Molecular identification of scale insect (Eulecanium giganteum) in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is a widely grown evergreen valuable medicinal, ornamental species planted in India. Scale insects are small herbivorous insects found on all continents and they are serious sap sucking pests of many ornamental plants. These scale insects are undetectable due to their tiny size, basic morphology, and polyphagous feeding nature. Hence, the management of these tiny insects become a serious concern across the globe. To afford a prospective solution to the problem, an accurate, simple, and developmental-stage-independent identification method is required, hence this study attempted the molecular identification of scale insect in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis using mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (mtCOI) sequencing. The experiment was carried out by isolating insect DNA using a modified CTAB method. Through two or three rounds of error-prone PCR followed by a steady procedure to amplify a mtCOI region. This region of mtCOI has been used as a standard DNA barcode for a diverse array of taxa. The confirmation has been done by sequencing of mtCOI which suggest the highest similarities with Eulecanium giganteum. This study addresses the questions of biodiversity and molecular characterization of scale insects. Further, the information obtained in this study provides baseline data for future crop improvement programs and integrated pest management strategies

Nanomaterial based drought mitigation in crops is through antioxidant defense system

Drought stress significantly impacts crop productivity by affecting the growth and development of plants. Studies have shown that drought stress induces oxidative damage, and the use of antioxidant molecules or nanoparticle (NPs) possessing antioxidant properties may decrease the negative effects of oxidative stress. So far, antioxidants like ascorbic acid, glutathione, proline, and glycine betaine have been studied in detail, but there is limited information available on the effect of NPs in decreasing drought induced oxidative damage. When plants are subjected to drought stress conditions, their ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) decreases leading to an increase in ROS that can damage membranes, proteins, and lipids. Nonenzymatic antioxidants, such as tocopherols, ascorbate, glutathione, phenols, and carotenoids, along with enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidise, can strengthen the plant defense against ROS. Nanoparticles possessing antioxidant properties can mimic antioxidant enzymes, activate, and alter gene expression levels, leading to reduced ROS levels because of their increased surface area and presence of free electrons on their surface. This review discusses the effects of drought stress on crops, the synthesis, and unique properties of NPs, and the various traits improved by NPs possessing antioxidant properties to mitigate drought stress in plants

CFD analysis of natural convection heat transfer in a static domestic refrigerator

Abstract Refrigerating compartment with and without shelves is designed for analyzing the air flow and temperature distributions by using the Simulation software Ansys work bench 14. Comparing the results of the air and temperature distributions inside the refrigerating compartment with and without shelves. Here shelves considered as obstacles and the refrigerator without freezer compartment is considered as a 2D rectangular enclosure one side is assumed as evaporator wall (cold wall) and other side as Door (warm wall). Inside the refrigerator cabin air flow takes by natural convection. Temperature distributions is observed in the compartment without shelves and with shelves and same is compared. In the natural convection heat transfer happens between the internal walls of the refrigerator and air by radiation, conduction and convection. Air flows downward near the cold wall and moves upward near warm wall due to the density variation. As a result, temperature stratification was observed in the refrigerating compartment. Evaporator wall maintains the colder region and door wall has the higher temperature.</jats:p

Genetic diversity in rhizobial isolates determined by RAPDs

Nine soil rhizobia isolated from different field locations were subjected to RAPD analysis to study the diversity. It was found that Rhizobium isolates from Agricultural Research Station - Aliyar Nagar (ALN 7),Department of Agricultural Microbiology (SOB 1), isolates from TNAU Eastern block field No.36 (EB 36) and Millet Breeding station field: 9 (MBS 19) were clustered together to form cluster 1 followed byRhizobium isolates Millet Breeding station field: 8 (MBS 9), isolates from the Department of Agrl. Microbiology, TNAU 14 and COG 15 belongs to cluster 2 and isolates of Cotton Breeding station fieldNo: 9 (CBS 9) and Aliyar Nagar (ALN 2) formed the fourth cluster. Department of Agricultural Microbiology isolate, COG 15 with TNAU 14 and SOB 1 with Rhizobium ALN 7 were clustered together with more than 50 per cent similarity. Isolate from Cotton Breeding station field No: 12 (CBS 12) was found to have more divergence (>90 per cent) to make the separate cluster. The results indicated that RAPD is a very discriminative and efficient method for differentiating and studying genetic diversity of Rhizobium strains

Real-time temperature detection and Mask entry system

Corona virus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes illness in the Respiratory system in humans. Covid-19 affected our day-to- day life and still, it is continuing to mutate. Though we have discovered vaccines for the treatments, we can’t stop them from spreading. To prevent us from Covid-19, we have to wear a mask and maintain Social distance in public places. Here, we are making an Embedded system device that automatically detects the temperature of a person and checks whether the person wears a mask or not in public places such as Hospitals, Shopping Malls, Stations, etc. The Government of India has made wearing face masks compulsory but the people don&amp;#39;t wear masks in public places. To create awareness among the public, these types of devices would help. Many Face detection models have been developed using different approaches and algorithms. The proposed approach in this paper was developed to avoid mask-less people from entering a desired places by detecting face masks using Deep Learning, Keras library, Tensor Flow and Computer Vision. MLX90614 ESF Non-Contact Human Body Infrared Temperature Measurement Module is used to detect the temperature of a person without contact. Adriano is used as a Microprocessor. If either a person doesn’t wear a mask or the temperature of that person is above normal, then it detects it and starts making a sound (alarm) using Buzzer. If a person wears a mask and the temperature of that person is normal, then it detects it and allows that person to Enter.</jats:p