Study on Efficacy of Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC against Blast and Sheath Blight Diseases of Paddy Crop

Rice diseases are considered the main constraint in rice production and cause both qualitative and quantitative losses. Blast and sheath blight diseases are major constrain of rice production reported to cause extensive damage in crop production. The following experiment was conducted to know the efficacy of Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC in different doses against blast (Pyricularia oryzae) and sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani) of paddy crop with 7 treatments and replicated three times in RBD design at ARS, Gangavati during Kharif 2021-22 and Kharif 2022-23 cropping season. In kharif 2021, at 10 days after second spray, the leaf blast of 17.10 and 18.45 PDI was recorded with Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 90+90 g a.i./ha and Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 80+80 g a.i./ha respectively. During summer 2022, at 10 days after second spray, Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 90+90 g a.i./ha recorded the lowest PDI of 12.75 and untreated control recorded the highest PDI (43.50%). In kharif 2021, at 10 days after second spray, Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 90+90 g a.i./ha and Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 80+80 g a.i./ha were effective in reducing the panicle blast with minimum PDI of 3.00 and 3.50, respectively. Whereas, the maximum PDI of 23.50 was observed in untreated control. In summer 2022, lowest per cent panicle blast was recorded in Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 90+90 g a.i./ha (1.50 PDI) and Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 80+80 g a.i./ha (2.00 PDI). In kharif 2021, at 10 days after second spray, Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 90+90 g a.i./ha and 80+80 g a.i./ha recorded lowest sheath blight PDI of 17.95 and 19.75, respectively. Similarly, during summer 2022, at 10 days after second spray lowest sheath blight of 11.75 PDI was recorded from Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 90+90 g a.i./ha. During kharif 2022, Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 90+90 g a.i./ha and Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 80+80 g a.i./ha were recorded highest yield of 55.62 and 53.25 q/ha respectively as against 38.84 q/ha in untreated control. During summer 2022, Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 90+90 g a.i./ha and Pyraclostrobin 10% + Thifluzamide 10% SC @ 80+80 g a.i./ha recorded highest yield of 58.20 q/ha and 57.50 q/ha respectively as against 40.40 q/ha in untreated control

Efficacy of Fungicides and Commercially Available Organic Products against Blight of Cotton Caused by Alternaria macrospora

An attempt was made to test available formulation of fungicides and commercially available organic products for their efficacy under laboratory condition, an experiment was carried out at Department of Plant pathology, Raichur, Karnataka, India by using poison food technique. Among the commercially available organic products tested, fatty alcohol and diluents has recorded significantly higher mycelial inhibition of 100 per cent at the concentration of 5 and 10 per cent. In case of contact fungicides propineb 70% WP, metiram 70% WP and mancozeb 75 % WP recorded 100 per cent mycelial inhibition, with respect to systemic fungicides hexaconazole 5% EC, propiconazole 25% EC and difenoconazole 25% WP and among the combi fungicides azoxystrobin 8.3% + mancozeb 66.7% WG were most effective in 100 per cent inhibition of mycelial growth of Alternaria macrospora over the control. The commercially available organic product fatty alcohol and diluents, propineb 70% WP, hexaconazole 5% EC, propiconazole 25% EC and azoxystrobin 8.3% + mancozeb 66.7 % WG were found to be effective against inhibition of mycelial growth of Alternaria macrospora

Influence of Weather Parameters on the Incidence and Severity of Guava Scab Caused by Pestalotiopsis psidii (Pat.)

Guava (Psidium guajava) is an important tropical fruit crop of India and is known as “apple of the tropics”. It is grown and utilized as an important fruit in tropical countries like India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and South America. Among the biotic and abiotic diseases of guava, guava infected by scab disease [Pestalotiopsis psidii (Pat.) Mordue] is an economically important and reported average yield losses in the range of 12-18%. An experiment was conducted during 2023 at Horticulture garden, Main Agricultural Research Station, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur during 2023 to understand the influence of various weather parameters on the guava scab disease development. The results revealed that, irrespective of the varieties, interaction among maximum temperature, minimum temperature, maximum relative humidity, minimum relative humidity, rainy days and rainfall showed significant positive correlation with guava scab disease. And the incidence and severity of guava scab was found to be 23.21, 56.00 (Allahabad Safed), 32.45, 68.50 (Lucknow 49) and 85.00, 74.51 (Arka Kiran) respectively

The causes of preterm neonatal deaths in India and Pakistan (PURPOSe): A prospective cohort study

