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Open Access
Development of Neera Powder using spray drying process
(Department of Processing and Food Engineering, KCAET,Tavanur, 2019) Anjali, A V; KAU; Santhi Mary, Mathew
The Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) is one of the most important crops grown in humid tropics, cultivated for its multiple utilities, belongs to Arecaceae family. Since most of the components of coconut palm is getting transformed to useful products, it is referred to as “Tree of life”. Neera is a delicious health drink collected from the immature unopened inflorescence of coconut palm. It is a nector like liquid having slightly alkaline pH and translucent in color. Neera is a rich source of natural sugars, minerals and vitamins and it contains substantial amounts of iron, phosphorus and ascorbic acid. The major difficulty associated with neera production is its natural fermentation. The product undergoes fermentation within 2-3 hours under ambient temperature. Thus the shelf life of the sap is identified as a major issue in the long distance transport of neera. The only solution is the development of neera powder by spray drying technology, so that it will arrest the fermentation by reducing the available water. This study mainly concentrated on development of a process protocol for spray dried neera powder, standardization of the spray drying parameters and quality analysis of neera powder. The neera used in the study was collected from two different sources, CPCRI (Kalparasa) and KAU (Keramrutham). The optimum parameters obtained for Kalparasa powder was 3.53% MD+0.353% GA as feed material combination, an inlet air temperature of 168ºC and 4.25 rpm feed flow rate. Whereas for the Keramrutham powder the obtained optimum condition is 7.58% MD+0.758% GA as feed material combination and 171.89ºC inlet air temperature with 4.82 rpm feed flow rate. The blower speed of 1200 rpm and air pressure 2kg/cm2 were kept constant for developing the products. The physico chemical characteristics such as pH, TSS, Colour, moisture content, and reconstitution properties were determined. The optimally produced products were packed, stored in retort pouches and the quality characteristics such as pH, moisture content, vitamine C, antioxidant activity and phenolic content were also analysed up to 5 months. Both powders showed good acceptance in the sensory evaluation. The cost analysis of the product was done and cost of one kilogram was estimated as Rs 2168.6/-.
Open Access
Develpment and evaluation of protein enriched RTE extruded food products
(Department of Processing and Food Engineering, KCAET, Tavanur, 2019) Athira, K; KAU; Rajesh, G K
Malnutrition causes major health problems due to qualitative and quantitative insufficiency of dietary protein and calories intake. Protein energy malnutrition is a serious threat especially in children in developing countries. Fortification or combination of two or more food ingredients can make a solution for this nutritional insufficiency to a certain extend. Food products with improved nutritional profile can be produced by blending legumes. Ready to eat food products are plays a major role in modern consumer’s diets. Extrusion cooking is a novel technology adopted by food industries as it is a rapid, continuous and cost-effective process. Therefore, an investigation has been taken up to develop a protein enriched ready to eat food products from rice, ragi, Bengal gram, ground nut and soybean using extrusion cooking. The feed composition selected for the extrusion were 60% rice, 10% ragi, 10% Bengal gram, 10% soybean and 10% groundnut flour and the physico chemical analysis of the feed mix was conducted and recorded. The process variables used in the study were temperature (120,130 and 140°C), moisture content (12, 14 and 16%) and screw speed (300, 350 and 400 rpm). The optimisation of process parameters was analysed using RSM based on the quality characteristics of the extrudates. The optimum operating conditions of extrusion process namely, barrel temperature, moisture content and screw speed was found to be 140°C, 12.20% and 383.96 (384) rpm respectively. The storage studies of optimally produced extrudates were conducted by using different packaging materials (LDPE and laminated aluminum) and packaging technologies (Active and passive MAP). The extrudates packed in laminated aluminum with active MAP had good overall acceptability after three months of storage and they were microbiologically safe. The total production cost of 1kg of extruded RTE product was found to be Rs. 113.29/-.
