Category Archives: b_original_articles

Anwaar Ahmed^1*, Hafiz Muhammad Rizwan Abid¹, Asif Ahmad¹, Naeem Khalid², Sahar Shibli³,

Rai Muhammad Amir¹, Arshad Mahmood Malik⁴, Muhammad Asghar⁵

¹Institute of Food and Nutritional Sciences, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, 46300, Pakistan

²Deputy Secretary (Planning), Department of Agriculture, Government of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

³Food Science Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan

⁴Department of Economics, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, 46300, Pakistan

⁵Post Harvest Research Center, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Worldwide, fruit and vegetable processing industries are generating massive agro-industrial by-products. The industrial processing of mango generates a lot of by-products. Usually the major is with mango peel having a 7-24% portion of total fruit and not normally utilized. In the present research, mango peel was utilized in the formulation of instant drink as an experiment to harvest its nutrients. The mango peel was dried in the dehydrator and ground to obtain the fine quality powder. The mango peel powder (MPP) obtained was evaluated for its nutritional profile. The powder was added in the instant drink 5 g (T₁), 10 g (T₂) and 15 g (T₃) concentration per 250 mL along with water, sugar, citric acid and permitted color and flavor. The instant drink was evaluated at the 0, 30 and 60^th-day storage intervals for various physicochemical characteristics. Results showed that mango peel is an abundant source of moisture, ash, fat, protein, carbohydrate, and crude fiber.  The antioxidant activity, vitamin C and total phenolic content were 73%, 14.8 mg/100g, and 81.3 mg/g GAE, respectively. The mean values for total sugars, Total Soluble Solids (Brix), Titratable Acidity etc. differed considerably among all the treatments. During the storage interval from 0 to 60 days a significant decrease in pH, total soluble solids and total sugars, free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content were observed, while the acidity of the drinks was gradually increased. The drink with 5 g mango peel powder showed the best sensory attributes in terms of flavor, taste and mouthfeel compared to 10 g and 15 g.  This research can be helpful to utilize mango peel waste into food products to harvest the functional, nutraceutical and bioactive compounds. 

Keywords: Food waste, Functional food, Storage, Physicochemical properties

Cristina G. Cabanacan-Salibay^1,2,*, Florencia G.  Claveria³, Hazel Anne Luyon-Tabo^1,2, Steven Paulo C. Salibay⁴, Augusto C. Sumalde⁵,  Mario S. Torres^1,2,   Julieta Zabal-Dungca⁶

¹Biological Sciences Department, College of Science and Computer Studies, De La Salle University, Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

²Graduate Studies Department, College of Science and Computer Studies, De La Salle University, Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines

³Biology Department, College of Science, De La Salle University, Taft Avenue, Manila, Philippines

⁴Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Cavite State University, Main  Campus,  Indang Cavite, Philippines

⁵Institute of Weed Science, Entomology and Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, University of The Philippines, Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines

⁶School of Science and Technology, Centro Escolar University, Mendiola, Manila, Philippines

Abstract

This study focused on the detection of Sarcocystis spp. in two species of rats, Rattus norvegicus and R. tanezumi collected from agricultural area in Dasmarinas, Cavite.  This aimed to corroborate the presence of Sarcocystis spp. in different species of rats found in the agricultural area. Further the establishment of different Sarcocystis spp in Rattus spp. based on the parasite’s morphologic characterization is also emphasized. Sixty-nine rats (36 R. norvegicus and 33 R. tanezumi) were collected through trapping. Individual rodent autopsy for host identification was performed by determining the morphological differences and external measurements prior to dissection.  Tissue samples were examined for the presence of white rice-grain sized nodules. Morphological characteristics of the cysts, particularly the size, shape, and presence of protrusions were noted.  Statistical analysis using ANOVA for the significant difference on the number of infected rats per species and across muscle type was done at p≤0.05. Infection in R. tanezumi was higher (48.48%) as compared to R. norvegicus (41.67%), the difference however was not significant. Sarcocysts burden was higher in the diaphragm in both rat species. Generally, higher parasite load was observed in R. norvegicus.   In both rat species, tissue cysts ranged from spindle-shaped/fusiform to globular and oval-shaped. The sarcocysts in the diaphragm were more varied. Consistently observed in the tongue were globular–shaped sarcocysts while either fusiform- and globular-shaped sarcocysts in the diaphragm. These differences suggest infection with more than one species of Sarcocystis. Hence, the presence of Sarcocystis spp. confirmed the infectivity of the parasite to Rattus spp. Moreover, the different morphologic characteristics observed on Sarcocystis prove the possibility of different species of the parasite harboring the Rattus spp.

