Soaking In Hot Water Research Articles

Refreshment of SrTiO3 Substrate for Layer Peeling‐off using Sacrificial Sr3Al2O6

AbstractThe use of water‐soluble sacrificial layer of Sr3Al2O6 has tremendously boosted the research on freestanding functional oxide thin films, especially thanks to its ultimate capability to produce high‐quality epitaxial perovskite thin films. However, the costly single‐crystalline substrates, e.g., SrTiO3, are generally discarded after obtaining the freestanding thin films. Here, it is demonstrated that the SrTiO3 substrates can be recycled to fabricate La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films with nearly identical structural and electrical properties. After attaining freestanding thin films, the residues on SrTiO3 can be removed by 80 °C hot water soaking and rinsing treatments. Consequently, the surface of SrTiO3 reverted to its original step‐and‐terrace structure.

Double cross-linked transparent superhydrophilic coating capable of anti-fogging even after abrasion and boiling.

The commercial application of surfaces with superhydrophilic (SHPL) properties is well known as an efficient strategy to address problems such as anti-fogging, anti-frosting, and anti-biological contamination. However, current SHPL coatings are limited by their poor water and abrasion resistances. Thus, herein, to solve these problems active glass was employed as a substrate, and a stable and transparent SHPL solution was prepared via the spraying process. Aqueous polyacrylic resin (PAA), SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs), tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), and sodium allyl sulfonate (SDS) were utilized as the four main components of the PAA-TEOS-SiO2 coating. The durability properties including anti-abrasion, resistance to water, and contact component loss were investigated via the Taber abrasion test, boiling water immersion test, and anti-fogging test, respectively. Furthermore, the structure, composition, and wettability of the coating before and after the friction and water immersion tests were compared via water contact angle (WCA) measurements. Furthermore, the effect of the type of resin on the properties of the coating was investigated. The surface morphology of the blended water-based polyacrylic acid (PAA) resin was uniform and flat and its adhesion to the substrate was the highest (4.21 MPa). Considering the durability and optical properties of the coating, the optimal blend was 3 wt% PAA resin, which exhibited a transmittance of 90%. When the content of TEOS, which enhanced the crosslinking in the coating, was increased to 2 wt%, the results showed that the SHPL coating maintained good anti-friction, boiling resistance, and anti-fogging properties under the conditions of 300 cycle Taber friction with 250 g load and soaking in hot water at 100 °C for 1 h. In particular, the excellent durability of strong acid and alkali resistance, heat resistance, and long-term aging resistance will facilitate the commercial viability and expand the application of SHPL coating in various research fields.

Characterization and pretreatment of breaking seed dormancy Livistona speciosa Kurz, collection of Bogor Botanical Gardens

The palm plant, Livistona speciosa Kurz, belongs to the Arecaceae family. The slow germination of the seeds is just one of the issues this plant faces throughout its growth. This research aims to identify seeds’ morphological traits and the breakdown of seed dormancy. Observations made were testing viability, moisture content, characteristics of fruit and seeds, the effect of pretreatment on seed germination. The dry heat treatment at 50°C, the hot water soak at 50°C, the soak with GA and IAA solution for 1 hour, and the seed scarification treatment are the methods used to treat seeds that are breaking their dormancy. The results revealed the fruit was rounded, average length: 26,755 ± 1,253 mm; Diameter: 21.33 ± 1,356 mm and weight: 7,786 ± 0.906 grams. Ovoid-shaped seeds; average length: 20,772 ± 1.182 mm; diameter: 16.561 ± 1,160 mm and weight: 3.756 ± 0.648 gr. The highest germination capacity (pre-treatment of oven-dry 50°C and immersion with GA and IAA treatments) and the highest germination coefficient and simultaneously (hot water treatment at 50°C).

