Ocimum gratissimum L. is a perennial herbaceous plant used in the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections. Green synthesis has provided cost effective, environment friendly procedure and raising safe strategies for the synthesis of nanoparticles. This study was aimed at investigating the potential of O. gratissimum for the synthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and their antimicrobial activities. Phytochemical screening on aqueous extract was carried out using standard procedures. Selenium nanoparticles was biosynthesized by O. gratissimum and characterized using Visual detection, UV-Visible spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope, Transmission Electron Microscope, Energy dispersive X-ray, Fourier Transform Infra-red spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Antimicrobial activity of the biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles by O. gratissimum was done using agar well diffusion method. Saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids and phenols were present. The biosynthesized SeNPs had a strong plasmon resonance band at 300 nm, changes in colour from dark brown to ruby red. The SeNPs were spherical and aggregated with varying shapes and size ranged from 20 – 50 nm. Strong signal of selenium element was observed. Hydroxyl, esters, aldehyde, alkane and amine are present and responsible for the efficient stabilization and bioreduction of Selenium nanoparticle. Furthermore, biosynthesized SeNPs by O. gratissimum (OGSeNPs) exhibited higher antimicrobial activity against both Gram ositive and Gram negative bacteria. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is a promising method in the biomedical field, due to its high bioactive components.

Adoption of improved technologies and agricultural practices are prerequisites for increased farm productivity. Assessing the appropriateness of potential new technologies or practices increases the likelihood of adoption or modification to suit farmers’ needs; however, low farm output still persists among smallholders, attributable to several factors including poor and low adoption of modern production practices. This study therefore analyzed the index of adoption of recommended onion production practices (ROPPs) and correlation of multivariate factors among smallholder farmers in Dambatta, Kano State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used in selecting 100 respondents for this study. Primary data collected via well-structured questionnaires were analyzed using Descriptive statistics, Adoption index and Multivariate Correlation techniques.The results revealed that the prevalent ROPPs adopted by the farmers include improved onion varieties (78%), plant spacing (69%), planting method (55%), weed management (50%) and fertilizer application (44%). Moreover, most (72%) of the farmers have low adoption index (≤0.33). Further, significant correlations between multivariate factors (farm output, adoption cost and adoption index) exists and the estimated correlation coefficients for rxz, ryz and rxy were -0.53, 0.71 and -0.82 respectively. Subsidizing cost of adoption of ROPPs, improving access to modern production practices/technologies, agricultural credit/farm capital, extension services, adequate labour supply and tenure policy modification are recommended to ameliorate adoption constraints.

This study assessed the proximate composition, sensory quality and consumer acceptability of beef sausage fortified with edible meat waste. Lean beef and edible meat waste (EMW) samples were obtained from commercial abattoir and combined in ratio 50:50 and 70:30 and designated as T1 and T2 respectively, while CT contained 90% lean meat and 10% fat. The fresh T1, T2 and CT sausages were thermal processed using microwave and oven-grilling cooking methods. The results showed significant difference in moisture, protein, lipid and ash content of raw and cooked sausages across treatments. Raw sausage fortified with EMW had higher protein and lower lipid contents compared to control treatment (90/10, CT). Cooking of the sausage significantly decreased moisture and increase lipid, protein and lipid content, with microwaved sausage having higher values. The results of sensory quality showed that beef sausage fortified with EMW were all acceptable to consumers, irrespective of the cooking methods used. The distribution of consumers who liked the appearance, colour, texture and flavour of the sausage meat containing EMW were higher than those who dislike the products. Therefore, this study shows that EMW could be successfully used in meat industry to improve quality of sausage during production.

This study aimed to determine the effect of pink rock rose extract (PRR) with or without ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate for improving the shelf life of sausages. Analyzed parameters were DPPH radical scavenging capacity of PRR extract; total aerobic count, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, heme iron, pH, water activity, proximate composition, and color values of MAP packaged sausages for 12 weeks at 4 °C. Treatments: (1) Control (0.02% ascorbic acid and 0.05% sodium ascorbate – AA-SA), (2) electrostatic spray application of PRR extract (2%) – ES-PRR, (3) 0.02% AA and, 0.05% PRR extract, (4) 0.05% SA and 0.02% PRR, (5) 0.07% PRR extract. PRR extract had the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 13.04 ± 0.133 µg/mL. Sausages formulated with 0.07% PRR had the lowest microbial growth rate, followed by AA-PRR formulation. The AA-PRR treatment had the lowest TBARS values for most of the storage. This study reveals that PRR extract can be added as a natural antioxidant in sausages, and it could be used as a replacement or for the reduction of ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate in sausage formulations.

In this study, the effects of UV B (50 µW/cm2) radiation at 306 nm on oil-in-water emulsions (O/W) using canola oil, soybean oil and linoleic acid were investigated. The oxidation rates of emulsions incubated at pH 7.0 and 37°C in the presence and absence of Cu (II) ions were determined by using iron (III) thiocyanate and thiobarbituric acid methods for the determination of primary and secondary products, respectively. The UV B-induced oxidation rates followed the order LA / Cu (II) > LA > Canola Oil / Cu (II) > Canola Oil > Soybean Oil / Cu (II) > Soybean Oil for both crops. Simultaneously, structural studies were performed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It was found that 18-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) contents have an important role in canola and soybean oil oxidation. The unsaturated fatty acid contents of small carbon numbers increased for each emulsion sample, while the oxidation of fatty acid changes did not follow a regular order.

