<div style="text-align: justify;">Mature compost with good agronomic properties can be used to control nitrogen loss from soil. Soil incubation and leaching experiments were conducted to determine the effects of paddy husk compost addition on controlling ammonium and nitrate losses from Bekenu Series soil. Retention of soil exchangeable ammonium and available nitrate were significantly improved in soil amended with paddy husk compost treatments compared with urea alone thus, reducing leaching of these ions. At 30 days of the leaching experiment, ammonium and nitrate losses were highest in urea without paddy husk compost addition compared with co-application of urea and paddy husk compost because the treatment significantly improved retention of soil exchangeable ammonium and available nitrate. Urea can be co-applied with paddy husk compost to improve release of ammonium and nitrate and to retain nitrogen availability.</div>

Paddy husk compost addition for improving nitrogen availability

<div>Background: The uncertainty of groundnut productivity in the rainfed areas could be minimized by in situ conserving the soil moisture received through precipitation during the cropping period and improving the nutrient status.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted at the Department of Agronomy, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu during 2014-2015 rabi season to find out the effect of charred rice husk and other organic materials enriched with or without fertilizer nutrient on the moisture retention and nutrient supply during the deficit period of crop growth. The treatment consists of charred rice husk, biochar, lignite and farm yard manure alone and enriched with the recommended dose of nitrogen (10 kg ha-1) and phosphorus (10 kg ha-1) fertilizer and compared with the absolute control and recommended dose of fertilizer (10:10:45 kg NPK ha-1). 
 
Result: The structural morphology of organic materials was studied using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) showed that the particles of charred rice husk were uneven and the diameter varied from 3-4 &igrave;m with clod and block appearance, the particles of biochar were irregular in shape, uneven sized and diameter varied from 2-3 &igrave;m with block appearance and the lignite particles found spherical and aggregated. The chemical composition of organic manure with nutrient examined under SEM-EDAX revealed that the charred rice husk contains 64.31% carbon, 28.42% oxygen and 5.96% silica. Results of the study revealed that, application of enriched FYM at 5 t ha-1 recorded significantly higher pod yield (2190 kg ha-1). The enriched biochar and charred rice husk produced comparable pod yield of 2010 kg ha-1 and 1983 kg ha-1, respectively.</div>

<div>Enriched Charred Rice Husk to Improve the Nutrient Management in Rainfed Groundnut</div>

<div>Background: The dairy industry is one of the largest industries in India. The exports were made to 105 countries in the world. Dairy production is one of the major sustenance factors for the rural economy of India. Notably, India ranks first in Isabgol production (98%) and is the sole supplier of seeds and husk in the international market. Among medicinal plants, Isabgol is the first ranked foreign exchange earner for the country. India is the largest producer and the main supplier of seed and husk to the world market. It contains a significant number of proteins and husk yields colloidal mucilage which are valued for medicinal application and is used in Ayurveda, unani and allopathic systems of medicines. It is the main constituent of a number of laxative preparations. The psyllium is high in soluble fibre content with detoxing effect over digestive system makes it a very apt nutraceutical.&nbsp;Basundi is one of the heats desiccated indigenous products popular in Western part of India, mostly Maharashtra and Gujarat. It can be classified in the condensed milk group along with rabri, khoa, mithai and kheer and can be considered similar to sweetened condensed whole milk. 
 
Methods: The present investigation indicates utilization of encapsulated lactic acid bacteria culture (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus) and modified psyllium husk for the preparation of probiotic basundi. The prepared probiotic basundi was analyzed for sensorial, physicochemical and microbial quality parameters. Probiotic basundi was prepared from 1000 ml of milk, 90 gm sugar, 02-03 pieces of cardamom, saffron and encapsulated LAB culture having (107, 108 and 109 cfu/gm containing equal proportions of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus) with 0.65 per cent hydrochloric acid modified psyllium husk. The probiotic basundi was then stored at refrigerated conditions at 4&deg;C for 08 hrs. 
 
Result: The organoleptic evaluation of probiotic basundi was carried out. As per the score of hedonic scale, basundi with encapsulated 10 per cent probiotic culture (109 cfu/gm) with 0.65 per cent hydrochloric acid modified psyllium husk had shown maximum consumer acceptability (8.3) among all samples.</div>

Exploration of Encapsulated Modified Psyllium Husk for Preparation of Probiotic Basundi

A major by-product of dal mills is pulse husk which is basically used as ruminant feed. Its nutritional significance in human diet is less known. Keeping in view that pulse husk is a rich source of dietary fiber, the present study was undertaken to formulate various recipes of snack food items using green gram husk in varied proportions. The husk was incorporated in different traditional snack food item recipes viz., bread, biscuit, muffin, mathri and pakora in varying proportions (5-15 per cent) and the acceptability of different husk incorporated products was tested through sensory evaluation by score card method for different sensory qualities. The best accepted product was evaluated for various nutritional parameters and glycemic index. The results indicated that among all the food items prepared biscuit with 12.5 per cent incorporation of green gram husk found to be most acceptable. It was further evaluated for nutrient composition and glycemic response in normal subjects in the age group of 25-28 years. Appreciable amount of iron (23.75 mg/100g), calcium (113.33 mg/100g) and total dietary fiber (14.98%) content was seen in fiber rich biscuits. The glycemic index of fiber rich biscuits (46.26) was significantly low than the control biscuits (68.70). Thus the green gram husk incorporated biscuits with high dietary fiber and low glycemic index can be recommended for inclusion in the diet of people suffering from diabetes and constipation.

