http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/658 2026-04-28T08:08:39Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/977 Influence of Blanching on Antioxidant, Nutritional and Physical Properties of Bamboo Shoot Badwaik, L. S; Gautam, G; Deka, S. C Quality of bamboo shoots gets deteriorate rapidly during storage and transportation due to enzymatic browning and microbial attack. Therefore, effect of blanching temperature (75, 85 and 95° C) and time (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min) on different physic-chemical properties of bamboo shoot cubes were assessed. Blanching time and temperature have significantly influenced the nutrients like protein, carbohydrate and reducing sugar contents. The highest changed in values of protein, carbohydrate and reducing sugar were reported from 3.42 to 2.24, 4.08 to 2.25, 1.33 to 0.87 g/ 100 g, respectively. The influence was less on ash and crude fiber. Retention of ascorbic acid, total phenolics and antioxidants were higher in 75° C and/or short time blanching (5- 10 min) which were gradually reduced at 85 and 95° C and/or long time blanching (20-30 min). The higher blanching temperature decreases in lightness value and long time blanching deteriorate the texture of bamboo shoot. Low temperature short time blanching was shown to result in better product quality with respect to physical properties besides nutrient retention. 2015-09-01T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/974 Effects of Heating of Dietary Rice Bran on Growth Performance and Serum Cholesterol Levels of Broiler Chicken Atapattu, N. S. B. M; Madushanka, K. P. K Rice bran (RB) is a valuable feed resource for poultry. However, inclusion of high levels of RB in broiler diets reduces growth performance while increasing the excretion of nitrogen and phosphorus. Objective of this study was to determine whether adverse effects of high dietary RB levels on growth performance of broiler chicken could be mitigated by heating. Giving completely randomized design, in 2 x 4 factorial arrangement, 144 broiler chicks in 48 floor pens received one of the eight experimental diets ad libitum from day 27-47. Experimental factors were two types (heated and non heated) and four levels (0, 10, 20 or 30%) of dietary RB. RB was heated at 800 C for three hours. All diets were isocaloric and isoprotein. Serum cholesterol contents and latency-to-lie (LTL) of eight randomly selected birds from each treatment were determined on day 44 and 46, respectively. Internal organ weights and tibia ash contents of eight randomly selected birds from each treatment were determined on day 47. Heating of RB had no significant (P>0.05) effect on any of the parameters measured. Growth performance parameters such as live weight on day 47, weight gain from day 27-47, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and the performance index of the birds fed RB free control diet were significantly better than those fed 20 or 30% RB. Internal organ weights, serum cholesterol contents, tibia ash contents and LTL were not affected either by the type or the level of rice bran or their interactions. It was concluded that heating of RB at 800 C for three hours does not mitigate the negative effects of high dietary RB inclusion levels on growth performance of broiler chicken. 2015-09-01T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/970 Genetic Variability and Interrelationships among Quantitative Traits in Rapeseed (Brassica napus l.) Advanced Lines Rameeh, V Improvement of the new rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) cultivars requires efficient tools to monitor traits relationship in a breeding program. Thirty six rapeseed genotypes were evaluated based on randomized complete block design with three replications at Baykola Agricultural Research Station during 2010-11 and 2011-12 growing seasons. Significant genotypes effects were exhibited for phenological traits, plant height, yield components, seed and oil yields, indicating significant genetic differences among the genotypes. Broad sense heritability values were greater for days to flowering (0.98), pods per plant (0.71) and seeds per pod (0.77), indicating that these traits are controlled mainly by genetic effects and therefore selection of these traits may be effective for improving seed yield. Pods per plant and seeds per pod were significant positive correlated with seed yield and the results of stepwise regression analysis indicated that these traits explained 73% of total yield variation. On the basis of cluster analysis, all the genotypes were classified in three groups, and the group with high mean values of plant height, pods per plant and seeds per pod had also high mean values of seed and oil yields. 2015-09-01T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/968 Assessment of Transfer of Cocoyam Technologies in Anambra State, Nigeria Olatunji, S. O; Nwakor, F. N; Asumugha, G. N Agricultural transformation can be achieved in Nigeria in the presence of an effective, well-designed and well executed system of technology development and transfer. Multistage random sampling procedure was employed to select a sample of 36 EAs from the population of all Extension Agents (EAs) in Anambra State Agricultural Development Project (ADP). Research data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire while data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, ranks) and inferential statistics (multiple regression analysis). The results of data analyses revealed low percentage of young Extension Agents and low percentage of female EAs. A few academically unqualified EAs were on the roll of Anambra State ADP. The transfer of cocoyam technologies in the State has exceeded 73% of its target even as 17 out of 23 cocoyam technologies under study have been transferred to farmers. The major constraints to cocoyam technologies transfer relates to poor conditions of service for EAs, lack field vehicles, poor funding of extension activities, rejection of technologies by farmers on the basis of incompatibility of technologies to farmers’ local practices, inadequate number EAs and poor linkage among Research/Extension/ Farmer/Input Agencies. It was recommended that vigorous efforts be put in place to transfer 6 other cocoyam technologies which were yet to be transferred to the farmers. Also, more young and female EAs should be recruited. The conditions of service of EAs should be improved and that the ideal Training and Visit system of agricultural extension be implemented while research adapt cocoyam technologies to farmers’ local conditions and practices. 2015-09-01T00:00:00Z