Organic, and Tastier
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/dining/03curi.html

.. . . Plants sense and respond to any kind of attack by means of
chemical signals. Cells in the attacked area first detect telltale
molecules from the invader. Then they respond by releasing warning
molecules that trigger the rest of the plant ‹ and even neighboring
plants ‹ to start producing chemical defenses. Biologists discovered
many years ago that they could induce the plant¹s defensive response
without any live insect or fungus. All they had to do was supply the
initial chemical signals ‹ the invader molecules or the plant¹s warning
chemicals.

At Clemson University, Dr. Hyun-Jin Kim and Professor Feng Chen recently
exploited this fact to intensify the flavor of basil plants. They
induced a defensive response in the plants by exposing them to a
material derived from chitin, a long chainlike molecule that funguses
use to reinforce their cell walls. Insects and crustaceans also build
their hard exoskeletons out of chitin. The chitin from crab and shrimp
waste is processed industrially to make a shortened form called
chitosan, and this is what the Clemson food scientists used.

They soaked basil seeds for 30 minutes in a chitosan solution, then
soaked the roots again when they transferred the seedlings to larger
pots. After 45 days, they compared the chemical composition of leaves
from treated and untreated plants. They found that at the optimum
chitosan concentration, the antioxidant activity in treated plants was
greater by more than three times. The overall production of aroma
compounds was up by nearly 50 percent, and the levels of clove-like and
flowery components doubled.

Chitosan is readily available as a dietary supplement that supposedly
encourages weight loss. When I asked Professor Chen by e-mail if
chitosan capsules from the health food store dissolved in water would
work as well as his lab-grade chemical, he replied, ³I would guess they
will have the same or similar effect.² He added, ³I would like to
encourage master gardeners to try them for fresh aromas.² . . .
-----

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0480804

.. . . The total amount of the phenolic and terpenic compounds increased
after the chitosan treatment. Especially, the amounts of rosmarinic acid
(RA) and eugenol increased 2.5 times and 2 times, respectively, by 0.1%
and 0.5% chitosan treatment. . . .

.. . . Moreover, after the elicitor chitosan treatment, the growth in
terms of the weight and height of the sweet basil significantly
increased about 17% and 12%, respectively. Our study demonstrates that
an elicitor such as chitosan can effectively induce phytochemicals in
plants, which might be another alternative and effective means instead
of genetic modification.
-----

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitosan
-----

http://www.yeacrops.com/Elicitor%20-...0Reduction.pdf
-----

http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Chitosan-9927494
-----

Has anybody heard of this before? I'm scratching my head, wondering why
I've never heard of it.

Some how, it seems like cheating. Morality aside, I'm pondering if I
could just pour some chitosan solution "into my potted basil". Think
I'll high-tail it on out of here to my local health food store before
it's to late in the season. Our first pesto dinner of the year is
already on the menu for Saturday. I'm running out of time (again).
--
Racial injustice, war, urban blight, and environmental rape have a common denominator in our exploitative economic system.*
~Channing E. Phillips

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

In article
,
Billy wrote:

Organic, and Tastier
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/dining/03curi.html

. . . Plants sense and respond to any kind of attack by means of
chemical signals. Cells in the attacked area first detect telltale
molecules from the invader. Then they respond by releasing warning
molecules that trigger the rest of the plant ‹ and even neighboring
plants ‹ to start producing chemical defenses. Biologists discovered
many years ago that they could induce the plant¹s defensive response
without any live insect or fungus. All they had to do was supply the
initial chemical signals ‹ the invader molecules or the plant¹s warning
chemicals.

At Clemson University, Dr. Hyun-Jin Kim and Professor Feng Chen recently
exploited this fact to intensify the flavor of basil plants. They
induced a defensive response in the plants by exposing them to a
material derived from chitin, a long chainlike molecule that funguses
use to reinforce their cell walls. Insects and crustaceans also build
their hard exoskeletons out of chitin. The chitin from crab and shrimp
waste is processed industrially to make a shortened form called
chitosan, and this is what the Clemson food scientists used.

They soaked basil seeds for 30 minutes in a chitosan solution, then
soaked the roots again when they transferred the seedlings to larger
pots. After 45 days, they compared the chemical composition of leaves
from treated and untreated plants. They found that at the optimum
chitosan concentration, the antioxidant activity in treated plants was
greater by more than three times. The overall production of aroma
compounds was up by nearly 50 percent, and the levels of clove-like and
flowery components doubled.

