Increase In Oil Content Research Articles

Influence of Drying Methods on Bioactive Properties,Fatty Acids and Phenolic Compounds of Different Parts of Ripe and Unripe Avocado Fruits.

All drying processes increased oil content, antioxidant activity, total phenolic contents, and most of the phenolic compounds in the pulp, peel and seeds of both ripe fruits with varied degrees (p < 0.05). In addition, the processes reduced the oil contents, linoleic acids, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, (+)-catechin, and naringenin of the pulp, antioxidant activity of the peels and seeds, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, (+)-catechin of the seeds and it enhanced all other parameters in the pulp, peel, and seeds of unripe fruits (p < 0.05). Comparing the phenolic profiles of avocado pulp, peels, and seeds of ripe and unripe fruits indicated that the peel and seeds are richer than the pulp and that is superior in unripe fruits than ripe ones. In addition, drying processes particularly microwave and air drying greatly enhanced the bioactive properties of ripe and unripe avocado fruits and could thus be used to elongate the shelf-life of avocado fruit products without major impact on the overall quality.

Effects of Oil/Moisture Changes after Using Herbal Peeling Therapy on Women in their 20s and 30s with Comedonal Acne Skin

Purpose: Nowadays, modern people are stressed both externally and internally, and as their lifestyle changes, their skin becomes more sensitive. Peeling reportedly results in fundamental improvements on the skin; it compensates for skin defects and makes the skin healthy. It is also used in aesthetics or in the hospital to manage signs of skin aging, such as wrinkles. This study aimed to present useful basic data for improving skin care by comparing and verifying oil and moisture changes. Here, we applied herbal peeling therapy to evaluate its effectiveness and development potential for skin improvement. Methods: This study examined 15 women in their 20s and 30s who had comedonal acne on the face to compare the oil and moisture changes to determine the efficacy of the peeling therapy in improving skin condition. Results: After the experiment, groups A and B demonstrated statistically significant increases in oil content (p =0.0369 and p =0.0438, respectively). However, only group A showed a statistically significant increase in moisture (p =0.009 vs. p =0.1569). Conclusion: Overall, peeling improved the comedonal acne of the subjects, except for some because of inability to control the side effects due to climate change. We look forward to conducting additional research to provide the beauty service industry with filling management without side effects.

Behavior of concentrated emulsions prepared by acid-hydrolyzed insoluble microalgae proteins from Chlorella protothecoides.

Microalgae are a promising alternative source to meet the increasing global demand for protein. The insoluble microalgae protein fraction that makes up over half of the protein composition of the biomass has shown potential to serve as a functional emulsifier after acidic hydrolysis. However, creaming was observed due to the flocculation of emulsion droplets, suggesting a preferable use in concentrated emulsions. In this study, we examined the emulsifying behavior of the untreated insoluble microalgae protein fraction and two of its hydrolysates obtained in 0.5 mol L-1 HCl for 4 h at 65 °C (Hydrolysates 65) or 85 °C (Hydrolysates 85), at a concentration of 3% (w/w), and elevated levels of oil (50-70%). The results showed an increase in droplet size and apparent viscosity with increasing oil content in the emulsions. The emulsions made with Hydrolysates 85 had the smallest droplet size and the highest apparent viscosity. The gravitational separation was hindered when oil content was increased. The Hydrolysates 85 stabilized emulsions had a gel-like structure and were stable against coalescence or creaming during a 7 day storage test. The results suggest that the thermal acid-treated fraction Hydrolysates 85 may, in particular, be a good emulsifier to formulate concentrated emulsion-based foods with oil content over 50%, such as mayonnaise, salad dressings, or dips. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Investigating the Marshall and Volumetric Properties of Asphalt Concrete Containing Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement and Waste Oils Using Response Surface Methodology

