Conventional Irrigation Research Articles

Data-driven irrigation scheduling increases the crop water use efficiency of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines

In the context of water management in agriculture, irrigation scheduling is critically important as it optimises water application to crops and can also target specific production goals. However, there is no consensus on the ideal irrigation scheduling strategy regarding crop water use efficiency (WUEc). In a premium Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in Coonawarra, South Australia, over three growing seasons, irrigation scheduling strategies based on experience or historical knowledge (‘GROW’ treatment) were compared to data-driven strategies including crop evapotranspiration, and plant and soil water status thresholds to evaluate their effects on leaf- and vine-level WUEs. A final treatment, GROW + , that doubled the GROW level of irrigation was also evaluated in the third season. The WUE metrics were determined at the leaf, vine, and fruit scales as intrinsic WUE (WUEi), crop WUE (WUEc), and carbon isotope ratio (δ13C), respectively. Furthermore, the irrigation strategies were evaluated in the background of two contrasting soil types: Terra Rossa (light clay, well-drained) and Rendzina (heavier clay, poorly drained). Seasonal soil and vine water status, leaf gas exchange, and light interception were measured, and yield components and pruning weights were obtained following harvest. The amount of seasonal irrigation water based on the data-driven strategies was up to 65% lower across both soil types compared with the GROW or GROW + approaches. WUEi and δ13C were largely similar between treatments. However, for vines grown on Terra Rossa soil, little to no yield penalty was observed when data-driven irrigation scheduling was applied, in addition to increased WUEc values of up to 41%. It can be concluded that irrigation scheduling decisions based on data were superior to the conventional irrigation scheduling method on account of reducing irrigation water volume and increasing WUE, particularly in Terra Rossa soils.

A Novel Irrigation System to Reduce Heat Generation during Guided Implantology: An In Vitro Study.

The purpose of this in vitro study is to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating a new irrigation system into a surgical guide and monitor its effect on heat generation during implant bed preparation. A total of 48 surgically guided osteotomies were performed on 12 bovine ribs divided into 4 groups, using different irrigation techniques: Group A (test) had entry and exit channels incorporated into the guide; Group B had a similar design with an entry channel only; Group C had conventional external irrigation; and Group D (control) had no irrigation. Heat generation during the osteotomies was measured using thermocouples placed at a depth of 2 mm and 6 mm. The lowest mean temperature was observed in Group A (22.1 °C at 2 mm and 21.4 °C at 6 mm), which was statistically significant when compared with Groups C and D (p < 0.001). Group A showed a lower mean temperature compared with Group B as well; however, it was statistically significant only at 6 mm depth (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the proposed surgical guide has significantly reduced heat generation during implant osteotomy compared to conventional external irrigation. The integration of an exit cooling channel can resolve limitations found in previously designed surgical guides such as debris blockage and can be easily incorporated into computer designing and 3D printing software.

Effect of N and P fertigation on fruit yield and quality of kinnow

The effects of N and P fertigation on productivity and quality of kinnow mandarin were investigated in southwestern part of Punjab at the Regional Research Station, Abohar of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab during 2018–2020. Different combinations of the recommended dose (RD) of N and P, viz. 100, 75, and 50% were applied in equal splits at 5 stages of kinnow trees (February–October) and compared with conventional flood irrigation plus soil fertilization. The results showed that fertigation resulted in higher nutrient uptake, total leaf chlorophyll content, and vital physiological processes as compared to conventional practices. Tree volume under fertigation was about 29% higher than conventional practices. The data also revealed a significantly higher fruit set (20.13%), fruit weight (168.6 g), and fruit size (7.68 cm) as compared to flood irrigation plus soil fertilization. Fruit yield was about 33% higher in fertigated trees over flood irrigation and soil fertilization. Further, fruit quality parameters especially in terms of per cent juice, TSS-acid ratio, and ascorbic acid concentration were also superior in fertigated trees. In addition, fertigation resulted in a higher proportion of economic fruit grades over conventional flood irrigation and soil fertilization. The results suggest that fertigation @75% of N and P of recommended dose exhibited higher growth and productivity of kinnow mandarin, saving 25% N and P usage with better grade andhigher quality of kinnow.