 Keywords: Agriculture, Diaphragm, Rattus sp, Sarcocystis sp, Tongue

Oqba Basal^*, András Szabó

Department of Crop Production and Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary

Abstract

Drought stress is one of the most hazardous abiotic stresses increasingly affecting drought-sensitive crops like soybean. An experiment was conducted in Debrecen, Hungary in 2018 to investigate the influence of drought stress on physiology, yield and seed quality of three soybean cultivars different in maturity timing. Drought-stressed treatments of the three cultivars showed less normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and leaf area index (LAI) compared to fully-irrigated counterparts, whereas relative chlorophyll content (SPAD) did not measurably differ. Drought reduced the yield of the three cultivars, however, yield of middle maturity group cultivar was better than that of early maturity group cultivars, and the same conclusion was obtained from non-stressed treatments. Protein concentration changes were negligible.

Keywords: Leaf area index, Normalized difference vegetation index, Protein concentration, Seed yield, Soybean

Tran Van Do^*

Silviculture Research Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, Hanoi, Vietnam

Abstract

The impacts of site quality and fertilization on the growths of acacia plantation have become important in plantation management. It could provide information on which site and how much fertilizer should be applied, contributing to sustainable plantation management. In this study, two sites of different conditions of soil depths (30-40 cm/shallow soil site and 70-80 cm/deep soil site) and of rock contents (< 10% and > 45%); and fertilizing 200 g NPK (16:16:8)/tree/year and control (non-fertilization) were experimented in an Acacia mangium plantation in northeast Vietnam. The plantation was established in September 2017, fertilizer was applied in Junes 2018 and 2019. Site conditions and fertilization significantly affected the growths of 2-year-old plantation. In shallow soil site, the plantation in fertilization treatment achieved 498% basal area and 595% aboveground biomass of plantation in non-fertilization treatment. The difference among control and fertilizing 200 g NPK/tree in deep soil site, and fertilizing 200 g NPK/tree in shallow soil site was not significant. It is concluded that fertilizing NPK to acacia plantation in the present study site is necessary for shallow soil site even trees become older, while in deep soil site fertilization is required only in the first year to support initial growths.

Keywords: Fertilization, Plantation growth, Shallow soil, Site condition, Soil nutrient pool

Muhammad Aasim^1*, Senar Aydın², Mehmet Karataş³, Mehmet Emin Aydın⁴, Canan Soğukpınar⁴, Canan Sevinc³

¹Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Sivas University of Science and Technology, 58140, Sivas, Turkey

²Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

³Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

⁴Department of Civil Engineer­ing, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

