Quality Of Grain Research Articles

Transporting devices for grain with new types of working units from polymeric materials

The existing standard technologies for obtaining seeds of various reproductions in farms have a wide variation in the initial harvesting parameters, mechanization and technological modes of operation, which affects the final quality indices of seed material and its cost price. Modernization of the working parts of machines and units that provide the technology of loading and reloading operations will improve the quality of grain at this stage of harvesting. The installation of a new type of transporting device in a typical grain-handling machine loader allows to reduce the crushing and damage of grain by more than 20%.

Drought alleviatory potential of Kappaphycus seaweed extract and the role of the quaternary ammonium compounds as its constituents towards imparting drought tolerance in Zea mays L.

Kappaphycus seaweed extract (KSWE) has been reported to enhance the yield of several crops under normal conditions. The detection of the quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) glycine betaine and choline chloride (GBCh) in KSWE impelled us to explore its efficacy on growth and yield under soil moisture deficit conditions. Another objective was to elucidate the extent to which the QACs have a role in mitigating drought stress, if at all. Thus, a factorial experiment was carried out on maize plants, wherein five foliar treatments (KSWE at 10 and 15%; GBCh at equivalent concentration to that found in 10 and 15% KSWE, respectively, designated as 10 and 15% Eq-GBCh; and water spray control) were subjected to three soil moisture stress levels (well-watered, WW; moderately stressed, MS; and severely stressed, SS). Observations were recorded for growth and yield parameters, pigments, photosynthetic attributes, antioxidant enzymes, and quality of grains. The results revealed the ability of KSWE to alleviate soil moisture stress, 10% KSWE being effective in increasing the seed yield under WW and MS conditions while 15% being optimal under SS condition. The percent increases in seed yield over their respective controls under WW, MS, and SS conditions at the optimal KSWE concentrations were 13.5, 21.7, and 36.4%, respectively, indicating higher grain yield response to KSWE treatments at higher stress levels. The yield advantage under stress could be attributed to minimal damage of photosystem in KSWE-treated plants as evidenced by higher pigment content, photosynthetic rate, reduced photoinhibition, and lipid peroxidation by enhanced protection against reactive oxygen species. The protein content in grains was enhanced by KSWE application under all stress groups compared to their respective controls. Although the predominant role of GBCh in KSWE towards drought mitigation and yield response was apparent, the results also connoted towards the role of other constituents in KSWE acting in unison along with GBCh, which should be investigated further.

Formation of the productivity of winter wheat varieties with various degree of resistance under the influence of fungal diseases

Purpose. To investigate the effect of fungal diseases on the productivity of winter wheat varieties of various resis­tance using artificial infection backgrounds. Methods. Field one – assessment of the resistance of variety samples to fungal diseases on infection backgrounds. Laboratory one – structural analysis of variety samples. Mathematical-statistical one – evaluation of investigation results and analysis of correlations between the obtained data. Results. Fungal diseases as the most widespread and harmful affect various organs of plants and cause poor harvest, deteriorate commercial and seed quality of grain. The results of field experiments in 2012–2017 on the effects of fungal diseases on the yields of winter wheat in the collection are given. It is defined that the infection of winter wheat with fungus ( Septoria tritici Rob.) and powdery mildew ( Erysiphe graminis DS. F. sp . tritici ) adversely affected the length of the ear, the number of grains in it, grain mass per ear and the thousand-kernel weight. However, productivity indices changed differently in investigated variety samples. The high-yielding wheat varieties ‘Sm u hlianka’ and ‘Novokyivska’ were the most tolerant to the fungal diseases. In the Septoria-resistant variety ‘Sm u hlianka’ at 75% of infestation the decrease in productivity was from 1,4 to 12,2%, whereas the in susceptible variety sample ‘UK 1731’ it was from 6,2 to 16,7%. A similar situation was observed in the variety ‘Novokyivska’ resistant to powdery mildew. Conclusions. Selected tolerant and highly productive varieties ‘Sm u hlianka’ and ‘Novo­kyivska’ (grade 7–6) can resist to Septoria disease and powdery mildew without productivity loss, they are considered as a promising source of resistance to these diseases and be of interest for further breeding in Ukraine.