Effect of different disinfection protocols in bacterial viability of an intraradicular biofilm formed in situ.

The present study aimed to evaluate bacterial viability after the use of different disinfection protocols in root canals infected with a multispecies biofilm (MB) formed in situ. Palatal roots with a single canal were obtained from extracted maxillary molars and sterilized before being inserted into the mouth. The roots were contaminated with a MB in an intraoral appliance worn by ten volunteers. All volunteers wore six roots simultaneously in two intraoral devices for 21 days. One root from each volunteer was assigned to each group (n=10): PUI - passive ultrasonic irrigation; EC - Easy Clean; XPF - XP-endo Finisher; aPDT - antimicrobial photodynamic therapy; CI - conventional irrigation; and NC - negative control. The samples were evaluated under confocal laser scanning microscopy. The percentage of viable cells (VC) was calculated over the total percentage of MB biovolume. Data were statistically analyzed (α=5%). The cell viability in the entire root canal or for each third was compared between groups (Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn post-hoc test) and for the same group (Friedman test, Dunn post-hoc test). Disinfection protocols were not significantly different from each other (P>.05). Samples in EC, PUI, and aPDT had lower cell viability than in NC (P<.05). In the coronal third of samples in the EC, XPF, PUI and aPDT, the percentage of VC biovolume was lower than in the NC (P<.05). The percentage of VC in EC samples was lower in the coronal and middle thirds than in the apical third (P<.05). EC, PUI and aPDT had significant effects on cell viability in intraradicular multispecies biofilm formed in situ when compared with untreated samples.

An in vitro scanning electron microscopic study: dentine erosion by chelat activation methods

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the dentine erosion ability of root canal irrigation methods with chelat solution. Materials and Methods: 45 premolar roots were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 15) based on root canal irrigation methods with 17% EDTA solution: (1) Conventional needle irrigation, (2) Ultrasonic activation, (3) Sonic activation. After undergoing sample processing, the half roots were observed and evaluated for the erosion dentine under a scanning electron microscope with a magnification of 1000 times according to Torabinejad (2003). Results: In cervical, the average dentine erosion score of the 3 study groups was not statistically significant (p &gt; 0.05). In the middle, apical and over the root canal, the average dentine erosion score of the sonic activation method was higher than that of the other groups (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Sonic irrigation cause higher dentine erosion than conventional needle irrigation and ultrasonic activation. Key words: dentine erosion, ultrasonic activation, sonic activation

Use of life cycle assessment and modeling techniques for prediction of energy-environmental indicators in different wheat production systems

This study was conducted to analyze and model the energy consumption and environmental indicators for different wheat production systems in Qazvin province. Information needed for this study, related to 2021–2022, data was collected by monitoring machinery, and inputs during wheat production were interviewed by farmers and filled out questionnaires. The purpose of this study includes: (1) estimating the fuel consumption and energy of inputs in different wheat production systems, (2) estimating the environmental impact associated with input consumption using life cycle assessment (LCA), and (3) providing suggestions for optimization. The results showed wheat production in irrigated conservation tillage system has energy ratio (2.12) and energy productivity (0.18 kg MJ−1) suitable compared to conventional irrigated and rainfed tillage, and conservation rainfed tillage. Nitrogen fertilizer (55%–68%) and fuel consumption (15%–31%) of affect the energy consumption of four wheat cultivation systems. Three categories of damage to human health, ecosystem and resources in LCA were using the ReCiPe2016 method. Resource damage category for conventional tillage irrigation (76.05 USD2013) has significant pollution. The share of seed emissions, On-Farm emissions and nitrogen emissions affect the categories of damage to human health, ecosystems and resources, respectively. The results of the Cobb-Douglas model showed that T3 (fertilization and weed control) was significant at the level of 1% among other inputs. T1 (chisel packer roller), T2 (planting) and T4 (harvest and straw packaging) were significant at 5% level. The results of artificial neural network (ANN) of conventional rainfed cultivation showed that 6 input layers, 7 hidden layers with 10 hidden neurons and 1 output parameter were selected as the best structure. R2 and RMSE for fuel consumption were 0.95 and 43.65, respectively. As a result, the ANN results show higher accuracy than the Cobb-Douglas model.

Water Use Efficiency in Young Citrus Trees on Metalized UV Reflective Mulch Compared to Bare Ground

A precise estimation of plant water use is crucial for efficient irrigation management and understanding of plant–water interactions. Metalized-polyethylene mulch as a ground cover, combined with irrigation management, can improve water and fertilizer use, efficiency growth, and yield of young citrus trees, compared to bare ground. Thus, a study was undertaken to (i) compare daily water use, using the stem heat balance (SHB) method on ≤4-year-old citrus trees using three irrigation methods, and (ii) to determine soil moisture content, as well as total available soil water (TASW) in the irrigated zone. Three irrigation methods, regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), conventional drip irrigation (CD), and microsprinkler irrigation (MS), were applied on two sandy soils in central and southwest Florida with treatments further split between trees grown on 2.4 m mulched beds (M) and bare ground (NM) to form a factorial design. Measurements included sap flow, canopy size, leaf area index (LAI) and soil moisture. The result of this study shows greater values for the trunk cross-sectional area, canopy volume and LAI for both mulch treatments, in comparison to bare ground treatments. The sap flow data suggest that RDI resulted in higher water use than both CD and MS. The hourly sap flow was 120, 99 and 163% greater in M-RDI than M-CD, NM-CD and NM-MS, respectively. Mulched ground cover showed a higher soil moisture average at all soil layers (8-, 15- and 45-cm depth). For instance, the mulched ground cover showed higher soil moisture (37%) at a 15 cm depth at the Entisol site, followed by 30% at a 45 cm depth and 25.3% at depth 45 cm for the Spodosol site. The TASW values varied between 100 to 136% for both mulch and bare ground treatments. The irrigation systems used showed water contents close to field capacity, indicating that water was not limiting despite the different irrigation schedules. The high-water uptake is ascribed to frequent irrigation applications and pulses, and improved water distribution in the irrigated zone as a result of the mulch. These findings demonstrate the potential of metalized-polyethylene mulch and regulated drip irrigation to enhance water use efficiency.

Effect of Irrigation with Treated Wastewater on Squash Yields, Soil Chemical and Microbial Properties

n this study, the effects of irrigation with treated wastewater (TWW) on soil chemical, microbiological, and yield of squash were investigated. Squash seedlings (Cucurbita pepo) were irrigated using conventional irrigation water (CIW), treated wastewater (TWW), and blended irrigation water (BIW). The drip irrigation system was used to irrigate Squash with CIW, TWW, and BIW. The concentration of all chemical and microbial irrigation water characteristics was falling within the limits of Jordanian standards (JS893/2021), except for turbidity and boron. Pathogens indicators such as Salmonella, and Helminth eggs were not found in TWW. TWW-irrigated plots had significant differences in electrical conductivity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). Total coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) contents increased significantly within TWW-irrigated plots. Squash’s fresh yield weight irrigated with TWW showed no significant difference compared with CIW. TWW and BIW treatments had a tendency toward lower fruit numbers than CIW. E. coli was not significantly different on the surface of squash fruits, while Total coliform increased significantly for fruits within the TWW-irrigated plots.

