Hybrid Seeds: Boon or bane

Quick view on what we mean by hybrid seeds: In agriculture and gardening, hybrid seed is seed
produced by cross-pollinated plants. In hybrid seed
 production, the crosses are specific and controlled. The advantage of growing hybrid seed compared to inbred lines (it is breeding between close relatives, whether plant or animal) comes from heterosis. The term heterosis is an out-breeding enhancement, which describes the increased strength of different characteristics in hybrids. It is a possibility to obtain a genetically superior individual (Seed) by combining the virtues of its parents. Another factor that is important in hybrid seed production is the combining ability of the parent plants.

Although two elite inbred parent plant varieties may produce the highest yields of their crop, it does not necessarily mean that crossing these inbred will result in the highest yielding hybrid. Higher combining ability between the parents results in increased performance in the resulting hybrid seed. Hybrids are bred to improve the characteristics of the resulting plants, such as better yield, greater uniformity, improved color, disease resistance, and so forth. Today, hybrid seed production is predominant in agriculture and home gardening, and is one of the main contributing factors to the dramatic rise in agricultural output during the last half of the 20th century. In the US, the commercial market was launched in the 1920s, with the first hybrid maize. All of the hybrid seeds planted by the farmer will be the same hybrid, which causes the first generation of seed from the hybrids planted to be inbred. This is why hybrid seed is generally not saved from subsequent generations and is purchased for each planting. Hybrid seeds are much dearer than normal seeds, due to the technology, time and effort put in to produce them.

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Toxins and Contaminants in Water

Water is the miracle elixir that can sustain us if we never drink anything else. The human body is composed of mostly water and it requires more water for nearly all of its functions. To digest and eliminate, the body requires water. Anything else doesn’t do what water can do. Many water supplies are also subject to contamination by natural toxins, viruses, parasites and bacteria. These toxins may be present at low levels without harm to humans or animals, yet rise to become serious health risks under certain environmental conditions.

People are increasingly concerned about the safety of their drinking water. As improvements in analytical methods allow us to detect impurities at very low concentrations in water, water supplies once considered pure are found to have contaminants. Worldwide, just under 900 million people lack reliable access to safe water that is free from disease and industrial waste. And forty percent do not have access to adequate sanitation facilities. The result is one of the world's greatest public health crises: 4,500 children die every day from waterborne diseases, more than from HIV-AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. There are more than 80 "regulated" contaminants and more unregulated toxins, like the rocket fuel component perchlorate which are present in most tap water.

Most water contains arsenic, fluoride, chlorine and a host of other unhealthy toxins. So when we drink it we are actually imbibing water that contains a mixture of toxic, poisonous chemicals that spells danger and at the very least overburdening work for our colons.

Arsenic is a very toxic heavy metal classified by the International Academy for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Category I carcinogen, which means it is definitely a cancer causing agent. Arsenic occurs naturally in the environment but humans have a hand in its presence as well. One of the most toxic substances we know of is fluoride and yet it is found in almost all brands of toothpaste. It's added even though there is no data to support its effectiveness in the fight against tooth decay. Tap water is actually fluoridated, meaning it's added to water deliberately, notwithstanding it's almost as poisonous as arsenic is, and more toxic than lead. Chlorine is added to water to kill certain bacteria. This chemical can be inhaled in gas form and absorbed through the skin and therefore presents a danger even if you're present in the room with it, to say nothing of drinking it. Chlorine is a highly reactive molecule that has the potential to be directly harmful to living organism. Once in the human body, it bonds with other compounds to form Trihalomethanes (THMs). These byproducts trigger the production of free radicals in the body and cause serious cell damage. In one research study, chlorine and chloramine was added to rats' water supply and as a result the rats developed tumors in the liver kidneys and intestines.

