Levels Of Salt Concentration Research Articles

Catfish Jambal Roti Pangasius sp: Product Characteristics based on Salt Concentration and Fermentation Length

Catfish (Pangasius sp.) has high nutritional value and can be used to make various products, one of which is jambal roti. This research aims to determine the characteristics of jambal bread based on fermentation time and salt concentration. The research used an experimental method with a completely randomized design (CRD) factorial pattern with three levels of fermentation duration (A), namely A1:24 hours, A2:36 hours and A3:48 hours at two levels of salt concentration (B), namely B1:25% and B2:30% repeated 3 times. The parameters assessed are sensory characteristics, total plate number, water content, ash content and salt content. The results showed that the sensory values ​​were appearance (7.82-8.30), smell (8.14-8.25), taste (8.04-8.41), texture (7.66-8.68), mold (9.00). The research results also showed total plate number (0-1.037 x 103), water content (26.99 - 32.29%), ash content (18.98 - 23.34%) and salt content (19.44 - 24,50%). ALT meets standard quality requirements (SNI 2721.1-2009), water content complies with SNI (8376:2017), ash content does not meet the SNI (8376:2017), and salt content in 2 samples (A1B2 and A2B2) only meets SNI (8376:2017). The characteristics of Catfish Jambal Roti Patin this study, in general, are in accordance with SNI (8376:2017)

The Use of Global Sensitivity Analysis to Assess the Oral Absorption of Weakly Basic Compounds: A Case Example of Dipyridamole.

To utilize the global system analysis (GSA) in oral absorption modeling to gain a deeper understanding of system behavior, improve model accuracy, and make informed decisions during drug development. GSA was utilized to give insight into which drug substance (DS), drug product (DP), and/or physiological parameter would have an impact on peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve (AUC) of dipyridamole as a model weakly basic compound. GSA guided the design of in vitro experiments and oral absorption risk assessment using FormulatedProducts v2202.1.0. The solubility and precipitation profiles of dipyridamole in different bile salt concentrations were measured. The results were then used to build a mechanistic oral absorption model. GSA warranted further investigation into the precipitation kinetics and its link to the levels of bile salt concentrations. Mechanistic modeling studies demonstrated that a precipitation-integrated modeling approach appropriately predicted the mean plasma profiles, Cmax, and AUC from the clinical studies. This work shows the value of GSA utilization in early development to guide in vitro experimentation and build more confidence in identifying the critical parameters for the mathematical models.

The Effect of Salt Concentration on Dielectric Permittivity and Interfacial Polarization in Carbonate Rocks with Complex Pore Structure

Summary Broadband dielectric dispersion measurements are attractive options for the assessment of water-filled porosity. Dielectric permittivity is influenced by salinity as well as other rock/fluid properties. However, the effect of salinity on Maxwell-Wagner polarization (i.e., interfacial polarization) and dielectric permittivity in rock samples with complex pore structures requires further investigation. The objectives of this work are (a) to perform frequency-domain dielectric permittivity numerical simulations on 3D pore-scale rock samples at different salt concentration levels, (b) to quantify the effect of salinity on dielectric permittivity and interfacial polarization in the frequency range between 20 MHz and 5 GHz, and (c) to quantify the critical frequency (i.e., the frequency at which the relative permittivity becomes frequency-independent). We first perform pore-scale frequency domain dielectric permittivity simulations in fully water-saturated carbonate samples with complex pore structures to obtain the complex dielectric permittivity in the frequency range of 0.01–5 GHz and at different salinity levels. Next, we numerically create partially water/hydrocarbon-saturated water-wet samples and perform simulations at different salinity and water saturation levels to investigate the combined effect of salinity and water saturation on dielectric permittivity. Finally, we investigate how reliable conventional mixing models, such as the complex refractive index model (CRIM) and Hanai-Bruggeman (HB), are in the assessment of water saturation at different salinity levels. We used 3D pore-scale rock samples with complex pore structures from Austin Chalk, Estaillades Limestone, and Happy Spraberry formations. The increase in salinity from 2 to 50 parts per thousand (PPT) resulted in the relative permittivity to increase by 18% at 20 MHz. Similarly, an increase in salinity from 2 PPT to 50 PPT resulted in electrical conductivity to increase by 15 times at 20 MHz. However, at 5 GHz, the difference between the relative permittivity of the samples at different salinities was negligible. We demonstrated that the critical frequency was above 1 GHz. Thus, if complex dielectric permittivity at 1 GHz is being used, an accurate salinity assumption is required in the interpretation of conventional dielectric mixture models in carbonate formations. Finally, we observed 52% and 42% average relative errors in water saturation quantification when applying CRIM and HB models at all the frequencies of interest, respectively. The results also indicated that conventional models should not be used in the presence of uncertainty in salinity at lower frequencies. The results of this work quantified the frequency at which the water-filled pore volume rather than the Maxwell-Wagner polarization controls the relative permittivity of rock samples saturated with a wide range of brine salinity. Moreover, the results demonstrated that the relative permittivity of the rock samples with complex pore structures may still be significantly affected by the interfacial polarization even at 1 GHz. Moreover, the results suggested that the conventional mixture methods cannot reliably take into account the salt concentration of formation water, and this can lead to significant errors in reserves assessment.