Chitosan is readily available as a dietary supplement that supposedly
encourages weight loss. When I asked Professor Chen by e-mail if
chitosan capsules from the health food store dissolved in water would
work as well as his lab-grade chemical, he replied, ³I would guess they
will have the same or similar effect.² He added, ³I would like to
encourage master gardeners to try them for fresh aromas.² . . .
-----

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0480804

. . . The total amount of the phenolic and terpenic compounds increased
after the chitosan treatment. Especially, the amounts of rosmarinic acid
(RA) and eugenol increased 2.5 times and 2 times, respectively, by 0.1%
and 0.5% chitosan treatment. . . .

. . . Moreover, after the elicitor chitosan treatment, the growth in
terms of the weight and height of the sweet basil significantly
increased about 17% and 12%, respectively. Our study demonstrates that
an elicitor such as chitosan can effectively induce phytochemicals in
plants, which might be another alternative and effective means instead
of genetic modification.
-----

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitosan
-----

http://www.yeacrops.com/Elicitor%20-...0Reduction.pdf
-----

http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Chitosan-9927494
-----

Has anybody heard of this before? I'm scratching my head, wondering why
I've never heard of it.

Some how, it seems like cheating. Morality aside, I'm pondering if I
could just pour some chitosan solution "into my potted basil". Think
I'll high-tail it on out of here to my local health food store before
it's to late in the season. Our first pesto dinner of the year is
already on the menu for Saturday. I'm running out of time (again).

Just another data point. When I was trying to introduce whole food to
my kids 30 years ago I got lots of resistance. Responding to the ideas
in the URL.

So I got some sprouted whole grain bread. Essene bread no longer
available (?) and some wonder bread from the same folks that recycled
paperback books as fiber in bread. I kid you not.
Anyway having a few cats about I placed both breads on the floor and
waited for the cats to decide. My kids got the message and I got to
spend more on stables. Tis worth it.

Bill whose basil is strong but chitosan sounds like a neat experiment.
Weird science.

--

Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

"Billy" wrote in message
...
Organic, and Tastier
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/dining/03curi.html

. . . Plants sense and respond to any kind of attack by means of
chemical signals. Cells in the attacked area first detect telltale
molecules from the invader. Then they respond by releasing warning
molecules that trigger the rest of the plant and even neighboring
plants to start producing chemical defenses. Biologists discovered
many years ago that they could induce the plant¹s defensive response
without any live insect or fungus. All they had to do was supply the
initial chemical signals the invader molecules or the plant¹s warning
chemicals.

At Clemson University, Dr. Hyun-Jin Kim and Professor Feng Chen recently
exploited this fact to intensify the flavor of basil plants. They
induced a defensive response in the plants by exposing them to a
material derived from chitin, a long chainlike molecule that funguses
use to reinforce their cell walls. Insects and crustaceans also build
their hard exoskeletons out of chitin. The chitin from crab and shrimp
waste is processed industrially to make a shortened form called
chitosan, and this is what the Clemson food scientists used.

They soaked basil seeds for 30 minutes in a chitosan solution, then
soaked the roots again when they transferred the seedlings to larger
pots. After 45 days, they compared the chemical composition of leaves
from treated and untreated plants. They found that at the optimum
chitosan concentration, the antioxidant activity in treated plants was
greater by more than three times. The overall production of aroma
compounds was up by nearly 50 percent, and the levels of clove-like and
flowery components doubled.

Chitosan is readily available as a dietary supplement that supposedly
encourages weight loss. When I asked Professor Chen by e-mail if
chitosan capsules from the health food store dissolved in water would
work as well as his lab-grade chemical, he replied, ³I would guess they
will have the same or similar effect.² He added, ³I would like to
encourage master gardeners to try them for fresh aromas.² . . .
-----

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0480804

. . . The total amount of the phenolic and terpenic compounds increased
after the chitosan treatment. Especially, the amounts of rosmarinic acid
(RA) and eugenol increased 2.5 times and 2 times, respectively, by 0.1%
and 0.5% chitosan treatment. . . .

. . . Moreover, after the elicitor chitosan treatment, the growth in
terms of the weight and height of the sweet basil significantly
increased about 17% and 12%, respectively. Our study demonstrates that
an elicitor such as chitosan can effectively induce phytochemicals in
plants, which might be another alternative and effective means instead
of genetic modification.
-----

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitosan
-----

http://www.yeacrops.com/Elicitor%20-...0Reduction.pdf
-----

http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Chitosan-9927494
-----

Has anybody heard of this before? I'm scratching my head, wondering why
I've never heard of it.