Open Access
Investigations for the development of electrostatic pollinator
(Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 2019) Rinju lukose; KAU; Dhalin, D
The problems in fruit setting with artificial pollination (contact type) can eradicate by the application of electrostatic forces (non - contact pollen collection and deposition), hence the study was undertaken to develop an electrostatic pollinator. Anagha variety of tomato and Preethi variety of bitter gourd were selected. Morphological characteristics of these flowers were studied for design of pollinator. A high voltage amplification unit with flyback transformer and MOSFET, a spherical shaped electrode and a DC input source were the major components of the electrostatic pollinator. The pollen collection capacity of two electrodes E1 (10 mm) and E2 (7.5 mm) were evaluated at voltage potentials of 3 kV, 4 kV, 5 kV and 6 kV at 5 mm, 10 mm and 15 mm distance from the anther tip of flower. The maximum number of pollens (409 for tomato and 2827 for bitter gourd) was collected by electrode E1 with a charging potential of 6 kV at 5 mm distance, both in case of tomato and bitter gourd. This high pollen collection rate was due to high detaching forces acting on the pollen grains at shorter distance between the anther tip and electrode. The pollen collection capacity was minimum (87 for tomato and 1227 for bitter gourd) for electrode E2 with an electrode potential of 3 kV at 15 mm distance. Pollens were deposited into the flower using the two electrodes (E1 and E2) at voltage potential of 1 kV, 3 kV and 6 kV at 5 mm distance from the tip of stigma. The fruit set efficiency of electrostatic pollination in tomato was 80% and artificial manual pollination was 40%. In bitter gourd, fruit set efficiency of electrostatic pollination and artificial pollination was 100%. But damage of stigma during hand pollination caused reduction in size, weight and number of sound seeds.
Open Access
Design development and testing of a power operated paddy hill seeder
(Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 2019) Bandi Nageswar; KAU; Manoj Mathew
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is important leading food crop and it is widely cultivated in India. The farmers are facing problems due to lack of labour, time, inputs cost and also due to drudgery in work. Nevertheless, mechanization in paddy cultivation can boost higher productivity and considerably reduce the cost of production. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to design and develop a power operated paddy hill seeder in paddy cultivation. The power operated paddy hill seeder was developed and tested based on the, engineering and physical properties of dry and pre-germinated paddy seeds. The tests were conducted on sand bed to evaluate the seed metering mechanism performance with respect to spacing, seed rate, quality of feed index, multiple index, miss index, and seed damage at two different forward speeds (1.5 and 1.8 km h-1), two cell sizes and three transmission speeds (1:1.7, 1:1.2 and 1:0.95). The mean hill to hill spacing was ranged from 0.09-0.20 m, 3 to 7 seeds per hill, seed rate of 21-58 kg ha-1. The missing index and multiple indexe were less for the different combinations of study parameters (speed 1.5 kmph, cell size 9 mm, Transmission ratio 1:1.7), (Speed 1.8 kmph, Cell size 9 mm, Transmission ratio 1:1.7) and (Speed 1.8 kmph, Cell size 12 mm, Transmission ratio 1:1.7). The quality feed index were 86.1, 88.6 and 91.1 respectively for above sequence of combinations of study parameters. The average field capacity of the paddy hill seeder was 0.22 ha h-1 and 0.26 ha h-1 with efficiency of 80.00% and 76.00 % for forward speeds of 1.5 and 1.8 kmph respectively. Based on the performance evaluation results, it is concluded that the developed power operated paddy hill seeder is economical and efficient for direct sowing of paddy.
Open Access
Design and development of a multipurpose tool carrier for homestead agriculture
(Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 2019) Arya, K T; KAU; Shaji James
Homesteads lack appropriate machinery that suits their diverse requirements. Homestead agriculture warranted an affordable and versatile powered multipurpose tool carrier capable of improving the efficiency of human power. Hence development of a MPTC powered by the engine of a 1.5 kW backpack brush cutter which is commonly available in farming households was under taken so as to avoid the requirement of different implements and power sources for different operations. Main components of MPTC were support frame along with handle, transmission systems with gear reduction units which converted 9340 rpm of the engine to 226 rpm with necessary transmission shafts and transportation wheels. Tools developed as attachments to MPTC were rotary tiller/weeder for vegetable crops, paddy weeding attachment, surface pulveriser cum two-row vegetable weeder, horizontal auger for coconut basin listing and vertical auger for digging pits. The multipurpose tool carrier with its different attachments was tested in fields with moisture contents ranging from 10 to 30%. From the field evaluation of rotary weeding attachment, it was found that the depth of cut was 3-5 cm and the average weeding efficiency was 90.07%. The fuel consumption, field efficiency, average weeding efficiency and average plant damage in the case of paddy weeder were 0.675 l h-1, 66.4%, 71.09% and 4.87%, respectively. Surface pulveriser cum two-row vegetable weeder attachment for row crop vegetables gave an average weeding efficiency of 80.27% with a fuel consumption of 1.64 l h-1 and a field capacity of 0.024 ha h1. Coconut basin lister could make 14-25 shallow basins per hour based on soil conditions. Earth auger could dig 8 pits with a maximum depth of 45 cm and 15 cm diameter. Total cost of fabrication of different attachments with MPTC was Rs.35640/-.