Evaluation of Postoperative Pain with Endoactivator and Conventional Syringe Irrigation in Single Rooted Teeth

Numerous irrigant activation devices have been produced that may affect the postoperative pain in addition to manual activation techniques during the final irrigation operation. Objective: To evaluate the postoperative pain after using EndoActivator and conventional syringe irrigation protocol in single rooted teeth. Methods: Patients 18-60 years old with either gender who had symptomatic or asymptomatic apical periodontitis in single-rooted teeth with irreversible pulpitis were included in the study. Fifty patients were randomly chosen and divided into two groups i.e Experimental (EndoActivator irrigation) and control (Conventional needle). Post-operative pain was assessed using a VAS at 24 hours, 3 days, and 7 days. Results: Male patients were 13 (52.0%) and 10 (40.0%) and female patients were 12 (48.0%) and 15 (60.0%) with mean age of 33.68 ± 10.13 and 33.64 ± 12.34 years in group A and group B respectively. Post-operative assessment of pain at 24hrs was: no pain 9 (36.0%) and 7 (28.0%), mild pain 10 (40.0%) and 11 (44.0%), moderate pain 6 (24.0%) and 4 (16.0%) patients, severe pain 0 (0.0%) and 3 (12.0%), on day 3rd: no pain 17 (68.0%) and 13 (52.0%), mild pain 7 (28.0%) and 11 (44.0%). moderate pain 1 (4.0%) and 1 (4.0%) and on day 7th no pain 23 (92.0%) and 23 (92.0%) and mild pain 2 (8.0%) and 2 (8.0%) patients in group A and group B respectively. Conclusions: There was no significant difference in effectiveness of both irrigation systems

Optimal planting pattern of cotton is regulated by irrigation amount under mulch drip irrigation.

It is of great importance to explore agronomic management measures for water conservation and cotton yield in arid areas. A four-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate cotton yield and soil water consumption under four row spacing configurations (high/low density with 66+10 cm wide, narrow row spacing, RS66+10H and RS66+10L; high/low density with 76 cm equal row spacing, RS76H and RS76L) and two irrigation amounts (CI:conventional drip irrigation; LI:limited drip irrigation) during the growing seasons in Shihezi, Xinjiang. A quadratic relationship was observed between the maximum LAI (LAImax) and seed yield. Canopy apparent transpiration rate(CAT), daily water consumption intensity (DWCI) and crop evapotranspiration (ETC) were positively and linearly correlated with LAI. The seed yields, lint yields, and ETC under CI were 6.6-18.3%,7.1-20.8% and 22.9-32.6%higher than those observed under LI, respectively. The RS66+10H under CI had the highest seed and lint yields. RS76L had an optimum LAImax range, which ensured a higher canopy apparent photosynthesis and daily dry matter accumulation and reached the same yield level as RS66+10H; however, soil water consumption in RS76L was reduced ETC by 51-60 mm at a depth of 20-60 cm at a radius of 19-38 cm from the cotton row,and water use efficiency increased by 5.6-8.3%compared to RS66+10H under CI. A 5.0<LAImax<5.5 is optimum for cotton production in northern Xinjiang, and RS76L under CI is recommended for high yield and can further reduce water consumption. Under LI, the seed and lint yield of RS66+10H were 3.7-6.0% and 4.6-6.9% higher than those of RS76L, respectively. In addition, high-density planting can exploit the potential of soil water to increase cotton yields under water shortage conditions.

Weed community changes in saffron+chickpea intercropping under different irrigation management.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is among the world's most expensive crops; nevertheless, it struggles to compete with weeds. Non-chemical farming practices, such as intercropping and reduced irrigation, can help to decrease weed problems. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the changes in the weed density, biomass and weed diversity under saffron-chickpea intercropping system with two irrigation regimes. The study's treatments included two irrigation regimes, namely one-time irrigation and conventional irrigation (carried out four times from October through May), and six planting ratios of saffron and chickpea, namely saffron sole-crop (C1), chickpea sole-crop (C2) in eight rows, 1:1 (C3), 2:2 (C4), 2:1 (C5), and 3:1 (C6)] as main and sub-plots, respectively. The result showed that the conventional irrigation regimes increased weed diversity, however, it didn't affect the Pielou index. Intercropping ratios decreased weed diversity compared to saffron and chickpea mono-cropping systems. The interaction effect of treatments was significant for weed density and weed biomass. In most intercropping ratios, weed density and weed biomass decreased under one-time irrigation regimes. The lowest values for weed density and biomass were observed with an average of 15.5 plants/m2 and 37.51 g/m2, respectively, under the one-time irrigation regime with C4 intercropping systems. This intercropping system did not show a significant difference with C3. Overall, the results indicate that a one-time irrigation regime and intercropping with chickpea, specifically with a 1:1 saffron-chickpea ratio (C3) and a 2:2 saffron-chickpea ratio (C4), could be effective strategies for weed management in saffron in semiarid cropping systems.

