As a major group of agricultural commodities, legume grains are widely grown and consumed globally, but are often utilised in the whole form. With increasing evidence of nutritional benefits, these grains are potentially sources of novel ingredients including starches. Accordingly the objective of this study has been to investigate legume starches, particularly their isolation, characterisation and incorporation into selected food products. Using chickpea, faba bean, lentil and mung bean, extraction procedures for the practical isolation of legume starches have been evaluated. A relatively simple method has been established, involving grain cracking, steeping in a mildly alkaline solution, followed by washing, double blending, double sieving and sedimentation. The starches collected for the four legumes were oven dried and the recoveries ranged between 29 and 38%. Compositional analyses confirming that the isolation procedure gave relatively pure starches and scanning electron microscopy showed that the granules were typically ellipsoidal. Laser particle size analysis showed mono-modal distributions with mean diameters between 19.6 and 23.9µm. X-ray diffractograms of legume starches were of the typical C-type, with variations in the intensities and peak distribution indicating some differences in the crystallinity of the starches. Suitable conditions for the measurement of starch gelatinisation characteristics by differential scanning calorimetry were investigated. When optimised conditions were applied, the temperature of gelatinisation ranged from 58.9 for lentil to 65.7 °C for mung bean with corresponding enthalpy values of 9.2 and 5.7 Jg-1. Hot-stage optical microscopy confirmed gelatinisation patterns. The starch pastes demonstrated opalescence with some variation in the degree of clarity. The pasting and viscosity properties measured by the Rapid Visco-Analyser showed some variation in pasting temperatures and considerable differences in peak readings with faba bean starch having lowest and mung bean the highest with values of 307 and 676 RVA units, respectively. In order to study the incorporation of the legume starches, two Asian food products having starch as an ingredient, were selected and adapted as model foods. In this context, vermicelli represented a savoury product and coconut cake a sweet product. Vermicelli and coconut cake samples that incorporated chickpea starch were both preferred by most of the panellists over those containing the other legume starches. The overall conclusions are that the starch extraction method adapted in this investigation was a practical approach, producing relatively pure, white starches. The characteristics of the four legume starches showed many similarities, but there were some variations in the properties, indicating that there may be different applications for their incorporation into food formulations. Sensory evaluations confirmed the usefulness of the starches as food ingredients that provide attractive mouthfeel and textural characteristics. Therefore legume starches offer potential as novel food ingredients warranting further evaluation and larger scale feasibility studies.

MSCAGR (Plant Production) / Department of Plant Production / Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important grain legume in the world, ranking second after soybean (Glycine max L.). It accounts for a substantial proportion of human dietary nitrogen intake and plays a crucial role in food security in developing countries. Chickpea can grow in areas with low rainfall and poor soils, and thus may be an important food security crop for smallholder resource-poor farmers in the semi-arid tropics such as the dry environments of the Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces of South Africa. Preliminary studies showed the huge potential of chickpea production in these environments. However, no suitable genotypes have been identified and recommended for different agro-ecological zones of Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the performance, and hence, identify the genotypes that are adapted/suitable to the contrasting agro-ecological conditions of Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces for production. Field experiments were conducted in the winter cropping seasons of 2016 and 2017 at Thohoyandou (University of Venda experimental station), Syferkuil (University of Limpopo experimental station) and Nelspruit (University of Mpumalanga experimental station). Ten desi chickpea genotypes were sown in a completely randomized block design replicated three times on 10 May 2016 and 10 April 2017 (Thohoyandou), 13 May 2016 and 11 April 2017 (Syferkuil) and 03 May 2016 and 24 May 2017 (Nelspruit). Plant growth characteristics were assessed by determining plant height, crop phenology, number of primary and secondary branches, and canopy cover. Yield and yield components were assessed at harvest after physiological maturity. Carbon dioxide exchange rates (CER) was determined at different growth stages using the InfraRed Gas Analyzer (IRGA). Chlorophyll content (CC) and intercepted radiation were determined weekly using the chlorophyll content meter (CCM-200 PLUS, Opti-Science, Tyngsboro, Massachusetts), and