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• Study on the Application of Fly Ash for Soil Amelioration

  Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Trinh Quang Huy, Vo Huu Cong, Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Dinh Thi Ha, Ho Thi Thuy Hang

  Received: Sep 16, 2021 / Published: Sep 30, 2022

   Abstract PDF

  In this study, pot culture experiments were carried out to investigate the most suitable level of fly ash for the amelioration of soil that can enhance the management of fly ash. The fly ash recovered from the Mong Duong 2 coal-fired thermal power plant and had the main chemical composition of oxygen (43%), Si (26%), Al (15%), K (9%), and Fe (6%). The addition of fly ash to light texture soil increased some of the basic properties of the soil, such as moisture, cation exchange capacity, mechanical composition, and organic matter content. The results of the performance evaluation of an experimental crop (soybeans) showed the effects of the amended soil on the growth of the experimental plants, namely the number of fruits, number of nodules, and their dry biomass. The incorporation of manure into the sandy soil was amended with fly ash in the pot experiment as a single application of fly ash may not provide enough nutrients for plant growth despite its ameliorant effect on soil structure. The appropriate fly ash addition rate from 10-30% w/w is recommended in soil amelioration applications based on the results of this study. This research opens up an application direction for fly ash, a by-product generated from the operation of coal-fired power plants in Vietnam.

• Effects of Dietary Supplementation with a Mixed Powder of Medicinal Plants on the Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Chemical Composition, and Meat Quality of Pigs

  Nguyen Cong Oanh, Nguyen Thi Huyen, Nguyen Dinh Tien, Vu Dinh Ton

  Received: Jun 17, 2021 / Published: Dec 31, 2021

   Abstract PDF

  The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a medicinal plant mixture (MP) (60% Bindens pilosa L., 15% Urena lobata L., 15% Pseuderanthemum palatiferum, 5% Ramulus Cinnamomi, and 5% Illicium verum Hook. f.) as a feed additive to promote the growth performance and meat quality of grower-finisher pigs. Forty-eight crossbred pigs (Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire)), with initial live body weights of 30.3 ± 1.42kg, were randomly allocated to four dietary groups, with three replicates of each group and four animals per replicate. The experimental pigs were fed a basal diet supplemented with MP powder at 0, 20, 40, or 60 g kg-1 of feed (T0, T20, T40, and T60) for 15 weeks. The growth performance, carcass quality parameters, chemical composition, fatty acids, and cholesterol contents of the pig meat were measured. There were no statistical differences (P> 0.05) in the final live body weight, overall average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio among the control and MP treatments. MP supplementation significantly increased the protein content (P = 0.02) and decreased the cholesterol content (P = 0.04) of raw longissimus dorsi muscle. The obtained results indicate that the dietary MP supplementation tested could have the potential to improve meat quality and decrease the cholesterol content in pork with no adverse effects on the growth performance.

• Chemical Compositions and Food Preservation Ability of White Turmeric Rhizomes Essential Oil

  Ngo Thi Thuong, Truong Minh Luong, Luu Thi Hue, Vu Thi Thuy Linh, Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Le Thi Thu Huong

  Received: Apr 14, 2020 / Published: Nov 30, 2020

   Abstract PDF

  White turmeric (Curcuma aromatica Salisb.) has been widely used as a traditional herbal drug both in Vietnam and other Asian countries. In this study, the essential oil of white turmeric rhizomes (collected from Dien Bien province) was extracted and evaluated for its chemical composition and antibacterial potential against E. coli and S. aureus. The raw material was 82.48% in moisture and was steam distilled within 3 days from collection at a 0.4 kg L-1 ratio of raw material/equipment volume for 180 minutes. Under these conditions, the essential oil accounted for about 0.3% of the raw material. The GC-MS analysis showed that the composition of the essential oil consisted of more than 46 substances including a-zingiberene, 17.85%; β-sesquiphellandrene, 13.28%; and ar-curcumene, 9.45%. The white turmeric essential oil exhibited antibacterial activity against gram-positive strains of S. aureus with an inhibition zone diameter of 8.0mm but did not inhibit gram-negative strains of E. coli. Importantly, white turmeric essential oil at a concentration of 0.25% could extend the shelf life of mangoes by at least 5 days more than the control samples.