Identification of Variables Affecting Levels of Salt Concentrations in Shatt Al-Arab Water Using Modified Kernel Principal Component Analysis

This study paper is an attempt to bring to light a new approach in the treatment of the Gaussian function. The Gaussian function is considered the basis for building the elements of the kernel matrix within the methodology of the kernel principal components that aims to reduce the dimensions and then determine the most influential variables. Besides, it works on reducing the mathematical complexity that can arise because of multidimensionality, especially if it is the data suffers from a non-linear problem in describing the relationships. This research paper has included processing the introductory parameter matrix (H) by adopting two types of matrices, namely (H 1 diagonal, and H 2 hybrid diagonal). For achieving the benefit of this paper, it has been applied to the phenomenon of salt concentrations in Shatt al-Arab water in Basra Governorate through a number of climatic variables for identification of the most influential variables. The modified Gaussian function (MGK) was used and compared with the traditional method (TGK) by adopting two methods of estimating the introductory parameter matrix H. The simulation results brought to light that the (MGK) could not achieve better results than the (TGK) for any type of matrices (H 1 & H 2), estimated by the two methods (NS-R, ROT). Despite this fact, the (MGK) and (TGK) were consistent in determining the climatic variables most affected by the rise in salt concentrations when adopting the (NS-R) method, which are (air temperature, minimum temperature, maximum temperature, and solar brightness). While when adopting the (ROT), the (MGK) determined other variables, while the traditional method identified the same variables mentioned above.

Investigating ecosystem resiliency in different flood zones of south Brooklyn, New York

With climate change and rising sea levels, south Brooklyn is exposed to massive flooding and intense precipitation. Previous research discovered that flooding shifts plant species distribution, decreases soil pH, and increases salt concentration, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels. We predicted a decreasing trend from Zone 1 to 6: high-pH, high-salt, and high-nutrients in more flood-prone areas to low-pH, low-salt, and low-nutrient in less flood-prone regions. We performed DNA barcoding to identify plant species inhabiting flood zones with expectations of decreasing salt tolerance and moisture uptake by plants' soil from Zones 1-6. Furthermore, we predicted an increase in invasive species, ultimately resulting in a decrease in biodiversity. After barcoding, we researched existing information regarding invasiveness, ideal soil, pH tolerance, and salt tolerance. We performed soil analyses to identify pH, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) levels. For N and P levels, we discovered a general decreasing trend from Zone 1 to 6 with low and moderate statistical significance respectively. Previous studies found that soil moisture can increase N and P uptake, helping plants adopt efficient resource-use strategies and reduce water stress from flooding. Although characteristics of plants were distributed throughout all zones, demonstrating overall diversity, the soil analyses hinted at the possibility of a rising trend of plants adapting to the increase in flooding. Future expansive research is needed to comprehensively map these trends. Ultimately, investigating trends between flood zones and the prevalence of different species will assist in guiding solutions to weathering climate change and protecting biodiversity in Brooklyn.

