Fundamental and Applied Agriculture

Impact of Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Shelf Life of Ready-to-Cook Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fish Balls

2026-06-30T07:43:48+00:00

The effects of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the shelf life of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fish balls during refrigerated storage (4°C) were investigated for 20 days. The moisture, protein, lipid, and carbohydrate contents of the fish balls were 61.60%, 13.61%, 6.62%, and 14.13%, respectively. The pH, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) of the tilapia fish ball samples during storage under control and MAP packaging were within acceptable limits. On the other hand, the aerobic plate count (APC) of tilapia fish balls gradually increased from the initial value of 4.37±0.04 on day 0 to 7.91±0.45 log CFU/g on 20th day for the not sealed pack (control). Significantly lower APC values (p<0.05) were observed on the 16th and 20th days in MAP-3 packaging compared with other packaging methods. The APCs exceeded 7 log CFU/g, which is considered the upper acceptable limit for fresh and frozen fish, on approximately the 14th day for the control, the 18th day for MAP-1, the 17th day for MAP-2, and the 20th day for MAP-3, respectively. Based on bacterial counts, the shelf life was determined to be 14 days for the control, 18 days for MAP-1, 17 days for MAP-2, and 20 days for MAP-3, respectively. Therefore, MAP is a good option for increasing the shelf life of fishery products, which supermarkets can adopt to display their products with an extended shelf life.

Exogenous selenium alleviates salt stress in rice seedlings by improving growth and antioxidant defenses

2026-06-30T09:25:50+00:00

Salt stress severely affects the growth and physiological characteristics during the early growth stages of rice (Oryza sativa L.). This study aimed to investigate the potential impact of exogenous selenium (Se) in mitigating the adverse effects of salt stress during rice germination and seedling establishment. At the germination stage, seeds were incubated for nine days under either non-stress (control) or 100 mM NaCl stress conditions, with or without Se supplementation. At the seedling stage, rice plants were grown hydroponically in nutrient solution under control or 100 mM NaCl conditions, again with or without Se. The results revealed that NaCl-stressed rice plants markedly compromised germination indices and plumule growth and reduced photosynthetic pigment contents. Under salt stress, rice plants also exhibited enhanced H₂O₂ accumulation, elevated lipid peroxidation measured as malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes - peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). In contrast, exogenous Se application significantly improved germination indices, and seedling growth under salt stress. Selenium treatment also enhanced chlorophyll and carotenoid synthesis and boosted antioxidant enzyme activities while suppressing the accumulation of H₂O₂, thereby protecting against oxidative damage. Furthermore, exogenous Se alleviated membrane injury under saline stress, as reflected by significantly lower MDA levels in stressed seedlings. Finally, these findings suggest that exogenous Se enhances salt stress tolerance in rice by strengthening antioxidant defense responses and reducing oxidative damage during early growth stages.

Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of a Semi-Automatic Sprayer

2026-06-30T10:45:37+00:00

In the agriculture industry, spraying pesticides is a crucial task for protecting crops from insects and achieving high yields. In Bangladesh, various types of pesticide sprayers are available on the market. However, farmers have mostly been applying pesticides using conventional methods, such as hand-operated and fuel-operated sprayer systems. A worker can typically operate a hand sprayer continuously for only five to six hours, and a fuel-operated sprayer requires fuel, which is expensive, pollutes the environment, and is difficult to find in remote areas. Also, certain pesticides are harmful to human health and can induce lumbar discomfort because of the weight of the equipment, and the farmer who is spraying them is also impacted by them because he comes into close contact with them. Furthermore, manual sprayers have limitations in maintaining the required pressure, leading to ineffective control of pests and loss of pesticides due to dribbling or drift during application. The goal of the study was to design and develop a semi-automatic sprayer to evaluate its technical performance. The proposed machine consists of a frame, PLC, sensor, battery, DC motor, spray tank, and wheel. Every component of the machine was fastened to the frame. The frame was made of a hollow MS bar. The machine's entire fabrication cost was US$ 310. The machine’s application rate was 229 L ha^-1. The automatic spraying machine's theoretical and effective field capacities were determined to be 0.29 ha hr^-1 and 0.20 ha hr^-1, respectively. When the machine was operating at an average speed of 1.51 km h^-1, its field efficiency was 69%. The machine's yearly cost was US$ 403.63, its capital recovery factor was 0.23, and its capital consumption was US$ 68.2. A significant advancement in agricultural technology, autonomous spraying devices address many of the limitations associated with traditional pest management methods.

Current status and market dynamics of the emerging pet industry in Bangladesh: Insights from a nationwide survey of pet owners and veterinary clinics

2026-07-02T16:41:15+00:00

A large number of people are interested to rear pets in their households’ now-a-days in Bangladesh. Therefore, the study was conducted to know the current scenario of pet rearing, emerging trends, market transformation, prospects, and challenges of the pet industry in Bangladesh. Three well-structured questionnaires were developed to collect the data. The study found that 90% of pet animals were cats, and 10% were dogs. The current pet market is valued at approximately 236 crores BDT ($19.21 million), with a market growth rate of 13%. Pet food had the largest (57.84%) market share. All pet products were imported from different countries. More than 85% of pet professionals had <5 years’ experience. Pet practitioners mostly (82%) used human and other animal’s medicines. Four leading companies are currently importing pet vaccines and the market share of Flu (PCH) vaccine was highest (62%) for cats. Foods were imported from Thailand (42%), Turkey (31%), China (12%) and others (15%) whereas litter was mostly imported from China (98.66%). Students were more involved (43.9%) in cat rearing but more average number of cats was raised by housewives (4.31). About 42.6% of cat rearers raised their cats for > 3-5 years. Among the cats reared, 40% were local breeds followed by mixed breeds (35%), and Persian breeds (25%). Approximately 56.6% of cat owners purchased commercial food while 50.9% purchased litter. Vaccination coverage in the surveyed areas was reported at 62.5% and 49% of owners used medicines, with an average annual cost of BDT 4369 ($35.64) per cat. Despite challenges such as limited information, lack of infrastructure, high costs of pet care products, poor-quality supplies, unavailability of vaccines, and limited access to pet clinics in many areas, the pet industry in Bangladesh is experiencing growth driven by rising demand for pet care services and products.