Some how, it seems like cheating. Morality aside, I'm pondering if I
could just pour some chitosan solution "into my potted basil". Think
I'll high-tail it on out of here to my local health food store before
it's to late in the season. Our first pesto dinner of the year is
already on the menu for Saturday. I'm running out of time (again).
--
Racial injustice, war, urban blight, and environmental rape have a common
denominator in our exploitative economic system.
~Channing E. Phillips

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

You might try looking at your local home brew supply (or winemaking) store.
Chitosan is a common fining agent and inexpensive. I use it to clear almost
all my red wines.
Steve

Bill who putters wrote:


So I got some sprouted whole grain bread. Essene bread no longer
available (?) and some wonder bread from the same folks that recycled
paperback books as fiber in bread. I kid you not.
Anyway having a few cats about I placed both breads on the floor and
waited for the cats to decide. My kids got the message and I got to
spend more on stables. Tis worth it.

So you are a rider then? I would have thought horses would be better judges
of bread than cats, why not use them?

David

In article ,
"Steve Peek" wrote:

"Billy" wrote in message
...
Organic, and Tastier
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/dining/03curi.html

. . . Plants sense and respond to any kind of attack by means of
chemical signals. Cells in the attacked area first detect telltale
molecules from the invader. Then they respond by releasing warning
molecules that trigger the rest of the plant and even neighboring
plants to start producing chemical defenses. Biologists discovered
many years ago that they could induce the plant¹s defensive response
without any live insect or fungus. All they had to do was supply the
initial chemical signals the invader molecules or the plant¹s warning
chemicals.

At Clemson University, Dr. Hyun-Jin Kim and Professor Feng Chen recently
exploited this fact to intensify the flavor of basil plants. They
induced a defensive response in the plants by exposing them to a
material derived from chitin, a long chainlike molecule that funguses
use to reinforce their cell walls. Insects and crustaceans also build
their hard exoskeletons out of chitin. The chitin from crab and shrimp
waste is processed industrially to make a shortened form called
chitosan, and this is what the Clemson food scientists used.

They soaked basil seeds for 30 minutes in a chitosan solution, then
soaked the roots again when they transferred the seedlings to larger
pots. After 45 days, they compared the chemical composition of leaves
from treated and untreated plants. They found that at the optimum
chitosan concentration, the antioxidant activity in treated plants was
greater by more than three times. The overall production of aroma
compounds was up by nearly 50 percent, and the levels of clove-like and
flowery components doubled.

Chitosan is readily available as a dietary supplement that supposedly
encourages weight loss. When I asked Professor Chen by e-mail if
chitosan capsules from the health food store dissolved in water would
work as well as his lab-grade chemical, he replied, ³I would guess they
will have the same or similar effect.² He added, ³I would like to
encourage master gardeners to try them for fresh aromas.² . . .
-----

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0480804

. . . The total amount of the phenolic and terpenic compounds increased
after the chitosan treatment. Especially, the amounts of rosmarinic acid
(RA) and eugenol increased 2.5 times and 2 times, respectively, by 0.1%
and 0.5% chitosan treatment. . . .

. . . Moreover, after the elicitor chitosan treatment, the growth in
terms of the weight and height of the sweet basil significantly
increased about 17% and 12%, respectively. Our study demonstrates that
an elicitor such as chitosan can effectively induce phytochemicals in
plants, which might be another alternative and effective means instead
of genetic modification.
-----

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitosan
-----

http://www.yeacrops.com/Elicitor%20-...0Reduction.pdf
-----

http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Chitosan-9927494
-----

Has anybody heard of this before? I'm scratching my head, wondering why
I've never heard of it.

Some how, it seems like cheating. Morality aside, I'm pondering if I
could just pour some chitosan solution "into my potted basil". Think
I'll high-tail it on out of here to my local health food store before
it's to late in the season. Our first pesto dinner of the year is
already on the menu for Saturday. I'm running out of time (again).
--
Racial injustice, war, urban blight, and environmental rape have a common
denominator in our exploitative economic system.
~Channing E. Phillips

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

You might try looking at your local home brew supply (or winemaking) store.
Chitosan is a common fining agent and inexpensive. I use it to clear almost
all my red wines.
Steve

Thanks for the tip Steve.

