4,966 results match your criteria: "The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited[Affiliation]"

Article Synopsis
  • Humanity has relied on natural plants for medicine for a long time, and this particular plant has shown significant traditional use and various therapeutic effects, especially for diabetic patients.
  • The review focuses on understanding the medicinal properties of this plant, particularly the bioactive compounds that contribute to its health benefits, including effects on blood sugar, cholesterol, and inflammation.
  • Additionally, the review suggests potential future applications for both medicinal and nutritional uses of the plant, emphasizing its value as an herbal remedy.
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Microalgae presents an inducing potential as a primary raw material in crafting plant-based seafood alternatives, revolutionizing the landscape of sustainable food production. These microscopic organisms display a rich nutritional profile, presenting an array of nutrients such as essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals comparable to those found in seafood. Their versatile nature allows for the replication of seafood flavors and textures, addressing the sensory aspects crucial to consumer acceptance of substitutes.

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Kawakawa () is an endemic medicinal plant widely consumed by Māori in New Zealand. Presence of diverse biologically active phytochemicals in kawakawa may underpin its putative therapeutic anti-inflammatory properties. However, no human studies on its anti-inflammatory effects are yet undertaken.

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Mechanistic insights into activation of peracetic acid by sludge biogas residue biochar for efficient sulfamethoxazole degradation in aqueous solution.

Bioresour Technol

November 2024

Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, PR China. Electronic address:

The application of peracetic acid (PAA) in the advanced oxidation process has been demonstrated to be an effective approach for treating aqueous organic pollutants. In this study, it is the first time that biogas residue biochar (BRBC) derived from sludge anaerobic digestion plants was prepared and used as a PAA activator for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation. The optimal SMX removal could achieve 92 % within 120 min under acidic conditions.

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Environmental filtering and dispersal history limit plant distributions and affect biogeographical patterns, but how their relative importance varies across evolutionary timescales is unresolved. Phylogenetic beta diversity quantifies dissimilarity in evolutionary relatedness among assemblages and might help resolve the ecological and biogeographical mechanisms structuring biodiversity. Here, we examined the effects of environmental dissimilarity and geographical distance on phylogenetic and taxonomic turnover for ~270,000 seed plant species globally and across evolutionary timescales.

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Background: There is emerging recognition of the risks of harmful chemical pesticides, fertilizers and 'nutrients' by cannabis growers. One group of chemicals, Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs), many of which have been banned from food crops for decades, have been found unlisted in a number of fertilizers and supplements marketed at cannabis growers.

Methods: This paper predominately uses data from a 2020-21 convenience web survey of mainly small-scale, recent (last 5yrs) cannabis growers from 18 countries (n = 11,479).

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Modification of hempseed protein isolate using a novel two-stage method applying high-pressure homogenization coupled with high-intensity ultrasound.

Ultrason Sonochem

January 2025

Food Science, School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand; Riddet Institute, Centre of Research Excellence in Food Research, Palmerston North 4474, New Zealand. Electronic address:

Hempseed protein isolate (HPI), a novel plant protein, possesses advantages as an alternative food protein from a nutritional and sustainable perspective. This study investigated HPI modification by examining the effects of high-pressure homogenization combined with high-intensity ultrasound (HPH + HIU) on the physicochemical and functionality of HPI. Firstly, the optimal homogenization pressure (180 MPa) was selected based on the solubility and particle size of HPI.

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Cancer is a significant global health concern, responsible for mortality and morbidity of individuals. It is characterized by uncontrolled cellular growth, tumor formation, and potential metastasis. The immune system is pivotal in recognizing and eliminating cancerous cells, with immune cells such as T cells, B cells, natural killer cells (NK), and dendritic cells playing critical roles.

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Development of a Novel Stress and Immune Gene Panel for the Australasian Snapper ().

Genes (Basel)

October 2024

The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Nelson Research Centre, Box 5114, Port Nelson, Nelson 7043, New Zealand.

