scholarly journals Eco-friendly surfactants in glyphosate formulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-221
Author(s):  
Romina C. Pessagno ◽  
Diego Grassi ◽  
Camila Pedraza ◽  
Gustavo Thompson ◽  
Carlos Ojeda
Keyword(s):  
Field Tests ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Interfacial Properties ◽  
Commercial Product ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Alkyl Glucoside ◽  
Glyphosate Formulation ◽  
Environmentally Safe ◽  
Pass Through ◽  
Unique Ability

Weeds affect various crops worldwide, causing low yields and, therefore, significant economic losses. These losses can be minimized by the use of herbicides such as glyphosate. However, the efficiency of glyphosate depends on the type of agrochemical formulations. The most widely used surfactant is polyethoxylated tallow amine. Nevertheless, the disadvantage of these compounds is that their toxicity is greater than that of glyphosate itself. Thus, this study aimed to develop an environmentally-friendly combination of surfactants that can increase the performance of glyphosate compared to other currently used formulations. Saponin (S) is environmentally friendly and has a unique ability to go through the waxy cuticle of the weed leaf. However, its interfacial properties are very poor. In contrast, the alkyl glucoside (AG) mixture has shown excellent interfacial properties, being an environmentally safe surfactant, but cannot pass through the cuticle. In the present study, we mixed both surfactants. Two formulations were made with 20% (F1) and 2% (F2) of S with 4% AG. To verify the usefulness of our formulations, they were compared against a commercial product. The results showed that the commercial product had better CMC 0.3±0.1% and pC20 1.155±0.099 than our formulations F1 and F2. Formulations F1 and F2 showed better gCMC than the commercial product 36.5±4.1 mN/m and 30.9±1.4 mN/m, respectively. Field tests showed that F2 was more effective than the commercial product in eliminating weeds at the end of the test at 30 days. Our results allowed confirming that the use of saponin improves the efficiency of glyphosate. The work showed that structures similar to cyclopentaneperhydrophenanthrene are very effective for introducing drugs into plants through the leaves. This is an advance in general and in particular for the increase of the yield in certain crops.

Assessment of derailment risk in railway turnouts through quasi-static analysis and dynamic simulation

2021 ◽  
pp. 095440972110240
Author(s):  
Ping Wang ◽  
Jun Lai ◽  
Tao Liao ◽  
Jingmang Xu ◽  
Jian Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Static Analysis ◽  
Dynamic Simulation ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Derailment Coefficient ◽  
Straight Line ◽  
Main Track ◽  
Pass Through ◽  
Multi Body ◽  
Yaw Angle ◽  
Curve Radius

Train derailments in railway switches are becoming more and more common, which have caused serious casualties and economic losses. Most previous studies ignored the derailment mechanism when vehicles pass through the turnout. With this consideration, this work aims to research the 3D derailment coefficient limit and passing performance in turnouts through the quasi-static analysis and multi-body dynamic simulation. The proposed derailment criteria have considered the influence of creep force and wheelset yaw angle. Results show that there are two derailing stages in switch panel, which are climbing the switch rail and stock rail, respectively. The 3D derailment coefficient limit at the region of top width 5 mm to 20 mm is much lower than the main track rail, which shows that wheels are more likely to derail in this area. The curve radius before the switch rail is suggested to be set as 350 m. When the curve radius before turnout is 65 m, the length of the straight line between the curve and turnout needs to be larger than 3 m. This work can provide a good understanding of the derailment limit and give guidance to set safety criteria when vehicles pass through the turnout.

scholarly journals Controlling the southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita Chitwood) with grafted and resistant pepper varieties

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Mándoki
Keyword(s):  
Meloidogyne Incognita ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Bell Pepper ◽  
N Gene ◽  
Root Knot Nematode ◽  
Resistant Varieties ◽  
Environmentally Safe ◽  
Resistant Rootstock ◽  
Southern Root Knot Nematode

Newly bred resistant bell pepper varieties and those grafted onto resistant rootstock s were tested in soil severely infested with southern root-knot nematode [Meloidogy11e incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood] in unheated plastic house and compared to varieties on their own roots, in order to evaluate the efficiency of this environmentally friendly control method. 'Cinema F I ' carrying the N gene yielded significantly more than the two susceptible varieties. Varieties grafted onto resistant rootstocks outyielded those on their own roots although to different extent, which was not always significant. At the end of the vegetat ion period the roots of the rootstocks were undamaged and the roots of some resistant varieties were slightly infected. whereas the roots of susceptible varieties were severely damaged. According to our result  . both the use of resistant varieties and grafted plants offer an effective and environmentally safe way of controlling M. incognita.

