ABSTRACT
Due to increased awareness regarding the health-promoting profile of millets, inclination towards their consumption has increased considerably. In the Himalayan region of India, cultivars of the two species of barnyard millet, namely Indian (Echinochloa frumentacea) and Japanese barnyard millet (E. esculenta), are grown. To compare the dehulled grain recovery, grain physical parameters, nutritional profile and antioxidant activity, an experiment was carried out at ICAR-VPKAS, Almora, Uttarakhand hills for two years using released and popular cultivars of Indian barnyard millet (VL 207 and VL 172) and Japanese barnyard millet (PRJ-1). The results indicated that the whole grain yield of Japanese barnyard millet cultivar PRJ-1 was significantly higher than Indian Barnyard millet cultivars VL 172 and VL 207; however, the dehulled grain recovery was considerably higher in VL 172 and VL 207 than PRJ-1. Similarly, the physical grain parameters were significantly higher in PRJ-1, but most dehulled grain parameters were at par in cultivars of both species. The nutritional estimation of dehulled grains of both species did not show remarkable differences for most traits. Still, crude fibre, Mn, and Zn were high in PRJ-1, while total digestible nutrients and phosphorous were high in VL 172 and VL 207. Dehulled grains exhibited much more crude protein, ash, minerals, and total digestible nutrients, but the husk accumulated significantly higher crude fibre and total polyphenols.
ABSTRACT
Indoxacarb, a promising new generation insecticide, is gaining popularity among vegetable growers in West Bengal, India, for controlling a large number of insects. However, it may simultaneously also increase the risk of contamination in the edible portions of the vegetables. This study was planned to analyze the persistence behavior of indoxacarb in cabbages, tomatoes, and soil. Moreover, indoxacarb residue contents were estimated to assess both the dietary and soil ecological risks associated with the application of the same. The experimental location was important because West Bengal is the leading vegetables producing state in India. Indoxacarb was found to dissipate quickly with a half-life ranging between 1.55 and 2.76 days, irrespective of the vegetable, dose, and season, and the safe waiting period was very less. The findings indicate that both vegetables can be safely consumed 1 day after the final spray. However, the risk to soil algae is predicted to be unacceptably high, which needs to be studied extensively.