Determination of salt tolerance level of Araz wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar concerning germination and growth parameters

As a result of climate change, an increased reliance on irrigation will be necessary for more arable lands. This will lead to elevated soil salinity levels, which will subsequently have a detrimental impact on both seed germination and plant growth. The primary aim of this research is to establish the threshold of salt tolerance in the Araz wheat cultivar (Triticum aestivum L.), using it as a representative example to delineate salt tolerance levels in other agricultural crop varieties. Araz is a widely cultivated wheat variety in Iraq and Kurdistan, and its salt tolerance was assessed by subjecting it to three different salt solutions: 0.01, 0.02, and 0.05 mol L-1, which corresponded to 0.9, 1.82, and 4.6 EC (dS m-1), respectively. The findings demonstrated notable impacts of the 0.01 mol L-1 salt concentration on germination and associated seedling parameters, with the exception of seed water uptake. The results indicated no discernible differences between the effects of 0.01 mol L-1 and 0.02 mol L-1 salt levels on the radicle's fresh weight. However, as salt levels increased to 0.05 mol L-1 , the adverse effects on growth became more pronounced. A salinity level of 4.6 EC (dS m-1) was found to significantly inhibit both germination and seedling growth, indicating that the Araz variety is sensitive to this level of soil salt concentration. This suggests that the recommended soil condition for cultivating Araz should have an electrical conductivity (EC) of less than 4.6 dS m-1.

Cytological Applications of the Vacuolization Phenomenon as a Means of Determining Saline Cytotoxicity

Salt stress induces cytotoxicity at the cellular level, influencing the vacuolization process, disrupting mitotic division, and thus inhibiting plant growth. The results for a range of species used in agriculture have shown that high soil salt levels affect germination, chlorophyl content and yield. In this study, an experiment was carried out in the laboratory using NaCl concentration treatments of 0, 100, 125 and 150 mM on sunflower seeds of the inbred line HA-89 obtained from the USDA gene bank. For the experiment, the seeds were germinated in a salt solution and analyzed cytologically by calculating the mitotic index, chromosomal aberration index, provacuolar index and vacuolization index. Following our cytological studies, we observed that the vacuolization phenomenon was caused by salt stress and progressively accentuated by the salt concentration levels and exposure times. The formation of vacuolized cells is due to the fusion of provacuoles, which contributes to a uniform or non-uniform distribution of genetic material around them. According to our results, the vacuolization index showed high values depending on the NaCl concentration and stress exposure time. Similarly, high salt concentrations significantly decreased the mitotic index and increased the chromosomal aberration index. The effect of salt stress causes cell vacuolization, a decrease in the mitotic index and an increase in the number of chromosomal aberrations in meristematic tissues, inhibiting growth and development and consequently leading to a reduction in productivity per unit area.

Mempelajari Pengaruh Suhu dan Konsentrasi Larutan Garam Terhadap Kadar Telur Asin Ayam

Eggs are one of the sources of protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins that are good for the body. Eggs are prone to deterioration in quality caused by physical damage in the form of cracks that can occur during packing, transportation, and storage. One way to prevent damage is by the salting method. Therefore, it is necessary to soak in a salt solution to become salted eggs. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the level of salt concentration and temperature during the immersion of eggs in a salt solution to obtain quality salted eggs. The temperatures used in this research of 50ᵒC, 55ᵒC, 60ᵒC, and 65ᵒC, and salt concentrations of 15%, 20%, and 25%. The parameters observed were the measurement of the salt concentration of the salted egg, the changing color in the salted egg yolk, and the taste test for the saltiness of the salted egg. The results obtained by soaking salted chicken eggs at 60ᵒC at a concentration of the salt solution (15%, 20%, 25%) have met the SNI standard quality of 2% because the higher the concentration of salt solution given, the salt content in the egg will also increase. The taste level of saltiness in salted egg chicken obtained an average score of 3 with the taste of egg with salty egg, in which the salt solution increases according to temperature and concentration. The color of the eggs produced at 60ᵒC and 65ᵒC changed from normal yellow to orange-colored yolk eggs. The increase in temperature and the concentration of different salt solutions on the salted egg yolk color is affected by diffusion currents, and It causes the taste of the salted egg to turn salty. Keywords: Chicken Salt Eggs, Salt Solution, Soaking.

