The Journal of Agriculture and Development

Aerogel materials from sugarcane bagasse: the effect of additives

Le Thi Thanh Van, Nguyen Huu Ty, Vu Minh Duy Chien, Nguyen Thi Phuong — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

Cellulose nano fibers (CNF) are being considered as potential material for producing aerogel, an advanced materials for filtration technology. In this study, CNF were extracted from the sugarcance bagasse (a common agricultural waste) using ultrasonic technology and then fabricated with different additives including polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and graphene oxide (GO) to formulate aerogels. Various advanced techniques including polarized and scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and texture analyzer were applied to elaborate on the physicochsemical properties of the products. The obtained results revealed that aerogel had low bulk density (0.032 kg/m³; 0.035 kg/m³& 0.041 kg/m³) and a high porosity (96.89%; 97.06% & 98.61%) when combined with PVA, PEG and GO, respectively. Among investigated samples, aerogel fabricated with GO had the highest mechanical resistance as well as the best elasticity.

Community-based ecotourism: A case study in Thanh Phu district, Ben Tre province, Vietnam

Nguyen Vu Duc Thinh, Nguyen Thi Ha Vy, Bui Thi Cam Nhi, Phan Thị Ngọc Diễm — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

This study explored the potential and challenges of community based ecotourism in Thanh Phu district, Ben Tre province, Vietnam. By investigating 52 households involved in community-based ecotourism through the Participatory Rural Appraisal method and semi-structured interviews, it outlined the transformative impact of community-based ecotourism on the local community. The research underscored positive outcomes in economic growth, social equity, and cultural preservation while highlighting the imperative need for prudent management to mitigate environmental concerns and prevent unsustainable tourism growth. It advocated for a balanced approach that integrated economic development with environmental and cultural preservation strategies. The findings emphasize the importance of tailored solutions to navigate challenges and foster sustainable community-based ecotourism, ensuring long-term prosperity while safeguarding the district’s natural and cultural treasures.

Classification of pet owners based on knowledge attitude and practice about rabies and its vaccination in Duc Hue, Long An province during the period 2021 - 2023

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

Rabies manifests is a zoonotic ailment affecting both humans and carnivorous animals. The administration of rabies vaccination, particularly to domesticated animals such as dogs and cats, is an efficacious prophylactic measure for safeguarding the optimal health of both animal and human populations. The conscientiousness of pet owners regarding rabies vaccination significantly contributes to the effectiveness of rabies prevention initiatives. A comprehensive survey employing the Knowledge-Attitude-Practices framework was undertaken among owners of dogs and cats to appraise the efficacy of the three-year rabies vaccination program spanning 2021 to 2023 in Duc Hue district, Long An province. The primary objectives of this inquiry were to succinctly delineate the program’s outcomes and to gauge the evolution of awareness and behavioral patterns among dog and cat owners. The survey adopted a nuanced approach by categorizing participants into sub-groups, emphasizing the differentiation of outcomes across these delineated groups. Findings indicated that the vaccine coverage exceeded 80% within Duc Hue, Long An province’s dog and cat population in 2023. The analytical assessment consistently identified three to four discernible population clusters annually, based on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice scores, focusing on their alignment with the overall mean within the population. Additionally, specific attention was directed towards clusters exhibiting lower scores, with a location and occupation. Identifying these clusters necessitates further exploration and warrants the development of more tailored communication and approach strategies to optimize the efficacy of the ongoing vaccination campaign.

Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from the respiratory tract of goats in Can Tho city, Vietnam

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

A total of 319 nasal swab samples were collected to clarify the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli in the respiratory tract of goats in Can Tho, Vietnam. It indicated that E. coli was detected at a relatively minor rate (8.46%), and their prevalence in male goats and dairy goats was higher than that in others. However, the ages and health conditions of goats did not affect the presence of E. coli in those goats. Those E. coli strains were still susceptible to seven examined antibiotics, but the resistance was recorded in ampicillin (25.93%) and bactrim (25.93%) in this study. Those E. coli strains (33.33%) could resist one to seven antibiotics with several patterns; the pattern of ampicillin + amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (7.41%) was more common than others. Moreover, E. coli strains harbored antibiotic-resistance genes, and blaampC was detected at the highest rate (92.11%), followed by sulII (43.86%), tetA (24.56%), and qnrA (5.26%). Of those E. coli strains, 22.81% harbored two to four examined genes with several patterns of antibiotic-resistance genes; the most detected pattern was blaampC + sulII + tetA (7.89%). Thus, controlling the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in the respiratory tract of goats will protect animal and public health.

Optimization of alkali-catalyzed organosolv treatment of spent coffee grounds for obtaining polysaccharides

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

The coffee industry is growing rapidly and generating increasing amounts of spent coffee grounds annually. Spent coffee grounds contain high levels of polysaccharide, which needs in-depth research to obtain and transform into value-added products. This study was carried out to optimize the alkali-catalyzed organosolv treatment of spent coffee grounds to enrich the polysaccharide content. A three-factor central composite design of the response surface model was used to optimize the treatment variables including reflux time, NaOH, and acetone concentration to yield the highest polysaccharide level. As a result, the maximum polysaccharide content was 73.13% obtained at a reflux time of 4.5 h, 62% acetone with 0.91% NaOH. The polysaccharide-rich material from spent coffee ground was composed of 39.37% mannan, 10.40% glucan, and 9.33% galactan. Partial removal of lignin and protein was observed during the treatment. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the spent coffee polysaccharides released the highest reducing sugars of 5583 mg/L using an enzyme cocktail containing 4% of cellulase and 1% of mannanase after 96 h. The enzymatic hydrolysate contained 3190 mg/L mannose and 1790 mg/L glucose, showing a feasible transformation of spent coffee polysaccharides.

Effects of 6-benziladenine, thidiazuron, and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid on the in vitro callus formation and shoot multiplication from leaves of Mai vang (Ochna integerrima) HD01 line

Nguyen Cao Kiet, Pham Minh Duy, Phan Hai Van, Bui Minh Tri, Le Thanh Hau — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

Mai vang (Ochna integerrima (Lour.) Merr.) not only is a popular ornamental plant but also possesses numerous valuable herbal properties. An exceptional line, the HD01, was bred by adept florists at the Binh Loi Mai village, Ho Chi Minh City. The objective of this research was to determine the optimal 6-benziladenine (BA), thidiazuron (TDZ) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) concentrations appropriate for callus formation from leaf samples and regeneration of shoots from callus of the HD01 cultivar in in vitro condition. The study including two experiments was arranged in a completely randomized design with one factor and two factors, respectively. For callus induction, the culture medium supplemented with concentrations of TDZ combined with concentrations of NAA was used, while to induce shoots, concentrations of BA combined with concentrations of NAA were added to the medium. The results indicated that 0.2 mg/L TDZ combined with 0.25 mg/L NAA on the base of MS (Murashige and Skoog) medium supplemented with 7 g/L agar and 30 g/L sugar gave 100% callus formation rate after 17.6 days, with the largest callus diameter (2.7 cm) and highest callus mass (2.4 g) after 60 days of culture. The leaf-derived callus produced the best results when cultured on MS medium supplemented with 7 g/L agar, 30 g/L sugar, and a combination of 1 mg/L BA and 0.25 mg/L NAA, forming shoot clusters with the height of 2.2 cm, an average of 8.5 shoots per cluster and 9.7 leaves per cluster after 60 days of culture. Based on these results, a preliminary protocol for Mai vang HD01 micropropagation was established.