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Aloe vera gel and Starch Coatings on Organoleptic and Shelf Life of Strawberry Fruits (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.)
Get PDFStrawberry fruit is highly perishable and spoils rapidly due to contamination by pathogenic and nonpathogenic microorganisms, causing serious reduction in quality. We studied two treatments on shelf-life: 1) Aloe vera gel (AV)-based edible coatings in combination with ascorbic acid (AA) and 2) cassava starch (CS) with potassium sorbate (PS). Strawberries were coated with AV (15 and 25% v/v) + AA (3% w/v) and CS (2 and 3% w/v) + PS (0.1%), while uncoated fruit served as a control. After treatment, fruit weight loss, firmness loss, TSS, titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid content, total anthocyanin, and total microbial count were evaluated at 0, 1, and 3 days of storage (under room temperature) and 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 days of storage (9 ± 1°C, 70 to 80% RH). Compared to uncoated strawberries, all coating treatments significantly (P < 0.01) reduced weight loss, firmness loss, and total bacteria, yeast, and mold. Coated strawberries also had significantly (P < 0.01) higher TSS and ascorbic acid. The treatment with 25% Aloe vera gel was most effective (P < 0.01), resulting in better retention of ascorbic acid and TSS, besides reduced microbial load. The edible coatings were found to reduce postharvest spoilage in strawberry fruits
The Obstacles Faced by Afghan Traders in Exporting Agricultural Products
Get PDFInternational trade, including the export of agricultural products, plays a significant role in a country's economy. However, exports can be exposed to several barriers and should be investigated to inform policy and decision-making. Thus, the study aimed to investigate Afghan traders' obstacles in exporting their agricultural products to foreign countries. Fifty-one Afghan international traders were identified through purposive and snowballing sampling techniques and asked through a pre-tested questionnaire. The results showed that all barriers were near to medium extent, except financial obstacles, with a score of more than medium extent. Financial barriers (3.28±0.71) were the most common, followed by logistic and transportation (2.87±0.92), market access and competition (2.85±0.72), individual (2.78±0.57), and organizational (2.76±0.67) barriers. These barriers were consistent across all traders based on their socio-demographics (P≥0.05). The study suggests that Afghan traders face various obstacles to exporting agricultural products, requiring prompt and relevant actions from governmental organizations, policymakers, donor agencies, and other relevant bodies
Trend and Instability Analysis of Milk Production and Consumption in the South Asia Region
Get PDFThis study examined the trend and variability in milk production and consumption in different countries of the South Asian region from the year 2000 to the year 2017. An exponential growth function was fitted to estimate compound annual growth rates (CAGR) in milk production and consumption. Cuddy-Della Valle indices were constructed to examine the extent of instability. The study reveals that the growth rate of milk consumption in Afghanistan and Nepal was higher than that of milk production, indicating an increasing trend of net imports in these countries. In Bhutan, milk growth (CAGR) was negative for both production (-0.69 percent) and consumption (-0.67 percent), indicating a weak performance in the livestock sector during the study period. However, in this South Asian region, the positive CAGR in milk production varied from 1.38 percent in Iran to 5.20 percent in Sri Lanka, with total consumption growing at almost the same rate as production in these two countries. In the South Asian region, all countries showed low milk production and consumption variability, except Sri Lanka, where medium instability was observed in both milk production and consumption during this period. In Afghanistan, milk production grew at an annual compound rate of 1.86 percent, slightly less than milk consumption, which grew by 2 percent compound annual growth rate
Evaluation of the Physicochemical Properties of Different Imported Milk Brands Offered in Afghanistan Markets
Get PDFMilk is an enriched food that humans widely consume. It is the source of many nutrients like protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. The content of high-quality milk should match that of natural milk and national and international standards. In the current study, the quality of selected imported milk brands (Pak1, Pak2, Pak3, Pak4, and Ir1) and local cow milk in the markets of Kabul City was evaluated. For this purpose, the levels of protein, fat, total solid, solid not fat, acidity, pH, and specific gravity were measured. Data analysis was conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis test in GraphPad Prism software. Our findings showed that the protein level in imported brands was significantly lower than the standard of cow milk (p<0.01). Among imported brands, the protein level in Ir1 and Pak4 was higher than other brands and the standard (p<0.05). The level of fat in Pak2 and Pak3 was higher than the standard and other brands (p<0.05), the level of total solid in Ir1 was lower than the standard (p<0.05), and the level of solid not fat in Pak2 and Pak3 was lower than the standard (p<0.05). Our results showed that local cow milk has a higher quality than imported milk brands, and among the brands, Pak4 has a higher quality than other brands, where its quality is almost the same as the composition of local cow milk
