Higher Protein Percentage Research Articles

Seed and Straw Characterization of Nine New Varieties of Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz

Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz is a promising oilseed crop that has increased worldwide attention because of its agronomic characteristics and potential uses. From an agricultural point of view, this plant can grow in different environments, providing a good yield with low input requirements. In addition, camelina seeds contain a high percentage of oil (36–47%) and protein (24–31%), making them interesting for food or energy industries. Nevertheless, its cultivation is not widespread in Europe, particularly in Spain. In the present context of global change and the search for new sustainable crops, we are conducting two pilot projects aiming to confirm that camelina is a good option for oilseed crops in semi-arid climates (especially in central Spain, Madrid) and to find new profitable varieties for farmers. To reach our objective we have used nine new varieties, recently developed, to characterize and compare their seed oil content, and their seed and straw chemical composition. Finally, with our preliminary results, we determine which varieties present better properties to be used in future agricultural research or breeding programs. These results are part of a larger study that we are carrying out.

Treatment of amoxicillin-containing wastewater by Trichoderma strains selected from activated sludge

This study screened a Trichoderma strain (Trichoderma pubescens DAOM 166162) from activated sludge to solve the limitation of traditional biological processes in the treatment of amoxicillin (AMO) containing wastewater. The mechanism of the removal of AMO wastewater by T. pubescens DAOM 166162 (TPC) was studied. AMO resulted in a higher protein percentage in the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by TPC, which facilitated the removal of AMO from the wastewater. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and excitation-emission matrix were used to characterize EPS produced by metabolizing different carbon sources. It was found that the hydroxyl group was the primary functional group in EPS. The life activity of TPC was the cause of the pH rise. The main pathway of degradation of AMO by TPC was the hydroxyl group uncoupling the lactam ring and the hydrolysis of AMO in an alkaline environment. The removal efficiency of AMO in wastewater by TPC was >98 % (24 h), of which the biodegradation efficiency was 70.01 ± 1.48 %, and the biosorption efficiency was 28.44 ± 2.97 %. In general, TPC is an effective strain for treating wastewater containing AMO. This research provides a new idea for AMO wastewater treatment.

Amur region in the structure of soybean production of the Russian Federation

Soybean is a unique oilseed crop of world importance, which has in its composition a high percentage of full-fledged protein, balanced with amino acids, fat and carbohydrates. Soybean is a universal agricultural crop of great food, fodder, technical and agrotechnical significance. In order to ensure the food security of each country and a world production as a whole, currently there goes a constant increase of the main indicators of the soybean market development. Russia has been a leader in soybean production for many years, being one of the top 10 producing countries. Dynamics analysis of the territorial structure of acreage, gross yields and soybean yields in Russia, the Far East and the Amur Region revealed the leading positions of the Amur Region in the country and within the Far Eastern Federal District. As of 2022, the Amur Region accounts for 69.2% of the acreage of the Far Eastern Federal District and 25.7% of the all- Russian acreage. The volume of gross soybean harvest in the Far East by more than 70% and by 27.6% in Russia is provided due to the production volumes of the Amur region. However, the analysis of the average yield of soybeans in the context of federal districts as of 2022 revealed the maximum yield level in the Southern Federal District - 20.4 centners /ha. In the Far Eastern Federal District, yields were lower than the national average by 0.8 centners /ha, which indicates the need for work to ensure the increase in the efficiency of soybean production technologies in the Russian Far East.

EVALUATION OF PROXIMATE COMPOSITIONS OF INDIGENOUS AND UNDERUTILIZED GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES OF NORTH GUJARAT, INDIA

Human needs wide range of nutrients for growth, development and to lead an active and healthy life. Green leafy vegetables are rich sources of carotenoids (Vitamin 'A') as well as appreciable amounts of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, manganese and copper. In view of less utilization of some of tradition leafy vegetables by people of Banaskantha district and paucity of scientific information on nutritive value, it is proposed to assess nutritive value of less familiar, six underutilised green leafy vegetables viz., dodi, poi, kanjaro, khatedo, radish and sarsiya for proximate composition. Healthy, six green leaves were randomly collected in fresh conditions from farmer’s fields of surrounding villages and subjected to analysis of different nutrients. At the end of the study it was found that Dodi (Leptadenia reticulate) and kanjaro (Digera arvensis) have high percentage of crude protein, ash and crude fibre as compared to other underutilized vegetables and hence can be used routinely as a part of diet to fulfil the nutrient requirement of peoples of Banaskantha region.

