Central Tuber Crops Research Institute

About: Central Tuber Crops Research Institute is a facility organization based out in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Starch & Fermentation. The organization has 475 authors who have published 587 publications receiving 10285 citations.

Seed set and seedling variation in greater yam (Dioscorea alata L.)

Abstract: A high degree of fruit and seed set was obtained in Dioscorea alata L. by hand pollination. The sexual progeny was studied in comparison with the clonal plants. In general, the seedlings were poor in growth vigour, flowering and tuber production but the variations observed in the different characters were unprecedented, indicating scope for efficacious genetic improvement in this vegetatively propagated crop.

Lactic acid production from cassava fibrous residue using Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 1407.

Abstract: During extraction of starch from cassava, fibrous residue is a major waste released into the environment. Owing to the high starch content (60-65% on dry weight basis) and organic matter of cassava fibrous residue (CFR), an attempt has been made to utilize it for the production of lactic acid (LA) in semi solid state fermentation using Mann Rogassa Sharpe medium containing [5 % (wv(-1))] CFR in lieu of glucose [2% (wv(-1))] as the carbon source. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to evaluate the effect of main variables, i.e. incubation period, temperature and pH on LA production. The experimental results showed that the optimum incubation period, temperature and pH were 120 hr 35 degrees C and 6.5, respectively. Maximum starch conversion by Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 1407 to LA was 63.3%. The organism produced 29.86 g of (L+) LA from 60 g of starch present in 100 g of CFR. The LA production yield (i.e. mass LA produced mass starch present in CFR(-1) x 100) was 49.76%.

Mitigation of growth retardation effect of plant defense activator, acibenzolar- S -methyl, in amaranthus plants by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

Abstract: Four rhizobacterial strains and acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), a chemical activator, which suppressed foliar blight of amaranthus (Amaranthus tricolor L.) caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn were evaluated for their effect on plant growth. The experiments were performed both under sterile and non-sterile soil conditions, in the presence or absence of the pathogen. In all cases, plants treated with ASM showed significant reduction in growth, as determined by shoot length, and shoot and root dry weight when compared to other treatments. The growth retardation effect of ASM was more profound with respect to shoot length. Reduction in shoot length was least when plants were treated with a combination of the chemical activator and Pseudomonas putida 89B61 under non-sterile soil conditions in the absence of the pathogen. Both under sterile and non-sterile soil conditions, in the presence of the pathogen, reduction in shoot length due to application of ASM was diminished significantly when plants were treated with rhizobacterial strain Pseudomonas fluorescens PN026R. Combined use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and ASM was found to be beneficial as the growth retardation effect of the plant defense activator was reduced by the growth-promoting ability of the rhizobacteria.

Ultrastructural and Starch Digestibility Characteristics of Sweet Potato Spaghetti: Effects of Edible Gums and Fibers

Abstract: Considering the importance of pasta as a food having low starch digestibility, and the global increase in diabetes, an attempt was made to develop low glycaemic spaghetti from sweet potato incorporating gums and fibers. Gums such as guar, xanthan, and locust bean were incorporated at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g/100 g mix while the fibers such as apple, oat, and wheat were incorporated at 10 and 20 g/100 g mix levels along with 1.0 and 1.5 g/100 g of xanthan gum, respectively. Gum fortified spaghetti retained more protein on cooking than fiber + xanthan gum fortification. Higher swelling index was observed for gum fortified spaghetti than fiber + xanthan gum fortification, whereas cooking loss followed a reverse pattern. Lowest in vitro starch digestibility was observed for xanthan gum (1.5%) fortification, which was significantly less than the fiber + xanthan gum fortification. Resistant starch was retained to a high extent in the fortified spaghetti. The estimated glycaemic index for control spaghetti was 66.62,...

Comparative study of RS4 type resistant starches derived from cassava and potato starches via octenyl succinylation

Abstract: Resistant starch is becoming important among functional foods because of its similarity to dietary fiber in many physiological properties. In the present study, an attempt has been made to compare two distinct tuber starches from cassava and potato, in the formation of RS4 type resistant starch by chemical modification with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA). The octenyl succinate esters of both the starches exhibited significant changes in structural, functional, and dietetic properties in comparison to their respective native counterparts. The modified starches were characterized by FTIR, SEM, and XRD analysis. The pasting, gelatinization, and in vitro digestibility properties were also determined. The water binding capacity of both the starches increased upon modification. The pasting and gelatinization properties of the two starches were affected differently. The cooked samples of octenyl succinylated potato starch showed slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) in the range of 10.53–34.86% and 3.58–29.1%, respectively, whereas these were 20.46–38.36% and 1.47–27.92%, respectively, for cassava starch. In both cases, RS and SDS of modified starches increased significantly and glycemic index (GI) decreased in comparison to corresponding native starches.