Pseudo cereals namely Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) is gluten-free grains characterized by an excellent nutrient profile. They have been used as nutritious ingredients in gluten-free formulations. They have been considered as underutilized food material in India and used mainly used in fasting days. In buckwheat kernel, outer hull or husk, which is comprises about 30% of the weight of the buckwheat grain. Since, it is inedible and not digested by human beings so it should be removed from buckwheat before processing. The performance evaluation of buckwheat dehuller was found to be influenced by the moisture content of the kernel (6 to 9% wb.), roller speed (500 to 1000 rpm) and feed rate (25 k to 75 kg/h). The overall performance was expressed in terms of dehulling efficiency and percent of broken kernel. Dehulling efficiency and percent of broken kernel increased with increase in roller speed up to 800 rpm, increase in feed rate up to 40 kg/h and then decreased further with increase in roller speed and feed rate and decrease in the kernel moisture content. The results of an optimization technique revealed that the best dehulling performance could be obtained if the system is operated at roller speed of 800 rpm and feed rate of 40 kg/h with moisture content of 6% wb. Under these conditions, the values of dehulling efficiency and percent of broken kernel were 66.61% and 6.19, respectively. Second order polynomial equations relating dehulling efficiency and percent of broken kernel to moisture content, impeller speed and feed rates for the buckwheat grains are developed. With this also dehulling operation was performed in double pass for this grains at optimized parameters in the machine to analyze the dehulling efficiency and percent of broken kernel in double pass and it was found, the dehulling efficiency and percent of broken kernel were 74.52% and 10.28% respectively.

The paper presents an updated list of 250 species of lichens known so far from the state of Assam. 31 species marked by an asterisk (*) are new records for the state.

The paper deals with the occurrence of epiphytic lichens on shade trees and tea plant Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze in tea gardens of Assam. The shade trees are usually leguminous and include Albizia odoratissima (L.F.) Benth., A. chinensis (Osbeck) Merr., A. moluccana Miq., A. procera (Roxb.) Benth., A. lenticularis (L.) Willd, A. lucidior (Stend.) Nielsen, A. lebbeck (L.) Benth., Dalbergia sericea G. Don and Derris robusta (Roxb. ex DC.) Benth. A total of 80 species of lichens distributed under 28 genera and 11 families have been recorded. Out of these, 79 (98%) species grow on leguminous trees, 14 (17%) species grow both on leguminous trees as well as on tea plants, while a single species Strigula hypothallina R. C. Harris has been found confined only to tea plants.

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Tinospora mahajanii (Menispermaceae), a new species from the Awalya forest range of Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh, India, is described here along with colour photographs, micrographs of endocarp and comparison with its allied species T. neocaledonica Forman and T. sinensis (Lour.) Merr. The species is unique in having inflorescences with lateral branches, stems with a yellowish watery sap and sub-elliptic drupes. Comparison with its allied species, habitat and distribution are provided to aid identification.