Influence of Salinity Levels on Seedling Parameters Of Different Tomato Genotypes

In the present study, 50 genotypes of tomatoes were tested in the roll towel method using seven levels of salt concentration from 0 to 120 mM of NaCl with an interval of 20 mM at laboratory conditions. Results showed that out of 50 genotypes, only 38 tomato genotypes germinated under a moderate salinity level of 80mM NaCl. The highest seedling fresh and dry weights were observed in LE-14 (0.271 and 0.045, respectively) under moderate salinity level which were on par with the genotypes LE-1, LE-1020, CLNR 2123, H24, IIVR88783 and LE-411. The highest fresh and dry seedling tolerance index were observed in IIVR-88783 (94.3 and 104.7) with an 80mM salinity level, which was on par with the genotypes, LE-1, LE- 1020, Arka Abhay, CLNR 2123, EC 164677, EC164838, EC164863, EC326146, IIVR 88783, IIVR EC 2494, IIVREC2798, LCR 2, LE-14, Pb-Rathak, Punjab Bagkoa and Punjab Bas with a moderate salinity level of 80 mM of NaCl. The genotypes LE-14, LE-1020, LE-1, LE-411, CLNR2123, H-24, IIVR-88783 and IIVR-EC2494 were found to be superior over 38 genotypes with the seedling characters. Bangladesh J. Bot. 52(2): 307-314, 2023 (June)

التنبُّؤ بمناسيب مياه شطِّ العرب باستعمال نماذج الانحدار الذاتي والأوساط المتحرّكة الموسمية SARIMA

The research aims to provide an analytical study of the monthly platforms of Shatt al-Arab waters in Basra governorate by adopting seasonal time chain models. Water tables are directly influencing the levels of salt concentrations by pushing the saline tongue from the Shatt al-Arab waters. This will result in reducing environmental and economic adverse effects, Thus, one of the integration of SARIMA time series integrated regression models and seasonal moving circles to predict future levels of Arabian shatters using the Box-Jenkins methodology, using the data of the desks for the period from January 2009 to December 2021, Accordingly, the study was able to identify the appropriate template for time-series data in the SARIMA (1.1.1) (1.1.1)12 model based on the criteria of good conformity (LogL, AIC, BIC, HQ) and diagnostic tests, where predictive values showed an increasing frequency in the Arab Shatt water levels for the duration (Jan. /2022 - Dec. /2030).

Evaluation of Corrosion Rate in X 65 Steel Pipes by Taguchi Method Based on Factors Originating from Soil and External Interactions

Steel pipelines that are used for the transportation of natural gas and petroleum usually pass through different places with different soil characteristics. Due to distinct soil structures and other corrosive factors, pipelines tend to corrode at different rates. In this study, the effects of moisture content, salt concentration, pH, AC potential and cathodic protection levels on the corrosion rate were investigated as factors affecting corrosion in steel structures originating from the ground and external sources. The number of experiments to be carried out was decided as a result of experimental design with the Taguchi statistical method. L16 orthogonal array was used for 4 different levels of 5 corrosion rate affecting factors and 16 different experimental studies were conducted to obtain corrosion rate values for each experiment. Based on the statistical analysis results, the effect of changes in moisture content of the soil on corrosion rate was higher compared to other factors. Considering that underground pipelines usually pass through neutral environments (pH levels between 6-8), the effect of changes in pH value on corrosion rate is less than the other factors studied. In addition, with the regression analysis performed through the Minitab software, a linear regression model and an equation was created to calculate the corrosion rates. Corrosion rate results obtained with the regression equation were compared with the test results performed in different test environments. By calculating the corrosion rate for different factors, selection of or changing the pipeline route, selection of material wall thickness, planning of pipeline control and maintenance periods can be made in the most ideal way. Also, a comparison of corrosion rates against existing literature shows that corrosion rates of steel materials change between outstanding classification ranges according to corrosion resistance classification of steel materials.