Challenges of Food Security: Free Trade, Distribution and Political (In)Stability in Mid 18th Century France

The paper focuses on the history of food security in mid 18th century France. It explores why and how in the 1750s French economic thinkers began to argue that free trade was the best way to achieve “food security” for everyone, and also thought about distribution, availability and quality of grain. These thinkers maintained that agriculture would provide subsistence for everyone and every region, if interventionist regulations did not get in the way of continuous circulation of grain to all parts of the kingdom. The dearths that occurred in the kingdom thus seemed to be artificially generated starvations caused by unequal “trade-based and exchange entitlements” (Sen in Poverty and famines: an essay on entitlement and deprivation. Oxford University Press, Oxford, Oxford Scholarship Online November 2003, 1983). For that reason these early liberal thinkers held that the government should, therefore, transfer the authority over trading practices to the individual traders and speculators, who alone could create a balanced market through competing interests.

Productivity and quality of grains of oat varieties bred by Nemchinovka Moscow Scientific research Institute of Agriculture at different technologies of cultivation

Under conditions of the Central Nonblack Earth Region on sod-podzolic soil, the reaction of oat varieties Yakov, Bulanyi, Zalp, Ulov, Golozernyi (line 61h) to fertilizers and crop protection agents was investigated. Among the tested varieties, Yakov variety with a yield up to 10 t/ha at high-intensive technology was allocated. Zalp and Bulanyi varieties also exceeded by productivity the standard variety (Ulov) by 0.3–0.9 t/ha. Increases of the yield depending on seeding rate changed from 12 to 64%, and the grain protein content changed from 9.8 to 17.8%. The grain protein content was the highest in the Golozernyi variety. The treatment of crops with herbicides reduced contamination by 65–95%, and application of crop protection agents promoted preservation of the yield and improved grain quality.

Learning of wheat-aegilops hybrid protein polymorphism in connection with the quality of grain

Learning of wheat-aegilops hybrid protein polymorphism in connection with the quality of grain

English

Organic farming has played an important role i­n recent years in boosting the income of farmers without affecting health and environment. Scientific evidences around the world had showed the better quality of grain under organic farming. Hence, the field investigation was carried out at wetlands farm of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during rabi 2014 to find out the influence of non-chemical weed management practices on growth, yield and biochemical parameters of organic rice. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replication and ten treatments. Microbial counts were recorded in the soil samples taken at 120 DAT. The study revealed that the higher growth, yield parameter, microbial population (viz., bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes) and biochemical parameters (Amylose content and Aroma) recorded under mulching using biodegradable polyethelene sheets and the lowest was observed in unweeded check. But taking into consideration of economics, among different non-chemical weed management practices benefit cost ratio was found to be highest in Hand weeding on 15 DAT followed by azolla inoculation.

Assessment of heat supply of vegetation period within the northern grain-seeding territory of Kazakhstan

Introduction. The existing agroclimatic handbooks in Kazakhstan are outdated both in informational and technological senses. Therefore necessity of agroclimatic resources reassessment arose.
 Purpose. Research of heat supply of vegetation period within the Northern grain-seeding territory of Kazakhstan.
 Methods. Data of meteorological stations for period of 1981-2014 were used. Methods of statistic and climatologic processing of data were applied. The agroclimatic maps were drafted using ArcGIS 10.1 software.
 Results. The article describes a thermal regime, duration and heat supply of vegetation period within the territory of 4 northern oblasts of Kazakhstan. The territory of Northern Kazakhstan under study hascontinental climate. Average annual air temperature at the area under study increases from the North to the South from 1.8 °C to 5.3 °C. Average July air temperature at the area changes from 18.5 °C to 23.6 °C and average January air temperature – from minus 12.8 °C to minus 17.4 °C. Duration of vegetation period for early spring crops constitutes 172-193 days, for late spring crops – 136-162 days and for warm weather crops – 89-124 days. Daily range of air temperature is 11.4-14.7 °C and that means rather high quality of grain. Sum of active temperatures exceeding 10 °C increases from the North to the South from 2100 °C to 3400 °C. Vegetation period is 90% provided by sum of active temperatures exceeding 10 °C within the range of 2000-2900 °C. Maps of heat supply and vegetation period duration were also drafted.
 Conclusions. In the north of the territory under study thermal sources satisfy demands of soft and common sorts of wheat but are not enough for sunflower and maize, in the south they are enough for wheat, all sorts of sunflower and middle-late sorts of maize.

