Isolation and Screening for Ureolytic Bacteria from Bukilat Cave, Camotes Islands, Cebu

Microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is an eco-friendly technique used in creating better soil substrate often for engineering purposes. This is done through the application of the ureolytic pathway of certain bacteria. This study aims to discover whether any of these bacteria can be found in Bukilat Cave, Camotes Islands, Cebu. Samples from the pools of water, drip water, and swabs of the walls of the cave were collected, cultured, and then tested using Christensen’s agar for their ability to undergo the ureolytic pathway. The rate at which they undergo the ureolytic pathway was then measured and compared between different sources and to the positive control, Bacillus megaterium. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the rate at which bacteria from the different sources underwent ureolysis. There was also no significant difference between the rate at which the collected bacteria underwent ureolysis and the rate of the positive control (2.588 mM/min). Finally, the species with the fastest rate of ureolysis was identified to be Bacillus cereus NR 074540 with a rate of 3.033 mM/min. However, it is not ideal for MICP purposes because of its potential pathogenicity.

Complex effect of fertilizers and drip irrigation eggplant yield

Relevance and methods. In the dry steppe zone of flat Dagestan, the beneficial effect of drip irrigation in combination with organic fertilizers on the yield and quality of Almaz eggplant fruits has been proven. Results. It was established that out of the three studied soil moisture thresholds (70, 80 and 90% HB), the best conditions for plant growth and development, optimization of their photosynthetic activity are created at a moisture threshold of 80% HB in combination with the introduction of 40 t / ha manure + N320P120K210. The combination of factors under study makes it possible to increase the leaf surface index by an average of 24.3%, which contributes to an increase in the photosynthetic potential by 15.7% and an increase in the efficiency of the use of photosynthetically active radiation by crops by 2.5 times in comparison with the unfertilized background by 90% НВ. In conditions of a shortage of irrigation water, drip irrigation in combination with fertigation in the form of three root fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers increases the efficiency of its use by reducing the water consumption for the formation of a unit of production from on average with 164.8 to 66.4 m3 /t. It has been proven that the best combination of yield-forming factors ensuring the highest eggplant yield - 62.3…63,6 t / ha, is the use of drip irrigation with the maintenance of soil moisture in the active 0.5 m layer during the growing season within 80...100% HB in the complex with the introduction of 40 t / ha of manure and N320P120K210.

The Effect of Potassium Iodide Absorption on the Concentration of Antioxidants in Tomato Fruits

Antioxidants are molecules found in fruits and vegetables that have the ability to fight substances in the human body that are detrimental to cells and genetic material. There is a high need for antioxidants, and the current method for boosting antioxidants is genetic modification, which is controversial in society; however, there is a lack of research concerning increasing antioxidant concentrations in plants in a natural manner. Thus, the efficacy of an iodine water drip can be called into question. Iodine has been proven to increase antioxidant enzymatic activity in animals and certain leafy vegetables. This paper will evaluate the effectiveness of an potassium iodide enriched water drip on the concentration of antioxidants in tomato plants. potassium iodide (KI) solution was created from diluting KI crystals into water, and the tomatoes were watered every day over a three month growth period. At the end of the allotted growth period, four tomatoes were plucked from each group—the potassium iodide group, and the control group that was watered regularly. In order to calculate the increase in concentration, each tomato was mashed with an Efferdent denture-cleansing tablet so as to measure the absorbance of each sample using the blue dye from the tablet. Once obtaining the absorbance, the concentrations were found using Beer’s law. Using a 2 sample T-test for the difference in antioxidants, the increase in antioxidants was found to be statistically significant.

Smart Irrigation System Using GPRS and Moisture Sensor

With the advent of globalization, urbanization and modernization, water degradation has become an major concern today. Farming in India is still done as per traditional method that requires plenty of usage of water. Drip system has resolved this issue to some extent. But this system has suffered with overhead of continuous parameter checking and manual control. This paper focuses on designing of a smart drip irrigation system that comprises of sensing the moisture of soil which automatically controls switching of pump and valve with low consumption of available power. Automatic sensing of parameters remotely controls the drip valves of system. User friendly interface allows irrigation control with ease and less efforts. The moisture sensor will continuously sense the moisture content in the soil. The temperature sensor continuously monitors the temperature and if it is above threshold value then spraying system will turn on which will reduce crop temperature.

Megacity Wastewater Poured into a Nearby Basin: Looking for Sustainable Scenarios in a Case Study

The megacities´ sewage creates socioeconomic dependence related to water availability in the nearby zones, especially in countries with hydric stress. The present paper studies the water balance progression of realistic scenarios from 2005 to 2050 in the Mezquital Valley, the receptor of Mexico City untreated sewage since 1886, allowing agriculture irrigation in unsustainable conditions. WEAP model calculated the water demand and supply. Validation was performed with outflows data of the Tula River and simulated three scenarios: 1st) Steady-state based on inertial growth rates, 2nd) Transient scenario concerned climate change outcomes, with minor influence in surface water and hydric stress in 2050; 3rd) Transient scenario perturbed with a planned reduction of 36% in the imported wastewater and the start-up of a massive Water Treatment Plant, allowing drip and sprinkler irrigation since 2030. In the 2005-2017 period, 59% of the agriculture depended on the flood irrigation with megacity sewage. The water balance scenarios evaluated the sectorial supply of the ground and superficial water. Drip irrigation would reduce 42% of agriculture demands, but still does not grant the downflow hydroelectric requirements, aggravated by the lack of wastewater supply since 2030. This research alerts about how present policies compromise future Valley demands.