Walnut is one of the world's top 20 agricultural products and is consumed mostly as dried [3]. This product must be dried with great care to maintain its quality. Walnut products are traditionally spread on open space for a long time to reduce the kernel moisture content to a safe level. Due to direct sun radiation and some environmental impacts such as long time exposure the quality of the products may be degraded. Application of renewable energy such as solar energy may be an appropriate substitution for traditional methods. In this research a new pilot size walnut indirect solar batch type dryer was designed and fabricated. The effect of crucial factors affecting drying time namely: drying air temperature (T1:37o C; T2:39o C and T3:41oC), drying air flow rate (F1: 0.065 m3/s, F2: 0.075 m3/s, F3: 0.09 m3/s) and bed depth (D1: 2 layers, D2: 4 layers and D3: 6 layers) were evaluated. The experimental results showed that, the effect of above factors on walnut moisture loss are significant. With increasing drying air temperature, drying air flow rate and number of layers, the amount of average moisture loss decreased from 37% (d.b) to 9% (d.b) at 3 hrs. Performance of dryer was determined at temperature 41oC, air flow 0.09m3/s, 2 layers depth.

Background- Karanj has been reported to possess insecticidal properties; however most of the work done so far is restricted to its oil. Karanj seeds (both mature as well as immature) methanolic extracts (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0%) were assessed for their insecticidal activities against Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner). Results- The mature seed extract 5.0% exhibited more than 50% first instar larval mortality and more than 65% third instar larval feeding deterrence. Besides, a pronounced decrease in food consumption and utilization indices was noticed when fourth instar larvae were fed on extract treated chickpea pods. Adults when fed on the extract treated sucrose diet (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0%) exhibited a marked reduction in oviposition and egg hatching. Extracts also deterred the adult females from egg laying when applied on to the oviposition substrate (no-choice, choice and without actual contact condition) at concentrations as low as 2.5%. Hatching inhibition of one-day old eggs on application of extracts was recorded. Mature seed extracts gave better results than the immature one, though both were effective. Conclusion- Repeated application of mature karanj seed methanolic extract 2.5% may be incorporated in integrated pest management programmes to take care of H. armigera menace on crop plants.

This paper presents mathematical modeling of a thin layer solar drying process of apricots. A forced convection mixed and indirect mode cabinet solar dryer (total collector surface area of 4m2 and total tray surface area of 0.7m2) was employed. Each experiment started from 9:00 to18:00 on sunny days in summer. The experiments were conducted at three air flow temperatures of 40, 50 and 60 ºC with three air flow rates of 8.7, 6.3 and 3.8 m/s respectively for each indirect and mixed mode dryer types. The solar intensity was measured and recorded from 420 to 1000 W/m2 during the course of experiments. In order to select the most appropriate drying model equation in each mode of drying, 10 different models were examined using the thin layer drying experimental data. The results of curve fitting were validated by comparing the proper statistical coefficients namely: r, χ 2, RMSE using non-linear regression analysis. According to the results, two-term drying model could satisfactorily describes the solar thin layer drying behavior of apricots with correlation coefficient (r) of 0.999 for both types of solar drying with χ2=3.374*10-3, RMSE=4.33*10-2 for the mixed-mode and χ 2=1.243*10-4, RMSE=8.64*10-3 for the indirect mode respectively. The effect of drying operating conditions (air temperature and velocity) on the model constants and coefficients were also investigated using multiple regression analysis.

Arunachal Pradesh, the unique territory previously known as the North East Frontier Agency, is a mountainous region extending between the Brahmaputra Valley, whose eastern part it encloses like a horseshoe, Tibet to the north, Burma to the east, and Bhutan to the west. It is the home to 110 ethnic groups (sub-tribes) of great cultural diversity, but in many respects there is an overall uniformity. The Galo population estimated at 80,597 (2001 census) makes them the one of the most populous tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. Poka, a traditional rice wine plays an important role in the socio-cultural life of the Galo tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. It is consumed during most of the festive occasions and celebrations. This paper reports the traditional way of preparation of the wine with ethnobotanical observation.

The purpose of this study was found out to investigate the response of some rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars to germination parameters under salinity stress. This study was carried out to confirm rice seedling growth performance and to examine a range of genetic variability for salinity tolerance among ten rice cultivars under seven salinity levels. A laboratory experiment was accompanied at Giza Central Seed Testing laboratory (CASC), Egypt. The results showed that rice cultivars significantly varied in means of Final Germination Percentage (FGP), Germination Rate (GR), Germination Index (GI), Vigor Index (VI), Root Length, Shoot Length, Root Fresh Weight, Shoot Fresh Weight, Root Dry Weight, Relative Dry Weight and Seedling Height Reduction. Sakha 102 and Sakha 106 had positive effects in most of studied characters while, Giza 181 cultivar had negative effects in most of germination parameters under study. Salinity levels significantly varied in all germination parameters under study except shoot dry weight character. Increasing salinity concentration from 0 to 14% NaCl gradually reduced averages of germination and seedling characters. All studied characters were significantly affected by the interaction between cultivars and salinity stress, vice versa, shoot, root fresh weight and root dry weight didn't affect by interaction. It could be established that for exploiting rice germination percentage and seedling parameters under salinity stress are recognized by using rice Sakha 102, Sakha 106, Sakha 104 and Egyptian Yasmin cultivars with increasing salinity levels up to 14% NaCl. These cultivars were more tolerant to salinity and suggested to use in breeding program for attractive rice production in Egypt.