Influence of Seed Priming on Germination of Pea (Pisum sativum)

Purpose: The Seed priming is an efficient method for synchronizing germination and increasing seed vigor. The experiment was performed in Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam, Sindh, Pakistan, to study and quantify the effect of different types of seed priming on the seed germination percentage and shoot and root length of pea.
 Methodology: The experiment was laid down in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangements. Five different priming treatments we used; T1 Soaking in water for 12 hours, T2 Soaking in 50oC hot water for 10 minutes, T3 Soaking in 2% NaCl solution for 10 minutes, T4 Soaking in 50% H2SO4 solution for 10 minutes, T5 Control (no priming).
 Findings: The results indicated a significant/ high effect of the priming treatments on the germination percentage, length of shoot, and length of roots. The highest germination percentage about (98%), the highest length of shoot about (4.26 cm), and the highest length of root about (10.92 cm) were observed from T3. The lowest germination percentage about (76%), the lowest length of shoot about (2.24cm), or the lowest length of root about (1.12 cm), result was observed from the (T5). These treatments were followed by germination percentage of about (94%), shoot length about (3.54 cm), and the length of root about (9.74 cm) from T2. It was followed by germination percentage of (88%) shoot length about (3.34 cm), length of root about (8.28 cm) from T1. This was followed by the germination percentage about (86%), shoot length about (2.44 cm), and length of root about (8.4 cm) from T4.
 Conclusion: Result of this experiment show significant effect of the priming treatment on the majority of seed germination and growth of components in the pea grain, including seed germination percentage, shoot and root length of pea.
 Recommendations: The study recommended that farmers to adopt seed priming. These practices among smallholder’s farmers should focus on enhancement of farmer awareness and know about seed priming. When farmers see that seed does not germinate properly like they expect, they should apply seed priming treatments.

Preliminary study of the pre-germinative treatments of Juniperus oxycedrus L. and Pistacia lentiscus L. in the Saida region (Western Algeria)

Abstract Juniperus oxycedrus L. and Pistacia lentiscus L. are two taxa with a rigid or rigid enough structure caused by a solid pericarp resulting in a strong inhibition of the germination. The objective of this work was to test the effectiveness of certain pre-germinative treatments on the germination rate of the Juniperus oxycedrus and Pistacia lentiscus seeds with the aim of restoring perturbed ecosystems. In this context 180 seeds from each of the 2 examined species were tested in the laboratory (the number of repetitions is 5, to reach the degree of freedom 'ddl'). The seeds were divided into 4 groups of 20 seeds of each species and were treated as follows: 1) Immersion in the concentrated (95%) sulphuric acid (H2SO4) for 10, 30 and 60 minutes; 2) Mechanical scarification with a scalpel; 3) Soaking in hot water (at 100°C) for 30 seconds, 60 seconds and 2 minutes; 4) Cold stratification at 5°C for 24 hours. There is also a control group of 20 seeds representing each of the two species, which remained neutral. In the case of the Juniperus oxycedrus seeds the results showed that the germination rate improves after the mechanical scarification with a scalpel (92%), followed by the cold stratification with water (86%) and a treatment with a concentrated sulphuric acid for 60 minutes (82%). The seeds were treated with H2SO4 for 10 and 30 minutes, respectively, soaked in hot water; the control lot did not germinate. The germination rate for the Pistacia lentiscus seeds is 88% after the mechanical scarification and 84% after the cold water stratification. On the other hand, the treatment with H2SO4 or after soaking in hot water does not allow for the germination of these seeds. The same result is observed on the control group (0% for 30 days).

Effect of seed pretreatment on germination of Bobgunnia madagascariensis (Desv.) J.H. Kirkbr & Wiersema

Knowledge of the method of seed germination is an important step of the domestication of crop plants. The objective of this study was to test the aptitude of germination of Bobgunnia madagascariensis (Desv.) using pretreatment condition. Eight batches of seeds were evaluated in two distinct substrates; namely sandy soil and ferralitic soil: (i) soaking of seed in cold water for 24 hours; (ii) soaking in hot water at 100 o C for 5 mm followed by in immersion into tap water for 24 hours, and (iii) scarification with razor blade. For each substrate, the treatments were compared to untreated controls. Results showed that seeds sown after scarification recorded the highest germination percentage (77.78%) with sandy soil (P < 0.05). Sandy soil also reduced the waiting time of germination (11.00 ± 0.00 days) and germination time (5.00 ± 0.5 days). Results of this study may serve as useful information for domestication of Bobgunnia madagascariensis (Desv.).

