THE EFFECT OF STORAGE CONDITIONS ON THE VIABILITY, VIGOUR AND STORABILITY OF MAIZE, (ZEA MAYS L.). SORGHUM (SORGHUM VULGARE L.) AND SOYBEAN (GLYCTNE MAX (L) MERRILL) SEEDS
TENG YEEW THAI
SUMMARY
A study was made on the effect of initial seed moisture, packaging and storage environment on the viability of one variety each of maize, sorghum and soybean seeds for 18 months. Generally, initial seed moisture of about 8% was more favourable than 10% in the maintenance of seed viability during storage. Controlled atmospheric conditions of 20°C and 50% RH was also more favourable than non-controlled ambient conditions (28°C-30°C: 80% RH) for seed storage. In addition, the seeds were less prone to rapid deterioration when stored in scaled tin cans where seed moisture fluctions during storage was insignificant. Maize and sorghum seeds whose initial moisture was less than 10.5% can be maintained at more than 70% germination for over 12 months when stored in either sealed tin cans, sealed polythene bags or sealed paper envelops under controlled atmospheric conditions of 20°C and 50% RH. Under non-controlled atmospheric conditions, they can only be similary preserved in sealed tin cans. Soybean seeds, however, showed more rapid deterioration than maize and sorghum under similar conditions of storage. An initial moisture not exceeding 10.5% they can be stored in sealed tin cans for least six months under either controlled or non-controlled atmospheric conditions and still maintain a germination of more than 70%. However at a lower initial moisture of about 8% their germination can be maintined above 70% for least 12 months in sealed tin cans under controlled atmospheric conditions of 20°C and 50% RH.
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RELATIVE AVAILABILITY TO PLANTS OF PHOSPHORUS FROM ROCK PHOSPHATE AND TRIPLE SUPERPHOSPHATEIN RELATION TO LIMING ON MALAYSIAN PEAT
W.Y. CHEW, Y.K. CHIN, L. ISMAIL and K. RAMLI
SUMMARY
Two greenhouse experiment studied the effects of liming and P fertilization on sorghum and napier grass on acid peat . Liming increased soil soluble P. crop dry matter and P uptake, sorghurm being more sensitive to peat acidity than napier grass. Both crops responded to applied P only with liming. On limed peat napier grass was more responsive to applied P than sorghum producing optimum dry matter at 20 kg/ha, compared to 10 kg for sorghum. In both crops. Triple superphosphate gave greater growth, plant P content and P uptake than rock phosphate. Increasing rate of either P carrier increased plant dry matter, plant P content and P uptake but positive responses to increasing rates of P and to P carriers were obserred only in the first sorghum and first two napier grass harvests, and not subsequently. The % recovery of applied P decreased in sorghum, but increased in napier grass, as P was increased.
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SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC QUANTIFICATION OF GUIGNARD'S SODIUM PICRATE TEST
TAN SWEE LIAN and NOOR AUNI HAMIR
SUMMARY
The Guignard's sodium picrate test was quantified by the use of standard cyanide solutions and spectrophotometric measurements. A comparison between the quantitave method so developed and the usual visual classification is presented.
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EFFECT OF FEEDING RUBBER SEED MEAL-BASED DIETS ON PERFORMANCE AND SERUM THIOCYANATE LEVEL OF GROWING-FINISHING PIGS
H.K. ONG and J. RADEM
SUMMARY
Forty Landrace x Duroc crossbred piglets were distributed to four dietary treatments which consist of the inclusion of 0, 10, 20 and 30% rubber seed meal (RSM). The feeding trial of 147 days duration was conducted to study the effect of detoxication of HCN in the pigs. Serum thiocyanate level was increased in pigs consuming more than 20% RSM. However, there were no goitrous symptoms. Packed cell volume were not significantly different among treatments. The results suggest that the pig is able to detoxify the amount of HCN in RSM-based diets without showing any goitrous or anaemic symptoms The RSM-based diets did not affect carcass characteristics of the pigs.
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THE USE OF RUBBER SEED MEAL IN POULTRY II. The Effect of Rubber Seed Meal in Layer Diets
S.W. YEONC. SYED ALI, A. B. and YUSOF, N
SUMMARY
The effect of feeding rubber seetl meal (RSM) at 10. 20, 30, 40 and 50% to replace part of the maize and soybean meal was studied on laying performance. The results showed that over a 50 week trial period there were no significant differences (P<0.05) in egg number, percent hen-day egg production, total egg mass and leed efficiency (feed/gain in egg mass) among the maize-soybean control group and those groups with RSM levels up to 30% in the diets. Significantly poorer results were observed, with 40 and 50% dietary RSM. Egg quality (Haugh Unit) was significantly supertor (P<0.01) with high levels of RSM. It is suggested that this effect could be caused by the supplementary DL-methionine. The chickens tended to gain less body weight (P<0.05) when RSM levels increased. No difference in mortality and no toxic symptoms were observed. It was suggested that RSM could be included in layer diets up to 30% without causing adverse effect on laying performance provided the diet was balanced with sufficient lysine and methionine.
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