Open Access
Development of automated drip fertigation system using GSM based controller
(Kelappaji college of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 2019) Akhila Shiney, P; KAU; Sajeena, S
Lack of sufficient water to grow enough crops for meeting the food demand of the increasing population is the major threat to Indian agriculture. The surface irrigation techniques cause seepage losses, erosion and water logging problems, deep percolation, salinization and runoff. To get satisfactory growth, application of right quantity of water at right time and at right place is very important and this can be accomplished only through micro irrigation techniques. Through automated drip fertigation, we can easily attain the agriculture intensification. The present study was focused on the development of GSM based automated drip fertigation system. In this study, calibration of capacitance type soil moisture sensors were carried out in laboratory for different soil types viz. laterite soil, black soil and costal alluvium soil. Field study was carried out with an Ujwala (KAU) variety of chilli crop under three treatments such as 100 percent irrigation and 100 percent fertigation with automation (T1), 100 percent irrigation and 100 percent fertigation without automation (T2) and 100 percent irrigation and 70 percent fertigation with automation (T3). The automated drip fertigation system consists of four capacitor type sensors, electronic fertilizer injection pump and fertilizer mixing device. Total yield and crop growth parameters showed better performance under 100 percent irrigation and 100 percent fertigation with automation (T1). Combination of 100 percent irrigation and 70 percent fertigation with automation (T3) also gave the good result which was on par with T1. Therefore, it could be concluded that with 30 percent less fertilizer, better performance of crop was obtained with automated drip fertigation system. It could also be shown that the right quantity of water at right time at right place is giving better performance of crop. The developed automated drip fertigation system is cost effective, portable, can perform better in field.
Open Access
Development and evaluation of an automated pulse irrigation system
(Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 2019) Prasang H Rank; KAU; Vishnu, B
Irrigation sector consumes more than 80% of the fresh water resources in India. The irrigation efficiencies of the major irrigation systems in India are around 40%, increasing of which could save large amounts of water. The irrigation efficiencies could be increased through the adoption of cost-effective and efficient irrigation technologies, which will reduce water demands, increase agricultural production, minimize soil and water pollution and reduce the cost of agricultural production. Drip/Trickle irrigation is a highly efficient irrigation method which could save tremendous amounts of water when adopted in the place of the wild flooding irrigation. Pulse drip irrigation technology enables lower application rates - that will permit sufficient aeration in the root zone and alleviate plant stress due to inadequate root respiration– from an emitter with a higher application rate by intermittent water applications. This study attempted to develop and evaluate a sensor based automated pulse drip irrigation system which is affordable to the lowincome farmers of the nation. The soil properties of the experimental field were used to estimate the parameters of several soil water characteristics curve (SWCC) models. Among the models; van Genuchten (1980) model of SWCC, was found to be the best in representing the soil moisture retention characteristics of the soil used in the study. An open-source electronics platform, the Arduino was used for the development of the automation system using moisture content sensors and solenoid irrigation valves controlled through relays, by writing program coding in the Arduino programming language. The sensors were calibrated to read the moisture content, which was compared to the management allowed deficit (MAD) and field capacity (FC) soil moisture content values to control the start and stop of irrigation water application. Pulse irrigation design methodology was used to derive the ON and OFF time periods for the pulse cycle. The system was programmed to start the water application as per the designed pulse cycle at a moisture content defined by the MAD moisture content and to stop the water application at the field capacity (FC) moisture content sensed by the moisture sensor. The wetting front movements and the soil moisture contents in the root zone were measured at different time 182 intervals of 1 hour, 2 hours and 3 hours after the start of water application using both continuous irrigation and pulse drip irrigation under 2 LPH, 4 LPH and 8 LPH online drip emitters. The soil aeration was also determined for these treatments and was found to be better during the pulse irrigation as compared to the continuous drip irrigation. The pulse irrigation application was also found to be decreasing the deep percolation loss of water. The developed automated pulse drip irrigation system is found to provide the required aeration in the root zone with reduction in deep percolation loss of water.
