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2013 - 20153
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Subject: Forest Business Management × End date: 2015 × Start date: 2013 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Phenology and fruit characterization of artocarpus hirsutus lam in two altitudinal zones of thrissur district
    (Department of forest management and utilisation, College of forestry, Vellanikkara, 2013) Saveen Thakur; KAU; Vidyasagaran, K
    The present study on "Phenology and fruit characterization of Artocarpus hirsutus La~" two altitudinal zones of Thrissur district" was conducted in two different zones viz. midlands (22m above MSL) and lowlands (7.5m above MSL) of Thrissur district. Trees were selected and monthly observations on phenological parameters were taken. Fruits collected from the two zones were evaluated for their quality parameters and a comparison was made. Also, mineral composition of the seeds from the two zones was analyzed and compared. Artocarpus hirsutus is an evergreen tree with leaf shedding and leaf flushing continuing throughout the year. The tree starts flowering from November and continues till February which is followed by fruiting that continues till May-June, Mean height and mean girth for the trees in the study zones ranged from 16.32 m in midland to 19.50 m in lowland and l.22 m in lowland to l.41 m in midland respectively. Between the zones, leaf characteristics like leaf length and leaf width differed significantly ranging from 14.91 cm in midland to 15.86 cm in lowland and 9.83 cm in midland to 10.81 cm in lowland respectively. Physical characteristics of the Artocarpus hirsutus fruit also varied between these zones. Mean fruit weight, volume, length and diameter for the two zones ranged from 11l.15 g in midland to 152.43 g in lowland, 83.94 cm ' in midland to 116.97 ern' in lowland, 69.57 mm in midland to 76 mm in lowland and 57.04 mm in lowland to 63.19 mm in midland respectively. Correlation matrix revealed a significant and positive relation among the studied physical parameters. In terms of organoleptic evaluation, fruits collected from lowland recorded higher scores. Not much variation was observed for biochemical and mineral attributes of the fruit and seed between the study zones. In the two study zones, mean moisture, total sugar, starch and fibre content varied from 69.84 per cent in midland to 70.16 per cent in lowland, 14.21 per cent in midland to 14.9 per cent in lowland, 14.76 per cent in midland to 15.30 per cent in lowland and 2.01 per cent in midland to 2.12 per cent in lowland respectively. Also, total soluble solids, titrable acidity, reducing sugar, beta carotene and vitamin C content ranged from 18.68 °Brix in lowland to 19.17 °Brix in midland, 0.69 per cent in lowland to 1.27 per cent in midland, 1l.47 per cent in lowland to 1l.94 per cent in midland, 2.88 ~g/100g in lowland to 4.30 ~g/100g in midland and 4.89 mgllOOg in lowland to 5.31 mg/l00g in midland respectively. Minerals like phosphorus, potassium, iron and calcium in the fruit from the different zones were found to be ranging from 45.13 mgll OOg in midland to 47.49 mgllOOg in lowland, 287.35 mgllOOg in midland to 368.76 mgllOOg in lowland, 1.16 mgllOOg in lowland to 1.78 mgllOOg in midland and 15.35 mgllOOg in lowland to 15.83 mgllOOg in midland respectively. Mineral content in the seeds were higher than that in the fruit pulp with the values in the two zones as phosphorus (69.23 mgllOOg to 88.57 mgIlOOg), potassium (311.21 mgll OOg to 388.64 mg/] OOg), iron (1.69 mgll OOg to 2.06 mgll OOg) and calcium (13.08 mg/l00g to 25.10 mgll OOg) respectively. Based on fruit size class, significant variation was observed within each zone for biochemical and mineral parameters. Overall, irrespective of the zones nutritional composition of this fruit was found to be almost equal to that of cultivated jackfruit. Based on its nutritional composition, this study highlights the significance of underutilized fruits like Artocarpus hirsutus for commercial exploitation and further widens the scope for value addition of such fruits involving rural communities who are the major user of such species.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Foliar nutrient content and decomposition of green manure species viz. Gmelina arborea Roxb. and mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell. Arg.