Background: Preterm birth remains the major cause of neonatal death worldwide. South Asia contributes disproportionately to deaths among preterm births worldwide, yet few population-based studies have assessed the underlying causes of deaths. Novel evaluations, including histological and bacteriological assessments of placental and fetal tissues, facilitate more precise determination of the underlying causes of preterm deaths. We sought to assess underlying and contributing causes of preterm neonatal deaths in India and Pakistan.Methods: The project to understand and research preterm pregnancy outcomes and stillbirths in South Asia (PURPOSe) was a prospective cohort study done in three hospitals in Davangere, India, and two hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. All pregnant females older than 14 years were screened at the time of presentation for delivery, and those with an expected or known preterm birth, defined as less than 37 weeks of gestation, were enrolled. Liveborn neonates with a weight of 1000 g or more who died by 28 days after birth were included in analyses. Placentas were collected and histologically evaluated. In addition, among all neonatal deaths, with consent, minimally invasive tissue sampling was performed for histological analyses. PCR testing was performed to assess microbial pathogens in the placental, blood, and fetal tissues collected. An independent panel reviewed available data, including clinical description of the case and all clinical maternal, fetal, and placental findings, and results of PCR bacteriological investigation and minimally invasive tissue sampling histology, from all eligible preterm neonates to determine the primary and contributing maternal, placental, and neonatal causes of death.Findings: Between July 1, 2018, and March 26, 2020, of the 3470 preterm neonates enrolled, 804 (23%) died by 28 days after birth, and, of those, 615 were eligible and had their cases reviewed by the panel. Primary maternal causes of neonatal death were hypertensive disease (204 [33%] of 615 cases), followed by maternal complication of pregnancy (76 [12%]) and preterm labour (76 [11%]), whereas the primary placental causes were maternal and fetal vascular malperfusion (172 [28%] of 615) and chorioamnionitis, funisitis, or both (149 [26%]). The primary neonatal cause of death was intrauterine hypoxia (212 [34%] of 615) followed by congenital infections (126 [20%]), neonatal infections (122 [20%]), and respiratory distress syndrome (126 [20%]).Interpretation: In south Asia, intrauterine hypoxia and congenital infections were the major causes of neonatal death among preterm babies. Maternal hypertensive disorders and placental disorders, especially maternal and fetal vascular malperfusion and placental abruption, substantially contributed to these deaths.Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Feeding practices and growth patterns of moderately low birthweight infants in resource-limited settings: results from a multisite, longitudinal observational study

Objectives To describe the feeding profile of low birthweight (LBW) infants in the first half of infancy; and to examine growth patterns and early risk factors of poor 6-month growth outcomes.Design Prospective observational cohort study.Setting and participants Stable, moderately LBW (1.50 to <2.50 kg) infants were enrolled at birth from 12 secondary/tertiary facilities in India, Malawi and Tanzania and visited nine times over 6 months.Variables of interest Key variables of interest included birth weight, LBW type (combination of preterm/term status and size-for-gestational age at birth), lactation practices and support, feeding profile, birthweight regain by 2 weeks of age and poor 6-month growth outcomes.Results Between 13 September 2019 and 27 January 2021, 1114 infants were enrolled, comprising 4 LBW types. 363 (37.3%) infants initiated early breast feeding and 425 (43.8%) were exclusively breastfed to 6 months. 231 (22.3%) did not regain birthweight by 2 weeks; at 6 months, 280 (32.6%) were stunted, 222 (25.8%) underweight and 88 (10.2%) wasted. Preterm-small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants had 1.89 (95% CI 1.37 to 2.62) and 2.32 (95% CI 1.48 to 3.62) times greater risks of being stunted and underweight at 6 months compared with preterm-appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) infants. Term-SGA infants had 2.33 (95% CI 1.77 to 3.08), 2.89 (95% CI 1.97 to 4.24) and 1.99 (95% CI 1.13 to 3.51) times higher risks of being stunted, underweight and wasted compared with preterm-AGA infants. Those not regaining their birthweight by 2 weeks had 1.51 (95% CI 1.23 to 1.85) and 1.55 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.99) times greater risks of being stunted and underweight compared with infants regaining.Conclusion LBW type, particularly SGA regardless of preterm or term status, and lack of birthweight regain by 2 weeks are important risk identification parameters. Early interventions are needed that include optimal feeding support, action-oriented growth monitoring and understanding of the needs and growth patterns of SGA infants to enable appropriate weight gain and proactive management of vulnerable infants.Trial registration number NCT04002908