Fiber rich snack food products incorporated with green gram husk&nbsp;and their suitability for diabetics&nbsp;

<div>Background: The Fe toxicity is a perpetual problem of low lying poorly drained acid soils. It also affects the solubility and availability of most of the plant nutrients, by reducing toxic concentrations of iron, aluminum and manganese. To overcome these constraint, application of lime is inevitable but high cost of liming materials necessitate the use of low-cost, internally sourced, environmentally friendly and adoptable organic sources. In present study rice husk ash was used as a soil ameliorant in lieu of liming. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted at Rice Research Station, Moncompu during 2017-2018 with nine treatments replicated thrice in RBD using rice variety Uma. A customized formulation with composition of K (8.9 %), Mg (3.2 %), Ca (3.7 %), Zn (2.1 %), Mn (0.23 %), B (3.5 %) and Cu (0.96 %) was developed based on the available nutrient status of the region and crop requirement and used for supplementary foliar nutrition. 
 
Result: It was found that treatment comprising of Soil test based RDF + Rice husk ash @ lime (based on pH) + foliar spray of 0.5 % solution of customized formulation @ 5 kg ha-1 as foliar application of 0.5 % solution in two splits at maximum tillering and panicle initiation stage was the best treatment in increasing yield by 23 % compared to recommended dose of lime and fertilizer application and B:C ratio increased from 1.53 to 1.91. Effect of rice husk ash in ameliorating soil acidity was found to be on par with application of lime based on pH in acid sulphate soils of Kuttanad zone.&nbsp;</div>

<div>Rice Husk Ash as a Low Cost Soil Ameliorant for Abating Iron Toxicity in Lowland Rice</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Background: The demand and cost of domestic energy in Nigeria are on the increase, primarily due to the increasing human population and demand. This is compounded by desertification, increasing the cost of electricity, industrialization, lack of alternative such as solar, wind and nuclear energy.This study was conducted to compare the potential of biogas produced from anaerobic co-digestion of coconut fibre, cocoa pods, maize husk, orange peels, pineapple peels and yeast and to determine the effect of pH and retention time on biogas yield.&nbsp; Methods: During the experiment, five batch reactors/digesters were used. The digesters were labeled A,B,C,D, E and each replicated three times. Digester A consist of 2g of yeast, 4g of coconut fibre, digester B consist of 2g of yeast, 4g of cocoa pods, digester C consist of 2g of yeast, 4g of maize husk, digester D consist of 2g of yeast, 4g of orange peels and digester E consist of 2g of yeast, 4g of pineapple peels. The pH was determined before corking the reactors.&nbsp; Result: The results showed significant differences among the different substrate for biogas yield and methane component. Biodegradability of the different substrate, quality and retention time significantly affected the biogas yield in the five digesters. Digester loaded with maize husk produced significantly higher volume of biogas and methane component compared with other substrate. Increase in biogas yield for maize husk of 4g was 23.33ml with methane component of 61.78% for the 10 days hydraulic retention time. The retention time of 4, 5, 6 and 8 days significantly produced the highest volume of biogas in the other digesters. Based on the findings, maize husk and yeast blend could be a rich source of renewable energy option and would help arrest ecological disaster in addition to control of deforestation.</div>

<div style="text-align:justify">Comparative Study of Biogas Production from Cocoa Pod, Maize Husk, Orange Peels, Pineapple Peels and Coconut Fiber Co-Digested with Yeast</div>

Background: A significant amount of rice production waste is rice husk. It is not humifiable and turns into a significant environmental pollutant if not properly utilized. Rice husk contains silica nanoparticles, which is a major inorganic component. High purity amorphous silica nanoparticles can thus be produced using simple thermo-chemical procedures without polluting the environment by cutting out the release of carbon dioxide during the process.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: A study was carried out to extract amorphous silica nanoparticles from rice husk ash using an environmentally benign chemical process. Utilising a variety of material characterization techniques viz., X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Particle size analyser (PSA), the extracted nanoparticles properties were confirmed. 
 
