Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the most important staple cereal crop which is consumed by more than 50% of world population. It contributes 23% and 50% of total calories consumed by world and Nepalese population respectively. Among various abiotic factors affecting rice, rice blast is the most disastrous, causing 70-80% yield loss. This disease was originated in China around 7000 years ago. In Nepal, it was first reported in Thimi, Bhaktapur in 1966. It is caused by a filamentous ascomycete fungus Magnaporthe oryzae (Anaemorphic form- Pyricularia oryzae). It infects all the developmental stage of plant and produce symptoms on the leaf, collar, neck, panicle and even in the glumes. It decreases the rice production by an amount, enough to feed 60 million people every year. Cloudy weather, high relative humidity (93-99%), low night temperature (15- 20°C), longer duration of dew is the most favorable condition for the outbreak of disease. The most usual approaches for the management of rice blast diseases are management in nutrient fertilizer and irrigation, application of fungicides and plantation of resistant cultivars. Besides, the use of extracts of C. arabica are reported to have an inhibitory effect on the disease. Seed treatment with Trichoderma viridae @ 5ml/lit of water have also been found effective. The chemical means of controlling blast disease shall be reduced, instead eco-friendly measures like biocontrol agents, resistant varieties, plant extracts can be practiced for disease control. Different forecasting model can be used in order to predict the disease prevalence.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of the aqueous extract of Angelica archangelica L., a medicinal plant of the traditional pharmacopoeia of Algeria. The aqueous extract showed a large amount of total polyphenols, tannins, chlorophyll a, b, carotenoids and a small amount of flavonoids with values of 80.16±14.3 mg EAG/g of extract, 3.12±2.01 mg EQ/g of extract, 226.10±4.50 mg EAT/g of extract, 6.10±50.62, 12.00±31.53 and 1.78±0.40 μg/mL respectively. In addition, the aqueous extract of A. archangelica showed a high ability to trap DPPH radical in with IC50 at 16.9±2.03μg/mL. However, the aqueous extract has a great protective effect against β-carotene degradation at 91.98±0.64% after 24 hours and significant ferrous ion chelation activity at46.2 ±1.53µg/mL. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory activity was studied according to the protein denaturation inhibition method and, according to the results obtained, the extract of A. archangelica at concentrations of 250, 500 μg/mL and 1 mg/mL have ahigh antiinflammatory activity whose inhibition percentages are 78.85±5.31%, 86.65±2.70% and 89.89±0.58% respectively. The analgesic effect of the aqueous extract of A. archangelica, showed that the concentration 400 mg/mL has a greet abdominal cramps inhibitory effect in comparison with the concentration 200 mg/mL with a percentage of 98.28%. The antiulcer effect of the aqueous extract of A. archangelica was evaluated by the 70% ethanol-induced ulcer test. The results obtained reveal that the aqueous extract 200 and 400 mg/mL exerted a considerable effect of protecting the stomach at 86.55±3.51% and 82.82±2.18% respectively.

Purple basil is widely used medicinally and aromatically due to its essential oil properties, and it is a plant that stands out with its antibacterial, antimutagenic and antioxidant properties. It has been determined that purple basil has positive effects on health such as appetizing, insomnia, sputum, diuretical and antispasmodic. Purple basil contains high concentrations of anthocyanins and with these properties it stands out as a potential new source of stable red pigments for the food industry. In recent years, it has been seen that purple basil has been processed into different products such as tea and sherbet in order to benefit from its functional properties. With the processing of purple basil into different products, it is seen that the consumption of basil and basil products has increased by consumers. In this study, purple basil sherbet samples were concentrated at different voltage gradient values (14, 17 and 20 V/cm) under atmospheric conditions with ohmic heating up to 25% soluble solid content (SSC) and the changes in their rheological properties during the concentration process was investigated. The changes in the rheological properties of the purple basil samples were determined in the range of 1-148 s-1 shear rate values and measurement temperature was 25°C. The compatibility of different rheological models (Newton, Power-Law and Herschel-Bulkley) to the experimental data was statistically evaluated to determine the flow behavior index of the purple basil sherbet samples. It has been determined that the shear stress values increased as the shear rate values increased in all the process conditions. Similarly, at the same shear rate values, it was determined that the shear stress values increased as the SSC values increased. It has been determined that the best suitable rheological model was Herschel-Bulkley Model for all purple basil sherbet concentrates. It is thought that the results obtained will provide important data to the food and machinery industry for the installation of pilot and industrial scale ohmic heating systems.

