Several palm plants have social and economic roles worldwide by providing drinks from their sap. In Côte d'Ivoire, management of the coconut sap is not yet practiced. In this study, parameters related to production of sap have been assessed from four coconut cultivars namely PB 113 + and PB 121 + hybrids and WAT and MYD varieties. From all the unopened inflorescences (spathes) studied into the coconut crown, whose ranks varied from 7 to 9, that of rank 8 yielded the highest volume of sap. From this spathe, the PB113 + hybrid provided the best yield of sap (61.81 ± 20.41 l). Most important proportion of that sap volume was recorded at the morning harvesting. The sap production duration of a spathe varied from 24 ± 1.87 days (MYD) to 46.78 ± 1.86 days (PB 113 + ). That duration depended on the length of spathes and regular sap flow allowed by them. Furthermore, the PB 113 + had the highest number of fruits (NBF = 174.33 ± 78.45 fruits). The results showed that volume of sap available is closely related to the length of production (r = 0.78) and the cultivar's nut yield (r = 0.82). The use of PB 113 + hybrid which provided highest quantity of sap is recommended for promoting the production of coconut sap in Côte d'Ivoire in order to improve the benefits derived from this plant.
Aims: This study aims to determine merchantability of maize produced and stocked as grains, epis and spathes of maize in five departments of Côte d’Ivoire.
Study Design: A total of 375 samples were collected at rate of 75 samples by department (Botro, Korhogo, Katiola, Agniblékro and Bondoukou). Then, the received samples were sent to the laboratory in order to analyse their merchantability.
Place and Duration of Study: The collection of samples was carried out on grains, epis and spathes maize from February 2013 to January 2014. Then, the analyzes were carried out at the Biochemistry and Food Sciences Laboratory of the Félix Houphouët-boigny University.
Methodology: The humidity was determined by drying until constant weight when the losses and damages of grains have been quantified by counting and weighing.
Results: The results show that for maize grains, humidity levels vary from 8.59±0.11% to 14.18±0.52%. Concerning epis of maize, humidity levels are between 9.85±0.23% to 13.02±0.32%. For maize spathes, humidity levels fluctuate between 11.16±0.29% to 14.17±0.32%. The damages varies from 5.01±2.64% to 19.35±2.00% for maize grains, 9.05±5.27% to 21.29±7.17% for epis and 17.95±1.13% for spathes. As regards weigh losses, proportions of grains, epis and spathes are between 1.53±1.17% and 5.10±0.97%, 2.43±1.70% and 6.54±1.79% and 2.76±1.18% and 5.11±2.65%, respectively.
Conclusion: A significant variability from one department to another can be noticed at level of maize quality regardless the type of maize. The merchantability of maize seems to be tied to post-harvest treatments (drying), type of storage (epis, grains and spathes) and structure of storage.
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