the AccuPAR, LP-80 ceptometer (Deacon Devices Ltd., Pullman, USA), respectively. Genotypes did not vary in CC at Thohoyandou in all seasons, but CC increased with stages of growth. Genotypes varied in the proportion of intercepted radiation (IR) at all measurement dates in Thohoyandou during the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons. The proportion of IR increased with growth stage, reached a peak and declined with plant age. Genotype affected photosynthesis and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) but did not have any significant effect on stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (T) and Leaf Vapour Pressure Deficit (VPDL) during the 2016 season in Thohoyandou. In contrast, genotype did not affect photosynthesis, Ci, gs, T and VPDL in the 2017 season in Thohoyandou. There was no variation among genotypes on number of primary and secondary branches in Thohoyandou in both seasons. Genotypes showed no variation in plant height in the 2016 season in Thohoyandou agro-ecological condition. However, genotypes showed significant variation in plant height at 14, 70 and 84 days after emergence (DAE) in the 2017 cropping season. Moreover, genotypes showed significant variations in days to 50% flowering in Thohoyandou during the 2016 season, but showed no variations in days to 50% emergence and 75% physiological maturity. Genotypes showed no variations in days to 50% emergence, 50% flowering, 50% podding and 75% physiological maturity in the 2017 season in all locations. Genotypes showed significant variation in grain yield in Syferkuil agro-ecological condition, but showed no significant variations on all the other studied traits, while genotypes varied in 100 seed weight (SW) in Thohoyandou, but did not show any variations on the other studied traits during the 2016 season. Moreover, genotypes did not vary for all studied traits in Nelspruit during the 2016 season. The 2016 genotype and environment (G X E) interaction results showed no significant variations. However, results showed G X E interactions during the 2017 growing season suggesting that genotypes responded to environmental variation in a different way. Syferkuil had the greatest grain yield (2811 kg ha-1 and 3122 kg ha-1) in both the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons respectively, as compared to Thohoyandou and Nelspruit. These preliminary findings show that the studied genotypes responded differently in contrasting agro-ecological regions of Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces and that Syferkuil might be the best environment for chickpea production in this region due to its cooler temperatures. Of the genotypes evaluated the most promising genotypes are ICCV8101, ICCV3203 and ICCV4110 in these regions in terms of grain yield. / NRF

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is an important legume crop globally ranked third after dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and field pea (Pisum sativum). It constitutes 20% of the total global pulse production and around 95% of its production and consumption takes place in developing countries. Major constraints to chickpea production in sub Saharan Africa (SSA) have broadly been related to abiotic stresses, particularly drought and heat stresses, predicted to increase due to the global climatic changes.Dueto the imperativeness of research for identifying heat tolerance markers for potential chickpea genotype selection, in chapter two of the thesis, the response of four chickpea genotypes to a natural temperature gradient in the field was assessed using chlorophyll fluorescence, non-structural carbohydrate, gas exchange and grain yield. Field experiments were carried out in two winter seasons at three locations with known differences in temperature in NE South Africa. Results showed two genotypes (Acc#3 and Acc#7) were tolerant to heat stress with an Fᵥ/Fₘ of 0.83-0.85 at the warmer site, while the two sensitive genotypes (Acc#RR-2 and Acc#8) showed lower Fᵥ/Fₘ of 0.78-0.80. Both chlorophyll fluorescence measurements: dark-adapted Fᵥ/Fₘ and Fq'/Fₘ' (where Fq' =Fₘ'–F) measured at comparable high light levels correlated positively with grain yield. The two tolerant genotypes also showed higher photosynthetic rates,starch, sucrose and grain yield than the sensitive genotypes at the warmer site. However, these parameters were consistently higher at the cooler than at the warmer sites. It was concluded that genotypes Acc#RR-3 and Acc#7 are heat tolerant and chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf carbohydrates are suitable tools for selection of heat tolerant chickpea genotypes under field conditions. The coolest site of Polokwane showed favourable conditions for chickpea production.Heat and drought stresses are two abioticfactors that often occur simultaneously and are predicted to increase, consequently hampering plant growth. Response of different species to either stresses is well documented but information on the response of the same genotypes to both stresses in chickpea is limited. We aimed to determine whether previously noted heat stress tolerant genotype (Acc#7) is drought tolerant and the heat sensitive (Acc#8) is drought sensitive, and whether intermittent moisture supply at vegetative stage would induce priming effect to later drought at flowering. At vegetative stage, plants were divided into three groups, non-stressed (watered to 75% field capacity (FC), severe water stress (moisture-withholding for 14 days) and treated to 40% FC throughout the experiment (mild-stress), with recovery for the severely stressed plants after which they were stressed (double-stress) at flowering. Drought treatments at vegetative and flowering growth stages decreased physiological parameters and biomass accumulation in both genotypesexcept low water supply at 40% FC that decreased biomass in Acc#7 but not Acc#8. Double drought stress resulted in priming effect in Acc#7, having higher biomass, chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, and relative water content in comparison to the introduction of stress only at flowering growth stage, as well as in comparison to Acc#8. These results showed that both Acc#7 and Acc#8 are sensitive to drought whereas after priming Acc#7 is better acclimated to drought than Acc#8 associated with osmotic adjustment on leaf relative water content (RWC) and higher capacity to protect photosynthetic activity, making Acc#7 potentially ideal for areas associated with intermittent drought spells. This observation, however, disapproved the hypothesis that Acc#7 is more drought tolerant than Acc#8 but is rather better acclimated than Acc#8, because of its superiority only in primed plants and not those stressed only at either vegetative or flowering stages. The findings emphasise the importance of matching chickpea physiological performance to expected rainfall amounts and distribution in drought prone areas during genotype selection. Chapter four of the thesis was an interrogative proteome analysis of the differences in the heat tolerant and sensitive chickpea (Cicer arietinumL.; Fabaceae) genotypes along a temperature gradient under field conditions which will help in identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in the crop's tolerance. Few studies have thus far combined chickpea physiological and proteome analysis to elucidate the changes in abundance and/or activity of relevant enzymes and expression of heat responsive proteins. In this study, analyses of chlorophyll concentrations, gas exchange, flavonoids and anthocyanin concentrations from a chamber experiment, as well as proteomic parameters from field studies in both the heat tolerant and sensitive genotypes are presented. The heat tolerant genotype Acc#7 maintained unaltered physiological performance at flowering growth stage when exposed to high (35/30°C) and moderate (30/25°C) heat stress, under climate chamber conditions compared to the two heat susceptible genotypes (Acc#RR-2 and Acc#8). Results from the proteomic studies showed an up-regulation in proteins related to protein synthesis (e.g. ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activase), intracellular traffic (e.g. mitochondrial dicarboxylate/tricarboxylate transporter DTC), defence (e.g. HSP70) and transport (e.g. GTP-binding protein SAR1A-like) in heat tolerant Acc#7 compared to the susceptible Acc#8. Results from KEGG analyses support the involvement of probable sucrose-phosphate synthase and sucrose-phosphate phosphatase proteins in the starch and sucrose pathway,that were up-regulated in the heat tolerant genotype Acc#7. This result was in support of our earlier report where tolerant genotype Acc#7 had higher leaf starch and sucrose concentrations in comparison to the susceptible genotype Acc#8. The presence of these differentially regulated proteins including HSP70, ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activase, plastocyanin and protoporphyrinogen oxidase shows their potential role in field grown chickpea tolerance to heat stress at flowering growth stage. In conclusion, chlorophyll fluorescence (both Fᵥ/Fₘ and Fq'/Fₘ') and leaf carbohydrates were identified as selection markers that can potentially be used for chickpea phenotyping for heat stress under field conditions with the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters correlating positively with seed yield. Due to its higher biomass, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fᵥ/Fₘ), stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis and RWC, heat tolerant genotype Acc#7 was identified to have better adaptive tolerance to drought stress after priming through exposure to intermittent dry spells than Acc#8. Furthermore, under controlled climate chamber conditions, Acc#7 consistently showed characteristics of tolerance to heat stress while Acc#RR-2 and Acc#8 were heat susceptible. Higher chlorophyll fluorescence, grain yield, chlorophyll concentrations, gas exchange, flavonoids and anthocyanin concentrations for Acc#7 compared to Acc#8 in the climate chamber was further validated by the higher up-regulation of proteins involved in protein synthesis, intracellular traffic, defence and transport in Acc#7 compared to Acc#8. The incorporation of proteomics in heat and drought stress studies will potentially help further the understanding of mechanisms by which the crop responds to these stresses.

