Some physical properties of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) seeds were determined at a moisture content of 9.87% and 2.87% (dry basis), respectively. The mean values of length, width, thickness and geometric mean diameter were 19.92, 11.30, 3.22, 9.71 mm for pumpkin seeds, and 13.28, 8.00, 2.64, 6.52 mm for watermelon seeds, respectively. The mean 1000 seed mas...

Potential decreases in crop yield from reductions in bee-mediated pollination services threaten food production demands of a growing population. Many fruit and vegetable growers supplement their fields with bee colonies during crop bloom. The extent to which crop production requires supplementary pollination services beyond those provided by wild bees is not well documented. Pumpkin, Cucurbita ...

An investigation of the proximate composition and antioxidant profile of pumpkin seeds obtained from different levels of NPK 15 : 15 : 15 compound fertilizer application at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria was carried out. Pumpkin seeds were grown in 2010 for two cropping seasons (May to August and August to November), and the following fertilizer rates were applied: 0, 50, 100,...

This study was aimed to determine the acylglycerols composition, quality characteristics, and protective role of dietary pumpkin seed oil (PSO) in rabbits. PSO was thermally oxidized and analyzed for quality characteristics and acylglycerols composition using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Oxidized and un-oxidized oil samples were fe...

The study investigated the effects of moisture content and varietal factors on some mechanical properties of pumpkin seed at three moisture content levels (18.1, 22.2, and 26% d.b) and two levels of variety (c. maxima and c. pepo). Similarly, oil content was investigated for the effect of variety factor. A 2X3 factorial experiment in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used, and resul...

This study examined the use of hot-air drying in the preparation of pumpkin powder. The drying temperature was varied (50, 60 and 70°C) to determine the effect of temperature on physicochemical properties, powder properties and sorption characteristics of pumpkin powders. The results showed that a drying temperature of 70°C removes moisture from pumpkin slices faster than the lower drying tempe...

The proteolytic activities of alpha-chymotrypsin, trypsin, pepsin, bromelain, and an extract from germinating pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita moschata) were determined by their ability to effect the release of 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate bound to internal hydrophobic sites in intact protein substrates. Casein, glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase, urease, catalase, pumpkin seed globulin, and bovine s...