Quality of Emulsions Based on Modified Watermelon Seed Oil, Stabilized with Orange Fibres

The aim of the study was to evaluate emulsion systems prepared on the basis of blended fat in different ratios (watermelon seed oil and mutton tallow) stabilised by orange fibres and xanthan gum. Emulsions were subjected to stability testing by Turbiscan and were assessed in terms of mean droplet size, colour, viscosity, texture, skin hydration and sensory properties. The most stable systems were found to be the ones containing a predominance of mutton tallow in a fat phase. For these emulsions the lowest increase in mean particle size during storage was observed. The study also confirmed the synergistic effect of the thickeners used. The presented emulsions despite favourable physicochemical parameters, did not gain acceptance in sensory evaluation.

Dietary Inclusion of Citrullus lanatus Seed in Fish Feed: Proximate Analysis, Growth Performance and Feed Utilization in Clarias gariepinus Fingerlings

One of the factors militating against fish farming in Nigeria have been lack of adequate feed that are formulated to meet the nutrient requirement of culturable fish species. To this end, the study on dietary inclusion of Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) seed in fish feed: the proximate analysis, determination of growth performance and feed utilization in Clarias gariepinus fingerlings was carried out between August and October 2019. The proximate analysis and economic viability were determined according to standard methods. The experimental diet was set up across varying proportions: 0% as the control, 15%, 20%, 25% and 36% inclusion levels respectively. The result of the proximate analysis for the experimental diets showed that diet 3 (20.00% inclusion) had the highest crude protein content; lipid level was highest in diet 4 (25% inclusion); while diet 1 (control) had the highest dry matter, ash and nitrogen free extract contents. The result of the experiment showed that 36% watermelon seed inclusion yielded the highest growth performance and feed utilization in Clarias gariepinus fingerlings. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in relation to inclusion percentages of watermelon seed on growth performance in Clarias gariepinus fingerlings. In conclusion, relatively high proportion of watermelon seed inclusion in fish feed formulation is hereby recommended in order to improve growth performance and feed utilization in Clarias gariepinus fingerlings.

Effect of Moisture Content on the Mechanical Properties of Watermelon Seed Varieties

The effect of moisture content on the mechanical properties of agricultural material is essential during design and adjustment of machines used during harvest, cleaning, separation, handling and storage. This study determined some mechanical properties of Black and Brown colored of watermelon seed grown in Nigeria under different moisture contents range of 6.5 to 27.8% (d.b). The results for the mechanical properties obtained ranged from 15.68-29.54 N for compressive force; 1.95-3.40 mm for compressive extension; 0.13-0.33 N mm-2 for compressive strength; and 0.17-1.93 kJ for deformation energy at vertical loading position while at horizontal loading position, results obtained ranged from 14.71-38.36 N for compressive force; 1.94-4.20 mm for compressive extension; 0.16-0.32 N mm-2 for compressive strength; and 1.47-76.39 kJ for deformation energy for Black colored watermelon seed. The compressive force, compressive extension, compressive strength, deformation energy ranged from 14.18-36.49 N, 1.85-5.20 mm, 0.19 0.76 N mm-2, 26.23-189.75 kJ at vertical loading position and 16.47-41.82 N, 1.68-11.08 mm, 0.34- 0.57 N mm-2, 27.67-319.99 kJ at horizontal loading position for Brown colored watermelon seed. The correlation between the mechanical properties and moisture content was statistically significant at (p≤0.05) level. It is also economical to load Black colored in vertical loading position at 27.8% moisture content and Brown colored in vertical loading position at 27.8% moisture content to reduce energy demand when necessary to crack or compress the seed. This research has generated data that are efficiently enough to design and fabricate processing and storage structures for Black and Brown water melon seeds.

Vertical Transmission of Diverse Cultivation-Recalcitrant Endophytic Bacteria Elucidated Using Watermelon Seed Embryos