In 2025, there will be almost 8 billion people to feed as the worlds population rapidly increases. To meet domestic and export demands, Australian grain productivity needs to approximately triple in the next 20 years, and this production needs to occur in an environmentally sustainable manner. The advent of Hi-tech Precision Farming in Australia has shown promise in recent time to optimize the use of resources. Most

Certain crop plants are susceptible to pathogens or unable to develop efficient microbial symbioses. These crops adversely impact soil biological quality with consequences on plant health and productivity of cropping systems. Chickpea is a rotational pulse crop with two types: kabuli and desi, and several cultivars. Cultivation of chickpea has inconsistent effects on soil microbial communities and subsequent wheat crops. I conducted field studies and used high throughput molecular analyses to explore the variations among chickpeas to identify cultivars developing fungal communities that are conducive to plant health and productivity. I also carried out greenhouse studies and used biochemical analyses to investigate the response of chickpea cultivars to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and non-AM fungal endophytes and identify the influence of root and root metabolites on the endophytic and pathogenic fungi. Cultivars and types of chickpeas and environmental conditions promoted different fungal communities in the root endosphere. Funneliformis and Claroideoglomus were the dominant AM fungal genera and Fusarium and Alternaria were the dominant non-AM fungal genera in the roots of chickpea. The roots of cultivars CDC Corrine, CDC Cory and CDC Anna hosted the most diverse fungal communities in contrast to CDC Alma and CDC Xena roots which hosted the least diverse communities. Plant response to AM and non-AM fungal endophytes varied with genotype and type of chickpea. The root symbiosis effectively promoted plant growth in CDC Cory, CDC Anna and CDC Frontier and stimulated nitrogen fixation in CDC Corrine. Cultivars of chickpea responded differently to dual inoculation of the AM and non-AM fungal endophytes. Co-inoculation with AM and non-AM fungal endophytes had additive effects on CDC Corrine, CDC Anna and CDC Cory but non-AM fungal endophytes reduced the positive effect of AM fungi in Amit and CDC Vanguard. Desi chickpea appeared to form more efficient symbioses with soil fungal resources than kabuli chickpea. Protein(s) up-regulated in the mycorrhizal roots of the desi chickpea CDC Anna suppressed the growth of the fungal endophytes Trichoderma harzianum and Geomyces vinaceus and of the pathogens Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia sp. The formation of AM symbiosis decreased the production of root bioactive metabolites soluble in 25% methanol. Some of the root metabolites stimulated the growth of Trichoderma harzianum and Geomyces vinaceus, and a few inhibited Rhizoctonia sp. and Fusarium oxysporum. A few metabolites with contrasting effects on the different fungal species were detected. The non-protein phytochemicals had selective effects on the endophytes and pathogens whereas the antifungal proteins of mycorrhizal roots were non-selective. Overall the study reveals a "genotype effect" of chickpea on the soil microbiota suggesting the possibility to improve the performance of this crop through the selection of genotypes improving the communities of root associated fungi, by associating and responding to beneficial fungi and repressing the pathogens.

MSCAGR (Plant Production) / Department of Plant Production / Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an excellent utilizer of residual soil moisture in agricultural ecosystems. However, its seed quality and hence reproduction is constrained by water stress, seed size and storage conditions. This study was carried out at the University of KwaZulu- Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg Campus. It was conducted to evaluate the performance of chickpea genotypes (Desi-K, Saina-K and ICCV-K) with different seed sizes on seedling emergence (i), seed ageing effect on seed quality and imbibition of genotypes produced under water stressed and non-stressed conditions (ii), and (iii) the effect of water stress during seed development on sugars and protein accumulation, germination and seed vigour. Pot experiments were conducted under glasshouse / tunnel conditions at the Controlled Environment Facilities (CEF). The experiment for objective 1 was laid out as a single factor in completely randomized design (CRD). Data on emergence rate, final hypocotyl and complete emergence was collected. The small seeded Desi-K showed higher and faster emergence compared to medium sized Saina-K and large seeded ICCV-K. In the experiment of the second objective, seeds of the three genotypes were first obtained by production under water stressed and non-stressed growing conditions. They were then aged for 0, 1, 3, 5, or 7 days at 41 ºC and 100% relative humidity to form a 2 x 3 x 5 (water levels x genotypes x ageing) factorial design. Data was collected on germination percentage (GP), mean germination time (MGT), electrical conductivity (EC), tetrazolium chloride test (TZ) and imbibition weight. Seed ageing caused progressive loss of seed viability and vigour in all genotypes, which resulted in lower GP, delayed MGT, reduced TZ staining, cell death and high solute leakage from the seeds produced under the two water regimes. However, the effect was more severe under water stressed conditions. In the experiment for objective 3, seeds of all three genotypes were larger when grown under non-stressed condition compared to those under water stressed condition. These larger seeds had higher seed viability and germination percentage but lower electrical conductivity and mean germination time. Stressed seeds had higher soluble sugars than non-stressed seeds. It was deduced that irrigation during seed development reduces the final sugars and protein content but increases the seed size and physiological quality parameters allied to production of chickpea. Therefore, water provision to chickpea crop is critical during seed development. / NRF