A New Flavanone from Chromolaena tacotana (Klatt) R. M. King and H. Rob, Promotes Apoptosis in Human Breast Cancer Cells by Downregulating Antiapoptotic Proteins.

Chromolaena tacotana is a source of flavonoids with antiproliferative properties in human breast cancer cells, the most common neoplasm diagnosed in patients worldwide. Until now, the mechanisms of cell death related to the antiproliferative activity of its flavonoids have not been elucidated. In this study, a novel flavanone (3',4'-dihydroxy-5,7-dimethoxy-flavanone) was isolated from the plant leaves and identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS). This molecule selectively inhibited cell proliferation of triple-negative human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 whit IC50 values of 25.3 μg/mL and 20.8 μg/mL, respectively, determined by MTT assays with a selectivity index greater than 3. Early and late pro-apoptotic characteristics were observed by annexin-V/7-AAD detection, accompanied by a high percentage of the Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic protein inactivated and the activation of effector Caspase-3 and/or 7 in breast cancer cells. It was verified the decreasing of XIAP more than Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic proteins expression, as well as the XIAP/Caspase-7 and Bcl-2/Bax complexes dissociation after flavanone treatment. Docking and molecular modeling analysis between the flavanone and the antiapoptotic protein XIAP suggests that the natural compound inhibits XIAP by binding to the BIR3 domain of XIAP. In this case, we demonstrate that the new flavanone isolated from leaves of Chomolaena tacotana has a promising and selective anti-breast cancer potential that includes the induction of intrinsic apoptosis by downregulation of the anti-apoptotic proteins XIAP and Bcl-2. New studies should deepen these findings to demonstrate its potential as an anticancer agent.

Reliability and validity of assigning ultraprocessed food categories to 24-h dietary recall data

BackgroundThe Nova classification system categorizes foods into 4 processing levels, including ultraprocessed foods (UPFs). Consumption of UPFs is extensive in the United States, and high UPF consumption is associated with chronic disease risk. A reliable and valid method to Nova-categorize foods would advance understanding of UPF consumption and its relationship to health outcomes. ObjectivesTest the reliability and validity of training coders and assigning Nova categories to individual foods collected via 24-h dietary recalls. DesignA secondary analysis of 24-h dietary recalls from 610 children who participated in a randomized controlled trial and were 3–5 y old at baseline was conducted. The Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) software was used to collect 2–3 dietary recalls at baseline and yearly for 3 y. Trained and certified coder pairs independently categorized foods into one of 4 Nova categories (minimally processed, processed culinary ingredients, processed, and ultraprocessed). Interrater reliability was assessed by percent concordance between coder pairs and by Cohen’s κ coefficient. Construct validity was evaluated by comparing the average daily macronutrient content of foods between Nova categories. ResultsIn 5546 valid recall days, 3099 unique foods were categorized: minimally processed (18%), processed culinary ingredients (0.4%), processed (15%), and ultraprocessed (67%). Coder concordance = 88.3%, and κ coefficient = 0.75. Descriptive comparisons of macronutrient content across 66,531 diet recall food entries were consistent with expectations. On average, UPFs were 62% (SD 19) of daily calories, and a disproportionally high percentage of daily added sugar (94%; SD 16) and low percentage of daily protein (47%; SD 24). Minimally processed foods were 30% (SD 17) of daily calories, and a disproportionally low percentage of daily added sugar (1%; SD 8) and high percentage of daily protein (43%; SD 24). ConclusionsThis method of Nova classifying NDSR-based 24-h dietary recalls was reliable and valid for identifying individual intake of processed foods, including UPFs.