Design and Analysis of Small Scale Horizontal Archimedean Screw for Electric Power Generation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul E. Slaboch ◽  
Jillian Coday
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Electric Power ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Aquatic Environments ◽  
Efficient Design ◽  
Electric Power Generation ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Overall Efficiency ◽  
Pass Through

A small scale horizontal Archimedean screw was designed, built, and tested for small-scale electric power generation. The small-scale device is suitable for deployment in shallow waterways and rivers. The design of the screw is environmentally friendly and allows for fish and other aquatic life to pass through harmlessly. A series of horizontal screws were designed over a range of blade pitch and tip conditions to determine the most efficient configuration of the device. The tip conditions included straight, flanged, and open. The device was placed both inside and outside of a duct to control tip conditions. The flanged condition added material to the tip of the device to simulate a partially ducted screw. Preliminary studies have shown that the straight bladed screw is the most efficient design. Preliminary data also show that the addition of a duct reduced the overall efficiency of the device. The flange feature on the screw was shown to be ineffective as well. However, the design was environmentally friendly and would provide electric power on a small scale without harm to local aquatic environments.

scholarly journals The Jekyll and Hyde case of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) in the management of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) on tomato plants under greenhouse conditions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Wari ◽  
Takeshi Saito ◽  
Motonori Takagi ◽  
Ryo Okada ◽  
Takuya Miyamoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Bemisia Tabaci ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Tomato Plants ◽  
Nesidiocoris Tenuis ◽  
Environmentally Safe

Abstract The rise of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) as a natural enemy of various greenhouse pests in protected systems is widely reported around the globe, mainly in the Mediterranean basin, Asia, and North and Central America. In-vitro studies on improving its growth and reproduction using artificial and factitious diets, and banker plants for its breeding and propagation, and the use of violet-light (LEDs) as the attraction mechanism are well established. However, field studies are lacking in integrating these biological control components to promote N. tenuis predation on greenhouse pests. First, we performed toxicity assays in-vitro and in field conditions. Results revealed that neonicotinoids and spinosyns were toxic to N. tenuis. Avermectins & milbemycins, pyridine azomethine derivatives and diamides, in contrast, were less to moderately toxic against N. tenuis but toxic to Bemisia tabaci, a known, widespread greenhouse pest. Field tests under greenhouse conditions were performed to evaluate the role of violet-LEDs in relocating N. tenuis from banker plants to tomato plants and their augmentative effect on the densities of B. tabaci. Results showed that the movement of N. tenuis from banker plants to tomato plants was accelerated when supplemented with violet-LEDs. The accelerated resettlement of N. tenuis on tomato plants aided by selective pesticides significantly reduced B. tabaci egg, nymph and adult densities, densities that were relatively the same compared to those of the greenhouse with conventional pest control strategies. Overall, comparable outcomes in managing a pest are possible when biological control agents are integrated with environmentally safe and cost-effective approaches.

scholarly journals Engineering Forest Trees with Heavy Metal Resistance Genes

2006 ◽  
Vol 55 (1-6) ◽  
pp. 263-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Merkle
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Metal Resistance ◽  
Transgenic Trees ◽  
Forest Trees ◽  
Toxic Heavy Metals

Abstract Pollution of soil and water with heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium and arsenic, is a worldwide problem. Phytoremediation, the use of plants to remove, sequester or detoxify pollutants, including heavy metals, offers an environmentally-friendly alternative to engineering- based methods for remediation. Forest trees have multiple features that make them particularly useful for removal of toxic heavy metals, especially if they can be engineered with genes allowing them to handle high levels of these elements. Although still in its infancy, research with transgenic trees carrying genes allowing them to detoxify or sequester some heavy metals has already made promising progress. Most of the work to date has been performed using poplar species and hybrids, although other woody species could be equally as useful. Trees have been engineered with genes for the handling of mercury, cadmium, copper and arsenic following two main approaches, phytoextraction and phytotransformation/ phytovolatilizaton. In vitro studies have shown the transgenic trees to have enhanced abilities to tolerate and/or accumulate these metals, and preliminary results from field tests indicate that the trees are functioning. New combinations of genes involved in metal transport or conversion may further enhance the heavy metal remediation capabilities of the transgenic trees. Given the environmentally friendly application, forest trees engineered for phytoremediation may be some of the first transgenic forest trees approved for operational deployment.

Identification of unique mutations in SARS-CoV-2 strains isolated from India suggests its attenuated pathotype

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shubham Gaurav ◽  
Shambhavi Pandey ◽  
Apurvasinh Puvar ◽  
Tejas Shah ◽  
Madhvi Joshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Multiple Point ◽  
Genomic Information ◽  
Dynamic Nature ◽  
Remarkable Similarity ◽  
Nucleotide Deletion ◽  
Unique Ability

AbstractSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which was first reported in Wuhan, China in November 2019 has developed into a pandemic since March 2020, causing substantial human casualties and economic losses. Studies on SARS-CoV-2 are being carried out at an unprecedented rate to tackle this threat. Genomics studies, in particular, are indispensable to elucidate the dynamic nature of the RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2. RNA viruses are marked by their unique ability to undergo high rates of mutation in their genome, much more frequently than their hosts, which diversifies their strengths qualifying them to elude host immune response and amplify drug resistance. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the genomic information of the SARS-CoV-2 isolates from two infected Indian patients and explored the possible implications of point mutations in its biology. In addition to multiple point mutations, we found a remarkable similarity between relatively common mutations of 36-nucleotide deletion in ORF8 of SARS-CoV-2. Our results corroborate with the earlier reported 29-nucleotide deletion in SARS, which was frequent during the early stage of human-to-human transmission. The results will be useful to understand the biology of SARS-CoV-2 and itsattenuation for vaccine development.