Chitosan as a fining agent? I've never heard of it before. You can
imagine my chagrin. Wikipedia says that it is used in combination with
other fining agents, isinglass or silica gel (bentonite and gelatin pull
color)? Why not egg whites, or are you allergic to them?
--
Racial injustice, war, urban blight, and environmental rape have a common denominator in our exploitative economic system.*
~Channing E. Phillips

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

In article ,
Bill who putters wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

Organic, and Tastier
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/dining/03curi.html

. . . Plants sense and respond to any kind of attack by means of
chemical signals. Cells in the attacked area first detect telltale
molecules from the invader. Then they respond by releasing warning
molecules that trigger the rest of the plant ‹ and even neighboring
plants ‹ to start producing chemical defenses. Biologists discovered
many years ago that they could induce the plant¹s defensive response
without any live insect or fungus. All they had to do was supply the
initial chemical signals ‹ the invader molecules or the plant¹s warning
chemicals.

At Clemson University, Dr. Hyun-Jin Kim and Professor Feng Chen recently
exploited this fact to intensify the flavor of basil plants. They
induced a defensive response in the plants by exposing them to a
material derived from chitin, a long chainlike molecule that funguses
use to reinforce their cell walls. Insects and crustaceans also build
their hard exoskeletons out of chitin. The chitin from crab and shrimp
waste is processed industrially to make a shortened form called
chitosan, and this is what the Clemson food scientists used.

They soaked basil seeds for 30 minutes in a chitosan solution, then
soaked the roots again when they transferred the seedlings to larger
pots. After 45 days, they compared the chemical composition of leaves
from treated and untreated plants. They found that at the optimum
chitosan concentration, the antioxidant activity in treated plants was
greater by more than three times. The overall production of aroma
compounds was up by nearly 50 percent, and the levels of clove-like and
flowery components doubled.

Chitosan is readily available as a dietary supplement that supposedly
encourages weight loss. When I asked Professor Chen by e-mail if
chitosan capsules from the health food store dissolved in water would
work as well as his lab-grade chemical, he replied, ³I would guess they
will have the same or similar effect.² He added, ³I would like to
encourage master gardeners to try them for fresh aromas.² . . .
-----

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0480804

. . . The total amount of the phenolic and terpenic compounds increased
after the chitosan treatment. Especially, the amounts of rosmarinic acid
(RA) and eugenol increased 2.5 times and 2 times, respectively, by 0.1%
and 0.5% chitosan treatment. . . .

. . . Moreover, after the elicitor chitosan treatment, the growth in
terms of the weight and height of the sweet basil significantly
increased about 17% and 12%, respectively. Our study demonstrates that
an elicitor such as chitosan can effectively induce phytochemicals in
plants, which might be another alternative and effective means instead
of genetic modification.
-----

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitosan
-----

http://www.yeacrops.com/Elicitor%20-...0Reduction.pdf
-----

http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Chitosan-9927494
-----

Has anybody heard of this before? I'm scratching my head, wondering why
I've never heard of it.

Some how, it seems like cheating. Morality aside, I'm pondering if I
could just pour some chitosan solution "into my potted basil". Think
I'll high-tail it on out of here to my local health food store before
it's to late in the season. Our first pesto dinner of the year is
already on the menu for Saturday. I'm running out of time (again).

Just another data point. When I was trying to introduce whole food to
my kids 30 years ago I got lots of resistance. Responding to the ideas
in the URL.

So I got some sprouted whole grain bread. Essene bread no longer
available (?)
Sprouted, unleaven flat bread.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-...Bread-Sprouted
-Grain.aspx

and some wonder bread from the same folks that recycled
paperback books as fiber in bread. I kid you not.
Anyway having a few cats about I placed both breads on the floor and
waited for the cats to decide. My kids got the message and I got to
spend more on stables. Tis worth it.

Bill whose basil is strong but chitosan sounds like a neat experiment.
Weird science.
Dang, I only had half a dozen things to do on my rounds, and I forgot
the chitosan :O(

Tomorrow is an other day:O)
--
Racial injustice, war, urban blight, and environmental rape have a common denominator in our exploitative economic system.*
~Channing E. Phillips

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

"Billy" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Steve Peek" wrote:

"Billy" wrote in message
...
Organic, and Tastier
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/dining/03curi.html

. . . Plants sense and respond to any kind of attack by means of
chemical signals. Cells in the attacked area first detect telltale
molecules from the invader. Then they respond by releasing warning
molecules that trigger the rest of the plant and even neighboring
plants to start producing chemical defenses. Biologists discovered
many years ago that they could induce the plant¹s defensive response
without any live insect or fungus. All they had to do was supply the
initial chemical signals the invader molecules or the plant¹s warning
chemicals.

