Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 14 (4), pp. 001-005, April, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper
    
Assessing performance in the Iranian wood panels industry through DEA window analysis

Hemmasi A.¹, Talaeipour M.¹, Khademi- Eslam H.¹, Farzipoor Sean R.² and Pourmousa S. H.¹*

¹Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University - Tehran, Iran.
²Islamic Azad University- Karaj Branch, P.O. Box 31485-313, Iran.

Accepted 06 November, 2023

Abstract

Wood panel manufacturing is one of the important sectors in Iranian wood industry. The sector faces serious limitations in production technology and raw materials. So the performance of 10 firms of Iranian wood panels industry was evaluated. A DEA window analyses with a free oriented slack-based measure model (SBM) were performed based on financial data collected for the period of 5 years (2002 to 2006). The (firms) decision-making units were ranked based on average of efficiency scores and determination of the trends of their behaviors and stability of performances. The results of estimated efficiency score showed that all decision-making units (DMUs) in wood panel sector were stable (considering low standard deviation). But their trends and stability behaviors showed that almost half of decision-making units were positive. The difference of total range and the efficiency score average showed that many DMUs still were inefficient and reflect a fluctuation in efficiency score.

Key words: Data envelopment analysis, performance evaluation, windows analysis, wood panels industry.
 

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 14 (3), pp. 001-009, March, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Seasonal influence on bunch characteristics and fatty acid profile in dura oil palm (Elaeis guineensis)

Mhanhmad S.¹, Leewanich P.¹*, Punsuvon V.², Chanprame S.¹ and Srinives P.¹

¹Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus,
Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand.
²Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkhen Campus, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.

Accepted 22 October, 2023

Abstract

Rainfall and temperature in the different seasons can affect yield and oil quality of oil palm. A study was carried out on bunch components and fatty acid content of oil samples from Dura oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) in the wet (July to October 2007) and dry (January to April 2008) seasons. Experimental area was a farmer’s plantation in Pathio district, Chumphon province, the southern part of Thailand. Significant differences among seasons were observed in fruits/bunch, kernels/bunch and oil/bunch ratios. Myristic and palmitic acid in mesocarp oil from the fruits harvested in dry season showed reduction of percentage compared to those from wet season. However, stearic and linoleic acid percentages increased 0.90 and 1.79%, respectively, in the samples from dry season more than those from wet season. In kernel oil, oleic acid content from dry season was higher than that from wet season. The data suggest that different harvesting times affect oil content and fatty acid composition in the oil. This study found a statistically significant correlation (P < 0.01) between mesocarp oil yield (kg) and amount of rainfall as well as accumulated temperature in the three months before harvesting while the kernel oil yield (kg) showed higher correlation with accumulated temperature than the amount of rainfall.

Key words: Bunch component, fatty acid composition, palm mesocarp, palm kernel.
 

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 14 (2), pp. 001-010, February, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Impact of high temperature stress on rice photosynthesis and biomass production during heading stage

X. J. Xie^1,2*, S. H. H. Shen¹, Y. X. Li¹, X. Y. Zhao¹, B. B. Li¹ and D. F. Xu¹

¹Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Agricultural Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, Peoples Republic of China.

²College of Applied Meteorology，Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, Peoples Republic of China.

Accepted 9 October, 2023

Abstract

The dry matter of rice grain mainly originates from photosynthetic outcome. The relationships between photosynthetic characteristic and dry matter accumulation were measured based on room experiments with two rice varieties (Yangdao6 and Nanjing43) under different high temperature stress of heading stage in 2007 and 2008. The results showed that grain yield, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate (NPn), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and leaf area index (LAI) suffered a sharply decline. On the other hand, relative conductivity and malondialdehyde content (MDA) increased gradually with the elevation of stress temperature and extension of stress time. The increasing rate (reducing rate) of some physiological and biochemical indexes in Yangdao6 were lower than that in Nanjing43 compared with the CK under the same temperature stress. It was shown that response of Nanjing43 to high temperature was bigger than that of Yangdao6. According to the correlation analysis, grain yield showed a positive correlation with NPn and LAI at 0.01 level, the correlation coefficients of them were 0.94 and 0.88 respectively. The correlation between grain yield and DW after initial at mature stage, the export percentage of the matter in stem-sheath (EPMSS) and the transformation percentage of the matter in stem-sheath (TPMSS) were not significant. It was showed that grain yield under high temperature stress originated mostly from the photosynthesis and LAI of leaves after heading stage.

Key words: Dry matter, heading stage, high temperature stress, photosynthetic characteristic, rice.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 14 (1), pp. 001-010, January, 2024. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Impact of brown blotch disease on cowpea production in Burkina Faso: A genotype-based approach

Gilles I. Thio^1,2,3*, Elisabeth P. Zida^1,2, Fidèle B. Néya⁴, Joseph T.B. Batieno³, James B. Néya^1,2, Mahamadou Sawadogo⁵ and Paco Sérémé¹

¹Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), 01 BP 476 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

²LMI Patho Bios (INERA-IRD), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

³Laboratory of Genetic and Plant Biotechnology, Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), 01 BP 476, Ouagadougou 01, Burkina Faso.