Phenotypic and biochemical characterization of new advanced durum wheat breeding lines from Algeria that show resistance to fusarium head blight and to mycotoxin accumulation

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) is a crop highly susceptible to Fusarium head blight (FHB), which results in yield losses and downgrades the quality of grains mostly due to mycotoxin contamination. Although breeding for resistance to FHB is one of the most promising strategy for minimizing crop damage, the attempts to obtain durum wheat resistant lines have been limited so far. Two potentially interesting lines were recently delivered by a breeding program based on crosses involving cultivars from Europe and Syria. Using a field experiment in Algeria with four different Fusarium culmorum strains and a spray inoculation method, we demonstrated that the two breeding lines were significantly less affected than a set of commercial cultivars. The two breeding lines were shown to exhibit a higher resistance to both initial fungal infection and disease spread , and to mycotoxin contamination. In addition, a detailed analysis of 2 phenolic acid composition of grains indicates significant differences in p-coumaric acid between the FHB-resistant breeding lines and the sensitive genotypes. Our results corroborate the importance of cell wall composition in preventing the diffusion of F. culmorum and therefore contributing to the resistance of cereals to FHB.

Формування технологічної якості зерна проса залежно від особ­ливостей збирання врожаю

The purpose. To improve technique of growing of high-quality grain of millet in conditions of unreliable moistening of Right-bank Forest-steppe. Methods. Laboratoryanalytical, experimentally-field, statistical. Results. Results are given of 4-years probes concerning influence of time of mowing sowings of millet depending on the extent of full maturity of grain in brushes (25 — 30 %, 45 — 50, 65 — 70 and 85 — 90 %), duration of resting rolls (direct thrashing, thrashing in 3, 6 and 9 day after mowing), and weather environment at that period upon features of formation of technological qualities of grain of millet. Conclusions. Premature to recommended (65 — 70% of complete ripeness) term of harvesting, and also detention of that time aggravated technological quality of grain and groats. At the necessity to early use sowings of millet for food and feed purposes it is possible to improve a little such situation by separate thrashing of the yield with the following rest of rolsl during 3 — 6 days. At late harvesting the optimum is direct thrashing.

Commonly used storage and primary processing techniques for the selected food grains in scarce rainfall zone of Andhra Pradesh

Present study was aimed at examining different storage and processing techniques used by farmers in the scarce rainfall zone of Andhra Pradesh. A total of 30 farmers (Maize, Bengal Gram, groundnut and Jowar growing) were purposively selected for the present study by adopting the purposive sampling method. The results found that 100% of farmers used gunny bags for storage of grains and 63 per cent of farmers have utilized the Cold storage facility to store their produce. The farmers stored the maximum quantity of grains for home consumption. The common primary processing techniques used by farmers were dry milling, wet milling and popping for selected grains. Finally, it can be said that nutritional quality of grains is influenced by pre-processing treatments and processes which retain all parts of whole grains as beneficial for health and consumption of highly refined products should be discouraged.