This research aimed to use response surface methodology (RSM) for investigating the Marshall Stability (MS), flow and Voids in Mineral Aggregates (VMA) of asphalt concrete containing different percentages of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and rejuvenated by different percentages of waste cooking and engine oil. Variables of RAP content in 3 different levels of 25, 50 and 75% (by the weight of total aggregates) and waste oils content in 3 different levels of 5, 10 and 15% (by the weight of total binder) were selected. Quadratic and linear two factor interaction models were well fitted to the experimental results. Analysis of variance showed that the models were capable to well predict the MS, flow and VMA of the mixtures, and the terms of oil and RAP content and type of oil are significant. MS, flow and VMA increased with increasing RAP content and decreased with increasing oil content. Results also reveal that higher MS, flow and VMA values are resulted by using WEO than using WCO. Some interaction effects were found between RAP content, oil content and type of oil on the responses. Optimization analysis showed that using 10.6% of WCO and 15% of WEO, allows a maximum RAP incorporation of 75 and 51.77%, respectively, by which the properties are similar to control mix. Use of the rejuvenators allows using high RAP content without sacrificing the properties of the mixtures.

Новый скороспелый сорт сои Заряница для условий Сибири

The use of new, early maturing cultivars with high productivity potential, and availability of effective herbicides have created real preconditions for the widespread introduction of soybean in the Western and Eastern Siberia. Modern cultivars should be characterized by: high and stable yields over the years in certain soil and climatic conditions of cultivation; suitability for complex mechanization of cultivation and high quality of products. Objective of the research was to evaluate a new soybean cultivar Zaryanitsa by yield and quality potential. The cultivar is included into the State Register of the Russian Federation (Patent No 9532) in 2018 in the Eastern Siberian region (11), is recommended for production in the Krasnoyarsk region. The studies we carried out in a nursery of competitive trial of the laboratory of leguminous crops breeding of the Omsk Agrarian Scientific Center from 2011 to 2019. The cultivar Zaryanitsa is early maturing (duration of the vegetative period is about 102 days), is characterized with slow growth at initial phases of development and simultaneous maturing, does not lodge and shatter, the location of the lower pods is high. These qualities make it possible to cultivate it in the harsh climatic conditions of Siberia and annually receive conditioned seeds with minimal losses during harvesting. The yield of the cultivar Zaryanitsa was noted at the standard level of the cultivar Sibirhachka (2.38 t per ha), the oil content in seeds was increased (+1.93% to st.) in average over the research period (nine years). The cultivar is characterized as stable ( &lt; 1) of intensive type (bi &gt; 1). In the Omsk Agrarian Research Center the cultivar Zaryanitsa is included into a scheme of crosses as a source of early maturity, stable yield, increased oil content in seeds.

AtMIF1 increases seed oil content by attenuating GL2 inhibition.

Vegetable oil is a major edible oil and an important industrial raw material. However, breeders have found it challenging to improve the oil content of crop seeds, and little is known about regulators with the potential to increase oil content via molecular engineering in modern oil crop breeding. We reported an F-box protein, Arabidopsis thaliana MYB Interaction Factor 1 (AtMIF1), which is a member of the ubiquitin-protein ligase E3 complex involved in the 26S proteasome protein degradation pathway. AtMIF1 physically interacts with MYB domain protein 5 (MYB5), which results in MYB5 degradation, so that transcriptional activation of the MYB/bHLH/WD-repeat (MBW) complex does not occur normally and GLABRA2 (GL2), encoding an inhibitor of oil content and functioning as a direct downstream gene of MBW, is not properly transcribed. AtMIF1 functioned as a positive regulator that increases oil content by attenuating GL2 inhibition. We overexpressed AtMIF1 and obtained transgenic plants with significantly higher seed oil contents. Importantly, both vegetative and reproductive growth of the transgenic plants appeared normal. In summary, this work reveals a novel regulator, AtMIF1, and a new regulatory pathway, 26S proteasome-AtMIF1-MYB5, for increasing the oil content of seeds without affecting plant growth, thus facilitating oil crop breeding.

