Consumer Preferences, Carcass Characteristics and Sensory Evaluation of Meat of Four Guinea Fowl Genotypes in the Transitional Zone of Ashanti Region, Ghana

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Guinea fowl genotype on consumer preferences, carcass characteristics and sensory attributes of meat in Ghana. The study was divided into 3 phases, where phase one consisted of sales of a total of 82 Guinea fowls made up of Pearl, Lavender, Black and White and the administration of questionnaires to consumers, retailers, producers and processors in one Municipal (Asante Mampong) and one district (Ejura/sekere dumase district) in Ashanti Region. The second phase involved the slaughter of 16 male Guinea fowls consisting of 4 each of the genotypes for carcass and biochemical analysis. The third phase entailed determination of sensory attributes of cooked meat samples from the four genotypes. Phase two and three were carried out at the Poultry Unit of the Department of Animal Science. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2007 for consumer preferences and Genstat Release 11.1 (Windows) for carcass and sensory analysis. The study revealed that Guinea fowl genotypes are preferred based on availability. The Pearl genotype was the most preferred. At 32 weeks of age, body weight was significantly (p˂0.05) higher in Lavender, White and Black genotypes. Breast weight was significantly (p˂0.05) highest in the White genotype. The Lavender recorded significantly (p˂0.05) higher drumstick weight. On the other hand, the Black had significantly (p˂0.05) higher thigh weight whiles Wing weight was significantly (p˂0.05) higher in Pearl, Lavender and Black genotypes. Empty gizzard weight was significantly (p˂0.05) highest in Pearl with the least in White. There were no differences in biochemical properties and sensory attributes of meat of genotypes except for raw meat samples where significant (p˂0.05) difference was observed between genotypes. This study concludes that, all the genotypes could be preferred by consumers if made available and that the Pearl could perform much better if improved upon. Breeders should therefore improve upon the Pearl and also concentrate on the production of the White, Lavender and Black Guinea fowls for commercial production. Sustainability of these genotypes will also be achieved to prevent extinction as these are not as common as the Pearl. Further research to elucidate comparable advantage of any one of the genotypes is suggested to give major attention to the specific one.

Qualidade fisiológica de sementes e desempenho de plantas de rúcula no campo / Seed physiological quality and field performance of rocket plants

O estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a influência da qualidade fisiológica de diferentes lotes de sementes de rúcula (Eruca sativa L.) no desenvolvimento inicial e na produção comercial. Avaliou-se a qualidade fisiológica das sementes mediante testes de germinação, primeira contagem de germinação, índice de velocidade de germinação, comprimento da raiz primária e da parte aérea, massa fresca e seca de plântulas. Aos 10 dias após a semeadura em campo, avaliou-se a percentagem de emergência, comprimento de raiz e da parte aérea, massa fresca e seca das plântulas. Aos 35 dias após a semeadura, foram avaliados o número de folhas, número de folhas maiores que dez centímetros, massa fresca e seca das plantas. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado utilizando-se quatro tratamentos (lotes) e quatro repetições. Quanto à qualidade fisiológica das sementes de rúcula, houve estratificação dos lotes, sendo que os mais vigorosos possibilitaram o maior desenvolvimento de raiz e da parte aérea aos 10 dias após a semeadura, entretanto a qualidade fisiológica das sementes não influenciou na produção comercial da cultura.

The study had as objective evaluates the influence of different physiologic quality seeds of Eruca sativa L. in the initial development and in the commercial production. It was evaluated the physiological quality of seeds by tests of germination, first count, speed of germination-index, root length and shoot, fresh and dry weight of seedlings. At 10 days after sowing in the field, the percentage of emergence, root length and shoot, fresh and dry plants was estimated. After 35 days of sowing, the number of leaves, number of leaves greater than 10 cm, fresh and dry plants was evaluated. A randomized complete block design was used with four treatments (lots) and four replications. There was stratification of lots on the physiological quality of rocket seeds. The seeds vigorous possible the further development of root and shoot at ten days after the sowing, however the physiological quality of seeds didn't affect the commercial production of the culture.

Isolation of Bacteria Associated with the King Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus eryngii

Eight distinct bacteria were isolated form diseased mycelia of the edible mushroom, Pleurotus eryngii. 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that the isolates belonged to a variety of bacterial genera including Bacillus (LBS5), Enterobacter (LBS1), Sphingomonas (LBS8 and LBS10), Staphylococcus (LBS3, LBS4 and LBS9) and Moraxella (LBS6). Among them, 4 bacterial isolates including LBS1, LBS4, LBS5, and LBS9 evidenced growth inhibitory activity on the mushroom mycelia. The inhibitory activity on the growth of the mushroom fruiting bodies was evaluated by the treatment of the bacterial culture broth or the heat-treated cell-free supernatant of the broth. The treatment of the culture broths or the cell-free supernatants of LBS4 or LBS9 completely inhibited the formation of the fruiting body, thereby suggesting that the inhibitory agent is a heat-stable compound. In the case of LBS5, only the bacterial cell-containing culture broth was capable of inhibiting the formation of the fruiting body, whereas the cell-free supernatant did not, which suggests that an inhibitory agent generated by LBS5 is a protein or a heat-labile chemical compound, potentially a fungal cell wall-degrading enzyme. The culture broth of LBS1 was not inhibitory. However, its cell-free supernatant was capable of inhibiting the formation of fruiting bodies. This indicates that LBS1 may produce an inhibitory heat-stable chemical compound which is readily degraded by its own secreted enzyme.

The Fruiting Body Formation of Oudemansiella radicata in the Sawdust of Oak (Quercus variabilis) Mixed with Rice Bran

To screen additives and their mixed ratio suitable for the mycelial growth and fruiting body formation of Oudemansiella radicata in the oak sawdust, additives such as rice bran, fermented soybean powder and wheat bran were used. Generally, the mycelial growth of O. radicata has been stable on oak sawdust mixed with rice bran of 5~20%. In case that O. radicata was cultured for about 30 days at 22 +/- 1degrees C under the illumination (350 lux) of 12 hours and moisture condition of 90 +/- 5%, the primordia have been formed gradually from red-brown crusts covering the surface of oak sawdust media. Based on the experimental results from 9 strains of O. radicata, fruiting bodies were produced widely on oak sawdust medium mixed with rice bran of 5 to 30%. Even though fruiting bodies of O. radicata have been produced well on oak sawdust media mixed with rice bran, fruiting bodies of O. radicata were produced intensively on oak sawdust media mixed with rice bran of 10%. Therefore, this result will provide a basic information for commercial production of fruiting body of wild O. radicata. This result is the first report associated with an artificial fruiting body formation of O. radicata in Korea.