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Current Status of Aquarium Fish (Ornamental Fish) Enterprises During the Pandemic Period (Elazig City Sample)
2022
Hilal Bulut | Ebru İfakat Özcan
This study was carried out in order to reveal the situation of aquarium sales enterprises in Elazig and to determine their problems. In the study, a total of 14 enterprises (aquarist) were asked questions by the survey method. It has been determined that a significant part of the existing enterprises is located in the center of Elazig (93%), all of them continue to operate as tenants and their operating periods are over 5 years. It has been noted that 86% of the personnel working in the enterprises are male and 14% are female. It was determined that the most sold fish species in the research area were 2 fish species belonging to 2 families. It has been observed that one of the important problems in aquarium businesses is fish diseases. It has been determined that 93% of the fish sales of the Covid-19 pandemic period were negatively affected and 7% were positively affected.
Show more [+] Less [-]Adoption-Diffusion Model of Farm Innovations: Its Applicability to Radical Terraces Project in Rwanda
2022
Murwanashyaka Emmanuel | Chitere Preston Orieko | Kariuki James Gichuru
The farming technique of radical terracing is one of the new agricultural technologies introduced in Rwanda to enhance farming activities in the highland areas. The study was designed to analyze the applicability of the adoption and diffusion model of farm innovation on adopting radical terraces in Rwanda. It adopted a descriptive correlational research design to the farmers owned radical terraces in Nyamagabe District. The purposive sampling technique was applied to select 19 Key Informants and 192 farmers. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, direct observation and documentary sources. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for quantitative data analysis whereas thematic and narratives content analyses were used on qualitative. The research outcomes show that the level of farmers' adoption was medium. Besides, the farmers’ access to agricultural information; and farmers’ participation were found to have a positive influence on the applicability of the adoption-diffusion model on the adoption of radical terraces. The study showed that the adoption of radical terraces in Nyamagabe depended on the compatibility with the existing values and practices among farmers based on the information-contagion model and the social participation model that is widely used in the agricultural context. The study recommended the government continue sensitizing farmers on the importance of adopting radical terraces for better use and maintenance as a modern farming practice. Further research should focus on the applicability of technology characteristics user's context model on the adoption of radical terraces in Rwanda.
Show more [+] Less [-]Covid-19 and Food Security: Impact on Wheat
2022
Cevher Özden | Mutlu Bulut | Burak Şen
The new coronavirus, emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019, turned into a major global pandemic and has caused many deaths around the world. Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected every aspect from economy, education to health system. During Covid-19 pandemic, access to foodstuffs has become even more important, and some countries have imposed restrictions on exports of basic food items for fear of food shortages. These restrictions and quotas are feared to disrupt the flows of trade for staple foods such as wheat, corn and rice, which has deepened the concerns for food security. This study was conducted to examine the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on wheat price, production and trade and to review the policies of wheat exporter countries. According to the results of the study, Covid-19 did not cause fear in wheat markets, and no shortages of wheat are expected in the short term. Although countries have reduced the measures they have taken as of May, uncertainties regarding food safety still persist for the coming years. World economies have shrunk significantly as a result of the drastic measures they have taken against covid-19, which could worsen the situation for low income households.
Show more [+] Less [-]Effects of Cricket Addition on the Chemical, Functional, and Sensory Properties of Complementary Formulation from Millet Flour
2022
Egwujeh I.D. Simeon | Audu Basiru Danjuma | Amidu Momoh
The effect of cricket addition on the proximate composition, mineral compositions, functional and sensory properties of complementary food formulated from millet was studied. The result of the chemical composition showed significantly increase in the protein and fat level of the formulated complementary food (9.28±0.16 - 20.20±0.07) % and (3.65±002 - 8.12±0.08) %, respectively. However, a significant decrease in the carbohydrate level (75.61±0.03 - 60.44±0.31) g/100g was observed. Evaluation of functional properties showed that cricket addition did not affect the bulk density but increased the water absorption (2.46±0.05), Emulsion (38.02±0.40%), foam (6.00±0.00), gelation (20.00±0.00%) capacities and pH (6.20±0.02). The mineral contents including Fe, Ca, Na, and K of the food ranged from 7.54±0.10 - 10.25±0.05 mL/100g, 30.35±0.15 - 34.98±0.10 mL/100g, 9.35±0.29 - 14.47±0.06 mL/100g and 30.92±0.03 - 56.40±010 mL/100g respectively increasing with increased addition of cricket flour The formulated samples were rated higher for taste, colour, flavour, texture and the overall acceptability than the control. In general sample 513 containing 75:25 cricket: millet flour showed more improvement than other formulated samples and most acceptable in terms of taste, flavour mouth feel and overall acceptability. Adding cricket flour to millet flour as complementary food would help in addressing protein energy malnutrition in children.