Background: Snapper () is a commercially, recreationally and culturally important teleost species in New Zealand and has been selected as a potential new species for aquaculture. Selective breeding to enhance stress tolerance, survival and growth are major breeding targets, yet research into snapper immune and stress responses has been limited.

Methods: We explored a set of candidate genes in the fin, head kidney and liver tissues of 50 individuals by exposing 20 fish to increasing temperature (up to 31 °C) and 20 fish to decreasing temperature (down to 7 °C) for up to 37 h.

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Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major global factor constraining peanut production. Exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and Ca are essential to improve stress resilience in peanuts growing under low-P conditions. This study therefore examined the detailed physiological effects of GABA-Ca on restoring peanut growth under low-P conditions.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Tetragonia tetragonioides, a salt-tolerant plant from New Zealand, is studied for its carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme activity and isoforms found in its leaves, which help regulate carbon levels in plants.
  • - Using a method called protonography, five isoforms of CA with different molecular weights were identified, revealing significant enzymatic activity levels and the ability to assess their function separately.
  • - The study examined how certain sulfonamide inhibitors and heavy metal ions affect CA activity, finding that silver and mercury ions were particularly potent inhibitors, affecting the plant's leaf protein activity at very low concentrations.
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Purpose: To explore the prevalence of anhedonia (ANH) in major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment expectation and satisfaction among patients with MDD and physicians in the Asia-Pacific region.

Methods: This cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in April-May 2023 among physicians and individuals aged ≥18 years with self-reported physician diagnosis of MDD (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9] score ≥ 10) further stratified by anhedonia as measured by the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS): MDD-ANH (SHAPS score > 2) and MDD non-ANH (SHAPS score ≤ 2). The study assessed the prevalence of anhedonia in MDD as well as the perspectives on the treatment of anhedonia in MDD in terms of expectations and satisfaction among patients and physicians.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The introduction of the non-native winter crane fly, Trichocera maculipennis, in maritime Antarctica may threaten the unique local ecosystem, which is vulnerable to foreign species.
  • - Researchers conducted tests using advanced methods to determine if T. maculipennis could mechanically transmit various viruses, and identified several human and plant virus genomic fragments in samples collected from the fly.
  • - Although the study found low amounts of human adenovirus and retrovirus in the fly samples, which were non-viable, it highlights the need for ongoing research into the impacts of non-native species on Antarctic ecosystems.
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Major evolutionary transitions, such as the shift of cetaceans from terrestrial to marine life, can put pressure on sensory systems to adapt to a new set of relevant stimuli. Relatively little is known about the role of smell in the evolution of mysticetes (baleen whales). While their toothed cousins, the odontocetes, lack the anatomical features to smell, it is less clear whether baleen whales have retained this sense, and if so, when the pressure on olfaction diverged in the cetacean evolutionary lineage.

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Quinolone-mediated metabolic cross-feeding develops aluminium tolerance in soil microbial consortia.

Nat Commun

November 2024

State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China.

Aluminium (Al)-tolerant beneficial bacteria confer resistance to Al toxicity to crops in widely distributed acidic soils. However, the mechanism by which microbial consortia maintain Al tolerance under acid and Al toxicity stress remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that a soil bacterial consortium composed of Rhodococcus erythropolis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibit greater Al tolerance than either bacterium alone.

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Genome sequencing of 'Fuji' apple clonal varieties reveals genetic mechanism of the spur-type morphology.

Nat Commun

November 2024

College of Horticulture, Yangling Sub-Center of National Center for Apple Improvement, State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, P. R. China.

Article Synopsis
  • Somatic variations in 'Fuji' apple can lead to beneficial bud sports, which are key for breeding new apple traits.
  • A complete genome assembly of 'Fuji' has revealed multiple independent origins of spur-type and early-maturing traits among its clones.
  • The study identifies specific genetic changes, such as a deletion in the MdTCP11 gene, that influence growth characteristics and offer insight for future apple breeding efforts.
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First report of citrus-associated rhabdovirus in Australia in citrus.

