppression of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of linoleic acids (eg, fatty acid desaturase (FAD2), fatty acid elongase (FAE1), acyl-ACP thioesterase (FATB), and ketoacyl-ACP synthase II (KASII)), suppression of the genes encoding toxic metabolites (curcin precursor and casbene synthase (JcCASA)), and finally, engineering the genes responsible for the production of unusual TAGs (eg, Acetyl-TAGs and hydroxylated fatty acids (HFA)) have been debated In addition to those, enhancing tolerance to biotic (pest and disease) and abiotic (drought, salinity, freezing, and heavy metals) stresses as another important genetic engineering strategy to facilitate the cultivation of nonedible oil plants under conditions unsuitable for food crops has been addressed Finally, the challenges faced prior to successful commercialization of the resultant GM oil plants such have been presented

Fueling the future; plant genetic engineering for sustainable biodiesel production

Breeding of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), its position, urgency and topicality of the problem are considered in the present review. New unusual strategies are proposed for genetic improvement of saffron in order to increase yield production both in quality and quantity. Complexity and extraordinary feature of the problem is drawn. The ways of breeding are analyzed and recommended in close acquaintance with exceptionally specific biological peculiarities of this triploid plant. The application of contemporary biotechnological methods makes solving this problem more feasible. The present report is a reflection of a large research project related to the problem of saffron breeding, started in ABRII in 2003. Underlying reason of the mentioned project is our firm conviction based on many years of studying the biology, systematics, cytogenetics, and embryology of saffron that in spite of intricacy of the subject, not only breeding (especially clonal selection) of this plant is possible, but also is necessary and this problem for today stands rather burning. It promises to give annual large profit, where the plant is cultivated in a vast expanse. INTRODUCTION It is well known that saffron (C. sativus L.) is a very valuable irreplaceable spice with exceptional medicinal properties which has been cultivated since ancient times. There are no wild forms and it exists solely in culture. Being triploid with chromosome number 2n=3x=24 and basic number of x=8, saffron never bears seed and it is propagated exclusively in a vegetative way by corms. Its vegetation period starts in autumn, continues through winter and finishes in the middle of spring. Therefore its growth and development is very slow, facing the cold period of the year which results in low productivity of the plant. However, the demands of world industry for saffron product are very high. Among countries cultivating saffron, Iran is at the first place. More than 90 % of the world production falls onto Iranian saffron which has a great importance in the economy of the country. The area under saffron cultivation in Iran reaches about 80 000 hectares with an annual production of about 250 tons of the dry stigmas. In recent years this amount has been remarkably increased, which was achieved mainly by extension of the planting areas but not due to the increased yield capacity in the area unit. Beside other factors new high yielding cultivars of saffron are required to solve the problem. It seems that the genetic improvement of saffron and creation of new high yielding cultivars in the past was impossible owing to the complexity of the problem. Only just the traditional methods of breeding are not promising here. The literature on saffron breeding is very limited. There are known old works from Azerbaijan Republic more or less concerning with the breeding problems (Rzakuliyev, 1948, 1959; Kapinos, 1965; Muzaferova, 1970; Agayev et al., 1975). A lot of work has been carried out using tissue culture. (Homes et al., 1987; Dhar et al., 1988; Chichiricco, 1999; Munshi and Zargar, 1991; Munshi, 1992; Dhar and Sapro, 1993; Piqueras et al., 1999). Ascertaining the specified activities at the same time it should be admitted that for today on arena there is only one cultivar of saffron. Our attitude to the given problem differs. The urgency of saffron breeding problems and the necessity to solve them with the application of new extraordinary approaches was stated before (Agayev, 1994a,b). Current work on the breeding of saffron was conceived and planned up to the smallest details by the conducting authors and submitted as a new project with 15 subprojects. The project with 9 subprojects has been accepted to be performed since the autumn of 2003 in ABRII. It is believed that saffron plant being cultivated in different countries under different and constantly varying land and climatic conditions, has faced with countless different stress situations during a rather long period of time (thousands years) and undergone the various mutations. Although these mutations were not redistributed between plants because of their sterility, but are accumulated in populations and kept till now. With mutations, small and large, on our view, should be encompassed all attributes, morphological and physiological, peculiar to saffron plant. Clonal selection independently and in combination with the experimental polyploidy and hybridization involving wild close relatives of C. sativus is mostly promising. Methods of in vitro technique and molecular genetics should be also applied if necessary. WHY SAFFRON EXISTS JUST AS ONE CULTIVAR Ancient history of saffron cultivation goes back to many thousands years ago. It was originated very likely in Greece and then distributed in the other Mediterranean and Near East countries (Turkey, Italy, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, North