Preparation and analysis of Jatropha curcas seed flour‐based plywood bonding adhesives by oxidation methods

AbstractJatropha seeds flour is by‐product from the production of biomass diesel, which mainly composed of proteins and oligomeric carbohydrates. To create an environmentally friendly, low‐cost, and well performance adhesive for plywood bonding, the Jatropha seeds flour was used to prepare a protein‐based adhesives by oxidized with sodium periodate (NaIO4) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) at room temperature in this present work. The effect of two oxidizing agents on the bonding strength and water resistance were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic thermomechanical analysis were combined to study the thermal performance of this bio‐based adhesives, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was to characterize structural changes in the reaction process. The results show that the Jatropha protein adhesives oxidized by NaIO4 exhibited a good dry strength, but not on the 24 h cold water soaking wet strength and 3 h hot water (63°C) soaking wet strength. While the performance of the adhesive with KMnO4 oxidation treatment has significantly improved, especially the wet strength of 24 h cold water soaking and 3 h hot water (63°C) soaking as high as 0.84 MPa, 0.77 MPa respectively, which conformed to the standard requirement of GB/T9846‐2015 (≥0.7 MPa). Thus, the Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) oxidant was favored for Jatropha protein oxidation to prepare a protein adhesives, and its preparation process has been studied also in this work, meanwhile, the optimal oxidant addition ratio was confirmed as 12% based on the protein flour.

Effect of Pre-sowing Treatments on Germination and Initial Growth of Terminalia citrina: A Medicinal Tree Species in Bangladesh

Terminalia citrina (Gaertn.) Roxb. ex. Fleming (local name-Hatiyal) is an important medicinal tree species naturally grown in Sal and hill forests of Bangladesh. An experiment was conducted at the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh, to find out the effects of pre-sowing treatments on germination and vigor seedling production capability. Seeds were treated with six pre-sowing treatments, e.g. T0-seeds without any treatment (Control), T1-seeds soaking in normal water for 24 hours and sown in polybags (24º C), T2-seeds soaking in normal water for 48 hours and sown in polybags (24º C), T3-fruits sown in seedbed, T4-seeds soaking in hot water for 1 minute and sown in propagator house (80º C), and T5-seeds sown in propagator house. Highest germination percentage (95.83%), germination energy (37.5%), and germination value (1.0506) were found in T5 treatment (seed sown in propagator house) and significantly (p<0.05) different from other treatments. Collar diameter and leaf number were recorded after three and four months of seed germination. After 3 months of the last germination, maximum shoot height (46.6 cm) was revealed in T2 (seeds immersed in normal water for 48 hours and sown in polybags) treatment. Collar diameter (6.02 mm) and leaf number (12.6) were recorded highest in T2 treatment. The lowest diameter (4.23 mm) and leaf number (5.8) were found in T4 treatment (seeds soaking in hot water for 1 minute and sown in propagator house). Finally, seeds sown in the propagator house (sand media) revealed comparatively better germination behaviour but low growth performance. Seeds treated with normal water for 48 hours treatment revealed appropriate for vigour and quality seedlings production for T. citrina.

Effects of Different Seeds Pretreatments on the Germination of Five Local Trees: Four From The Fabaceae Family and One From the Bombacacea

