Physical, functional and amylograph pasting properties of cocoyam-soybean-crayfish flour blends

Four composite flours prepared by combining cooked cocoyam cormels, cooked soybeans, and dried crayfish in the ratios 80:15:5. 70:25:5, 60:35:5. 50:45:5 were analyzed for selected physical and functional properties. The composite flours were reconstituted into pastes and the relative viscosities of the pastes determined. The amylograph pasting viscosities of the blends were also measured. Wett ability and bulk density (loose and packed) increased with increase in ratio of cocoyam flour in the mixture. The composite flours were not significantly different in water absorption capacity, their emulsion stabilities were low, and they formed very little and very unstable foams. The composite flour with the lowest ratio of cocoyam has a least gelation concentration of 18% (w/ v) flour, whereas the other three had a least gelation concentration of 16%(w/v)flour. There was a very strong tendency for the relative viscosities of the composite flours to increase significantly with increase in the proportion of the cocoyam flour in the mixture. Amylograph pasting viscosity measurements of the cocoyam-soybean-crayfish composite flours gave maximum (peak) viscosity values ranging from 4 to 75 Branbender units. As the proportion of cocoyam in the mixture increased the peak viscosity increased, whereas an increase in soybean ratio decreased the peak viscosity but increased the gelation temperature. The setback value of each composite flour was zero

Physical, functional and amylograph pasting properties of cocoyam-soybean-crayfish flour blends

Four composite flours prepared by combining cooked cocoyam cormels, cooked soybeans, and dried crayfish in the ratios 80:15:5. 70:25:5, 60:35:5. 50:45:5 were analyzed for selected physical and functional properties. The composite flours were reconstituted into pastes and the relative viscosities of the pastes determined. The amylograph pasting viscosities of the blends were also measured. Wett ability and bulk density (loose and packed) increased with increase in ratio of cocoyam flour in the mixture. The composite flours were not significantly different in water absorption capacity, their emulsion stabilities were low, and they formed very little and very unstable foams. The composite flour with the lowest ratio of cocoyam has a least gelation concentration of 18% (w/ v) flour, whereas the other three had a least gelation concentration of 16%(w/v)flour. There was a very strong tendency for the relative viscosities of the composite flours to increase significantly with increase in the proportion of the cocoyam flour in the mixture. Amylograph pasting viscosity measurements of the cocoyam-soybean-crayfish composite flours gave maximum (peak) viscosity values ranging from 4 to 75 Branbender units. As the proportion of cocoyam in the mixture increased the peak viscosity increased, whereas an increase in soybean ratio decreased the peak viscosity but increased the gelation temperature. The setback value of each composite flour was zero

Effects of weed "Reestablishment" after hoeing on corn yields Efeitos do "Pegamento" das plantas daninhas, após a capina, sobre os rendimentos do milho

Some growers and researchers sustain the idea that regrowth or root setting of some weeds may occur after hoeing, with detrimental effects over corn. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of weed removal from the field, removal after each hoeing, and corn intercropped with gliricidia on weed control and corn yield values. The experimental design consisted of blocks with split-plots and six replicates. Cultivars AG 1051 and BM 2022, planted in the plots, were submitted to the following treatments: no hoeing, two hoeings (at 20 and 40 days after planting), and intercropped with gliricidia. The hoed plots were either submitted to weed removal after the first, second, or both hoeings, or remained without weed removal. In the intercropped treatment, gliricidia was sown by broadcasting at corn planting between the corn rows, at a density of 15 seeds m-2. Twenty-five weed species occurred in the experiment; the most frequent was Digitaria sanguinalis (family Poaceae). The weed control methods tested had similar effects on the cultivars, which were not different from one another with respect to the evaluated traits, except for one-hundred-kernel weight, with cultivar AG 1051 being superior. Weed removal did not influence green corn yield or grain yield. However, the number of kernels/ear was higher in plots where weeds were removed in relation to plots without weed removal, suggesting that weed removal might be beneficial to corn. Besides, a higher dry matter weight was obtained for the above-ground part of weeds removed from the field after the first and second hoeings than the weight of weeds removed after the second hoeing only which, in turn, was higher than the weight of weeds removed after the first hoeing only. Green ear yield, grain yield, and dry matter of the above-ground part of the weeds did not show differences in hoed plots and were superior to the non-weeded plots and the intercropped plots, which were not different from each other; therefore, intercropping with gliricidia did not improve corn yield values.<br>Existe a ideia, entre alguns agricultores e pesquisadores, de que após a realização das capinas à enxada poderia ocorrer o "pegamento" ou rebrota de parte das plantas daninhas, prejudicando o milho. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da remoção do campo das plantas daninhas (PD), após cada capina, e da consorciação com gliricídia sobre o controle das PD e sobre os rendimentos do milho. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com parcelas subdivididas e seis repetições. As cultivares AG 1051 e BM 2022, plantadas nas parcelas, foram submetidas aos seguintes tratamentos: sem capinas, duas capinas (aos 20 e 40 dias após o plantio) e consorciação com a gliricídia. As parcelas capinadas foram submetidas à remoção das PD, após a primeira, a segunda, ou após ambas as capinas ou sem remoção das PD. Na consorciação, a gliricídia foi semeada a lanço por ocasião da semeadura do milho, entre as fileiras da gramínea, na densidade de 15 sementes m-2. Vinte e cinco espécies de PD ocorreram no experimento, sendo Digitaria sanguinalis, pertencente à família gramineae, a mais frequente. Os métodos de controle das PD tiveram efeitos semelhantes nas cultivares, que não diferiram entre si nas características avaliadas, exceto no peso de cem grãos, com superioridade da cultivar AG 1051. A remoção das PD não influenciou os rendimentos de milho verde e de grãos. Contudo, o número de grãos/espiga foi maior nas parcelas em que as PD foram removidas, do que nas parcelas sem remoção dessas plantas, sugerindo que a remoção das PD pode ser benéfica ao milho. Além disso, um maior peso da matéria seca foi obtido para a parte aérea das plantas daninhas (PMSPAPD) removidas após as duas capinas, em relação ao PMSPAPD removidas apenas após a segunda capina que, por sua vez foi maior que o PMSPAPD removidas após a primeira capina, apenas. Os rendimentos de espigas verdes e de grãos e a matéria seca da parte aérea das PD não diferiram nas parcelas capinadas e foram superiores aos das parcelas não-capinadas ou consorciadas os quais não diferiram entre si; portanto, a consorciação com a gliricídia não melhorou os rendimentos do milho