Pulse Intake Improves Nutrient Density among US Adult Consumers.

The objective was to examine trends in pulse (dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas and lentils) intake over a 10-year period and to compare nutrient intakes of pulse consumers and non-consumers to better understand the impact of pulse consumption on diet quality in the US population. NHANES 2003-2014 data for respondents (≥19 years) with 2 days of intake was used to evaluate trends in pulse intake. Pulse consumers were identified as those NHANES respondents who consumed pulses on one or both days. Differences in energy adjusted nutrient intakes between non-consumers and consumers were assessed. There were no significant trends in pulse intakes for the total population or for pulse consumers over the 10-year period. In 2013-2014, approximately 27% of adults consumed pulses with an intake of 70.9 ± 2.5 g/day over 2 days, just slightly <0.5 cup equivalents/day. At all levels of consumption, consumers had higher (p < 0.01) energy adjusted intakes of fiber, folate, magnesium. Higher energy adjusted intakes for potassium, zinc, iron and choline and lower intakes of fat were observed for consumers than for non-consumers at intakes ≥69.4 ± 1.01 g/day. These data suggest that pulse consumption in the US population may result in better diet quality with diets that are more nutrient dense than those without pulses.

A standardised approach for determining heat tolerance in cotton using triphenyl tetrazolium chloride.

Improving the heat tolerance of cotton is a major concern for breeding programs. To address this need, a fast and effect way of quantifying thermotolerant phenotypes is required. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) based enzyme viability testing following high-temperature stress can be used as a vegetative heat tolerance phenotype. This is because when live cells encounter a TTC solution, TTC undergoes a chemical reduction producing a visible, insoluble red product called triphenyl formazan, that can be quantified spectrophotometrically. However, existing TTC based cell viability assays cannot easily be deployed at the scale required in a crop improvement program. In this study, a heat stress assay (HSA) based on the use of TTC enzyme viability testing has been refined and improved for efficiency, reliability, and ease of use through four experiments. Sampling factors that may influence assay results, such as leaf age, plant water status, and short-term cold storage, were also investigated. Experiments conducted in this study have successfully downscaled the assay and identified an optimal sampling regime, enabling measurement of large segregating populations for application in breeding programs. The improved HSA methodology is important as it is proposed that long-term improvements in cotton thermotolerance can be achieved through the concurrent selection of superior phenotypes based on the HSA and yield performance in hot environments. Additionally, a new way of interpreting both heat tolerance and heat resistance was developed, differentiating genotypes that perform well at the time of a heat stress event and those that maintain a similar performance level to a non-stressed control.

Does particulate matter along roadsides interfere with plant reproduction? A comparison of effects of different road types on Cichorium intybus pollen deposition and germination.

The roadside habitat can be challenging for plants, which must maintain normal biological processes despite an influx of airborne pollutants. While the effects of many gases on plants have been quantified, the impacts of particulate pollutants have been relatively less studied. This is especially true of field experiments where particle dispersion may be influenced by meteorology and roadway use. We examined chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) along roadsides in the Cincinnati, Ohio metropolitan area to assess particulate influence on plant pollination through stigmatic clogging. We compared flowers collected from plants situated along interstates, U.S. highways, state highways, and county roads as these different road-types vary in motor vehicle usage and thus should have varying levels of particulate deposition on flowers. We examined floral stigmas for total particulates, total pollen, and percentage of pollen tube germination to determine whether particulates may interfere with early reproductive processes. Our results suggest that there was minimal variation of particulate matter found on chicory stigmas among road-types. Furthermore, the deposition of particulates on stigmas based on road-type did not show a strong link to variation in pollen deposition and pollen germination. There was also no significant relationship between total particulate levels and pollen germination rates across all road types. Future studies should investigate other plant species that may be more sensitive to roadside pollution, such as economically important crops. Locations in which vehicle use is increasing and where pollutants are not regulated strictly should also be examined as the effects of airborne particulates in early plant reproduction would be expected to be more substantial in these areas.