Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is an important staple crop in semi-arid regions of Africa and India because of its drought tolerance. This research work was focused on developing sorghum-based extruded snacks products. Processing parameters of feed including moisture contents (12%), different blends ratios of sorghum, broken rice and green gram flours (7:2:1, 6:3:1 and 5:4:1), operational parameters of the extruder like barrel temperature (110, 120 and 140 0 C) and screw speed (150, 200 and 250 rpm) were optimized for physical and sensory properties of sorghum based extruded products. The maximum value of expansion ratio and minimum bulk density was at 110 0 C barrel temperature at 150 rpm for 3 rd blend. The sensory evaluation of the extrudates showed that samples S 3, S6, S9 were more acceptable.

A forced convection greenhouse dryer was developed and used for drying of freshly harvested paddy. The solar greenhouse dryer of size 4.47 × 2.13 m with 2.59 m central height was constructed and covered with 6 mm polycarbonates sheet. Photovoltaic power driven direct current fans were used to provide forced ventilation. Freshly harvested paddy was dried at 50, 100 and 150 mm bed thickness in the hybrid greenhouse dryer and open sun drying during kharif and rabi seasons of 2016. The kharif harvested paddy was dried from 25.3 % to 12.0 % (w.b.) moisture content at 100 mm bed thickness within 21 h, 28 h of drying in the hybrid greenhouse dryer and open sun drying, respectively. Highest drying rates were 1.54 kg.h-1 and 1.35 kg.h-1 in greenhouse dryer and open sun drying, respectively. During rabi season, paddy was dried from 22.8 % to 12.0 % (w.b.) moisture content within 19 h and 25 h with highest drying rates of 1.65 kg.h-1 and 0.97 kg.h-1, respectively, in the hybrid greenhouse dryer and open sun drying. Thermal efficiency of the greenhouse dryer was 28.15 % and 22.15 %, and pickup efficiency was 15.49 % and 14.88 % during kharif and rabi seasons, respectively.