Optimal Conditions and Environmental Factors Involved in Breeding Earthworms for Vermicomposting

Author(s):  
Katheem Kiyasudeen S ◽  
Mahamad Hakimi Ibrahim ◽  
Shlrene Quaik ◽  
Sultan Ahmed Ismail
Author(s):  
Marina Vasilenko ◽  
Marina Vasilenko ◽  
Elena Goncharova ◽  
Elena Goncharova ◽  
Yury Rubanov ◽  
...  

The surfaces of building materials of hydrotechnical constructions undergo the process of algae biofouling. The degree of damage depends on the environmental factors that are affect-ed by the level of anthropogenic load areas. Modeling the biofouling process of concrete with algae under laboratory conditions has allowed determining their impact on the building ma-terial, accompanied by changes in chemical and mineralogical composition of the surface of products. The microscopic examination of sample’s surfaces and evaluation of the effective-ness of various ions leaching from building materials shows the results of "algal attack" relat-ed to the acceleration of biodegradation of materials under the influence of aggressive meta-bolic products, mechanical action neoplasms, creating optimal conditions for the development of subsequent aerobic microbial decomposers. To clarify the nature of chemical processes in the system “algocenosis – concrete” the changes of chemical and phase (mineralogical) com-position of the surface layer of concrete sample were studied. The effect that algae produce on hydraulic engineering constructions is due to the fact that these organisms, belonging to phototrophs and standing at the beginning of the food chain, initiate new microbial growth.


Author(s):  
Marina Vasilenko ◽  
Marina Vasilenko ◽  
Elena Goncharova ◽  
Elena Goncharova ◽  
Yury Rubanov ◽  
...  

The surfaces of building materials of hydrotechnical constructions undergo the process of algae biofouling. The degree of damage depends on the environmental factors that are affect-ed by the level of anthropogenic load areas. Modeling the biofouling process of concrete with algae under laboratory conditions has allowed determining their impact on the building ma-terial, accompanied by changes in chemical and mineralogical composition of the surface of products. The microscopic examination of sample’s surfaces and evaluation of the effective-ness of various ions leaching from building materials shows the results of "algal attack" relat-ed to the acceleration of biodegradation of materials under the influence of aggressive meta-bolic products, mechanical action neoplasms, creating optimal conditions for the development of subsequent aerobic microbial decomposers. To clarify the nature of chemical processes in the system “algocenosis – concrete” the changes of chemical and phase (mineralogical) com-position of the surface layer of concrete sample were studied. The effect that algae produce on hydraulic engineering constructions is due to the fact that these organisms, belonging to phototrophs and standing at the beginning of the food chain, initiate new microbial growth.


1997 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Cohen ◽  
S. Farkash ◽  
Z. Reshit ◽  
A. Baider

Fungal, host, and environmental factors affecting sexual reproduction of Phytophthora infestans in planta were studied. Intact and detached leaves were coinoculated with sporangia of various combinations of A1 and A2 mating-type isolates; leaves were incubated under various conditions, and oospore production was estimated microscopically within whole, clarified leaflets. Some A1 + A2 isolate combinations were more reproductive than others, whereas some potato genotypes better supported oospore formation than others. Tomato usually supported more oospore formation than potato. To induce oospore formation, A1 and A2 sporangia were usually mixed at a 1:1 ratio. Ratios of 1:19 to 19:1, however, also allowed abundant production of oospores. Optimal temperatures for sexual sporulation ranged from 8 to 15°C, but oospores also were produced at 23°C. Oogonia developed 5 to 6 days after sporangial coinoculation, and oospores developed after 8 to 10 days. Light had little effect on oospore formation in both tomato and potato leaves provided that initial lesions were established under photoperiodic conditions. Although A1 and A2 sporangia usually were mixed before inoculation on leaves to obtain oospores, we found that discrete A1 and A2 lesions produced on opposite sides of the midvein of tomato leaves also induced oospore formation in the midvein and adjacent tissues. Oospores also formed when the two halves of the leaves were cut and separated at 3 days after sporangial coinoculation, which corresponded with the appearance of late blight lesions. The continuous supply of moisture to infected leaves was essential to oospore production. No oospores or oogonia formed in severely diseased plants kept at 50 to 80% relative humidity. Such plants did allow some oospore formation when kept continuously wet for 2 weeks in plastic boxes or tents. Detached leaves floated on water supported the highest sexual sporulation. Under optimal conditions of wetness and temperature, as many as 100 oospores per mm2 of tissue were observed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 328
Author(s):  
Asseh Ebah Estelle ◽  
Ake-Assi Emma ◽  
Koffi Kouao Jean ◽  
Kouassi Akossoua Faustine ◽  
N’guessan Kouakou Edouard

We studied the possibility of producing seedlings of Thunbergia atacorensis (Acanthaceae) starting from cuttings under controlled cultivation conditions during 3 months. The objective of this work is to determine the optimal conditions for seedling production Thunbergia atacorensis by vegetative reproduction to allow its extension from professional growers and amateur (consumers). The study consisted to analyze their effect the plant growth, seedlings development, and leaves production. At the end the study, we obtained a rate of 91p.c for vegetative recovery for the cutting in shade 97p.c. for the cutting exposing to sun. However, the cuttings exposed sun clearly dissociates cuttings exposed to the shade with a shorter time of recovery. At the end of 3 months, only the sunny seedlings survive despite of the recovery rate of recovery. The study showed that the four environmental factors, the mode of exposure (sun and shade) and time (weeks) have a significant influence on the height and the number of seedlings leaves. The highest seedlings are observed in the shade from weeks 1 to 3. From week 3, only the sunny seedlings continue their growth and their development. The variation of the substrate and the frequency of watering, meanwhile, had no significant influence on the height and number of leaves. In sum, despite of lack of flowering, to produce seedlings of Thunbergia atacorensis, one should initially carry out the propagation by cutting in the shade and then to gradually intensify the light to have well developed seedlings.