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Plant Pathogens- Detection & Diagnostics

Plant pathogens are organisms those cause plant diseases. They are considered as plant pests and may include bacteria, fungi, viruses, nematodes, parasitic plants. Plant pathogens spread in various ways, including by insects, water, soil, air, people and other animals. Although relatives of some plant pathogens are human or animal pathogens, most plant pathogens only harm plants. Organisms that cause plant diseases reduce the ability to produce food and support the economy. Some plant pathogens make immuno-depressed people also sick. All plants from citrus to grains to ornamental plants are susceptible to plant diseases. Plant diseases cause billions of dollars worth of direct and indirect losses every year. Emerging plant pathogens require preparation and planned, scientifically-based response to lessen the impact on our farmers and the economy.

All material of plant origin in sludge, soil and biowaste may harbour the potential risk of being contaminated with plant pathogens. The composition of plant pathogens is dependent on the type and species of plant material included in the waste. Sludge which has undergone biological, chemical or heat treatment, long-term storage or any other appropriate process so as significantly to reduce its fermentability and the health hazards resulting from its use. Biowaste is in the broadest sense any biodegradable waste. Surface soil from construction or building sites may be infected with plant pathogens, and may thus cause a potential risk for spread of disease. However, most of this soil is not spread on agricultural land.

Read the full article on: http://seedbuzz.com/knowledge-center/article/plant-pathogens-detection-diagnostics 

Energy and Agriculture

Humans have found ways to secure their food from the Earth's land. Much of the world's agriculture was and still is carried out by hand. Although energy-intensive agricultural systems are highly productive, their sustainability is questionable because: Firstly rapid population growth, needs increased use of cropland and water resources; Secondly fossil energy resources that are essential for supplying fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, and mechanization are non-renewable; and lastly the agricultural environment is being degraded by both soil erosion of cropland and pasture land and by the pollution of fresh water resources.

Agriculture is a major user of energy, with direct energy consumption and indirect energy use through production inputs, such as fertilizer, accounting 15 percent of total farm cash production expenses. In addition, agriculture has the potential to become an increasingly important source of renewable energy and provide significant economic opportunities for our farmers and ranchers.

Renewable energy production stimulates the agricultural and rural economy, improves the environment, and enhances national energy security.

To know more about Energy and Agriculture visit: http://seedbuzz.com/knowledge-center/article/energy-and-agriculture

Food and Food Safety

Man has always lost and continues to lose punitive quantities of food due to microbial activity. And, ironically, it is in the sector of foods and beverages that the microbes were first gainfully employed to produce unique and more useful products, e.g., bread, cheese, butter, curd , wines, etc., even before the existence of microbes became known. Later, pure cultures of microbes were isolated and improved for specific applications in processing of food and beverages. Still later, purified enzymes and immobilized cells began to be used. More recently, microbial biomass production has been developed into an industrial activity to obtain protein-rich food/feed supplements. People have access to enough food to lead healthy and productive lives; food safety is gaining prominence as a global issue. This prominence is particularly evident in the international trade arena and is spilling over into the domestic agricultural and health arenas. Unsafe food contains hazardous agents, or contaminants, that can make people sick—either immediately or by increasing their risk to chronic diseases. Such contaminants can enter food at many different points in the food production process, and can occur naturally or as the result of poor or inadequate production practices. Hazardous agents that are receiving attention from policymakers include microbial pathogens, zoonotic diseases, parasites, mycotoxins, antibiotic drug residues, and pesticide residues.