Result: The amorphous behaviour of the silica sample was confirmed using transmission electron microscopy-selected area electron diffraction patterns and X-ray diffraction analyses, whilst siloxane and silanol groups were primarily discovered using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Images obtained using scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy showed initial nanoparticles to be present along with secondary microparticles, possibly as a result of their agglomeration. The extracted amorphous silica has particles with an average diameter of 35 nm. This synthesized silica nanoparticles can be used in agriculture, nano-additives, microelectronics, sensors and in other fields.

Eco-friendly Synthesis and Characterization of Amorphous Nanosilica from Rice Husk

Background: Trichobezoars represent a frequent digestive issue in cats, often resulting from excessive hair ingestion during grooming. This study evaluated the effects of keratinase-psyllium husk as a feed additive to prevent trichobezoar formation. 
 
Methods: The trial included 20 healthy adult cats, randomly divided into three groups: KP-L (low-dose keratinase-psyllium husk), KP-H (high-dose keratinase-psyllium husk) and Control (standard diet without additives). Each group received their respective diet for pre-trial 3 days and a formal trial 14 days. Parameters analyzed included keratin degradation, fecal trichobezoar excretion and blood indicators to assess overall health status. 
 
Result: The findings demonstrated that cats in the KP-H group exhibited significantly higher keratin degradation and increased fecal trichobezoar excretion compared to the KP-L and Control groups. Both KP-L and KP-H groups showed improved hair elimination, though the effects were dose-dependent. No adverse effects on hematological or biochemical parameters were observed, indicating the safety of the additive. The study suggests that dietary supplementation with keratinase-psyllium husk effectively enhances hair degradation and trichobezoar excretion in cats, with higher doses showing greater efficacy. This additive presents a promising preventive approach for managing hairball formation in feline diets. 
&nbsp;

The Effect of Keratinase-psyllium Husk Formulated as Feed Additive for Trichobezoar Prevention in Feline

<div style="text-align: justify;">The black gram husk a by-product of black gram milling was collected and proceed to washing. The washed and unwashed samples were separated based on the required particle size (900&micro;m, 450&micro;m). The samples obtained were analyzed for their proximate composition and dietary fiber content. The washed husk samples had shown least amount of fat and ash content ranging from 0.53 to 0.77% and 1.04 to 2.47% respectively. The protein content of the samples ranged from 14.43 to 18.65%. The crude fiber content was found to be highest in WBH ranging from 39.9 to 42.13% due to the removal of tailing starches and other coteledonous material. It was observed that the 450WBH sample had the highest amount of Total dietary Fiber (TDF), Insoluble Dietary Fiber (IDF) and Soluble Dietary Fiber (SDF) content. The TDF content of 450WBH was 90.19%. The obtained data was analyzed by paired comparison (t-Test).</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Effect of Water Treatment and Size Reduction on Dietary Fiber Content of Blackgram Husk</div>

<div>Background: Feed is one of the most important parts of the livestock production system because it can account for 60-80% of production costs, besides that very elements needed by livestock to grow, develop and produce. A study has been conducted to evaluate the effects of chemical and biological urea-treated durian husk on the production performance of Kacang female goats.&nbsp;</div>

<div> 
Methods: The research method used was plotted in the 2 x 3 factorial randomized block design (RBD). The first factor was two processing methods of urease (A) and fermentation (F) and the second factor was three levels of urea, namely 1.0% (L1), 2.5% (L2) and 5% (L3), with four replicates as groups. The data were analyzed using analysis of variances and mean comparison using the least significant difference (LSD) test.</div>

<div> 
Result: The results showed however, the application of durian husk with different urea levels produced a significant effect (P&lt;0.05) on the body weight gain, hematocrit value, non-carcass weight and percentage, internal non-carcass weight and percentage, as well as non-carcass weight and percentage, of Kacang female goats. That administration of chemically and biologically processed durian fruit husk supplemented with urea up to 5.0%, can be implemented without negative effects on production performance, physiological conditions, carcass characteristics, as well as non-carcass characteristics.</div>

Paddy husk compost addition for improving nitrogen availability

Enriched Charred Rice Husk to Improve the Nutrient Management in Rainfed Groundnut

Exploration of Encapsulated Modified Psyllium Husk for Preparation of Probiotic Basundi

Fiber rich snack food products incorporated with green gram husk and their suitability for diabetics

Rice Husk Ash as a Low Cost Soil Ameliorant for Abating Iron Toxicity in Lowland Rice

Comparative Study of Biogas Production from Cocoa Pod, Maize Husk, Orange Peels, Pineapple Peels and Coconut Fiber Co-Digested with Yeast

Eco-friendly Synthesis and Characterization of Amorphous Nanosilica from Rice Husk

The Effect of Keratinase-psyllium Husk Formulated as Feed Additive for Trichobezoar Prevention in Feline

Effect of Water Treatment and Size Reduction on Dietary Fiber Content of Blackgram Husk

Performance of Kacang Goats Fed Chemically and Biologically Treated Durian Husk