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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Resource use & plant interaction in chilli Intercropping system in summer rice fallow
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1995) Anitha, S; KAU; Geetha Kumari, V L
    An investigation entitled “Resource use and plant interaction in chilli intercropping system in summer rice fallow” was conducted at Rice Research Station, Kayakulam to assess the bio and economic suitability of chilli intercropping system. The experiment consisted of two intercrops (French bean and amaranthus), three nutrient levels (NL 100, NL 75 and NL 50) and two planting methods (normal row planting and paired row planting). Among the three cropping system viz. Chilli – French bean, chilli – amaranthus and pure crop system, performance of chilli in chilli – French bean system was the best. All the growth and yield attributes, nutrient uptake and yield of chilli in chilli – French bean system was superior to chilli – amaranthus system and pure crop system. Better growth and yield performance of chilli was observed at 100 per cent of the nutrient dose for both the crops. The maximum benefit from chilli intercropping system was also realized at this level of nutrient. Intercrop yield of chilli was not influenced by planting geometry. Intercrop yield of amaranthus significantly increased with nutrient levels. Intercrop yield of amaranthus at 100 and 75 per cent nutrient does was significantly higher than intercrop yield of amaranthus at 50 per cent nutrient dose and pure crop yield. Performance of both pure and intercropped French bean was very poor hence this crop could not be recommended for summer rice fallow. Higher LER, LEC, ATER, CEY, monetary return based on LER, gross return, net return, return per rupee invested and per day return revealed the bio and economic suitability of chilli amaranthus system. Bio and economic suitability of chilli intercropping system was maximum when both crops were given 100 per cent of the nutrient dose. Nutrient status of the soil was not affected by intercrops, nutrient levels and planting geometry. A positive build up of all the nutrients in the soil revealed the sustainable nature of these systems. The results indicated that, French bean was not ideal for summer rice fallows. To reap the maximum biological and economic advantage, both the crops should be supplied with 100 per cent of the recommended dose. Chilli – amaranthus intercropping system can be recommended as an economically viable, biologically suitable and a sustainable cropping system for summer rice fallows of Kerala.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nutritional evaluation of cycas seed flour (Cycas circinnalis L.)
    (College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2011) Anitha, S; KAU; Indira, V
    The study entitled “Nutritional evaluation of cycas seed flour (Cycas circinalis L.)” was undertaken to evaluate the nutritional and antinutritional constituents of cycas flour prepared from seeds collected from forest and non forest areas. The study also aimed to evaluate the effect of processing on the chemical constituents present in the cycas flour. Fresh and matured cycas seeds were collected from forest and non forest areas of Thrissur district during August 2010. The collected seeds were sun dried for 8 to 10 days and pooled separately as forest and non forest samples. The samples were processed by six different methods. The methods included were soaking the seeds in cold water for 12 and 24 hours (T1 and T2), soaking in boiling water for 2 hours after cold water treatment for 12 and 24 hours (T3 and T4) and washing of powdered flour of T1 and T2 for three times in water (T5 and T6). The flour prepared from unprocessed seed was taken as the control (T0). The processed seeds and the control were powdered and dried in a cabinet drier at 60 ± 5◦ C to a moisture level of 10 to 12 per cent. The prepared flour was analysed for different constituents like moisture, protein, starch, total carbohydrate, crude fibre, fat, calcium, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, iron, zinc, crude alkaloid, cycasin and hydrocyanic acid. The flour of cycas seeds collected from forest area was found to be relatively high in starch, total carbohydrate, crude fibre and minerals when compared to the flour prepared from seeds collected from non forest area. The crude alkaloid content was found to be relatively low in forest samples. During processing, the rate of nutrient loss from cycas seed flour increased gradually with advancement in the duration of soaking and increase in the temperature of soaked water. Among the different processing methods, maximum retention of nutrients was noticed in cycas flour prepared from seeds soaked in cold water for 12 hours. The percentage loss of protein, starch, total carbohydrate, crude fibre and fat varied from 2 to 48 per cent. Among minerals, the leaching of potassium was found to be very high. Maximum loss of nutrients was observed in T6, in which the flour was prepared by soaking the seeds in cold water for 24 hours and washed thrice in water. The mean crude alkaloid content in unprocessed cycas flour was 1.58 mg 100g-1 (T0) and it reduced to 0.60 mg 100g-1 during processing (T6). The cycas flour prepared from the seeds collected from forest area was found to be more nutritious. The processing of cycas seed could reduce the antinutritional constituents with considerable loss in nutrients. But, processing is highly essential for cycas seeds to be used as a food ingredient and for product diversification.