Aeroponic Technology for Accelerated Weathering of Extraterrestrial Regolith to Extract Plant Essential Nutrients and Generate Arable Soils.

Advancements in off-world food and fiber production should seek to utilize regolith as a source of nutrients and prepare it for use as a solid plant growth substrate. Towards this goal, aeroponic biowaste streams containing both inorganic nutrients and root system efflux from plants provide an opportunity for accelerated weathering and enhancement of extraterrestrial soils. To test this hypothesis, an aeroponic system was built that contained Martian simulant (Mars Mojave Simulant-2; MMS-2), inert sand, and a no-filter control to evaluate the in-line filters for simultaneous mineral weathering and recycling of biowastes from wheat.

Drought stimulates root exudation of organic nitrogen in cotton ().

Root exudation of N is a plant input to the soil environment and may be differentially regulated by the plant during drought. Organic N released by root systems has important implications in rhizosphere biogeochemical cycling considering the intimate coupling of C and N dynamics by microbial communities. Besides amino acids, diverse molecules exuded by root systems constitute a significant fraction of root exudate organic N but have yet to receive a metabolomic and quantitative investigation during drought.

Aeroponic approach for nondestructive root exudate collection and simulation of variable water stress trialed on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum).

Analyzing root exudates during drought poses a serious challenge; sampling root exudates in soil is destructive to roots and leads to biased molecular analysis, along with microbial decomposition and exudate sorption to soil components. Hydroponic approaches are useful to overcome these problems but lack the utility to induce drought. Nondestructive sampling techniques are thus needed to analyze root exudates from the same plants over time in combination with highly controlled variable water/nutrient stress.

Progressive drought alters the root exudate metabolome and differentially activates metabolic pathways in cotton ().

Root exudates comprise various primary and secondary metabolites that are responsive to plant stressors, including drought. As increasing drought episodes are predicted with climate change, identifying shifts in the metabolome profile of drought-induced root exudation is necessary to understand the molecular interactions that govern the relationships between plants, microbiomes, and the environment, which will ultimately aid in developing strategies for sustainable agriculture management. This study utilized an aeroponic system to simulate progressive drought and recovery while non-destructively collecting cotton () root exudates.

Duration of Retinol Isotope Dilution Studies with Compartmental Modeling Affects Model Complexity, Kinetic Parameters, and Calculated Vitamin A Stores in US Women.

Background: Retinol isotope dilution (RID) indirectly estimates vitamin A (VA) status. Multicompartment modeling of RID data is used to refine study designs and equations to calculate VA stores. Previous studies suggest that VA in slowly turning over pools is not traced if follow-up is not long enough; however, shorter RID studies are being investigated.

Retention of Carotenoids in Biofortified Maize Flour and β-Cryptoxanthin-Enhanced Eggs after Household Cooking.

Biofortification of crops to enhance provitamin A carotenoids is a strategy to increase the intake where vitamin A deficiency presents a widespread problem. Heat, light, and oxygen cause isomerization and oxidation of carotenoids, reducing provitamin A activity. Understanding provitamin A retention is important for assessing efficacy of biofortified foods.

Methiozolin sorption and mobility in sand-based root zones.

Background: Methiozolin is a herbicide currently used for annual bluegrass control in golf course putting greens. Previous research indicates that maximum weed control efficacy requires root exposure; however, soil sorption and mobility of methiozolin have not been established. Research was conducted to investigate soil sorption and subsequent desorption by dilution of methiozolin, as well as soil mobility using batch equilibrium experiments and thin-layer chromatography in nine root zones.

Carotenoid profiles in provitamin A-containing fruits and vegetables affect the bioefficacy in Mongolian gerbils.

Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of provitamin A carotenoids. We evaluated the vitamin A (VA) bioefficacy of a whole foods supplement (WFS) and its constituent green vegetables (Study 1) and a variety of fruits with varying ratios of provitamin A carotenoids (Study 2) in VA-depleted Mongolian gerbils (n = 77/study). After feeding a VA-deficient diet for 4 and 6 weeks in Studies 1 and 2, respectively, customized diets, equalized for VA, were fed for 4 and 3 weeks, respectively.

