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This study aims to assess the biodiversity of the study area and estimate the carbon stock of two dry deciduous forest ranges of Banka Forest Division, Bihar, India.

The phytosociological analysis was performed and C stock estimation based on volume determination through nondestructive methods was done.

Phytosociological analysis found total 18,888 [14,893 < 10 cm (diameter at breast height) dbh] and 2,855 (1,783 < 10 cm dbh) individuals at Banka and Bounsi range with basal area of 181,035.00 cm² and 32,743.76 cm², respectively. Importance value index was highest for Shorea robusta in both the ranges. Species diversity index and dominance index, 1.89 and 1.017 at Banka and 1.99 and 5.600 at Bounsi indicated the prevalence of biotic pressure. Decreased dbh and tree height resulted in a lowered growing stock volume as 59,140.40 cm³ ha⁻¹ (Banka) and 71,306.37 cm³ ha⁻¹ (Bounsi). Total C stock at Banka and Bounsi range was 51.8 t ha^-1 and 12.56 t ha⁻¹, respectively where the highest C stock is recorded for Shorea robusta in both the ranges (9.8 t ha⁻¹ and 2.54 t ha^-1, respectively). A positive correlation between volume, total biomass and basal area of tree species with C stock was observed. R² value for Banka range was 0.9269 (volume-C stock), 1 (total biomass-C stock) and 0.647 (basal area-C stock). Strong positive correlation was also established at Bounsi range with R² value of 1. Considering the total forest area enumerated, C sequestration potential was about 194.25 t CO₂ (Banka) and 45.9 t CO₂ (Bounsi). The valuation of C stock was therefore US$2,525.25 (Banka) and US$596.70 (Bounsi).

The research found the potentiality of the study area to sequester carbon. However, for future, the degraded areas would require intervention of management strategies for restoration of degraded lands and protection of planted trees to increase the carbon sequestration potential of the area.

Present study is the first attempt to assess the phytosociology and estimate the regulatory services of forest with respect to biomass and carbon stock estimation for the Banka forest division of Bihar.

The purpose of this paper is to review phytochemical potential of acacia and its associated health advantages. Acacia a moderate-sized, deciduous tree and recognised as health-promoting species because of availability of essential bioactive components. The bioactive compounds such as tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, fatty acids and polysaccharides (gums) present in the plant parts of acacia, namely, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, twigs and seeds, have medicinal value and thus are used to overlay the formulations of plant-based drugs and value-added foods.

Major well-known bibliometric information sources such as Web of Science, Scopus, Mendeley and Google Scholar were searched with keywords such as “nutrition value of acacia”, “bioactive compounds”, “health benefits”, “processing and safety” were chosen to obtain a database of 1,428 papers. The search considered papers in the English language from the past 18 years of publication in journals (2004–2022). The article selection process consisted of the screening of titles and abstracts, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Articles that did not have acacia components as a study objective were taken into consideration for exclusion. A final database of 87 scientific sources was made after sorting and classifying them according to different criteria based on topic relevance, country of origin and year of publication. Articles with other random descriptors were also searched to complement the discussion of the results obtained.

The literature reflected that acacia contains all necessary phytochemicals like polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, glucosinolates, alkaloids and carotenoids along with essential macro, micro-nutrients. Furthermore, processing methods such as soaking, cooking, roasting and dehusking significantly reduced the anti-nutritional factors present in acacia seeds of different species. This review also focused on the processing methods that are used to eliminate or lower down the anti-nutritional factors from the seeds. Previous findings related to acacia plant parts with respect to food development are explored and mentioned.

This review emphasised mainly on recent studies that had been reported on ethnomedical acacia plants therapeutically, commercially and exponentially for further studies to increase the utilisation in food processing.

This paper aims to evaluate hematological parameters, blood glutathione (GSH), serum glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6-PD) and liver function in favism animals' models after oral intake with a mixture of pickled olives and Vicia faba (V. faba) seeds.

Favism is a life-threatening hemolytic crisis. It results from the ingestion of V. faba by the individuals. The hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), serum glucose, blood GSH, serum G6-PD, serum thiobarbaturic acid reactive substances (TBARS), liver protein and liver function were evaluated after oral administration with a mixture of pickled olives with V. faba seeds in favism animals' models.