Objetivos: Determinar a prevalência de anemia e investigar fatores associados a sua ocorrência em crianças de 2,5 a 6 anos de idade, em Itapetininga, São Paulo. Comparar, através de estudo de intervenção com snacks de pulmão bovino/milho/grão-de-bico ou pulmão bovino/milho, as mudanças nos parametros bioquímicos do estado nutricional em ferro. Métodos: Urn estudo transversal com amostragem por conglomerado foi conduzido em 9 creches públicas de Itapetininga. Após consentimento informado, mães/pais preencheram questionário a respeito de características demográficas e sócio-econômicas. A concentração de hemoglobina foi determinada em Hemocue através de sangue capilar. A relação entre a presença de anemia e variáveis independentes foi analisada por regressão. A dieta das crianças foi avaliada através do recordatário de 24 horas e do cardápio semanal da creche. A concentração de hemoglobina foi determinada em Hemocue e contador automático, para comparação entre métodos, em amostras de sangue de 20% da população. Durante a fase de rastreamento, crianças anêmicas, ferro deficientes e não anêmicas foram selecionadas para participar do estudo de intervenção com snacks fortificados com ferro. As crianças foram examinadas no início e ao final do estudo (cerca de 100 dias) por meio de coleta de sangue venoso. Sessenta e sete pré-escolares foram aleatorizados entre os grupos e receberam 3 pacotes com 30 g de snacks por semana. Para o diagnóstico da criança anêmica, ferro-deficiente e não anêmica foram considerados a concentração de hemoglobina, saturação da transferrina, volume corpuscular médio e ferritina sérica. Resultados: 0 estudo de prevalência somou 576 crianças. A prevalência de anemia foi de 13,02% (IC 95% 9,77 -- 16,33). Foi observada relação entre idade da criança e família numerosa e a anemia. Para crianças anêmicas não houve diferença na concentração de hemoglobina medida por sangue venoso ou capilar. Uma significativa melhora foi observada em alguns parâmetros bioquímicos: hemoglobina corpuscular média, hemácias e concentraçãdo de hemoglobina, independente do snack consumido e do diagnóstico inicial. A concentração de hemoglobina dessas crianças aumentou, em media, 0,44 g/dL. 0 consumo de ferro se manteve inalterado antes e após o ensaio e foi semelhante para ambos os grupos. Conclusão: Os achados deste estudo mostram uma baixa prevalência de anemia na população estudada. 0 consumo dos snacks proporcionou aumento na concentração de hemoglobina. As vantagens e limitações nos parâmetros bioquímicos devem ser consideradas para a escolha do método apropriado para cada situação ou objetivo. / Objectives: to determine the prevalence of anemia and to investigate factors associated with its occurrence in children from 2.5 to 6 years-old in Itapetininga, São Paulo, and to compare, through nutritional intervention trial with two types of snacks, with bovine lung and chickpea, changes in the biochemical parameters of nutritional iron status. Methods: A cross-sectional study with cluster sampling was conducted on nine public day care centers, in Itapetininga, being examined 576 children. After informed consent, mothers/fathers answered a questionnaire about demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The relationship between the presence of anemia and independent variables were analyzed by regression. The diet intake of children was assessed through 24-hour recall and from the menu offered weekly in day cares. The hemoglobin concentration was determined by Hemocue (capillary blood) and automatic counter (venous blood) for comparison of methods. The observed anemic children were selected to participate in the intervention trial with iron fortified snacks. Sixty seven preschoolers were randomized between 2 groups and received 3 packages with 30 g of snacks a week. Children were examined at the beginning and at the end of trial (about 100 days) through venous blood. Hemoglobin concentration was used for diagnosis of anemia. Grade I and Grade II iron deficiency was diagnosed by transferrin saturation, mean corpuscular volume and serum ferritin. Results: The prevalence of anemia found in the population was 13.02%. It was observed relationship between age of the child and number of persons in family and the occurrence of anemia. There was no difference in the hemoglobin concentration measured by capillary or venous blood for the children anemic. A significant improvement after the trial was observed in some biochemical parameters: mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red blood cells and hemoglobin concentration, regardless of the snack type consumed and the initial diagnosis. Hemoglobin concentration increased, on average, 0.44 g/dL. The iron consumption remained unchanged before and after the trial and was similar for both groups. Conclusion: The findings of this study show a low prevalence of anemia in the population studied. The consumption of snacks provided a significant increase in the hemoglobin concentration. The advantages and limitations for the use of biochemical parameters have to be considered for the choice of the appropriate method for each situation or goals.