The problem of the effectiveness of the established pre-treatments of seeds of local tree species is posed more and more often, with acuity. It appears necessary that studies are led to explore new methods of pre-treatment, or to update the old instructions applied, for a better success and at lower cost, of the production of seedlings. The present study concerned five species: Acacia nilotica, Adansonia digitata, Parkia biglobosa, Piliostigma reticulatum and Tamarindus indica. The methodology involved subjecting the seeds to three different pretreatments: (i) seeds treated with sulfuric acid (T0), (ii) seeds soaked in hot water for 24 hours (T1), (iii) seeds soaked in hot water for 48 hours (T2). For Acacia nilotica seeds, the different pretreatments did not result in statistically different germination rates. The germination rates are 77%, 65% and 62% (respectively for soaking in hot water for 48 hours, sulfuric acid and soaking in hot water for 24 hours). The different pretreatments also do not result in different germination rates for Tamarindus indica. Indeed, the germination rates after 30 days for this species are good but statistically identical (85% for the pretreatment with sulfuric acid and hot water for 24 hours). For Adansonia digitata, Parkia biglobosa and Piliostigma reticulatum, the sulfuric acid pretreatment gave the best germination rate (49%, 54% and 41% respectively). The results of this study may have practical consequences in terms of management of the different species studied. They show that immersing in boiling water and left for 24 hours and 48 hours yields fairly satisfactory germination rates for Acacia nilotica and Tamarindus indica seeds. These inexpensive techniques, accessible to all, can be considered as means to easily produce seedlings of these species.

Pre-Treatment Effect on Seed Germination of <i>Calopogonium mucunoide</i>s: A Promising Cover Crop for Land Restoration

Calopogonium mucunoides has been widely used as a pasture legume, cover crop and nitrogen fixing plant in tropical regions of the world. The present study investigated the effect of different pre-treatments on germination per cent (GP), mean germination time (MGT), germination value (GV), peak value (PV) and germination index (GI) of C. mucunoides. Experiment was conducted in Complete Randomized Design with four replications of 25 seeds for each treatment and control (25 seeds × 4 replicates × control/hot water/acid scarification/sand scarification/growth promoters = 52 experimental units). Seeds were subjected to different pretreatments viz., Hot water soaking at 40°C, 60°C, 80°C, 88°C; acid scarification using conc. H 2 SO 4 98% (1% (v/v), 3% (v/v), 5% (v/v); sand scarification, GA 3 treatment (500ppm and 1000ppm); KNO 3 treatment 0.1% (w/v), 1% (w/v), 3% (w/v). Results of germination parameters such as GP, MGT and GV were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Dunnett t (2-sided) statistical analysis and Post hoc Tukey HSD method was used for testing the significance between treatments. Results concluded that control seed produce the GP of 56% while sand scarification and hot water soaking of seeds enhanced the GP range from 80-97%.

Effect of Seed Size and Different Pretreatment Methods on Germination of Albizia zygia (DC.) J. F. Macbr

Albizia zygia produces valuable timber which has received some level of prominence in the international market. However, the seeds are dormant, and the tree species remain undomesticated. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of seed size and presowing on the germination of Albizia zygia in a nursery. Seeds were grouped into four categories in regard to their length, small (≤0.5 cm), medium (> 0.5 < 0.8 cm), large (≥0.8 cm), and mixture of small, medium, and large seeds. The seeds were subjected to five main seed pretreatment methods, namely, soaking in sulphuric acid (H2SO4) for 2 minutes, mechanical scarification, soaking in hot water for 5 minutes, soaking in cold water for 24 hours, and control where seeds were sown without any treatment. The results indicate that combination of mechanical scarification and large seeds produced the highest (100%) germination. Hot water treatment was effective in large seeds producing 69.0% germination. The increased germination for mechanically scarified seeds suggests that seed dormancy in Albizia zygia is mainly due to its hard seed coat. Therefore, it is recommended to farmers to adopt use of mechanical scarification and large seeds, since it is safe and effective.

Liquid-Immersion Reprocessing Effects on Filtration Efficiency of ‘Single-Use’ Commercial Medical Face Masks

PurposeMedical masks have inferior filtration efficiency and fit to filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) but are widely used in healthcare and the community. These masks are intended for disposal after use but in the event of mask shortage re-use after reprocessing may be an option. We investigated eight reprocessing methods that each involved washing or soaking in liquid, are likely to eliminate respiratory viruses, and are safe and available in most community and healthcare settings.MethodsThree brands of EN 14683 standards-compliant commercial medical mask were each reprocessed 10 times by one of eight methods. We measured filtration efficiency for poly-dispersed sodium chloride particles and pressure differential.ResultsCompared with new medical masks, reprocessed masks had significantly reduced filtration efficiency. The reduction was mild-moderate (6.5–25.8%) after warm water wash, hot water soak or boiling water soak; and moderate-large (24.1–51.5%) after detergent, soap or laundry machine wash, or bleach soak. There were mixed and minor changes in pressure differential. Most reprocessed standards-compliant masks had better filtration efficiency than new non-standard commercial masks and then cotton and cotton-polyester mix fabric samples, even triple-layered fabrics.ConclusionsHigh-quality commercial medical masks reprocessed 10 times by water immersion methods had better filtration efficiency than new non-standard masks and washable fabrics. These findings have particular relevance for community and low-resource healthcare settings.