Show more [+] Less [-]Invasion of Fall armyworm [Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)] (JE Smith ,1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidanead) Management Strategies in Maize Fields of Nepal
2022
Shobha Pokhrel | Gautam Bahadur Khadka | Dolma Diki Sherpa | Neha Sah | Ishan Gautam | Sachindra Dev Upadhyaya | Rashmi Khanal
The fall armyworm [Spodoptera frugiperda, (JE Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)] is a polyphagous pest native to tropical and subtropical regions of America. After it was detected for the first time in Nepal in the Nawalpur area on 9th May 2019, it has become a major threat in maize fields even though it has over 80 host species to proceed its life cycle. Due to its migratory nature, FAW moth can travel up to 500 km before oviposition, and infestation of its larva has resulted in vast devastation of the vegetative as well as reproductive parts of plants causing significant yield loss in maize. A mature larva possesses a dark head with an upside-down pale Y-shaped marking on the head area and black four spots that are arranged in a square on the second last body segment. This paper audits the executive choices (avoidance, observing, push-pull, cultural, biological, organic, chemical, and integrated techniques to incorporate in FAW susceptible areas) that apply to smallholder farmers who do not have the monetary asset to buy compound pesticides and other costly control instruments. For the majority of Nepalese farmers with low resources and small landholding, push-pull technology is beneficial and applicable. Botanicals that have bioactive chemical compounds, insecticidal, pest repellent properties are environment-friendly and degradable, readily available in tropical and subtropical regions of Nepal. The assessment of the efficacy of implemented management practices against FAW has revealed that implementation of more than one method of management practices showed the least percentage of infestation as compared to the individual method.
Show more [+] Less [-]Isolation, Characterization and Antibacterial Activity of Endophytic Fungi from Marrubium vulgare L.
2022
Abderrahim Benslama | Warda Nouiri
The aim of this work is the isolation, identification and evaluation of the antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi from the Algerian medicinal plant Marrubium vulgare L. The isolation of endophytic fungi is carried out by the method of sterilization of surface to eliminate epiphytes then incubation of the fragments treated according to a precise protocol. The identification of the grown isolates allowed us to obtain three fungal strains belonging to three genera: Fusarium, Alternaria and Chaetomium, which are generally of the Deuteromycete phylum. The antibacterial capacity of the fungi was tested against five human pathogenic bacteruim using the agar-fungi disk diffusion method. With an inhibition zone (IZ) spanning from 7.5 to 25 mm, all isolated fungal strains showed antibacterial activity against at least one of the bacteria tested.. However, Fusarium sp has the highest antibacterial activity with an IZ of 19 and 24 mm against S. aureus and B. subtilis, respectively. Finally, our results clearly confirm that the medicinal plant M. vulgare L. presents a reservoir of endophytic fungi, which can be used in various fields, especially pharmaceutical fields.
Show more [+] Less [-]Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Litsea floribunda Gamble, Leaf and Bark Extract
2022
Karthik Madhayan | Venkadachalam Balamurugan | Sunder Suganya
The Litsea floribunda Gamble was widely used for various medicinal purposes. The present study was aimed to screening the phytochemicals presentin theleaf and bark extract of L. floribunda and also assess their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The results revealed that the leaf and bark extract showed the extracts are rich in phytomoleculeslikephenolics and tannin. The leaf extract showed more antioxidant activitiessuch as total antioxidant, ABTS, superoxide radical scavenging, FRAP, and DPPH reducing power activities were done respectively. Better radical activities Albumin denaturation and Anti-proteinase were observed in leaf extractthan in the bark extract, also it showed significant anti-inflammatory activities. Finally, L. floribunda could be considered as the most valuablealternative medicinalsource for many diseases.
