The fish ecology of Deepor Beel is being threatened by the continuous flow of effluents from the solid wastes of Municipal garbage dump. The present study has been aimed to investigate the genotoxic effect of the solid wastes on Channa punctata of Deepor Beel using micronucleus assay. Fishes were collected from garbage dump affected and unaffected area of Deepor Beel. The micronuclei assay demonstrated significantly higher frequency of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities in Channa punctata collected from affected site as compared to unaffected reference site. This study depicted the usefulness of micronucleus assay as an adequate approach for ecotoxicological monitoring of aquatic environment and its biodiversity.

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of sulphur added to nitrogen fertilizer on sunflower grain quality under different planting seasons. This study was executed in the 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 planting seasons at Molelwane farm, North-West Province, South Africa. The experiment was a 5x2 factorial fitted into a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Two sunflower cultivars (PAN7057 and AGSUN8251) were planted. The five fertilizer combinations used were 30S kg/ha + 120N kg/ha, 30S kg/ha + 180N kg/ha, 60S kg/ha + 120N kg/ha, 60S kg/ha + 180N kg/ha and a control. The quality parameters measured included oil, protein, crude fibre, starch, and ash content. Planting season had no significant effect (p>0.05) on grain oil content. However, planting season had a significant effect (p<0.05) on grain protein content. Sunflower planted during the first and third planting seasons (2020/21 and 2022/23) produced a significantly higher protein content. Sulphur/nitrogen rate had a significant effect (p<0.05) on sunflower oil and protein content. Sunflower treated with sulphur/nitrogen rates of S30+N180 and S60+N120 kg/ha produced a significantly high oil and protein content. Sunflower treated with sulphur/nitrogen rates of S60+N180 kg/ha also produced a significantly high protein content. The results of this study suggest that variations in climatic conditions during planting seasons affect sunflower quality parameters. A sunflower cultivar PAN7057 showed an increase on the performance in terms of grain quality parameters. In this study, sulphur/nitrogen fertilizer rates of S60+N120 and S60+N180 kg/ha are considered effective in promoting sunflower grain quality performance.

Worldwide loss of Date Palm productivity is due to the infestation of the Red Pest Weevil (RPW), which makes tunnels in the tree trunk. Also, RPW is followed by secondary microbial infections causing oozing of the fluid with a distinct fermented odor. This study aimed at isolation and identification of secondary invader bacteria associated with RPW and confirmation of their potential destructive effect on the tree. Four bacterial isolates were recovered from infested Date Palm tissues, and they were identified based on phenotypic characteristics using VITEK2 system. Three out of the four isolates were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while one isolate was identified as Burkholderia cepacia. All isolates caused rot of Date Palm germinated seeds (up to 40%), and wilt and root rot of Date Palm seedlings (40-100%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (isolate No. 3) was the most aggressive isolate that involved in 40% mortality and caused 100% of root rot incidence in Date Palm seedlings. Burkholderia cepacia showed the lowest degree of rot on the germinated seeds, % mortality, % root rot incidence of Date Palm seedlings. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (No.1) and B. cepacia caused high loss in weight of Date Palm petioles tissues (about 10%). This study threw the light on the detrimental effects of secondary invader microbes associated with RPW infestation. The study recommends an application of integrated management program containing both antibacterial and insecticidal preparation in the management of RPW to avoid a further negative effect on the Date Palm trees.

Crop modeling is an imperative tool in complex agricultural systems, which has been achieved by scientists from a broad range of disciplines, who have provided ideas and tools for more than six decades. Agricultural researchers are now focusing on the \"next-generation” models and information needed to solve the issues of complicated systems faced by the farming communities. It is essential to take stock of modeling history, methodology, and its suitability under different circumstances to guarantee that we avoid re-development and endeavor to consider all elements of associated challenges. In this paper, we review the historical connectivity and the methodology of agricultural systems modeling and identify various modeling approaches to guide the design and advancement of “next-generation” modeling tools and techniques. Historical events combined with technological advancement have powerfully contributed towards the development of agricultural and dynamic models at domestic to global scales. Agricultural systems models have wide characteristics relying on the systems involved, purposes, and the broad applications that intended their development and use by scientists in numerous fields. Recently the interdisciplinary research and public-private sectors partnership trends suggest that the stage is set for key advancement in agricultural systems science which is required for the “next-generation” models, information, databases, and decision support systems. Historical events and conceptual methodologies of agricultural system modeling should be considered to avoid barricades and pitfalls as the community build up these “next-generation” crop models.

Nine samples of seedling strains and Sukari cv., of mango grown under North Delta location in Egypt were evaluated using fruit quality and ISSR marker analysis during 2017 and 2018 seasons. The current study of (8) seeded strains and Sukari cv., under the conditions of North Delta, Egypt. All samples of new strains have commercial acceptance with high production and fruits of high weights ranging between 233.17-510.83g as compared to control. The results showed that strain number (8) recorded the highest values in most of all fruit characteristics tests of the evaluation, followed by the No.9, then the No.4, respectively. The genetic map shows the degree of hereditary kinship between strains, where strain 4 is closer to strain 9, and strain 4 to 9 are closer to strain 6-7, stroke 7 and its closest to strain 5, stroke 5 and its closest to strain 8, and strain 8 closer to 2 (Sukari cv.). Finally, it can be concluded that ISSR marker is a useful technique to distinguish the genetic differences between genotypes of mango under different environmental effect conditions. It can be said that the three strains 8, 9 and 4 have the most desirable commercial attributes of local or international standards.

Various drought indices are utilized to monitor and detect drought, and its probable effects. Hydro-climate parameters, including rainfall, temperature, soil moisture, are important in identifying drought phenomena. In this study, ten notable indices (SPI, SPEI, scPDSI, CZI, MCZI, RAI, RDI, DI, PNI and ZI) have been employed to monitor drought events in the Ceyhan Basin, Turkey. The applicability of these indices and their performances corresponding to historical droughts were examined by employing eight meteorological stations. Apart from the scPDSI, other indices have shown a strong correlation for 1-month time scale, at different time scales of 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-month only the correlation between the SPI, SPEI and RDI was observed to be high. While the SPI, SPEI and RDI have demonstrated a strong correlation in perceiving drought severity categories for 1-month time scale, for longer time scales the correlation of the SPEI with the other two indices was low.

Aim: To compare the quality of life in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) against patients with established RA.Patients and methods: The study included 164 participants: 114 outpatients with early RA, and 50 outpatients with established RA. Assessment of life quality in patients with RA detected impaired parameters of the HAQ, SF-36, QOL-RA Scale already during the first year of the disease.Results: The HAQ test found a comparable frequency of severe functional disorders in patients with early and established RA. According to the SF-36 questionnaire, patients with early RA suffered from physical pain than patients with established RA. The QOL-RA Scale demonstrated that patients in the early stages of the disease, the lowest scores for the "arthritis" and "joint pain", and participants with established RA for "health" also.Conclusions: A comparative study of the QOL in respondents with early and established RA has shown that patients have a decrease it already during the first year of the disease on many indicators, as patients with a long anamnesis, and even experience more pronounced physical pain. So, tested questionnaires can provide benefits for monitoring health status and comparison of the effectiveness of drugs and treatment methods.

Among many biologically safe compounds or biostimulants, melatonin is the least studied and it has been shown to have beneficial effects of alleviating stress conditions. This research was conducted in 2020 to investigate the influence of melatonin (10, 50 and 100 µM) given in three methods (immersion, irrigation and foliar spraying) on some physiological aspects of tomato seedlings exposed to root knot nematodes. The seedlings were inoculated with 1000 infective juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita [(Kofoid and White) Chitwood], the root knot nematode. Dualex® optic sensor was used to measure total chlorophylls, flavonols and anthocyanins contents and nitrogen balance index (NBI) 56 days after inoculation. Results indicated that melatonin in the nematode inoculated plants ameliorated the adverse effects of M. incognita on chlorophyll depending on the concentration and mode, for instance immersing in or irrigating with 100 µM melatonin or spraying with 50 µM. Flavonols were at the highest in the irrigated plants, ranging from 0.9-1.5 relative absorbance units and the lowest in the immersed ones, between 06-1.1, exhibiting a significant difference. NBI was affected by the method the melatonin was applied, and root-immersing boosted it while root-irrigation caused a significant decrease. The root-irrigation resulted in significantly higher anthocyanins compared to the other two methods. One observation was that applying melatonin in the low and medium concentrations increased the anthocyanins. Results of this study indicates that melatonin merits a value in developing a protective response against the nematode but needs further elucidation. Different concentrations with varying exposure time might be tried.

In the present work, the five composite materials are prepared from the coconut\nshell powder (CSP) is added with both palm kernel powder (PKP) and the epoxy resin. The\nCSP percentage of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% are considered to prepare the composite\nmaterial. The various mechanical properties such as tensile strength, hardness, impact\nstrength, bending strength and physical behavior like water absorption percentage and also\nthe characterization study has been conducted for both the prepared composite material\nboards and wooden chipboard with the help of FT-IR, SEM and TGA. It is observed that\nfrom the results of experimental studies the minimum deviation of the tensile stress and\npercentage of elongation between the 50% CSP composite material and wooden chipboard\nmaterial is 4.44 N/mm2 and 1.00 % respectively. Similarly, it is identified that the minimum\ndeviation of compressive stress and hardness between 50% CSP composite material and\nwooden chipboard is 0.14 N/mm2 and 3.2 HV respectively. The physical behavior study has\nbeen carried out in the CPS composite materials and wooden chipboard by soaked the\nsamples in normal water and sodium chlorinated water for 5 days. The result shows that the\nCPS composite materials are having high water resistance than the wooden chipboard. The\nScanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses are carried out to estimate the characteristics,\nreinforcement and homogenization of mixtures of the composite blocks microstructure for\nboth CSP composite materials and wooden chipboard. It is concluded that, the prepared\ncomposite materials from the waste shell powders with an epoxy resin is the sustainable\nmaterials for various applications such as panel boards, interior dash board in automobiles,\nroof sheets and doors in the high moisture environment.