Grade Development and Study of Price-Quality Relationship of Cashew Nut in North District of Goa

The grade standards have been developed for ascertaining the quality of cashew nuts and quality-price relationship has been studied in the North District of Goa, based on the data collected through personal interview for the year 1999-2000. Laboratory analysis, indexing, stepwise multiple regression analysis and tabular presentation have been employed for data analysis. Laboratory analysis consisted of generating data on qualitative variables, namely (i) number of nuts per kg, (ii) extraneous matter, (iii) void nuts, (iv) broken and damaged nuts, (v) oozing of liquid from cashew nut shell, (vi) cutting test, (vii) floating test, (viii) length, (ix) width, (x) thickness, (xi) moisture percentage, and (xii) recovery of kernels. By assigning appropriate weightages to these qualitative variables, scores have been worked out by adding the 12 quality parameters multiplied by the respective weightage. The total score so obtained has constituted the basis for grades. Five grade standards have been developed for cashew nut, based on composite index. It has been found that the number of nuts per kg, moisture percentage and cutting test reduce the prices and these factors could explain 98 per cent variations in price. All variables have been found to have the expected signs and only three variables, namely number of nuts per kg, floating test, and length have been observed significant in price determination. These results could be used as a guide by the farmers for fetching better price in the market, and by buyers for getting product of ascertained quality.Crop Production/Industries,

Effect of Rhizobium and Phosphate Solubilizing Bacterial Inoculants on Symbiotic Traits, Nodule Leghemoglobin, and Yield of Chickpea Genotypes

A field experiment was carried out during the rabi season of 2004-05 to find out the effect of Rhizobium and phosphate solubilizing bacterial (PSB) inoculants on symbiotic traits, nodule leghemoglobin, and yield of five elite genotypes of chickpea. Among the chickpea genotypes, IG-593 performed better in respect of symbiotic parameters including nodule number, nodule fresh weight, nodule dry weight, shoot dry weight, yield attributes and yield. Leghemoglobin content (2.55 mg g −1 of fresh nodule) was also higher under IG-593. Among microbial inoculants, the Rhizobium + PSB was found most effective in terms of nodule number (27.66 nodules plant −1 ), nodule fresh weight (144.90 mg plant −1 ), nodule dry weight (74.30 mg plant −1 ), shoot dry weight (11.76 g plant −1 ), and leghemoglobin content (2.29 mg g −1 of fresh nodule) and also showed its positive effect in enhancing all the yield attributing parameters, grain and straw yields

Bacterial Diversity in House Dust: Characterization of a Core Indoor Microbiome

Our indoor microbiome consists of a wide range of microbial taxa. Whilst many of these microbes are benign, some are beneficial, some harmful, yet our knowledge of the spatial heterogeneity of bacterial assemblages in our residential environment remains limited. To investigate the existence of a common core house dust bacterial microbiome we selected household vacuum dusts, collected through a citizen science approach, from homes across two bioclimatic regions (UK, Oceanic/Maritime and Greece, Mediterranean). Following the extraction of DNA from each dust sample, we targeted the bacterial 16S rRNA gene using Illumina NextSeq sequencing. PERMANOVA analysis of the microbial communities at family level grouped samples within their distinct bioclimatic region and SIMPER analysis at genus level identified the statistically significant taxa responsible for driving diversity between these groups. A “common to all” core house dust microbiome consisted of Acinetobacter, Massalia, Rubellimicrobium, Sphingomonas and Staphylococcus; genera typically associated with human occupancy and common environmental sources. Additionally, a “unique location specific” microbiome was identified, reflective of the bioclimatic region. The Greek dusts indicated a lower average diversity than the UK house dusts, with a high abundance of Rhizobiaceae in the Greek samples. Our study highlights citizen science as a powerful approach to access the indoor residential environment, at scale, and establishes the existence of a “core” house dust microbiome independent of bioclimatic region