Effect of selenium and zinc foliar application to increase the quantitative and qualitative yields of rapeseed at different sowing dates

The sowing date is an important factor for expanding the cultivated area of rapeseed and affects seed yield, oil content, and fatty acid compounds. Micronutrient elements play an important role in improving the vegetative and reproductive growth of the plant, especially under conditions of biological and environmental stresses. A two-year experiment (2014-2016) was performed to study the response of rapeseed genotypes to foliar application of micronutrients on different sowing dates. The treatments were arranged as a factorial-split plot in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Three sowing dates of 7 (well-timed sowing date), 17, and 27 (delayed sowing dates) October and two levels of foliar application with pure water (control), selenium (1.5%), zinc (1.5%), and selenium+zinc (1.5%) were factorial in the main plots and five genotypes of SW102, Ahmadi, GKH2624, GK-Gabriella, and Okapi were randomized in the subplots (a total of 30 treatments). Seed yield, oil yield and content, oleic acid, and linoleic acid were reduced when rapeseeds were cultivated on 17 and 27 October, while the contents in palmitic, linolenic, and erucic acids, and glucosinolate increased (p < 0.01). a selenium+zinc treatment improved seed yield, oil content and yield (p < 0.01). The oil quality increased due to increased contents of oleic and linoleic acids under the selenium+zinc treatment (p < 0.01). The GK-Gabriella and GKH2624 genotypes are recommended to be sown on well-timed (7 October) and delayed sowing dates (17 and 27 October) and treated with selenium+zinc due to the higher oil yield, linoleic and oleic acids.

Mechanical Extraction of Neem Seed Kernel (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) Harvesting in Ninh Thuan, Viet Nam by Using Hydraulic Pressing: Effect of Processing Parameters

Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) oil has been widely used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The oil was extracted by the hydraulic press at the pilot scale. The effect of various critical factors such as the morphology of material, moisture of the neem seed, applied pressure, a number of presses turn, pressing time on the oil yield was considered. It was found that the oil yield increased with increasing applied pressure and pressing time. The moisture content of the neem seed kernel has a great influence on the oil yield, the higher the moisture content, the harder it is to recover the oil. The highest oil yield of 378mL/kg dry seed kernel was obtained at 190 MPa, 4% moisture content for 10 minutes of pressing per turn, and 3 turns of pressing. The main ingredients in neem kernel oil were oleic acid (45.9%), stearic acid (18%), palmitic acid (16.9%), and linoleic acid (15.65%). The results obtained can be used in the production of Neem oil at an industrial scale.

Light intensities alter growth and essential oil of patchouli under shade nets

ABSTRACT: Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. is an aromatic species popularly known as patchouli. The essential oil rich in patchoulol extracted from leaves is used by the pharmaceutical industries. The objective was to investigate the effects of shade nets and shading intensities on P. cablin growth, anatomy, chemical composition and essential oil content. The experiment was conducted with two types of shade nets (black and Aluminet), three light intensities (30, 50, and 70% shading) and full sun. The different light intensities influenced the growth and the essential oil yield, and chemical composition. Patchouli plants grown in an environment with shading showed higher values for the leaf, stem, root ant total dry weights compared to full sun. At 50% of shading, Aluminet provided gain in stem and total dry weights. Aluminet and black net at 50 and 70% of shading enhance essential oil yield. Patchoulol and pogostol contents were higher under full sun, and, black net and Aluminet at 50% shading. The environment for patchouli cultivation can be improved by use shade nets, especially with Aluminet at 50% of shading.