Development of Accelerated Soaking Method for Mustard using Microwave Assisted Heating

Mustard seeds are generally undergone the soaking process before use in any food application. But soaking mustard in water takes lots of time and energy. Therefore, the present investigation was carried out to study the soaking characteristics of mustard seed in different soaking conditions. The mustard seed was soaking in ambient water, hot water, and microwave heating applications. The initial moisture content of the mustard seed was found to be 12.64 % db. The moisture gain was found to be 55.46 % db in ambient water soaking after 360 min. In the hot water soaking, the moisture gain was estimated to be 68.33 % db, 80.40 % db, and 86.18 % db at 40°C, 50°C, and 60°C, respectively. The moisture gains in microwave-assisted soaking at 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 W/g power densities level were found to be 67.77 % db, 67.80 % db, 103.28 % db, 115.08 % db, 131.51 % db, respectively after 10 min. The Peleg model was found to be suitable for describing the soaking characteristics of mustard seed at all soaking conditions with higher R2 values. Among all the soaking methods, microwave-assisted soaking showed the best soaking characteristics of mustard with less time consumption and with more amount of moisture gain. Therefore, microwave-assisted soaking of mustard seed may be recommended for soaking of mustard which is less time-consuming and energy-saving process.

Comparative Evaluation of Soaking Characteristics of Chickpea using Ambient water, Hot water and Microwave-assisted Heating

Aims: Soaking followed by cooking is the main aspect of chickpea processing which reduces the time consumption in the cooking process for achieving the desired cooking texture and nutritional qualities. But soaking chickpea in ambient water is very time-consuming. Therefore, the present investigation was carried out to study the soaking characteristics of chickpea in different soaking conditions.
 Place and Duration of Study: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Centurion University of Technology & Management, between January 2021 to June 2021.
 Methodology: The chickpea was soaked in ambient water, hot water, and microwave heating applications.
 Results: The initial moisture content of the chickpea was found to be 14.39 % wet basis throughout the experiments. The moisture gain experimental was calculated and was found to be 45.21 % dry basis (db) in ambient water soaking. In the hot water soaking, the moisture gain was estimated to be 50.74 % db, 53.28 % db, and 65.18 % db at 40°C, 50°C, and 60°C, respectively after 360 min (6h) of soaking period. The moisture gains in microwave-assisted soaking at 0.2 W/g, 0.4 W/g, 0.6 W/g, 0.8 W/g, and 1.0 W/g power densities levels were found to be 44.78 % db, 64.44 % db, 81.42 % db, 106.36 % db, and 115.95 % db, respectively after 10 min. The Peleg model was found to be suitable for describing the soaking characteristics of chickpea at all soaking conditions with higher R2 values. The Peleg capacity constant and rate constant didn’t show any particular trend in all the soaking methods.
 Conclusion: Among all the soaking methods, microwave-assisted soaking showed the best soaking characteristics of chickpea with less time consumption and with more amount of moisture gain. Therefore, microwave-assisted may be recommended for soaking chickpea which is a less time-consuming and energy-saving process.

The effect of processing methods on the quality of soy milk

The obstacle in the manufacture of soy milk is the beany flavour that derives from the soybean. Various soy milk processing technologies are used to eliminate the beany flavour, including soaking soybeans before grinding, peeling the soybean skin, heating, and giving them flavor. The objectives of this study were 1) to determine the protein content of soy milk by various processing methods; 2) to determine the level of consumer preference for soy milk by several processing methods and flavor variants. The results showed that the processing method using soybean skin and without hot water soaking had the highest soy milk protein content of 2.38%, while the lowest was in the processing method skinless soybean and hot water soaking of 1.73%. Organoleptic assays for color, aroma, viscosity, and taste parameters ranged from normal to liking for all treatments. For the parameter of beany flavor in soy milk, the control sample had the highest level. Organoleptically, giving coffee and chocolate flavor variants are proven to reduce the level of the beany flavor of soy milk.

