Pathogens associated with grain discolouration and their management in paddy (Oryza sativa L.)

Grain discoloration complex disease of rice is an emerging threat to rice crop all over the world and it acquires particular importance as it results in qualitative loss of harvested crop. So the present study was carried out to identify different fungi associated with disease and their management. The discoloured seed samples were collected from different farmer’s field during survey. Totally seven fungi including both saprophytic as well as pathogenic were isolated and identified from both blotter and potato dextrose agar method viz., Curvularia lunata (36.30 %), Helminthosporium oryzae (25.6 %), Fusarium moniliformae (19.6 %), Colletotrichum gloeosporioids (8.1 %) and Alternaria spp. (7.01 %) were predominantly associated with discoloured paddy seeds. Other saprophytic fungi like Aspergillus spp. (16.6 %) and Rhizopus spp. (12.1 %) were frequently observed. Similarly among the eleven treatment including control, seed treatment with carbendazim 50 WP (2 g kg-1) with two sprays of tebuconazole 250 EC at 0.1 per cent concentration and tricyclazole 18 % + mancozeb 62 % WP at 0.2 per cent first spray during flowering stage and second spray during 15 days after first spray reducing discoloured panicle by 61.46 per cent and 59.92 per cent, respectively.

Eco Friendly Management of Fusarium Wilt of Chickpea with Botanicals and Bio Agents in In-vitro

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important pulse crop grown all over India. Chickpea wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri is one of the major disease on chickpea in Northern Karnataka, which is soil and seed borne. Heavy inoculum in the soil and favorable environment condition results in the death of infected plant and therefore total yield loss.In this study, three antagonists, and seven botanicals were studied against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri causing chickpea wilt. In vitro studies found that among the botanicals, turmeric rhizome extract gave maximum per cent inhibition of mycelial growth (26.73%) and least per cent inhibition of mycelial growth (9.96%) was observed in cassia tora at 15 per cent concentration. Among the antagonists, Trichoderma harzianum was effective in per cent inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri with (76.47%) and Pseudomonas fluorescens found least effective in per cent mycelial inhibition with (34.41%).

Management of powdery mildew of cluster bean through fungi toxicants

Leveillula taurica causes severe powdery mildew on all aerial parts of cluster bean plant. The objective of the present work was to identify potential methods for managing cluster bean powdery mildew through fungicides. Field trials were conducted during Kharif 2019 and 2020 to evaluate the efficacy fungicides. Nine systemic fungicides were tested both under in-vitro and in-vivo conditions against cluster bean powdery mildew disease. In vitro evaluation of fungicides revealed that complete inhibition of conidial germination was observed in all systemic fungicides at 0.1 per cent concentration. However, under field conditions, penconazole at 0.05 per cent was found to be best fungicide which recorded least incidence 3.66 per cent followed by hexaconazole (5.83%) and propiconazole (6.83%).

In-vitro evaluation of six bio-product against coriander stem gall disease

Stem gall of coriander caused by Protomyces macrosporus Unger. is a highly devastating seed and soil borne pathogen in coriander and has emerged as one of the major disease causing substantial quantitative and qualitative losses. In the present studies, efficacy of six bio-products, namely, Neemazal, cow urine, butter milk, fresh milk, beejamrit and jeevamrit was screened against mycelial growth inhibition of P. macrosporus under in vitro conditions. Extracts of these bio-products were evaluated at three different concentrations (i.e 10, 20 and 30%) by poison food technique. Results revealed that that among the various bio-products evaluated against test pathogen, irrespective of concentration tested, all the bio-products resulted in significant inhibition in mycelial growth of test pathogen with neemazal giving the complete inhibition [100.00 % (90.00)] followed by fresh milk [30.66 % (28.44)] and butter milk [26.55 % (25.99)], though these treatments were statistically different from one another. Different concentrations (10 to 30 %) of bio-products, irrespective of the treatments showed that 30 per cent concentration of all bio-products was most efficacious in inhibiting the mycelial growth of the test pathogen giving 69.95 per cent (36.77) growth inhibition. This was followed 20 and 10 per cent concentration of bio-products resulting in 55.58 per cent (32.49) and 45.53 per cent (16.30) growth inhibition, respectively. The result regarding evaluation of bio-products under in vitro conditions against the P. macrosporus showed that Neemazal treatment was most effective at all concentrations and completely inhibited the test fungus followed by 30 per cent fresh milk resulting in the mycelial growth inhibition of 51.60 per cent.

Development of shrimp-based chitosan film and assessment of its mechanical, barrier and antimicrobial properties

You Utilization of biodegradable films is a need of food packaging industries in order to reduce the hazards related to plastic use and to extend the food’s shelf life. Various polysaccharides are in use for the purpose of making the films. In this research, chitosan based films were developed and its mechanical, barrier and antimicrobial properties were checked to fulfill the packaging requirements. Chitosan was extracted from shrimp waste and films were produced using 0.5-2 per cent concentrations. At ambient temperature, specific characteristics such as mechanical, barrier, and antimicrobial analysis were performed at an interval of two days. Among all, the films with 2 per cent chitosan showed best results in terms of tensile strength, thickness and percent elongation. Also, the films exhibited maximum resistance to water vapor permeability. The extracted chitosan at 2 per cent concentration had shown the maximum resistance against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. From the current investigation it can be said that films with 2 per cent chitosan could be used as biodegradable food packing materials and can serve as material which would maintain a good city and future of world by minimizing plastic hazards..

Evaluating nasal cautery techniques in epistaxis

BackgroundSilver nitrate cautery and bipolar electrocautery are commonly used in the treatment of epistaxis. Currently, there are no recommendations on optimum contact times or power for nasal cautery. ENT consultant practice in the UK has not previously been evaluated.MethodsThis study examined the burn depth associated with silver nitrate (75 per cent concentration) cautery and bipolar electrocautery on porcine septum samples, using varying contact times and power. ENT consultants completed a survey evaluating their practice.Results and conclusionENT consultant practice of nasal cautery was shown to vary widely. Silver nitrate cautery with a contact time of less than 30 seconds does not cause a full thickness burn. The findings lend some support to bilateral cauterisation with silver nitrate. Bipolar electrocautery should be set at lower than 10 W and with a contact time of less than 4 seconds to reduce the risk of complications associated with a full thickness burn.

Evaluation for performance of maize and rice on aqueous leaf extracts of Flemingia semialata Roxb. -underutilized legumes in Mizoram, India

The allelopathic potential of aqueous leaf extracts of Flemingia semialata Roxb. a leguminous herbs was used to examined its effect on growth and yield of Zea mays L. and Oryza sativa L. at different concentrations in laboratory bioassays. The extracts show both inhibitory and stimulatory effect on the test crops. Significant stimulatory effects were observed in 50 and 75 per cent concentration for root length and 25 per cent for shoot length in maize. Stimulatory effect on the root length of rice were observed at lower concentrations, however inhibitory effect were observed on the shoot length whereby the inhibitory effect increases with increase in the concentration of extracts. The inhibitory effect on biomass yield was observed at lower concentration in maize but inhibitory effect was more pronounced in rice at higher concentrations. Aqueous leaf extract of Flemingia semialata Roxb. performed better in maize than in rice.

In vitro studies of inhibitory activity of plant extracts and cow urine on mycelial growth of stem rot, Sclerotimoryzae of rice

