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  • ThesisItemEmbargo
    Effect of container type and growing media on growth and nutrients uptake in Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. seedlings
    (Punjab Agricultural University, 2022) Ramandeep Kaur; Garg, Rakesh K.
    The present study was conducted in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources during the year 2020-21. The study comprised of two nursery experiments established in factorial complete randomized design with three replications. The first experiment comprised of fifteen treatment combinations of five container types (plastic bottles, clay pots, plastic pots, polypropylene bags and polythene bags) and three container size (500 cm³, 1000 cm³ and 2000 cm³). Second experiment comprised of twenty one treatment combinations of three soil textures (sandy loam, loamy sand and clay loam) and seven amendments (pure soil, soil: FYM 1:1, soil: FYM 2:1, soil: bio digester slurry 1:1, soil: bio digester slurry 2:1, soil: rice husk ash 1:1 and soil: rice husk ash 2:1). Seedlings raised in large size polypropylene bags attained maximum plant height (143.27cm), collar diameter (10.53mm), number of branches (24.33), number of leaves (50.33), root length (93.90cm), number of roots (34), number of nodules (22), biomass production and nutrient (N, P and K) uptake. The reusable containers viz plastic bottles, plastic pots and clay pots can be used for producing plants to reduce dependency on single-use polythene bags in nurseries. The seedlings produced in mixture of sandy loam and bio digester slurry (2:1) resulted in maximum root length (160.33 cm), number of nodules (25.33), number of leaves (46.33), biomass production and nutrients uptake at nine months of age. Seedlings raised in sandy loam:bio digester slurry (2:1) had statistically at par plant height with sandy loam:bio digester slurry (1:1) and loamy sand:bio digester slurry (2:1) at nine months of age.
  • ThesisItemEmbargo
    Synthesis and characterization of graphene and modified graphene-based polymer nanocomposites
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2023) Ramandeep Kaur; Kiran Jeet
    Synthesis of nanomaterials from chemical precursors is not only expensive but also releases carcinogenic toxic chemicals during the reaction. In this study, the graphene oxide (GO) and nanocellulose (NC) were fabricated from agri-waste. The nanomaterials synthesized from agricultural precursors were compared with the similar nanomaterials prepared from conventional precursors. Their structures and chemical composition were compared with high resolution imaging and spectroscopic tools. The study has also undertaken the production of nanocomposites of these materials. Recycling of agricultural waste due to its abundance is considered to be the biggest challenge. As burning of agri-waste causes serious environmental and health related issues. Hence, utilization of agricultural waste in synthesizing nanomaterials helps in their recycling and minimizes environmental impact with an added advantage of circular bioeconomy. Keeping this in view, GO was prepared using rice husk ash and NC was extracted from sugarcane bagasse along with their nanocomposites. The nanocomposites prepared using agricultural waste sources and conventional sources were inspected by N2 adsorption-desorption analysis, which demonstrated that the nanocomposites prepared from agri-waste sources exhibits much higher specific surface area than that of prepared from conventional precursors.
  • ThesisItemEmbargo
    Ultrasound-assisted accelerated aging of paddy (rice): modification of structural and textural properties
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2023) Ramandeep Kaur; Bobade, Hanuman
    Rice (Oryza sativa) is a major cereal crop and a staple food for most of the world’s population. Most of the produced rice is consumed after cooking. However, the rice milled from freshly harvested paddy cooks to pasty consistency with undesirable eating qualities. Therefore, the commercial millers are compelled to store the freshly harvested paddy for at least 4-6 months of period under controlled conditions of temperature and relative humidity to obtain the rice with better cooking and textural properties. This storage of paddy, which is also called aging, is cumbersome from technical as well as economic point of view. The various accelerated aging techniques have been developed but with certain limitations. The ultrasonication is one of the green, novel, non-destructive, quick, adaptable, and promising technologies being applied in the food industry. The ultrasound processing has ability to bring changes in the milling, cooking, textural, and nutritional properties of rice. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken for ultrasound assisted aging of paddy which was treated ultrasonically for 30, 60, and 90 min durations at different temperatures of 30, 40, and 50oC and the ultrasound process treatment using response surface methodology (RSM). The appropriate models were developed and used to optimize the best conditions of ultrasound treatment by running ANOVA based on the milling and cooking characteristics of rice. The head rice yield increased for increasing temperature from 30 to 50oC while decreased beyond 60 min ultrasound duration. The broken rice decreased with increasing temperature while increased with increase in ultrasound period from 60 to 90 min. Milling efficiency was increased with increase in time and temperature of ultrasound treatment. The ultrasound treatment decreased cooking time with the increase in time and temperature while increase the water uptake ratio, volume expansion ratio and cooking loss in rice with the increase in time and temperature of ultrasound treatment. The best-optimized ultrasound conditions by RSM were 60 min 50oC which increased the head rice yield, decreased the broken heads, and improved the milling efficiency and cooking qualities. The ultrasound treatment improved rice flour's functional properties (WAC, OAC, and SP). The phenolic content and antioxidant activity of rice increased significantly (p<0.05) with ultrasound time and temperature increase while