Seed-specific overexpression of cotton GhDGAT1 gene leads to increased oil accumulation in cottonseed

As the main byproduct of cotton fiber, the cotton seed yields about 1.6 times that of fiber, with its oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids, mainly linoleic acid. It is desirable for breeders to increase the oil content of cottonseed without affecting the yield and quality of cotton fiber. In this study, a seed-specific promoter- (alpha-globulin gene promoter-) driven GhDGAT1 overexpression vector (PαGlob-GhDGAT1) was constructed and used to transform an upland cotton line YZ1 (Gossypium hirsutum). Overexpression of the cotton gene GhDGAT1 in cotton seeds increased its total oil content from 4.7% to 13.9% in different transgenic lines and different generations. With the increase of oil content, the composition and contents of the main fatty acids in cotton seed also changed, as reflected by the contents of the main saturated fatty acids and unsaturated oleic acid. GhDGAT1 could be used to increase oil content and improve oil composition in cottonseed.

Fabrication and Evaluation of Spironolactone-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carries for Cardiac Tissue Regeneration.

Background:Spironolactone (SP) is a lipophilic aldosterone receptor antagonist that few studies have reported its effect on cardiac remodeling. In addition, fewer researches have considered its influence on cardiomyocyte viability and potential benefits for myocardial tissue remodeling.Method:In this study, stearic acid (SA) (solid lipid) and oleic acid (OA) (liquid lipid) were utilized to produce nanostructured lipid carries (NLCs) (various ratios of SA to OA and water amount, F1: 80:20 [30 ml water], F2: 80:20 [60 ml water], F3: 70:30 [30 ml water], and F4: 70:30 [60 ml water]) containing SP and their particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and release profile were measured. The purpose of encapsulating SP in NLCs was to provide a sustain release system. Meanwhile, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay with different concentrations of SP-loaded NLCs (SP-NLCs) was conducted to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the NLCs on rat myocardium cells (H9C2).Results:Increase of oil content to 10 wt% reduced the particle size from 486 nm (F1) to 205 nm (F2). Zeta potential of the samples at around −10 mV indicated their agglomeration tendency. After 48 h, SP-NLCs with the concentrations of 5 and 25 μM showed significant improvement in cell viability while the same amount of free SP-induced cytotoxic effect on the cells. SP-NLCs with higher concentration (50 μM) depicted cytotoxic effect on H9C2 cells.Conclusion:It can be concluded that 25 μM SP-NLCs with sustain release profile had a beneficial effect on cardiomyocytes and can be used as a mean to improve cardiac tissue regeneration.

Effects of Foliar Applications of Zinc in the Forms of Free Mineral or Amino Acid Complexed on Qualitative Characteristics of Olive Oil

AbstractAn orchard experiment was conducted during two successive years to evaluate the effectiveness of the foliar application of zinc (Zn) in mineral form (ZnSO4) or chelated with various amino acids (AAC) on the oil content, qualitative indices, and fatty acid profile of olive oil. All Zn sources were applied at a rate of 0.2% during two growth stages; at full bloom (FB) and 15 days after FB. The results showed that Zn, regardless of applied sources, accumulated more Zn in leaves and fruits compared to the control. The effectiveness of Zn‐AAC in increasing leaf and fruit Zn concentration was higher than ZnSO4. In both years, an increase in oil content and concentration of phenolic compounds and chlorophyll in the oil was observed when trees were treated with Zn, although these effects were dependent on the Zn sources. In general, the Zn‐AAC treatments, especially Zn‐methionine (Met), was more effective than ZnSO4. Zn‐AAC treatments increased the L* value and b* intensity, while decreasing the a* value of olive oil compared to the control. However, ZnSO4 had a slight or no significant effect on oil color. The oil fatty acid profile was also affected by Zn. The Zn‐Met and Zn‐Glycine (Gly) were more effective than the other Zn sources in increasing monounsaturated fatty acid, specifically oleic acid of oil in both years, respectively. These results could suggest that the application of Zn‐AAC, especially Zn‐Met and Zn‐Gly, can be considered as a new strategy to improve olive oil quality and quantity in Zn‐deficient soils.