Effect of Salt Content on Biogas Production and Microbial Activity: Review Study

Over the years, biogas production technology has advanced with the goal of reducing process costs and greenhouse gas emissions, and increasing biogas production. Several design factors and operational aspects must be taken into account in order to produce a stable and efficient biogas. When the substrates contain high salts, anaerobic treatment will be ineffective due to the disadvantages of high energy input and operating cost, membrane contamination, and low efficiency. This indicates that the treatment of high salinity organic waste is a big challenge. High salinity levels had a negative effect on bacterial growth through bacterial osmotic pressure metabolism. For example, high salinity can alter the course of fermentation and the accumulation of volatile fatty acids at high concentrations, as well as cause a decrease in methane yield and maximum rate of methane production, prolonging the late-stage period. A low level of salt concentration encourages the growth of bacteria since sodium is essential for the growth and metabolism of microorganisms in AD systems. When the sodium salt concentration is less than 8 g/L, there is no significant inhibition in the generation of methane. Addition of >8 g/L NaCl, however, significantly reduced methane production (causing 17-80 percent inhibition). This paper focuses on understanding in detail how NaCl affects methane production and microbial activity, report salt concentrations that improve process efficiency and reduce inhibition, as well as review the modified kinetic model and demonstrate the effect of salt on methane production and delay in methanogenesis.

Salinisation of chernozem soils by brackish irrigation water in Southern Ukraine

ABSTRACT The waters of the South Bug and Kamianska irrigation systems present an average level of soil salinity hazard (ECw = 0.7-3.0 mS/cm) but salt concentration increases in the course of delivery, mainly through evaporation from the Stepivske, Danylivske and Katerynivske reservoirs. Soil salinity levels in the South Bug Irrigation System are less than 2 dS/m, nominally non-saline, but irrigation of Kamianska lands with more mineralised water has increased the salt content in the root zone, reaching ECe values of 4.0-6.0 dS/m, affecting the viability of vegetable crops and corn, but not wheat, barley, sugar beet and soybeans. Salinity is accompanied by an increase in sodium ions so there is a high probability of formation of sodic soils on Kamianska lands.

High-throughput phenotyping salt tolerance in JUNCAOs by combining prompt chlorophyll a fluorescence with hyperspectral spectroscopy

The planting of salt-tolerant plants is regarded as the one of important measurements to improve the saline–alkali lands. The outstanding biological properties of JUNCAOs have made them candidates to improve and utilize saline–alkali lands. At present, little attention has been paid to developing a non-destructive and high throughput approach to evaluate the salt tolerance of JUNCAO. To close the gaps, three typical JUNCAOs (A.donax. No.1, A.donax. No.5 and A.donax. No.10) were evaluated by combining prompt chlorophyll a fluorescence (ChlF) with hyperspectral spectroscopy (HS). The results showed that salt stress reduced relative stem growth, water content, and total chlorophyll content but enhanced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content. It caused a significant change in chlorophyll a fluorescence kinetics with an appearance of L-, K- and J-band, implying damaging energetic connectivity between PSII units, uncoupling of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) and inhibition of the QA−reoxidation. The negative impact of salt stress on JUNCAOs increased with the increasing level of salt concentration. Effect on spectral reflectance in the in the visible region with shifts on red edge position (REP) and blue edge position (BEP) to shorter wavelength was also found in salt stress plants. Combining principal component analysis (PCA) with the membership function method based on spectral indices and JIP-test parameters could well screen JUNCAOs salt tolerant ability with the highest for A.donax. NO.10 but lowest for A.donax. NO.1, which was the same as that of using conventional approach. The results demonstrate that prompt ChlF coupling with HS could provide potentials for non-invasively and high-throughput phenotyping salt tolerance in JUNCAOs.

Comparative Analysis of Morphological, Physiological, Anatomic and Biochemical Responses in Relatively Sensitive Zinnia elegans ‘Zinnita Scarlet’ and Relatively Tolerant Zinnia marylandica ‘Double Zahara Fire Improved’ under Saline Conditions

Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses in plants. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of salinity on relatively sensitive Zinnia elegans Jacq. ‘Zinnita Scarlet’ and relatively tolerant Zinnia marylandica D.M. Spooner et al. ‘Double Zahara Fire Improved’ through a comparative analysis of morphological, physiological, anatomic, and biochemical traits. Plants were irrigated at five levels of salt concentrations (0 [control], 50, 100, 150, 200 mM NaCl) for three weeks at one-day intervals in pots under greenhouse conditions. The effects of salinity stress on plant growth parameters, ion leakage, the loss of turgidity, minimum fluorescence (FO’), plant nutrient elements, leaf anatomic parameters, stoma response to the application of light and abscisic acid perfusion, proline content, chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll, and carotenoid content were investigated. Differences in the stages and levels of plant response in the relatively sensitive and relatively tolerant cultivar were determined. Proline accumulation appeared to be higher in Double Zahara Fire Improved (D.Za.F.I.) than Zinnita Scarlet (Zi.S.) in the low concentration of salinity. After the application of abscsic acid perfusion to intact leaf surfaces, the stomata of the relatively tolerant cultivar D.Za.F.I. closed earlier (7 min) than Zi.S. (29 min). Ion leakage (32.3%) and Na accumulation (0.9%) in the aerial parts increased dramatically for Zi.S in the 50 mM NaCl treatment. Moreover, values of plant growth parameters, minimum fluorescence (FO’), photosynthetic pigments, and plant nutrient elements all showed a greater decreasing percentage in Zi.S. compared to D.Za.F.I. Stomatal densities for both the abaxial and adaxial surfaces of the leaf decreased in parallel with the increase in salt stress. Palisade parenchyma cell height and leaf thickness values decreased in Zi.S. as salinity increased. In D.Za.F.I., leaf thickness increased by up to 100 mM NaCl while the height of palisade parenchyma cells decreased under high salt stress conditions (100 mM and above). Recommendations for future research include molecular-level evaluations and the study of how to increase salt tolerance in these potentially valuable ornamental cultivars.

Optimizing the desalination rate in a photoelectrocatalytic desalination cell (PEDC) by altering operational conditions

Abstract Desalination of seawater is a promising response to solving the lack of drinkable water. The separation of cations and anions is carried out by inserting a desalination cell in the middle of a novel design of photoelectrocatalytic desalination cell (PEDC). Different parameters were evaluated and optimized for increasing the capability of system to desalt hypersaline water. Ultraviolet illumination (UV) was used as the driving force, exciting coated titanium nanotubes on the anode electrode, producing electron/hole pairs that degraded organic matter. Methylene blue degradation by UV irradiation was performed, owing to a high salt concentration level, and desalinated to produce electrical current. Performance of PEDCs was investigated by salt content, pH, and ion-exchange resin. The results indicated that higher total dissolved solid (TDS) removal occurred in acidic environments in anode chamber whereas the maximum produced electrical current occurred in alkaline environments in the cathode chamber. Also, the higher amount of salt content in the middle chamber resulted in the high TDS removal until the amount of electrical conductivity in the middle chamber reached 190 mS/cm. The TDS removal rates with and without using resins in the middle of the desalination cell after 10 days were 70.69% and 51.37%, respectively.

Experimental and numerical investigation of thermal performance of a new design solar parabolic dish desalination system

• A new design of Solar Parabolic Dish Desalination System (SPDDS) was proposed. • Τhermal performance of SPDDS was investigated experimentally and numerically. • Optical simulation for SPDDS was performed using COMSOL model. • The model showed that thermal performance of absorber within glass enclosure was promising. • The maximum daily thermal efficiency of SPDDS was calculated to be 36.04%. The objective of the present study is to construct a cheap, new design of small-scale solar parabolic dish desalination system made from reused local recyclable materials without complex parts and power source with advantageous approach due to its unique configuration. The desalting system including a new design of cleanable vessel acts as a boiler that accommodate inside a glass box to minimize the heat losses by the wind. The proposed system was investigated by experiments and numerical model. Moreover, the optical efficiency of the system was simulated using COMSOL model. The experimental data using different levels of salt concentrations and brine masses was compared to those of numerical to validate the model. The model validation revealed that the mean bias error and mean percentage error for brine were −1.05 °C and 0.86%, respectively, while the maximum predicted concentration ratio reached ∼16,000 and ∼9000 for ideal and real reflectors, respectively. The experimental results of were compared to those numerical to validate the model using different levels of salt concentrations and brine masses. The obtained daily average values of radiative heat transfer coefficient proved the effective role of the glass box and vessel in reducing the heat losses to surroundings. At brine mass of 0.75 kg and salt concentration of 15 g/kg, the increase of the salt concentration from 0 to 200 g/kg decreases numerically the daily productivity and daily efficiency from 500 to 320 ml/m 2 .day and from 88.60 to 19%, respectively. Experimentally, the maximum instantaneous and daily thermal efficiency were found to be 53.40% and 36.04%,respectively, while the cost of freshwater production from the proposed system was 0.64 $/l.

