Water Capacity Research Articles

Development of Microcontroller Based Water Quality Monitoring and Water Level Control Device

Access to clean and safe water is not only a fundamental human right but also a vital requirement for electronics industries, chemicals industries, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage production, fisheries and aquatic farming. This project addresses the pressing issue of water quality monitoring and efficient water usage within the context of these industries. The study's identification of problem areas for water quality can lead to more efficient interventions and solutions to safeguard the environment, and prevent waterborne diseases. This paper presents the design and implementation of microcontroller-based system for monitoring water quality and water level in the thank, the water in the thank is refilled when it goes beyond a set threshold with the aid of an automatic switch control. The system is a hybrid of 3 subsystems: a Water Level Checker, a Water Quality Monitoring System and an Automatic Switch control system. The Water level checker consists of Ultrasonic sensors. The Water Quality Monitoring system consists of pH sensors, TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) sensors and Turbidity sensors. The continuous (Analog) data from the water quality sensors used would be outputted via an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The Automatic Switch control system consists of 5v Relay modules and a 12v Pump that would automatically switch ON/OFF depending on the level of water in the tank. The values of EC (Electrical Conductivity) and TDS spike drastically to the introduction of salt from as low as 138 -906 for TDS and 0.34 – 2.04 for EC, signifying increase in water capacity of electrical conductivity. Temperature rise in the afternoon also increases TDS values from 142 for clean water to 920 for the salty water while it ranges from 138 for clean water to 906 for salt water at both morning and evening time. Pumping aspects of the system are triggered when water level in the thank falls below 10% and trips off when water level goes above 95% as programmed in the control unit. The developed system marks a significant achievement in water management and automation technology. integration of quality monitoring sensors has enabled real-time evaluation of water parameters that holds potential for applications in environmental monitoring, ensuring safe drinking water, and safeguarding aquatic ecosystems. The automated switch control mechanism responds dynamically to water levels, enabling the system to trigger actions such as pump activation or filling processes based on predefined thresholds.

Effects of cover crops and nitrogen fertilization on soil physical properties, carbon and nitrogen fractions, and winter wheat yield in the Chinese loess plateau: A 4-year field experiment

Context or problemLone-term application of chemical fertilizers in farmland ensure adequate or profitable crop yields but may damage soil structure. Cover crops (CCs) have great potentials to improve soil quality and promote sustainable crop production. However, the combined impacts of CCs with nitrogen fertilization on soil quality and crop yields are not clear. Objective or research questionWe aimed to examine the effects of CCs combined with N fertilization rates on soil physical properties, C and N fractions in both bulk soils and aggregates, and crop yields, and to find the best management practice that improve both soil quality and crop yields synthetically. MethodsA 4-year summer CCs - winter wheat field experiment was conducted in the Loess Plateau of China. CCs with different species and combinations (CC) were soybean (SB), sudan grass (SG), a mixture of both (SS), and no cover crop (CK) and N fertilizer (NR) were applied to winter wheat at rates of 0 (N0), 60 (N60), and 120 (N120) kg N ha−1. Soil physical properties and C and N fractions in both bulk soils and aggregates were evaluated at 0–10, 10–20, and 20–40 cm soil depths. ResultsSoil total porosity (TP), saturated water content (SWC), capillary water capacity (CWC), and C and N fractions decreased while bulk density (BD) increased with the increase of soil depth. The CC, NR, and their interaction (CC×NR) had significant effects on soil BD, aggregate size distribution and stability (MWD), and C and N fractions and only CC and CC×NR had significant effects on other physical properties. The incorporation of CCs significantly increased the proportions of > 5 mm aggregates and C and N fractions in both bulk soils and aggregates, especially in 0–10 and 10–20 cm. And SB and SS improved soil other physical properties more than SG, especially in 0–10 cm, which decreased BD by 13.2% and 12.6% while increased TP by 6.5% and 8.3%, SWC by 14.3% and 15.3%, CWC by 13.9% and 14.2%, MWD by 16.6% and 14.4%, respectively, compared to CK. Additionally, soil physical properties improved more with N60 while the C and N fractions in both bulk soils and aggregates increased more with N120. However, BD increased by 2.6% and 3.3% in N60 and N120 than N0, respectively. The correlations between the proportion of macro-aggregates and soil C and N fractions at 0–10 and 10–20 cm indicated the positive effects of CCs on improving soil structure and fertility simultaneously. Aggregated-associated C and N fractions decreased firstly and then increased with the reduced aggregate sizes, and were higher in micro-aggregates than in other size classes. N60-SB increased wheat yields by 98.7% compared with N0-CK. ConclusionsOverall, the incorporation of soybean residue was the best management practice for winter wheat yield and soil fertility under the reduced N fertilization. Implications or significanceThe selection of CCs species should depend on farmland managements, and the appropriate CCs with N fertilizer rates would target the improvements in soil quality, the sequestration of soil organic carbon, and crop yields synergistically.

