Tuesday, June 21, 2022

 Resident rhizosphere microbiome’s ecological dynamics and conservation: Towards achieving the envisioned Sustainable Development Goals, a review

Oluwadara Pelumi Omotayo and Olubukola Oluranti Babalola

The role of the rhizosphere microbiome remain crucial to human existence and can therefore not be over-looked, particularly with respect to plant growth, development and yield. The rhizosphere is the ‘home’ for several genes, some of which are responsible for the various trait and features exhibited by plants. Numerous microbes have been identified to inhabit the rhizosphere, some of which are the proteobacteria, nitrogen fixing bacteriaplant growth promoting rhizobacteria, mycorrhizal and mycoparasitic fungi. Likewise, chemical compounds such as amino acids (crystathionine and homoserine), which inhibits nematodes, carbohydrates (fructose), which enhance the growth of microorganisms, and sterols (sitosterol), which regulate plant growth, reside in the plant rhizosphere. Several factors contributes to the existence and survival of these microbes, one being good agricultural practices, as some farming techniques negatively affects the soil microbial content. This study therefore focused on the agricultural and health importance of the soil organisms, as well as the various techniques that can be employed to maintain the rhizosphere microbiome, despite the rise and intensification of various harmful land use activities. This will enable a better understanding of the soil rhizosphere conservation, restoration and sustainable use, specifically of degraded land. This will avoid depleting or alternating the soil microbial content while aiming to ensure a healthy ecosystem, biodiversity, maximal crop productivity, food security and all round sustainability, as targeted by the United Nation’s Sustainable Developments Goals.


https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209563392030054X

Sunday, June 12, 2022

Prevalence of mycotoxins and their consequences on human health

 Oluwadara Pelumi Omotayo, Abiodun Olusola Omotayo, Mulunda Mwanza, Olubukola                                                         Oluranti Babalola


Abstract

Mycotoxin contamination is a global phenomenon and causes a wide array of negative effects and other complications. This study focused on commonly found mycotoxins in Africa and the possible means of prevention or reduction of their contaminating effects. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of mold and fungi; they are generally toxic to living organisms. Hundreds of mycotoxins have been identified thus far, with some, such as aflatoxins, ochratoxins, trichothecenes, zearalenone, fumonisins, and patulin, considered agro-economically important. Several factors contribute to the presence of mycotoxins in food, such as climatic conditions, pest infestation, and poor harvest and storage practices. Exposure to mycotoxins, which occurs mostly by ingestion, leads to various diseases, such as mycotoxicoses and mycoses that may eventually result in death. In light of this, this review of relevant literature focuses on mycotoxin contamination, as well as various methods for the prevention and control of their prevalence, to avert its debilitating consequences on human health. Clear evidence of mycotoxin contamination is present in Africa, and it was therefore recommended that adequate prevention and control of these toxic substances in our food system should be encouraged and that appropriate measures must be taken to ensure food safety as well as the enhanced or long-lifespan of the African populace. Governments, research institutions, and non-governmental organizations should tailor the limited resources available to tackle mycotoxin prevalence, as these will offer the best prospects for the successful development of a sustainable food system in Africa.

Keywords: Mycotoxin, Contamination, Prevalence, Toxic, Food safety

https://link.springer.com/article/10.5487/TR.2019.35.1.001