⁴Laboratory of Biosciences/Phytopathologie, Université Ouaga I Pr. Joseph KI-ZERBO, Burkina Faso.

⁵Laboratory of Biosciences/Genetic and Biotechnology, Université Ouaga I Pr. Joseph KI-ZERBO, Burkina Faso.

Accepted 10 August, 2023

Abstract

Thirty six Colletotrichum capsici (L.) single spore isolates associated with brown blotch disease in cowpea were collected from three agro-ecological zones of Burkina Faso from October to November 2014. To identify the most virulent strains, cowpea genotypes KVx61-1, KVx396-4-5-2-D and Moussa Local was inoculated with each isolate. The results showed that isolates 096-SA-2, 071-FA-6 and 079-PM-2 were the most virulent, respectively, in North Soudanian, Soudanian and Sahelian zones. To identify brown blotch disease resistant cowpea, each of the isolates was used to inoculate 41 different cowpea genotypes. Inoculated cowpea plants were evaluated for brown blotch disease severity at 7, 14 and 21 days after inoculation. Highly significant differences (P < 0.001) were found among genotypes, isolates and their interactions. Seven cowpea genotypes including KN-1, Moussa Local, Donsin Local and Melakh were identified as resistant and present specific resistance to the isolates. These genotypes can be used to improve cowpea resistance to brown blotch disease in Burkina Faso.

Key words: Cultivars, pathotypes aggressiveness, disease resistance.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 14 (1), pp. 001-007, January, 2024. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Investigating the effects of Ustilaginoidea virens toxins on rice seed germination: A comparative approach

Rongtao Fu, Jian Wang, Cheng Chen, Xueshu Gong and Daihua Lu*

Institute of Plant Protection, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Science, No. 20 Jingjusi Road, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.

Accepted 24 August, 2023

Abstract

The plant pathogen Ustilaginoidea virens is known to generate secondary metabolite ustiloxins, which are poisonous to humans and domestic animals and to affect plant cells during the growth process. In this study, rice false smut was collected from different locations in Sichuan province and the strains isolated. The crude toxins of U. virens were extracted from the liquid culture medium of isolated strains to determine the effects on rice seed germination. Our results, as expected, show that the crude toxins had inhibitory effects on the growth of rice germ and radicle. Moreover, these inhibitory effects were maintained even when the toxin was diluted up to 100 times. Crude toxins caused higher inhibition in the radicle than in the germ. Inhibitory effects of crude toxins on rice germination varied significantly depending on the location of where the isolated strains were extracted. This study also showed that inhibition of rice seed germination by crude toxins was different depending on the type of rice used, which corresponded with the field disease resistance evaluation.

Key words: Ustilaginoidea virens, crude toxins, inhibitory effect, significant difference.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN: 2736-1624 Vol. 13 (2), pp. 001-005, February, 2023. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of plant growth hormones and abiotic stresses on germination, growth and phosphatase activities in Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench seeds

Arun Dev Sharma*, Meenu Thakur, Meenakshi Rana and Kuldeep Singh

Department of Biotechnology, Lyallpur Khalsa College, G T Road, Jallandhar-144001, Punjab, India.

Accepted 11 July, 2022

Abstract

Phosphatases are widely found in plants having intracellular and extracellular activities. Phosphatases are believed to be important for phosphorous scavenging and remobilization in plants, but its role in adaptation to abiotic stresses and growth hormones at germination level has not been critically evaluated. To address this issue, the effect of ABA, GA₃, NaCl and drought on germination, growth, acid and alkaline phosphatases in sorghum embryos and endosperm was investigated. Germination decreased markedly under ABA, NaCl and drought treatments. Subsequently, a remarkable decrease in fresh weight and dry weight was observed in embryos under ABA and NaCl treatments, whereas a significant decrease in endosperm fresh weight was observed only under drought stress. However, no significant change in endosperm dry weight was observed under other any treatment. Furthermore, a considerable increase in acid phosphatse activity was observed in embryos under GA₃ and NaCl treatments, however, alkaline phosphatase activity was substantially higher under all treatments. In endosperm, a significant increase in acid phosphatase activity was observed under ABA and NaCl treatments. Alkaline phosphatse activity was apparently higher under GA₃. However, no substantial changes in acid or alkaline phosphatase activities were observed after drought treatments. These findings suggest that changes in the phosphatase enzymes might play important roles in adaptation of germinating seeds, to changing environmental conditions. Based upon these results, a possible physiological role of phosphatases in germinating sorghum seeds is discussed.

Keywords: Growth, sorghum, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase.