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Effect of different drying conditions on volatile compounds of Canelo pepper (Drimys winteri)
Get PDFCanelo pepper is produced with the fruit of Drimys winteri (Winteraceae family). Driven by gourmet cuisine, this product is becoming increasingly in demand. The aim of this work was to study the effect of two drying conditions on the composition of the volatile compounds of Canelo pepper from Ushuaia forests (Argentina). Two treatments were evaluated. A mild drying (in a ventilated dryer, 2 days at 30 °C) that produced green pepper (G) and a strong drying (on an unventilated stove 6 days at 43 °C), which produced brown pepper (B). Untreated samples were used as fresh control (F). The profile of the volatile compounds of Canelo pepper varied when the fruits were dried and also changed with the drying conditions. Besides, the milder treatment affected the volatile compounds from the pepper to a lesser extent than the stronger drying
Isolation of citric acid-producing Aspergillus niger from soil and organic wastes
Get PDFIntroduction of new Aspergillus niger strains that are more productive than those currently in use is one of the important steps in promoting more effective commercial citric acid production. The present study was conducted to isolate and characterise indigenous A. niger from selected soil and organic wastes such as soil with buried bamboo, soil with bamboo on the surface, soil under cattle grazing, mango orchard soil, rotting plum fruit and rotting bread. Morphological identification of A. niger was based on the length and width of the conidiophores, vesicles, phialides, and spores. Citric acid-producing Aspergillus isolates were screened based on the citric acid production index. The present study found that the highest fungal spore counts (3.35±0.15 x 107 spores/g sample) were obtained from soil under cattle grazing, as were the highest A. niger counts (7.25±0.05 x 106 spores/g sample). The lowest total fungal counts came from rotting plum fruit (4.70±0.10 x 105 spores/g sample). A total of 14 isolates were collected, with five (NSA03, NSA06, NSA09, NSA12, and NSA14) showing morphological similarities with the reference isolate, A. niger Tiegh. All isolates were able to produce citric acid, but with varying efficiencies according to their citric acid production indices. The soil under cattle grazing area found to be the best site for sampling and isolation for citric acid-producing A. niger by using Czapek-Dox as a medium of isolation
Mixed plant operations for phytoremediation in polluted environments – A critical review
Get PDFIn this article, a theoretical approach is focusing on the use of mixed plants to remediate polluted environmental media. Essential conditions should be performed, particularly in supporting plant growth, the safety factor for consumers and the use of amendments in improving the efficiency of phytoremediation. In general, it takes more than one type of the plant to be more effective in restoring a polluted environment. For this purpose, the selected plant species mus synergistically eliminate the types of pollutants present in the environmental media. Thus, the mixed plants process becomes very effective in removing many of the pollutants on site. In practice, mixed plants operations could be selected from one or a combination of simultaneous, sequential or alternating patterns, all of which must be adapted to polluted media conditions
Screening and Biochemical Characterization of Wheat Cultivars Resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae pv Triticum (MoT)
Get PDFGlobal food security is seriously threatened due to increased frequency and occurrence of fungal diseases. One example is wheat blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae is a fungal diseases of rice, wheat, and other grasses, that can destroy the whole food production to sustain millions of people. Wheat blast was first detected in february 2016 with a serious outbreak in Asia. Assessment of the available germplasms to stress tolerant/resistant is one of the best options for developing stress tolerant crop varieties. In this study, a total of sixteen wheat cultivars were collected and test their disease severity to blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae pv. Triticum (MoT). Among the varieties, BARI Gom 33 exhibited partially resistance against blast pathogen, whereas all other genotypes become susceptible to MoT. Different yield and yield contributing characters of both resistant and susceptible cultivars were also evaluated and found no significant differences among them. To understand the underlying mechanism of resistance in BARI Gom 33, antioxidant enzyme activity, concentration of reactive oxygen species and cellular damage after fungal infection were also evaluated and found that activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) were higher in BARI Gom 33 than BARI Gom 25 and BARI Gom 31. The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondealdehyde (MDA) content in BARI Gom 33 was low compare to BARI Gom 25 and BARI Gom 31, which may due to greater increase of the APX, CAT and POD in resistant genotypes. Thus, it may suggest that a more efficient antioxidative defense system in BARI Gom 33 during the infection process of M. oryzae restricts the cell damage caused by the fungus. The identified genotypes can either be used directly in the blast prone area or as a source of resistance to further development of blast resistance high yielding wheat variety
Stocking the shop: Nineteenth-Century flower buying
Get PDFIn the third quarter of the 19th century, urban florists purchased a wide variety of cut flowers for resale. Roses and carnations were staples, and the season dictated market availability. In London, the expansion of Covent Garden in 1870 facilitated the importation of flowers from all over Europe. New York florists began to purchase flowers through wholesalers who carried stock grown in state and nearby, which was transported by train to the city and distributed to approximately 200 florist shops at the turn of the 20th century
Microbial insight into rhizosphere of arecanut palms of Wayanad using metagenomics