Abstract

Phytoremediation of contaminated environment using hyperaccumulator plants is considered as ecofriendly and cost-effective technique. Aquatic plants like Ceratophyllum demersum (Coontail) is used for the phytoremediation of aquatic environment contaminated by heavy metals. In this study, in vitro regenerated plants of C. demersum were exposed to different concentrations of Chromium (Cr) (0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 mg L^-1) for different exposure time (1, 3 and 5 days) in order to investigate the phytoremediation potential. The plants contained in Cr containing liquid medium were cultured in growth room having 16 hr light photoperiod aided by white Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and temperature of 24±1 ⁰C. The plant samples were taken out from liquid medium after 1, 3 and 5 days for taking data regarding fresh  weight, dry weight, Cr uptake by plants and bioconcentration factor (BCF). The clear relationship between Cr concentration and exposure time on phytoremediation was revealed. Both fresh and dry weight of plants was recorded higher at variable Cr concentration compared to control plants. The exposure time of 3 days to Cr caused the maximum Cr uptake, followed by further uptake of Cr at relatively slow rate after 5 days. The highest Cr uptake and BCF was achieved from medium provided with 12 mg L^-1 and 3 mg L^-1 of Cr respectively. Comparison of exposure time exposure time × Cr concentration revealed the highest Cr uptake (9145 mg kg^-1) and BCF value (2076.5) from the combination of 12 mg L^-1 × 5 d and 3 mg L^-1 × 5 d respectively. The results revealed that in vitro regenerated plants of C. demersum can be used for phytoremediation of Cr and possibly use against other heavy metals.

Keywords: Bioconcentration factor, Chromium, C. demersum, Phytoremediation, Water

Nurhidayati^1*, Masyhuri Machfudz², Abdul Basit¹, Rose Novita Sari Handoko¹

¹Department of Agrotechnology, University of Islam, Malang, East Java, Indonesia

²Department of Agribusiness, University of Islam, Malang, East Java, Indonesia

Abstract

The larva of Plutella xylostella causes damage to cruciferous plants by feeding the tissue between the leaf surfaces. To increase the production of organic cabbage vegetables, it is necessary to develop botanical pesticides. This study aims to describe the effect of vermicompost with additives of various botanical pesticides on the intensity of the moth diamondback attack and cabbage yield. The pot experiment employed randomized block design, with six treatments including plants: (1) without vermicompost and pesticide (control), (2) with synthetic pesticide application (SP), (3) with the application of the mixture of vermicompost and neem (V+N), (4) with the application of the mixture of vermicompost and papaya (V+P), (5) with the application of the mixture of vermicompost and marigolds leaves (V+M), (6) with the application of a mixture of vermicompost and soursop leaves (V+S). Each treatment has five replications and three pot samples per replication. The results showed that at the end observation of attack intensity of P. xylostella, treating cabbage with marigold leaves (20.26%) and soursop leaves (17.50%) had the same effectiveness with synthetic pesticide (21.86%) and significantly different with the other treatments (P < 0.05) by intensity attack of 29.69% (neem leaves) and 24.31% (papaya leaves). Treating cabbage with either soursop leaves or marigold leaves increases the size of the cabbage head, marketable yield, fresh weight and dry weight of biomass total and significantly different from the other treatments (P< 0.05). The results suggest that application of vermicompost with botanical pesticide additives is effective to control P. xylostella in the production of organic vegetables. 

Keywords: Vermicompost, Botanical pesticides, Plutella xylostella, Cabbage

Hind Suhail Abdulhay*

Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

Faiza Shahzad^1*, Hafiz Naeem Asghar¹, Zain Mushtaq¹, Amina Hadayat¹, Naqshe Zuhra¹, Rizwan Ahmad², Muhammad Arif Ali³

¹Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

²Land Resources Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan

Subash Thanappan^*, Shashidhara Ranganath Hosamani, Mahesh Naganahalli Chandrappa

Subash Thanappan^*, Shashidhara Ranganath Hosamani, Mahesh Naganahalli Chandrappa

Department of Civil Engineering, Ambo University, Ambo, Ethiopia

Jayani Samarathunga^1*, Madhura Jayasinghe¹, Maharsha Edirisinghe², Isuru Wijesekara¹, Piumi Abeysundara¹, Afshan Shafi³, Umar Farooq³, Subhashinie Senadheera⁴

¹Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

²MILCO (Pvt) Ltd., No.45, Nawala Road, Narahenpita, Colombo, Sri Lanka

³Department of Food Science and Technology, MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan