Polyethylene Sheets Research Articles

Shielding Cosmic Ray Muon using Copper and Aluminium Sheets Composited with Polyethylene Sheets for a Better Protection

Muons are usually among the most common secondary cosmic ray particles on Earth's surface. Muon research has confirmed their occurrence in a variety of locales. It has been claimed that cosmic radiation in general, and muons in particular, have disastrous consequences on biological things and electrical components on Earth and in space. According to medical sources, cosmic rays have been linked to many ailments affecting people and other creatures. Because of these issues, cosmic ray shielding has become a crucial component of this and comparative studies. Muons emitted by cosmic rays were detected using a muon telescope made of coaxial Geiger-Muller (GM) tubes. This experiment was carried out within the muon lab of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in Malaysia to examine how the cosmic ray muon count fluctuates with the shielding of metals (Copper (Cu) and Aluminium (Al)) and polyethylene. The measured muon count for each metal sample was statistically analysed. Using both metals as shielding in this experiment revealed that adding additional Cu and Al sheets reduced the muon count. Generally, the numbers drop as the thickness increases. The results suggest that Cu outperforms Al in shielding efficacy (19% vs 16%). Because Cu has a more significant density than Al, the correlation coefficient R2 for Cu = 0.9372 is greater than R2 for Al = 0.6593, indicating that the trend for Cu is better than the trend for Al in this experiment. To study the shielding capabilities of the two composites, Al/PE and Cu/PE, ten sheets of Polyethylene (PE) were gradually put individually between the Al and Cu sheets. The results showed that PE sheets slightly increased cosmic ray shielding.

Mesh-shelters provide more effective long-term protection than tube-shelters or mulching for restoration of Pinus halepensis in a Mediterranean arid ecosystem

Forest restoration is challenging in arid and semiarid lands. Research has identified ecotechnologies that may alleviate stressful conditions of planted seedlings, but studies are often limited to the first few years of regeneration establishment. Over 20 years, we tested the effects of tree shelters (mesh- and tube-shelters) and competition suppression (two types of synthetic mulch and manual weeding) on soil water content and development of Pinus halepensis on an arid site in southeastern Spain. Competition suppression increased soil water content at shallow depths only using a polyethylene sheet, with no effect on survival. Tree shelters had a much greater effect than competition suppression on tree responses. Survival was mostly affected by shelter type, with lower survival in tube-shelters compared to mesh-shelters and non-protected seedlings; differences began after the first year, but became more pronounced following an intense drought at 3 years. Survival for pines protected by mesh-shelters was significantly higher than for non-protected seedlings beginning at 6 years, and mortality did not stabilize until 15 years. After 20 years, survival ranked in order of mesh-shelters (57.5%), non-sheltered (46%), and tube-shelters (29.5%). Effects of shelter type on growth response over time followed an opposite pattern, with differences declining when pines outgrew the height of the shelter after 3 years. The response of pines to tube-shelters could be explained by the microenvironmal differences among vertical protection and its effects on a shade intolerant species such as Pinus halepensis: survival depletion is provoked probably by a reduction in root growth under the shaded conditions of tubes. On the other side, growth and morphology response could be partially explained by differences in light, but response of pines in mesh also points towards a reduction of wind pressure that precludes stem growth in thickness. Competition suppression had no effect on pine growth. Lack of response to main effects of competition suppression treatments can be attributed to the minimum changes of soil water content to mulching or weeding under arid conditions. Thus, 20 years after planting, tube-shelters and competition suppression treatments were relatively ineffective at improving survival or growth of P. halepensis. Mesh-shelters are recommended as the most effective protection method for restoration under arid site conditions.

Knowledge of Farmers About Farm Pond Covered Under Krishi Bhagya Yojane in Karnataka

The study was undertaken in Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada districts of Karnataka on 80 farmers during 2020-21 to assess the farmers’ knowledge about farm ponds as part of the Krishi Bhagya Yojane (KBY). The primary data on farmers’ knowledge about farm ponds under Krishi Bhagya Yojane was acquired by employing schedule developed for it. All the farmers had knowledge of KBY as a ‘scheme for storing runoff water’, ‘funded by Government of Karnataka’ and ‘Raitha Samparka Kendra as contact office’. Large majority the farmers (98.75%) had knowledge about ‘farm pond, polythene sheet, diesel engine and sprinkler set components’ and 86.25 per cent of farmers had knowledge about ‘polythene sheet to prevent percolation’. 97.50% of farmers had knowledge about ‘subsidy given for all the farmers’ and majority of farmers (87.50%) had knowledge about subsidy given for ‘dugout of farm pond. Knowledge was positively significant with education, economic motivation and area under commercial agriculture, extension contact, mass media exposure, cropping intensity and area under irrigation. 48.70 per cent of variation in knowledge was explained by all the independent variables selected for the study.

Verification of Interpretability of Phase-Resolved Partial Discharge Using a CNN With SHAP

Deep neural networks can be used to distinguish partial discharge (PD) signals despite their complexity. This study analyzes the appropriateness of interpreting phase-resolved partial discharge (PRPD) signals using a convolutional neural network (CNN) through the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method. The generated PRPD signals were accumulated by applying AC voltage to four types of electrodes with a polyethylene sheet, followed by their conversion into scattered images to construct a classification model, CNN. The SHAP values for each pixel in the test images were then calculated. The result indicated that the pixels around the 0 V line retained high absolute SHAP values in every label, and the average of the summation of absolute SHAP values over all labels and all test images, which indicates the weight of each pixel, shows a similar tendency. Additionally, insight tests of the two CNN models were conducted, and the results showed that some structural defects could be detected by visualizing the SHAP values for each pixel. Finally, the verification of parameter-and-data vulnerability showed that SHAP has sufficient endurance against some types of instability in the data and model. Although the SHAP method lacks a perfect causal model because of its origin, the results imply that in appropriate use cases, weights on classifications of PD signals could be described by SHAP’s interpretability.

First report of rice bacterial leaf blight and grain discolouration caused by Pantoea agglomerans in India

A disease survey was carried out in Tamil Nadu, India during 2021 to assess the prevalence of diseases in major rice-growing areas and characterise the pathogens associated with infected plants. During the survey, rice plants at the seedling to grain-filling stage showing water-soaked, elongated, light brown lesions in the leaf margins and tips (Figure 1) were collected along with grains in a polythene bag, labelled and sealed. Leaves showing yellowing and drying from tips and margins were cut into small pieces, surface-sterilised in 1% sodium hypochlorite for one minute, rinsed three times with sterile distilled water and then allowed to air dry. After drying, the tissues were soaked for 30 minutes at room temperature in 0.5 ml of sterile distilled water and then a loop full of suspension was streaked onto nutrient agar (NA) medium. For the isolation of pathogen from infected seed, discoloured grain samples were surface sterilised in 3% sodium hypochlorite for one minute, rinsed thrice with sterile distilled water and allowed to air dry. Surface-sterilised grains were placed in a Petri plate containing NA medium. These plates were incubated at 28°C for one to two days. Upon incubation, straw to yellow-coloured colonies emerged. The colonies were further purified through single colony isolation on NA. The purified colonies were yellow in colour, translucent and undulate. (Figure 2.) The colonies exhibited umbonate surfaces with slightly concave centres (Al-Kidsawey et al., 2020; Delétoile et al., 2009). The pathogenicity of the isolates was demonstrated by inoculation of isolates on rice seedlings (cv. Co 39). For this, bacterial isolates were incubated in nutrient broth for 48 hours at 27°C. The bacterial suspension was adjusted to a concentration of 109 cfu/ml by adding sterile water. The bacterium was inoculated by cutting the tip (about 3 to 4 cm) of the fully expanded uppermost leaf with scissors and dipping in the bacterial suspension. Controls used sterile distilled water instead of the bacterial suspension. The inoculated plants were covered with polythene sheet overnight and incubated under laboratory conditions. The inoculated leaves developed progressive necrosis with colour shifts from pale green to brown within 3 to 14 days post inoculation, whereas the control plants exhibited no symptoms. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by isolating the bacterium on NA which produced yellow, flat to convex translucent colonies after 48 hours incubation. The bacterium was further subjected to biochemical tests using the KB002 HiAssorted Biochemical Test Kit (Himedia, Germany). The bacterium showed a positive reaction for citrate utilisation, phenylalanine deamination, nitrate reduction, glucose and arabinose utilization. It showed a negative reaction to lysine utilisation, ornithine utilization, urease, H2S production, adonitol, lactose and sorbitol utilization. Based on the morphological characters and biochemical tests, the bacterium was identified as a Pantoea sp. To further characterise the pathogen, DNA extraction was done, and a PCR assay was performed using universal primers 27F and 1492R targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Sequencing of the amplicon revealed that the bacterial isolates had 93.7% identity with Pantoea agglomerans type strain SGAir0210 (GenBank Accession No. CP028033.1). The partial 16S rRNA gene sequences of two strains of P. agglomerans were deposited in GenBank (OP784578 and OP784743). Pantoea agglomerans causing bacterial leaf blight and glume discolouration has been reported from Brazil, South Korea, Turkey and Venezuela (Aksoy & Boluk, 2019; Carrer Filho et al., 2018; González et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2010). Pantoea agglomerans also causes infection in humans (Al-Kidsawey et al., 2020; Delétoile et al., 2009)). Bacterial leaf blight in rice caused by P. stewartii subsp. indologenes has been reported from Tamil Nadu, India (Vinodhini et al., 2017). However, to our knowledge, this is the first report of P. agglomerans causing rice leaf blight and grain discolouration in India. Further studies are needed to ascertain the prevalence of P. agglomerans in commercial rice cultivars in other parts of India. We gratefully acknowledge the facilities provided by DST-FIST Lab, Department of Plant Pathology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.

Recycled high-density polyethylene plastic reinforced with ilmenite as a sustainable radiation shielding material.

In this work, recycled high-density polyethylene plastic (r-HDPE) reinforced with ilmenite mineral (Ilm) in different ratios (0, 15, 30, and 45 wt%) as a sustainable and flexible radiation shielding material was manufactured using the melt blending method. XRD patterns and FTIR spectra demonstrated that the polymer composite sheets were successfully developed. The morphology and elemental composition were addressed using SEM images and EDX spectra. Moreover, the mechanical characteristics of the prepared sheets were also studied. The gamma-ray attenuation characteristics for established r-HDPE + x% Ilm composite sheets were theoretically computed between 0.015 and 15 MeV using Phy-X/PSD software. Also, the mass attenuation coefficients have been compared to their values by the WinXCOM program. It is also shown that the shielding performance of the r-HDPE + 45% Ilm composite sheet is significantly greater than that of r-HDPE. As a result, the ilmenite-incorporated recycled high-density polyethylene sheets are suited for medical and industrial radiation shielding applications.

Effect of polyethylene sheet colour and in situ solarization durations on the phytosociological structures of the predominant weeds in humid environment of southern Nigeria.

High humidity favours the proliferation of a wide range of weed species. Studying the phytosociological attributes of weeds in a humid area provides insight into the dynamism and relative importance of each weed species peculiar to the area which is very important in understanding crop-weed interrelationships and highlights the bases for effective management stratages. An experiment was conducted in 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons at the Department of Crop Science Teaching and Research Farm, University of Calabar, to identify the predominant weeds in the farm area and assess their responses to polyethylene colour and soil solarization duration. The experiment was a factorial combination of two polyethylene colour (black and transparent) and five in situ soil solarization durations (0, 8, 12, 16 and 48 weeks), laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were collected on the phytosociological characteristics of the weeds on four weekly intervals up to the twentieth week. The predominant weeds identified in the experimental area were Eragrostis ciliaris L., Cynodoon dactylon L., Panicum maximum Jacq., Axonopus compressus Beav., Kyllinga bulbosa Beav. and Kyllinga erecta Schum., Gloriosa superba L., Ipomoea involuncrata P., Calapogonium mucunoides Desv., Aspillia bussei O. Hoff, Ageratum conyzoides L., Phyllantus amarus Schum., Caldum bicolor Vent., Triumfeta rhomboidea Jacq., Cleome rutidosperma DC., Euphorbia heterophylla L., Mitracarpos villosus DC., Oldenladia. herbacea L. The relative density of Caladum bicolor was higher across the treatment in both years, reaching up to 37.7 % in the plot solarized for 16 weeks using black polyethylene, followed by P. maximum with upto 18.40 % in 2019 and Gloriosa superba (20.50 %) in 2020. The highest Important Value Index was recorded by Caladum bicolor reaching up to 28.7 % in the plot solarized for 16 weeks using black polyethylene. The lowest species variation was recorded in the plots solarized for 16 to 48 weeks irrespective of the polyethylene colour. In situ solarization of up to sixteen weeks using black polyethylene effectively controlled majority of the weed species in both years and is recommended for effective weed suppression in cassava farms in humid environment.

Effect of mulch materials on potato production and soil properties in high hill of Parbat, Gandaki Province, Nepal

An experiment for two consecutive years (2017 and 2018) was conducted to evaluate the use of mulching materials in increasing productivity and profitability of potato production. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five different mulching materials including control replicated for four times namely, banmara (Agertina adenophora) weed (T1), black polythene sheet (T2), white polythene sheet (T3), commercially used mulch paper having black color outside and silver color inside (T4) and farmers practice (T5) as a control with no mulch. The research result revealed that all the mulching materials significantly (p value ≤ 0.05) increased tuber yield and yield attributing characters of potato as compared with control (no mulch). The highest tuber yield was obtained from mulching with commercial mulch paper followed by mulching with black polythene sheet in both years. Mulching with banmara also produced significantly (p value ≤ 0.01) higher tuber yield than no mulch plot in the year 2017 and 2018. Mulching practices significantly (p value ≤ 0.05) improved the soil available phosphorus. The incremental benefit cost ratio was highest (2.97) in the mulched with banmara followed by commercial mulch paper (2.12). The banmara mulch was also profitable with comparatively higher tuber yield.

Hydrogen Recovery from Waste Aluminum–Plastic Composites Treated with Alkaline Solution

An alternative solution to the problem of aluminum-plastic multilayer waste utilization was suggested. The process can be used for hydrogen generation and layer separation. Three different sorts of aluminum-plastic sandwich materials were treated with an alkali solution. In the temperature range of 50-70 °C, for tablet blisters of polyvinylchloride and aluminum (14.8 wt.%), the latter thoroughly reacted in 15-30 min. For sheets of paper, polyethylene, and aluminum (20 wt.%), full hydrogen 'recovery' from reacted aluminum component took 3-8 min. From the lids of polyethylene terephthalate, aluminum (60 wt.%), and painted polyethylene with perforations, the aluminum was consumed after 45-105 min. The effect of perforations was the reduction of the process duration from nearly 90 min for the lids with no perforations to nearly 45 min for the perforated ones (at 70 °C). Perforations provided better contact between the aluminum foil, isolated between the plastic layers, and the alkali solution. Hydrogen bubbles originating near those perforations provided foil separation from the upper painted plastic layer by creating gas gaps between them. The remaining components of the composite multilayer materials were separated and ready for further recycling.

Design a steam chamber to avoid over gelatinization thus producing straight and single form of rice noodles strings

Over gelatinization of extruded rice noodles during open wet steam cooking is a major problem in the food processing industry and occurs due to the condensation of water droplets that come into contact with noodle strings during the steaming process. This issue may arise due to the presence of stuck noodles in the finished product. Therefore, 5 prototype designs; wooden frame enclosed with polythene sheet (A), wooden frame enclosed with gray cloth (B), wooden frame enclosed with a plywood sheet with two steam inlets in the galvanized door (C), wooden frame enclosed with plywood sheet with multiple steam inlets in the galvanized door (D), and completely enclosed galvanized chamber were made (E). All steam chambers had multiple steam inlets in lateral walls except the chamber with gray cloth. Red rice noodles were prepared from the combination (16% w/w moisture, 200 μm, water at ambient temperature (30±2°C), control atmosphere, 20 min) and fed into five different types of prototype designs to complete the cooking (gelatinization) process. The performance of the five prototype designs was evaluated in terms of the percentage of dried noodles coming out of each design in a single straight form. According to the results, the percentage of dried noodles coming out of each design was (A-50.0±7.1%, B-15.0±5.0%, C-15.0±5.0%, D-50.0±7.1%, E-77.5±4.3% w/w) analyzed. The mean values of all designs revealed that the effective prototype design was “design E” (steam chamber consisted of a completely enclosed galvanized chamber with multiple steam inlets in the two lateral sides). It was able to produce a higher percentage of straight single noodles when compared to other designs. In conclusion, design E is the effective steam chamber to produce straight single rice noodles for the market. The design of a steam chamber is also a very important aspect to avoid over gelatinization thus producing straight and single form of rice noodles strings.

A data-driven approach to low-enthalpy shallow geothermal energy extraction: A case study on indoor heating for precision agriculture applications

Shallow geothermal energy systems utilize the upper layers of the ground to provide space heating and cooling, with a relatively high efficiency. The research presented aims to assess the potential harnessing of this source and applying it for indoor conditioning of a precision agriculture facility. An experimental phase was conducted to measure the temperature of the ground at 0.75 m, 1.5 m, 2.25 m, and 3.0 m. Field testing was performed employing two probes; one uncovered and a second insulated with a polyethylene sheet, to evaluate the effect soil water content variations exert over the soil temperature. It was found that, given the high permeability and good drainage of the soil material, water content is not statistically significant, ruling out the presence of microconvective phenomena within the interstices of the undisturbed earth. Based on the temperature profile obtained, achievable heat extraction capacity was computed by modelling a buried pipe system. A parametrization was conducted showing that, of all the involved factors, pipe depth, pitch and their interaction, are the ones that contribute the most to the heat output variability. The computed available heat flow was used to simulate the performance of a geothermal heat pumping system for greenhouse heating based on real operation data, provided by the owners. The results show that, shallower layers of the ground, can provide adequate solutions for immediate thermal needs; a 5-pipe, 100m-length ground loop at 0.75 m, could provide 90% of the total thermal demand, whilst an 11-pipe, 200m-length loop, at 1.5 m depth, reaches 84% of the same demand, with a variability reduction in availability of 10% to 20% depending on the severity of surface conditions. However, for deeper layers, i.e., 2.25 m and 3.0 m, respective maximum heat output amounts to 43% and 49% of the total thermal demand. Nonetheless, these configurations yield the most stable and constant heat flow of the lot, making them particularly suitable for preheating/subcooling processes or even long-term thermal storage. Despite not fulfilling the total thermal demand of the greenhouse, these setups are more than capable of providing support to on-site conditioning devices; requiring a lower upkeep and yielding a higher efficiency, which would reduce overall production costs. Furthermore, from the conducted data analysis, it was found that controlling the agronomic values, associated to indoor agriculture, facilitates the physical aspect of greenhouse energy management, paving the way to more optimized thermal solutions, tailored to different sets of operation conditions.

Passive water sampling and air–water diffusive exchange of long-range transported semi-volatile organic pollutants in high-mountain lakes

The concentrations of legacy and currently emitted organic pollutants were determined in the freely dissolved phase of water from six high-mountain lakes in the Pyrenees (1619–2453 m) by passive water sampling. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and silicone rubber (SR) sheets were exposed for three consecutive periods lasting each one year between 2017 and 2020 for the study of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other organochlorine compounds (e.g., hexachlorobenzene, HCB). HCB concentrations (1.0–14 pg L−1) remained essentially the same as those measured with pumping systems over two decades ago in the same area. ƩPAHs (35–920 pg L−1) were around half of those observed in the past, which agrees with reductions in European atmospheric emissions. ƩPCB concentrations (1.2–2.2 pg L−1) were substantially lower, although unexpectedly large differences could be due to comparing yearly averages from the present study to seasonally variable (i.e., affected by snowmelt, stratification, and colloidal organic matter) episodic pumping measurements from previous studies. ƩOPEs (139–2849 pg L−1) were measured for the first time in this area and were found at high concentrations in some sites. Concentrations of most compounds obtained with LDPE and SR samplers agreed with each other by ratios generally lower than three or four times, except for a few PAHs and OPEs. Diffusive exchange flux calculations between the atmospheric gas phase and the freely dissolved water phase revealed net deposition of pollutants from air to water, except for some OPEs and PCBs presenting equilibrium conditions, and HCB with volatilization fluxes. Atmospheric degradation fluxes of PAHs and OPEs pointed at competing removal mechanisms that support the air-to-water direction of their diffusive exchange, while PCBs and organochlorines were not affected by photodegradation. In their current state, these remote lakes accumulate many emerging and legacy pollutants subject to long-range atmospheric transport.

Synergistic effect of micro–nano surface structure and surface grafting on the efficient fabrication of durable super-hydrophobic high-density polyethylene with self-cleaning and anti-icing properties

An industrialized polymer molding technology that combines water-soluble etching and surface chemical reactions was proposed for preparing a superhydrophobic high-density polyethylene (H@G-E/HDPE) sheet. HDPE sheets were etched with a saturated aqueous solution of NaF to create a rough surface, after which glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was introduced onto the HDPE surface to create a large number of reactive sites on the inert surface of HDPE, enabling further grafting of a low-surface-energy hydroxyl-terminated fluorosilicone oil (HTFO) onto the HDPE surface. The H@G-E/HDPE sheet exhibited high hydrophobicity, with a water contact angle (WCA) of 158 ± 1° and sliding hysteresis angle (SHA) of 8 ± 1°. The sheet also exhibited good durability, with a WCA greater than 150° after 240 h of strong stirring in water or abrasion with sandpaper for 120 rubs. The H@G-E/HDPE sheet exhibited chemical resistance and maintained super-hydrophobicity even after 24 h of immersion in a strong acid/alkali solution. Furthermore, the super-hydrophobicity of the as-obtained H@G-E/HDPE sheet was maintained upon impact with water droplets at 0.77 m/s, along with low ice adhesion at 11.64 ± 1.74 KPa, a significantly longer icing delay time, and self-cleaning properties. The developed superhydrophobic H@G-E/HDPE sheet featuring low-cost and efficient fabrication has promising applications in many industries, such as pipelines, membranes, packaging, and electronic equipment.

Effects of Mulching and Amount of Water on Yield and Yield Components of Tomato under Drip Irrigation at Adola Rede District, Southern Ethiopia

Water has been recognized as one of the scarcest inputs, which can severely avoid agricultural production and productivity unless it is carefully conserved and managed. This study has investigated the effects of mulching and amount of water on yield and yield components of tomato ( Solanum Lycopersicum L.) under drip irrigation at Adola rede District, Southern Ethiopia. The treatments of the study involved combination of three drip irrigation levels (100, 75, and 50% of crop water requirement, ETc) and three mulches (No mulch, white polyethylene sheet, and wheat straw). The yield and yield components in the mulched treatment with excessive stages of irrigation have been considerably higher in compared to these in the unmulched treatments. The yield of tomatoes increased with the growing quantity of irrigation water in mulched treatments. The highest marketable fruit yield for each mulch (35478kg ha -1 for white mulch and 28831kg ha -1 for straw mulch) was obtained when 75% of the crop water requirement used to be applied. With 100% water application, the white plastic mulched treatment produced a decrease marketable fruit yield than the straw-mulched treatment. The best water productivity of (12.915kg m -3 ) was received with 75% water application under white plastic mulch, But statistically non-significant with straw mulch under 75% crop water requirement application. The highest net benefit of 563475.7ETB ha -1 was recorded from white plastic mulch with 75% ETc and followed by 484454.7ETB ha -1 with Straw mulch with 75% ETc. The lowest net advantage 285477.3ETB ha -1 was acquired from no mulch with 50% ETc. The lowest net benefit to cost ratio was gained under treatment straw mulch with 75% ETc (15.04) and followed by no mulch with 100% ETc (14.32). This end result showed that wheat straw mulch with 75% ETc is economically feasible for tomato production in the Adola area of the Guji zone. Keywords: Crop Water Requirement, Tomato, Drip, Mulching, Water Levels, Marketable Fruit Yield DOI: 10.7176/JEES/12-11-01 Publication date: November 30 th 2022

Warming Beehives with Solar Energy Stored in Water

This study presents the possibility of utilizing a passive solar system in sunny places, which collects solar energy by using a polyethylene sheet to trap the long-wave thermal radiation and store it in water for warming the internal environment of beehives and its effect on nest temperatures, honey area, pollen area, sealed brood area, and the number of occupied frames. A total of six Langstroth hives containing honeybee colonies of equal strength from the species of hybrid Carniolan are divided into two groups as follows: a control group (untreated hive), and modified beehives that have been treated with the solar energy storage system. The solar energy storage system consists of an insulated wooden drawer located under the beehive's bottom board, containing sealed water bags, and is covered with a polyethylene sheet. Solar energy stored in water is used to reduce the variation of inside air temperatures between daylight and nighttime. The highest values of the honey area, pollen area, sealed brood area, and the number of occupied frames (916 cm2, 842 cm2, 3688 cm2, and 9 frames, respectively) were obtained for the modified beehives at the end of March, while the lowest values (98 cm2, 219 cm2, 911 cm2, and 3 frames, respectively) were recorded for the control groups of beehives at the middle of January. In modified beehives treated with a solar energy storage system, there was a significant rise in hive temperature, honey area, pollen area, sealed brood area, and bee population. So, it is recommended to use the new modification for warming beehives.

Best application of low-cost enhancement treatment for agricultural drain wastewater

This study aimed to apply a new technique of treatment inside stream using polyethylene sheets strips as a very cheap method for enhancing the quality of agriculture wastewater to meet the irrigation reuse needs. The study was carried out on a pilot plant that was constructed by EU research project named “drains water quality enhancement” inside Faqous Wastewater Treatment plant nearby Bahr El Bakar agricultural drain in El Sharqiyah Governorate, Egypt. Polyethylene strips were used as in stream media treatment where the operation program was made to determine the best positioning for applied serial lines to achieve the target water quality for reuse purposes, The study used four intervals first was 30 cm in channel 2 ,the second was 70cm in channel 3, the third was 100cm in channel 4 ,and the fourth was 150 cm in channel 5 to get the best enhancing efficiency and the removal ratios for Biochemical Oxygen demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen demand( COD) & Heavy metals (HM). Each channel contains six serial curtain lines to determine the study parameters. The results showed that the first interval 30 cm achieved removal ratios 44.6 %for BOD, 27 %for COD, and 41.7% for HM, while interval 70 cm produced removal ratios 46 %for BOD, 27.7 %for COD, and 43.3% for HM, for the third interval 100 cm the study get the removal ratios 51.6 %for BOD, 30 %for COD, and 46 % for HM, and finally for interval 150 cm the resulted removal ratio were 52.6 %for BOD, 30.5 %for COD, and 48 % for HM. The study proved that the curtain lines interval should be equal to or more than double the water depth in the stream to achieve higher removal efficiency in all measured parameters.

Impact and Assessment of Frontline Demonstration (FLD) Management of Weeds in Pineapple by Plastic Mulch

Twenty-five numbers of frontline demonstrations were conducted on management of weed in pineapple by plastic mulch 2014-2016 & 2016-2018 subsequently with an ultimate aim to supressed growth of weeds and boost farmer income because weeding accounts approximate 30–40% of the overall cost of crop. Pineapple cultivation with 50 micron black polythene sheet mulching with double row spacing i.e. 90 x 60 x 30cm not only suppresses the weed growth but conserves the soil moisture, which leads to early flowering, better vegetative growth & higher yield over control (Farmer practice). The demonstrated recorded an average yield ranging from 43.18 to 45.90 t/ha with a mean of 44.54 t/ha. The per cent increase yield in demonstration 49.77% during 2014-16 and 66.67% during 2016-18 respectively, over the farmer practice. The average ranges of extension gap (14.35- 18.36 t/ha), technology gap (9.10- 11.82 t/ha) and technology index (21.49-16.55%) were during the period under study. The demonstrated field gave higher mean gross return (Rs. 267240 /ha) and mean net returns (Rs. 191740/ha) with average benefit: cost ratio (3.54) compared to the local checks (1.71). Present results clearly show that the yield and economics of pineapple can be boost up by adoption of recommended technology.

Validation of thin layer drying models in solar-powered air-inflated grain dryer

Cereals are generally harvested at 20-23% moisture content to avoid shattering losses therefore it is necessary to dry the paddy to lower moisture contents (13-14% wb) for safe storage and further processing.A solar-powered airinflated grain dryer was designed, fabricated and tested for drying of paddy. Different combinations obtained from two different levels of upper transparent polyethylene sheet thickness (200 microns and 300 microns), inlet air velocity (1.5 m/s and 3 m/s) and grain bed depth (2cm and 4cm) were compared based on parameters of thermal efficiency, rise in temperature of drying air and amount of moisture removed per unit time. It was found that least square mean values of thermal efficiency, temperature rise in the drying air and drying rate of the developed dryer varied from 18.7-45.7%, 3.35-5.81°C and 0.36-0.98 kg/hour respectively. Upper transparent sheet thickness (300 micron), inlet air velocity (3 m/s) and grain bed depth (4 cm) have the highest least mean square values in the selected parameters and was selected for optimized operation of the dryer. Eight different thin layer drying models were compared according to their coefficient of determination to estimate drying kinetics as criteria for evaluating the goodness-of-fit. The effects of selected variables on the model constants and coefficients were predicted by the models. The page model fit well with the experimental data and satisfactorily describe the drying kinetics of Pusa Basmati (PB 1121) with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9995 and RMSE of 0.005464.

IN VITRO CLONAL PROPAGATION OF ONION (ALLIUM CEPA L.) THROUGH SHOOT TIP CULTURE

The aim of the present investigation was to standardize the in vitro shoot tip culture technique considering various culture aspects for direct plant formation of two onion (Allium cepa L.) varieties ‘Indian’ and ‘Taherpuri’. About 1.5-2.2 mm shoot tips were collected from bulbs and were sterilized with 0.1% HgCl2 in various duration. Then they were cultured on MS medium supplemented with various hormonal concentrations and different media composition for primary establishment. BAP 1.5 mg l-1 + NAA1.0 mg l-1 was found to be the best formulation for primary establishment of shoot tips. Primarily established shoot tips were further cultured for shoot multiplication, and 2ip 2.0 mg l-1 + NAA 0.5 mg l-1 was found the most effective for shoot multiplication. The highest percentage of shootlet produced root on MS+2.0 mg l-1 IBA for both the cultivars (Taherpuri 90% and Indian 80%). The plantlets were transferred to small pots containing soil : sand 1:1 and kept under shade and covered with perforated polythene sheet. After proper hardening the plantlets were transferred to field.

Novel method for correcting cephalic rotation in Asian nasal tip plasty

To correct nasal tip cephalic rotation, SEG made of cartilage or Medpor are often used in rhinoplasty. These techniques require extensive experience for the surgeon, and not all patients can accept this procedure. In this research, we introduce a new method to correct nasal tip cephalic rotation that is relatively simple and rapid. Fifty-nine patients who had rhinoplasty using our scaffold were enrolled in the study between January 2020 and January 2021. The authors evaluated the change of nasolabial angel by photogrammetry using standardized clinical photogrammetric techniques. Patients' satisfaction regarding postoperative results was also surveyed. The mean postoperative follow-up duration was 12 months. No complication (infection, extrusion, and displacement) was happened in all patients. Analysis showed our scaffold can correct nasal tip cephalic rotation effectively (98.61±1.21 preoperatively and 89.68±0.99 postoperatively, P<0.0001). And the patient satisfaction rate is 98%. We constructed an integrated scaffold by simply folding and suturing a high-density polyethylene sheet (Su-Por) sheet to correct nasal tip cephalic rotation. Using the scaffold we designed, we did not need to alter the structure of the nasal septum, which reduced the operative duration and simplified the surgical procedure.