[en] The magnitude of the variance due to general combining ability (gca) was more for number of flowers, number of pegs, number of mature pods and reproductive efficiency and that of specific combining ability (sca) for ratio of pegs to flowers in the non-irradiated treatments. In the case of irradiated treatments the magnitude of gca was more in all the characters except number of pegs. Differences in the gca and sca effects of parents and F 1 hybrids were noticed due to irradiation

[en] Coffee drying and roasting are usually performed in rotated dryers; therefore, the study of particle dynamics in this equipment is of great relevance to improve their efficiency and hence the quality of the final product. Thus, this work aimed to investigate experimentally and numerically the dynamics of coffee beans in a rotary dryer. The Euler-Euler model was employed to reproduce the particle velocity profile in the rolling regime under different boundary conditions. The results shown that the lower specularity coefficient (0.01), which characterizes the smooth wall and free slip condition, reproduced the bed behavior that most resembled the experimental one. On the other hand, the other coefficients (0.1 and 1.0) showed an increasing deformation in the bed surface, different from the observed experimental behavior. It was also verified that, as the filling degree increases, the bed surface deformation becomes more pronounced. (Author)

[en] Lots of inventions as well as all the uses of technological advances that are very helpful in alleviating human work, especially in the field of industry that cultivate fruit crops with small size. This paper provides a method of accelerating the use of TCS3200 color sensors for color quantization, it was done with various images and showed that the modifications have been able to show that the TCS3200 color sensor is also very competitive as the color quantization of images, both in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. On the other hand, this system will use the pattern by knowing the coffee grouping control system with the wireless signal using Xbee pro module, where the XBee Proo module is to set the remote control with wireless network assisted, so the farmers do not have to bother to controlling from close range. Furthermore, the database will be built for several colors of fruit coffee and the comparison of fruit shape to be made with a control system grouping the fruit of coffee will be done using servo motors, so that when the tool works will be in line with the use of color sensors that can detect the color of the coffee beans. (paper)

[en] The aim of this work was determine the sorption isotherms in roasted beans of specialty coffee at temperatures of 25, 30 and 40 °C and water activities between 0.1 and 0.8 using the dynamic dew point method. The experimental sorption data were modeled using 12 different equations to represent the dependence of equilibrium moisture content with aw and temperature. The net isosteric heat of sorption was determined from the experimental sorption data using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The Weibull model satisfactorily modeled the effect of the temperature on the hygroscopic equilibrium in roasted coffee beans (R2 adj=0.902 and RMSE = 0.00550 kg A78F kg-1d.b.). The net isosteric heat of sorption increase with increased moisture content. (Author)

No abstract available

[en] In order to study effects of mixed high energy particle field on embryonic leaflet culture and plant regeneration of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), dry seeds of peanut cultivar Luhua 11 were irradiated with five doses (0, 67, 105, 150 and 196 Gy), then the embryonic leaflets were separated and incubated on MSB₅ induction media containing 10 mg/L 2, 4-D, and the subcultures were subsequently transferred to MSB₅ media supplemented with 4 mg/L BAP. The results showed that the survival rate of explants decreased significantly with the increase of irradiation dose, except for that treated by 67 Gy. Somatic embryo induction rate also showed no significant difference between CK and 67 Gy, while that of 105 Gy and 150 Gy were much lower than that of 67 Gy. Nevertheless, there was no somatic embryo formation in 196 Gy. The frequencies of plant regeneration reduced remarkably with the increase of irradiation doses, except for that treated by 105 Gy and 150 Gy. According to the rate of survival explants, somatic embryo formation and plant regeneration, 105 Gy was the optimum mutation dose. The regenerated plantlets were grafted and transplanted to the field, and they eventually set seeds. (authors)

[en] Groundnut being an important oilseed crop in the Pothwar region of Pakistan has the productivity level of 609 kg ha/sup -1/ , much lower from the potential yield of 3000 kg ha/sup -1/. Present study was designed to explore factors affecting productivity of groundnut along with its profitability analysis. The sample farms were classified into small, medium and large farms. Farm-level crop data were gathered during two cropping seasons i.e., rabi 2008-09 and kharif 2009. One hundred and forty groundnut producers were selected for collecting data using the well-structured questionnaire from two important districts recognised for area and production of groundnut. Results showed that large farmers allocated significantly higher area (34 percent) to groundnut cultivation compared to other categories of farmers. The gross margins were also significantly higher at large farms. Ploughing frequency, seed rate and labor man-days have positive relationship with groundnut productivity. Therefore, the provision of improved groundnut production technologies package and improved seed to groundnut growers may enhance the productivity and area under this crop. (author)

No abstract available

[en] Sustained mutation and recombination breeding for genetic improvement of groundnut at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai resulted in the development of 14 Trombay groundnut (TG) varieties with desirable plant characteristics. These were released and notified for commercial cultivation in almost all groundnut growing states across the country. Most of these varieties have significantly contributed towards the enhancement of groundnut production and productivity in the country in turn benefiting large masses of groundnut peasants. (author)

[en] Seed size is key agronomic factor and has been utilised for improvement of pod yield and confectionary trait in groundnut. Seed size is a polygenic trait and little is known about the mechanism of groundnut seed size development. A large seed mutant, TG 89 with 54% greater seed size was identified through an electron beam mutagenesis of a popular groundnut variety,TG26. Present study was undertaken to identify genomic locations for large seed trait in groundnut. Large seed mutant TG 89 was hybridized with a normal seed genotype ICGV 15007. A F2 mapping population with 124 plants was utilized for phenotyping for seed size. About 1431 Transposable element markers (TE) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were employed for genotyping of this population. The linkage mapping and QTL identification was carried out using QTL IciMapping ver 4.1. Out of 1431 molecular markers screened, 83 markers were found polymorphic between TG 89 and ICGV 15007. Bulk segregant analysis with these markers revealed that three markers (Ah1TC3A12, TE 333 and TE 278) had a putative association with the mutant large seed trait. In order to map the genomic regions associated with seed size, F2 mapping population was genotyped with 64 polymorphic TE and 19 SSR markers. These markers were mapped on to the 14 linkage groups covering map distance of 1053 cM. The QTL analysis revealed a major QTL for the mutant large seed trait between flanking markers AhTE333 and AhTE810 in Arahy.05 chromosome with 13% PVE for the seed size. This QTL was located within map interval of 4.7 cM that corresponds to 16.6 Mbp of genomic fragment which harbours an ortholog of BIG SEEDS 1 gene. Quantitative RT PCR revealed downregulation of this BIG SEEDS 1 gene in the mutant indicating probable loss of function mutation in this gene. Current study identified a major QTL on Arahy.05 chromosome and provided a valuable information for candidate gene identification for large seed trait in groundnut. (author)