Performance Assessment of Soil Moisture Meter under Sandy Clay Loam Soil

Background: Irrigation performs a substantial function for the growth of Agricultural vegetation. Soil supplies essential nutrients for the growth of plant and provides anchor support to the roots of the crops. Soil Moisture permits the requirement for water system to be measured ahead of a yield giving indications of misery. Knowing the soil moisture status empowers exceptionally productive water system, giving the water as and when required and wiping out the inefficient utilization of water when water system isn’t required. Methods: Sandy clay loam soil contains a decent arrangement of plant supplements and supports most sorts of plants and yields. So in the field plentiful accessibility of this soil its texture is discovered by estimating soil moisture. Result: Within the research we developed a soil moisture meter based on capacitive type sensor the output is analog voltage which is calibrated to soil moisture percentage and its performance is comparatively investigated with different moisture sensor under sandy clay loam soil. The proposed model is highly emphasized on the soil moisture percentage that is the level of water content in the soil. The percentage value is displayed in the LCD. The deployment cost is highly reduced in the proposed model.

Banana pell pellets for animal feed

The objective was to determine the exact moisture percentage for the formation of pellets from the banana peel, residues of banana candies, and the bromatological analysis of the final product. For the of the peel of banana, 10 different dehydration times were performed: zero; two; four; six; eight; ten; twelve; fourteen; sixteen and eighteen hours of dehydration, with four replicates each treatment. The exact moisture percentage for pellet formation was 18.84% moisture. The final product presented in its bromatological composition 81,16% of DM, 8,59% of CP, 26,8% of TND , 71,48% of NDF, 54,64% ADF, 0,8% of EE, 13,43% MM, 86,54% of OM, 0,22% of P e 0,068% of K. Evaluations in animal models should be performed in place of corn to determine the replacement levels in the diets and the performance of the animals.

Banana pell pellets for animal feed

The objective was to determine the exact moisture percentage for the formation of pellets from the banana peel, residues of banana candies, and the bromatological analysis of the final product. For the of the peel of banana, 10 different dehydration times were performed: zero; two; four; six; eight; ten; twelve; fourteen; sixteen and eighteen hours of dehydration, with four replicates each treatment. The exact moisture percentage for pellet formation was 18.84% moisture. The final product presented in its bromatological composition 81,16% of DM, 8,59% of CP, 26,8% of TND , 71,48% of NDF, 54,64% ADF, 0,8% of EE, 13,43% MM, 86,54% of OM, 0,22% of P e 0,068% of K. Evaluations in animal models should be performed in place of corn to determine the replacement levels in the diets and the performance of the animals.

Towards accurate non-contact moisture inspection using THz imaging and thickness information

This study proposes an approach for a non-contact moisture inspection in dried food products, which is crucial to maintain optimal quality and shelf-life, using terahertz (THz) signal. To achieve this, a sample-specific calibration curve needs to be determined first. HAITAI crackers were chosen in this work for demonstration purposes. Fifteen stacks of crackers with different heights were prepared and moisturized by covering with a wet tissue paper for different time periods, resulting in moisture levels between 3 and 40% R.H.. Then, each sample was placed on a conveyor belt system between a THz source and THz a detector, and transmitted signal was measured 5 times. After that, moisture percentage of the sample was determined based on a gravimetric method, whose results served as a ground-truth measurement. A thickness of the sample was also measured using a vernier. All signal measurements, together with their corresponding known thicknesses and moisture percentages, were used to calculate necessary coefficients that define a sample-specific calibration curve. Once a calibration curve for the cracker was obtained, it was used to estimate the moisture percentages in samples with different thicknesses. Mean absolute error (MAE) of the moisture percentage is found to be less than 12% when the sample thickness is modelled as part of the calibration curve, which is over 50 times less compared to the case when the sample thickness is not modelled. Therefore, the utilization of an automatic thickness determination would be promising for real-time and accurate non-contact moisture inspection. This approach can be also integrated into a production line to improve quality control in the food industry without interrupting existing processes.