Exploring the Sensory Profile of Stevia Coffee Using Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) Method and Chemical Analysis

Coffee is usually consumed by adding sugar, cream, or milk. Adding these ingredients, especially sugar, can cause new disease problems. The market is starting to look for natural sweeteners that do not cause health problems, such as stevia. The objective of this research was to identify the sensory attributes and chemical components of some variety of stevia coffee formulations. Sensory attributes were identified through a focus group discussion (FGD), and sensory profiling to choose the best formulation was determined using the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA). The FGD members were nine panelists, while the RATA sensory evaluation used 30 panelists. Chemical analysis carried out includes water (gravimetry), ash (gravimetry), and antioxidant capacity (spectrophotometry). In this research, four distinct formulations of stevia coffee, A1 (0% stevia), A2 (2% stevia), A3 (4% stevia), and A4 (7% stevia), were utilized. Results indicate that varying stevia concentrations significantly influence the resulting coffee's sensory characteristics. Attributes identified through FGD include color (dark brown), aroma (green/leafy, sour, roasted, spicy), taste (acid/sour, sweet, bitter, green, spice) and aftertaste (over, bitter and sweet). Statistical analysis showed that eight out of thirteen sensory attributes had significant differences (p<0.05) among the four samples. Sensory evaluation of the selected sample, A2 (4%), revealed a favorable taste profile characterized by sweetness and sourness. Moreover, the chosen formulation exhibited a notable antioxidant activity level of 83.13%. These findings underscore the potential of stevia coffee as a flavorful and health-conscious alternative, offering valuable insights for product development and consumer acceptance.

Differences in soil water movement between the dip and anti-dip slopes of a karst trough valley

Exploring temporal and spatial variations in soil water processes is crucial for identifying the ecological water supply capacity of soil and understanding hydrologic cycles within karst catchments. However, the existing body of knowledge related to soil water dynamics across dip and anti-dip slopes in karst landscapes remains limited. To address this gap, this study investigated soil water dynamics in a karst trough valley (KTV) in southwest China, using stable isotopes (δD and δ18O) from eight sampling sites and precipitation data from April 2017 to November 2018. Our findings suggest that seasonal variations in soil water isotopes are primarily influenced by climatic factors, with soil water lagging behind rainwater isotopes by one to four months due to differences in the residence time of precipitation in different soil layers. Spatially, our results reveal the coexistence of diffuse and preferential flows on both dip and anti-dip slopes. Specifically, on the dip slope, preferential flow dominates above 20 cm, while diffuse flow prevails below this depth. In contrast, on the anti-dip slope, preferential flow is prominent above 40 cm depth, while diffuse flow dominates beneath this threshold. These spatial patterns not only impact the ecological water and nutrient supply capacity of soil but they also contribute to distinct patterns in vegetative growth on both slopes. In turn, vegetation growth facilitates preferential flow pathways, establishing a positive feedback loop between soil water movement and vegetative cover. These findings may lead to a deeper understanding of soil water processes on the dip and anti-dip slopes of KTVs and provide crucial insights into the relationship between soil water and vegetative growth in similar karst landforms.