Bibliometric Analysis of Pyrimidine Compounds with Anti-cancer Activity: Research Trends from 2015 to 2023
Get PDFCancer remains one of the most pervasive diseases in the world, globally, leading to millions of fatalities annually. Currently, numerous anti-cancer treatments are available to address the various types of cancer. Pyrimidine, a class of heterocyclic nitrogenous compounds, holds substantial promise in anti-cancer drug development due to its structural similarity to the nucleotide base pairs found in DNA and RNA. This work aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of studies on pyrimidine compounds with anti-cancer characteristics. Using the Scopus database, we examined literature published between 2015 and 2023, explicitly concentrating on pyrimidine derivatives as potential anti-cancer agents. Data analysis such as network analysis, co-occurrence, and visualization were conducted utilizing VOSviewer 1.6.13. Nine hundred twenty-two papers altogether, including reviews and original research, discussing the anti-cancer activity of pyrimidine compounds were identified within the specified timeframe up to January 10, 2023. Among these, 922 journal articles were selected for further analysis. Results show that Egypt led in research productivity with 267 articles (28.96%), followed by India with 234 articles (25.38%), and China with 163 articles (17.68%). Cairo University in Egypt ranked first in institutional productivity with 9 articles (0.98%), while the journal Bioorganic Chemistry was the most prolific, publishing 62 articles (6.72%) on pyrimidine compounds with anti-cancer activity. The notable increase in publications on the anti-cancer activity of pyrimidine compounds in recent years underscores the significant interest they have garnered from both pharmaceutical and academic researchers. The data presented in this study will serve as a foundational reference for future comparative studies in this area
The Role of Logar River in Sustaining Agricultural Production: A Case Study
Get PDFThis study explores the impact of diminished water flow from the Logar River on water system practices and agricultural productivity within the Logar Province, Afghanistan. As climate change worsens water scarcity, nearby agriculturalists face critical challenges in maintaining trim yields and supporting their livelihoods. The research aims to quantify the percentage of agricultural products in the Logar Province that are directly attributed to the irrigation provided by the river and investigate the critical challenges faced in water management within the province, particularly in the context of climate change. Using quantitative data analysis and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the research identifies trends and correlations between water availability and agricultural productivity. Around 61% of the total agricultural products within the Logar Province are ascribed to the Logar River, implying its central role in driving agricultural yield and maintaining agricultural production in the region. Approximately 90,740 people, constituting around 21% of the province's population, benefit specifically from the agricultural products irrigated by the Logar River
Impacts of Climate-smart Agriculture on Crop Production: A Review
Get PDFClimate change(CC) factors worldwide have negatively impacted crop production. Temperature, precipitation, and greenhouse gas emissions have influenced soil fertility, irrigation resources, plant physiology, and metabolic activities in crops. Afghanistan has also encountered climate change factors, such as drought, that decreased crop production. A technologically sophisticated solution to the problems facing agriculture due to CC is called Climate-smart Agriculture (CSA). Crop rotation, crop residue management, and soil and water conservation are called Climate-smart Agriculture Practices (CSAP). It is reported that CSAP increased water use efficiency and total water storage by 9–68% and 1–13%, respectively. Furthermore, implementation of CSAP increased wheat yield by 30-45%. Although the adaptability of CSA has been investigated, little is known about the impacts of CSA on crop production. Thus, it is necessary to describe the impacts of CC on crop production and investigate widely. The review was stated to provide some understanding and recommendations on earlier studies on the topic. The review's objective is to determine the optimal CSAP that decreases the adverse effects of CC on crop production. Researchers, consultants to farmers, and policymakers can benefit from synthesizing all this information as it may help provide favorable plans to boost crop production by selecting and using relevant CSAP