    (Department of forest management and utilisation, College of forestry, Vellanikkara, 2014) Vinu Jacob; KAU; Vidyasagaran, K
    A detailed work was undertaken in the College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, Thrissur, Kerala during 2011 - 2014 to study the foliar nutrient content and the decomposition rate of the leaf biomass of two green manure tree species, i.e. Gmelina arborea and Mallotus philippensis, as affected by seasons and field conditions. The experiment was conducted in an open and home garden during the wet season and the dry season. The rate of decomposition was generally faster for both the species studied under all the study situations. However, Gmelina arborea showed faster rates of leaf biomass decomposition than Mallotus philippensis. With respect to seasons, wet season reported faster decomposition for both the tree species. Although no significant influence of field conditions on the decomposition rate was observed, open area registered faster decomposition than homegarden. Decay coefficient recorded was maximum for Gmelina arborea. Generally, both the species under all the conditions followed a biphasic pattern of biomass decomposition. The initial nitrogen content, C: N ratio, lignin content and lignin: nitrogen ratio of the leaf biomass influenced the decomposition rate. The decomposition rate was also found to be a function of soil moisture content and soil temperature. Leaf biomass of Gmelina arborea showed rapid release of nutrients than Mallotus philippensis. Among the nutrients, potassium registered faster mineralization followed by nitrogen for both the species under all the study situations. The lowest mineralization tendency was seen for phosphorus in both the species under all the conditions. Also, significant improvement in the soil nutrient status of the soil was observed by the incorporation of leaf biomass of Gmelina arborea and Mallotus philippensis into the soil. However, no significant differences were observed with regards to the species on increasing the soil carbon and nitrogen content. The leaf biomass of Gmelina arborea showed maximum improvement of soil phosphorus content and exchangeable potassium.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Quality evaluation and value addition of fruits of Elaeocarpus serratus L. (Ceylon Olive Tree)
    (College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2015) Yeshma, Machamma; KAU; Vidyasagaran, K
    The present study “Quality evaluation and Value Addition of fruits of Elaeocarpus serratus L. (Ceylon Olive Tree)” was conducted in Vazhachal forest division of Thrissur district, Kerala. From the selected trees the fruits were collected to evaluate their physical parameters, biochemical and mineral composition. Two products were also, prepared from the fruits and their bio chemical parameters were analyzed. The physical characteristics of the fruits revealed that the mean fruit weight, volume, length, diameter for the fruit were 3.55 g, 5.97 cm3, 23.07 mm and 15.58 mm respectively. The mean pulp and seed weight was observed as 2.03 g and 1.52 g respectively for the fruits. The pulp and seed proportion was estimated to be 57.50 per cent and 42.50 per cent of the total Elaeocarpus serratus fruit content. Correlation matrix revealed a significant and positive relation among all the studied physical parameters. The biochemical parameters of the fruit such as moisture, total soluble solids, total sugar, reducing sugar, starch, fibre, titrable acidity, beta carotene, vitamin C were obtained as 62.45 per cent, 5.990 brix, 12.05 per cent, 8.26 per cent, 18.78 per cent, 1.73 per cent, 1.36 per cent, 1.04 μ g /100gm and 2.9 mg /100gm respectively. Minerals like phosphorous, potassium, iron and calcium were found to be 62.80 mg/100g, 331.48 mg/100g, 2.14 mg/100g and 10.94 mg/100g. The nutritional composition of the fruits was found to be in par with other tropical fruits like tamarind, passion fruit, jackfruit etc. In terms of organoleptic evaluation the fruit showed the mean scores for appearance, colour, flavour, texture, odour, taste, after taste was found as 6.7, 6.8, 5, 5, 4.9, 4 and 4.1 respectively. Since the mean value for the above characteristics of the fruit are low, the overall acceptability of the fruit is low with the value of 4.1. Two products were developed from the fruit i.e. pickle and candy. The chemical composition of the fruit product pickle was analysed to evaluate the acidity, total soluble solids, vitamin C, total sugar and reducing sugar which were found to be 1.2 per cent, 10.450 brix, 2.6 mg/100g, 6.05 mg/100g and 0.76 mg/100g respectively. Similarly Candy chemical composition analysed values was found to be 1.42 per cent, 68.060 brix, 2.8 mg/100g, 40.10 mg/100g and 15.01 mg/100g respectively. The organoleptic scores for the pickle and candy showed high values for all the parameters with the overall acceptability mean score of 8.4 and 7.7 respectively. Hence, the present study of fruits of Elaeocarpus serratus clearly reflects the potential of this underutilized wild edible fruit for commercial utilization.