scholarly journals A single resistance factor to solve vineyard degeneration due to grapevine fanleaf virus

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samia Djennane ◽  
Emilce Prado ◽  
Vincent Dumas ◽  
Gérard Demangeat ◽  
Sophie Gersch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Resources ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Resistance Factor ◽  
Chromosome 1 ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Effective Solution ◽  
Grapevine Fanleaf Virus ◽  
Recessive Factor ◽  
Virus Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Factors

AbstractGrapevine fanleaf disease, caused by grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV), transmitted by the soil-borne nematode Xiphinema index, provokes severe symptoms and economic losses, threatening vineyards worldwide. As no effective solution exists so far to control grapevine fanleaf disease in an environmentally friendly way, we investigated the presence of resistance to GFLV in grapevine genetic resources. We discovered that the Riesling variety displays resistance to GFLV, although it is susceptible to X. index. This resistance is determined by a single recessive factor located on grapevine chromosome 1, which we have named rgflv1. The discovery of rgflv1 paves the way for the first effective and environmentally friendly solution to control grapevine fanleaf disease through the development of new GFLV-resistant grapevine rootstocks, which was hitherto an unthinkable prospect. Moreover, rgflv1 is putatively distinct from the virus susceptibility factors already described in plants.

scholarly journals Biomimetic Approaches for the Development of New Antifouling Solutions: Study of Incorporation of Macroalgae and Sponge Extracts for the Development of New Environmentally-Friendly Coatings

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (19) ◽  
pp. 4863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilse Sánchez-Lozano ◽  
Claudia Judith Hernández-Guerrero ◽  
Mauricio Muñoz-Ochoa ◽  
Claire Hellio
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Gulf Of California ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
In Vitro Assays ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Maritime Industry ◽  
Marine Biotechnology ◽  
La Paz ◽  
Selection Of

Biofouling causes major economic losses in the maritime industry. In our site study, the Bay of La Paz (Gulf of California), biofouling on immersed structures is a major problem and is treated mostly with copper-based antifouling paints. Due to the known environmental effect of such treatments, the search for environmentally friendly alternatives in this zone of high biodiversity is a priority to ensure the conservation and protection of species. The aim of this work was to link chemical ecology to marine biotechnology: indeed, the natural defense of macroalgae and sponge was evaluated against biofoulers (biofilm and macrofoulers) from the same geographical zone, and some coatings formulation was done for field assays. Our approach combines in vitro and field bioassays to ensure the selection of the best AF agent prospects. The 1st step consisted of the selection of macroalgae (5 species) and sponges (2 species) with surfaces harboring a low level of colonizers; then extracts were prepared and assayed for toxicity against Artemia, activity towards key marine bacteria involved in biofilm formation in the Bay of La Paz, and the potency to inhibit adhesion of macroorganisms (phenoloxidase assays). The most active and non-toxic extracts were further studied for biofouling activity in the adhesion of the bacteria involved in biofilm formation and through incorporation in marine coatings which were immersed in La Paz Bay during 40 days. In vitro assays demonstrated that extracts of Laurencia gardneri, Sargassum horridum (macroalgae), Haliclona caerulea and Ircinia sp. (sponges) were the most promising. The field test results were of high interest as the best formulation were composed of extracts of H. caerulea and S. horridum and led to a reduction of 32% of biofouling compared with the control.

scholarly journals Load model for designing flexible steel barriers for debris flow mitigation

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 893-910 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinna Wendeler ◽  
Axel Volkwein ◽  
Brian W. McArdell ◽  
Perry Bartelt
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Pressure Coefficient ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Load Model ◽  
Dynamic Part ◽  
Pass Through ◽  
Run Up ◽  
Water Saturated ◽  
The Impact

Light-weight flexible steel net barriers catch coarse debris, but let some of the fine material and water pass through the net. They are difficult to design so that they can withstand the impact pressures of both boulder-laden granular and water-saturated debris flows. Using results from laboratory and full-scale field tests, a debris flow load model has been developed for flexible barriers in torrent channels. The model accounts for the forces of initial impact as well as the filling process discretized stepwise over time (barriers in the field and laboratory fill continuously). Laboratory tests with fast debris flow front velocities revealed a run-up behaviour that was not observed in the field (“pile-up”). The load model divides the flow forces into a hydrostatic component and a dynamic part depending on a pressure coefficient, the flow velocity, and the density of the flow. This dynamic part, which is more complex to quantify, accounts for the wide-ranging debris flow characteristics from watery and muddy debris floods to granular friction-dominated mass flows.

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