The aim of this study is to contribute to the valorization of the cocoa bean varieties “Mercedes” and “Forastero” grown in Côte d’Ivoire. A comparative characterisation of phenolic compounds and minerals in the beans of the “Mercedes” and “Forastero” varieties from two major cocoa production areas of Côte d’Ivoire were determined. The phenolic compounds of cocoa beans were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the minerals by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The study showed that a significant difference at the 5% level was observed in the averages of minerals, cinnamic acid, protocatechic acid, quercetin, coumaric acid, rutin, ellagic acid, veratric acid, epicatechin, ferulic acid and naringenin. On the other hand, no significant difference at the 5% level was observed in the averages of arbutin, catechin, vanillic acid and caffeic acid in the bean kernels analysed in the Divo and Abengourou regions. The proportion of cinnamic acid is (6.18±0.63 mg/100g “Mercedes” Divo), that of ellagic acid is (18.48±0.44 mg/100g “Mercedes” Divo) and that of naringenin is (5.95±0.35 mg/100g “Mercedes” Divo). The amount of potassium is (7569.97±1.51 mg/kg “Forastero” of Abengourou) and that of iron is (179.9 ± 0.70 mg/Kg “Forastero” of Divo). The phenolic compounds and minerals in the cocoa bean samples analysed are highly correlated and rich in antioxidants. They would be beneficial for many biological functions. They can be recommended in pharmacology and cosmetics to fight against oxidative stress and cardiovascular diseases.

In the study; fruit skin color parameters, fruit flesh firmness and total soluable solid (TSS) ratios, as well as total acidity, total phenolic substance, total monomeric anth°Cyanin amounts and total antioxidant capacity were determined. After the fruits were harvested, they were immersed in three different doses (0-2-4%) of calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution for 5 minutes. The fruits removed from the solution were kept to dry. The fruits were stored for 14 days in a cold store with a temperature of 1-2°C and a relative humidity of 90±5%. Before the storage and on the 7th and 14th days of storage, the fruits samples were taken and kept on the shelves in the rooms with a temperature of 21±1°C and a relative humidity of 60±5%for 3 days. Measurements and analyses of fruit quality parameters were made in the samples taken from the fruits that were kept on the shelf for three days. As a result of the study, it was determined that 4%CaCl2 application was effective in maintaining fruit flesh firmness. In fruits kept on the shelf for 3 days after 14 days of storage, SSC of 4%CaCl2 treatment was found to be higher than the control treatment. Compared to the control, 4%CaCl2 caused a significant increase in the total phenol content. The highest total monomeric anth°Cyanin content and total antioxidant capacity was determined in the control treatment. While there were no significant changes in L* values between treatments, a* and b* values were found to be higher in 2%CaCl2 treatment. In the light of the data obtained, it was concluded that 4%CaCl2 application had a positive effect on the shelf life of strawberry fruits.

Yeast cells are carriers with great potential for encapsulation of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds, due to protection from external environmental influences, controlled release, biocompatibility and biodegradability. The promising research results on the encapsulation of bioactive substances in the recent past promise a bright future in many fields such as agriculture, medicine and cosmetics, including functional food. The significant decrease in the stability of many bioactive compounds due to environmental conditions (heat, humidity, oxygen, etc.) has revealed the necessity of preserving the stability of these types of compounds by encapsulation process. After the recognition of yeast cells as suitable carriers for water-soluble flavor encapsulation, the possibilities of using various yeasts, especially Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in the encapsulation of various oils, vitamins, flavors and some phenolic compounds have been the subject of various scientific studies. The fact that the encapsulation process using yeast cells offers some advantages compared to other encapsulation methods has made the use of yeast cells in the encapsulation process very popular and there has been an increase in studies conducted in recent years. In this study, various scientific studies on the possibilities and effectiveness of the use of yeast cells in the encapsulation of various structures, especially various bioactive compounds, have been reviewed.

Ambient storage stability is one of the major constrains amidst drudges of homemade soymilk due to absence of stabilizer there by restricting the consumption to the production areas. Homemade stabilizers and stabilization becomes the only available option. Soymilk prepared from 12 h steeped and 72 h sprouted soybeans was subdivided and each batch stabilized with 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 3% levels of orange flesh sweet potato starches (OFSPS). Functional properties of the starches and proximate, vitamins, minerals, anti-nutrient, physicochemical, and sensory properties of stabilized soymilk samples were assessed with standard analytical methods. With increase in fortification levels, there were significant improvement in ash (0.84 to 0.88%), protein (4.14 to 4.24%), fibre (0.31 to 0.39%), fat (3.75 to 4.19%), carbohydrate (4.54 to 5.55%), vitamins B1 (0.29 to 0.4 mg/100g), B2 (0.10 to 0.14 mg/100g), B3 (1.03 to 1.13 mg/100g), C (0.86 to 1.09 mg/100g) and pro-vitamin A (5.75 to 6.14 µg/100g). Also improved are calcium (26.81 to 28.55 mg/100g), potassium (31.54 to 32.95 mg/100g), magnesium (44.40 to 46.82 mg/100g), sodium (32.73 to 33.43 mg/100g), iron (2.82 to 3.71 mg/100g), saponin (0.028 to 0.035 mg/100g), tannin (0.041 to 0.048 mg/100g), flavonoid (0.031 to 0.034 mg/100g), alkaloid (0.025 to 0.034 mg/100g), phenol (0.25 to 0.34 mg/100g), viscosity (4.89 to 5.60 mg/100g) and specific gravity (1.02 to 1.04 mg/100g). There were decrease in moisture (86.39 to 84.86%), pH (5.75 to 5.45), visible coagulation time (VCT) (28 to 14 d), foam stability (0.51 to 0.00) and general acceptability (6.84 to 4.84). Functional properties of the OFSPS flour were reasonably high. Despite the anti-nutrient increase, all the soymilk samples in this study were safe for human consumption and moderately accepted at maximum stabilization level of 1%.