The favism-, vicine- and convicine-treated animals showed a significant decrease (p < 0.01) in Hb (6.42, 7.23 and 5.96 g/dl), Hct (25.4, 26.4 and 25.1%), RBCs (2.56, 2.45 and 2.60 106 cells/mm³, WBCs (4.35, 4.25 and 4.30 103 cells/mm³), serum glucose (95.8, 97.1 and 96.5 mg/dl), blood GSH (24.7, 26.6 and 23.8 mg/dl), serum G6-PD (15.8, 15.9 and 15.7 U/L), serum aspartate aminotransferase (6.35, 6.59 and 5.97 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (4.49, 4.61 and 4.50 U/L), total protein (6.54, 6.59 and 6.40 g/dl), albumin (3.84, 3.91 and 3.75 g/dl), globulin (2.70, 2.48 and 2.65 g/dl) and liver protein (3.37, 3.10 and 3.42 g/g tissue) but a significant increase (p < 0.01) in serum TBARS (38.7, 38.9 and 39.4 nmol/dl), alkaline phosphatase (275, 271 and 281 U/L) and total bilirubin (0.93, 0.89 and 0.91 mg/dl) compared to Hb (16.3 g/dl), Hct (45.3%), RBCs (5.80 106 cells/mm³), WBCs (9.45 103 cells/mm³), serum glucose (96.5 mg/dl), blood GSH (39.7 mg/dl), serum G6-PD (36.1 U/L), serum TBARS (18.0 nmol/dl), serum aspartate aminotransferase (19.8 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (9.23 U/L), alkaline phosphatase (214 U/L), total bilirubin (0.57 mg/dl), total protein (8.76 g/dl), albumin (4.85 g/dl), globulin (3.91 g/dl) and liver protein (6.28 g/g tissue) in control group. The oral administration with pickled olives + V. faba, pickled olives + vicine and pickled olives + convicine into favism animals' models, vicine-treated animals and convicine-treated animals, respectively pushed all the above-mentioned parameters to near the control levels.

V. faba contains vicine and convicine glycosides. Vicine and convicine glycosides in V. faba are hydrolyzed by intestinal microflora to aglycones divicine and isouramil, respectively. Divicine and isouramil are highly reactive compounds generating free radicals where divicine and isouramil are the main factors of favism. The ß-glucosidase in pickled olives converts both vicine and convicine glycosides into aglycones divicine and isouramil, respectively, in aerobic condition outside the human body (in inactive forms) and prevent these glycosides to cause favism.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the efficacy and kinetics along with diffusion properties of a new source of natural dye obtained from leaves and fine stems of the Sesbania aculeata plant, using metallic mordants for cotton dyeing.

The approach followed in this work is to conduct experiments with the application of the natural dye obtained from Sesbania aculeata plant and to study the kinetics, dye uptake and the diffusion properties of this dye.

Sesbania aculeata with simultaneous mordanting with different metal mordants imparted shades which varied from cream to light brown to dark brown in case of aqueous extract. The different mordants used not only changed the hue colour and K/S values but also L* and brightness index values. The results of fastness properties of the dyes were found to vary from fair to good. The percentage dye exhaustion values varied with different mordants. The dye uptake value increased with time and reached its saturation limit after 4 hours of dyeing. In the absence of mordants, the diffusion coefficient values increased with increase in the temperature. In the presence of mordants, the diffusion process appears to slow down, which could be attributed to the binding effects of mordants.

The extraction and dyeing process of Sesbania aculeata plant is less tedious and time consuming compared to the other sources of natural dyes.

Sesbania aculeata is relatively easier to grow and does not require much tending operations. Thus, it promises to be an affordable source of natural dye. If this dye is commercialised, it will help to generate sustainable employment and income for the farmers in rural and sub-urban areas. This could be both for dyeing and for non-food crop farming.

An advantageous feature of this plant, in contrast to the other natural dyes based on vegetable and fruit sources, is that its usage in making the natural dye does not result in any wastage of an otherwise highly commercial product. The current experimental study on a new source of natural dye would be a significant contribution to the existing database of knowledge regarding the kinetics and diffusion properties of natural dyes. There are several reported studies in the literature pertaining to the application of natural colourants and evaluation of their dyeing properties on various fibers. However, relatively fewer studies exist on the kinetic and exhaustion aspects. Thus, the current study would help to develop a set of predictable settings for application of natural dyes on various textiles.

The establishment of partnerships between companies, government and universities aims to enhance innovation and the technological development of institutions. The biotechnology sector has grown in recent years mainly driven by its cooperative business model. Compared to other countries, this sector is slowly advancing in Brazil, with delays in science, technology and innovation, especially in the private sector. This paper aims to examine, through social network analysis, the collaborative networks between institutions that filed patents in biotechnology – medicinal preparations from plants – whose inventions had Brazil as the priority country.

The study of technological cooperation using patent documents is a reliable approach as they serve as good indicators of the interactions between organizations that focus on innovation and development of new product. Social network analysis of cooperation networks helps to understand the connections between patent assignees, and how they establish relationships.

Results show that public universities are the institutions that most deposit patents, as well as those that co-operate the most, especially Universidade of Campinas. The study also reveals the critical role of Research Support Agencies in stimulating research and technological development, which result in new technologies.

The study applied the social network analysis to provide an overview of the interactions among Brazilian institutions with the purpose of helping in decision-making and inciting public policies to leverage the biotechnology sector.

Soaked–dehulled moth bean seed (SDMBS) powder was incorporated into wheat flour and the paper aims to investigate its effects on the nutritional and quality properties of composite bread.

