Monitoring the Environmental Effects of CeO2 and ZnO Nanoparticles Through the Life Cycle of Corn (Zea mays) Plants and in Situ μ-XRF Mapping of Nutrients in Kernels

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 2921-2928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lijuan Zhao ◽  
Youping Sun ◽  
Jose A. Hernandez-Viezcas ◽  
Jie Hong ◽  
Sanghamitra Majumdar ◽  
...  
2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANUP DAS ◽  
P. K. GHOSH ◽  
M. R. VERMA ◽  
G. C. MUNDA ◽  
S. V. NGACHAN ◽  
...  

SUMMARYThe north eastern region (NER) of India receives a high amount of rainfall (2450 mm) both in terms of intensity and frequency. Most of the precipitation goes waste because of improper conservation measures and inadequate rainwater harvesting. Growing a second crop during winter (rabi) season on hill slopes and uplands without moisture conservation measure is almost impossible. A simple and very low-cost technique of in situ soil moisture conservation in maize (Zea mays L.)–toria (Brassica campestris L.) system has been developed using residue of preceding rainy season maize crop and mulching with locally available weed biomass Ambrosia artemisiifolia. Six residue mulching combinations tested were viz. control, Maize stalk cover (MSC), MSC + Ambrosia sp. 5 t/ha, MSC + Ambrosia sp. 10 t/ha, MSC + farmyard manure (FYM) 10 t/ha and MSC + Ambrosia sp. 5 t/ha + poultry manure 5 t/ha under zero tillage (ZT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems. Results showed that in situ residue retention of preceding maize crop along with green biomass of Ambrosia sp., applied before sowing of toria, maintained optimum soil moisture for good growth and higher yield of toria. The soil moisture content was consistently higher under residue mulched plots than that under control. All the residue mulching measures recorded higher crop yield for maize and toria than those observed under residue removal (control). The productivity of toria was enhanced by about 99%, only due to retention of MSC as mulch. Mulching with MSC + Ambrosia sp. 5 t/ha + poultry manure 5 t/ha recorded the highest seed yield of toria (four-year average: 641 kg/ha), which was 228% and 64% higher than no mulching (control) and MSC alone. MSC + FYM 10 t/ha (568.3 t/ha) and MSC + Ambrosia sp. 10 t/ha (517.4 t/ha) were found equally effective and produced significantly higher toria yield than that of control. MSC + Ambrosia mulch 10 t/ha gave the highest net returns and B:C ratio of the maize–toria system. The overall B:C ratios were better under ZT than CT. Thus, the study indicated that the integrated management of crop residues and weed biomass (Ambrosia sp.) under ZT created favourable soil moisture to support double cropping with high yield in hill eco-system of northeastern Indian Himalayas.


2005 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 373-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
William B. SANDERS

The utility of plastic cover slips as a substratum for in situ study of lichen developmental stages is further explored in a neotropical foliicolous lichen community and in a European temperate corticolous community. Twenty-one months after placement in the tropical forest, the cover slips bore foliicolous lichen thalli with several species producing characteristic ascocarps and ascospores, indicating the suitability of the substratum for completion of the life cycle of these lichens. On cover slips placed within the temperate corticolous community, lichen propagules anchored to the substratum with relatively short attachment hyphae but did not develop further within the one year observation period. Intimately intermixed microbial communities of short-celled, mainly pigmented fungi and chlorophyte algae developed upon the transparent substratum. Among the algae, Trebouxia cells, often in groups showing cell division and without associated lichenizing hyphae, were commonly observed. The potential significance of the free-living populations in the life cycle of Trebouxia and in those of Trebouxia-associated lichen fungi is discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 639-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila Shahidi ◽  
Hootan Rezaee ◽  
Abosaeed Rashidi ◽  
Mahmood Ghoranneviss

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Badylak ◽  
Edward J. Phlips ◽  
Ashley Loren Mathews ◽  
Karen Kelley

AbstractThis study reports on the harmful algal bloom (HAB) dinoflagellate


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1017
Author(s):  
Sarayut Pittarate ◽  
Julius Rajula ◽  
Afroja Rahman ◽  
Perumal Vivekanandhan ◽  
Malee Thungrabeab ◽  
...  

Fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda is a major pest of corn, rice, and sorghum among other crops usually controlled using synthetic or biological insecticides. Currently, the new invention of nanotechnology is taking root in the agricultural industry as an alternative source of pest management that is target-specific, safe, and efficient. This study sought to determine the efficacy of commercial Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) towards S. frugiperda under laboratory conditions. ZnO NPs were diluted into different concentrations (100–500 ppm), where the baby corn used to feed the S. frugiperda larvae was dipped. The development of the insect feeding on food dipped in ZnO solution was significantly (p < 0.05) affected, and the number of days that the insect took to complete its life cycle had a significant difference compared to the control. There was a significant difference in the adults’ emergence in all the concentrations of ZnO NPs compared to the control, with over 90% of the eggs successfully going through the life cycle until adult emergence. Additionally, several body malformations were observed throughout the lifecycle of the insect. Also, the fecundity of the females was greatly affected. The findings of this study suggest the possibility of exploitation of ZnO nanoparticles not only to manage S. frugiperda but to significantly reduce their population in the ecosystem through body deformations, reduced fecundity, reduced oviposition, and hatchability of eggs. It will be a valuable tool in integrated pest management regimens.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document