A field experiment was conducted to examine the responses in growth, total dry matter (TDM), seed yield and nitrogen (N) accumulation of Kabuli chickpea cv. Principe and narrow-leafed lupin cv. Fest to different irrigation levels and N fertilizer on a Templeton silt loam soil at Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand in 2007/08. The irrigation and fertilizer treatments were double full irrigation, full irrigation, half irrigation and nil irrigation and a control, full irrigation plus 150 kg N ha⁻¹. There was a 51 % increase in the weighed mean absolute growth rate (WMAGR) by full irrigation over no irrigation. The maximum growth rates (MGR) followed a similar response. The growth rates were not significantly decreased by double irrigation. Further, N fertilizer did not significantly improve crop growth rates. With full irrigation MGRs were 27.6 and 34.1 g m⁻² day⁻¹ for Kabuli chickpea and narrow-leafed lupin, respectively. Seed yields of fully-irrigated crops were trebled over the nil irrigation treatment. With full irrigation, seed yield of chickpea was 326 and that of lupin was 581 g m⁻². Seed yield of the two legumes was reduced by 45 % with double irrigation compared with full irrigation. Nitrogen fertilizer did not increase seed yields in either legume. Increased seed yield with full irrigation was related to increased DM, and crop growth rates, seeds pod⁻¹ and seeds m⁻². Crop harvest index (CHI) was significantly (P < 0.05) increased by irrigation and was related to seed yield only in narrow-leafed lupin. With full irrigation, the crops intercepted more than 95 % of incoming incident radiation at leaf area indices (LAIs), 2.9 and 3 or greater in Kabuli chickpea and narrow-leafed lupin, respectively. In contrast, without irrigation the two legumes achieved a maximum fraction of radiation intercepted of less than 90 %. With full irrigation, total intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was increased by 28 % and 33 % over no irrigation for Kabuli chickpea and narrow-leafed lupin, respectively. Fully-irrigated Kabuli chickpea intercepted a total amount of PAR of 807 MJ m⁻² and fully-irrigated narrow-leafed lupin intercepted 1,042 MJ m⁻². Accumulated DM was strongly related to accumulated intercepted PAR (R² ≥ 0.96**). The final RUE was significantly (P < 0.001) increased by irrigation. With full irrigation the final RUE of Kabuli chickpea was 1.49 g DM MJ⁻¹ PAR and that of narrow-leafed lupin was 2.17 g DM MJ⁻¹ PAR. Total N accumulation of Kabuli chickpea was not significantly affected by irrigation level. Kabuli chickpea total N was increased by 90 % by N fertilizer compared to fully-irrigated Kabuli chickpea which produced 17.7 g N m⁻². In contrast, total N accumulated in narrow-leafed lupin was not increased by N fertilizer but was decreased by 75 % with no irrigation and by 25 % with double irrigation (water logging) compared to full irrigation with a total N of 45.9 g m⁻². Total N was highly significantly related to TDM (R² = 0.78** for Kabuli chickpea and R² = 0.99** for narrow-leafed lupin). Nitrogen accumulation efficiency (NAE) of narrow-leafed lupin was not affected by irrigation or by N fertilizer. However, the NAE of Kabuli chickpea ranged from 0.013 (full irrigation) to 0.020 (no irrigation) and 0.017 g N g⁻¹ DM (full irrigation with N fertilizer). The N harvest index (NHI) was not affected by irrigation, N fertilizer or legume species. The NHI of Kabuli chickpea was 0.50 and that of narrow-leafed lupin was 0.51. The NHI was significantly (r ≥ 0.95 **) related to CHI.