FORMATION OF OIL CONTENT IN OIL RADISH SEEDS DEPENDING ON APPLIED MICROELEMENTS

In the article the results of studying of features of role of trace elements in the formation of the quality indicators of seeds of oilseed radish in two varieties are reflected. Systematized the views of various researchers on the processes of formation of oil content in cruciferous crops in general and radish oilseed in particular, given the current strategy of fertilizer oilseed crops of the family Cruciferae. Studied feature of the stages of the implementation and effectiveness of mono-component micronutrients in the form of easily soluble and readily available substances. The studied set of microelements included the recommended list of physiologically important components of modern microfertilizer formats and their chemical composition in order to optimally analyze the effectiveness of application for their single application in two key phases of oilseed radish – the phenological phase of stalking and the phenological phase of flowering. The use of each of micronutrients was effective and substantial compared to the oil content of seeds of both cultivars of oilseed radish given the level of oil content in seeds in control variant. The magnitude of the variation in the oil index was estimated taking into account the differences in the nature of the hydrothermal regimes of the research period. This allowed to determine the degree of genotypic nature of the formation of the oil content of seeds in oilseed radish and the possibility and effectiveness of selection of appropriate genotypes with the prospect of obtaining oil in the technical direction of use. Also assessed the role of individual micronutrients in the magnitude of the volatility of oil content in seeds of oilseed radish. Determined that the increase of oil content in seeds of oilseed radish the addition of various trace elements in the range of 0.3-1.4% from the close dynamic the resulting effective action on the formation of this indicator in the form of Co&gt;Zn&gt;Cu&gt;B&gt;Mn&gt;Mo. It is proved that the efficacy of these minerals increases with introducing them into the flowering stage, which is a critical period regarding the implementation of the reproductive potential of the plants of oilseed radish and the formation of appropriate indicators of the quality of its seeds. The recommendations for further research in the field of optimization of fertilizer radish seeds and micronutrients were formulated. Key words: oilseed radish, fertilizer, microelements, seed quality, oil content, variety.

Cyclic degradation and pore pressure dynamics of EICP treated hydrocarbon contaminated sands

Enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) is an innovative bio-inspired approach that has emerged in recent years, offering a more environmentally sustainable option for soil improvement. The present article aims at extensively examining the effect of EICP treatment on the cyclic response of silty sands containing petroleum hydrocarbon compounds. Strain-controlled cyclic triaxial tests have been carried out on hydrocarbon contaminated sand with and without EICP treatment. Several independent variables such as hydrocarbon content (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10%), shear strain amplitudes (0.5% and 1%), and curing period (7 days and 14 days) were considered in the study. Prior to this, a baseline analysis was conducted to determine the effect of EICP treatment solution composition on the efficiency of carbonate precipitation. The effectiveness of the treatment was systematically investigated based on cyclic pore pressure response and degradation of cyclic shear modulus. The results revealed that petroleum contamination moderately increases the cyclic resistance up to a transition point beyond which it falls off sharply. The coupled effect of increasing oil content and curing time of EICP treatment has also been assessed. The variation of cyclic strength with crude oil content results in a single-peaked profile for both untreated and treated specimens. EICP treatment increases the cyclic resistance of oil-contaminated sand up to 1.5 times by suppressing the excess pore pressure build-up. A signification recovery in the degradation parameter, as high as 80%, was also observed. However, with increasing oil content and shear strain levels, the efficacy of EICP treatment exhibited a remarkable decline. The microstructural mechanism believed to be responsible for such a behavior has also been discussed.