Efecto del residual de estiércol avícola o residual de fertilizante mineral en el rendimiento y la calidad de camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz)

El interés por el cultivo de camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] para alimentación animal y biocombustible se está incrementando. Se condujo un ensayo en invernadero y tiestos con camelina cv. Calena después de un primer cultivo de cebada (Hordeum vulgare L.), con el fin de estudiar el efecto de la fertilización residual de gallinazas y mineral en el rendimiento y la calidad del grano. Los tratamientos aplicados en el cultivo anterior de cebada fueron: gallinaza o fertilizante mineral, N-P-K en dosis 0, 1, 1.5 y 2 (0, 60, 90,120 unidades fertilizantes de nitrógeno). Las variables estudiadas fueron: peso seco de biomasa aérea, peso seco de grano, peso de 1,000 granos, porcentaje de nitrógeno en biomasa aérea, porcentaje de nitrógeno en grano, porcentaje de proteína bruta en grano y porcentaje de grasa bruta en grano. Los tratamientos y dosis fueron significativamente diferentes. La interacción tratamiento*dosis fue significativa (P<0.05) para las variables estudiadas excepto para peso grano y peso de 1,000 granos. Para la gallinaza y el mineral los valores más altos en peso de grano se obtuvieron con dosis de 1 y 1.5, con rendimientos equivalentes en grano de 1,547 kg/ha y 1,504 kg/ha, para proteína bruta en grano fueron para dosis 1.5 en ambos tratamientos con 455.08 y 478.72 kg/hay para grasa bruta del grano fueron los más altos, para dosis de 1 y 1.5 con 481.27 y 454.06 kg/ha. En general, la camelina tuvo una buena respuesta a la fertilización residual con fertilización a partir de la gallinaza o mineral en rendimiento y calidad de grano.

Some physical and functional properties of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) obtained in sub-Saharan Africa

The study determined the physical properties of finger millet (FM) (Eluesine coracana) grains and the functional properties of FM flour. Physical properties such as colour attributes, sample weight, bulk density, true density, porosity, surface area, sample volume, aspect ratio, sphericity, dimensional properties and moisture content of grain cultivars were determined. Water absorption capacity (WAC), bulk density (BD), dispersibility, viscosity and micro-structure of FM flours were also evaluated. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 23.0. Results showed that milky cream cultivar was significantly higher (p<0.05) than other samples in sample weight, bulk density, true density, aspect ratio and sphericity. However, pearl millet, used as a control, was significantly different from FM flour on all dimensional properties. Moisture content of milky cream showed higher significant difference for both grains and flours as compared to brown and black grain/flours. Milky cream cultivar was significantly different in L*, b*, C*, H* values, WAC, BD and dispersibility for both FM grains and flours. Data showed that brown flour was significantly higher in viscosity than in milky and black flours. Microstructure results revealed that starch granules of raw FM flours had oval/spherical and smooth surface. The study is important for agricultural and food engineers, designers, scientists and processors in the design of equipment for FM grain processing. Results are likely to be useful in assessing the quality of grains used to fortify FM flour.

Utilization of Compost and Compost Tea for Improving Egyptian Hybrid Rice One Cultivar

Presently, Compost and compost tea with additional chemical fertilizers increase the organic carbon and soluble salts of soil, finally enhance the productivity of Egyptian hybrid rice one (H1). A field experiment was conducted in two successive seasons 2015 and 2016 at the experimental farm of Rice Research and Training Center (RRTC), Sakha, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt; to evaluate the influence of different chemical fertilizers (NPK) levels with combined compost and compost tea on yield, yield attributes, chemical compositions and quality of grains of Egyptian hybrid rice one. A randomized Complete Block Design with four replications was used. The results indicated that there were significant positive effects of chemical NPK fertilizers with compost and compost tea on number of panicles m-2 at harvest, filled grain percentage, 1000-grain weight, N uptake in grain and straw, phosphorus and potassium content as well as grain quality. Combination of chemical fertilizers with compost and compost tea were gave the maximum crop yield as well as all the previous characters higher than for the single application of organic or chemical fertilizer alone. Thus, it concluded that the applying N110P24K40 + compost as organic fertilizer + compost tea as bio-organic fertilizer could be used successfully to enhance the productivity of Egyptian hybrid rice one, without any significantly differences with N165P36K60 as recommended NPK doses. Integrated use of chemical NPK fertilizer with compost or compost tea positively affected the yield attributes and yield of hybrid rice and contributed in reducing chemical NPK fertilizers by 1/3 as well as minimizing the cost of inputs and environmental pollution.