In this study carried out in 2015 under conditions of Kahramanmaraş province of Turkey, it was aimed at determining the effects of sawgin and rollergin methods on fiber quality in some cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars. In the study varieties of Lydia, Carisma, PG 2018, Flash, BA 440, BA 119 Maraş-92 and Erşan-92 were used as experimental materials. The trial was established according to factorial randomized block design with four replications. Seed cottons obtained from the trial were ginned in the rollergin and sawgin machines. In the obtained lint cotton samples, a number of fiber characteristics were determined by using HVI and AFIS fiber analysis devices. Ginnig outturn (38.6%), fiber length (30.21 mm), uniformity index (86.02%), fiber strength (31.76 g tex-1), spinning consistency index (SCI) (104.68) determined by using rollergin system were found higher than ones determined by using sawgin system (respectivelly 37.2%, 29.78 mm, 84.61%, 30.97 g tex-1, 94.50). Short fiber index (3.47%) and nep count (59.40 number g-1) obtained from rollergin system were found lower than ones obtained from sawgin system (respectivelly 4.38% and 119.34 number g-1). As a result it can be said that the rollergin method has positive effect on ginnig outturn, fiber length, uniformity index, fiber strength, spinning consistency index, short fiber index and nep count. When fiber length, fiber strength, spinning consistency index, nep size are considered together the best variety was Lydia cv. (respectivelly 30.87 mm, 32.56 g tex-1, 104.25, 675.63 μm). Ginning outturn, uniformity index, short fiber index, total particule number, dust particule number and trash count are considered together the best variety was Erşan-92 cv. (respectivelly 39.4%, 86.02%, 3.48%, 231.4 number g-1, 206.3 number g-1, 25.13 number g-1). For fiber fineness the best varieties were BA 119 and Maraş-92 cv. (respectivelly 4.78 mic. and 4.80 mic.).

There are few studies in Botswana which have examined the relationship between agriculture and economic growth. The uniqueness of this study is grounded in investigating disintegrated agriculture components into crop production and livestock production and investigating their nexus with economic growth. This study estimated the short and long term effects between crop production, livestock production and economic growth in Botswana for the period 1990 to 2017. The Auto-Regressive Distributed Lagged (ARDL) bounds testing approach was employed to investigate the stated relationship. Study findings from the ARDL bound testing approach confirm evidence of a long-run equilibrium relationship between crop production, livestock production and economic growth. Results indicated that livestock production has a positive and significant impact on economic growth both in the short run and long run. On the other hand crop production has a positive and significant impact on economic growth only in the long run. Efforts towards supporting agricultural sector growth should be emphasized to promote agricultural sector productivity in a bid to forge a move away from dependence on imports of food in Botswana. To enhance economic growth, in both the short run and long run, the government of Botswana and all relevant stakeholders should invest in and promote livestock production. In the long term, policies that foster crop production are essential for economic growth.

Faba bean is the most important legume grown in Ethiopia. But, insect pests have been causing its substantial loss under farmers’ storages. A survey to assess the farmers’ pest protection practices of stored faba bean was conducted in its selected major growing peasant associations of the Farta District from 4 January 2019 – 15 May 2020. Semi-structured questionnaires and farmers’ participatory discussion were used to conduct the study. Accordingly, the majority of farmers (66.7%) harvested their grain in usual time (in December) fearing insect pests infestation. A substantial proportion of the farmers (25%) used a combination of cultural and botanical methods, followed by botanicals (20.83%) for grains protection. Eucalyptus globlus, Croton macrostachyus and Otostegia tomentosa were the three most commonly used botanicals and suggested to be potent. Threshing was done most commonly by livestock (66.7%), followed by beating with sticks (25%) both of which are not recommended as they might lead to grain losses. The insect infestation level was high in threshed and un-threshed forms of faba beans after 3 and 7 months storage periods, respectively. Consequently, the farmers’ traditional practices were ineffectual for storing beans for longer periods. Therefore, planning pest management strategies of stored beans are desirable.