The development and characterization of novel in-situ bigel formulation

The preparation of a novel in-situ bigel system, using hot emulsification, based on a glycerol monostearate (GMS) oleogel and a gelatin hydrogel, with the addition of lecithin and glycerol as surfactant and co-surfactant, respectively, was established. This combination led to the formation of a bi-continuous system of a hydrogel polymeric network and an oleogel crystalline network. The effect of bigel composition, water:oil ratio, and homogenization time on bigel structure, hardness, and stability was examined. A positive relationship was found between the structuring agent concentration and gel hardness and stability, with maximum enhancement at 2 %wt. gelatin and 25 %wt. GMS. Lecithin showed maximum strength enhancement and stabilization at 5 %wt. of the oil phase, above which a significant decrease was observed. Increasing oil content up to 50 %wt. led to an increase in hardness, but further increasing of oil content above 50 %wt. failed to produce stable bigels. Superior mechanical and stability properties were observed when the samples were homogenized for 3 min. Optimized bigel systems maintained their mechanical integrity for 90 days with a moderate decrease in OBC. Moreover, low PV, below 10 meqkg−1, were maintained for 30 days at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C, compared with the oil sample. An opposite trend was, however, observed in the TBA values, suggesting different transition kinetics between the primary and secondary oxidation products. These results provide a comprehensive overview of the composition-structure-function relationship of the bigel system, which should be considered in future development of textured food products.

Effect of different drying treatments on the quality of camellia oleifera seed oil

The traditional drying method of Camellia oleifera seeds is sun drying and shade drying. In order to further improve the oil content and production efficiency, light and no light treatment were carried out and the oil quality was compared. The results show that the oil contents of these seeds (light treatment, 37.17 ± 0.68%; no light, 36.15 ± 0.57%) were higher than those obtained from sun-dried (33.15 ± 1.23%) or shade-dried (34.29 ± 0.86%) seeds. Increased oil content after light and no-light treatment was attributed to saturated fatty acids and linoleic acid. Squalene content was 2.82–3.68 times higher than that in Camellia oleifera seed oil treated by sun drying and shade drying. Principal component analysis ranking of the comprehensive score was: sun-dried > no-light-treated > light-treated > shade-dried. Heatmap analysis showed two categories of [sun drying + shade drying] and [light treatment + no-light treatment]. Random forest analysis showed that the strongest factors on seed oil quality were: Δ-7-stigmasterol, α-tocopherol, and β-tocopherol.

Effects on Oil/Moisture Changes Using Commercial Brand Cosmetics versus DIY Cosmetics in Women in their 20s and 30s with Dry Skin

Purpose: With the increased interest in skincare and consumption of natural products, the improvement of expectations for internal health and external beauty has also affected the Do It Yourself (DIY) cosmetics market. Therefore, this study aimed to present the possibility of future development of DIY cosmetics through experiments that compare and analyze the effects of DIY cosmetics made by the company itself with high-priced cosmetics in the market. Methods: Six women in their 20s and 30s with oil and moisture deficiency type dry skin were tested by dividing the cheeks into the application group of expensive marketing cosmetics and DIY cosmetics and then comparing the values of oil and moisture in these groups. Results: In the variation on the increase in oil volume after experimentation, the application group of DIY cosmetics had a statistical significance of p=0.004 (*p <0.05), and the application group of commercial cosmetics had a significance of p =0.002 (*p <0.05). Therefore, both groups showed statistically significant increases in oil content, resulting in significant increase in oil volume after experimentation. After the experiment, both groups showed a statistically significant increase in moisture (p =0.001 (*p <0.05) for the DIY cosmetics group and p =0.000 (*p <0.01) for commercial cosmetics group). Conclusion: Through this study, it has been verified that there is no difference in efficacy between DIY cosmetics and expensive cosmetics, and we hope to present the development potential of DIY cosmetics that are safer and more effective through various studies in the future.