Potential Use of Ascophyllum nodosum as a Biostimulant for Improving the Growth Performance of Vigna aconitifolia (Jacq.) Marechal

The fertilizers that are derived from seaweed are known as Seaweed Liquid Fertilizers (SLF). SLF is a modern, cheap, non-toxic, and natural bioactive fertilizer. Among different studied seaweeds, Ascophyllum nodosum is significant as having bioactive ingredients that potentially regulate the molecular, physiological, and biochemical processes of crop plants. In the present study, the effects of the application of different concentrations (0.00%, 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.50%, and 1.00%) of A. nodosum Extract (ANE) to the Vigna aconitifolia through roots (Pot Root Application, PRA) and on the leaves (Pot Foliar Application, PFA) were monitored via the plant growth. The lower concentrations of ANE in both the PRA and PFA experiments showed positive growth on V. aconitifolia. The 0.10% ANE stimulated the maximum shoot growth when applied through the roots, while 0.05% ANE in both PFA and PRA experiments led to an increase in the number of pods, nodules, organic content, and moisture percentage. The 0.10% ANE also increased the leaf numbers, leaf area, and photosynthetic pigments. Hence, the application of 0.05% and 0.10% of A. nodosum extract in two ways (i.e., Pot Foliar Application, PFA, and Pot Root Application, PRA) ameliorated the growth capabilities of V. aconitifolia.

Effects of Soy Sauce and Some Other Additives on Lipid Oxidation and Its Related Properties of Minced Beef Meat During Cold Storage

This study was designed to investigate the effects of soy sauce and some other antioxidants on some of important meat and meat products properties in cold storage conditions. Five treatment were demanded. Control group without any kind of adding. NaCl treatment with adding 10% NaCl solution. SS treatment with adding 10% soy sauce solution. NaCl+SS treatment with adding 5% NaCl+5%soy sauce solutions. And the last SS+Asc treatment with adding 10% soy sauce solution+0.05% ascorbic acid. samples in all treatment divided to groups and been exposed to five storage period (0,3,6,9,12) days at 4oc. to study the effect of treatments and storage periods on twelve properties (pH, WHC, Drip loss, Mb concentrations, TVN, TBA, P.V, FFAs, moisture percentage, protein percentage, fat percentage and ash percentage). The results showed a benefit in all studied properties related with using soy sauce with or without ascorbic acid. These natural antioxidant material may be considered as an effective natural antioxidants and good replacement instead of synthetic types.

Enhance Fruit Ripening Uniformity and Accelerate the Rutab Stage by Using ATP in ‘Zaghloul’ Dates during the Shelf Life

The Rutab date involves a physiological process by which the fruit turns completely ripe. The objective of this study was to research the effect of ATP-treated fruit to improve their biologically active compounds of the Rutab process of the ‘Zagloul’ date during shelf-life. Fruits at full color (red) were dipped in 0, 1, 1.5 mmol L−1 ATP solution for 10 min, and then stored at room temperature (27 ± 1 °C) with a relative humidity of (67 ± 4 RH%) for 12 d. We found that ATP treatment, especially at 1.5 mM, enhances the Rutab stage of date fruit, and certain biologically active compounds such as total phenols and flavonoids, in all ATP treatments compared to untreated fruits. ATP enhanced the loss of tannin compounds in fruit but had no impact on the change in fruit moisture percentage of fruit during storage. The treatments did affect the changes in total sugar content and activated the sucrose enzymes, i.e., acid invertase (AI), neutral invertase (NI), sucrose synthase-cleavage (SS-c), and sucrose synthase-synthesis (SS-s) during storage. Interestingly, immersion in 1.5 mM ATP forced the date fruit to reach the Rutab stage during storage. These results indicated that the dose of ATP (1.5 mM) is a new potential tool that pushes the fruits to regular ripening after harvest, thus reducing the losses in the fruits during the production process. A linear model could be satisfactorily used for predicting the properties of the treated date with ATP 1.5 mM at different shelf-life durations.