Application of SWAT Model for Hydrological Simulation of Rapti River Basin

This study aimed at application of SWAT model for hydrological simulations of Rapti River Basin (RRB) water systems. The Rapti River originates from Nepal and then it comes in India. SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model was used for hydrological simulation of the RRB surface and sub surface water systems. SWAT is a comprehensive, semi-distributed river basin model that requires a large number of input parameters, which complicates model parameterization and calibration. The RRB was discretised into 4 sub-basins and 630 hydrological response units (HRUs) and calibration and validation was carried out at Bagasoti using monthly flow data of 11 years, respectively. We first calibrated the model in SWAT-CUP which is a decision-making framework that incorporates a semi-automated approach (SUFI2) using manual calibration and incorporating sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. Parameter sensitivity analysis helps focus the calibration and uncertainty analysis and is used to provide statistics for goodness-of-fit. In this study Calibration has been done between simulated and observed discharge data (1974-1985) for 50 simulations with 6 parameters that is Curve number (CN2 = 0.945), Groundwater delay (GW_DELAY = 50), Baseflow alpha factor (ALPHA_BF = 0.58), Manning's "n" value for the main channel (CH_N2 = 0.15), Effective hydraulic conductivity in main channel alluvium (CH_K2 = 10.20) and Available water capacity of the soil layer (SOL_AWC = 0.28). The results were analysed and compared with the observational data. The model performance evaluation showed acceptable ranges of values (i.e., Nash Sutcliff was 0.75 and R2 was 0.71). After model calibration, in order to predict water balance, the model was validated by using the best parameter.

Replacing nitrogen in mineral fertilizers with nitrogen in maize straw increases soil water-holding capacity

Soil water-holding capacity decreases due to long-term mineral fertilizer application. The objective of this study was to determine how replacing mineral fertilizer with maize straw affected the soil water retention curve, soil water content, soil water availability, and soil equivalent pore size. Replacement treatments in which 25% (S25), 50% (S50), 75% (S75), and 100% (S100) of 225 kg ha−1 nitrogen from mineral fertilizer (CK) was replaced with equivalent nitrogen from maize straw were conducted for five years in the Loess Plateau of China. The Gardner model was used to fit the soil water retention curve and calculate the soil water constant and equivalent pore size distribution. The results indicated that the Gardner model fitted well. Replacing nitrogen from mineral fertilizer with nitrogen from straw increased soil specific water capacity, soil readily available water, soil delayed available water, soil available water, soil capillary porosity, and soil available water porosity over time. S25 increased field capacity and wilting point from the fourth fertilization year. S50 enhanced soil readily available water, soil delayed available water, soil available water, and soil available water porosity from the fifth fertilization year, whereas S25 and S75 increased these from the third fertilization year or earlier. Soil specific water capacity, soil readily available water, soil delayed available water, soil available water, soil capillary porosity, and soil available water porosity could better reflect soil water-holding capacity and soil water supply capacity compared with field capacity and wilting point.

INDUCTION OF DROUGHT RESISTANCE IN MELON (Cucumis melo L.) M15 WITH HORMOPRIMING BRASSINOSTEROID BASED ON MORFOLOGY, ANATOMY, AND PHYSIOLOGY ASPECTS

Melon productivity in Indonesia has been declining. Global climate change is affecting the productivity of melons. Long-term droughts have contributed to a reduction in plant growth and development. Hormopriming is an alternative to increase the germination and growth of melon plants by soaking seeds in a solution of plant growth regulators. Brassinosteroid can enhance germination and plant tolerance under drought conditions. The objective of this research is to examine the impact of brassinosteroid hormopriming treatment on the germination and growth of melon plants subjected to various degrees of drought stress. The study utilized a two-factor fully randomized design. The brassinosteroid concentrations used were 0, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15 ppm. Media with different water capacities of 75%, 50%, and 25% Space Capacity (SC) were used to test drought stress resistance. Water capacities were examined using the gravimetric method. This study's findings suggest that treating melon plants with brassinosteroid variations can induce drought resistance in M15 melons. A brassinosteroid concentration of 0.15 ppm is the best concentration, as it can increase all parameters of plant growth and adaptation under each variation of water availability provided. The findings of this study can serve as a reference for melon cultivators constrained by dry land conditions to increase the efficiency of cultivation.

Innovations and challenges in adsorption-based wastewater remediation: A comprehensive review

Water contamination is an escalating emergency confronting communities worldwide. While traditional adsorbents have laid the groundwork for effective water purification, their selectivity, capacity, and sustainability limitations have driven the search for more advanced solutions. Despite many technological advancements, economic, environmental, and regulatory hurdles challenge the practical application of advanced adsorption techniques in large-scale water treatment. Integrating nanotechnology, advanced material fabrication techniques, and data-driven design enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have led to a new generation of optimized, high-performance adsorbents. These advanced materials leverage properties like high surface area, tailored pore structures, and functionalized surfaces to capture diverse water contaminants efficiently. With a focus on sustainability and effectiveness, this review highlights the transformative potential of these advanced materials in setting new benchmarks for water purification technologies. This article delivers an in-depth exploration of the current landscape and future directions of adsorbent technology for water remediation, advocating for a multidisciplinary approach to overcome existing barriers in large-scale water treatment applications.