Mapping and comparative proteomic analysis of the starch biosynthetic pathway in rice by 2D PAGE/MS.

Our results not only provide a comprehensive overview of the starch biosynthetic pathway in the developing endosperm but also reveal some important protein markers that regulate the synthesis of starch. In human diets, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important source of starch, a substantial amount of which is accumulated in developing endosperm. A better understanding of the complicated pathways involved in starch biosynthesis is needed to improve the yield and quality of rice and other cereal crops through breeding. One pure line rice mutant, SA0419, was induced from a wild-type rice, TNG67, by sodium azide mutagenesis; therefore, TNG67 and SA0419 share the same genetic background. SA0419 is, however, a unique glutinous rice with a lower amylose content (8%) than that of TNG67 (20%), and the grains of SA0419 develop earlier and faster than those of TNG67. In this study, we used a comparative proteomic analysis to identify the differentially expressed proteins that may explain the differences in starch biosynthesis and the characteristics of TNG67 and SA0419. A gel-based proteomic approach was applied to profile the expressed proteome in the developing endosperm of these two rice varieties by nano-LC/MS/MS. Several over-expressed proteins were found in SA0419, such as plastidial ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), phosphoglucomutase (PGM), pyrophosphate-fructose 6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP), 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK), starch branching enzymes (SBE) and starch debranching enzyme (SDBE), with those proteins mainly being involved in the pathways of starch metabolism and PPDK-mediated gluconeogenesis. Those over-expressed enzymes may contribute to the relatively early development, similar starch accumulation and rapid grain filling of SA0419 as compared with TNG67. This study provides a detailed biochemical description of starch biosynthesis and related information regarding a unique starch mutant that may assist future research efforts to improve the yield and quality of grain and starch in rice through breeding.

Effect of Foliar Application and N-Levels on Productivity and Granis Quality of Barley

To study the influence of foliar applications, N-levels and their interaction on growth, yield and its attributes and grain quality of barley Giza 123 cultivar, a field experiments was carried out at the Experimental Farm of Sahl El-Husseiniya, Agriculture Research Station, as a new reclaimed soils (salinity affected soils), during 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 seasons using design of strip-plot with 4 replicates. Vertical plots devoted to five foliar applications i.e. without, spraying with; Macro + Micro, amino acids, humic acid and the combination of Macro + Micro, amino acids and humic acid. Horizontal plots billed to 3 levels of N-fertilizer (40, 60 and 80 kg N/fed). Spraying barley plants with the combination of (Macro + Micro), amino acids and humic acid at the rates of 2 g + 1 ml + 1.25 ml/liter water, respectively in each spraying was the best treatment to increase barley growth, productivity and grains quality, which produced the highest values of these characters, with exception of total carbohydrates % in grains, which had inverse trend into both seasons. Fertilizing plants of barley with 80 kg N per fed gave the uppermost mean values of barley growth, productivity and quality of grains, except carbohydrates % in grains in together seasons. Foliar spraying barley Giza 123 cultivar with Macro + Micro, amino acids and humic acid at the side of fertilizing by 60 kg N per fed in order to maintain high productivity and grains quality and decrease production costs and environmental pollution under salinity affected soils conditions.

Quality of grain and oil of maize subjected to UV‐C radiation (254 nm) for the control of weevil ( Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of UV-C radiation in controlling the maize weevils (S. zeamais Motschulsky) in stored maize. The maize and insects (adult and immature stages) were simultaneously irradiated with UV-C dose of 10 J/cm2. UV-C radiation can be used as control of adult weevils because it presented a lower number of live adult weevils (33.6 counts), reduction in the loss of grain mass (15 g), and fewer damaged grains (12.9%), however, not affect the control of the immature stages. The carotenoid content of maize grains was reduced after UV-C treatment and storage. Electrical conductivity was highest in treatment without UV-C in adult weevils owing to the higher number of insects. UV-C radiation in pre-storage was effective only in the control of adults; however, it is a technology free of chemical residues, allowing the processing of the grains at any time of storage. Practical applications Ultraviolet (UV-C) radiation is widely used in food disinfection. This technology is free of residues, low-cost, and easy-to-use, but still little used in grain postharvest. Inhibition of weevil population growth is observed when UV-C radiation is applied to maize containing adult stages of the weevil. In addition, minor changes in maize quality are verified. The knowledge generated by this work can be used by industries and suppliers as an alternative to conventional pest controls.