Mathematical modeling of serum 13C-retinol in captive rhesus monkeys provides new insights on hypervitaminosis A.

Hypervitaminosis A is increasingly a public health concern, and thus noninvasive quantitative methods merit exploration. In this study, we applied the (13)C-retinol isotope dilution test to a nonhuman primate model with excessive liver stores. After baseline serum chemistries, rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta; n = 16) were administered 3.

Cassava with enhanced beta-carotene maintains adequate vitamin A status in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) despite substantial cis-isomer content.

Efforts to increase beta-carotene in cassava have been successful, but the ability of high-beta-carotene cassava to prevent vitamin A deficiency has not been determined. Two studies investigated the bioefficacy of provitamin A in cassava and compared the effects of carotenoid content and variety on vitamin A status in vitamin A-depleted Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Gerbils were fed a vitamin A-free diet 4 weeks prior to treatment.

13C natural abundance in serum retinol acts as a biomarker for increases in dietary provitamin A.

The natural isotopic composition of 13C and 12C in tissues is largely determined by the diet. Sources of provitamin A carotenoids (e.g.

The xanthophyll composition of biofortified maize (Zea mays Sp.) does not influence the bioefficacy of provitamin a carotenoids in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus).

Maize has been targeted for biofortification with provitamin A carotenoids through traditional breeding. Two studies were conducted in gerbils to evaluate factors that may affect provitamin A activity. Maize diets had equal theoretical concentrations of vitamin A (VA) assuming 100% bioefficacy.

beta-Cryptoxanthin from supplements or carotenoid-enhanced maize maintains liver vitamin A in Mongolian gerbils ( Meriones unguiculatus) better than or equal to beta-carotene supplements.

Maize with enhanced provitamin A carotenoids (biofortified), accomplished through conventional plant breeding, maintains vitamin A (VA) status in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Two studies in gerbils compared the VA value of beta-cryptoxanthin with beta-carotene. Study 1 (n 47)examined oil supplements and study 2 (n 46) used maize with enhanced beta-cryptoxanthin and beta-carotene.

Evaluation of analytical methods for carotenoid extraction from biofortified maize (Zea mays sp.).

Biofortification of maize with beta-carotene has the potential to improve vitamin A status in vitamin A deficient populations where maize is a staple crop. Accurate assessment of provitamin A carotenoids in maize must be performed to direct breeding efforts. The objective was to evaluate carotenoid extraction methods and determine essential steps for use in countries growing biofortified maize.

Carotenoid-biofortified maize maintains adequate vitamin a status in Mongolian gerbils.

Efforts to biofortify maize with provitamin A carotenoids have been successful, but the impact on vitamin A (VA) status has not been determined. We conducted two studies that investigated the bioefficacy of provitamin A carotenoids from maize and compared maize percentage and carotenoid concentrations on VA status in VA-depleted Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Gerbils (n = 40/study) were fed a white maize diet 4 wk prior to treatment.

Twice the amount of alpha-carotene isolated from carrots is as effective as beta-carotene in maintaining the vitamin A status of Mongolian gerbils.

The vitamin A (VA) value of carotenoids from fruits and vegetables is affected by many factors. This study determined the VA value of alpha-carotene isolated from carrots compared with beta-carotene and retinyl acetate supplements fed to Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Gerbils (n = 38) were fed a VA-free diet for 4 wk.

Localization and speciation of chromium in subterranean clover using XRF, XANES, and EPR spectroscopy.

Optimization of phytoremediation and assessment of potential health hazards from metals in the environment requires an understanding of absorption, localization, and transport of the target metal by plants. The objectives of this study were to localize Cr and determine the oxidation state and possible complexation mode of Cr in intact plant tissue by means of XANES, synchrotron XRF microprobe spectroscopy, and EPR spectroscopy. Subterranean clover (Trifolium brachycalycinum) was grown hydroponically with Cr(VI) (0.