Abstract: Reducing post-harvest storage losses through genetic improvement is both feasible and urgently needed to meet food demands in coming decades. A small but noticeable renaissance in the use of resistant varieties to minimize storage losses is taking place, especially in those ecologies where infrastructure for storage does not exist. To capitalize on genetic diversity for storage pest resistance, researchers have made significant progress in understanding the biochemical, biophysical, and genetic bases of host pest resistance, which is essential to ensure that the traits being selected meet with consumer demands. Traits that meet these criteria are now being mapped to confirm their role in resistance and to identify candidate genes using sequence homologies and proteomics. The introgression of resistance alleles from the same crop species, using marker-assisted selection or GE, will probably meet with greater public acceptance and possibly require less rigorous testing to document food safety than will the introduction of genetic material from other species. The real potential of this technology will be felt most in LDCs because the technology is packaged in the seed and should be designed to ensure that farmers have the option to recycle seed, a common practice for subsistence farmers. Modern gene technology can contribute to solve bruchid problem in Vigna species as seen in azuki bean, but its application is limited to the crops that basic technology related to genetic engineering is well established. Yet, commercial uses of the transgenic bruchid-resistant cultivars/lines require clarification of safety for human consumption as well as consumer acceptance.

Keywords: Genetic engineering, Resistance, Storage insect pests.

Title: Application of Genetic Engineering in Breeding for Resistance to Storage Insect Pests

Author: Assefa Amare Hagos

ISSN 2394-966X

International Journal of Novel Research in Life Sciences                                                    

Novelty Journals

Abstract: Abundance of soil with saline sodic property in Amibara irrigated farms is becoming a threat to crop productivity. As part of the solution to such problem soils, a field Experiment was conducted at Werer Agricultural Research center during 2018 cropping season to evaluate effects of Gypsum and farmyard manure on selected physicochemical properties of saline sodic soil. Factorial combinations with three rates of farmyard manure(0, 10 and 20 t ha^-1) and five rates of gypsum (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% soil gypsum requirement) were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The result revealed that bulk density, organic carbon, exchangeable sodium percentage and available phosphorous, were significantly (P≤0.05) affected by the interaction effect of gypsum and farmyard manure.  Sole application of gypsum at different rates and their combination with farmyard manure significantly decreased the exchangeable sodium percentage of the soil compared to farmyard manure and the control.   The highest Exchangeable sodium percentage (18.09 %) was recorded from the control plot. In conclusion, among the various treatments considered, combinations of 20 t ha^-1 farmyard manure with Gypsum (100%) rates are adequate to reclaim saline sodic soil to permissible limit and then these combinations are recommended for resource poor farmers.

Keywords: Exchangeable Sodium percentage, Soil Organic matter, Saline Sodic soil, Soil properties.

Title: Effect of Gypsum and Farmyard Manure on Selected Physicochemical Properties of Saline Sodic soil, at Amibara, Ethiopia

Author: Teshome Bekele, Lemma Wogi, Solomon Tamiru

ISSN 2394-966X

International Journal of Novel Research in Life Sciences                                                    

Novelty Journals

Abstract: Maize production and productivity is directly affected by biotic and abiotic factors. Once quality of crops are affected final yield and yield related parameters are also affected. Quality seed is key factor to increase production and productivity of maize seed.  The main objective of this review was to review effects of post-harvest management on quality of maze seed.  Post-harvest management of seed are started from processing up to storage for the next planting season. However, mainly most crop seed are lose their quality at this stage. Among those factors, storage devices, storage condition and storage duration are the core to reduce the quality of maize and increase economic loss.  Seed physical and physiological quality are mainly affected if it not packed with preferable material, stored under un-conditioned place and stored beyond recommended duration. Development of fungus, molds and different biotic factors are accelerated if seed is lacked with good management. In which seed quality are greatly affected and finally reduce yield and yield related parameters. To increase production and productivity of maize seed, increasing level of quality through packed with preferable materials, stored under conditioned environment and not stored for long time of period. Generally from the point of this review, to increase seed yield of maize crop, maintaining the quality level of seed by taking maximum care specially through performing good post-harvest management are the best.

Keywords: Maize, Production, Productivity, Seed Quality, Storage.

Title: Review on Effects of Post-harvest Management on Quality of Maize Seed

Author: Elsabet Bayisa

ISSN 2394-966X

International Journal of Novel Research in Life Sciences                                                    

Novelty Journals

Abstract: Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is one of the important staple crops worldwide. New products from cassava flour are still relevant to the food industry. However, the utilization of native flour is quite challenging due to its limited functional properties. Poly-γ -glutamic acid (γ -PGA) is a water-soluble, biodegradable, and non-toxic biopolymer, presents abundantly in the traditional Japanese dish called natto. In the present study, an enzymatic modification was carried out on cassava flour using α -amylase and cellulase crude enzyme. The enzyme-modified flours were further investigated for their proximate composition and functional properties after fortification of γ -PGA at different levels (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%). Native cassava flour was used as a control. The increasing level of γ -PGA resulted in a significant increase in protein (ranged from 1.19 to 2.32%) and fat (ranged from 0.11 to 0.40%) contents, while there were decreases in moisture (ranged from 5.91 to 6.80%) and ash (1.25 to 1.36%) contents. Significant differences in the swelling power and solubility were observed at various temperatures. The bulk density, water and oil absorption capacity of native cassava flour was significantly higher than the cassava flour with γ -PGA blends. All flour samples showed no significant differences in terms of lightness (L*), while greenness to redness (a*) of native cassava flours were higher than the modified cassava flour with γ -PGA.

Keywords: Cassava, Chemical, Functional, Modified Flour, Pasting, Poly-γ -glutamic Acid.

Title: Proximate Composition and Functional Properties of Modified Cassava Flour Fortified with Poly-γ -glutamic Acid

Author: Hevenney, V.H., Hasmadi, M., Sulistyo, J.

ISSN 2394-966X

International Journal of Novel Research in Life Sciences                                                    

Novelty Journals