Experimental assessment of biostimulants on mung bean growth on a soilless culture system using superabsorbent pectin based hydrogel.

Sustainable agriculture initiatives are needed to ensure the food security of the people all over the world. Soilless cultivation methods using hydrogels may give a revolutionary response as well as a more ecological and productive alternative to conventional farming. This study attempted extraction of pectin from the rind of albedo yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa Degener)and hydrogels from pectin and activated carbon was compared with pure pectin hydrogel; Pectin- Activated Carbon hydrogels (PAC) showed a microporous structure with excellent hydrophilicity and showed superior water holding capacity. Then the prepared hydrogels were examined with various instrumental techniques like FTIR, SEM, XRD, Raman, BET and rheological properties. In the BET analysis, PAC3 shows the highest surface area of 28.771 m2/g when compared to PAC0 at 15.063 m2/g. The germination experiments were performed using mung beans. This study provides an opportunity for the application of pectin hydrogels in agriculture field specifically for home garden or rooftop cultivation.

Improved performance of metal-organic frameworks loaded cellulose acetate based film for packaging application.

Bio-nanocomposite-based packaging materials have gained significance due to their possible applications in food packaging. Cellulose acetate is a biopolymer obtained by acetylation of cellulose and has characteristics such as biocompatibility, biodegradability and high transparency. Introducing iron-based metal-organic frameworks offer good mechanical strength, unique surface area and both chemical and thermally stability, making them favourable as supporting materials in fabricating polymer-based packaging materials. Among them, Fe- (Material Institute Lavoisier) MIL-88A is an iron-based nontoxic metal-organic framework, integrated with cellulose acetate and spinach extract was added to the prepared material in different compositions and cast as film. The Spinach loaded, Fe- (Material Institute Lavoisier) MIL-88A integrated cellulose acetate film significantly enhanced the tensile strength, water vapour permeability, and anti-microbial activity. The prepared film is then characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectrometer (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Further, studies on mechanical properties as well as degradation tests and real-time applications of the prepared films were carried out.