An annotated list of planthoppers with alternate hosts from Kallar tract of Punjab, Pakistan

Diversity of planthoppers and their host plants were studied in the "Kallar" tract of the Punjab, Pakistan (an important growing area of the world for producing Basmati rice). Planthoppers are considered the most important pests of rice. Delphacidae and Cixiidae are families of planthoppers with the most harmful species. Delphacids are primarily vector of the viruses, whereas Cixiids are vectors of phytoplasmas, mycoplasmas and prokaryotes-like associated to the class Mollicutes. Specimens of planthoppers were collected from the rice fields and surrounding weeds. A list of Fulgoromorpha is provided, with distributional and biological records as well. Records are extracted primarily from field data and specialized reference sources. Seven species from two different families of Fulgoromorpha were related to rice ecosystem (Cixiidae, one species and Delphacidae; six species). Three Delphacid species, whitebacked planthopper Sogatella furcifera, brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens and small brown planthopper (SBPH) Laodelphax striatellus are well-known vectors of severe rice pathogenic diseases in the Oriental and Paleartic regions. Laodelphax striatellus was recorded on rice for the first time in Pakistan. Among alternate hosts, Trifolium alexandrium, Leptochloa chinensis, Helianrhus allus, Medicago polymorpha and Sorghum bicolor were recorded for L. striatellus, while Leptochloa chinensis, Helianrhus allus, Medicago polymorpha, Sorghum bicolor, Zea mays and Cynodon dactylon were recorded for S. furcifera for the first time. N. lugens was recorded on weeds Leptochloa chinensis and Medicago polymorpha.Fil: Rizwan, Muhammad. Rice Research Institute; PakistánFil: Atta, Bilal. Rice Research Institute; PakistánFil: Marino, Ana Maria. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Mariani, Roxana. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; ArgentinaFil: Sabir, Arshed Makhdoom. Rice Research Institute; PakistánFil: Tahir, Muhammad. The Islamia University of Bahawalpur; PakistánFil: Rizwan, Misbah. Government College for Women; PakistánFil: Sabar, Muhammad. Rice Research Institute; PakistánFil: Rafique, Ch. Muhammad. Rice Research Institute; PakistánFil: Afzal, Muhammad. Hill Fruit Research Station; Pakistá

Assessment and analysis of polymyxin sensitivity using the disc elution method on clinical isolates resistant to carbapenems

Elevated mortality rates have drawn the focus of researchers to multidrug-resistant Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae over the last decade. In the case of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, particularly carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (Enterobacterales), polymyxin B stands as one of the last-resort antibiotics. This study aimed to evaluate clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria displaying resistance to carbapenems and subjected them to polymyxin B using the disc diffusion method. Clinical specimens were gathered from various anatomical sites, and bacterial isolates were obtained through culturing. After isolation, biochemical testing was conducted for bacterial identification. The identified isolates were then subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing, employing the Kirby-Bauer Disc Diffusion technique. A comparative analysis was undertaken between the disc elution method and the disc diffusion method, with validation against the reference Broth Microdilution (BMD) technique. A total of one hundred and fifty-two (152) clinical specimens were obtained. The isolates primarily comprised Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 49), Escherichia coli (n = 41), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 31), Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 29), and Proteus vulgaris (n = 02). Diverse specimen types were collected from various patient sites, encompassing pus swabs (n = 82), urine (n = 36), tracheal tubes (n = 12), sputum (n = 11), blood cultures (n = 6), bronchial washings (n = 2), high vaginal swabs (n = 2), and cerebrospinal fluid (n = 1). The distribution of patients was categorized by gender, with 95 females and 57 males. The majority of the strains were identified in patients aged between 41 and 60 years. The disc elution method categorized 127 samples as susceptible, 13 as intermediate, and 12 as resistant to polymyxin B, while the disc diffusion method labeled 128 samples as susceptible and 24 as resistant. In routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing, the disc diffusion method is commonly used for polymyxin B, even though it is not recommended by CLSI. This study concludes that the disc elution method, recommended by CLSI, demonstrates superior accuracy, precision, and sensitivity in detecting susceptibility to polymyxin B compared to the disc diffusion method

Evaluation of the entomopathogenic fungi as a non-traditional control of the rice leaf roller, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) under controlled conditions

Abstract The rice leaf roller or leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a serious pest of rice crop in Pakistan. The present study was carried out to evaluate the virulence of the entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) Beauveria bassiana, Verticillium lecanii, and Metarhizium anisopliae against the third instar of C. medinalis larvae. Larvae were exposed to fungi under controlled conditions at the available commercial concentration (1 × 108 conidia ml−1). The results showed 73.33, 57.78, and 74.44% mortality rates in the in vitro assay and 56.67, 41.11 and 52.78% in the greenhouse assay of B. bassiana, V. lecanii, and M. anisopliae, respectively. The maximum mycosis from cadavers of C. medinalis was observed at B. bassiana treatment in the in vitro assay (70%) and in the greenhouse assay (53.78%). The maximum sporulation from C. medinalis cadavers was observed at B. bassiana treatment in the in vitro assay (144.67 conidia ml−1) and in greenhouse assay (96.67 conidia ml−1). These results favor the alternative use of EPF in organic rice production for management of C. medinalis

Exploration of Thermophoresis and Brownian motion effect on the bio-convective flow of Newtonian fluid conveying tiny particles: Aspects of multi-layer model

This research deals with the analysis of bioconvection caused by the movement of gyrotactic microorganisms. The multi-layer immiscible Newtonian fluid flowing through the vertical channel conveying tiny particles is accounted. The immiscible fluids are arranged in the form of a sandwich where the middle layer has a different base fluid that does not mix with the base fluid of the adjacent fluid layer. This separation of the fluid layers gives rise to the interface boundary conditions. Such flows have found applications in electronic cooling and solar reactors processes. Buongiorno’s model has been incorporated to design the mathematical model that describes the three-layer flows of Newtonian fluid conveying tiny (metal/oxide) particles under thermophoretic force and Brownian motion. The model thus formed is in the form of the ordinary differential system of equations that are solved using the DTM-Pade approximant after non-dimensionalization. The limited results have an excellent comparison with the existing literature results. The results are discussed through graphs and tables. It is seen that thermophoresis enhances the temperature and particle concentration of the fluid whereas, the Brownian motion is found to enhance the temperature and decrease the concentration. The presence of bioconvection helps in achieving enhanced energy and mass transportation. Moreover, the heat transfer occurring between the different base fluids helps to maintain the optimum temperature in the systems. </jats:p

Susceptibility of six insecticides in brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) in Kallar tract of Punjab, Pakistan; 2015-2019

Brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) is an economically important insect pest of rice crop worldwide including Pakistan. The use of chemicals insecticides to control the BPH population has been considered an effective strategy. However, long-term and intensive use of insecticides has resulted in resistance against this pest. In this study, six recommended insecticides were tested against BPH over the period of 2015-2019 to determine the susceptibility level. From 2015-19, susceptibility of BPH was reduced to all tested insecticides. Increasing trend of LC50 values was recorded in fipronil (18.23-35.11 mg/L), imidacloprid (64.22-128.8 mg/L), buprofezin (185.01-315.0 mg/L), chlorantranilipyrole (199.2-263.3 mg/L), pymetrozine (248.2-315.5 mg/L), and nitenpyram (21.07-34.3 mg/L) respectively from 2015 to 2019. Correlation coefficient values indicated a significant relation (P < 0.05) between fipronil, imidacloprid, and buprofezin. The study will be helpful for resistance management strategies to prevent the resistance development in BPH against insecticides

MAINTENANCE SYSTEM FOR HEAVY EARTH MOVING EQUIPMENT

Heavy earth moving equipment’s are critical for completion of any developmental projects. Dams, schools, bridges or any mining related initiations are part of these infrastructure development projects. Usually the delays are due to the inefcient and ineffective maintenance procedures of the heavy earth moving equipment’s. Poor record keeping and un-systemized maintenance procedures leads to reducing the machine effective life cycle. To avoid catastrophic losses in production and, market share, a maintenance model for such equipment is developed. Heavy equipment availability is mandatory on site. Their movement is critical and usually limited. The data collected includes both manufacturer and operator requirement. Usually such equipment is treated as normal machine irrespective of the rough environment it works in. The analysis includes segregation, Pareto analysis and Five Why analysis. A dedicated maintenance model is proposed which includes checklist and proper maintenance schedule

Use of zinc quantum dot biochar and AMF for alleviation of Cd stress in maize: Regulation of physiological and biochemical attributes

In different heavy metals, cadmium is one of the acute toxins. It also interferes with various physiological processes in plants, such as photosynthesis, respiration, and enzyme activity. To improve the growth of plants in Cd stress, arbuscular mycorrhizae can play an imperative role. On the other hand, the use of quantum dots technology is also gaining the attention of scientists. That's why the current study investigates the effectiveness of using zinc quantum dot biochar (ZQDB) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in alleviating cadmium (Cd) stress in maize plants. The results showed that AMF+ZQDB performed significantly best at the highest level of 5Cd (5mgCd/kg soil) for enhancement in plant height (28.20 %), shoot dry weight (48.78 %), chlorophyll a (32.45 %), chlorophyll b (44.03 %) and total chlorophyll (22.02 %) compared to control (NoAMF+NoZQDB). A significant enhancement in photosynthetic rate (12.95 %) and transpiration rate (39.99 %) concentration of carbon dioxide also validated the effectiveness of AMF+ZQDB over control (NoAMF+NoZQDB) at 5Cd. For photochemical quenching decrease was 25.1 %, 2.98 %, 20.7 %, and 20.3 %, respectively, compared to the control group at 5Cd where NoAMF+NoZQDB, AMF, ZQDB, and AMF+ZQDB treatments were applied. AMF+ZQDB treatment of 5Cd showed a 30.22 % decrease in electron transport rate and 34.67 % decrease in non-photochemical quenching compared to control (NoAMF+NoZQDB). In conclusion, AMF + ZQDB is an effective amendment for alleviating Cd stress in maize by regulating biochemical and physiological attributes. Further investigations are recommended at the field level using different crops to validate the effectiveness of AMF + ZQDB as a promising amendment for minimizing Cd toxicity