Effects of Elevated CO2 on Rice Harvest Components
Get PDFRice (Oryza sativa L.) has long been a staple food for people across various nations, particularly in Asia. Climate change and rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels now have diverse impacts on crop performance worldwide. Since CO₂ is a key factor in photosynthesis, it enhances productivity and yield. This study investigated the effects of elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) on rice yield improvement. Using a novel approach, rice seedlings were only exposed to high CO₂ levels during the early vegetative stage. The treatments included eCO₂ (600 to 800 µmol mol⁻¹), ambient CO₂ [aCO₂ (410-415 µmol mol⁻¹)], and a control under field conditions. Following treatment with eCO₂, the seedlings were transplanted into a rain shelter in a two-factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD). Results showed that tiller number per plant, panicle number per plant, and panicle length increased by 18.38%, 20.96%, and 14.15%, respectively, with eCO₂. Additionally, filled grain per panicle and grain yield increased by 15.30% and 47.48%, respectively. In conclusion, eCO₂ treatment significantly improved rice yield components during the seedling stage. Applying eCO₂ sustainably could increase rice yield, supporting Afghanistan in achieving rice self-sufficiency in the future. Temporary eCO₂ treatment on rice seedlings may enhance rice production, improving farmers' incomes and living standards
Investigating Contemporary Irrigation Solutions Promoting Agricultural Self-Reliance in Afghanistan
Get PDFThe presence of moisture and water around the roots is responsible for the plant development and fertility. Without sufficient water availability, water needs to be supplied to plants effectively to make sure plants receive water according to the crop water requirement. This requires that different irrigation methods be used in consideration of soil types and other effective factors to reach the abundance of crops. The farm, concerning the soil, the topography of the area, and water resources, requires different irrigation methods that have been proposed and introduced worldwide and are not yet well common in Afghanistan. Knowing these irrigation methods enables farmers to apply them to increase crop fertility by considering the resources and characteristics of their farms. In this case study, modern irrigation methods are introduced and discussed along with their advantages and disadvantages to understand how effective these methods are in increasing crop fertility without wastage of water to help in agriculture and food self-sufficiency in the country. In this mixed-method study, the data is collected using a Google Form questionnaire focusing on finding the level of familiarity of the farmers and other stakeholders in the country with these methods, their evaluation of using these irrigation methods, the challenges they are facing using them, and their expectations from the government and their recommendations for the future. The findings are encouraging and useful.
Effect of Crud and Processed Canola Seed in the Finisher Diet on the Growth Performance and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens
Get PDFThis study investigated the effect of different levels of crude and processed canola seeds in the finisher's diet on broiler chickens' growth performance and meat quality traits. A total of 1056 Ross-308 broiler chickens, comprising both sexes, were used in a completely randomized design with 16 treatments. Each treatment had 6 replicates, and each replicate consisted of 11 birds. Treatment 1 involved a basal diet adjusted with corn-soybean meal, while treatments 2-16 involved the replacement of three types of canola seeds (crude, micronized, and super-conditioned) at five levels (3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, and 15%). The growth performance of broiler chickens was not affected by the crude and processed canola seeds added to the finisher diet in the experimental treatments (p>0.05). Additionally, at the end of the experimental period (42 days), the effect of the experimental treatments on measuring the quality indices of breast and thigh meat was examined. The results showed that the drip loss of breast and thigh meat was influenced significantly by the processing of canola seed (p<0.01). Furthermore, the main effects of super-conditioned and crude canola seed processing in the diet had a significant impact on the decrease in breast and thigh meat quality, with super-conditioning having the most significant effect and crude having the least effect, and there were no significant interactions between them on other quality measurement indices (p<0.01). Based on the results obtained from this experiment, canola seed processing using the super-conditioning method was more effective in drip loss compared to the micronized method