Evaluation of Nutritional Quality Parameters in Chickpea Treated With Plant Based Silica Products

The effect of plant based silica products viz., amorphous silica gel @ 250 and 500 ppm, amorphous silica precipitate @ 250 and 500 ppm kg -1 seed, paddy husk @ 1000 and 2000 ppm kg -1 seed, paddy leaves @ 1000 and 2000 ppm kg -1 seed and diatomaceous earth @ 300 and 600 ppm kg -1 seed on nutritional quality parameters like carbohydrates, protein content and crude fat were studied in chickpea seeds.These plant based silica products have shown significant negative effect on carbohydrate and crude fat while, positive effect on protein content which might be due to the increased infestation of pulse beetle and storage period.Among the plant based silica products, amorphous silica gel @ 500 ppm kg -1 seed resulted in highest carbohydrate and crude fat content besides lowest protein content compared to other treatments indicating its effectiveness.However, all the treatments recorded high carbohydrate, crude fat content and low protein content compared to untreated control at six months of storage.