Limitation and Potential Effects of Different Levels of Aging Corn on Performance, Antioxidative Capacity, Intestinal Health, and Microbiota in Broiler Chickens

Three-hundred and sixty-day-old male broilers underwent three treatments with six replicates of 20 birds per treatment. The experimental diets included NC: normal corn diet; ACL: lower level (39.6–41.24%) of AC; and ACH: a higher level (56.99–59.12%) of AC. During phase 1 (0–21 d), broilers fed on AC showed lower (p < 0.05) body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) as compared with the NC group. During phase 2 (22–42 d), the NC group and ACL group showed better (p < 0.05) BW, BWG, and FCR than the ACH group. The footpad lesion score (p = 0.05) and litter moisture percentage (p < 0.05) were found to be higher in the ACH group. During phase 1, the ACL group showed a lower level of malondialdehyde (MDA) contents (p < 0.05) in serum; moreover, catalase (CAT) (p < 0.05) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities (p < 0.05) were found lower in both AC-containing groups. During phase 2, CAT activity in serum was found higher (p < 0.05) in the ACH group. During phase 1, the NC group showed higher CAT (p = 0.05), GSH-Px (p < 0.05), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (p = 0.03); however, it showed lower MDA (p < 0.05) and total-antioxidative capability (T-AOC) (p < 0.05) in the liver. During phase 1, in breast muscle, CAT, SOD, and T-AOC were higher (p < 0.05) in the NC group. During phase 1, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein were found to be lower (p < 0.05) in the ACL group. Similarly, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein were found to be lower (p < 0.05) in the ACL group than the ACH group. During phase 1, villus height was found to be higher (p < 0.05) in the ACH group. Moreover, the goblet cell (GC) was found to be higher (p < 0.05) in the NC group than the ACL group. During phase 2, GC was found to be higher (p < 0.05) in the ACL group. In ileal digesta, during phase 1, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid (BA) levels were found to be higher (p < 0.05) in the ACL group. In cecal digesta, BA was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the NC group.

Quality of plant-based ground beef alternatives in comparison to ground beef of various fat levels

The objective of this study was to compare the quality characteristics of current plant-based protein ground beef alternatives (GBA) to ground beef (GB) patties of varying fat percentages. Fifteen different production lots (n = 15 / fat level) of 1.36 kg GB chubs of three different fat levels (10%, 20%, and 27%) were collected from retail markets in the Manhattan, KS area. Additionally, GBA products including a foodservice GBA (FGBA), a retail GBA (RGBA), and a traditional soy-protein based GBA (TGBA) currently available through commercial channels were collected. Consumers (n = 120) evaluated sample appearance, juiciness, tenderness, overall flavor liking, beef flavor liking, texture liking, and overall liking. Additionally, samples were evaluated for color, texture profile, shear force, pressed juiciness percentage (PJP), pH, and fat and moisture percentage. All three GB samples rated higher (P &lt; 0.05) than the three GBA samples for appearance liking, overall flavor liking, beef flavor liking, and overall liking by consumers. Similar results were found with trained sensory panelists, which rated the GBA as less (P &lt; 0.05) juicy, softer (P &lt; 0.05), and lower (P &lt; 0.05) for beef flavor and odor intensity and higher (P &lt; 0.05) for off-flavor intensity than the GB. Moreover, the GBA had less (P &lt; 0.05) change in shape through cooking and a lower (P &lt; 0.05) percentage of cooking loss and cooking time than the GB. Also, the GBA all had lower (P &lt; 0.05) shear force and PJP values than the GB. The color of the GBA differed (P &lt; 0.05) from the GB, with the GB samples being more (P &lt; 0.05) red in the raw state. These results indicate that the GBA provide different eating and quality experiences than GB and should thus be considered as different products by consumers and retailers.

Proximate Analysis and Mineral Composition of Commercially Important Spiny Lobsters from Visakhapatnam Coast, Andhra Pradesh, India

The research work was carried out to assess the dietary qualities of spiny lobsters collected from Visakhapatnam fishing harbour, situated on the northeast coast of Andhra Pradesh. The species selected were Panulirus homarus (Linnaeus, 1758), P. ornatus (Fabricius, 1798), P. versicolor (Latreille, 1804), and P. polyphagus (Herbst, 1793). The species were morphometrically measured, and their tissue was analyzed for the comparative proximate composition (Moisture, Protein, Lipid, and Ash) on a dry weight basis. Protein content was found to be high in all the lobster species. Highest protein content was observed in P. homarus (mg/g), followed by P. ornatus and P. versicolor (mg/g). Moisture percentage was 72.7, 75.7, 76.2, and 74.8% respectively. In addition, four minerals were analysed (Ca, Na, K, and Mg) in the present study. Calcium was observed maximum in all the species, and Magnesium was recorded minimum in all the lobsters.