Effects of high temperature during grain filling on physicochemical properties of waxy maize starch

Understanding the waxy maize starch physicochemical properties response to heat stress during grain filling could improve starch quality.The effects of heat stress during early（1-15 days after pollination,DAP） and late（16-30 DAP） grain filling stages on the starch physicochemical properties of four waxy maize varieties were evaluated.Crystallinity only increased in Suyunuo 5 after exposure to high temperature at late grain filling stage.The effects of heat stress on digestibility and swelling power were dependent on varieties and stages.Generally,swelling power was increased by heat stress at early grain development stage and digestibility was increased by high temperature at late grain filling stage,respectively.The results of correlation analysis indicated the starch with large granule size could swell well and easy digest.Peak,trough,final,and breakdown viscosities in response to heat stress were dependent on stages and varieties.In general,peak,trough and final viscosities were decreased and increased by heat stress at early grain formation and late grain filling stages,respectively;whereas the breakdown and setback viscosities were similar among the three treatments.Heat stress increased the gelatinization temperatures and retrogradation percentage.Gelatinization range decreased under heat stress at 1-15 DAP but remained constant under heat stress at 16-30 DAP in all varieties.The starch exposed to high temperature at 16-30 DAP presented higher digestibility and peak viscosity and lower retrogradation percentage than those at 1-15 DAP.Therefore,heat stress at early grain formation stage severely affects the physicochemical properties of starch.

Advantages of intermittently aerated SBR over conventional SBR on nitrogen removal for the treatment of digested piggery wastewater

An intermittently aerated sequencing batch reactor （IASBR） and a traditional sequencing batch reactor （SBR） were parallelly constructed to treat digested piggery wastewater, which was in high NH4＋ -N concentration but in a low COD/TN ratio. Their pollutant removal perfonnance was compared under COD/TN ratios of 1.6-3.4 d and hydraulic retention times of 5 3 d. The results showed that the IASBR removed TN, NH4＋-N and TOC more efficiently than the SBR. The average removal rates of TN, NH4＋-N and TOC were 83.1%, 96.5%, and 89.0%, respectively, in the IASBR, significantly higher than the corresponding values of 74.8%, 82.0%, and 86.2%. in the SBR. Mass balance of organic carbon revealed that the higher TN removal in the IASBR might be attributed to its efficient utilization of the organic carbon for denitrification, since that 48.7%- 52.2% of COD was used for denitrification in the IASBR, higher than the corresponding proportion of 43.1%-47.4% in the SBR. A prc-anoxic process in the IASBR would enhance the ammonium oxidation while restrict the nitrite oxidation. Anoxic duration of 40-80 min should be beneficial for achieving stable nitritation.