Volume 15, Issue 1, 2027

The wild passion fruit (Passiflora cincinnata Mast.) is an edible fruit with a great agro-industrial potential. Its peel is highly nutritious; however, it is often discarded as waste. This study aimed to produce and evaluate the physicochemical and nutritional properties of flour made from the peel of wild passion fruit ‟Cerro Corá”. The fruit was grown under both irrigated and rainfed conditions and harvested at different times. The completely randomized factorial design (2×3) comprised two cultivation systems (irrigated and rainfed) and three harvest times (60, 80, and 100 days after anthesis). The moisture content and water activity of the flours did not depend on the cultivation system. The greatest preservation of phenolic compounds was observed in the samples grown under rainfed conditions. The best physicochemical profile and bioactive content belonged to the flour samples produced 80 days after anthesis. These flours can be used as ingredients for functional food products due to their antioxidant potential.

Efficient water management in agriculture is crucial for sustainable crop production, particularly in regions facing water scarcity. This article introduces a comprehensive predictive model for optimizing the current irrigation of Dutch roses in the Beni Mellal region of Morocco. The model addressed the need for precise water management across four distinct plant growth stages. The integrated system proved able to estimate the daily irrigation requirements based on historical weather data and crop-specific factors. The model incorporated four main components: weather prediction for temperature, net radiation, wind speed, and dew point; calculating the reference evapotranspiration using the Penman-Monteith equation; applying the crop coefficients specific to each growth stage; as well as estimating the crop evapotranspiration and determining daily water needs. The system offered a systematic approach to predicting the daily water requirements for Dutch roses across the entire growth cycle. By leveraging historical weather patterns and growth stage-specific crop coefficients, the system provided a predictive tool for proactive irrigation management. The model proved highly adaptable as it was able to generate forecasts based on weather trends and plant growth stages, potentially leading to a more efficient water use than conventional irrigation methods. This integrated approach is expected to allow the rose farmers of Beni Mellal to optimize their irrigation practices. While field validation is needed to quantify its impact, the model’s framework already shows potential for enhancing water use efficiency in cultivating roses and other crops in arid environment.

In this study, we investigated the effect of adding Artemisia absinthium L. flower extract on the properties of sesame oil. At first, A. absinthium essential oil was extracted and analyzed for free radical scavenging power (DPPH), total phenols, flavonoids, and the main constituent compounds by gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. Then, 5 sesame oil samples were prepared, namely a control sample (without A. absinthium e xtract), s amples w ith 0.5, 1, a nd 1.5% ethanolic extract of A. absinthium), as well as a sample containing tert-butyl hydro quinone. The samples were kept in an incubator at 40°C for 35 days. They were analyzed on days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 for the values of peroxide, acid degree, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, p-anisidine, total oxidation, conjugated dienoic acid, and oxidative stability (Rancimat method). As the storage period progressed, physical and oxidative changes increased in all the samples. On day 35, the control sample demonstrated high peroxide value, acid degree value, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, p-anisidine value, total oxidation index, as well as conjugated dienoic acid. These results were significantly (p < 0 .05) h igher t han t hose i n t he s ample with 1.5% A. absinthium extract. The extract had nearly the same protective effects as synthetic antioxidant tert-butyl hydro quinone. Thus, A. absinthium extract at the concentration of 1.5% was more effective than the other samples in reducing the rate of lipid oxidation in sesame oil. A. absinthium extract demonstrated good potential as an effective natural antioxidant that is able to extend the shelf life of sesame oil.

Intestinal microbiome of commercial aquatic species is an important fish farming factor that prevents or reduces economic losses. Heterotrophic bacteria that inhabit intestinal mucosa are involved in digestion, vitamin synthesis, immune modulation, and resistance to pathogens. Age-related changes in the composition of heterotrophic bacterial flora affect health status, nutrient absorption efficiency, and growth rate during ontogenesis. Most studies focus on the luminal microbiota, while the mucosal layer remains understudied despite its reliable impact on the immune system. The current lack of data on the agerelated bacterial dynamics limits the development of age-specific diet strategies and disease prevention. This article presents data on the correlation between the age of rainbow trout (Parasalmo mykiss (Walbaum, 1792)) and the composition of cultured heterotrophic microflora. The research featured 40 fish aged from one to two years and grown on fish farms in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. The bacteria isolated from their intestinal mucosa were identified using standard microbiological methods. The analysis involved the morphotype and biochemical activity, as well as the tinctorial and cultural characteristics of the isolates. The species identification relied on the MALDI-TOF technology. The indices of dominance (Simpson, Berger–Parker), evenness (Pielou), diversity (Shannon), and richness (Margalef, Menhinick) made it possible to reveal that the heterotrophic component of the rainbow trout intestinal bacteria was a stable microbial community with a predominance of Bacillaceae and Enterobacteriacae enterobacteria, as well as Gram-negative non-fermentative bacteria. The index values corresponded to moderate α-diversity, which is typical of natural communities that tend to combine several abundant species with some rare taxa. These results may help develop a scientific system for managing the gastrointestinal microflora of commercial fish to improve their health and productivity.

This study introduces a novel functional sugar-free dessert fortified with mahua (Madhuca longifolia (L.) J.F. Macbr.) flowers. Mahua flowers are rich in valuable nutrients that may provide functional status and give added value to traditional desserts. In this research, we modified a traditional dairy kheer dessert by substituting some ingredients with roasted mahua flowers. The research included a control sample (a traditional dessert) and four experimental ones (desserts with 150, 200, 250, and 300 g of mahua flowers). The bioactive profile and metabolomics of the desserts were described using the method of high-resolution mass-spectrometry. The sample with 250 g of mahua flowers had higher organoleptic characteristics compared to the other experimental samples and was selected for further study. This sample demonstrated higher total phenolics, total flavonoids, and DPPH compared to the control dessert. We detected a total of 39 major bioactive metabolites in the dessert with mahua flowers, including rhusflavanone, miquelianin, catechin, quercetin, rutin, robinetinidol 3-O-gallate, eriocitrin, ferulic acid, and kaempferol 3-apioside-7-rhamnosyl-(1- > 6)-(2"-(E)-caffeoyl glactoside). All these substances are associated with numerous health benefits. As mahua flowers have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, they can be used in commercial production of functional food products.