We examined the epiphytic microbiome of cereal grain using the universal barcode chaperonin-60 (cpn60). Microbial community profiling of seed washes containing DNA extracts prepared from field-grown cereal grain detected sequences from a fungus identified only to Class Sordariomycetes. To identify the fungal sequence and to improve the reference database, we determined cpn60 sequences from fiel...

Seed coating is a technology to improve germination and homogenize stand establishment. Although coating often results in lower germination rates, seeds that do germinate grow more vigorously and show strongly reduced respiratory losses during reserve mobilization. We hypothesize that the higher mobilization efficiency is due to a shift in the enzymatic cleavage of sucrose from invertase to suc...

The effect of V. vinifera seeds on carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes and other enzymes of the liver in diabetes is currently unknown. We therefore investigated changes in the activity levels of these enzymes following V. vinifera seed extract administration to diabetic rats. Methods. V. vinifera seed ethanolic extract (250 and 500 mg/kg/day) or glibenclamide (600 μg/kg/day) was administered to ...

Cucurbitacins are feeding stimulants for corn rootworm used in baits to control the adults of this insect pest. Corn rootworm larvae also feed compulsively on cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins are reported to be gibberellin antagonists that may preclude their use as seed treatments for these soil-dwelling insects. The crude extract of a bitter Hawkesbury watermelon containing cucurbitacin E-glycosid...

The anti-feedant and growth inhibitory effects of seed extracts of custard apple in hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol were tested against neonate and 7 days old larvae of the Khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium, using a feeding bioassay. The LC50 values for hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts were 1195.41, 305.36 and 1446.32 ppm for neonate larvae; 5805, 1300 and 5815 ppm for 7 days ol...

In the present study, the effect of oral administration of Melia azedarach Linn. (dharek) seed extract on fertility index, uterine weight and various histological and biochemical parameters of uterus were studied in the adult cyclic Wistar rats. Average number of embryos and implantation losses in the pregnant animals treated with dharek seed extract was also studied. The extract was prepared u...

Trigonella foenum graecum commonly known as Fenugreek exerts normoglycemic and insulinotropic effects in humans by compounds from its seed and leaf extracts. Some studies reported that treating pregnant mice with fenugreek seed could cause toxic effects on the nervous system of its pubs during developmental growth, while in some other studies neuroprotective properties were considered for it. S...

The present study investigates the antioxidant, anticancer, anticholinesterase, anti-genotoxic activities and phenolic contents of flower, fruit and seed methanol extracts of Hypericum retusum AUCHER. The amounts of protocatechuic acid, catechin, caffeic acid and syringic acid in methanol extracts were determined by HPLC. Total phenolic content of H. retusum seed extract was found more than fru...

The defatted seed meal of Camellia oleifera has been used as a natural detergent and its extract is commercially utilized as a foam-stabilizing and emulsifying agent. The goal of this study was to investigate the foam properties and detergent ability of the saponins from the defatted seed meal of C. oleifera. The crude saponin content in the defatted seed meal of C. oleifera was 8.34 and the to...

Feeding Alfalfa seed extract to chicks resulted in significant reduction of total cholesterol, phospholipid, triglyceride, LDL-Cholesterol and VLDL-cholesterol. Simultaneously, an increased in the HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio occurred with reduction in total cholesterol and phospholipid contents of liver and (ventricular) muscle of the heart. Results obtained with alfalfa seed extrac...