Open Access
Development and testing of potting mixture Filling machine for filling grow bags
(Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 2019) Amal Dev, J; KAU; Jayan, P R
Grow bag cultivation is getting popular in our state due to urbanisation. It necessitated easy method of filling grow bags as per the favourable agronomic conditions for crop growth. A grow bag filling machine was hence developed and tested for filling grow bags of different size. The machine was developed by modifying the KAU manure pulverizer by suitably fixing a collecting hopper beneath the sieve, grow bag holders attached to one leg of the stand for holding different bags and pedal for controlling the filling. The machine consists of an electric motor, a feeding chute, pulverizing drum, transmission unit, rotating blades, sieve and a supporting stand. Materials were pulverized and mixed due to rotations of the blade which caused the cutting and shearing actions and got pulverized in the clearance between the blade and the sieve. The grow bag mixture was discharged through the sieve and got collected in the bottom hopper. A pedal operated valve was inserted into the small hopper to facilitate metered discharge of the potting media. As and when it is allowed to open a metered quantity of the mixture was discharged into the grow bags placed below it. The machine was tested to determine its performance and to optimize the machine parameters and material parameters at different moisture contents of 10,15,20,25 and 30 percent, clearances of 15, 20 and 25 mm, two ratios of soil: coir pith: FYM as 1:1:1 and 1:0.5:1 mixture and for three bag sizes of small medium and large. Dried soil, coir pith and FYM get pulverized, mixed and filled in the grow bags. The properties of grow bag mixtures obtained were found out and were on par with the ideal recommendations. The properties such as water holding capacity (165.02 percent), bulk density (0.493 g.cm-3), porosity (65.43 percent), fineness modulus (5.31), angle of repose (46.66º), pH (6.76), electrical conductivity (2.19 dS.m-1) and uniformity of mixture were observed at the ratio 1:1:1 (S:C:FYM) at the moisture content of 15 percent. Performance parameters such as weight of bags filled (6.18 kg) time of operation (230 s), capacity of the machine (385 kg.h-1), number of bags filled (63) and energy consumption (0.31 kWh for four bags) were obtained with an overall efficiency of 97.70 percent. The cost of grow bag filling machine is Rs.49500. The hourly cost of operation for the machine is calculated as Rs.357. The analysis of the results indicated that the performance of the machine was optimum for filling large grow bags at 15 percent moisture content at the ratio S: C: FYM as 1:1:1 for all clearances.
Open Access
Department and testing a power operated pre-germinated paddy seed broadcaster
(Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 2019) Sreedhara, B; KAU; Manoj Mathew
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is important leading food crop and it is widely cultivated in India. The farmers are facing problems due to lack of labour, time, inputs cost and also due to drudgery in work. Nevertheless, mechanization in paddy cultivation can boost higher productivity and considerably reduce the cost of production. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to develop and evaluate the performance of a battery operated pre-germinated broadcaster in paddy cultivation. The power operated pre-germinated paddy seed broadcaster was developed and tested based on the, engineering and physical properties of dry and pre-germinated paddy seeds. The performance parameters of paddy seed broadcaster were the application rate, coefficient of variation, skewness ratio and uniformity coefficient of distribution. The maximum application rate of 149.02 kg ha"' was observed for the treatment Q2S201 in single pass. The minimum application rate of 0.14 kg ha"' was observed for the treatment Q2S201 in single pass. In multiple pass the maximum and minimum application rate of 182.52 kg ha"' and 47.05 kg ha"' were observed for the treatments Q2S101 and Q2S202 for three meter spacing of seven meter effective swath width. The maximum skewness ratio was about 101% for the treatment QlSlOl in single pass. The minimum skewness ratio observed was about 48% for the treatment Q2S102. The minimum coefficient of variation observed was about 57.15 % for the treatment Q1S201 in single pass. The minimum coefficient of variation of about 8.19% was observed for the treatment Q1S102 for four meter spacing application rate. The average effective field capacity and field efficiency for four meter was about 0.59 ha hr"' and 65% for six-meter effective swath width at walking speed of 1.5 km ha"'. The savings in cost and time for battery powered centrifugal broadcaster about 76.34% and 78.88% compared to manual broadcasting. From the perfonnance evaluation test, it was concluded that the battery operated centrifugal paddy seed broadcaster can perform paddy seed broadcasting operation efficiently and economically.

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