Soil borne phytopathogen Sclerotiumoryzae significantly affect rice production. To reduce load of chemical pesticides, antifungal activity of plant extracts and cow urine against mycelial growth of S.oryzaewere tested using poisoned food technique under in vitro condition. Plant extracts of 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10% concentration was prepared from Allium cepa, Azadirachtaindica, A. sativum, Ricinuscommunisand Syzygiumcumini. Inhibition of mycelial growth of S.oryzaewas recorded only in case of A. sativum and A. cepa while Azadirachtaindica, Ricinuscommunisand Syzygiumcumini did not show any inhibition of mycelial growth as compared to control. A.sativum plant extracts showed maximum inhibition of mycelia growth of 68.88% at concentration 10% followed by 32.96%, 22.96% and 18.88% at concentration 7.5%, 5.0% and 2.5% resepectively. 22.60%, 19.62%, 17.77% and 8.88% inhibition of mycelial growth as compared to control was recorded at 10%, 7.5%, 5.0% and 2.5% concentration of plant extracts of A.cepa. All the concentration of cow urine inhibited the mycelial growth of S. oryzae. Cow urine at the concentration 5, 7.5 and 10.0 per cent resulted in 100 per cent inhibition of mycelia growth of test pathogen as compared to control. Maximum inhibition of 98.14 per cent was observed at 2.5 per cent concentration followed by 1.25 per cent (63.7%) concentration. This study showed that A.sativum and A.cepa and cow urine possess antifungal activity under in vitro condition. It can also be tested for antifungal activity under in vivo condition.

Effect of certain indigenous technical knowledge on the management of red spider mite (Oligonychus coffeae) in tea

<p>An investigation was carried out at Deha Tea Estate, Jorhat, Assam during 2015-16 by using different indigenous technical<br />knowledge (ITK) prevalent among different small tea growers. Fish extract at (0.25, 0.5 and 1%), Polygonum hydropiper at (2.5,<br />5 and 7.5%) and Azadirachtin (Neemazal-F 5%) were evaluated in field conditions against tea mite. The result showed that fish<br />extract in combination with cow dung, cow urine and water when sprayed at one per cent concentration, significantly reduced red<br />spider mite population (96.5%), percentage of leaves infestation (5.2%) and leaf area infested by the mite (11.6%). P. hydropiper<br />in combination with cow urine and water when sprayed at 7.5 per cent concentration significantly reduced red spider mite<br />population (87.5%), percentage of infestation (9.1%) and leaf area infested by the mite (12.9%). Among all the ITKs, fish extract<br />at one per cent caused higher reduction of infestation of red spider mite followed by P. hydropiper extract at 7.5 per cent.<br />Influence of both the treatments on the management of red spider mite was at par with that of commercial Azadirachtin.</p>

Performance of cactus mucilage and brown seaweed extract as a steel corrosion inhibitor in chloride contaminated alkaline media

Purpose This paper aims to present experimental results related to the performance of cactus mucilage (CM) and brown seaweed extracts (SEs) to inhibit reinforcing steel bar (rebar) corrosion in saturated calcium hydroxide alkaline solutions (pH = 12.5). Design/methodology/approach Electrochemical cells were prepared using CM solutions at 0.5, 1 and 1.38 per cent concentration (w/v), SE solutions at 0.5, 1, 1.38, 2 and 3 per cent concentration (w/v), sodium alginate at 1 per cent concentration (w/v) and calcium nitrite at 11.3 per cent (v/v). Each cell contained six deformed reinforcing steel bars of 9.5 mm nominal diameter. The experiments were performed at 23 ± 2°C in two stages. The first stage was aimed at stabilizing the rebar until passivation was reached. The second stage included adding NaCl in six steps from 0.5 to 16 g/L. Half-cell potential, linear polarization resistance and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were monitored during both stages. Findings The electrochemical test results indicated that both additions reduce the corrosion rate of rebars and pitting in an alkaline media with chloride ions (16 g/L NaCl). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results for rebars in natural-added solutions showed higher charge transfer resistance and double layer capacitance values, indicative of the formation of a second interface between the rebar and the electrolyte. Research limitations/implications The information obtained was for alkaline solutions only. Further investigation is performed using concrete as the alkaline electrolyte. Practical implications CM and SE may be suitable low-cost corrosion inhibitors for steel in concrete. Social implications The use of botanical or algae products for this application will encourage people to consider its production for this particular application. Also, the possible harvest in an environmental friendly way will diminish in the future the use of biohazards and toxic inhibitors. Originality/value This investigation is a continuation of a one presented in 2007, which uses only nopal mucilage. This new investigation corroborates what was concluded in the early investigation and incorporates a new natural by product, algae, as a possible corrosion inhibitor product.