Different responses of rice cultivars to salt stress and the underlying mechanisms

<p id="C3">The objective of this study is to elucidate the responses of physiological traits and yield with different salt stress to salt-tolerant and salt-susceptible rice cultivars. Five salt-tolerant rice cultivars and two salt-susceptible rice cultivars were grown in pots with five different salt concentration levels including 0, 1, 2, 2.5, and 3 g kg^-1 of per pot for two years. Results showed that the yields of salt-tolerant cultivars were less reduced than that of salt-susceptible cultivars, and salt-tolerant cultivars was able to tolerate higher salt concentration of 2.5 g kg^-1. Salt-tolerant varieties produced higher grain yield mainly due to the greater total spikelets per area and higher filled grain percentage under salt stress. Salt-tolerant rice cultivars also had higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), higher contents of osmotic substances such as fructose, trehalose, and sorbitol, and higher K⁺/Na⁺ ratio from mid-tillering to heading. The crop growth rate from tillering to jointing and from heading to maturity, and photosynthetic rate at heading stage were higher in salt-tolerant cultivars than in salt-susceptible cultivars. The above results revealed that the differences in grain yields between salt-tolerant and salt-susceptible rice varieties were mainly due to the performances of physiological traits at mid-tillering, panicle initiation, and heading stages. These growth stages were the key stages that determined the number of panicles, spikelets per panicle, and the percentage of filled grains. The better physiological traits in the salt-tolerant rice varieties during key stages were the basis for higher grain yield. The results of this study could be helpful for the physiological researches and the breeding of salt-tolerant rice.

Determination of salt concentration in water using decision trees and electromagnetic waves.

Salt water adversely affects human health and plant growth. In parallel with the increasing interest in non-contact determination of salt concentration in water, a novel approach is proposed in this study. In the proposed approach, S parameter measurements, which show the scattering properties of electromagnetic waves, are used. First, the relationship between salt concentration in water and permittivity values, a distinguishing feature for liquids, is shown. Then, based on the derived correlations from a set of S parameter measurements, it is shown that the salt concentration in water can be predicted. Finally, after exactly determining the relations of permittivity, salt concentration and S parameter, a system that allows non-contact determination of salt concentration is proposed. Since the proposed system makes its prediction using a classifier, decision tree algorithms are employed for this purpose. In order to evaluate the appropriateness and success of the algorithms, a set of classification experiments were held using various water samples with different levels of salt concentration. The results of the classification experiments show that the Hoeffding tree algorithm achieved the best results and is the most suitable decision tree algorithm for determining the salt concentration of liquids. For this reason, the proposed non-contact approach can be used to determine the salt concentration in water reliably and quickly if its hardware and software components can be embedded into a prototype system.

Effect of NaCl Salt Stress on Germination and Seedling Growth of Black Gram (Vigna mungo)

Background: Dehulled and split seeds of black gram (Vigna mungo) are used in the preparation of several dishes all over India. Salt stress is a troublesome issue in the arid and semi-dry areas and is seen as a critical constraint for growth and yield. It is very sensitive to salt especially during the seedling stage. Hence, a study was conducted to assess the impact of salt stress induced with NaCl on the germination and seedling growth of black gram. Methods: The different levels of salt concentration (20 ppm, 40 ppm, 60 ppm, 80 ppm) were prepared in the laboratory. Selected black gram (ADT-6) seeds were sown in small poly pots (soil, sand and farmyard manure at 1:1:1 ratio) with 3 replications and irrigated with a respective dose of saline water. The distilled water (0 ppm) was used as a control. The germination (%), shoot length (cm) and root length (cm) in the black gram were recorded after two weeks. The inhibition effect was studied by the response index (RI) method. Result: Increase in salt concentration diminished seed germination percentage, shoot length and root length of seedling and vigor index in black gram. Further, the response index indicated that all the salt concentration treatments had negative values.