Volume 19 (2016)

HOST-STAGE SPECIFIC EFFECTS ON THE BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF XYLO CHORIS FLAVIPES (REUTER) PREYED ON CRYP

2024-10-23T06:55:35Z

HOST-STAGE SPECIFIC EFFECTS ON THE BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF XYLO CHORIS FLAVIPES (REUTER) PREYED ON CRYP Sarker, Atul C.; Islam, W.; Parween, Selina The biological parameters of predator Xylocoris flavipes (Reuter) was observed from experiments when they were reared on specific host-stages like eggs, larvae and pupae of Cryptolestes pusillus (Schon.), under laboratory condi tions. The minimum developmental time of X. flavipes was found 12 ± 1.15 days when preyed on host pupae, but maximum time of 22.06 days needed when it preyed on 2nd instar larvae of the host. The maximum longevity of X. flavipes females was 31 ± 1.15 days but minimum 14 ± 1.15 days when fed on 2nd instar larvae while the highest was 12 ± 1.15 days but lowest was 6 ± 0.58 days when fed on pupae of C. pusillus. The predator consumed a large number of host eggs (male: 16.33, female: 20.67) but minimum of host pupae (male: 4.33, female: 5.67). The sur vivability of male adults was higher than female adults. The females are larger in size than male. The results indi cated that the number of X. flavipes was significantly varied among the life stages of the host. This study summa rize the importance of life stages of C. pusillus for mass utilization of predator, X. flavipes.

THE EFFECT OF TRANSGLUTAMINASE AS A BINDING AGENT IN MIXTURE OF MEAT AND NON-MEAT GELS ON WATER HOLDING PROPERTIES AT DIFFERENT COOKING CONDITIONS

2024-10-28T05:38:15Z

THE EFFECT OF TRANSGLUTAMINASE AS A BINDING AGENT IN MIXTURE OF MEAT AND NON-MEAT GELS ON WATER HOLDING PROPERTIES AT DIFFERENT COOKING CONDITIONS Marapana, R.A.U.J.; Senanayaka, S.A.; Perera, P.R.D.; Jiang, Bo The influence of cooking methods (water bath, retort, and microwave) on the binding and water holding proper ties of mixed pork/casein gels with (2.5 or 5 g kg-1) or without (control) microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) was investigated using puncture test measurements. The MTGase treatment improved (P < 0.0001) water-holding capacity, reduced (P <0.0001) cooking loss (CL), purge and expressible water (EW), and increased (P <0.0001) the gel hardness and breaking strength as measured by compression and puncture tests. Microwave-cooked mixed gels had the lowest hardness but least CL and EW than retort and water bath-cooked samples. The results sug gested that MTGase influenced the gel properties of pork muscle/non muscle gels, but the effectiveness of the en zyme treatment depended on the cooking methods.

SOIL AND SEED TREATMENT WITH Bacillus Thuringiensis AND AVOCADO (Persea Americana) SEED POWDER AGAINST FUSARIUM ROOT ROT OF OKRA

2024-10-22T04:56:39Z

SOIL AND SEED TREATMENT WITH Bacillus Thuringiensis AND AVOCADO (Persea Americana) SEED POWDER AGAINST FUSARIUM ROOT ROT OF OKRA Godwin-Egein, M.I.; Okereke, V.C. Disease management strategies using synthetic chemicals are expensive, hazardous and environmentally unfriend ly and have necessitated the search for alternatives in biological agents with antimicrobial properties. This re search was aimed at assessing the effectiveness of Bacillus thuringiensis and avocado seed powder applied either as soil amendments and/or seed coatings on Fusarium root rot of potted okra. Fusarium oxysporum isolated from diseased okra plants was used to inoculate the pots. The experiment was a completely randomized design (CRD) replicated eight times. Data were collected on percentage germination, disease incidence and plant growth param eters such as shoot weight, root weight, shoot length and root length. Results showed significant (P = 0.002) differ ence among treatments with the hybrid seeds having the highest percentage germination of 94% followed by soil treated with avocado seed powder (85%) and their effect differed significantly from the control. In terms of dis ease incidence, hybrid seeds, seed coating or soil treatment with avocado and soil treatment with Bt all controlled the disease giving incidence values of 26%, 25%, 18% and 16%, respectively, which differed from the control pots (41%). Shoot length was significant (P = 0.049 and P = 0.007) at both assessments where hybrid seeds constantly maintained the tallest plants. Since the treatments suppressed the incidence of root rot disease, the use of these treatments is advocated for effective management of Fusarium root rot disease.

IN VITRO INDUCTION OF TETRAPLOIDS FROM EXACUM RITIGALENSIS (GENTIANACEAE)

2024-10-24T06:59:27Z

IN VITRO INDUCTION OF TETRAPLOIDS FROM EXACUM RITIGALENSIS (GENTIANACEAE) Perera, P.C.D.; Dahanayake, Nilanthi; Senanayake, S.G.J.N.; Krishnarajah, S.A. Exacum ritigalensis (Gentianaceae) (Sinhalese: Binara or Ginihiriya) has a potential to develop as a potted plant by improving the size of the flowers and inflorescence. The aim of the study was to establish an efficient and effec tive system for the production of tetraploid plants through colchicine treatment. Single nodal cuttings (0.5 cm) from aseptic plantlets were established on Murashige and Skoog basal medium (MS) supplemented with 2 mgL 1BAP and different colchicine concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg-1 ). They were kept in different durations (0, 7, 14 21 and 28 days) and transferred into 10ml of MS basal medium containing 2 mgL-1 BAP. After one month, they were transferred to MS medium containing 2mgL-1 Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for rooting. Then root tips were collected from treated plants to observe chromosome number. Afterwards the selected diploid and tetra ploid plants were acclimatized and transferred to field to observe the morphological characters. Factorial Com plete Randomized Design (FCRD) with 10 replicates was used for each treatment and statistical analysis was car ried out using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test of SAS program (9.1.3).The highest percentage of tetraploid plant lets (26.6%) was observed from nodal cuttings treated with MS basal medium with 2mgL -1 BAP + 30mgL -1 colchi cine for seven days. The chromosome number of diploid and tetraploid E. ritigalensis determined as 28 and 56 respectively. Cells of the tetraploid plants were comparatively larger cells than diploids plants. The stomata size of the tetraploid (2.96*2.27 μm 2 ) were larger than those of the diploids (1.94*1.48μm 2 ). Leaf shape of diploids was lanceolate while it was ovate or narrowly elliptic in tetraploids. Flower petals of diploid plants were overlapping along their entire length while in tetraploids flower petals were not overlapping. The plants height was significantly higher in diploid (67.00±9 cm) than in tetraploid (38.00±4 cm). Newly produced polyploids of E. ritigalensis have a potential to popularize as a potted plant in the floriculture trade.