Long-term soil quality and C stock effects of tillage and cover cropping in a conservation agriculture system

Conservation and regenerative agriculture are widely considered as approaches aiming at addressing challenges in relation to climate change and soil quality. In that respect, no tillage (NT) and use of cover crops (CCs) are seen as key elements in achieving the sustainability goals of these approaches, but the long-term individual and interactive effects of these elements remain unknown. We examined the impact of tillage (NT and mouldboard ploughing) combined with a fodder radish CC in continuous cereal cropping. Soil was sampled in the 0–10 and 10–20 cm layer after two decades of treatments in the CENTS experiment at AU Viborg (Denmark) situated on a sandy loam with 9% clay. We assessed soil structural quality, SOC stocks, clay dispersibility (CD), wet stability of aggregates (WSA) and soil pore characteristics. Neither tillage nor cover cropping affected the SOC stock in the 0–20 cm soil layer. No tillage improved CD, WSA and plant available water capacity in 0–10 cm depth as compared to ploughing. The marked improvement in CD and WSA of NT soils could not be explained by SOC per se, but rather positive effects ascribed to absence of disturbance. In contrast, soil porosity, especially in 10–20 cm depth, the fraction of soil volume represented by >30 µm pores and gas diffusivity decreased, and NT soils resulted in a less good soil structural quality. The inclusion of CCs improved soil structural quality and the functionality of the soil macropore system. Hence, CCs have the potential to alleviate negative effects of NT on pore characteristics at macroscale. Furthermore, we found that the positive effects of NT on CD and WSA and of CCs on pore characteristics at macroscale were much more pronounced after long- (20 yrs NT; 13 yrs CC) than after medium-term (10 yrs NT; 5 yrs CC) underlining the value of long-term conservation agriculture experiments.

Tailoring hydrophobicity vs. water capacity of adsorbents for adsorption applications: role of composites

Water adsorption capacities of various adsorbents reported in the literature were investigated to define a hydrophobicity index that was plotted vs. water capacity. In this plot, logarithmic curves were proposed to be used as indicators of performance limits of adsorbents, especially for adsorption heat pumps. In spite of their useful adsorption properties, zeolites generally exhibited quite low hydrophobicity, remaining well below the logarithmic curve. In this study, the use of composites of zeolite NaY was examined both theoretically and experimentally for improvements in the water capacity and hydrophobicity. Salt impregnation and hydrothermal synthesis experiments were performed to prepare composites of zeolite NaY with LiCl/MgCl2 salts and activated carbon, respectively. Water capacity and hydrophobicity of zeolite NaY composites were generally superior to those of pure zeolite. Zeolite composites may be advantageous for enhancing adsorption capacity and hydrophobicity of zeolites while eliminating low stability and slow adsorption kinetics of other adsorbents. Interface between two different phases might indicate another opportunity to provide improved adsorption properties for zeolite composites.

Pedotransfer Functions for Field Capacity, Permanent Wilting Point, and Available Water Capacity Based on Random Forest Models for Routine Soil Health Analysis

ABSTRACT Available water capacity (AWC), field capacity (θFC), and permanent wilting point (θPWP) are regarded as key physical soil health indicators that directly capture the soil’s capacity to store plant available water but are expensive components of a comprehensive soil health analysis. To reduce costs, pedotransfer functions for θFC, θPWP, and AWC were developed from a dataset of 7,232 soil samples with texture, soil organic matter (SOM), permanganate-oxidizable carbon, soil respiration, AWC, θFC, θPWP, wet aggregate stability, and extractable potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese. Three functions were developed for each property: a full random forest (RF) model containing all variables, a reduced RF model and a multiple linear regression model containing texture and SOM. Pedotransfer functions were validated with an independent dataset that contained 1,406 samples. The full RF models for θFC, θPWP, and AWC reduced the root mean square error (RMSE) by 16.3, 13.3, and 12.8%, compared to multiple linear regression models, respectively. Furthermore, the full RF models for θFC, θPWP, and AWC reduced RMSE by 11.6, 6.7, and 12.8%, compared to the reduced RF model, respectively. Permanganate-oxidizable carbon, wet aggregate stability, and extractable magnesium, potassium, and iron were useful novel predictor variables for improving prediction of θFC and AWC. AWC was sensitive in 20/57 long-term experiments, and full RF models were able to replicate 5/20 of those significant results. New RF pedotransfer functions for θFC, θPWP, and AWC can enhance prediction compared to traditional modeling techniques, fits into existing interpretative frameworks, and improves cost-effectiveness of comprehensive assessments of soil health.