Genetically modified foods and their potential to contain allergens or toxins not found in conventional foods have begun to receive attention as well. Unsafe food causes many acute and life-long diseases, ranging from diarrhoeal diseases to various forms of cancer. WHO estimates that foodborne and waterborne diarrhoeal diseases taken together kill about 2.2 million people annually, 1.9 million of them children. Foodborne illness often shows up as flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. Each organism may cause different symptoms. Age and physical condition place some persons at higher risk than others for any type of bacteria. Very young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems (such as people undergoing cancer treatments, or that have kidney disease, AIDS, diabetes, etc.) are at greatest risk from any harmful bacteria. Some persons may become ill after consuming only a few bacteria; others may remain symptom-free after consuming thousands. Symptoms usually occur between 1 hour and up to 3 weeks after eating contaminated food. Safe food is paramount for the protection of human health and for enhancement of the quality of life. Safe food plays an important role, whether domestically produced and consumed, imported or exported. In addition, the production of safe food represents an opportunity for income generation and market access. Over the last decades, the food chain approach has been recognized as an important step forward to ensure food safety from production up to consumption. This approach requires the commitment of all players in the food chain, involving producers, traders, processors, distributors, competent authorities as well as consumers. Food should be considered not only an agricultural and/or trade commodity, but also a public health issue. Therefore, food safety has to be seen by the public health community as an essential public health function. Food safety must be integrated along the entire food chain, from farm to table, with the three sectors— government, industry and consumers—sharing responsibility. It is necessary that food safety forms an essential component of health-based nutrition policies and nutrition education. Food safety is receiving heightened attention worldwide as the important links between food and health are increasingly recognized. Improving food safety is an essential element of improving food security, which exists when populations have access to sufficient and healthy food. Food safety is key to improvements in health and nutrition, which, after all, is the ultimate goal of enhanced food security. Improvements in food availability will not benefit many of those at nutritional risk without corresponding improvements in the nutritional quality and safety of food as well as a reduction in food- and water-borne illness. But in order to address food safety in this context, developing countries must evaluate such investments within the overall scope of public health, nutrition, and food system policies. The growing movement of people, live animals, and food products across borders; rapid urbanization in developing countries; increasing numbers of immune-compromised people; changes in food handling and consumption; and the emergence of new or antibiotic-resistant pathogens all contribute to increasing food safety risks. Global attention to the issue emanates from the concerns of high-income consumers and producers in the developed world, and does not truly reflect the most compelling food safety issues in developing countries. Food security still depends on increased food access and, from that perspective, one can argue that investments in food safety divert resources from rural development and agricultural production.

Developed countries have been building food safety regulatory systems that are increasingly comprehensive (covering more safety attributes) and more stringent (establishing stricter standards for those attributes).They are adopting a mix of regulatory approaches depending on the problem addressed, including process standards such as HACCP, performance standards for testing final products, and even increased labeling to communicate about food safety to consumers. These trends will continue unabated in the future, with the result that over time food safety standards will become increasingly demanding. Food safety regulations and standards are increasingly influencing the ability of developing countries to access markets for agricultural and food products, particularly in industrialized countries. The rudimentary and outdated food safety controls of many developing countries may provide adequate protection to the domestic population, but they are ill-equipped to meet export market requirements. Further, developing nations are unable to participate effectively in the international institutions that have evolved to establish global food standards and provide rules for the implementation of national measures. However, countries or private suppliers that invest in the required capacity to meet changing food safety standards may enjoy a strategic advantage.

Quarantine Practices in Agriculture

Plants and plant products are imported from foreign countries by means of freight, personal luggage and parcel post etc. They are subject to plant quarantine to prevent a possible invasion of pests which may inhabit these plants. A crop or herd of livestock under quarantine means that an agronomist, pathologist, or veterinarian has found positive evidence of some kind of (usually) pathogenic infection or infestation in the crop that requires absolute isolation from any other crop or herd. Absolute isolation means that the appropriate measure must, by law, be taken to prevent any further spread of the disease, pest, or condition.
A few examples of quarantineable diseases are: BSE ("mad cow") in cattle, scrapie in sheep, erysipelas in pigs, white rot in onions, rhizomania in sugar beet, and potato cyst nematode in potato.
Imported plants are commonly inspected for quarantine pests. If plants could possibly bear serious pests, they are inspected more closely. If any quarantine pests are found at the inspection, measures are taken on the consignment such as sterilization, sorting, elimination of the pests or destruction (incineration) of the plants. Recent progress in marine containerization and air freight services has made it possible to import large quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables from abroad. Due to their nature, seeds are easy to move over unlimited distance. They are also easy to store in viable conditions for short or lenthy periods of time. They can harbour organisms of quarantine significance such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes and insects and can be contaminated by unwanted weed seeds.

Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically modified organism (GMO) is any living organism that contains a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology or gene technology. Thus genetically modified organisms (GMOS) are those organisms whose genetic material has been modified by methods that transcend modification effected by traditional selection and breeding, e.g., organisms that are modified by recombinant DNA methods. Tmailhe term GMO applies to all organisms, including microorganisms. Such methods are used to create GM plants – which are then used to grow GM food crops.
The term GM foods or GMOs are most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. The enhancement of desired traits has traditionally been undertaken through breeding, but conventional plant breeding methods can be very time consuming and are often not very accurate. With genetic modification it is possible to transfer genes from one species to another. This is because all genes, be they human, plant, animal or bacterial are created from the same material. Genetic scientists therefore have a huge amount of genetic characteristics to choose from.
The initial objective for developing plants based on GMOs was to improve crop protection. The genetically modified crops currently on the market are mainly aimed at an increased level of crop protection through the introduction of resistance against plant diseases caused by insects or viruses or through increased tolerance towards herbicides.

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Soil- It’s Types, benefits & Soils of India

Soil may be defined as a thin layer of earth's crust which serves as a natural medium for growth of plants. It is the unconsolidated mineral matter that has been subjected to, and influenced by, genetic and environmental factors-- parent material, climate, organisms and topography all acting over a period of time. They serve as a reservoir of nutrients and water for crops, provide mechanical anchorage and favorable tilth. The components of soil are mineral matter, organic matter, water and air, the proportions of which vary and which together form a system for plant growth; hence the need to study the soils in perspective.
There are many soil classification systems. There are two major systems are the vernacular system and scientific system. In vernacular system soil can be categorized as red soil, black soil, yellow soil, hot soil, etc. In scientific system the soil can be categorized according to the development of soil or the amount of substances present in the soil. As there are various systems to classify soils, it means soil classification is not static. Categorizing soil or dirt by the size of particles is most common, and can be easily performed at home. This classification helps to understand the basic properties of the soil and helps to conclude if the type of soil is good enough for gardening or farming.
Therefore depending on the size of the particles in the soil, it can be classified into these following types:


Sandy Soil

This soil type has the biggest particles; and the bigger size of the particles in a soil the better is aeration and drainage of the soil. This soil is granular and consists of rock and mineral particles that are very small. Therefore the texture is gritty. Sandy soil is formed by the disintegration and weathering of rocks such as limestone, granite, quartz and shale. Sandy soil is easier to cultivate if it is rich in organic material, but then it allows drainage more than is needed, thus resulting in over-drainage and dehydration of the plants in summer. It warms very fast in the spring season. Sandy soil retains a certain amount of moisture and nutrients. In a way sandy soil is good for plants since it lets the water drain easily, so that it prevents root rot problems.

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Opportunity of Seed Production in Africa

Good seed lays the basis for farmers to increase their yields. Through its varied responses to different management practices, seed plays a major role in determining the level of investment farmers make in their crops. But across Africa, smallholder farmers have very limited access to responsive, high-yielding, locally adapted varieties of their staple food crops. They instead rely on low-quality seed that has been saved and reused, degenerating over the course of decades. Poor seed plus poor soil means that African farmers produce only about one-quarter the global average yield.

The contribution of new seed enterprises emerging in Africa, Asia and Latin America enhances the economic growth of their countries, regions and farmers in the past decade. New improved seed varieties encompasses the essence of agricultural productivity improvement and is a major catalyst for investment in organic and inorganic fertilizer, conservation agriculture practices, and labor to provide a greater pay-off to farmers. Newly emerging seed enterprises explore new markets, make seed of more diverse varieties and crops available, inform and educate farmers: their success is essential for agricultural economies to succeed. Targeting to the African business environment, CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat improvement center) will benefit newly emerging seed enterprises world-wide.

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Tomatoes & Diseases

Growing fresh tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the true joys of the vegetable gardener. But tomatoes can suffer from all kinds of diseases and pests. Problems in growing tomatoes are often the result of weather conditions. This is something that is out of the gardener’s control. However if you know your area is prone to a certain disease, you should look for varieties that are listed as resistant. Tomato diseases are rarely fatal, if the proper management is employed. It is important to detect any tomato disease an early stage, before it spreads to all of your tomato plants and possibly other plants in the same family, such as potatoes, eggplants and peppers. Here are some common tomato diseases, their symptoms and what to do if tomato diseases threaten your home vegetable garden.