Bta-miR-106b Regulates Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cell Proliferation, Cell Cycle, and Milk Protein Synthesis by Targeting the CDKN1A Gene

Our previous studies found that bta-miR-106b and its corresponding target gene, CDKN1A, were differentially expressed between the mammary epithelium of lactating Holstein cows with extremely high and low milk protein and fat percentage, implying the potential role of bta-miR-106b in milk composition synthesis. In this study, with luciferase assay experiment, bta-miR-106b was validated to target the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of bovine CDKN1A, thereby regulating its expression. Moreover, in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs), over-expression of bta-miR-106b significantly down-regulated the CDKN1A expression at both mRNA and protein levels, and inhibitors of bta-miR-106b increased CDKN1A expression. Of note, we observed that bta-miR-106b accelerated cell proliferation and cell cycle, and changed the expressions of protein synthesis related pathways such as JAK-STAT and PI3K/AKT/mTOR through regulating CDKN1A expression. Our findings highlight the important regulatory role of bta-miR-106b in milk protein synthesis by targeting CDKN1A in dairy cattle.

Single-Cell Protein Production as a Strategy to Reincorporate Food Waste and Agro By-Products Back into the Processing Chain.

Food waste is a serious problem with negative environmental and economic consequences. Unused food (either as waste or by-products and referred to as food residues in the present work) is a source of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds that could be used in an alternate or secondary life cycle to avoid discarding it. The present work reviews the potential use of food residues for the bioengineering of single-cell protein (SCP), addressing aspects of production, nutrition and safety, as well as the main challenges and perspectives. SCP is obtained from various microorganisms, including fungi, bacteria, yeasts and algae, in pure or mixed form. SCP generally contains a higher percentage of protein (30-80%) compared to soy (38.6%), fish (17.8%), meat (21.2%) and whole milk (3.28%). SCP is a source of essential amino acids, including methionine, threonine and lysine. The use of food residues as substrates for the production of SCP would reduce production costs (35-75%); however, optimization and industrial scaling are some of the main challenges to its sustainable production. The use food waste and agro by-products from the food industry could be a promising alternative to obtain protein according to a circular production scheme.

Carob Flour Addition to Sourdough: Effect of Sourdough Fermentation, Dough Rheology and Bread Quality

Carob flour (CF) has been widely used in bakery formulations since containing various bioactive compounds, high percentage of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. Sourdough fermentation is considered as a promising tool to improve sensorial, textural and nutritional features of baked goods. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential usage of Type I sourdough incorporated with carob flour in bread making .Empirical rheological measurements were also performed in the flour blended with carob flour (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 12%). Water absorption capacity and dough development time increased significantly with the increase of carob flour (P ≤ 0.05). Energy and extensibility value of the samples decreased according to control sample (P ≤ 0.05). Yeast number of sourdough decreased with the increase of carob flour addition to sourdough (P ≤ 0.05). The stimulation of Lactic acid bacteria growth were determined by the addition of carob flour when compared to the control (P>0.05) but no significant differences were observed among sourdoughs with the increasing level of carob flour. Usage of carob flour via sourdough fermentation increased the quality properties of bread with sourdough as compared to the commercial baker’s yeast bread including same level of carob flour. Highest concentration of the CF (8% and 12%) in formulation caused the raise of hardness (P ≤ 0.05), which in turn was associated with the decrease in the specific volume of the bread. CF addition of yeasted bread samples (CFYB) decreased the lightness (L*) of the bread crust (P ≤ 0.05). Sourdough fermentation was also improved the sensory acceptance of carob flour incorporated breads. Low level of carob flour usage (from 2% to 6%) in sourdough making was not detrimental to any of the sensory parameters in this study.

Effect of fibre fractions of Ailanthus excelsa roxb. on in-vitro dry matter digestibility(IVDMD) and Metabolisable energy