Objetivos: Determinar a prevalência de anemia e investigar fatores associados a sua ocorrência em crianças de 2,5 a 6 anos de idade, em Itapetininga, São Paulo. Comparar, através de estudo de intervenção com snacks de pulmão bovino/milho/grão-de-bico ou pulmão bovino/milho, as mudanças nos parametros bioquímicos do estado nutricional em ferro. Métodos: Urn estudo transversal com amostragem por conglomerado foi conduzido em 9 creches públicas de Itapetininga. Após consentimento informado, mães/pais preencheram questionário a respeito de características demográficas e sócio-econômicas. A concentração de hemoglobina foi determinada em Hemocue através de sangue capilar. A relação entre a presença de anemia e variáveis independentes foi analisada por regressão. A dieta das crianças foi avaliada através do recordatário de 24 horas e do cardápio semanal da creche. A concentração de hemoglobina foi determinada em Hemocue e contador automático, para comparação entre métodos, em amostras de sangue de 20% da população. Durante a fase de rastreamento, crianças anêmicas, ferro deficientes e não anêmicas foram selecionadas para participar do estudo de intervenção com snacks fortificados com ferro. As crianças foram examinadas no início e ao final do estudo (cerca de 100 dias) por meio de coleta de sangue venoso. Sessenta e sete pré-escolares foram aleatorizados entre os grupos e receberam 3 pacotes com 30 g de snacks por semana. Para o diagnóstico da criança anêmica, ferro-deficiente e não anêmica foram considerados a concentração de hemoglobina, saturação da transferrina, volume corpuscular médio e ferritina sérica. Resultados: 0 estudo de prevalência somou 576 crianças. A prevalência de anemia foi de 13,02% (IC 95% 9,77 -- 16,33). Foi observada relação entre idade da criança e família numerosa e a anemia. Para crianças anêmicas não houve diferença na concentração de hemoglobina medida por sangue venoso ou capilar. Uma significativa melhora foi observada em alguns parâmetros bioquímicos: hemoglobina corpuscular média, hemácias e concentraçãdo de hemoglobina, independente do snack consumido e do diagnóstico inicial. A concentração de hemoglobina dessas crianças aumentou, em media, 0,44 g/dL. 0 consumo de ferro se manteve inalterado antes e após o ensaio e foi semelhante para ambos os grupos. Conclusão: Os achados deste estudo mostram uma baixa prevalência de anemia na população estudada. 0 consumo dos snacks proporcionou aumento na concentração de hemoglobina. As vantagens e limitações nos parâmetros bioquímicos devem ser consideradas para a escolha do método apropriado para cada situação ou objetivo. / Objectives: to determine the prevalence of anemia and to investigate factors associated with its occurrence in children from 2.5 to 6 years-old in Itapetininga, São Paulo, and to compare, through nutritional intervention trial with two types of snacks, with bovine lung and chickpea, changes in the biochemical parameters of nutritional iron status. Methods: A cross-sectional study with cluster sampling was conducted on nine public day care centers, in Itapetininga, being examined 576 children. After informed consent, mothers/fathers answered a questionnaire about demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The relationship between the presence of anemia and independent variables were analyzed by regression. The diet intake of children was assessed through 24-hour recall and from the menu offered weekly in day cares. The hemoglobin concentration was determined by Hemocue (capillary blood) and automatic counter (venous blood) for comparison of methods. The observed anemic children were selected to participate in the intervention trial with iron fortified snacks. Sixty seven preschoolers were randomized between 2 groups and received 3 packages with 30 g of snacks a week. Children were examined at the beginning and at the end of trial (about 100 days) through venous blood. Hemoglobin concentration was used for diagnosis of anemia. Grade I and Grade II iron deficiency was diagnosed by transferrin saturation, mean corpuscular volume and serum ferritin. Results: The prevalence of anemia found in the population was 13.02%. It was observed relationship between age of the child and number of persons in family and the occurrence of anemia. There was no difference in the hemoglobin concentration measured by capillary or venous blood for the children anemic. A significant improvement after the trial was observed in some biochemical parameters: mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red blood cells and hemoglobin concentration, regardless of the snack type consumed and the initial diagnosis. Hemoglobin concentration increased, on average, 0.44 g/dL. The iron consumption remained unchanged before and after the trial and was similar for both groups. Conclusion: The findings of this study show a low prevalence of anemia in the population studied. The consumption of snacks provided a significant increase in the hemoglobin concentration. The advantages and limitations for the use of biochemical parameters have to be considered for the choice of the appropriate method for each situation or goals.

MSCAGR ( Soil Science) / Department of Soil Science / See the attached abstract below