Sorghum head bug infestation and mould infection on the grain quality of sorghum in northern Ghana

Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ) panicle is reported to be attacked by a myriad of insect pest species, whose infestation predisposes the grains to fungal infection, thereby compromising their quality. A complex of bugs has been reported to infest sorghum, thereby affecting quality of grains in West Africa. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of head bug ( Eurystylus oldi (POPPIUS) infestation and mould infection on sorghum grain quality. An experiment consisting of eight sorghum breeding lines (two parental checks and six F8 derivatives), was carried out in fields at three Agro-ecological Zones (Nyankpala, Damongo and Manga) in Northern Ghana. Results showed that damage caused by head bug populations per panicle were not significant (P>0.05). Head bug damage was, however, found to be highly correlated with panicle grain mould ratings (PGMR) at all three locations. This points to the significant roles head bug damage plays in fungal infection of sorghum grains. The derivatives, on the other hand, suffered less PGMR than the compact headed Kapaala, across the three locations. The three dominant fungi isolated at Manga and Nyankpala included those of the genera Curvularia sp. (31.6 and 31.4%, respectively), Fusarium sp. (22.3 and 27.6%, respectively) and Thielaviopsis sp. (20.3 and 20.9%, respectively). At Damongo, Fusarium sp. (29.6%), Curvularia sp. (23.6%) and Mucor sp. (17.2%) were dominant. Grain quality, in terms of head bug and mould damage ratings, showed the following lines emerging superior at Manga (SARSORG-MRG-2011-3, SARSORG-SBG-2011-5 and SARSORG-SRG-2011-6), at Damongo (SARSORG-TRG-2011-1, SARSORG-SBG-2011-5 and SARSORG-MBG-2011-4) and at Nyankpala (SARSORG-MBG-2011-4, SARSORG-MRG-2011-3 and SARSORG-TRG-2011-1) and; thus suggest they may possess some desirable traits for which they could be selected for further improvement. Key Words : Curvularia, Eurystylus oldi, Sorghum bicolor

Malting: An indigenous technology used for improving the nutritional quality of grains- A review

Grains are staple diet of Indian population. Despite possessing a high nutritional quality, grains also contains several anti-nutrient compounds that can decrease the bioavailability of its nutrients, especially its protein content. Malting/germination can be employed as an appropriate pre-treatment to improve the nutritional properties of native cereal grains. The objective of this paper is to introduce this indigenous food processing method and its benefits for the betterment of health of the people.

Changes in mineral elements and starch quality of grains during the improvement of japonica rice cultivars.

The improvement of rice cultivars plays an important role in yield increase. However, little is known about the changes in starch quality and mineral elements during the improvement of rice cultivars. This study was conducted to investigate the changes in starch quality and mineral elements in japonica rice cultivars. Twelve typical rice cultivars, applied in the production in Jiangsu province during the last 60 years, were grown in the paddy fields. These cultivars were classified into six types according to their application times, plant types and genotypes. The nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and, and potassium (K) were mainly distributed in endosperm, bran and bran, respectively. Secondary and micromineral nutrients were distributed throughout grains. With the improvement of cultivars, total N contents gradually decreased, while total P, K and magnesium contents increased in grains. Total copper and zinc contents in type 80'S in grains were highest. The improvement of cultivars enhanced palatability (better gelatinisation enthalpy and amylose content), taste (better protein content) and protein quality (better protein components and essential amino acids). Correlation analysis indicated the close relationship between mineral elements and starch quality. The mineral elements and starch quality of grains during the improvement of japonica rice cultivars are improved. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.