Author(s):  
Keiichi Matsumoto ◽  
Yuuki Yamasaki ◽  
Yoshitaka Matsumura ◽  
Noriko Horibe ◽  
Alireza Ahrary ◽  
...  

1995 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 111-113
Author(s):  
Editorial Office

One of the main objectives of a vermicomposting plant is to achieve a maximum composting rate of organic waste. Apart from population densities, substrate characteristics and environmental factors, age structure of the population is expected to affect the rate of composting. The composting rate of worms was studied in the laboratory under optimal conditions over a period of 55 days. Growth and sexual maturity were monitored as well as the composting rate during various stages of the life-cycle of Eisenia fetida. The composting rate was initially slow and reached a maximum peak when the worms were pre-clitellate.


2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 539 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Taggart ◽  
Graeme R. Finlayson ◽  
Nadine Richings ◽  
Glenn Shimmin ◽  
Ron Dibben ◽  
...  

A 'stunning' technique, combining a rifle shot with spotlighting and hand netting was used for the live-capture of southern hairy-nosed wombats. A successful stun was defined as a rifle shot that resulted in the temporary deafening and disorientation of a wombat. When combined with spotlighting, this technique enabled catchers with nets to approach the wombat undetected to secure an easy capture. Environmental factors (temperature, humidity, dew point, light and wind) were examined in order to determine the optimal conditions for the use of this capture procedure. In all, 558 shots were fired, resulting in ~25% of successful stuns. Stunning was primarily affected by temperature and humidity in a normally distributed manner. Stunning was greatest between 12°C and 18°C with a success rate of 40–51%. At temperatures either side of this significantly fewer stuns were achieved, and below 6°C or above 24°C no successful stuns were recorded. Likewise, stunning worked best at humiditys of 70–90%, declined when humidity was >90% and did not work at all at a humidity of 40% or less. Together, temperature and humidity data suggest that air density, for which these parameters are correlates, may be the key component in the success of this capture technique. Variation in stunning success resulting from changes in temperature and humidity may affect either the frequency spectrum of the sound created by the shot or perhaps the manner in which the eardrum receives the sound. Other factors, including dew point and light, also varied significantly with stunning, but were considered of less importance. Whatever the controlling factors, it was clear that stunning, in combination with spotlighting and netting is a rapid, highly effective, and potentially much less stressful method of capturing southern hairy-nosed wombats than the methods that have been used previously.


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Baran

AbstractReductionist thinking in neuroscience is manifest in the widespread use of animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders. Broader investigations of diverse behaviors in non-model organisms and longer-term study of the mechanisms of plasticity will yield fundamental insights into the neurobiological, developmental, genetic, and environmental factors contributing to the “massively multifactorial system networks” which go awry in mental disorders.


Author(s):  
J. W. Mellowes ◽  
C. M. Chun ◽  
I. A. Aksay

Mullite (3Al2O32SiO2) can be fabricated by transient viscous sintering using composite particles which consist of inner cores of a-alumina and outer coatings of amorphous silica. Powder compacts prepared with these particles are sintered to almost full density at relatively low temperatures (~1300°C) and converted to dense, fine-grained mullite at higher temperatures (>1500°C) by reaction between the alumina core and the silica coating. In order to achieve complete mullitization, optimal conditions for coating alumina particles with amorphous silica must be achieved. Formation of amorphous silica can occur in solution (homogeneous nucleation) or on the surface of alumina (heterogeneous nucleation) depending on the degree of supersaturation of the solvent in which the particles are immersed. Successful coating of silica on alumina occurs when heterogeneous nucleation is promoted and homogeneous nucleation is suppressed. Therefore, one key to successful coating is an understanding of the factors such as pH and concentration that control silica nucleation in aqueous solutions. In the current work, we use TEM to determine the optimal conditions of this processing.


Author(s):  
Jorge Pecci Saavedra ◽  
Mark Connaughton ◽  
Juan José López ◽  
Alicia Brusco

The use of antibodies as labels for the localization of specific molecules in the nervous systan has been extensively applied in recent years. Both monoand polyclonal antibodies or antisera have been employed. The knowledge of the organization of neuronal connectivities, gliovascular relationships, glioneuronal relationships and other features of nerve tissue has greatly increased.A number of areas of the nervous systan have been analyzed in our laboratory, including the nuclei of the raphe system, the reticular formation, interpeduncular nucleus, substantia nigra, caudate nucleus, putamen, pallidum, spinal cord, pineal gland and others.From a technical point of view, a number of variables needed to be taken into account in order to obtain reliable and reproducible results. The design of the optimal conditions of tissue fixation, embedding, sectioning, dilution of antibodies, and adaptation of Sternberger PAP technique were sane of the parameters taken into account to optimize the results. It is critical that each step of the technique be defined for each particular case.


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