Microwave-assisted parboiling of high moisture paddy: A comparative study based on energy utilization, process economy and grain quality with conventional parboiling

Parboiled rice (PBR) is extremely popular in South Asian nations however, the conventional process of parboiling performed for PBR production is energy and time intensive. In the present work, a unique approach of parboiling is proposed in which high moisture freshly harvested paddy was taken as the raw material for parboiling and the conventional hot water soaking (HWS) was replaced by microwave-assisted soaking (MWS). An in-depth comparative assessment was carried out between the conventional parboiling (CP) and the microwave-assisted parboiling (MWP) based on actual and theoretical energy consumption and feasibility of the MWP was ascertained given process economy and PBR qualities into account. An overall energy saving of 20.48% was achieved through MWS as compared to HWS. The specific energy consumption for steaming during MWP was found to be 78.22 kJ kg−1 which is 48.47% lower as compared to the CP. Moreover, the overall processing time and cost of processing were reduced by 6.91 h and 1583 INR/ton for MWP in comparison to CP. From the quality point of view, MWP resulted in a lower broken percentage, higher grain whiteness and lower cooking time of the PBR produced.

The properties of cement boards reinforced with coconut coir fiber (Cocos nucifera) as building materials

Cement board is a composite made from lignocellulosic biomass or other materials and bonded with cement, that has advantages such as fire and termite resistance, and can use for some purposes. The cement board’s quality is affected by the biomass’s chemical components, especially hemicellulose and extractives. Treatment to reduce the content of these two compounds in fiber can improve the cement board quality. This study aimed to evaluate the cement board’s properties reinforced with coconut coir fiber (CCF). Pretreatment was performed on fibers by soaking in cold water for 24 hours and soaking in hot water for 1 hour to reduce the chemical compounds. The ratio between fiber-cement used varied to 1:2.75, 1:3.0, and 1:3.25 based on weight, while magnesium chloride (MgCl2) uses at 2.5% of cement weight as an accelerator. The mixtures hand-matt formed and cold-pressed for 24 hours, with a density of the board was 1.25 g/cm3. The panels kept for 28 days before tested. Physical and mechanical tests conducted according to ISO 8335-1987. Results showed that the cement board’s physical and mechanical properties made from CCF soaked in hot water at the ratio fiber to the cement of 1:3.25 is the best properties compared to others.

THE EFFECT OF THREE PRETREATMENTS ON BREAKING SEED DORMANCY OF BAOBAB (ADANSONIA DIGITATA L.)

Objective: Baobab (Adansonia digitata) is a native tree that is found in African savannas, it is a member of family ‘Malvaceae’. The tree is found in Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and in different regions of western Madagascar. Seed dormancy is the most limiting factor for some plants propagation. Dormancy allows seeds to separate from their mother plant and survive dispersal, over distance, and time before growth recommences. This study was aimed to determine the effect of three pre-treatments on breaking the seed dormancy of Adansonia digitata L., a multi-purpose and indigenously endangered tree.
 Methods: The study was carried out in the greenhouse of the Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Nigeria. The three pre-treatments are: Soaking in hot water (100°C) for 5, 10, 15, and 20 min; and soaking in sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and hydrochloric acid (HCL) concentrations (100%, 75%, 50%, and 25%) for 5, 10, 15, and 20 min. Untreated seeds served as control. These were laid out in a complete randomized design with three replications. Data were collected on germination percentage, germination rate, day of emergence, and the average seedlings height.
 Results: The result showed that earliest mean days of emergence (7 days) were observed in seeds subjected to hot water treatment at 15 min. It also showed the highest rate of germination and percentage 6 (100%). On the other hand, the effect of acids (H2SO4 and HCL) pre-treatments on the seeds gave a fair result (16.66–33.33%), untreated seeds did not germinate.
 Conclusion: All the pre-treatments used in the study were found to be effective. However, soaking of seeds in hot water (100°C) pre-treatment for 15 min is recommended for breaking the seed dormancy of A. digitata.

Effects of equi-protein replacement of soybean meal with graded levels of differently processed rubber seed meal on health status of broiler chickens

The nutritional qualities of feed stuff are best examined on the effect of it on the health status of animals, this experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of incorporation of graded levels of differently processed rubber seed meal (RSM) into broiler chicken diets on the health status of the birds. Two samples of RSM were subjected to different processing methods; soaking in hot water (HWRSM) and roasting (RRSM) and were incorporated into broiler chicken diets to replace soya bean meal at 15, 25 and 35% equi-protein replacement levels in six weeks feeding trial. At maturity of the birds, blood was collected for haematological (packed cell volume; erythrocyte sedimentation rate; Red blood cells; Haemoglobin concentration; mean cell volume; mean cell haemoglobin and mean cell haemoglobin concentration; lymphocytes; neutrophils; monocytes; basophiles and eosinophil) and Serological parameters (total serum protein; aspartic aminotransferase; alkaline aminotransferase; cholesterol; urea; albumin; globulin; albumin / globulin and creatinine). The result showed that there were no significant (P≥0.05) differences in all haematological variables and serological indices measured except cholesterol, as compared with those birds on soybean meal-based diets. The values of cholesterol of birds on the dietary treatments were significantly lower than those in soybean meal-based diet. The average values of all haematological variables; packed cell volume (27.50 - 28.67% ); erythrocyte sedimentation rate(3.00 -3.33%); Red blood cells ( 3.10 - 3.70%); Haemoglobin concentration (9.15 - 9.55%); mean cell volume (81.70- 93.07%); mean cell haemoglobin (27.31-31.01pg) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (33.16-33.37 g/dL) lymphocytes (30.17-31.33%); neutrophils (22.17- 24.50%); monocytes (10.50 -13.33%); basophiles (2.33 -2.83%); eosinophil (0.67 -1.33%) and serological indices; TSP (3.16 -3.74 mg/dl); aspartic aminotransferase (16.50 - 21.30 µ/d ); alkaline aminotransferase (4.84 -10.40 µ/d), cholesterol (107.64 -146.32 mg/dL); Urea (10.22 - 11.08 mg/dL); Albumin (11.63 - 14.18 g/dL) Globulin (7.47 -17.70 g/dL); Albumin / globulin (0.85 - 2.79) and creatinine (4.98- 6.80 mg/dL) were within the established range for healthy birds. Suggesting that feeding of processed rubber seed meals-based diets have no noticeable adverse effect on health status of broiler chickens and can be included in their meal at these levels.

Effect of scarification treatments on seed germination of guava (Psidium guajava)

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of pre-sowing and scarification treatments on seed germination and seedling growth of guava (Psidium guajava L.) in the laboratories of the Department of Seed Science and Technology, CCS HAU, Hisar during the year 2015. There were three scarification methods with different treatments under study, i.e. water soaking (for 24, 48 and 72 hr), hot water soaking (at 70, 80, 90 and 100ºC) and sulphuric acid soaking (at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% concentration). Duration for hot water soaking and sulphuric acid soaking was kept as quick dip (5 seconds), 1 min. and 3 min. The study revealed that pre soaking the seeds in hot water and sulphuric acid greatly increased germination, especially soaking of seeds in 20% sulphuric acid solution for 3 min., which showed up to 72% germination. Parameters like germination%, mean germination time, seedling length and seedling vigour were positively affected by all the scarification treatments. Seed viability decreased but the standard germination efficiently increased due to scarification treatments. Hot water soaking at 80ºC temperature for 1 min. improved germination and resulted in maximum seedling length (6.03 cm) in laboratory. Seeds treated with higher sulphuric acid concentrations or soaked in hot water at higher temperature showed poor germination as well as poor vigour. Seeds without any scarification treatment showed poor germination.