Enhancement growth, water use efficiency and economic benefit for maize by drip irrigation in Northwest China

The application of drip irrigation has been paid more and more attention, but there was lack of systematic comparative analysis between drip irrigation and conventional border irrigation method for maize, currently. A 7-year field study from 2015 to 2021 evaluated the effects of drip irrigation (DI, 540 mm) or conventional border irrigation method (BI, 720 mm) on maize growth, water use efficiency (WUE) as well as profitability. The results showed the plant height, leaf area index, yield, WUE and economic benefit of maize with DI had significantly higher than BI. The dry matter translocation, the dry matter transfer efficiency and contribution of dry matter translocation to grain with DI showed significant increase of 27.44%, 13.97% and 7.85% compared to BI, respectively. In comparison to conventional border irrigation, the yield of drip irrigation increased by 14.39%, as well as WUE and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) increased by 53.77% and 57.89%. The net return and economic benefit of drip irrigation was 1998.87 and 756.58 USD$ hm−1 higher than that of BI. Drip irrigation increased net return and benefit/cost ratio by 60.90% and 22.88% compared with BI. These results demonstrate that the drip irrigation can effectively improve the growth, yield, WUE and economic benefit of maize in northwest China. Therefore, drip irrigation can be used for maize cultivation to increase crop yield and WUE in northwest China, which has cut down on irrigation water about 180 mm.

Determination of the Effect of Different Irrigation Regimes on Some Quality Properties of Cucumber

This study aimed to examine the effects of varying levels of deficit irrigation applied through partial root drying (PRD) and conventional deficit irrigation on some parameters of cucumber plant such as fresh and dried biomass, plant stem diameter, number of leaf, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight, water soluble dry matter (WSDM). Seven irrigation treatments (DI75, APRD75, FPRD75, DI50, APRD50, FPRD50) were examined together with the control treatment (FULL). The irrigation water of the treatments DI75, APRD75 and FPRD75 are 25% less than the FULL treatment. The irrigation water of the DI50, APRD50 and FPRD50 treatments is 50% less than the FULL treatment. DI75 and DI50 are traditional deficit irrigation applications in which both sides of the plant root zone are wetted. In APRD75 and APRD50 treatments, one half of the plant root zone is wetted and the other half is left dry and the wet/dry parts are switched in each irrigation application. In FPRD75 and FPRD50 treatments, one half of the plant root zone is wetted and the other half is left dry for a fixed period during the entire season. It has been revealed that 25% and 50% water deficit levels affect the amount of biomass as a result of the application of conventional deficit irrigation and partial root drying (PRD) techniques when compared to the FULL treatment. However, it has been found that the parameters such as plant stem diameter, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight and WSDM are not affected. When the results obtained in the research are evaluated; it has been observed that water application techniques (DI, APRD, FPRD) have a significant effect on both plant development and yield when the same amount of water is given. As irrigation water constraint increases, the yield has been found to decrease. However, the decrease in the amount of irrigation water and the decrease in yield have not been the same. Research aiming to save irrigation water is increasingly important, especially in arid and semi-arid regions where water is scarce and expensive. In this regard, the fact that the decrease in yield remains smaller than the rate of decrease in irrigation water can be seen as an advantage of PRD treatments.

