Agricultural Research Updates. Volume 25

Among management systems that are intended to prevent soil erosion or degradation is the no-tillage system which allows for the accumulation of vegetal material of plant material on the surface, over which the next crop will be sown or planted. Agricultural Research Updates. Volume 25 opens with a presentation of the results of research on different sustainable systems of soybean and maize production in northwest Sao Paulo. Following this, the authors review the feasibility, convenience and challenges accompanying various drying technologie from conventional methods (sun drying, hot air-drying, vaccum drying and freeze drying) to smart drying technologies (hybrid drying, near infrared reflectance, refractance window drying amd ultrasonic drying). Other topics reviewed in this compilation include packaging antioxidant activity that prevents food tainting; packaging antimicrobial properties that prevent food contamination; and packaging biodegradability to meet environmental protection requirements. Next, the authors investigate the occurrence, characterization and survivability of two pathogenic vibrios, namely Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in fish-based street food. The detection of these two pathogens is completed using Loop mediated isothermal amplification, multiplex polymerase chain reaction and thiosulphate citrate bile-salt sucrose. The following study aims to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of toxigenic Campylobacter jejuni in ulam (Malaysian salad vegetables) at retail outlets in Terengganu. The prevalence of these genes at retail outlets is determined by multiplex-PCR/the charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar method for 123 vegetable samples. The authors close by describing a recent technology in stimulating glucosinolates concentrations in Brassica plants using recycled animal manures. This need for natural fumigants in horticultural crops has increased due to the national prohibition of synthetic soil fumigants such as methyl bromide and ethylene dibromide.