Background: The interest in spirulina lies due to its high level of protein and mineral content besides its excellent functionality and health promoting characteristics.
Methods: Spirulina powder was added to milk at different levels 0.3 and 0.5% respectively. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a least significant difference (LSD) test was applied for multiple sample comparisons to test for any significant differences (p≤0.05) in the mean values of all the groups.
Results: The average chemical composition of spirulina powder showed protein 68%, fat 6%, ash 9%, moisture 3%, carbohydrate (by difference) 14%, Iron 980 ppm and calcium 685 ppm. Gamma Linolenic acid (GLA) was found as a major fatty acid i.e.30mg/gm in spirulina powder.
Conclusion: An increase in protein content 0.76 %, essential fatty acid 8.02%, iron 5.16 ppm and calcium 137.37ppm, and gamma Linolenic acid at both the levels of spirulina powder addition in milk was observed when compared with control during the storage at refrigeration temperature over a period of 6 days. Separation of milk protein containing spirulina powder was carried out using SDS-PAGE. It showed that milk protein bands interact with spirulina proteins near 19 kDa.
Background: Prominence and demand for sesame is high, however, its production remains quite low. Scarcity of labour is one of the constraints to carry out the key operations in time, wherein delayed operations result in low productivity. The newly evolved non-branching type sesame is amenable for farm mechanization. Optimizing the crop geometry is a pre-requisite to step further for mechanizing the newly evolved monostem sesame cultivation. Keeping these aspects in view, field evaluations were conducted to evaluate the yield potential of non-branching monostem sesame.
Methods: The newly evolved non branching monostem sesame VRI was evaluated with eight set of treatments viz., T1 - 30 x 30 cm, T2 - 30 x 15 cm, T3 - 30 x 10 cm, T4 - 20 x 20 cm, T5 - 20 x 15 cm, T6 - 20 x 10 cm, T7 - 30 x 20 x 10 cm in paired row, T8- 30 x 15 x 10 cm in paired row during two seasons viz., Summer 2021 and Summer 2022. The experiment was laid out in three replications following randomized block design.
Results: Higher plant height at harvest (88.1 cm), number of nodes per plant (14.1) and internode length (5.38 cm) were noted at a wider spacing of 30 x 30 cm. However, a higher seed yield of 770 kg/ha was recorded at a square geometry of 20 x 20 cm.
Conclusion: Based on the two consecutive years of field experiment it is ascertained that the crop geometry at a spacing of 20 x 20 cm is ascertained to be optimum in recording higher productivity of monostem sesame VRI 5.
Background: The application of micronutrients through foliar spraying proves beneficial in scenarios where roots fail to supply the required nutrients. Micronutrient foliar sprays enable the direct and efficient utilization of nutrients by plants through their leaves, manifesting observable effects within a short period which ultimately increases seed quality and yield in soybean.
Methods: The present investigation on “Effect of foliar application of micronutrients on seed quality and yield of soybean” was conducted during kharif 2022 at Post Graduate Institute, MPKV, Rahuri. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with eight treatments in three replications. The treatments comprise of different micronutrients such as Borax @200 ppm, FeSO4 @200 ppm, ZnSO4 @200 ppm, CuSO4 @100 ppm MnSO4 @100 ppm, (NH4)2MoO4 @100 ppm, Phule Grade 2 Micronutrient 100 ml/10 lit water including control. The micronutrients were applied as foliar spray at 25 and 40 days after sowing.
Results: The Phule Grade 2 Micronutrient was found to be better treatment for growth, seed quality and yield characters of soybean variety Phule Sangam viz., days to 50% flowering (42 days), plant height (74.80 cm), days to maturity (100 days), number of branches (7.26), moisture content (9.30 %), germination (92.66 %), speed of germination (22.40), root length (14.20 cm), shoot length (20.00 cm), shoot root ratio (1.43), seedling dry weight (1.89 g), seed vigour index I (3160), seed vigour index 2 (174), dead seed (1.66), electrical conductivity (0.42 dS/m), number of pods per plant (85.06), number of seeds per pod (3.00), 1000 seed weight (168 g), seed yield per plant (41.50 g).