At Clemson University, Dr. Hyun-Jin Kim and Professor Feng Chen
recently
exploited this fact to intensify the flavor of basil plants. They
induced a defensive response in the plants by exposing them to a
material derived from chitin, a long chainlike molecule that funguses
use to reinforce their cell walls. Insects and crustaceans also build
their hard exoskeletons out of chitin. The chitin from crab and shrimp
waste is processed industrially to make a shortened form called
chitosan, and this is what the Clemson food scientists used.

They soaked basil seeds for 30 minutes in a chitosan solution, then
soaked the roots again when they transferred the seedlings to larger
pots. After 45 days, they compared the chemical composition of leaves
from treated and untreated plants. They found that at the optimum
chitosan concentration, the antioxidant activity in treated plants was
greater by more than three times. The overall production of aroma
compounds was up by nearly 50 percent, and the levels of clove-like and
flowery components doubled.

Chitosan is readily available as a dietary supplement that supposedly
encourages weight loss. When I asked Professor Chen by e-mail if
chitosan capsules from the health food store dissolved in water would
work as well as his lab-grade chemical, he replied, ³I would guess they
will have the same or similar effect.² He added, ³I would like to
encourage master gardeners to try them for fresh aromas.² . . .
-----

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0480804

. . . The total amount of the phenolic and terpenic compounds increased
after the chitosan treatment. Especially, the amounts of rosmarinic
acid
(RA) and eugenol increased 2.5 times and 2 times, respectively, by 0.1%
and 0.5% chitosan treatment. . . .

. . . Moreover, after the elicitor chitosan treatment, the growth in
terms of the weight and height of the sweet basil significantly
increased about 17% and 12%, respectively. Our study demonstrates that
an elicitor such as chitosan can effectively induce phytochemicals in
plants, which might be another alternative and effective means instead
of genetic modification.
-----

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitosan
-----

http://www.yeacrops.com/Elicitor%20-...0Reduction.pdf
-----

http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Chitosan-9927494
-----

Has anybody heard of this before? I'm scratching my head, wondering why
I've never heard of it.

Some how, it seems like cheating. Morality aside, I'm pondering if I
could just pour some chitosan solution "into my potted basil". Think
I'll high-tail it on out of here to my local health food store before
it's to late in the season. Our first pesto dinner of the year is
already on the menu for Saturday. I'm running out of time (again).
--
Racial injustice, war, urban blight, and environmental rape have a
common
denominator in our exploitative economic system.
~Channing E. Phillips

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

You might try looking at your local home brew supply (or winemaking)
store.
Chitosan is a common fining agent and inexpensive. I use it to clear
almost
all my red wines.
Steve

Thanks for the tip Steve.

Chitosan as a fining agent? I've never heard of it before. You can
imagine my chagrin. Wikipedia says that it is used in combination with
other fining agents, isinglass or silica gel (bentonite and gelatin pull
color)? Why not egg whites, or are you allergic to them?
--
Racial injustice, war, urban blight, and environmental rape have a common
denominator in our exploitative economic system.
~Channing E. Phillips


I've always used chitosan. It works great so I never had a reason to try
anything else.
Steve
http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

In article ,
"Steve Peek" wrote:

Chitosan as a fining agent? I've never heard of it before. You can
imagine my chagrin. Wikipedia says that it is used in combination with
other fining agents, isinglass or silica gel (bentonite and gelatin pull
color)? Why not egg whites, or are you allergic to them?
--
Racial injustice, war, urban blight, and environmental rape have a common
denominator in our exploitative economic system.
~Channing E. Phillips


I've always used chitosan. It works great so I never had a reason to try
anything else.
Steve

You might consider egg whites at one/thirty gallons of wine. Put with a
little water (1 cup) and salt in a blender, or use a hand whisk. Don't
whip it too much. You're not trying to make meringue (which would
denature the albumin, and screw up the fining), just enough to
homogenize your mixture. Stir slowly into your wine with a racking cane,
if you have one. The nice thing about egg whites is that they pull
bitterness out of the wine, without pulling tannins that are important
in structure, or color.
--
Racial injustice, war, urban blight, and environmental rape have a common denominator in our exploitative economic system.*
~Channing E. Phillips

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm