Volume 3 Issue 2
Authors: S. E. Abdallah; W. M. Elmessery
Abstract: Despite the emergent trend of trying to mechanize all agricultural operations in Egyptian fields several decades ago, but aquaculture still does not have any significant share in this direction through nursing, rearing, harvesting and even postharvest techniques. Tilapias grading is considered to be one of the most important postharvest processes for marketing optimization. The main idea of manufacturing Tilapias grader is depending on the basics of fish behavior (attractive to current water (rheotactic)) by stimulating the Tilapias to trace the withdrawn water within the grader passed or retained through four sieves which have been placed in Tilapias movement course doing self-grading. Sieves sizes were determined according to the preliminary study of Tilapias morphology. The relationship between Tilapias individual mass and its dimensions was obtained. Tilapia’s depth and thickness were the main dimensions used to determine the Tilapias identity. Three levels of water flow discharging or three profiles of water escaping (superficial) velocity (100, 375 and 500LPM) and two inclinations of grader raceway (5° and 7°) were investigated. The grader performance was demonstrated by studying the selectivity curve, selection range, individual mass mean selection and grading efficiency for each sieve. Maximum sieve grading efficiency achieved was of 97.87% at 375 LPM and 5° grader inclination. Grader operational capacity was of 2000 kg/h. This productivity can be achieved manually by eight workers for three hours. The behavior of each sieve (allow to pass or retain) during grading process towards each length or individual mass was modeled correspondingly with Logistic and Richard models. Richard model was found to be the best fit model for all the investigated sieves.
Keywords: Grading Process; Sieve Grading Efficiency; Tilapia Fish Ponds; Fish Grader; Sieves Selectivity
Authors: Ranjan Pati; Michael Abelar
Abstract: An estimated 1,090,000 square miles of farmland will be needed to grow the amount of food to support the world’s population in 2050. Despite cost inefficiency, vertical greenhouse yields outpace the expected yields of their footprint area. The primary cost inefficiency of vertical greenhouses is attributed to artificial lighting. This paper analyzes the effectiveness of cost-effective mylar reflectors to maximize the growth and health of plants in vertical greenhouses. Two vertical greenhouses with three floors were built: one with lighting provided by Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and the other with mylar reflectors. One soil-filled planting pot was placed on each floor of both vertical greenhouses. To serve as the negative control, three soil-filled planting pots were placed on three distinct petri dishes. Six Brassica rapa seeds were planted in each pot. The pots were watered with 25 millimeters of water each day for ten days. After the ten-day growing period, data points were collected such as plant height, leaf surface area, plant mass, and primary root length. Statistical t-tests revealed that mylar reflectors and LED lighting in vertical greenhouses led to statically similar crop yields, in terms of growth and health. This paper has the potential to increase the feasibility of present-day vertical greenhouses by reducing costs without sacrificing overall growth and health of the crop yield. As this greenhouse is merely a scale model, this study supports the construction of large-scale vertical greenhouses with mylar reflectors. The findings of this study hope to aid international food supply sustenance to support our ever-growing population.
Keywords: Vertical Greenhouses; Greenhouses; Agricultural Engineering; Mylar Reflectors
Authors: Fitri Widiantini; Endah Yulia; Tiara Purnama
Abstract: Maize downy mildew is one of the major constraints for maize production in Indonesia. Peronosclerospora maydis is known as the causal agent of downy mildew in Java, Indonesia. The use of fungicides yielded different reactions to the disease at various locations in Indonesia. The aim of this study was to look for evidence of variation in P. maydis by comparing morphological characteristics of downy mildew pathogen in several locations at Java, Indonesia. Samples were collected from eight locations in Java. The result showed that P. maydis was the causal agent of downy mildew in all locations. The shape and size of the conidia and conidiophores varied between locations, with the sizes being smaller compared to previous descriptions. These morphological variations indicate the presence of genetic variation. However, this needs further confirmation.
Keywords: Maize Downy Mildew; Peronosclerospora Maydis; Morphology Variation
Authors: F.A. Merlim; A.G. da Silva Sobrinho; T.H. Borghi; N.M.B.L. Zeola; E.P. Romanzini; N. Andrade; F.A. Almeida; L.G.A. Cirne
Abstract: To assess if glycerin can substitute for corn in sheep diets, 30 Ile de France lambs with initial body weights of 15.1 ± 0.146 kg were fed three diets containing natural sugarcane as forage and concentrate (50:50) with or without glycerin; diets containing glycerin consisted of 100 or 200 g/kg in the dry matter (DM). All diets contained similar protein and energy levels at 16.72% or 3.86 Mcal/kg DM, respectively. When the lambs reached a weight of 32.2 ± 0.207 kg, they were slaughtered, and the carcass characteristics and commercial cuts were evaluated. The experimental design was entirely randomized, the data were submitted to analysis of variance, and the glycerin content was deployed in linear or quadratic effects. The significance level was 5%. The lambs demonstrated similar carcass characteristics with a 45.1% mean cold carcass yield, 13.31 cm2 of loin eye area and 2.52 mm of subcutaneous fat thickness. The weight and yield of the commercial cuts were not affected by the inclusion of glycerin, except for the loin weight which demonstrated a quadratic effect and increased with the inclusion of 100 g/kg DM; however, this value decreased when the glycerin was increased to 200 g/kg DM. Thus, we conclude that the inclusion of up to 200 g glycerin/kg DM is an effective corn substitute in the diet of Ile de France fattening lambs.
Keywords: Alternative Foods; By Products; Glycerol; Ruminants; Sheep; Sugarcane
Authors: Julio Flores; Raymundo López; Neftalí Rojas-Valencia; Mabel Vaca-Mier; Luisa Escobar-Alvarado
Abstract: Soil pollution by the application of used motor oils is a major environmental issue related to inappropriate handling and illegal dumping of industrial waste. A combined alternative biological treatment that focuses on composting the polluted soil with yard trimmings, followed by phytoremediation with Lolium perenne (common grass) was studied. After a 9-week composting process, a 12% degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) present in motor oil was achieved. An additional 50% decrease in TPHs was reached after planting Lolium perenne. At the conclusion of the study, the combined treatment (composting with yard trimmings followed by L. perenne phytoremediation) demonstrated the highest microbial count, 2.8 x 107 CFU, a finding ten times greater than the level observed in the (non-treated) control soil. Moreover, four different bacterial species -- Bacillus brevis, Azotobacter vinelandii, Stenotrophomanas maltophilia, and Burkholderia cepacia – all, capable of degrading hydrocarbons, were found in soil treated with the combined technologies, in contrast to only two different species observed in the control sample.
Keywords: Composting; Soil Pollution; Motor Oil; Phytoremediation; Oil-Degrading Bacteria