Effect of Selected Essential Oils and Botanicals on Alternaria Blight (Alternaria brassicae (Berk) Sacc) of Mustard (Brassica juncea (Linn) Czern and Coss

Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.coss) is also known as sarson, rai or raya, toria or Lahi.it is a herbaceous annual plant. Mustard is the second important oilseed crop in the world after sunflower, soybean and palm oil. Alternaria blight disease caused by Alternaria brassicae (Berk.) Sacc. It has been reported from all the continents of the world. Average yield losses occur due to various pest and diseases among which Alternaria blight is an important disease. Field experiment was conducted at the research plot of the Department of Plant Pathology, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh during the rabi season of 2020-2021 to test, Effect of selected essential oils and botanicals against Alternaria blight (Alternaria brassicae (Berk.) Sacc) of mustard (Brassica juncea (Linn.) Czern and Coss), by foliar spray of certain essential oil, plant extracts and fungicide. The treatments were Neem oil @2%, Eucalyptus oil @2%, Pongamia oil @2%, Lawsonia inermis extract @15%, Chenopodium album extract @15% Mancozeb (treated check) @ 0.2% and control (untreated check). The percent disease intensity on leaves at 45, 60 and 75 DAS, number of siliquae per plant, number of seeds per siliquae, length of siliquae (cm), test weight of seed (1000 number), biological yield (gm) and seed yield were recorded. Among the treatments, maximum number of number of siliquaes (243.13), maximum number of seeds per siliquae (12.27), length of siliquae (5.16 cm), minimum disease intensity (%) (29.01 %), maximum test weight (3.57 gm), maximum yield (9.43 qt) and biological yield (24.70 gm) were recorded in the treatment T2 Eucalyptus oil @2% followed by T1 Neem oil @2%, T4 Lawsonia inermis extract @15%, T3 Pongamia oil @2%, T5 Chenopodium extract @15%, when compared to treated check T6 Mancozeb @ 0.2% and untreated check T0. Higher gross return value (Rs. 66295), net return value (Rs. 29295), and B: C ratio (1.7:1) was found in the treatment T2 – Eucalyptus oil @2% as compared to T5–mancozeb and T0–control.

Pongamia: A Possible Option for Degraded Land Restoration and Bioenergy Production in Indonesia

Indonesia has 14 million ha of degraded and marginal land, which provides very few benefits for human wellbeing or biodiversity. This degraded land may require restoration. The leguminous tree Pongamia pinnata syn. Milettia pinnata (pongamia) has potential for producing biofuel while simultaneously restoring degraded land. However, there is limited information on this potential for consideration. This paper aims to address the scientific knowledge gap on pongamia by exploring its potential as a biofuel and for restoring degraded land in Indonesia. We applied a literature review to collect relevant information of pongamia, which we analyzed through narrative qualitative and narrative comparative methods with careful compilation and scientific interpretation of retrieved information. The review revealed that pongamia occurs naturally across Indonesia, in Sumatra, Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara and Maluku. It can grow to a height of 15–20 m and thrive in a range of harsh environmental conditions. Its seeds can generate up to 40% crude pongamia oil by weight. It is a nitrogen-fixing tree that can help restore degraded land and improve soil properties. Pongamia also provides wood, fodder, medicine, fertilizer and biogas. As a multipurpose species, pongamia holds great potential for combating Indonesia’s energy demand and restoring much of the degraded land. However, the potential competition for land and for raw material with other biomass uses must be carefully managed.

Management of the grape mealy bug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), using entomopathogenic fungi and botanical oils: a laboratory study

Background Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the bio-efficacy and cumulative effect of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), viz., Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimmermann) Zare and Gams, and Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin and different botanical oils against grape mealy bug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green). M. hirsutus infestation during berry formation has left no option other than chemical management. However, the pesticide application during this stage leads to residues. Thus, safer and sustainable biological need was tested for their effectiveness against M. hirsutus. Results Dipping bioassay technique was used to determine the cumulative mortality. When L. lecanii was used as sole (at 6 and 4 g/l), significant mortality was observed (51.63 and 50.18%). However, the maximum cumulative nymphal mortality was achieved when the combination of EPF formulations was used, i.e., 57.64% with B. bassiana + L. lecanii (6 g/l + 6 g/l). Their effectiveness was at par with the same combination but with minimal concentration, i.e., 4 g/l + 4 g/l (56.29%). Concerning the botanical oils evaluated, neem oil at 15 ml/l achieved a higher mortality of 81.36%. Consecutive effective treatment was a combination of neem oil and pongamia oil (at 10 + 10 ml/l) with 79.65% mortality. However, the standard dosage of neem oil (at 10 ml/l) and IIHR neem soap (at 10 g/l) also recorded the significant mortality of 78.09 and 77.67%, respectively. When compared, the neem oil was found significantly superior in sole and compatible combination than pongamia oil. Conclusions Lecanicillium lecanii and neem oil (sole and in combination with other compatible bioagents) proved significantly better for the management against M. hirsutus with an efficacy of 90.21 and 96.67 % mortality, respectively against the standard chemical control (more than 97%).

Tribological Behaviour of Graphene Nanoplatelets as Additive in Pongamia Oil

This study investigated the tribological behaviour of Pongamia oil (PO) and 15W–40 mineral engine oil (MO) with and without the addition of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). The friction and wear characteristics were evaluated in four-ball anti-wear tests according to the ASTM D4172 standard. The morphology of worn surfaces and the lubrication mechanism of GNPs were investigated via SEM and EDS. This study also focuses on the tribological effect of GNP concentration at various concentrations. The addition of 0.05 wt % GNPs in PO and MO exhibits the lowest friction and wear with 17.5% and 12.24% friction reduction, respectively, and 11.96% and 5.14% wear reduction, respectively. Through SEM and EDS surface analysis, the surface enhancement on the worn surface by the polishing effect of GNPs was confirmed. The deposition of GNPs on the friction surface and the formation of a protective film prevent the interacting surfaces from rubbing, resulting in friction and wear reduction.

Pongamia oil soap for the management of chilli mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks and its impact on spider population

Field experiment was conducted to check the efficacy of the pongamia oil soap along with Spiromesifen and Neem oil soap at different concentrations in controlling chilli mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus and its impact on spider population. Spiromesifen was found effective against chilli mite and showed persistent action in the field, whereas pongamia oil soap reported an immediate control over the pest but its effectiveness declined with time and concentration. Among the botanicals, 3% pongamia oil soap was found effective and was followed by the 2% pongamia oil soap. Pongamia oil soap proved effective against mite up to seven days after the treatment and the effect declined by 14 days after the spray. The botanicals as well as the chemical spiromesifen were found safe to spiders in the field.

Bio-efficacy of Millettia pinnata oil soap in the suppression of brinjal fruit and shoot borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee

A field experiment to evaluate the efficacy of pungam (Millettia/Pongamia) oil soap at four different concentrations against brinjal fruit and shoot borer (BFSB), Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee and its effect on spiders of brinjal field revealed that application of 3% pungam oil soap brought down fruit damage to minimum level (12.94% on 7 days after third spray) followed by chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC (0.3 mL/L), 2, 1 and 0.6% pungam oil soap and neem oil soap 0.6%. Efficacy of chlorantraniliprole persisted up to 14th day of spray followed by pungam oil soap. None of the botanical or chemical pesticides found to influence the spider population until seven days. After 14 days of application soap solution either alone or with pungam oil increased spiders over the control whereas 14 DAS it was minimum in standard check.