Conclusion: Application of Phule grade 2 micronutrient treatment as two foliar sprayings at 25 and 40 DAS was found more beneficial in increasing growth, yield and seed quality characters of soybean variety Phule Sangam as compared to the untreated control treatment.
The potential revolutionary impact of nanoparticles in agriculture has made them the subject of considerable interest in recent years. This review investigates nanoparticle's effects on the germination process of vegetable seeds. It analyzes the influence of nanoparticles on seed viability, development dynamics, and the overall health of plants. This review comprehensively examines the extant literature to clarify the mechanisms contributing to improving seed germination via nanoparticles. It emphasizes critical elements, including the type and concentration of nanoparticles and the manner of application. In addition, the review examines potential obstacles and apprehensions linked to the application of nanoparticles in agriculture, encompassing safety concerns and ecological ramifications. By analyzing the current research findings, this review offers significant insights into the potential of nanoparticles to enhance the germination of vegetable seeds. Additionally, it establishes a foundation for future research directions in this rapidly developing domain.
Chlorophyll fluorescence is a quick, non-lethal, and low-cost approach for evaluating Photosystem II activity in plants. It is denoted by Fv/Fm. The reason why it measured only PSII activity and not PSI is the fluorescence formed in PSI is constant and not variable like PSII. As PSII activity is responsive to abiotic as well as biotic factors, this approach is useful for studying photosynthetic systems and also providing a reliable benchmark of the way plants give a response to environmental variation. Though, Chlorophyll Florescence Imaging Technique is a valuable and propitious method for horticulture, it has significant shortcomings that must be addressed. Imaging of fluorescence signs, for instance, might be hampered by inflated tissues due to variances in light assimilation (e.g., curly leaves or spherical fruits), by highly reflective exteriors such as waxes or hairs, and by dust adulteration on the surface. Two leaves with different chlorophyll fluorescence release, for example, could not be compared if the light engrossed was not the same. Kautsky and Hirsch were the first to conduct experiments with the fluorescence of chlorophyll (Chl) by exposing a plant to blue light and saw it through a red filter to witness chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence with naked eyes. This method has advanced quickly since then.
Vegetables are considered protective foods as they are rich in vitamins, minerals and supply essential amino acids that our body cannot synthesize alone. Lighting can be used to alter the nutritional properties of vegetables. It also affects various stages of development in plants, which can be termed photo morphogenesis. Spectral quality, duration of exposure and amount of photon flux density significantly affect plants' physical, physiological and genetic parameters. Compared to other light sources, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are highly preferred for growing plants in a controlled environment due to their high energy use efficiency and supply of narrow light spectra. This review focuses on various studies that have been carried out to understand the effect of LED light with different spectra on various properties of vegetable crops, from their development to post-harvest quality. In addition, we have discussed the effect of LEDs on gene expression profiles.
Agriculture is at a great risk on a global scale as because the areas that are most vulnerable to climate change include but are not limited to Africa, Asia and Latin America. As a result, we will witness increase in severe weather events, such as droughts, floods and heat waves which may disrupt crop production systems causing the loss of biodiversity. Consequently, it is important that plants that can survive these unfavorable conditions are found. Millets, small-seeded cereals that make up a group known for its ability to grow under unfavorable conditions including drought stress, stand out as an option revealing promise due to their unique adaptability in marginal environments. Having diverse origins and among the most ancient grains ever known, millets number about 6,000 species globally with rich nutritional composition and genetic diversity; thus they represent a practical choice toward enhancing climate resilience in agriculture through adoption at local levels worldwide. In this paper, we look at the biology of millets. We discuss their uniqueness in terms of domestication history plus their stress tolerance and climate resilience, features that set them apart from other cereal crops. Additionally, we delve into their major nutritional qualities, broad adaptability and genetic potential which all contribute to making millets a standout crop choice. Gene editing and biotechnological approaches take center stage as instrumental in hastening domestication efforts while still engineering high yielding millets that hold onto their climate resilience, a two pronged priority approach for enhanced production on one hand and preserving biodiversity on the other. In light of the changing climate patterns, it is clear that focusing on enhancing and growing millet on a large scale is essential for building resilient agriculture and securing food sources.