A RIPENESS STUDY OF OIL PALM FRESH FRUIT AT THE BUNCH DIFFERENT POSITIONS

The paper aims to study the position of the optimum oil palm ripeness at the bunch different positions. This information is essential to complete a measurement procedure to detect oil palm fresh fruit bunch (FFB) maturity so that the detection devices can directly measure the optimal mature position as a representative of the entire FFB characteristics. In this study, the oil palm FFB (Elaeis guineensis Jacq. var. tenera) with the various ripeness stages (4 until 22 weeks after anthesis) were collected and divided from three positions, i.e., proximal, central and distal. Moreover, each fruit in each of these positions was subjected to sample preparation to identify water and oil content. The water and oil content were completed based on the oven test method and the Soxhlet extraction technique, respectively. The optimum ripeness position is determined based on the lowest water content and the highest oil content. Based on the analysis, during the process of oil palm maturation occurs a decrease in water content and an increase in oil content. In addition, the average water content of palm fruit varies greatly depending on its position based on the analysis, i.e., proximal (45.38±5.62%), central (35.30±3.34%) and distal (41.98±2.57%). The average oil content of oil palm fruit in the central position is higher oil content (25.10±1.72%) compared to the proximal (10.00±0.77%) and distal position (13.77±1.22%). We suspect that the chemical content differences of palm fruit in various positions are due to the inequality of the respiration rate and ethylene production throughout FFB. In addition, overall it can be concluded that the fruit in the central FFB position has an optimal ripeness level compared to the proximal and distal position. Thus, the measurement position recommended in evaluating palm maturity is at the central position of FFB.

Chemical Properties of Soil in Four-Field Crop Rotations under Organic and Conventional Farming Systems

In agriculture, the farming system significantly affects chemical soil properties. The organic system, which is based among others on the use of natural (organic) fertilizers, promotes increased soil contents of humus, organic C, and micronutrients. The conventional system, in turn, may cause soil acidification if high rates of mineral (particularly nitrogen) fertilization are used. The crop plant species also modifies soil chemistry by providing different (quantitatively and qualitatively) crop residues. The study was conducted over the period 2013–2016 in Czesławice (Lublin Region, Poland). The aim of this study was to determine the content of some chemical components determining the quality of loess soil on which four plant species were grown under organic and conventional farming systems. This research involved the determination of some parameters of the chemical composition of the soil: soil pH, total sorption capacity, humus content, macronutrient (P, K, Mg) and micronutrient (B, Cu, Mn, Zn) content, organic carbon, and total nitrogen content. The content of different forms of nitrogen, N-NO3 and N-NH4, was also determined. The experimental design included two crop rotations (organic and conventional) in which identical plant species were grown: potato—winter wheat—field bean—spring barley. The experiment was established on loess soil with the grain size distribution of silt loam and classified as good wheat soil complex (soil class II). It was carried out as a split-plot design in three replicates, and the area of a single plot was 80 m2. Soil samples were taken using a soil sampling tube from an area of 0.20 m2 (from the 0–25 cm layer) in each plot at the end of the growing season of the specific crops grown. Over the four year study period, it was found that the organic system contributed to an increased soil content of magnesium, boron, copper, manganese, zinc, organic carbon, and total nitrogen. Moreover, organic cropping promoted more favorable soil pH and higher soil humus content. Organic cropping significantly improved the total sorption capacity of the soil compared to conventional cultivation. Moreover, the organic system contributed to a higher soil content of nitrogen in the form of N-NH4 and its lower content in the form of N-NO3. Under the conventional system, in turn, a higher soil phosphorus and potassium content was observed. To sum up, the study confirmed the assumed hypothesis that the organic farming system would contribute to an improvement in the chemical quality indicators of loess soil. Regardless of the cropping system, potato and field bean had the most beneficial effect on soil chemistry, whereas cereal crops showed the weakest effect. Winter wheat and spring barley had an effect on significantly lower total sorption capacity of the soil and a significantly lower soil content of N-NO3 and N-NH4.

Sulphur on Groundnut Yield and Quality

Groundnut yield is enhanced by the sulfur supplement which aids in the improvement of chlorophyll synthesis leading to higher partitioning of assimilates resulting in high growth and yield parameters. Sulfur deficiency results in poor flowering, fruiting, cupping of leaves, reddening of stems, petiole and stunted growth. Sulfur is required for the synthesis of protein, oils and vitamins. Methionine (21 % S), cysteine (26 % S), Cystine (27 % S) are important amino-acids that are supplied by sulfur triggers protein synthesis and biochemical reactions that increases oil content and oil quality .Variety of sulfur sources and levels had been tried in experiments by researchers to evaluate the potential level that sustains high growth, yield and productivity of groundnut resulting in higher net returns. Application of sulfur about 40-60 kg ha-1 proved to an optimistic level through gypsum sources for groundnut.