Get PDFThe rhizosphere bacterial diversity of a plant is considered to play an essential role in mediating plant as well as soil health. An attempt to explore the bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere of arecanut palms in Wayanad was done to obtain an understanding of dominant bacterial phylotypes and the status of nutrient concentrations in rhizosphere soil and plants. Since arecanut production in Wayanad is facing a decline, a study to understand the rhizosphere conditions of healthy palms essentially provided insight into what strategies needed to be adopted for improvement of arecanut cultivation. The nutrient imbalance involving increased iron in soil and deficiencies of calcium, magnesium, zinc, and boron in the Arecanut rhizosphere was found to be an evident reason for the decline in production. Apart from that, the biological activities in the rhizosphere by the diversity of microorganisms were studied to understand the dominant bacterial phyla and genera present in the Arecanut rhizosphere. The presence of various important bacterial phyla like Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes revealed the presence of various beneficial soil microorganisms and emphasized the need to enhance or augment the population of native microflora for efficient nutrient cycling by increasing the organic content of the soil. Since organic carbon is an essential requirement to support bacterial diversity, proper management practice that encompasses organic carbon amendment along with proper nutritional management could enhance bacterial diversity as well as health of the arecanut palms. The study indicated that the dominant bacterial phyla contained various beneficial microorganisms that can be exploited for improving nutrient recycling in the arecanut rhizosphere
Evaluation of resistance of some barley varieties to wheat stem sawfly (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) in Hama Governorate
Get PDFWheat stem sawfly (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) is a significant pest on wheat and barley in Syria, and host plant resistance is one of the most effective mitigation of wasps damage. The preference for laying eggs among females of wheat stem sawfly (WSS) was studied in some cultivation barley varieties in Syria, and the reasons for this preference, by comparing the characteristics of plant height in the stages of early wasp propagation, phenological development stages synchronized with late propagation wasps stages that are known having attraction influence for female wasps to put eggs, within the natural conditions at the place of experimenting in Soran region, northern of Hama, about 20 km. The results showed a great variation in the infection rates between the tested barley cultivar varieties. Female of wheat stem sawfly (WSS) preferred to lay eggs in the barley cultivar (Arabi Aswad) (Aswad means black), which was a sensitive variety for infection althoughit is not being the highest height plant in the early stages or the less developed in the late stages of wheat stem sawfly spread, whereas the rest of the tested varieties distinguished (Furat 1, Furat 3, Furat 4, Furat 5, Furat 6, Furat 9, Arabi Abiad, and Arabi Abiad Mohsan) (Abiad means white, Mohsan means improved) by its relative resistance to the injury. Our results suggest conducting other studies to reach the reasons forpredilection preference or lack of preference and benefit from them later for reducing losses resulting from this injury
Control of filariasis vector using Ovillanta in Gwale local Government area of Kano State, Nigeria
Get PDFThe study was aimed at finding the effectiveness of a physical method of controlling filariasis vector larvae. Four ovillanta traps were placed in four different sites (north, south, west and east) of Gwale Local Government area of Kano state. The eggs and immature stage(larvae) of the filariasis vector were collected and destroyed. A total of 134667 larvae were collected altogether. 25% from site A, 23% from site B, 28% from site C and 24% from site D.The finding of the study shows that ovillanta trap is an effective method in controlling filariasis vector.
 
Why are the pepper prices declining? An analysis of changing production and trade scenario in India
Get PDFDuring the 1950s, India was the major player in the pepper market. Recently India has dropped to 4th position in production and exports. The price per kilogram of pepper in Cochin market reduced from ` 687 to ` 383 between 2014-15 and 2018-19. This manuscript attempts to study the reasons for the decline in India’s share in world pepper market and the recent fall in prices. The secondary data from the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Bank - World Integrated Trade Solutions, Reserve Bank of India and Spices Board of India were used for analysis. Transitional probability matrix was deployed to analyse the change in the direction of trade, relative comparative advantage and competitive index was used to study India’s market power in the international market. There has been a change in the direction of trade since 1999-2000. The results revealed a four per cent decline in area under pepper during 2000-2018, and now Indian pepper market has become import oriented with a CAGR in imports of 13 per cent during 1981 to 2000 and four per cent during 2001 to 2016. A similar trend was observed in production and exports as it got reduced from 25 per cent and 20 per cent in 1960s to ten per cent and five per cent respectively, in 2016. Increased supply in the international market, decreased production, cheaper imports and illegal imports have pulled down the domestic prices sharply in recent years. From 1995, workers’ wages have increased by around 10 per cent, and with decreasing prices, the Indian pepper industry looks grim. Appropriate policies to safeguard Indian farmers’ interest, such as export promotions, increasing productivity, delivering reasonable prices and incentives for processors would instil confidence in the farming community and the industry as a whole
Characterisation and classification of arecanut-growing soils of Karnataka
Get PDFThe present investigation was carried out to characterise the soils of areca based cropping system considering soil type and agro-climatic variability. Ten typical soil profiles were studied representing five different agro-climatic zones (ACZs) of Karnataka, namely, Tumkur and Hesarghatta (Eastern Dry Zone), T. Narasipura and Maddur (Southern Dry Zone), H D Kote and Hassan (Southern Transition zone), Mudigere and Sirsi (Hilly Zone), and Belthangady and Kumata (Coastal Zone). These pedons were studied for their morphological characteristics, physical and physicochemical properties. The arecanut-growing soils of Karnataka are generally deep to very deep, non-gravelly and well-drained soils. Texture ranged from sandy clay loam to clay in sub-surface. Soils of coastal and hilly zones were strongly acidic and had high organic carbon. In contrast, other sites of the southern transition zone to southern and eastern dry zone soils were near neutral to moderately alkaline with medium to high organic carbon content. Cation exchange capacity (CEC) ranged 2.5 to 32.6 cmol (p+) kg-1 base saturation varied 21.9 to 99.6 per cent. The major taxa of the soils identified at sub-group level of soil taxonomy were Rhodic Kanhaplustalfs, Typic Haplustalfs, Rhodic Paleustalfs, Typic Rhodustalfs, Vertic Haplustepts, Typic Haplustepts, Ustic Kanhaplohumults, Kanhaplic Haplustults and Typic Paleustults