Early Blight is disease which can affect the foliage, stems and fruit of tomatoes.

Symptoms: Dark spots with concentric rings develop on older leaves first. The surrounding leaf area may turn yellow. Affected leaves may die prematurely, exposing the fruits to sun scald.

Gray Leaf Spot Gray Leaf Spot affects only the leaves of tomatoes, starting with the oldest leaves. Symptoms: Small, dark spots that can be seen on both the top and bottom surfaces of the leaves. The spots enlarge and turn a grayish brown. Eventually the centers of the spots crack and fall out, leaving the leaf area to turn yellow and then wither off

Verticillium Wilt This name can be misleading, as sometimes the leaves will turn yellow, dry up and never appear to wilt. Verticillium wilt is caused by a soil-borne fungus and it can affect many different vegetables. The fungus can persist in the soil for many years, so crop rotation and selection of resistant varieties is crucial. This disease is fatal for a plant.

Symptoms include: wilting during the hottest part of the day and recovering at night, yellowing and eventually browning between the leaf veins starting with the older, lower leaves and discoloration inside the stems. Verticillium Wilt inhibits the plants ability to take in water and nutrients and will eventually kill the plant. Verticillium wilt is more pronounced in cool weather.

Septoria Leaf Spot is sometimes mistaken for Blight. Septoria leaf spot, also called Septoria blight, is a very common disease of tomatoes. It is caused by a fungus (Septoria lycopersici) which can affect the tomatoes of just about anywhere in the world. Although Septoria leaf spot is not necessarily fatal for your tomato plants, it spreads rapidly and can quickly defoliate and weaken the plants, rendering them unable to bear fruit to maturity.

Symptoms: With septoria leaf spot, the papery patches on the leaves develop tiny, dark specks inside them. Older leaves are affected first.

For useful tips and management of the diseases visit: http://seedbuzz.com/knowledge-center/articles

If I win, I’ll make history, and I'll serve you

Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture is the practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment. It has been defined as "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will last over the long term,Satisfy human food and fiber needs,Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends. Thus make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls sustain the economic viability of farm operations

 
The main reason of achieving sustainable agriculture is, to enhance the quality of life for farmers 
and society as a whole. Economic and social concerns 
present, signifies challenges to sustainable agriculture.

Sustainable agriculture in the United States was addressed by the 1990 farm bill. More recently, as consumer and retail demand for sustainable products has risen, organizations such as Food Alliance and Protected Harvest have started to provide measurement standards and certification programs for what constitutes a sustainably grown crop.

Read more: http://seedbuzz.com/knowledge-center/article/sustainable-agriculture-if-i-win-i%E2%80%99ll-make-history-and-ill-serve-you

Do you know: A new technique to stretch the traditional boundaries

Advantages of hydroponic tunnel farming:

•High quality product
•No soil is needed
•Plants get a constant supply of nutrients through an automatic irrigation system
•Able to produce larger yields of vegetables on a small area of land
•Soil borne diseases are reduced or eliminated

During the last several years there have been some simple innovative tools that help improve the way farmers reap and sow their produce, such as high tunnel farming. Tunnel farming gives farmers the opportunity to plant and grow their garden year round through the simple use of a greenhouse like structure that insulates the crops. They are no longer limited by weather restrictions or seasonal changes and instead trap’s solar warmth inside the tunnel to avoid freezing conditions year round.  Tunnel farming methods can also help provide a source of barrier protection from diseases that normally destroy plants before they have an opportunity to mature.