Effect of Oil Content and Composition on the Gelling Properties of Egg-SPI Proteins Stabilized Emulsion Gels

Effects of different oils on the rheological properties, textural profile, water loss (WL), oil loss (OL) and microstructure of egg-soybean protein isolate (SPI) stabilized emulsion gels were investigated at neutral pH, wherein soybean oil, olive oil and menhaden oil were used to form emulsions. The results showed that viscosity of emulsions progressively increased with the increase of oil content. Similarly, analysis of the rheological behavior of the formulated emulsion gels revealed an increase in the mechanical strength (G’) with the increase in oil concentration, indicating that oil droplets played a significant role in the formation of the gel structure. In addition, at high levels of oil, the hardness and chewiness of emulsion gels were also high, while a slight decrease in springiness and cohesiveness were observed. A linear relationship between hardness and water/oil loss was found, whereas the Pearson correlation suggested that less drainage of water may slow down the outflow of oil. The microstructural images showed a more compact network as a result of the increase of oil content in the formulation. Scarce significant differences were found among emulsion gels formulated with different oil type, suggesting oil composition played a dispensable role on the gelling properties of emulsion gels.

Effect of drought on yield traits of sunflower restorer lines

A study was conducted to screen eight sunflower restorer lines for tolerance to drought under field conditions based on yield characteristics. Moisture stress was imposed in stress plots from 45 DAS to harvest. Whereas, control plots were irrigated at 10 days intervals throughout the crop growth period. Results revealed that water stress showed repressing effect on yield related attributes like capitulum dry weight by 36%, total number of seeds per capitulum by 25%, seed yield per plant by 34% compared to control. Significant difference among R-lines was observed for head weight, test weight, harvest index and oil content. R-lines RGP 33-P5, RGP 50-P1, RGP 61-P1and RGP 61-P2 showed high HI under water stress conditions. Most of the R-lines have increased oil content under stress. RGP 50-P1, RGP 60-P2 and RGP 61-P1 have decreased oil content under stress. Based on Stress Tolerance Index and seed yield in stress, RGP 21-P6 and RGP 61-P1were identified as tolerant to water stress out of eight R-lines studied. These lines also showed superior morphological, physiological traits. RGP 32-P1 and RGP 33-P5 were found to be more sensitive.

Variations in geotechnical characteristics of some crude oil contaminated soils

Variations based on the effects of curing time and environmental exposures on the geotechnical characteristics of some crude oil contaminated soils were investigated. 2 to 10% by weight of crude oil was added to soils as a simulation of contamination. The contaminated soils were cured under room temperature (unexposed) as well as outside in the open air (exposed) for 21, 63 and 189 days. Geotechnical, geochemical and mineralogical analyses were carried out on the contaminated and uncontaminated soil samples. Results indicate that for the unexposed soils, the LL and PL increased as crude oil concentration (COC) increased up to 4%, above which both decrease. But the reverse was the case for PI after curing for 21 days. With increasing curing time to 63 and 189 days, LL and PL both increased with increase in COC while PI decreased. The UCS increased with increase in oil content up to 4%, but decreased as oil content increased above 4%. Furthermore, UCS decreased with increase in curing time. Across all curing periods, MDD increased upon addition of crude oil up to 4%, thereafter it decreased with increase in COC. The hydraulic conductivity decreased with increase in COC and curing time. For the exposed soils, LL, PL and PI all increased upon addition of crude oil up till 4% before decreasing as the amount of oil increased above 4% for the curing duration of 21 days. For 63 and 189 days, LL and PL decreased while PI increased. Maximum dry density (MDD) showed same variation trend in exposed soils similar to that shown by the unexposed soils. Hydraulic conductivity increased with increase in COC and curing time. Thus, crude oil is observed to be capable of altering the geotechnical properties of soils exposed to it. Furthermore, contaminated soils exposed to the open air and longer curing time were significantly modified than the unexposed variant and with reduced exposure time.&#x0D; Keywords: Geotechnical variation, Contamination, Curing environment, Curing time, Exposure