Effect of Bio-Pesticides on Mortality of Greater Wax Moth Galleria mellonella L.

Galleria mellonella larvae feed on wax, pollen, honey and damage the combs with in active bee colonies and storage condition. Galleria mellonella larvae can bore tunnel and feed around the midrib base of the wax comb. Larvae produce silk fibers that can trap bee brood cells. Comb is completely covered with webbing and extracted matter of the larvae condition described as “Galleriasis”. The study was carried out at Apiculture Lab of RVSKVV-ZARS-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Morena (M.P.) during 2019-20. Different three concentration of bio-pesticides viz., Bacillus thuringiensis Kurstaki (1, 1.5 and 2%), custard apple seed extract (2, 4and 6%) and Neem Oil (1, 2 and 3%) were used against the Galleria mellonella to assess the effect of larval mortality at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after treatment. There was no significant effect showed in all the treatments after 24 hours. The maximum mortality of Galleria mellonella larvae was recorded in Bacillus thuringiensis Kurstaki 2.0 percent concentration (46.67, 87.08 and 96.67%) after 48, 72 and 96 hours respectively and it was at par with custard apple seed extract 6.0 percent concentration (45.83, 85.0 and 93.75%). Neem oil 3.0 percent concentration expressed 38.33, 75.42 and 87.50 percent larval mortality after 48, 72 and 96 hours respectively. Whereas minimum mortality was noticed in Neem oil 1.0 percent at 48 hours (22.08%), at 72 hours (37.08%) and at 96 hours (56.25%) among the treatments. The higher concentration of all the three bio-pesticides was proved effectiveness against Galleria mellonella during investigation.

Study of Antimicrobial Activity of Vegetable Alcoholic Extracts Obtained from Vinca Minor L.

Important natural antimicrobial compounds derived from Vinca minor L. plant contain a wide variety of secondary metabolites which are useful for brain health (increasing blood circulation in the brain, supporting brain metabolism, preventing memory loss and problems with concentration and premature aging of the cell), and externally they play a role in tissue repair and skin lesion healing. The testing of the antimicrobial activity of the alcoholic plant extracts obtained from Vinca minor plant was performed on two types of pathogenic germs: a Gram-positive strain, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and a Gram-negative strain, Escherichia Coli ATCC 25922, as well as on a yeast strain pathogenic, Candida albicans ATCC 900288. Quantitative evaluation of antimicrobial activity was performed by a variant of the Kirby-Bauer diffusimetric method, a simple and fast method that allows the determination of the spectrum of sensitivity / resistance to antibiotics of the microorganism. Experimental studies have shown that all samples of alcoholic extract of 70 percent concentration, in volumes of 7µL, exerted a total antibacterial inhibitory action against the reference strains E. coli ATCC 25922 and C. albicans ATCC 10231 and moderate against the strain S. aureus ATCC 25923, results that agree with the literature. Regarding the alcoholic plant extracts with a concentration of 40 percent ethyl alcohol, obtained from the leaf and stem of Vinca minor plant, they did not show antimicrobial activity, which suggests that 40 percent ethyl alcohol does not extract bioactive compounds with antimicrobial activity.

Assessment of Plant Extracts and their In vitro Efficacy against Potato Early Blight Incited by Alternaria solani

Botanicals obtained from the plants are well known for the suppression of inimical plant pathogens. The present study explores the efficacy of five locally available plant extracts for their antifungal activity against the early blight of potato incited by Alternaria solani. The extracts include Datura stramonium, Allium sativum, Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus globulus, and Lantana camara. All extracts reduced mycelial growth and conidial germination of A. solani. In vitro studies showed that extracts obtained from A. sativum and A. indica have significant inhibition of mycelial growth of A. solani (88.80 and 86.62 percent) at 20 percent concentration. Higher concentrations of A. sativum extract caused a higher reduction of A. solani radial growth on potato dextrose agar medium. Extracts obtained from A. sativum and A. indica at 20 percent concentration, were found most effective for inhibition of conidial germination (85.50 and 80.04 percent) respectively of A. solani. Observations by scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed dramatic alteration in A. solani hyphae collapsed and spores shrinked when treated with extract of A. sativum at a 20 per cent concentration. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of various phytochemicals like flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, steroids, terpenoids, glycosides, and phenols was showed A. sativum extract better than all the other plant extracts. Observation also revealed that 20 percent concentration of garlic extract has potential to inhibit to A. solani.

Modelling and experimental characterisation of a compressional adaptive magnetorheological elastomer isolator

This article proposes a simple physical-based model to describe and predict the performance of axially compressed magnetorheological elastomer cylinders used as vibration and shock absorbers. The model describes the magnetorheological elastomer macroscopic stiffness changes because of an externally applied magnetic field from a microscopic composite cell of silicone rubber and carbonyl iron particle. Despite neglecting the material hyperelasticity, anisotropy and adjacent magnetic interaction, the model describes effectively the effect of the magnetic field on the macroscopic modulus of elasticity. The changes in the mechanical properties with the induced magnetic field are measured on samples of different particle concentration based on volume percentage, that is, 10 and 30 percent concentration of iron particles in a silicone rubber matrix. The manufacturing process of the samples is detailed, as well as the experimental validation of the effective stiffness change under a magnetic field in terms of transmissibility and mobility testing. However, the prediction seems to be limited by the linear elastic material model. Predictions and measurements are compared, showing that the model is capable of predicting the tunability of the dynamic/shock absorber and that the proposed devices have a possible application in the reduction of mechanical vibrations.

A review on recent advances on improving polyimide matrix nanocomposites for mechanical, thermal, and tribological applications: Challenges and recommendations for future improvement

In recent years, advancements on improving the mechanical and tribological properties of polyimide nanocomposites have remarkably increased, owing to the fact that polyimide nanocomposites exhibits lightweight, high strength, thermal stability as well as anti-wear and solvent resistance. The polyimide nanocomposites are described as material of polyimide matrix reinforced with certain volume or weight percent concentration of nanofillers. Researchers have demonstrated the importance of thermoplastic polyimide nanocomposites in mechanical, thermal, and tribological applications. However, the nanocomposites are reportedly facing interfacial adhesion issues and surface properties degradation, which have affected their mechanical, friction, and abrasive wear resistance for tribological applications. Although, much advancements on improving the mechanical, thermal, and wear resistance properties of polyimide nanocomposites has been reported. However, this review summarizes the effects of nanofillers, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene (GN), graphene oxide (GO), boron nitride (BN), molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), silica (SiO2), titania (TiO2), alumina (Al2O3), carbon fibres (CF), aramid fibre (AF), glass fibre (GF), zinc dioxide (ZnO2), zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), silicon nitride (Si2N4), and carbon nitride (C3N4) on the mechanical, thermal, and wear properties of polyimide nanocomposites for tribological applications. The authors concluded the review study with advancement, challenges and suggestions for future improvement of polyimide nanocomposites as friction component material. Thus, the review offers an insight into the improvement and selection of polyimide nanocomposites material for mechanical, thermal, and tribological applications. More so, the review will also give away for further research.

Usage of Non-chemical Methods to Counter the Damages Caused by Tomato Mosaic Virus

Background: Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) is the most common and important pathogen of tomato crop. The infected plants show mosaic, mottle, wrinkling, reduced leaf size and uneven ripening of fruits. ToMV is transmitted mechanically, by cultural operations, farm implements and also through seed. Methods: The present study was planned to evaluate environment friendly strategies for the management of ToMV disease. Different non-chemical means viz., Elephant Ear plant extract, Eucalyptus extract, Zinc and Boron solution, NPK solution, Milk and Urea were used on four tomato varieties (Tanja, Chico, Manik and Sahil). All the treatments were used at three different concentrations (1%, 2% and 3%) and replicated three times. Result: The maximum disease reduction was recorded in plants treated with NPK solution (16.35%) and minimum in plants treated with Elephant Ear plant extract (29.65%). The maximum mean disease severity was recorded at 1 percent concentration of all the treatments (32.46%) which was statistically significant from that of 2 and 3% (24.74% and 19.23%), respectively. Among the varieties, minimum disease severity was recorded in Manik (24.64%) variety and maximum in Chico (31.27%) variety. All the treatments contributed towards reduction in disease severity of which NPK solution being most efficient.

Ovitrap Modification in Improving the Ability of Aedes Sp. Egg Trapping in Banjarbaru City

Introduction: Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a vector-borne disease that spreads through the bite of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Until recently, vector control still becomes an essential step in breaking the dengue transmission chain. Besides of imago or larvicide method, the ovitrap way is also often used to trap the eggs of Aedes sp. This study aims to determine the trapping ability of modified ovitrap with various container colors and shrimp-paste attractant concentration levels. Method: This study was an experimental study using a post-test only design. This Research’s object was Aedes sp eggs trapped in modified ovitrap at 20 research locations in Banjarbaru City. The data obtained were analyzed statistically using the Kruskal Wallis test. The Research used The Mann-Whitney test to perform a post-hoc analysis. Result and Discussion: Results have shown that differences in attractant concentration and color of ovitrap have a significant effect in attracting Aedes sp to lay eggs. Zero percent concentration (without attractants) has a substantial difference in trapping Aedes sp with 10, 20, and 30% concentrations. Colorless ovitrap is also significantly different from black and green ones in trapping Aedes sp eggs. Conclusion: The use of attractants with a 10% shrimp-paste concentration solution and a black ovitrap can be an alternative to control DHF vectors affordable and safer for the environment and humans.

USE OF ANTIOXIDANT TO INHIBIT BROWNING ON WHITE PEPPER DECORTICATING PROCESS

<p>ABSTRACT<br />White pepper is an important export commodity for Indonesia, until<br />2003 about 70 percent of word demand of white pepper was supplied by<br />Indonesia, but it dropped to about 40 percent in 2004. White pepper<br />processing is still done at farm level using a very modest method. The<br />process consists of soaking the berries for seven to twelve days, followed<br />by pepper skin separation and drying the pepper corn for three to five days.<br />The product is often contaminated by undesirable microorganism, and also<br />unpleasant odor which is caused by improper method and limited clean<br />water for soaking process. Researh Institute for Spice and Medicinal Crops<br />under Agriculture Department has designed and constructed the pepper<br />thresher and decorticating machine to improve the product quality and<br />process efficiency. Those machines could produce the hygienic white<br />pepper with high essential oil content, however it has brownish white color<br />caused by browning process during decorticating process. The consumer<br />used to white pepper with creamy white in color. The antioxidants, malic<br />and tartaric acids were applied to prevent the browning process. The<br />treatment consisted of three factors, i.e.: kind of antioxidant (malic and<br />tartaric acid), antioxidant consentration (1.5, 2,0 and 2,5 percent) and<br />soaking period (1, 2 and 3 hrs). The experiment was arranged in<br />Completely Randomized Design with two replications. The result showed<br />that both acids could be used as antioxidant to inhibit browning in pepper<br />mechanical decorticating process. The colour of white pepper produce was<br />creamy white similar to the one produced by traditional method. The<br />optimum treatment was malic acid with 2.5 percent concentration and 2<br />hours soaking period.<br />Key words : Pepper, Piper nigrum L., processing, traditional, mechanical,<br />antioxidan, white pepper</p><p><br />ABSTRAK<br />Penggunaan antioksidan untuk mencegah proses pen-<br />cokelatan pada proses pengupasan kulit lada<br />Lada putih adalah salah satu komoditas ekspor penting bagi<br />Indonesia, dimana sampai tahun 2003 kurang lebih 70 persen kebutuhan<br />dunia dipenuhi oleh Indonesia. Namun pada tahun 2004 jumlah tersebut<br />turun drastis menjadi kurang lebih 40 persen. Pengolahan lada putih masih<br />dilakukan di tingkat petani dengan peralatan yang sangat sederhana yang<br />prosesnya terdiri dari perendaman selama tujuh sampai duabelas hari,<br />diikuti dengan pemisahan kulit dan pengeringan biji lada selama tiga<br />sampai lima hari. Lada putih yang dihasilkan sering terkontaminasi oleh<br />mikroorganisme yang tidak diinginkan dan juga mempunyai bau busuk<br />akibat dari metode yang kurang baik dan keterbatasan air bersih. Balai<br />Penelitian Tanaman Rempah dan Obat telah berhasil merancang bangun<br />alat perontok dan pengupas lada untuk meningkatkan mutu lada dan<br />efisiensi prosesnya. Dengan mesin tersebut dapat diproduksi lada putih<br />higienis dengan kadar minyak atsiri yang tinggi, namun warnanya<br />kecokelatan yang disebabkan karena proses pencokelatan yang terjadi<br />selama proses pengupasan kulit. Sedangkan konsumen biasa dengan warna<br />yang putih kekuningan. Penggunaan antioksidan (asam malat dan tartrat)<br />untuk mencegah proses pencokelatan tersebut telah dicobakan. Perlakuan<br />terdiri dari : jenis antioksidan (asam malat dan tartrat), konsentrasi<br />antioksidan ( 1,5; 2,0 dan 2,5 persen) serta lama perendaman (1, 2 dan 3<br />jam). Percobaan dirancang secara acak lengkap dengan ulangan dua kali.<br />Hasil percobaan menunjukkan bahwa asam malat dan asam tartrat dapat<br />digunakan untuk mencegah proses pencokelatan pada proses pengupasan<br />kulit lada dengan mesin. Warna dari lada putih yang dihasilkan putih<br />kekuningan sama dengan yang dihasilkan dengan cara tradisional<br />(perendaman). Perlakuan terbaik adalah penggunaan asam malat pada<br />konsentrasi 2,5 persen dengan waktu perendaman dua jam.<br />Kata kunci : Lada, Piper nigrum L., prosesing, tradisional, mekanik,<br />antioksidan, lada putih</p>

Quality Assessment of the Neural Algorithms on the Example of EIT-UST Hybrid Tomography

The paper presents the results of research on the hybrid industrial tomograph electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and ultrasonic tomography (UST) (EIT-UST), operating on the basis of electrical and ultrasonic data. The emphasis of the research was placed on the algorithmic domain. However, it should be emphasized that all hardware components of the hybrid tomograph, including electronics, sensors and transducers, have been designed and mostly made in the Netrix S.A. laboratory. The test object was a tank filled with water with several dozen percent concentration. As part of the study, the original multiple neural networks system was trained, the characteristic feature of which is the generation of each of the individual pixels of the tomographic image, using an independent artificial neural network (ANN), with the input vector for all ANNs being the same. Despite the same measurement vector, each of the ANNs generates its own independent output value for a given tomogram pixel, because, during training, the networks get their respective weights and biases. During the tests, the results of three tomographic methods were compared: EIT, UST and EIT-UST hybrid. The results confirm that the use of heterogeneous tomographic systems (hybrids) increases the reliability of reconstruction in various measuring cases, which is used to solve quality problems in managing production processes.

Treatment of Cyanide-Free Wastewater from Brass Electrodeposition with EDTA by Electrodialysis: Evaluation of Underlimiting and Overlimiting Operations

Growing environmental concerns have led to the development of cleaner processes, such as the substitution of cyanide in electroplating industries and changes in the treatment of wastewaters. Hence, we evaluated the treatment of cyanide-free wastewater from the brass electroplating industry with EDTA as a complexing agent by electrodialysis, aimed at recovering water and concentrated solutions for reuse. The electrodialysis tests were performed in underlimiting and overlimiting conditions. The results suggested that intense water dissociation occurred at the cathodic side of the commercial anion-exchange membrane (HDX) during the overlimiting test. Consequently, the pH reduction at this membrane may have led to the reaction of protons with complexes of EDTA-metals and insoluble species. This allowed the migration of free Cu2+ and Zn2+ to the cation-exchange membrane as a result of the intense electric field and electroconvection. These overlimiting phenomena accounted for the improvement of the percent extraction and percent concentration, since in the electrodialysis stack employed herein, the concentrate compartments of cationic and anionic species were connected to the same reservoir. Chronopotentiometric studies showed that electroconvective vortices minimized fouling/scaling at both membranes. The electrodialysis in the overlimiting condition seemed to be more advantageous due to water dissociation and electroconvection.