Read more: http://seedbuzz.com/knowledge-center/article/tunnel-farming

Whole-Fat Dairy Products May Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk

New research suggests that whole-fat dairy products generally shunned by health experts contain a fatty acid that may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Whole-fat dairy products contain a natural substance. Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health have identified the compound, trans-palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid found in milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter. Circulating palmitoleic acid, in the cis-form, is found naturally in the human body, but the trans-form is not produced by us and only comes from the diet. Whole milk has more trans-palmitoleic acid than 2 percent milk and 2 percent milk has more of this fatty acid than does skim milk. One study shows that individuals with high blood levels of trans-palmitoleic acid have a 62 percent lower chance of developing diabetes than individuals with the lowest levels of the same fatty acid. The study was conducted on 3,700 individuals, who were over the age of sixty-five at the time.
Baseline assessments included physical examination, diagnostic testing, and questionnaires about health status, and laboratory evaluation that included measurement of 45 different fatty acids. Study participants were followed for 10 years, including annual clinic visits and interim telephone calls. Blood samples were analyzed for the presence of trans-palmitoleic acid, as well as cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein and glucose levels. Participants also provided information on their usual diets.
People with higher levels of trans-palmitoleic acid had slightly less fat on their bodies, according to the study. They also had higher "good" cholesterol levels and lower overall cholesterol levels. They had lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. And they showed evidence of lower levels of insulin resistance, according to the study. Most significantly, however, those with higher trans-palmitoleic acid levels had lower odds of developing type 2 diabetes. Those with the highest levels of trans-palmitoleic acid reduced their odds of type 2 diabetes by nearly two-thirds....

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--censored--ey-john Handheld Moisture Testers

--censored--ey-john Corporation has designed a complete moisture product line that will give the same quality analysis in the field that you get in the elevator. Your savings start by knowing when to harvest and where to move equipment.

Understanding when a field is ready to harvest is one of the critical components for maximizing yields. The introduction of moisture testers to farming replaced guesswork with a valuable tool that accurately measures moisture readings right in the field.

Both large and small farmers can benefit from good moisture analysis. And there are a range of different testers that can be used. This article is intended to help the reader make good decisions that depend on this analysis.

There are several detailed reasons why knowing grain moisture is important; but the main reason is to protect investment. Moisture content is almost universally used as a price determinant when trading grain. Knowing that moisture content at various stages of growth, harvest and sale can mean extra dollars for the season. For instance, grain stored too wet will spoil and on the other side if too dry, the nutritional value declines.

Grain moisture can be determined in a number of ways. The official, reference method of analyzing moisture is the laboratory air-oven test. This process entails taking 2 small samples each consisting of 3 grams of ground grain. The grain is placed in 2 tin cups and weighed. The grain is then placed in a laboratory air oven for 1 hour at 130° F. The sample is again weighed and the moisture percentage is computed based on the change in weight. Obviously, this process is time consuming, taking 1 to 3 hours for each sample, using trained lab personnel.

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Broccoli Prevents Cancer!!!!

Broccoli is a well known cruciferous vegetable. Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family which also includes cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, Chinese cabbage, collards, kale and mustard greens, to name a few. All of these vegetables are similar to broccoli in nutritional value and contain the same cancer fighting substances. However, broccoli has been more commonly studied.

Broccoli contains nutrients and other important substances. It is rich in vitamin C and soluble fiber, but what have scientists excited are other nutrients including diindolylmethane, sulforaphane and selenium that are produced from substances called glucosinolates. Numerous studies have found these substances to have potent anti-cancer properties, particularly with cancers of the breast, prostate, and lungs in smokers. The sulforaphane in broccoli may even reverse heart damage caused by diabetes.

Laboratory Studies with animals and with cancer cells, substances in broccoli thought to be responsible for fighting cancer have blocked cancer causing agents. Studies in humans are needed to see if eating broccoli has the same effects and in what amounts.
U.S. researchers say they have discovered a biochemical basis to explain broccoli's cancer-fighting ability. Researchers led by Fung-Lung Chung of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University said substances in broccoli, cauliflower, watercress and other cruciferous vegetables contain compounds called isothiocyanates that seem to stop the growth of cancer by encouraging cancer cell death, apoptosis. Chung and colleagues say the way isothiocyanates may work is by assisting the tumor suppressor gene p53, which helps prevents cancer growth when normal but not when mutated.

The study, published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, demonstrates certain natural-occurring isothiocyanates leave normal p53 alone but selectively bind with and deplete mutant p53 which helps induce apoptosis. "Collectively, this study shows that mutant p53 depletion may be an important novel target for cancer chemoprevention and therapy by natural and synthetic isothiocyanates," the study says.