Forages usually constitute the major portion of the ruminant feeds in our country. Availability of feed containing imbalanced chemical composition and metabolisable energy is major handicap in ruminant production the world over. The present study aimed to evaluate the fibre fractions of Ailanthus excels Roxb. fast growing multipurpose indigenous tree species used as cattle fodder as the leaves are rated as highly palatable and nourishing with high percentage of crude protein. The fiber fractions i.e. Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Acid Detergent Lignin (ADL) values were measured for Ailanthus excels Roxb. leaves and observed that AD Fvaried from 0.91% to 74 %and the average was recorded as 48.93 ± 8.36 %, NDF ranged from 28.49 % to 94.77 % with an average of 5.6± 0.97 % and recorded the minimum of 0.2% to the maximum of 17.5 % of ADL value. Low or high NDF value indicate the dry matter digestibility and dry matter intake that will result in a decrease or increase in livestock consumption. Hemicellulose and cellulose, the slowly digestible fibre materials present in the cell wall ranged from 1.72 to 82.5 % and 0.45 to 96.72 % respectively. The digestibility of the A.excelsa leaves was tested for 24 hrs and 48 hrs were observed that almost all accessions showed digestibility greater than 50%.Metabolizable energy (ME) and Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) are the other two energy requirement of cattle other than IVDMD and ME observed to be more than 8.23(MJ/Kg DM) for all the accessions and TDN value more than 40 %. Though fodder is nutrient treasure, the IVDMD decides the nutrient intake by the cattle. With the desirable fibre fraction and promising IVDMD and metabolizable energy values of A. excel accessions can be an alternate tree fodder for cattle during lean period.

The study of breeding material of winter bread wheat according to the main criteria of quality

The study of grain quality at all stages of a variety development, starting with the selection of parental pairs, is the most important condition for the efficiency of breeding. The purpose of the current paper was to estimate winter wheat samples according to the main criteria of grain quality and to select promising ones for further use in the breeding process. The study was carried out in 2019–2021. There were studied new varieties and promising lines of winter bread wheat from the main Competitive Variety Testing, according to green manure fallow. Criteria characterizing grain quality were determined in the laboratory conditions in accordance with methodology and GOSTs. Based on the conducted study, there were identified sources that were characterized by a high severity of grain quality traits. According to ‘grain unit’, there were distinguished such varieties as ‘Matritsa’, ‘Rubin Dona’ and the lines ‘1043/17’ and ‘1582/166’. According to the general kernel hardness there were identified such samples as ‘Matritsa’, ‘Priazovie’ and the line ‘1582/16’. The samples and lines ‘Ermak’, ‘Razdolie’, ‘Rubin Dona’, ‘Matritsa’, ‘Priazovie’, ‘1582/16’, ‘1043/17’, ‘1295/18’, ‘1431/18’, ‘1463/18’, ‘1518/18’, ‘1612/18’ and ‘1895/18’ corresponded to good quality according to SDS-sedimentation. The sample ‘1463/18’ was characterized by a high protein percentage in grain (15.02 %). There were also studied a quantity and quality of gluten, falling number and baking properties. The varieties ‘Rubin Dona’, ‘Matritsa’, ‘Priazovie’ and the lines ‘1582/16’, ‘1463/18’ were characterized by the best expression of the studied traits of quality. These genotypes can be used in the breeding process as sources of high protein and gluten percentage in grain and good baking properties.

Food preference of nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus, Linnaeus, 1758) under human care.

This study aims to evaluate the food preference of nine banded armadillos kept in captivity, exposed to four different diets: Diet 1 (D1) - dry dog food and ground beef; Diet 2 (D2) - dry dog food, ground beef, and chicken eggs; Diet 3 (D3) - dog food, ground beef, bananas, and papaya; Diet 4 (D4) - dog food, ground beef, chicken eggs, banana, and papaya. To this end, an experiment was carried out for five weeks, the first four of which were for preliminary management and the fifth week for data collection. Frequency of consumption, total intake for each diet, and intake ratio were evaluated. The dietary preference was higher for the diets with a higher protein percentage (D1 and D2), mainly D2, which presented increased demand and intake starting on the fourth day of observation. In second day of observation, D1 presented the higher intake ratio, but D2 gradually replaced it. The diet containing the lowest protein rate (D3) was the least favored on all observation days and evaluations. In conclusion, the food preference of ex-situ armadillos seems to be related to the inclusion of greater amounts of protein, particularly that of animal origin, with eggs being the most appreciated ingredient in this study.

