Benish Nawaz Mirani

Analysis of Nutritional Components of Horse Radish Tree Flowers (Moringa oleifera) Wildly Grown in Sindh Province

The present research study was aimed at determining the proximate and mineral composition of horse radish tree flowers by utilizing standard methodologies. The mean moisture content in fresh, thermally dehydrated, curry, shade dried and boiled fresh /processed samples of horse radish tree flowers was 80.98, 5.40, 68.07, 5.84 and 86.26%, respectively. The vegetable had the highest pH, carbohydrates, total solids, nitrogen free extracts and calorific values in thermally dried samples and crude fiber, ash and protein values were higher in shade dried samples. Whereas, fat and total fatty acids were found higher in curry samples. There was a significant presence of dietary essential micro-nutrients. It was therefore revealed that horse radish tree flowers ( Moringa oleifera ) when consumed in curry form could also be a good source of nutrients. The inclusion of horse radish tree flowers into the diet could potentially address some of the challenges, such as health benefits, food security and increase life expectancy in Sindh, Pakistan.

Study on Cultivators Associating Post Harvest Losses of Onion Vegetable in Sindh’s Mirpurkhas District

A study was carried out in Mirpurkhas District of Sindh Province during the year 2015-16, aiming to observe post-harvest losses of onions associated with the cultivators. Following the random sampling 60 respondents were selected from 12 villages of 06 Talukas in the District. Interviews were conducted for the collection of data. Problems expressed were as; high cost of fertilizers (93.33%), high cost of pesticides (93.33%), hand weeding is labour consuming and expensive (91.66%), labour problems during harvesting (85%), ineffective and costly weedicides (80%), lack of knowledge about recommended fertilizers doses for onion crop (80%) and lack of knowledge about improved varieties (68.33%). The problems in marketing of onion include lack of remunerative price (96.66%), fluctuation in market price (93.33%) and high charges of transportation (20%). The present study suggested that training/ awareness programs should be conducted for cultivators regarding establishing technical storage and handling onion problems.

Studies on the Nutritional Characteristics of some Commercial Wheat Varieties of Dry Land and Wet Land Grown in Sindh Province

The present research was carried out to investigate the nutritional characteristics of some commercial wheat varieties of dry land and wet land grown in Sindh province during 2011-12 at Institute of Food Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Crop Production, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam. Four irrigated land (Inqulab, TD-1, Sarsabz and kherman) wheat varieties and four dry land (TK-3, Marvi, PK-85, Sassi) wheat varieties were collected from their respective areas and subjected to chemical analysis. The bio-chemical characteristics of dry land and wet land wheat varieties differed significantly. Chemical analysis indicate that moisture (13.06%), protein (14.83%), dry gluten (9.03%), wet gluten (35.66%), gluten index (73.8%), starch (75.83%) and zeleny (68.66%) contents were recorded higher in wet land wheat varieties than those of dry land wheat varieties with moisture (12.66%), protein (11.9%), dry gluten (8.2%), wet gluten (32.93%), gluten index (64.53%), starch (68.66%) and zeleny (58.33%). This study reveals that availability of water and environmental factors are directly related with the nutritional characteristics of wheat varieties. This study clarify that wet land wheat varieties are better in the context of nutritional qualities.