Show more [+] Less [-]Temporal Variation in the Viability of Spermatozoa in the Spermathecae of Queen Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)
2022
Yasin Kahya | Halit Vasfi Gençer
The storage of spermatozoa and keeping alive for years in the spermatheca by the honey bee queen is a phenomenon allowing her to fertilize eggs throughout her life. In this study, the queens that were 2-week, 1-year, and 2-year-old were analyzed to determine the viability of spermatozoa in their spermathecae. The sister queens reared by the grafting method were instrumentally inseminated with 8 μl fresh semen when they became 6 days old. One week after instrumental insemination, one batch of queens (2-week-old) was dissected for spermatozoa viability test. Another set of queens was introduced into production colonies in Langstroth hives after the onset of oviposition in the mating nuclei. The queens were maintained in production colonies for one year and two years until the dissection process for spermatozoa viability test. The viability of spermatozoa was measured by the dual staining method. We determined that the mean viability of spermatozoa in 2-week, 1-year and 2-year-old queens were 97.3%, 91.1% and 88.1%, respectively. The viability of spermatozoa in queens decreased with age, and the differences between the viability means were significant. However, we did not detect a steep decline in the viability of spermatozoa in queens (6% in one year and 9% in two years) in a wide range of timescale in contrast to previous reports. Furthermore, we found high viability of spermatozoa in the spermathecae of queens at the start of their lives and one- and two-years of age.
Show more [+] Less [-]Rice Blast, A Major Threat to the Rice Production and its Various Management Techniques
2022
Kapil Simkhada | Rabin Thapa
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the most important staple cereal crop which is consumed by more than 50% of world population. It contributes 23% and 50% of total calories consumed by world and Nepalese population respectively. Among various abiotic factors affecting rice, rice blast is the most disastrous, causing 70-80% yield loss. This disease was originated in China around 7000 years ago. In Nepal, it was first reported in Thimi, Bhaktapur in 1966. It is caused by a filamentous ascomycete fungus Magnaporthe oryzae (Anaemorphic form- Pyricularia oryzae). It infects all the developmental stage of plant and produce symptoms on the leaf, collar, neck, panicle and even in the glumes. It decreases the rice production by an amount, enough to feed 60 million people every year. Cloudy weather, high relative humidity (93-99%), low night temperature (15- 20°C), longer duration of dew is the most favorable condition for the outbreak of disease. The most usual approaches for the management of rice blast diseases are management in nutrient fertilizer and irrigation, application of fungicides and plantation of resistant cultivars. Besides, the use of extracts of C. arabica are reported to have an inhibitory effect on the disease. Seed treatment with Trichoderma viridae @ 5ml/lit of water have also been found effective. The chemical means of controlling blast disease shall be reduced, instead eco-friendly measures like biocontrol agents, resistant varieties, plant extracts can be practiced for disease control. Different forecasting model can be used in order to predict the disease prevalence.
Show more [+] Less [-]Comparison of University Students' Perceived Stress Levels in terms of Body-Mass Index Categories and Gender
2022
Burcu Köksal
The main purpose of this study is to compare the perceived stress level of university students in terms of body-mass index categories and gender. 235 university students (183 female, 53 male) between the ages of 18-40 participated in the study. Participants were selected from six different departments of six universities by convenient sampling. In the study, a personal information form asking about university, department, age, disease status, drug use, weight, height and gender, and a perceived stress scale were used as data collection tools. While body mass index (BMI) categories and gender were determined as independent variables in the study, perceived stress level was determined as dependent variable and the data were analysed with a one-way ANOVA test. The findings revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the perceived stress levels of the participants in terms of gender and body mass index categories. However, for one factor of the stress scale (readiness to cope with stress), participants in the normal body mass index range reported significantly less stress than participants in the obese body mass index range. The findings will be discussed in the light of the literature.
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