Soil macropores induced by plant root as a driver for vertical hydrological connectivity in Yellow River Delta

Abstract The protection and management of the wetland should consider the changes in hydrological connectivity (HC) caused by the structural modifications of the soil macropores. The main purpose of our work is to clarify and quantify the influence of the soil macropores volume on the vertical soil hydrodynamic process mechanically and statistically by taking the form of a case study in Yellow River Delta (YRD), and further reveal the vertical hydrological connectivity in this area. Based on X-ray computed tomography and constant head permeability test, the results showed a highly spatial heterogeneity of the soil structure in the YRD, hydraulic parameter (Ks) was negatively correlated with bulk density and positively with soil macropore volume, soil aeration and maximum water capacity. Using Hydrus 1-D software and the Green–Ampt model, we estimated the characteristics of the hydrodynamic process in the soil without macropores, then evaluated the effect of the soil macropore on soil hydrodynamic process by comparing the experimental results with the simulation results. We found that increasing soil microporosity improved the convenience of water movement, which would enhance the HC of the region. The results will further help to reveal the eco-hydrological process at a vertical scale in soil and provide a theoretical guide for wetland conservation and restoration.

Analysis of Characteristics of Bamboo Water Wheels 6 Bamboo Plate with Height Variations of Water Attacking the Blade

A waterwheel is a mechanical device in the form of a wheel with blades (bucket or vane) around the edges which are placed on the shaft. horizontally. The waterwheel is a simple tool whose purpose is to convert motion energy into electrical energy. In the design of the waterwheel, the type and dimensions of the waterwheel depend on the location of the wheel, the height of the water fall and the available water capacity. So that in order to obtain optimal efficiency, the design of a waterwheel that operates at a particular location will have a speciLic design, both in the form of type and dimensions that are different from other locations. The purpose of this study was to determine the maximum power, maximum torque and maximum efLiciency that produced a bamboo water wheel with 6 bamboo plate blades. In this study, the data produced is experimental data with the height of the water hitting the blades of 15 cm, 20 cm, 25 cm, 30 cm, and 35 cm and the number of blades is 6 pieces. The results obtained, the maximum power is 7.61 and is found in the variation of water height hitting 15 cm, the maximum torque is 3.71 and there is a variation in water height hitting 15 cm and the maximum efLiciency that can be produced by the bamboo water wheel is 47.67% and found in variations in water height that hit the blade 15 cm.

Effect of Intermittent Low-Pressure Radiofrequency Helium Cold Plasma Treatments on Rice Gelatinization, Fatty Acid, and Hygroscopicity.

To establish the safe and reproducible effects of cold plasma (CP) technology on food products, this study evaluated the gelatinization parameters, fatty acid profile, and hygroscopic properties of rice grains repeatedly treated with low-pressure radiofrequency (RF) helium CP (13.56 MHz, 140 Pa, 120 W-20s, 0-4 times, and 300 g sample). Compared with the untreated (zero times) sample, with an increase in CP treatment times from one to four on rice, the water contact angle and cooking time decreased, while the water absorption rate and freshness index increased, and the pH value remained unchanged. CP repeating treatments essentially had no effect on the gelatinization enthalpy, but significantly increased the peak temperature of gelatinization. From the pasting profile of rice that has been repeatedly CP treated, the peak, breakdown, and setback viscosities in flour paste decreased. CP repeating treatments on rice did not change the short-range molecular order of starch. Compared with the untreated sample, the first helium CP treatment maintained the content of C18:1n9c, C18:2n6c, and C18:3n3, but the second to fourth CP treatment significantly decreased contents of these fatty acids (FAs) as the C18:0 content increased. The first three CP treatments can increase the water and sucrose solvent retention capacity in rice flours. CP repeatedly treated rice first exhibits the similar monolayer water content and solid surface area of water sorption. Principal component analysis shows that contact angle, pasting parameters, and fatty acid profile in milled rice are quite sensitive to CP treatment. Results support that the effect of low-pressure RF 120W helium CP treatment 20 s on rice grains is perdurable, and the improvement of CP intermittent treatments on rice cooking and pasting properties is an added benefit, and the hygroscopic properties of rice was kept.

