Just after the Indian government issued the first lockdown rule to cope with the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in March 2020, the energy consumption in India plummeted dramatically. However, as the lockdown relaxed, energy consumption started to recover. In this study, we investigated how COVID-19 cases affected Indian energy consumption during the COVID-19 crisis by testing if the lockdown release had a positive impact on energy consumption and if richer regions were quicker to recover their energy consumption to the level before the lockdown. Using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model, the study reveals that a long-run relationship holds between the COVID-19 cases and energy consumption and that the COVID-19 cases have a positive effect on Indian energy consumption. This result indicates that as lockdown relaxed, energy consumption started to recover. However, such a positive impact was not apparent in the Eastern and North-Eastern regions, which are the poorest regions among the five regions investigated in the study. This implies that poorer regions need special aid and policy to recover their economy from the damage suffered from the COVID-19 crisis.

In this experiment the effects of aloe vera gel coating on storage behavior of papaya at room temperature (29 0 C-31 0 C) was studied. Physico-chemical parameters such as color, physical changes, moisture, ash, acidity, vitamin C, protein, fat and total soluble solids (TSS) of papaya and aloe vera was determined at 3 days interval during the storage period. Among the physico-chemical parameters, color, physical changes, total weight loss and TSS contents increased significantly, whereas moisture content, vitamin C and titrable acidity decreased during storage. Control and 0.5% aloe vera treated papaya decayed from 6 days onward and completely decayed within 12 days of storage. On the other hand, 1% and 1.5% aloe vera gel coated papaya maintained their shelf-life for 9 and 12 days, respectively. Some of 1.5% aloe vera coated papaya decayed after 15 days. Papaya treated with 1.5% aloe vera solution, maintained their color & physical changes compared to other treatments up to 12 days of storage. The overall results showed the superiority of 1.5% aloe vera gel coating in extending the shelf-life of papaya upto 15 days compared to that of 0.5%, 1% aloe vera gel coating and control papaya. The present study describes the preparation and potential application of aloe vera gel coatings for enhancing the postharvest life and quality of papaya.

The present study was concerned with the preparation of potato flour with various treatments and to formulate the chapatti and biscuit incorporating potato flours were prepared by treating the raw potato slices as blanched, blanched plus potassium meta-bisulphite (KMS) treatment and one as control. Various substitution levels from 15 % to 30 % of potato flour was used in the formulations of chapatti and biscuit in conjunction with wheat flour. Chapatti and biscuit prepared with either blanched or blanched plus KMS treated sample of potato flour had very good physical and baking quality. And chapatti prepared with 20% potato flour and biscuit containing 25 % had the most suitable baking properties among other proportions. The statistical analysis of sensory evaluation data indicated that the baked products prepared with potato flour from blanched plus KMS-treated samples ranked very well and were more acceptable than those made from blanched sample. Keywords: Potato flour; Drying; Chapatti; Biscuit DOI: 10.3329/jbau.v8i1.6413J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 8(1): 153-160, 2010

No abstract

The present research analyzes the potential economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on South Asian economies using a systematic review approach. The cause-effect relationship framework showed that the outbreak of COVID-19 slowed down the gross domestic product (GDP) along with major economic sectors and indicators in the South Asian economies. The short and long-run predicted scenario showed that, compared to the agriculture sector, the service and manufacturing sectors will be affected more seriously in all South Asian countries. It was found that governments in the region are trying their best to adopt and implement expansionary fiscal strategies to combat this situation. Many countries have included farmers and allied workers in the government’s support system to utilize resources. In order to maintain the balance of international trade, the import and export of essential items must be given special support. To cope with this situation, governments can invest money from different autonomous institutions to expand Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME). The findings of this research will be helpful for policy planners to formulate appropriate programs for short and long-run demands, along with economic and fiscal policies to sustain and revive the economic activity in South Asia.

A study was conducted with four types of quail named Japanese (J), White (W), Black (BL) and Brown (Br) quail in BLRI, Savar, Dhaka to understand their productive and reproductive performances. A total of 1953 day-old chicks of quails were produced in successive two hatches. The highest fertility and hatchability were observed in White (98.13%) and Japanese (73.20%) types compared to their counterparts. White quail was significantly better for egg weight and chick weight than other the three types. The 5th week body weights were 117.94 ± 10.70, 114.71 ± 11.13, 98.28±9.69 and 107.24±8.98 g, respectively for W, Br, J and Bl. Significantly higher body weight was found in W and Br followed by Bl and J quail at different ages. The total number of eggs upto 24th week of age was 81.23 ± 0.67, 83.05 ± 0.69, 90.52± 0.56, and 93.31 ± 1.05 respectively, for W, Br, J and Bl and these significantly (p<0.001) differed among all genotypes. It may be concluded from the present findings that the performances of W and Bl quail were superior for body weight and egg number, respectively to the others. These findings give us more impetus for continuing the quail breeding research for producing a suitable meat type quail or egg type quail in the country.The Agriculturists 2014; 12(2) 151-155

Unisolated rice starch was used for hydroxypropylation and calcium complexation. Viscosity was measured at different starch concentrations, temperatures, and shear rates. The viscosity decreased with increase of calcium concentrations and shear rates. Temperature, starch concentrations and levels of Molar Substitution (MS) enhanced the viscosity. Hysteresis behaviour was markedly influenced by levels of calcium and MS. Higher viscosity was observed in hydroxypropyl starch. It is assumed that starch molecules exist in an expanded and/or extended forms which may result in higher viscosity. Calcium treated starch shows lower viscosity. Calcium ions possibly squeezed the starch molecules into a tighter configuration and/or calcium may compete with starch for water causing the limitation of water thus resulting in reduction of viscosity. Higher viscosity was observed at higher temperatures. Higher temperature cause the starch granules swelling thus produce higher frictional forces responsible for higher viscosity.

The present study quantifies the drying kinetics of green banana during mechanical dehydration. The effect of loading density (sample thickness) and the temperature on the drying rate constant and drying time were investigated and quantified. Drying rate increased with increasing temperature but decreased with increase in loading density. The values of exponent ‘n’ of the two parameters power law model describing the drying rate constant (as a function of thickness) were less than 2 which indicated the presence of significant external resistance to mass transfer despite the dominance of internal mass transfer resistance.  Investigation with three drying air temperatures (55, 60 and 65oC) at constant air velocity (0.6 m/sec) resulted that the increase in drying air temperature increased the drying process.  The moisture diffusivity values were 1.25×10-10, 1.67×10-10 and 2.19×10-10 m2/sec at 55, 60 and 65oC respectively. The activation energy (Ea) indicating the temperature dependence of the diffusivity was 51.21 KJ/mole obtained using Arrhenius model. Mixing of green banana flour in the potato chips formulation enhanced the fiber and mineral content in the product.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/agric.v10i1.11069The Agriculturists 2012; 10(1): 87-97