The farming technique of radical terracing is one of the new agricultural technologies introduced in Rwanda to enhance farming activities in the highland areas. The study was designed to analyze the applicability of the adoption and diffusion model of farm innovation on adopting radical terraces in Rwanda. It adopted a descriptive correlational research design to the farmers owned radical terraces in Nyamagabe District. The purposive sampling technique was applied to select 19 Key Informants and 192 farmers. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, direct observation and documentary sources. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for quantitative data analysis whereas thematic and narratives content analyses were used on qualitative. The research outcomes show that the level of farmers' adoption was medium. Besides, the farmers’ access to agricultural information; and farmers’ participation were found to have a positive influence on the applicability of the adoption-diffusion model on the adoption of radical terraces. The study showed that the adoption of radical terraces in Nyamagabe depended on the compatibility with the existing values and practices among farmers based on the information-contagion model and the social participation model that is widely used in the agricultural context. The study recommended the government continue sensitizing farmers on the importance of adopting radical terraces for better use and maintenance as a modern farming practice. Further research should focus on the applicability of technology characteristics user's context model on the adoption of radical terraces in Rwanda.

The new coronavirus, emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019, turned into a major global pandemic and has caused many deaths around the world. Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected every aspect from economy, education to health system. During Covid-19 pandemic, access to foodstuffs has become even more important, and some countries have imposed restrictions on exports of basic food items for fear of food shortages. These restrictions and quotas are feared to disrupt the flows of trade for staple foods such as wheat, corn and rice, which has deepened the concerns for food security. This study was conducted to examine the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on wheat price, production and trade and to review the policies of wheat exporter countries. According to the results of the study, Covid-19 did not cause fear in wheat markets, and no shortages of wheat are expected in the short term. Although countries have reduced the measures they have taken as of May, uncertainties regarding food safety still persist for the coming years. World economies have shrunk significantly as a result of the drastic measures they have taken against covid-19, which could worsen the situation for low income households.

This study was conducted to assess variability among linear body measurements (LBMs), deduce components that describe these traits, and investigate the inter-relationship among them. For this purpose, seventeen LBM traits namely heart girth, body-length, wither-height, ear-length, forelimb-length, hindlimb-length, barrel-girth, face-length, hip-width, chest-width, chest-depth, tail-length, neck-length, hump-length, hump-circumference, forehoof-circumference and hindhoof-circumference were measured on 300 (51 males and 249 females) camels. PC factor analysis was used to describe the variation in LBM traits where extracted factors were varimax rotated to enhance interpretability. Pearson’s correlation coefficients among the traits were positive and very highly significant. From the factor analysis, two principal components (PCs) were extracted, which accounted for 63.2% of the total variance. PC1 accounted for 57.0% of the total observed variance and was loaded by EL, BL, FL, HL, FLL, WH, CD, NL, and HC; while PC2 contributed 6.1% of the total observed variance and had its loading on HG, BG, and HW. The results obtained from this study could be useful in designing appropriate husbandry, selection, and breeding programs for utilization of camel genetic resources.

Turkey is the largest hazelnut producer, and the Trabzon is one of the important provinces with an annual production of 47.000 tons. The citrus longhorned beetle [Anoplophora chinensis (Forster, 1771) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)] is not an indigenous pest to Turkey. It is a poliphagous woodboring beetle with a large host range including ornamental plants and fruit trees such as Citrus and Corylus. The insect was intercepted for the first time on maple and willow plants in a nursery in Istanbul in 2014. Domestic trade of those plants caused the spread of the insect from Istanbul to Trabzon in 2016. Since then, the insect has been spreading at speed in villages of Maçka district. However, the spread of the insect could have not been prevented. The insect was detected in 250 ha in 2020, but the area enlarged to 409 ha in 2021. Quarantine measures and eradication studies have been applied in the region that chemicals were sprayed and infested plants were destroyed. Currently, hazelnut orchards of 286 ha were dismantled and more than 172,000 ocaks were removed and destroyed in Akmescit, Alaçam, Armağan, Bahçekaya, Durali, Esiroğlu, Günay, Hızarlı, Işıklar, Öğütlü and Temelli villages. To compensate the losses, objective yield estimates were made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry officials and 2.6 $ per kg was set to pay to the growers for the period of 4 years. By the end of 2021, 539 growers were paid of about 1.975,000 $ for compensation. Although the infestation and the spread of the insect is monitored it poses a real threat to hazelnut sector in the Black Sea region.

The world population growth has increased demand for traditional protein sources but an alternative protein source was sought due to limited land. Edible insects containing all the essential amino acids in a healthy diet are sustainable and promising alternative protein source. The protein content of insects varies in a wide range depending on the type of insect and the stage of development (13%-77%). Some edible insects are currently consumed by two billion people worldwide. In the literature, more than 2100 insect species have been recorded as edible. The sensory attributes of edible insects are an important factor that can accelerate their acceptance by consumers. Generally, the taste of insects is described as nutty and largely depends on the cooking technique. Potential food safety risks of edible insects can be microbiological, parasitological and allergenic. This review has been shown to be a healthy food source with high protein content, lipids, vitamins, minerals and fiber, the nutritional composition and functionality are compared between different insect species, and information on the sensory quality and risks of insect eating is presented.