The effect of growing conditions on productivity, grain and flour quality of the new winter bread wheat varieties for the Republic of Kalmykia

In accordance with the purpose of the current study, there have been presented the study results of the productivity and grain quality of the co-breeding winter bread wheat varieties. Kalmykia RAI, the branch of the “Pre-Kaspy AFRC RAS” in cooperation with the FSBSI “NCG named after P.P. Lukyanenko” developed five winter bread wheat varieties. The Competitive Variety Testing was laid down in 2 layers in 4-fold repetition using a CH-16 seeder in 2017–2021. The accounting area of the plot was 50 m². The sowing was carried out at the optimal time, in the third decade of September. The seeding rate was 300 germinating seeds per 1 m². The crop was sown in weedfree fallow. The mean grain productivity of the co-breeding varieties through 5 years in the arid conditions of the Republic of Kalmykia was 3.06 t/ha. The variety ‘Khasyr’ had the maximum productivity. The study has confirmed that the co-breeding varieties formed high-quality grain suitable for baking. The highest percentage of protein (14.8%) and gluten (31.1%) among the varieties through the past 5 years was in 2020. Grain unit of all varieties exceeded the basic rate of 750 g/l and ranged from 765 to 786 g/l. The best grain unit was demonstrated by the new variety ‘Khamdan’. Grain sedimentation among the varieties varied on average from 42.0 to 49.4 ml, which is an average ratio for this crop. The flour strength ranged from 171 to 299 u.a. Strong flour was obtained from the variety ‘Bulgun’. In recent years the bread volume varied from 515 to 650 cm³, the total rate of grain and flour of the co-breeding varieties was 4.0 - 4.8, which is typical for valuable and strong wheat.

Potential impacts to antibiotics use around the dry period if selective dry cow therapy is adopted by dairy herds: An example of the western US

Mastitis is a prevalent and expensive disease in dairy herds worldwide. Blanket dry cow therapy (BDCT), in which all quarters of all cows are infused with antimicrobials at the dry-off, is a cornerstone for mastitis control in many countries. An alternative approach is the use of selective dry cow therapy (SDCT), in which only cows with high risk for intramammary infection (IMI) at dry-off receive antimicrobials. Our objectives in this cross-sectional study were to estimate the potential reduction in the use of antimicrobials if SDCT was adopted in the US by using cow-level dairy herd data and to describe the factors associated with cows being classified as high-risk for an IMI at dry-off. Besides, we aimed to describe the seasonality in IMI at dry-off. We used cow-level somatic cell score (SCS) test-day data from herds in the western US (DHIA, Dairy Herd Improvement Association, AgriTech, Visalia, CA) to create five scenarios to classify cows as high risk for IMI at dry-off. Associations between cow-level data and state were also used in logistic regression models. We also calculated the average animal-defined daily dosage of antimicrobials per cow per year around the dry period if a BDCT or SDCT approach is used, adjusting for the risk of cases of clinical mastitis in the next lactation for the SDCT approach. The point prevalence of IMI at the last test-day before dry-off varied between 15.0 % and 54 % for primiparous and 34.0 % and 85 % for multiparous cows, depending on the scenario. By extrapolating our results obtained from using data from dairies enrolled in the DHIA testing program for the western US, we demonstrated that regardless of the criteria used to classify cows as high risk of IMI at dry-off (scenarios 1–5), if selective dry cow therapy is adopted in the US, the dairy industry could reduce the use of antimicrobials around the dry-off between 31 % and 66 %. Multiparous cows had greater odds of being classified as high-risk than primiparous cows. Cows dried off in the spring, summer, and fall had lower odds of being classified as high-risk compared to cows dried off in the winter. Advanced days in milk at dry-off was associated with greater risk of IMI at dry-off. Greater milk yield and higher protein percentage at the last test-day before dry-off were associated with decreased odds of a cow being classified as high-risk at dry-off, cows in small herds had greater odds of being classified as high-risk at dry-off, and a variation among states was observed.