Seed transmission of endophytic microorganisms is a growing research area in plant biology and microbiology. We employed cultivation versus cultivation-independent approaches on excised embryos from watermelon seeds (6–12 months in storage) and on embryo-derived in vitro seedlings (EIVS) to assess the vertical transmission of endophytic bacteria. Surface-disinfected watermelon seeds bore abundant residual bacteria in the testa and perisperm tissues, predominantly Bacillus spp. propounding the essentiality of excluding all non-embryonic tissues for vertical transmission studies. Tissue homogenates from re-disinfected seed embryos displayed no cultivable bacteria during the 1-week monitoring. Bright-field live microscopy revealed abundant bacteria in tissue homogenates and in embryo sections as intracellular motile particles. Confocal imaging on embryo sections after SYTO-9 staining and eubacterial fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) endorsed enormous bacterial colonization. Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME)-based 16S rRNA V3–V4 taxonomic profiling excluding the preponderant chloroplast and mitochondrial sequences revealed a high bacterial diversity in watermelon seed embryos mainly Firmicutes barring spore formers followed by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria, and other minor phyla. Embryo-base (comprising the radicle plus plumule parts) and embryo-cotyledon parts differed in bacterial profiles with the abundance of Firmicutes in the former and Proteobacteria dominance in the latter. EIVS displayed a higher bacterial diversity over seed embryos indicating the activation from the dormant stage of more organisms in seedlings or their better amenability to DNA techniques. It also indicated embryo-to-seedling bacterial transmission, varying taxonomic abundances for seed embryos and seedlings, and differing phylogenic profiles for root, hypocotyl, and cotyledon/shoot-tip tissues. Investigations on different watermelon cultivars confirmed the embryo transmission of diverse cultivation recalcitrant endophytic bacteria. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes formed the core phyla across different cultivars with 80–90% similarity at genus to phylum levels. Conversely, freshly harvested seeds displayed a dominance of Proteobacteria. The findings revealed that dicot seeds such as in different watermelon cultivars come packaged with abundant and diverse vertical and seedling-transmissible cultivation recalcitrant endophytic bacteria with significant implications for plant biology.

A comparative study on the effect of processing (soaking, germination and boiling) on nutritional, antinutritional and functional properties of Citrullus Lanatus (watermelon) seed flour

Background: Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) seed is one of the underutilized crops in Africa. It is a valuable food resource but its usage is limited due to the presence of anti-nutritional factors and its poor storage properties. In this study, the comparative effect of processing methods on nutritional, anti-nutritional and functional properties of watermelon seed flour was determined. Methods; Watermelon seeds were subjected to different processing methods (soaking, germination and boiling), dried and milled into flours. Proximate composition, antinutritional factors (tannins, phytates, oxalate, saponins, trypsin inhibitor, and glycogenic glycoside) and functional properties (water and oil absorption capacity, bulk density, foaming capacity) of the flour were determined using standard methods and analytical procedures. Results: There were significant differences (p<0.05) in the proximate contents between different processing methods. The value of protein content of the seed flours ranges from 13.25±1.70–18.77±0.63 %. All the anti-nutritional factors were significantly reduced (p<0.05) in the processed seed flour when compared to the unprocessed seeds flour. Soaking significantly (p<0.05) increased the concentrations of histidine, threonine, valine, lysine, leucine, isoleucine and phenylalanine when compared with the unprocessed sample. However, no significant difference (p>0.05) was seen in arginine, methionine, proline and aspartic acid of all the seed flours. The processed seed flour also exhibited desirable functional properties when compared with the unprocessed seed flour. Conclusion: Soaking, germination and boiling can be used for the reduction of antinutrient contents while improving the nutrient density and bioavailability of water-melon seed flour. Thus the processed seed flour hence may be useful for confectionery products, aerated foods and high nutrient density weaning foods

Effect of thickening of watermelon sowing on yield and seed quality

Purpose and objectives. To study the effect thickening plantations of watermelon seed plants on seed yield and quality, using different thickening designs in the Northern Steppe of Ukraine. Materials and methods. The main crop was watermelon. Sweet corn and green bean were used as thickeners. The thikeners were placed in watermelon interrows or in rows with the following layouts: 1.4 m x 1.0 m and 2.8 m x 1.0 m (sweet corn) and 1.4 m x 0.5 m, 2.8 m x 0.5 m (green beans). Results and discussion. The highest output of seeds per fruit (21.3 g) was recorded when sweet corn was sown between watermelon rows with a layout of 2.8 m x 1.0 m (18.4 g in the control). Growing sweet corn in watermelon interrows increased the 1000-seed weight from 52.6 g (control) to 55.5 g. The highest yield of watermelon seeds (187 kg/ha) was obtained in plantations where sweet corn was grown watermelon interrows with a layout of 2.8 m x 1.0 m (+ 21 kg/ha or 12.7% to the control). The use of green bean as a thickener for watermelon was less effective. The yield increased by 7-15 kg/ha (4.2–9.0%) compared to the control. In addition, 0.8-1.8 t/ha of milky-wax cobs of sweet corn and 47–98 kg/ha of green beans were harvested. Conclusions. The use of thickeners grown between rows of the main crop is the most effective technological technique in the Northern Steppe of Ukraine to increase the yield and improve the quality of watermelon seeds. Our experiments demonstrated that sweet corn was the best thickener, interrow was the best placement, and 2.8 m x 1.0 m was the best layout. This method in watermelon seed production allows increasing the seed yield by 12.7% related to the control (no thickeners) and raising the economic efficiency of seed production due to a gain in the net profit of 14,800 UAH/ha (26.4%) and profitability by 37.9% while maintaining high sowing indicators of seeds