decreased in rice obtained by milling of six month stored paddy. The in vitro digestibility of rice was also improved by ultrasound treatment as ultrasound treatment increased the content of rapidly digestible starch (RDS). Slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) also varied with various ultrasound conditions. Whereas, RD observed to be higher and RDS observed to be lower in six month stored paddy. Furthermore, ultrasound treatment significantly (p<0.05) improved the textural properties of rice. The pasting profile and color properties are also impacted by ultrasound treatment under various conditions. The pasting properties of rice obtained by ultrasound treatment for 60 min are similar to the rice obtained from paddy stored for six months. The structural changes in rice from ultrasound treated paddy witnessed by SEM, X-ray diffraction, and FTIR analysis. Ultrasound treatment for 60 min at 50oC temperature can be used as an alternative for the natural aging of paddy to accelerate the process.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Characterization of wheat lines with rye translocation for biochemical and quality parameters
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2021) Ramandeep Kaur; Grewal, Satvir Kaur
    The replacement of the short arm of wheat chromosome 1B with short arm of rye 1R chromosome (1BL/1RS translocation) has been widely used around the world to enhance wheat yield potential, resistance to rust and mildew and adaptation. However, the translocation is combined with inherent quality problems associated with reduced dough strength and dough stickiness (`sticky dough syndrome') mainly because of two loci on 1RS, presence of Sec-1 on proximal end encoding ω-and γsecalins and absence of Glu-B3 linked Gli-B1 on distal end. The study aimed at using two NILs, one carrying Glu-B3-/Sec-1 and the other carrying Glu-B3+/Sec-1+ from 1BS, generated in background of Pavon (Pavon44:38 and Pavon40:9) for transferring these two loci in yellow rust resistant version of two elite wheat varieties PBW550 + Yr5 (BWL3558) and DBW17 + Yr5 (BWL3279) carrying 1BL/RS translocation (Glu-B3-/Sec-1+) through maker assisted backcross breeding (MABB) for addressing the quality concern of 1BL/1RS translocation lines and their characterization on the basis of biochemical and quality parameters associated with bread baking characteristics. BC1F5:6 advanced backcross introgression lines (ABILs) (Glu-B3-/Sec-1- and Glu-B3+/Sec+1) were generated from four different crosses (Pavon44:38xBWL3558, Pavon44:38xBWL3279, Pavon40:9xBWL3558 and Pavon40: 9xBWL3279) through foreground and background selection. The absence of Secalin protein and presence of GluB3/GliB1 proteins of the selected 126 ABILs were also confirmed through SDS-PAGE. The evaluation of these 126 selected ABILs for yield related traits, biochemical as well as quality characteristics was done for two years. In yield trial, 21 ABILs with Sec-1 and 9 ABILs with Glu-B3 gene in the background of PBW550/DBW17 whose performance was better to recurrent parent were selected. Significant GxE effect was observed across the years. On the other end, from these 126 ABILs the well performed ABILs for biochemical and quality characteristics were selected for product making along with the donor and recurrent parent as checks. Effect of environment was found to be significant on all the biochemical and quality traits of the grains. The ABILs selected for product making were having total phenol content (≤ 2mg/g), total carotenoids content (≥ 3.5), free amino acid content (≥ 1.3), protein content (11-12%), hectolitre weight (72-76kg/hl), grain hardness (10-12kg), phenol reaction score (2.5-3.5), grain appearance score (5-6), sedimentation value (40-50cc), gluten index (90-100),), and gluten content (12-15%). In these selected ABILs there were 9 ABILs with Glu-B3-/Sec-1-1 and 4 ABILs with Glu-B3-/Sec-1- gene configuration on 1RS chromosome. The loaf volume and loaf rise was better of the ABILs in which Sec-1- locus have been transferred which indicated that the presence of Sec-1 is more deleterious than the absence of Glu-B3. The developed two sets of recombinant 1BL/1RS lines (Glu-B3-/Sec-1- and Glu-B3+/Sec+1) can be intercrossed and used for the generation of more improved version of 1BL/1RS cultivars (Glu-B3+/Sec-1-).
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity caused by combination of arsenic, cadmium and lead heavy metal and its amelioration by curcumin and ascorbic acid in male albino rats
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2021) Ramandeep Kaur; Navdeep Kaur
    The hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity caused by mixture of As, Cd and Pb in drinking water and its amelioration with curcumin and ascorbic acid was studied in male albino rats. The histopathological studies showed changes in architecture of liver and kidney tissues of heavy metals treated rats as compared to control rats and curcumin and ascorbic acid showed a restored structure of liver and kidneys. There was a significant (p<0.05) decrease in proteins, lipids, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and significant increase in cholesterol, phospholipids, fatty acids and malondialdehyde level (MDA) in liver and kidneys and a significant increase in activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT and AST), acid and alkaline phosphatase (ACP and AKP) as well as urea, creatinine in plasma of heavy metals treated rats at 60 and 90 days. The liver of rats treated with heavy metals, curcumin and ascorbic acids showed non-significant variation of proteins, lipids, cholesterol for 60 days only and MDA , activities of SOD, catalase in liver as well as activities of plasma enzymes such as ACP, AKP, ALT, AST for 60 and 90 days .The rats treated with heavy metals, curcumin and ascorbic acids showed non-significant variation of MDA, plasma urea for 60 days and proteins, lipids, cholesterol, phospholipid, fatty acids, activities of SOD , catalase in kidneys as well as plasma creatinine for 60 and 90 days. Thus, curcumin and ascorbic acid have the ameliorating potential against hepatoxicity and nephrotoxicity caused by mixture of heavy metals in drinking water.