Effect of Chemical and Nanoic Fertilizations N, Ca and B on the Quantitative, Qualitative and Yield Characteristics of Peppers Grown Under Greenhouses Conditions

Experiment was carried out at research station, Horticulture & Landscaping Department, College of Agriculture, University of Diyala, Iraq, during spring season 2019. The Objective was to study the effect of chemical and nanoic-fertilization of Nitrogen, Calcium and Boron on the quantitative, qualitative and yield characteristics of the sweet pepper (Capsicam annum L.). Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) used where nitrogen was three levels, T1 ( 2 ml / liter of normal nitrogen) and A2 (1 ml / liter of nanoic nitrogen) and A3 (control treatment is sprayed with water only), and the second factor also has three levels of Boron B1 (1 g / liter calcium with normal boron) and B2 (1 ml / liter calcium with nanoic boron ) And B3 (control treatment sprayed with water only) and the plants were sprayed with four times within Each treatment, so the following results obtained: treatment A1 resulted in highest protein percentage (7.02). Treatment A2 resulted in highest rate of fruit weight, plant yield rate, and average yield per house were (70.00, 2.79 and 3347) respectively. Treatment B1 resulted in a significant increase in the ratio of nitrogen and protein compared to control treatment, where reached (1.12 and 7.02), respectively, treatment B2 resulted in a significant increase in the fruit weight ratio and percentage of nitrogen and protein in the fruit reached (68.22, 1.10 and 6.85), respectively.

Quality Characterization of Different Parts of Broiler and Ligor Hybrid Chickens.

The quality characterization of different parts of male and female Ligor hybrid chickens was investigated and compared with those of commercial broiler. Genotypes, muscle types, and sex had effects on the composition, physicochemical, and textural properties of chicken samples. Ligor hybrid chicken contained higher percentages of protein, moisture, ash, and collagen content but lower fat content than those of commercial broiler (p < 0.05), except in the case of breast, where no significant difference in moisture and ash was observed (p ≥ 0.05). The pH in breast meat of both chickens was lower than that of thigh meat. The color (L*, a*, and b*) values of male and female chickens were not significantly different, except for the L* value of broiler chicken, which was higher in female chickens than in male chickens. Higher cooking loss and shear force were found in male Ligor hybrid chicken. A similar protein pattern was observed for the protein from the same muscle type, irrespective of sex and genotype tested. It was observed that Ligor hybrid chicken contained higher glutamic acid and aspartic acid than commercial broilers. Therefore, Ligor hybrid chicken is a promising new source of nutrition, which can be beneficial for consumers.

Protein and carbohydrate fractionation of silages made from maize, &lt;i&gt;Urochloa&lt;/i&gt; species and their mixtures

New feed assessment systems and methodologies for ruminants are being used with the aim of maximizing the use of nutrients by animals. The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) considers the dynamics of ruminal fermentation and the potential loss of nitrogen in feed evaluation. We used this system to evaluate the protein and carbohydrate fractionation of silages made from maize and Urochloa species alone and in combination (70:30). The experiment was carried out under a completely randomized experimental design with 4 replications. Treatments comprised silages made from the following forages: maize (Zea mays); Congo grass (Urochloa ruziziensis); Xaraes palisadegrass (U. brizantha 'Xaraés'); Paiaguas palisadegrass (U. brizantha 'BRS Paiaguás'); 70% maize + 30% Congo grass; 70% maize + 30% Xaraes palisadegrass; and 70% maize + 30% Paiaguas palisadegrass. The results showed that despite the Urochloa exclusive silages having higher crude protein concentration than maize and mixed silages, they have a higher proportion of unavailable fractions with slow degradation rates, which can compromise animal performance. The maize silage and mixed silages had higher percentages of protein and carbohydrates with high degradation potential than Urochloa exclusive silages. Therefore, mixed silages represent one more alternative to provide forage with good nutritional value for ruminant feeding in times of feed shortage. Mixing grass and maize at ensiling would increase the volume of silage produced relative to ensiling maize alone without any significant reduction in quality of the silage produced. However, further studies are needed to determine the appropriate combinations of maize and grass at ensiling to produce silage with the desired nutritional value for the particular application and class of animals being fed. Feeding studies with animals would verify production levels achieved with the various silages.

