Single Spray Research Articles

Application of an Optimized Mechanism of Primary Reference Fuel to Single Hole Sprays

Application of an Optimized Mechanism of Primary Reference Fuel to Single Hole Sprays

Tetrahedrite copper antimony sulfide (Cu12Sb4S13) thin films for photovoltaic and self-powered photodetector applications grown by single step ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

This work reports in situ growth of tetrahedrite Cu12Sb4S13 thin films via ultrasonic spray pyrolysis using a non-aqueous solution containing CuCl2, SbCl3 and C2H5NS. The thin films deposited by varying S/(Cu + Sb) ratios in the precursor solution were studied using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy to evaluate the phase formation. Optical characterization showed a direct band gap of nearly 1.5 eV, consistent with the theoretical simulation of electronic band structure and optical spectra based on First principles calculations. Cu12Sb4S13 thin films formed as a function of S/(Cu + Sb) precursor ratio spans semiconducting (p) to semi-metallic (p+) behavior, confirmed by Hall effect. Photodetection properties of the p type Cu12Sb4S13 films showed a spectral response ranging from UV to visible and NIR wavelengths. Both p and p+ thin films were incorporated into photovoltaic structures using CdS as window layer, resulting: Voc = 0.273–0.398 V, Jsc = 2.5–16.3 mAcm−2, FF = 32–35% and efficiency = 0.33–1.4%. These heterostructures also performed as self-powered photodiodes for UV–Vis-NIR wavelength detection. This is the first report of a single-step synthesis of phase pure Cu12Sb4S13 thin films and their performance as self-biased photodiode and photovoltaic devices.

Visualization and characterization of agricultural sprays using machine learning based digital inline holography

Accurate characterization of agricultural sprays is crucial to predict in-field performance of liquid applied crop protection products. In this paper, we introduce a robust and efficient machine learning (ML) based Digital In-line Holography (DIH) algorithm to accurately characterize the droplet field for a wide range of commonly used agricultural spray nozzles. Compared to non-ML based DIH processing, the ML-based algorithm enhances accuracy, generalizability, and processing speed. The ML-based approach employs two neural networks: a modified U-Net to obtain the 3D droplet field from the numerically reconstructed optical field, followed by a VGG16 classifier to reduce false positives from the U-Net prediction. The modified U-Net is trained using holograms generated using a single spray nozzle (XR11003) at three different spray locations; center, half-span, and the spray edge to create training data with different number densities and droplet size ranges. VGG16 is trained using the minimum intensity projection of the droplet 3D point spread function (PSF). Data augmentation is used to increase the efficiency of classification and make the algorithm generalizable for different measurement settings. The model is validated using National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) traceable glass beads and six different agricultural spray nozzles representing various spray characteristics. The principal results demonstrate a high accuracy rate, with over 90% droplet extraction and less than 5% false positives, regardless of droplet number density and size. Compared to traditional spray measurement techniques, the new ML-based DIH methodology offers a significant leap forward in spatial resolution and generalizability. We show that the proposed ML-based algorithm can extract the real cumulative volume distribution of the NIST beads, where the LD system measurements are biased towards droplets moving at slower speeds. Additionally, the ML-based DIH approach enables the estimation of mass and momentum flux at different locations and the calculation of relative velocities of droplet pairs, which are difficult to obtain using conventional spray characterization techniques.

Water Microdroplets-Initiated Methane Oxidation.

The special redox reactivity of water microdroplets causes "mild ignition" of methane gas to form methane oxygenates. The C(sp3)-H bond of methane can be activated by the hydroxyl radical (OH·) or the hydrogen radical (H·) across the air-water interface (AWI) of microdroplets to generate the methyl radical (CH3·). Once CH3· is formed, it undergoes free-radical reactions with O2 in the air, excessive OH· and H· across the AWI, and H2O2 present at the AWI and generated CH3· itself to produce methanol and other species. Production of the methanol and other oxygenates was confirmed by gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and 1H- and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance. Formic acid, acetic acid, ethanol, carbon dioxide, and methyl peroxide were also detected as methane oxidation byproducts. This water microdroplet-initiated oxidation process can be further enhanced under ultrasonication to yield 2.66 ± 0.77 mM methanol conversion from the methane gas in a single spray run for 30 min, with a selectivity of 19.2% compared with all other oxygenated species.

Effect of Mepiquat Chloride and Nitrogen levels on yield and economics of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton

A field experiment was conducted in Bt cotton during the kharif season 2018 at the National Seed Production Area of Choudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. As cotton has indeterminate growth habit, so to control plant height and encourages the translocation of photosynthesis towards reproductive sinks (growing cotton bolls), which lead to higher yields this experiment was conducted in factorial R.B.D with three replications comprising three levels of Nitrogen (N1: 100% RDF, N2: 125%RDF, N3: 150%RDF) and three different doses of growth retardant (G1: Control, G2: Mepiquat chloride application 20g a.i./ha. at 60 DAS, G3: Mepiquat chloride application 20g a.i./ha at 60 DAS and 75 DAS). The results indicated that several bolls/m2, boll weight (g), and seed cotton yield (kg/ha) was higher at 150% and 125% RDF than 100% RDF. However, seed index is significantly high with 100% RDF. A number of bolls/m2, boll weight (g) and seed cotton yield (kg/ha) was significantly higher with twice the spray of mepiquat chloride at 60 and 75 DAS compared to the control. Similarly highest gross and net return was recorded with 150% RDF level of nitrogen followed by 125% RDF and 100% RDF. Among spraying of mepiquat chloride higher gross returns and net returns was recorded with two sprays of mepiquat chloride (Rs.1,87,138/ha& 95,850/ha) followed by single spray (Rs 1,82,457/ha & Rs 92,473/ha) and control (Rs 1,66,902/ha &Rs 88,364/ha).

Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) Control in Dicamba-Tolerant Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) when Applied with Various Dicamba + Insecticide Tank-Mixtures

Postemergence herbicide application timings for Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) often coincide with foliar insecticide applications in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Combining multiple pesticides into a single application increases efficiency while reducing overall application cost. Multiple foliar insecticides are now labeled for dicamba tank-mixes. However, there is limited literature with respect to efficacy of dicamba on Palmer amaranth control when applied with insecticides. Field experiments were conducted from 2018 to 2020 to evaluate the effect of carrier volume and insecticide on the efficacy of dicamba (XtendiMaxTM with VaporGripTM) to control Palmer amaranth in XtendFlex™ cotton production systems. Dicamba was tank-mixed with acephate and dimethoate to four-leaf cotton and with thiamethoxam and sulfoxaflor just prior to bloom. Applications were made at carrier volumes of 140 and 280 L ha-1 and with a single spray droplet size of 800 µm. Palmer amaranth control 7 d after treatment was negatively impacted when applications included dimethoate; however, no corresponding response in seedcotton yield was observed relative to dicamba applied alone. However, when pooled over carrier volume, applications containing dicamba + acephate resulted in higher seedcotton yield than applications of dicamba + dimethoate. Additionally, pre-bloom applications of dicamba + thiamethoxam or sulfoxaflor increased Palmer amaranth efficacy relative to dicamba applied alone. Although certain insecticides are known to increase herbicidal crop response, the impact of insecticides on herbicide efficacy to control specific weed species is largely unknown. Therefore, we conclude that multiple dicamba + acephate, thiamethoxam, or sulfoxaflor tank-mixtures provide similar control of Palmer amaranth compared to dicamba alone.

Development and characterization of a spray-dried inhalable ternary combination for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm infection in cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited lung disease characterised by the accumulation of thick layers of dried mucus in the lungs which serve as a nidus for chronic infection. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the predominant cause of chronic lung infection in cystic fibrosis. The dense mucus coupled with biofilm formation hinder antibiotic penetration and prevent them from reaching their target. Mucoactive agents are recommended in the treatment of CF in combination with antibiotics. In spite of the extensive research in developing novel drug combinations for the treatment of lung infection in CF, to our knowledge, there is no study that combines antibiotic, antibiofilm and mucoactive agent in a single inhaled dry powder formulation. In the present study, we investigate the possibility of adding a mucoactive agent to our previously developed ciprofloxacinquercetin (antibiotic-antibiofilm) dry powder for inhalation. Three mucoactive agents, namely mannitol (MAN), N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and ambroxol hydrochloride (AMB), were investigated for this purpose. The ternary combinations were prepared via spray drying without the addition of excipients. All ternary combinations conserved or improved the antibacterial and biofilm inhibition activities of ciprofloxacin against P. aeruginosa (ATCC 10145). The addition of AMB resulted in an amorphous ternary combination (SD-CQA) with superior physical stability as indicated by DSC and nonambient XRPD. Furthermore, SD-CQA displayed better in vitro aerosolization performance (ED ∼ 71 %; FPF ∼ 49 %) compared to formulations containing MAN and NAC (ED ∼ 64 % and 44 %; FPF ∼ 44 % and 29 %, respectively). In conclusion, a ternary drug combination powder with suitable aerosolization, physical stability and antibacterial/antibiofilm properties was prepared by a single spray drying step.

Effects of seed soaking and foliar spraying of Kalanchoe pinnata aqueous leaf extracts against rice bacterial leaf blight

This study aims at evaluating the disease-reducing effects against rice bacterial leaf blight (Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae). Under greenhouse conditions, the activities of the four enzymes [peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL)] after application of Kalanchoe pinnata aqueous leaf extracts using the combination of seed soaking and foliar spraying were studied. Overall, two extract concentrations [1 and 2% (w/v)] applied as seed soaking combined with the five extract concentrations [1, 2, 3, 4 and 5% (w/v)] applied as foliar spraying were tested. Three application methods were furthermore used for foliar spraying (7 days before pathogen inoculation (DBI), 14 DBI and their combination). Results showed the effects increased with the increase of extract concentrations and durations from application time points prior to pathogen inoculation. The combination of foliar spraying at 7 and 14 DBI provided stronger protection compared to single sprays. The effects involved induced resistance. Indeed, the activities of POX and CAT increased until 4 days after inoculation (DAI) and remained until 7 DAI, while those of PPO and PAL increased similarly then decreased until 7 DAI. Activities of these enzymes increased after pathogen inoculation and reached higher levels with extract applications.

Experimental investigation on spray and flame characteristics of a marine diesel engine with single and double injection

Multiple injection is one of the advanced technologies employed in modern diesel engines to improve combustion efficiency, reduce pollutant emissions, and minimize combustion noise. The application of multiple injection in marine diesel engines differs from its use in vehicles or heavy-duty engines, as it is not commonly combined with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR). However, there is a scarcity of studies specifically examining the combustion characteristics of medium-speed marine diesel engines utilizing multiple injection. Given the large space scale of marine diesel engine, a constant volume chamber with a visible diameter of 240 mm was used, and an injector with a nozzle diameter of 0.465 mm was employed in the experiment. The spray development and combustion process were recorded by Mie-scattering and flame natural luminosity imaging respectively. Both conventional and double injection combustion processes were analyzed in detail. The results show that although the liquid phase spray does not fully penetrate to the cylinder wall in marine diesel engines, the flame penetrates to the cylinder wall rapidly, the flame burns near the wall almost throughout the entire combustion duration. The combustion characteristics of the double injection are significantly different, the flame propagation speed of the pilot and main injection fuel is one-third to one-half of that of a single injection with a long duration. For single injection spray with long injection duration, the flame penetration velocity is determined by the sequential ignition velocity of the fuel. While the flame penetration velocity for sprays with short injection duration mainly depends on the jet penetration velocity. The investigation on the impact of dwell time, fuel distribution, and injection pressure on the combustion process of double injection also provides valuable insights for optimizing multiple injection strategies.

Numerical simulation study of indoor disinfection spray distribution based on CFD-DPM method

In today's world, environmental safety has become a top priority, with a special focus on terminal disinfection of indoor environments, which has proven to be a crucial and formidable issue in infection control. The use of hydrogen peroxide disinfection through vaporization or atomization presents a viable solution to the challenges posed by traditional wiping disinfection and ultraviolet disinfection methods that are plagued by incomplete disinfection and other factors that can significantly reduce the virus content within a room. To improve the application of hydrogen peroxide disinfection spray, the CFD-DPM (Computational Fluid Dynamics-Discrete Particle Model) method is employed to simulate the particle distribution of traditional sprays in a 30 m3 room. The study places emphasis on analyzing the impact of the placement position and bottle number of disinfection spray on the distribution of spray particles. The results demonstrate an impressive consistency between the numerical simulation method and experimental findings regarding the particle size distribution of disinfectant spray across various Schemes, validating the method's accuracy and reliability. However, the placement of a single disinfection spray source is insufficient to achieve uniformly distributed particles throughout the space when a bathroom is present within a given room. Nevertheless, by placing internal and external sources within the bathroom, the distribution of disinfectant spray particles becomes more even, thanks to a well conceived placement technique and an increased number of spray sources. Among all the schemes tested, Scheme 4 stands out for its ability to produce the greatest number of spray particles, with almost 60.71% of these particles remaining airborne for over 40 s. Therefore, it is also the most effective scheme for conducting disinfection.

Productivity and Econometric Analysis of Leguminous Monkey-nut (Arachis hypogaea L.) as Influenced by Growth Retardant

Background: Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) holds significant importance as a staple food legume and a key economic crop, serving as a valuable source of edible oil and protein in India. However, its full yield potential is often hampered by excessive vegetative growth, which leads to suboptimal yields. With this background, a field experiment was conducted at the Perunthalaivar Kamaraj Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Puducherry during 2020 and 2021. The objective was to investigate the influence of different concentrations and timing of paclobutrazol (PBZ) application on the growth and yield of groundnut. Methods: The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications, six main plot treatments (Including PBZ concentrations of 25, 50, 100, 150, 200 ppm and a control) and three sub-plot treatments (Involving single sprays at 30 days after emergence (DAE), single sprays at 50 DAE and double sprays at 30 and 50 DAE). Result: The results revealed that the application of paclobutrazol at different concentrations had a positive effect on reducing plant height during the later stages of growth, particularly when a double spray was applied at 30 and 50 DAE. Notably, the application of paclobutrazol at a concentration of 200 ppm in groundnut cultivation proved to be economically viable, resulting 29% increase in pod yield compared to the control group. Specifically, PBZ at 200 ppm, with a double spray, significantly boosted the total pod yield to 2724 kg ha-1. Furthermore, the correlation and regression analyses indicated a positive relationship between growth and yield.

Alternative locust control with a dilutable linseed oil emulsion

AbstractLocust swarm control is still a main topic in agriculture and is often based on the extensive use of chemical agents that can be problematic for the environment and human health. Currently, only a few alternative control agents are available on the market, such as neem oil, the fungus Metarhizium sp., and the microsporidian Paranosema locustae. In this study, we improved the formulation of a botanical insecticide that is based on linseed oil and was found to be effective against the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria. To make sure that linseed oil is most effective, we first tested several natural plant oils in a comparative laboratory study. Linseed oil performed best and resulted in 100% mortality within only 2 days after a single spray treatment. However, this linseed oil formulation contains three expensive essential oils, thus we further improved it to avoid costly essential oils. A much lower concentration of linseed oil was also found to be highly effective and killed adult S. gregaria within 3 days in an experiment performed under semifield conditions. Furthermore, a concentrated stock solution of this botanical insecticide was developed to increase stability and reduce shipping costs in areas where water for dilution is available. Mechanical treatment, applied during the preparation of this linseed oil emulsion, resulted in the formation of micro‐colloids, which prevent the separation of phases and enable 1:16 dilution with water containing bicarbonate. Interestingly, only 24 h after single spray treatment, locusts became immobile and most of them were unable to jump, which would make them easy prey for natural enemies. Later, insects died due to the hardening of the linseed oil emulsion. This novel linseed oil emulsion is harmless for humans, rather easy to produce, and remains stable over weeks in its concentrated form, which suggests that it is promising alternative agent for locust control.

Boosting wheat yield, profitability and NUE with prilled and nano urea in conservation tillage

Rice–wheat production in the Indo-gangetic plains (IGPs) of India faces major concerns such as depleting resources, rice residue burning, excessive fertilizer use, and decreasing nitrogen use efficiency. These issues threaten sustainable crop production in the future. Therefore, a field study was conducted during the winter seasons of 2020–21 and 2021–22 to evaluate the effect of combined conventional and nano fertilizers on nitrogen application just before or after irrigation to improve wheat productivity, profitability and NUE under conservation tillage. The study evaluated eight treatment combinations of nitrogen application through conventionally applied urea (46% N) and foliar applied nano urea (4% N) under zero tillage with rice residue retention. Results revealed that growth, physiological indices, yield, and quality parameters were enhanced with the application of 150 kg N/ha in three equal splits as basal and just before 1st and 2nd irrigation alone (T2) or along with a spray of nano urea (T5) compared to other treatments. T5 recorded 7.2%, 8.5%, and 7.8% more plant dry matter, number of tillers, and grain yield, respectively, over the conventional practice of applying 150 kg N/ha in three equal splits as basal and 7–10 days after 1st and 2nd irrigation (T3, farmers practice). Although, T2 showed similar results to T5, T5 recorded significantly higher gross ($2542/ha) and net returns ($1279/ha) than the other treatments. However, the benefit–cost ratio of T2 and T5 was same (2.01). A significant and positive correlation coefficient between grain yield and physiological parameters such as CCI and NDVI confirmed that increasing the nitrogen dose enhanced the chlorophyll content, greenness, and plant vigor. Based on the results, it can be concluded that applying 150 kg N/ha in three equal splits as basal and just before 1st and 2nd irrigation under conservation agriculture, along with a single spray of nano urea (4% N) at 60–65 days after sowing, can improve growth, yield attributes, wheat yield, and NUE compared to farmers practice (T3) in India.

Effects of a field-sprayed antibiotic on bee foraging behavior and pollination in pear orchards

Broadcast spraying of antibiotics in crops is widely used for controlling bacterial plant pathogens. The effects of antibiotics on non-target (and especially beneficial) organisms in cropping systems, however, are not well studied. Pollinators are of particular concern because in pear and apple crops, antibiotics for controlling fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) are sprayed during bloom, likely exposing pollinators. This is especially relevant as laboratory evidence suggests that antibiotics could have sublethal effects on bee foraging behavior and colony health. But to our knowledge these potential impacts have not been studied in field settings. Here, we compared the effects of two fire blight control methods, a single spray of an antibiotic (oxytetracycline) and a biological antagonist (Aureobasidium pullulans), on honey bee (Apis mellifera) foraging, pollination, and fruit set in pear orchards. Complementing these field assessments, we conducted laboratory experiments to examine the effects of these treatments on locomotion and foraging behavior of a bumble bee species, Bombus vosnesenskii. We found that honey bees visited fewer flowers and foraged longer on each flower in orchards sprayed with antibiotics than with a biological product, but there were no differences in crop pollination and seed set. The pear cultivars we worked in, however, can self-pollinate. In the lab, we found that feeding on high doses of either the antibiotic or the biological antagonist reduced bumble bee foraging relative to controls. The limited impact of antibiotics on pear pollination observed in this study suggest that antibiotics pose a low economic risk to pear growers, especially for self-compatible cultivars. Still, crops with higher pollinator dependence may be affected by reductions in bee visitation. Future studies should examine the impacts of multiple antibiotic sprays within a season, which are common during warm springs, and their long-term health impacts on both individual bees and colonies.

Effect of Foliar Application of Macro and Micronutrients on Quality Seedlings Production in Small Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton.)

An experiment was carried out to assess the effect of foliar nutrition with macro and micronutrients on quality seedlings production in small cardamom seedlings in the secondary nursery at ZAHRS, Mudigere with seven treatments and three replications in Completely Randomized Design during the year 2020-21. The results of study revealed that, among the different treatments studied, combined application of macro and micro nutrients (19:19:19 @ 0.50%+ MgSO4 @ 0.25%+ ZnSO4 @ 0.25 %+ Borax @ 0.25 %) thrice at monthly intervals after 30 days of transplanting in the secondary nursery recorded significantly maximum pseudostem height (56.07 cm), number of leaves (7.26), leaf area (646.90 cm2), leaf area index (5.24), total chlorophyll content (1.68), number of primary (13.66) and secondary roots (76.85), root length (41.40), root thickness (1.58), root volume (17.88 cc), total dry matter production (5.61 g), tillering percentage (25.43), Dickson quality index (1.56) and volume index (259.87) at 120 days after treatment. The nutrient status of the nursery media revealed that, the available nitrogen (318.00 kg/ha), phosphorus (27.50 kg/ha) and potash (230.00 kg/ha). The analysis of plant nutrients at 120 days after treatment revealed that, the higher nitrogen (2.72 %), phosphorus (0.20 %) and potassium (3.90 %) were also recorded maximum with combined spray with macro and micronutrients. Hence, combined application of foliar nutrients proved to be the best application than either single spray or combination of two and uninoculated for raising quality seedlings in cardamom.

Experimental Investigation on Cross-Impingement Characteristics Under Various Biodiesel-Butanol Blended Proportions and Ambient Conditions

Abstract The cross-impingement phenomenon always appears in several diesel engines with two or more injectors. Meanwhile, the application of biofuels has a great potential in realizing clean and efficient combustion. Therefore, the investigation aims to explore the cross-impingement characteristics at small (10%), middle (30%), and large (50%) biodiesel-butanol blended proportions. Experiments are conducted in a constant-volume combustion chamber with twin injectors. Spray images are captured by optical diagnosis techniques. Several macroscopic parameters are obtained, including diffusion length, collision width, and spray area. Results show that the cross-impingement accelerates the droplet interaction, and the spray presents a “fan-shaped” behavior after the collision, which promotes a more uniform mixing between the fuel and ambient gas. As the twin sprays collide at 120 deg, the vapor-phase vertical diffusion rate is close to the vertical component of the single spray, and the horizontal diffusion rate is about 1.2 times the vertical diffusion rate. The cross-impingement is likely to decrease the spray-wall impingement owing to a change in the diffusion direction. At various blended fuels, the biodiesel blended with 30% n-butanol displays the smallest liquid-phase diffusion length, width, and area. The further increase in the n-butanol mixing ratio leads to larger liquid-phase parameters. Contrary to the biodiesel blended with 10% n-butanol, the biodiesel blended with a higher proportion of n-butanol presents faster vapor-phase diffusion, which promotes fuel-gas mixing.

Effects of a novel, non-invasive pre-hatch application of probiotic for broilers on development of cecum microbiota and production performance

BackgroundProbiotics are used in the broiler industry to increase production performance. Most often a probiotic is applied by mixing it in the feed, but studies have shown that earlier application may be advantageous. Therefore, in ovo application where the probiotic is administrated into the egg before hatch has been investigated as an alternative application method. However, in ovo application may impact hatchability negatively and may not be feasible at all hatcheries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a novel non-invasive method for mass application before hatch. The probiotic (E. faecium 669) was applied as a single dose by spray on the unhatched eggs and production performance and development of the cecal microbiota until slaughter was compared with a control flock. Through 16S rRNA sequencing of cecal samples from 25 broilers at day 7, 21 and 37 we compared the microbiota composition and richness for each group. The study was repeated for additional recording of production performance and re-isolation of the probiotic E. faecium from the intestine.ResultsIn both trials the probiotic E. faecium could be re-isolated from the yolk sac and intestine at hatch and at day 7. Broilers in the probiotic treated groups had a higher performance in terms of bodyweight at day 34 and European production efficiency factor. Finally, a significant reduction of first-week and overall mortality was observed in the probiotic group in the first trial. Based on 16S rRNA profiling, significant differences in alpha diversity were found exclusively at day 37. Estimation of beta diversities, however, identified significant differences in microbiota composition between the control and probiotic group at day 7, 21 and 37.ConclusionThe probiotic E. faecium strain successfully colonized broilers before/during hatch after a single spray application at day 18 of incubation. Positive effects of the probiotic were observed in multiple production parameters, including reduced mortality in trial 1, and microbiota analyses indicate significantly different microbiota compositions throughout the experimental phase. Taken together, the novel low-tech mass administration of E. faecium (669) may be considered a feasible strategy for improvements of production parameters in broiler production.

Single hole ammonia spray macroscopic and microscopic characteristics at flare and transition flash boiling regions

As a potential zero-carbon fuel for internal combustion engine to mitigate the greenhouse gas emission, ammonia’s unique flash boiling spray behaviors have not been well understood. In this study, the macroscopic and the microscopic characteristics of the liquid ammonia spray at the flare and transition flash boiling regions were experimentally investigated under different pressure ratios (RP, the ambient over the saturated pressure) and ambient temperatures. The spray macroscopic morphologies captured from the high-speed camera in the flare flash boiling region (RP ≤ 0.47) show that the spray expands significantly in radial direction while that in the transition flash boiling region (0.47 < RP ≤ 1.06) is more contracted in the penetration direction. Additionally, in flare flash boiling region, spray tip penetration and velocity increases generally with the increase of RP, while that in the transition flash boiling region in versus. Furthermore, the microscopic droplet statistics clearly demonstrate show that the most probable droplet diameter moves to a larger value with the increase of RP. The peak probability of droplet size and the droplet number density decreases at larger RP cases, resulting in a more uniformly distributed droplet sizes and an increased Sauter Mean Diameter. Finally, the ambient temperature show limited influence on the macroscopic spray penetration behaviors or the microscopic droplet size distribution, but evaporation is significantly enhanced since at highest ambient temperature, there are minimized droplet number density in some of the test locations.

Exploring eco-sensitive strategies for effective powdery mildew management in grapevines

Grapevine powdery mildew is one of the most important plant diseases widely affecting crops in many countries. The main aim of the present study was to use Ampelomyces quisqualis isolates to suppress the powdery mildew of grapes under field conditions. The findings revealed a strong correlation between the mycoparasite, Ampelomyces quisqualis and the grape powdery mildew pathogens, suggesting its potential for effective control. The results revealed that a single spray of A. quisqualis @ 2.0 per cent (MDU1) succeeded by two sprays of Trichoderma asperellum @ 2.0 per cent (Tasp,7) were found to be effective against Erysiphe necator. In addition, liquid formulation of A. quisqualis isolate MDU1 (2% w/v) as a foliar spray at 2% containing 2 × 106 spores ml-1 the during initial occurrence of the disease up to three sprayings at 15 days interval was found to be best. Thus, a liquid formulation of A. quisqualis isolate MDU1 proved effective in managing grapes powdery mildew disease under field conditions. The rDNA ITS region of A. quisqualis isolates was analyzed at the molecular level, and the resulting sequences were subjected to GC-MS analysis. The secondary metabolite identification using GC-MS revealed the presence of antimicrobial compounds, including squalene with the highest peak of 4.643 percent, octadecanoic acid with 3.862 percent, tetradecanoic acid with 3.600 percent, and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z) with 1.451 percent. These bioactive compounds revealed by GC-MS analysis in crude extracts of A. quisqualis had a stronger antifungal activity against E. necator.

Energy, exergy and exergoeconomic analyses of single stage spray drying plant in the northern region of India for skim milk powder production

Energy, exergy and exergoeconomic analyses of single stage spray drying plant in the northern region of India for skim milk powder production