Modeling and Forecasting the Removal of Biogenic Elements from Agricultural Lands Depending on the Soil Agrophysical Properties

Introduction. Environmental pollution prevention, including prevention of water bodies, with nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) when they are removed from agricultural lands with possible runoff is a topical problem that requires a timely solution. The studies have found that the removal of nutrients is a result of geochemical processes, fertilization, and other factors. In this regard, mathematical modeling of the process of removal of nutrients from agricultural lands and their possible entry into water bodies is an urgent task. Aim of the Study. The study is aimed at modeling and predicting the process of possible removal of nutrients from agricultural lands to water bodies. Materials and Methods. When conducting the study, there were used well-known modeling methods. They are the methods for calculating the removal of nutrients from agricultural objects into water bodies, based on the minimum amount of initial information for predicting the eutrophication of water bodies and agrochemical methods taking into account the structure and size of field and agricultural areas, crop yields, and removal nutrients with the harvest. Results. Based on an analysis of the literature and expert judgment, a list of the most significant indicators influencing the process of nitrogen and phosphorus removal was justified. There have been developed mathematical models to determine and predict the input of nutrients from agricultural lands to water bodies. There have been found significant indicators influencing the amount of input of nutrients, such as the amount of applied fertilizers, the volume of moisture, soil water capacity, field area, depth of cultivation, etc. There is given an example of calculating the amount of input of nutrients into water bodies with a rainfall intensity of 50 mm per hour. Discussion and Conclusion. The essence of the proposed mathematical models comes down to the synthesis of numerous indicators in the complex process of removal of nutrients and their impact on water quality. The proposed mathematical models make it possible to predict the removal of nutrients from agricultural lands and to develop and implement technical and technological solutions to prevent environmental pollution.

Pemberian Biochar Arang Kayu dan Tandan Kosong Sawit terhadap Gas N2O pada Tanah Gambut yang Ditumbuhi Kelapa Sawit

Peatlands are developed for agricultural cultivation, such as oil palm. The agricultural sector contributes 13.5% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Emissions from this sector are generally in the form of N2O 46%, CH4 45%, and CO2 9%. Recently, the focus on the development of peatlands for this activity has been so great, especially in relation to emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O). The potential for peatland to be used as agricultural land must pay attention to environmental aspects such as the level of N2O emissions. This study aims to determine the effect of wood activated to empty palm oil fruit bunches on N2O emissions from peatlands oil palm. This study used an allocation block design. The factors studied were the distribution of wood charcoal and empty palm oil bunches at 6 levels, namely: wood charcoal + 0 kg of empty palm fruit bunches; wood charcoal 0.75 kg + 0.75 kg of empty palm fruit bunches, and 0.375 empty palm fruit bunches+0.375 kg of wood charcoal; empty palm fruit bunch charcoal 1.5 kg+wood charcoal 1.5 kg. N2O gas was analyzed using the closed chamber method and the soil was analyzed for soil pH and field water capacity. The treatment was repeated 3 times, resulting in 18 experimental units. The results showed that on day 0, the application of wood charcoal and empty palm oil bunches did not affect N2O emissions, but on the 15 and 45 days. The results showed that the treatment affected N2O emissions.

Harnessing date fruit pomace: Extraction of high fibre dietary ingredient and its impact on high fibre wheat flour dough

Extracting value from date fruit pomace, commonly dismissed as animal feed by date syrup factories, unveils a substantial composition of both insoluble and soluble fibers, along with valuable phenolic compounds. This nutritional profile positions date fruit fibre as an option for consumers seeking alternative fibre sources. This study investigates the extraction of high fibre date ingredient from date fruit pomace and its integration into bread wheat flour at replacement levels of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% (w/w). The research examines the resulting bread dough's properties using farinograph, rheometer, texture analyzer and optical microscopy. Furthermore, it explores the potential of high fibre dietary ingredient as a valuable fibre supplement. Our findings reveal that high fibre dietary ingredient is rich in insoluble fibre and phenolic antioxidants, has moderate moisture and protein content, and low-fat levels. It displays promising high water and oil retention capacity. However, substantial incorporation into bread flour leads to the formation of a hardened, adhesive dough with low stability to mixing. These findings provide insights into the diverse potential applications of high fibre dietary ingredient, highlighting its characteristics and challenges when utilized in baking practices.