Different ratios of SDMBS powder (0%–12.5%) were mixed into wheat flour to prepare composite bread. Proximate composition, mineral content and functional properties of SDMBS powder and wheat flour were studied. The composite bread samples were assayed for proximate composition, mineral nutrients, amino acid composition, physical characteristics as well as sensorial properties.

Protein and ash contents of SDMBS powder were found to be 2.15 and 5.69 fold higher than wheat flour. Water absorption capacity (WAC), oil absorption capacity (OAC), (FC) and emulsion activity (EA) values of SDMBS powder were also 1.63, 1.78, 4.43 and 1.58 times higher than wheat flour, respectively. The inclusion of different levels of SDMBS powder into wheat flour significantly (p = 0.05) increased the functional properties of composite flours. Bread samples fortified with SDMBS powder exhibited higher values of essential amino acids than the recommendations of World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization/United Nations University (2007). The bread samples containing 10% and 12.5% of SDMBS powder provided 39.23% and 41.15% of the recommended lysine level, respectively. The addition of a higher proportion of SDMBS powder into wheat flour gradually increased the protein and ash contents of the bread samples. Control sample without SDMBS powder (0%) and samples fortified containing 2.5% and 5% of SDMBS powder received the highest scores of overall acceptance, whereas the bread sample with the highest SDMBS powder (12.5%) content received the lowest scores.

The main findings of the current investigation indicated that the addition of 2.5–5% of SDMBS powder into wheat flour enhanced the nutritional and quality characteristics of wheat bread.

SDMBS powder could be incorporated into refined wheat bread to achieve functional bread with significantly higher protein content.

Commercial natural dyes are quite costly as manufacturers are to follow multi-step extraction and purification procedures for standardisation purposes. Upon cost comparison, they lose in the market to synthetic dyes. However, in the handicraft sector, reproducibility may be of lesser importance against cost. In the present study, a domestic method of dyeing silk with the aqueous extract of raw plant/tree components (flower, leave, bark and root) by using a natural mordant and alum will be described. Good dyebath exhaustion and washing and light fastness are observed for some of the natural colouring matters.

This study/paper aims to evaluate the floral richness of the central part of Chattogram city, Bangladesh. Chattogram is recognized as the largest port city and the commercial capital of Bangladesh, which confronts faster urbanization and swift infrastructure development. Green spaces in and around Chattogram city are shrinking sharply, which resulted in rapid loss of floral and faunal resources in this area. The present study was carried out from February 2018 to January 2019 to enumerate the vascular plant species of the Sulakbahar ward located in the central part of Chattogram City, Bangladesh.

The study area was categorized into 10 habitats to assess the variation of floral composition. The extensive whole area survey method was applied to record the flora from all sorts of plant habitats of the research area.

The study enumerated 418 vascular plant species under 315 genera and 120 families including natural, planted and cultivated from the study area. The habit form of the recorded plant composition indicated that herbs (35%) constitute the major plant category followed by trees (34%), shrubs (17%), climbers (12%), ferns (1%) and orchids (1%). The study also indicated that exotic species (50.3%) became dominant than native species (49.7%) in Chattogram city because of their scenic beauty, easy propagation and ornamental value to the city planners and inhabitants.

It appeared that floral resources of the Chattogram city area are in great threat due to aggressive and unplanned infrastructure development for housing, offices and institutions by replacing the green spaces. The study recommended that urgent protection measures should be taken to conserve and protect the existing floral resources for the well-being of the urban people.

The inclusion of natural antioxidants and nanoparticles into edible coatings can improve their structure, functionality and applicability in foods. This study aims to determine the antibacterial effect of new nano-composite based on bean pod shell gum (BPSG), silver nanoparticle (SNP) and herbal essential oil (EO).

For this purpose, BPSG (4 per cent w/v), SNP (0.5-1 per cent w/v) and Helichrysum arenarium EO (1-2 per cent v/v) were mixed. After preparation the edible film, the antibacterial activity was tested on five food-borne pathogenic bacteria in two categories including two-gram positives and three-gram negatives bacteria. The EO composition was determined by GC–mass spectrometry and the antibacterial activity was tested using disk diffusion test.

Results showed that gram-positive bacteria were more susceptible than gram-negative bacteria. Increasing Helichrysum arenarium EO and SNP content increased antimicrobial activity of the edible film based on BPSG, so that the treatment containing 2 per cent v/v Helichrysum arenarium EO and 1 per cent w/v SNP led to the highest inhibition zone (8.1-13.1 mm) compared to treatment containing 1 per cent v/v Helichrysum arenarium EO and 0.5 per cent w/v SNP with inhibition zone range of 5.4-9.9 mm and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.41). Also, the chemical composition analysis of the EO identified a total of 38 compounds in which a-pinene (32 per cent), 1,8-cineole (16 per cent), α-humulene (15 per cent) and ß-caryophyllene (8 per cent) were the main fractions. Other separated components accounted less than 29 per cent of the oil.

In general, SNP and Helichrysum arenarium EO improved the functional properties including the antimicrobial activity of the edible film based on BPSG, which increases the potential to be used as active packaging for fresh products.