of India, etc.). In all over the world saffron is known as one cultivar, as descent of certain triploid sterile plant arisen once spontaneously in nature which was caught by sight of man and involved into cultivation (Mathew, 1977). It has been propagated and still continues to be propagated vegetatively. There is a supposition that saffron as a clone can be scarcely changed genetically and its improvement is hardly possible through clonal selection (Dhar et al., 1988, Piqueras et al., 1999). Meanwhile, other suppositions exist as well. For example, Rzakuliyev (1959) investigating in Apsheron (Baku) specimens of saffron obtained from 6 regions (2 regions in Italy, France, Istanbul , Yalta and Mashtağa) during 3 vegetations in 1934-1937 concluded that it is possible to create a new high yielding cultivars of this plant on the basis of clonal selection. Kapinos (1965) studied the morphogenesis and cytoembryology of Crocus sativus also under climatic conditions of Apsheron and came to the conclusion that this plant represents variegated blend of genetically heterogeneous forms – clones, and clonal selection on it would be very promising. Apparently, the lack of new cultivars of saffron at present may not be explained by the impossibilities of the improvement of this plant through clonal selection. To solve this problem, it is necessary for a researcher to be properly acquainted with the biology and genetics of saffron and work up subtle puzzled methods of the clonal selection especially for saffron, different from those of the other plants. Two main difficulties of saffron breeding through clonal selection, in our opinion, are as follow: 1) Difficulty in the recognition of the clones. In any plantation saffron is represented by plants existing in highly different “ages” of individuals connected with different sizes of corms underground. Above the ground, these plants differ in the size and number of their flowers (at the stage of flowering), also in their number and size of leaves. If some plants are sharply different from the others in certain characters, interesting for the aim of breeding, a researcher can not practically identify them. Naturally he does not see corms underground, and can not elucidate the cause of the mentioned differences: whether these differences are due to the age (size) of corms, or because of the genotypes of plants. So, genetically different (if exist) and similar plants will continue to grow together and not be used as a subject for breeding. 2) Difficulty in the multiplication of clones and bringing them to cultivars. Let us suppose that farmer recognizes certain plant(s) which could be used as a clone with good economic characters. Multiplication of such clone(s) would be turned as insoluble problem. One saffron corm at planting with proper care produces on average 4 corms of middle sizes during vegetation (one year). At such intensity of propagation it could be brought to about 1000000 corms only after 17 years. This amount could be enough for planting on the area of 2 ha. It is clear that a farmer will accomplish never such an exhausting work of many years. Therefore the farmers would not pursue the aim to make new cultivar of saffron even if they have been lucky to find some clones with very highly expressed economically valuable characters. Concerning to the researcher, in our opinion, he could be able to do it in the favorable conditions, namely in the case of worthy appreciation of his long term hard work on this way by existing law on breeding. That is why in all over the world saffron has been remained as one cultivar despite of existence in culture during hundreds and thousands of years. Alternatively, genetically changed superior plants of saffron could be propagated rapidly via in vitro technique. Investigations in this direction are very promising. Unfortunately, the experiments pursuing rapid corm propagation of saffron have not been successful so far and a few in vitro developed corms had been produced. Matured corms of in vitro origin in mass production had not been produced. CONFIDENT STRATEGIES OF CLONAL SELECTION OF SAFFRON With the object of breeding new cultivars of saffron with economically valuable traits, two principles can be applied: a) searching, identification and separation of superior clones in existing plantations, b) creating new valuable forms experimentally. Suggesting that in the existing plantations clonal selection of saffron is possible and promising, we are guided by following considerations. Having an ancient history of cultivation, saffron apparently should contain a lot of genetically changed forms (clones) as the result of mutations in somatic cells. The task is to find and study them individually, to separate the economically valuable forms and to bring them to the new industrial cultivars. But the matter is how to do it? In order to recognize the changed forms, all of the corms were separated into groups according to their weights. Difference between adjacent groups was 1.0 g, or 0.5 g, or even less than 0.5 g. For the first time, we contented the difference of 1.0 g. T

Breeding of Saffron (Crocus sativus): Possibilities and Problems

/pdf/determination-of-essential-oil-composition-of-prangos-1qd00vfg5c.pdf

S. Soheilivand

Papers

Molecular detection of nematicidal crystalliferous Bacillus thuringiensis strains of Iran and evaluation of their toxicity on free-living and plant-parasitic nematodes

Coleopteran-specific and putative novel cry genes in Iranian native Bacillus thuringiensis collection.

Fueling the future; plant genetic engineering for sustainable biodiesel production

Breeding of Saffron (Crocus sativus): Possibilities and Problems

Determination of Essential Oil Composition of Prangos acaulis (DC) Bornm Obtained by Hydrodistillation and Supercritical Fluid Extraction Methods