Economic Analysis of Edible Sugarcane Cultivation under Drip and Non-drip Method of Irrigation in Tamil Nadu: A Field Level Study

This article attempts to investigate the effects of growing edible sugarcane using the drip as well as the conventional irrigation method with the help of field-level survey data collected in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This research investigates edible irrigated sugarcane in light of the rapid fall in irrigation water potential and low water-use efficiency in non-edible, flood-irrigated sugarcane cultivation. Using drip irrigation for growing edible sugarcane not only helps to conserve water, but also boosts crop yields. When comparing drip- and flood-irrigated edible sugarcane farming, the study indicated that the former used around 37 percent less water and the latter made about 103 percent more money. Also, compared with the more conventional flood method of irrigation (FMI), edible sugarcane grown with drip method of irrigation (DMI) reduces electricity costs by roughly 51 percent. DMI farmers had a higher gross cost of cultivation, water and electricity savings, gross value of output, productivity, and profitability from growing edible sugarcane. Finally, the study recommends that the benefits of sugarcane cultivation under drip irrigation be disseminated among farmers as soon as possible by bolstering quality extension service programmes, awareness campaigns, and providing extensive publicity on a continual basis to reduce farmer misery.

Effectiveness of Six Irrigation Techniques With Sodium Hypochlorite in Tissue Dissolution.

Complete removal of pulp tissue by mechanical instrumentation remains a challenge. The study aimed to assess the efficacy of six irrigation techniques using 3% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in dissolving tissue. Materials and methods: Seventy standardized fragments of bovine muscle tissue were divided into seven groups and exposed to different irrigation devices, with a maximum of 10 minutes of irrigation at room temperature. The devices included erbium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser (LightWalker® ST-E; Fotona d.o.o., Ljubljana, Slovenia), erbium, chromium-doped yttrium, scandium, gallium and garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) laser A (EdgePRO™; Biolase Technology Inc., San Clemente, California, United States), Er,Cr:YSGG laser B (WaterLase iPlus®; Biolase, California, United States), multisonic ultracleaning system (MUS) GentleWave® system with CleanFlow™ handpiece (Sonendo, Inc., Laguna Hills, California, United States), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), EndoUltra ultrasonic activator (Vista Apex Dental Products, Racine, Wisconsin, United States), and conventional needle irrigation (CNI), a 29G NaviTip irrigation needle at a flow rate of 5 mL/min (Ultradent Products, Inc., Utah, United States), with 3% NaOCl without agitation as the control. For samples that dissolved completely within 10 minutes, the dissolution time was recorded, and for other samples, the tissue weight was measured after the 10-minute irrigation experiment. The tissue dissolution rate (%/s) was calculated for all experiments. Results: MUS had the fastest tissue dissolution rate (P < 0.01), at 2.986% ± 0.395% per second. The laser systems had dissolution rates of 0.388% ± 0.062% per second for Er:YAG laser, 0.316% ± 0.042% for Er,Cr:YSGG laser A, and 0.258% ± 0.018% for Er,Cr:YSGG laser B. CNI and PUI showed the slowest tissue dissolution rates. Conclusions: MUS with CleanFlow, followed by Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG lasers, achieved a significantly faster tissue dissolution rate than conventional irrigation methods of PUI and CNI tested. MUS with CleanFlow can greatly improve the effectiveness of NaOCl in tissue dissolution.

Photo-induced photoacoustic streaming and pineapple peel extract as final irrigant on extrusion bond strength of root filling material to canal wall.

Photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) with pineapple peel extract (PPE) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as a final endodontic irrigant on the push-out bond strength (PBS) of root filling material to conventional irrigation NaOCl with EDTA. An in vitro study at Dar Al Uloom University was conducted over three months. Root canal preparation was performed. Based on final irrigation, all the specimens were divided randomly into four groups (n=10) Group 1: 2.25% NaOCl+ 17% EDTA (control), Group-2: 2.25% NaOCl+PIPS + 6.25% PPE, Group-3: 2.25% NaOCl+PIPS + 17% EDTA, Group-4: 2.25% NaOCl + 6.25% PPE. Canals were obturated and sealed with AH Plus sealer. Root sectioning was performed at 1mm thickness and PBS testing was performed using the universal testing machine. The debonded samples were analyzed for failure mode. ANOVA compared the means and standard deviations (SD) of all investigated group. Assessment of multiple comparisons was performed using Tukey's post hoc test. The maximum PBS was demonstrated by the coronal section of Group-2 (2.25%NaOCl +PIPS+6.25%PPE) specimens (8.21±0.81MPa). The apical section of Group-1 (2.25% NaOCl+17% EDTA) specimens demonstrated minimum bond strength (2.80±0.18 MPa). The intergroup comparison revealed that Group-3 (2.25% NaOCl +PIPS +17% EDTA) and Group-2 demonstrated comparable outcomes (p>0.05). Group-4 (2.25% NaOCl +6.25% PPE) specimens established significantly lower values than Group-3 and Group-4 (p<0.05). Photon-induced photoacoustic streaming with pineapple peel extract and EDTA demonstrated better bond strength of root canal sealer and have the potential to be used as the final irrigant.

Evaluating the effect of different irrigation activation techniques on the dentin tubules penetration of two different root canal sealers by laser scanning confocal microscopy.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of different irrigation activation techniques on the dentin tubules penetration of two different sealers by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). A hundred premolar teeth were used in this study. The root canals were shaped and irrigated with 5% NaOCl and 17% EDTA using the following final irrigation activation techniques in each group; Group1: Conventional Syringe Irrigation (CSI), Group2: Passive Ultrasonic Irrigation (PUI), Group3: Apical Negative Pressure (EndoVac), Group4: Er:YAG laser and Group5: Er,Cr:YSGG laser. Then the teeth were separated two subgroups according to sealers (AH-Plus and Totalfill-BC). Horizontal sections were obtained at 2, 5, 8 mm distance of apex. Images were obtained with CLSM and the penetration areas of sealers were calculated with four different dentin tubule penetration assessment techniques. The data were statistically analyzed with Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney U tests. No significant difference was observed between the sealers (p > .05). EndoVac, Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG laser activation groups were observed to have a significantly higher mean penetration depth, penetration percentage and penetration area than the Control group. There was a significant difference between all regions in all penetration parameters (p < .05). While the use of resin or bioceramic-based root canal sealers did not affect dentin tubule penetration, the use of activation techniques positively affect the dentin tubule penetration. The average tubule penetration and penetration area assessment techniques are suitable methods for the investigation of dentinal tubule penetration. It can be stated that the use of resin or bioceramic based root canal sealers does not affect dentin tubule penetration and the use of irrigation activation techniques during removal of the smear layer positively affects dentinal tubule penetration. In addition, it has been determined that the average tubule penetration and penetration area assessment techniques are suitable methods for the investigation of dentinal tubule penetration.

Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Application in Endodontics.

The failure of endodontic treatment is frequently associated with the presence of remaining microorganisms, mainly due to the difficulty of eliminating the biofilm and the limitation of conventional irrigation solutions. Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTPP) has been suggested for many applications in the medical field and can be applied directly to biological surfaces or indirectly through activated liquids. This literature review aims to evaluate the potential of NTPP application in Endodontics. A search in the databases Lilacs, Pubmed, and Ebsco was performed. Seventeen manuscripts published between 2007 and 2022 that followed our established inclusion criteria were found. The selected manuscripts evaluated the use of NTPP regarding its antimicrobial activity, in the direct exposure and indirect method, i.e., plasma-activated liquid. Of these, 15 used direct exposure. Different parameters, such as working gas and distance from the apparatus to the substrate, were evaluated in vitro and ex vivo. NTPP showed a disinfection property against important endodontic microorganisms, mainly Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans. The antimicrobial potential was dependent on plasma exposure time, with the highest antimicrobial effects over eight minutes of exposure. Interestingly, the association of NTPP and conventional antimicrobial solutions, in general, was shown to be more effective than both treatments separately. This association showed antimicrobial results with a short plasma exposure time, what could be interesting in clinical practice. However, considering the lack of standardization of the direct exposure parameters and few studies about plasma-activated liquids, more studies in the area for endodontic purposes are still required.

Grain yield and N uptake of maize in response to increased plant density under reduced water and nitrogen supply conditions

The development of modern agriculture requires the reduction of water and chemical N fertilizer inputs. Increasing the planting density can maintain higher yields, but also consumes more of these restrictive resources. However, whether an increased maize density can compensate for the negative effects of reduced water and N supply on grain yield and N uptake in the arid irrigated areas remains unknown. This study is part of a long-term positioning trial that started in 2016. A split-split plot field experiment of maize was implemented in the arid irrigated area of northwestern China in 2020 to 2021. The treatments included two irrigation levels: local conventional irrigation reduced by 20% (W1, 3,240 m3 ha–1) and local conventional irrigation (W2, 4,050 m3 ha–1); two N application rates: local conventional N reduced by 25% (N1, 270 kg ha–1) and local conventional N (360 kg ha–1); and three planting densities: local conventional density (D1, 75,000 plants ha–1), density increased by 30% (D2, 97,500 plants ha–1), and density increased by 60% (D3, 120,000 plants ha–1). Our results showed that the grain yield and aboveground N accumulation of maize were lower under the reduced water and N inputs, but increasing the maize density by 30% can compensate for the reductions of grain yield and aboveground N accumulation caused by the reduced water and N supply. When water was reduced while the N application rate remained unchanged, increasing the planting density by 30% enhanced grain yield by 13.9% and aboveground N accumulation by 15.3%. Under reduced water and N inputs, increasing the maize density by 30% enhanced N uptake efficiency and N partial factor productivity, and it also compensated for the N harvest index and N metabolic related enzyme activities. Compared with W2N2D1, the N uptake efficiency and N partial factor productivity increased by 28.6 and 17.6% under W1N1D2. W1N2D2 had 8.4% higher N uptake efficiency and 13.9% higher N partial factor productivity than W2N2D1. W1N2D2 improved urease activity and nitrate reductase activity by 5.4% at the R2 (blister) stage and 19.6% at the V6 (6th leaf) stage, and increased net income and the benefit:cost ratio by 22.1 and 16.7%, respectively. W1N1D2 and W1N2D2 reduced the nitrate nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen contents at the R6 stage in the 40–100 cm soil layer, compared with W2N2D1. In summary, increasing the planting density by 30% can compensate for the loss of grain yield and aboveground N accumulation under reduced water and N inputs. Meanwhile, increasing the maize density by 30% improved grain yield and aboveground N accumulation when water was reduced by 20% while the N application rate remained constant in arid irrigation areas.

Effect of different final irrigation agitation techniques on root canal dentin tubule penetration of nanoparticle calcium hydroxide dressing.

This study is aimed to assess the efficacy of different final irrigation agitation techniques on dentin tubule penetration of nanoparticle calcium hydroxide (NCH) dressing. Ninety-six extracted upper incisors were shaped up to #40file. Then, Four experimental groups were formed according to the final irrigation procedure: conventional needle irrigation (CNI), manual dynamic agitation (MDA), sonic agitation (SA) and ultrasonic irrigant agitation (UIA). According to the intracanal drug used, these groups were divided into two subgroups: calcium hydroxide (CH) and NCH. Prepared CH preparations were labelled with Rhodamine B, and CH or NCH were placed in root canals. In the UIA group, both CH and NCH had the highest penetration depth and percentage compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). The penetration depth and percentage of NCH in the UIA and SA groups were significantly higher than in the CH groups (p < 0.05). UIA is more effective than other groups in increasing dentinal tubule penetration of CH and NCH.