​Effect of Different Organic Sources on Growth and Seed Quality Parameters of Black Gram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper

Background: Pulses play an important role in Indian agriculture for sustainable production, improvement in soil health and environmental safety. They are a cheaper source of protein to overcome malnutrition among vegetarians due to the presence of a high percentage of quality protein which is nearly three times more than that of cereals. They are more responsive to organic manures but indiscriminate and continuous use of chemical fertilizers has venomous effects on soil physical, chemical and biological properties thereby affecting the sustainability of crop production, besides causing environmental pollution. Methods: The experiment consists of 12 treatments comprising organic amendments laid out in RCBD (completely randomized block design) with three replications. The black gram variety TAU-1 was sown with a spacing of 45 cm x 10 cm. The recommended dose of phosphorus for black gram was supplemented with different combinations of soil organic manures with equal proportions based on their P content. The required quantity of organic manures viz., Farmyard manure, vermicompost, Ghanajeevamrutha were uniformly incorporated into the soil as per the treatment three weeks before sowing. The organic manures to be applied were quantified equivalent to RDF (20 kg N+50 kg P2O5+0 kg K2O ha-1). Result: The studies showed that application of vermicompost+ghanajeevamrutha based on 100% RDP (Recommended dose of Phosphorus)+Rhizobium+PSB (Phosphorus Solubilizing bacteria) recorded significantly higher plant height (87.67 cm), number of branches per plant (6.33), relative chlorophyll content (48.11) and dry matter (2740.00 kg ha-1) with higher concomitant seed quality parameters like seed index (10.25 g) and protein content (22.7%) as compared to others. This study has demonstrated the importance of the usage of organics for improving the growth and seed quality parameters in black gram.

Improving faba bean seed yield, protein and chlorophyll content by foliar application of humic acid

Humic acid (HA) can be considered as an important alternative to chemical fertilizers in sustainable agriculture. For this purpose, an experiment was conducted for two years (2014–2015) as a factorial in the form of randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in Chalous city. First factor included time of application (T1 – application of HA before planting, T2 – spraying HA at middle of vegetative growth, T3 – spraying HA at early time of reproductive growth). Second factor included the amount of HA as foliar application at four levels (0 (control), 200, 300 and 400 mg l–1 ha–1). The results of the mean comparison show that the highest seed yield was obtained by spraying HA at 200 and 300 mg l–1 ha–1 at the beginning time of reproductive growth and recorded 2821 and 2773 kg ha–1, respectively. The results also show that the highest percentage of protein were recorded by foliar application of HA at 300 mg l–1 ha–1 during T2 treatment. The use of HA at 200 and 400 mg l–1 ha–1 treatments and T2 treatment had the highest protein percentage and protein yield. The results showed that the use of HA at different concentrations had a positive effect on chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll, seed yield and protein yield. Also, the time of application of HA had a significant impact on the measured traits. It seems that foliar application at the early period of reproductive growth has improved growth, increased flower fertility, and seed yield by increasing the absorption of nutrients. According to the results, foliar spraying with 300 mg l–1 ha–1 HA at the T3 is the most appropriate treatment for proper faba bean.

Productivity and quality of grain pea varieties cultivated in the Azov area of the Rostov region depending on hydrothermal factors

The current paper has presented the three-year study results of the impact of the regime of the main agrometeorological indicators (the amount of precipitation during the vegetation period, temperature and hydrothermal coefficient) on the size and quality of the yield of grain pea varieties of domestic and foreign breeding. It is most effective to cultivate high-yielding technological pea varieties with good grain quality, well adapted to various growing conditions (drought, waterlogging). On average, over the three years of study, productivity increase of the varieties ‘Sotnik’, ‘Amulet’, ‘Premier’, ‘Aliyans’, ‘Kadet’, ‘Ataman’,’ KVS La Mansh’ and ‘Glyans’ was on 0.57 t/ha more than that of the standard variety ‘Aksai Usatiy 5’. There have been identified the varieties ‘Kadet’, ‘Premier’, ‘Amulet’, ‘Velvet’ and ‘KVS La Mansh’ with a high protein percentage in grain (27.3–28.0%). According to the obtained results, we can say that protein percentage in grain of the studied pea varieties is directly affected by both the hydrothermal coefficient during the vegetation period and the productivity. The purpose of the current study was to investigate and analyze productivity and seed quality of the pea varieties, depending on the hydrothermal conditions in the Azov agro-climatic area of the Rostov region. These results obtained can be used in further breeding work. It is important that these varieties are adaptive to the soil and climatic conditions of the Rostov region, they are the initial material for breeding new highly productive pea varieties with a complex of economically valuable traits, as well as for growing under production conditions.