Plant Dis

November 2024

Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Menangle, New South Wales, Australia;

Article Synopsis
  • - Citrus-associated rhabdovirus (CiaRV), a virus first identified in China in 2021, was studied using budwood from an asymptomatic kumquat plant grown in Australia, leading to the propagation of a daughter tree for further analysis.
  • - Researchers extracted RNA from the green bark tissue of the daughter plant and utilized high-throughput sequencing to generate over 128 million raw data reads, which were subsequently analyzed to identify viral contigs.
  • - The analysis revealed significant genetic similarities between the identified contigs and known CiaRV isolates, confirming the presence of the virus in the sample through various primer sets, resulting in the determination of a consensus genome sequence.
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Background: People hospitalised for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have elevated incidence of diabetes. However, it is unclear whether this is due to shared risk factors, confounding or stress hyperglycaemia in response to acute illness.

Methods: We analysed a multicentre prospective cohort study (PHOSP-COVID) of people ≥18 years discharged from NHS hospitals across the United Kingdom following COVID-19.

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Associations between dietary fibers and gut microbiome composition in the EDIA longitudinal infant cohort.

Am J Clin Nutr

January 2025

Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States; Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Electronic address:

Background: The infant gut microbiome undergoes rapid changes in the first year of life, supporting normal development and long-term health. Although diet shapes this process, the role of fibers in complementary foods on gut microbiome maturation is poorly understood.

Objectives: We explored how the transition from human milk to fibers in complementary foods shapes the taxonomic and functional maturation of the gut microbiome within the first year of life.

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Accounting for the impact of genotype and environment on variation in leaf respiration of wheat in Mexico and Australia.

J Exp Bot

November 2024

ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

An approach to improving radiation use efficiency (RUE) in wheat is to screen for variability in rates of leaf respiration in darkness (Rdark). We used a high-throughput system to quantify variation in Rdark among a diverse range of spring wheat genotypes (301 lines) grown in two countries (Mexico and Australia) and two seasons (2017 and 2018), and in doing so quantify the relative importance of genotype (G) and environment (E) in influencing variations in leaf Rdark. Through careful design, residual (unexplained) variation represented less than 10% of the total observed.

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Article Synopsis
  • Invasive species management involves monitoring and eradicating unwanted populations, with tools like environmental DNA (eDNA) aiding in this effort.
  • The study focuses on Mus musculus, creating an eDNA assay that distinguishes between wild-type and gene drive versions of this invasive rodent.
  • This innovative detection method enhances invasive species management by allowing for effective monitoring of gene drive organisms through environmental sampling, proving it's possible to track genetic biocontrol efforts.
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The implementation of conditions that favor optimum swimming activity (e.g., suitable flow regimes), has been associated with enhanced growth and improved welfare in some farmed fish species.

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Article Synopsis
  • Ecosystem exposure to invasive species threatens native species and ecosystem balance, with a specific invasive species shown to disrupt agriculture and food security.
  • A competitive cover plant was studied to control this invasion, utilizing natural chemicals to suppress the invasive species, while different nitrogen treatments were applied to evaluate their effects.
  • Results indicated the competitive plant performed well against the invader, particularly under specific nitrogen conditions, suggesting potential strategies for managing biological invasions.
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Assessing the efficacy of pearl millet and finger millet enriched breakfast cereals to combat obesity.

Sci Rep

November 2024

Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box. 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.

This research explores the development and evaluation of breakfast cereals formulated from pearl millet (P-1) and finger millet (F-1) flours, with a focus on their nutritional composition and potential anti-obesity properties. The techno-functional properties were assessed, revealing that P-1 exhibited a bulk density of 0.40 ± 0.

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Masting ontogeny: the largest masting benefits accrue to the largest trees.

Ann Bot

November 2024

Forest Biology Center, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznan, Poland.

Background And Aims: Both plants and animals display considerable variation in their phe- notypic traits as they grow. This variation helps organisms to adapt to specific challenges at different stages of development. Masting, the variable and synchronized seed production across years by a population of plants, is a common reproductive strategy in perennial plants that can enhance reproductive efficiency through increasing pollination efficiency and decreasing seed predation.

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