Crop-livestock integration influenced soil profile organic carbon and hydro-physical properties in converted grasslands to row crops

Integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) can mitigate the impacts of cropping intensification by improving soil organic carbon (SOC) and associated hydro-physical properties. This study was conducted on three on-farm long-term (≥30 years) sites (Site 1, 2, and 3) and one short-term (4 years) experimental site (Site 4) to compare the SOC and hydro-physical properties to a depth of 40 cm for an intensive-cropland (CL), a native-grassland (NG) and cropland managed with ICLS. Data showed higher SOC, soil water retention (SWR), macroporosity, available water capacity (AWC), and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) for the NG than the CL indicating the degradation of soil physical quality because of intensive agriculture. However, for sites 1 and 2, the ICLS had 27% and 46% more SOC than the CL in the 0–10 cm depth. In addition, the ICLS decreased bulk density (ρb) (sites 1 and 3) and increased the Ksat (sites 1, 2, and 3) at 0–10 cm depth as compared to the CL. No differences in SOC or hydro-physical properties were observed for the short-term ICLS (site 4) when compared to the CL. The impacts of ICLS were most prominent at the surface soil (0–10 cm) and no difference was observed for the deeper soil. The AWC showed a linear increase with the increase in SOC, however, soils under ICLS and CL showed a higher increase in AWC with an increase in SOC as compared to the NG. This study highlighted the negative impacts of grassland to cropland conversion and suggested the implementation of ICLS to improve organic carbon and other associated hydro-physical properties of soils.

Functional roles of biocrusts in enhancing soil quality in a semi-arid environment

Biocrusts play a wide range of ecological roles, especially in modifying surface soil properties and as a natural agent to combat soil degradation in fragile semi-arid and arid ecosystems globally. We examined the importance of biocrust on soil properties and quality in a semi-arid alluvial fan in northeastern Iran. The soil quality index (SQI) was used as the method for the quantitative evaluation of soil with or without biocrusts, using standard linear and nonlinear scoring methods. For this purpose, 17 biological, chemical, and physical soil properties were integrated into two indicator selection methods (total and minimum data set) and SQI has been calculated by the weighted additive method. The spatial patterns of SQI showed that overall the soil quality was (47%) increased in biocrust compared to non-biocrust soil. The increase of microbial biomass nitrogen, basal soil respiration, and microbial biomass carbon, and the decrease of available sodium and percentage sand were the most important indicators controlling the soil quality changes by biocrusts. In addition, biocrusts improved the soil structure by reducing bulk density and increasing the mean weight diameter of aggregates and available water capacity. Cyanobacteria communities of biocrusts were the initiators of soil quality improvement, while moss and cyanolichen communities played a major role from the moderate stages of biocrust occurrence. It is concluded that globally, in dry lands, biocrusts should be considered as signatures of enhanced soil quality.

Dietary zinc requirement of juvenile stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis based on growth performance, haematology, and tissue mineral composition

This investigation was done to determine how much zinc (Zn) the stinging catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis, needs in its diet. Five isonitrogenous (34.5% protein) and isolipidic (6.0% lipid) diets were prepared to contain graded levels of Zn (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg kg−1), supplied as zinc sulfate (ZnSO4·7H2O), and referred to as Zn0, Zn10, Zn20, Zn30, and Zn40, respectively. A total of 600 fish (initial body weight: 1.41 ± 0.02 g) were stocked in 15 glass aquaria (40 fish/aquarium), each with 180 L water capacity. For ten weeks, each diet was hand fed to three groups of fish twice daily until they appeared satisfied. The highest weight gain and specific growth rate, and lowest feed conversion ratio were recorded in fish fed with a 30 mg Zn kg−1 diet. Zn contents in bone and muscle linearly increased up to 30 mg kg−1 Zn and then remained stable, while iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) contents in bone and muscle had an inverse pattern with the inclusion level of dietary Zn. Increasing dietary Zn levels up to 30 mg kg−1 was found to improve values of hematological parameters such as red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), haemoglobin (Hb), and haematocrit (HCT). These values, however, decreased when the dietary Zn level was further increased. The serum alkaline phosphatase level was the highest in fish fed a diet containing 30 mg kg-1 of Zn. Regression analyses based on weight gain, specific growth rate, and bone and muscle Zn concentrations indicated that the optimum dietary Zn requirement for stinging catfish was in a range of 27.4–36.5 mg kg−1.