Research Articles

A crude hexane extract of seed kernel was processed into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) using methanolic-sulfuric acid. Herbal mixtures (seed extracts of A. squamosa and essential oils of Cymbopogon nardus (citronella) and Pelargonium graveolens (geranium)) were evaluated against root knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp). The mortality of J2s of M. incognita in hexane and methanol extracts (AHE+AME) of A. squamosa with geranium oil (GO) ranged from 50.75-89.75% to 71.50-99.00% at 31.25 to 1000 μgmL^-1 in 24 to 96 hours. The number of galls after CO+AHE+AME treatment was 4.0 ± 0.0 and 5.67 ± 0.58 galls/seedling and were recorded at 1000 and 500 μgmL^-1 treatments on 30 days after inoculation, compared to carbofuran (3.0 ± 0.0 and 4.3 ± 0.6 galls/seedling) at 1000 and 500 μgmL^-1 and velum prime (3.6 ± 0.6 and 4.6 ± 0.6 galls/seedling) at 1000 and 500 μgmL^-1. The maximum shoot length of brinjal seedlings was recorded in CO+AHE+AME treatment compared to carbofuran (47.3 ± 0.6cm) and velum prime (48.7 ± 0.6 cm) at 1000 μg mL^-1 in soil drenching application. Methanol and hexane extracts (AHE+AME) obtained from Annona squamosa seeds were investigated for their nematicidal properties. M. graminicola in direct-seeded rice at the nursery level and M. incognita in brinjal (eggplant) were controlled for up to sixty days when treated with these mixtures.

An advanced flexible programming methodology for CNC woodworking machines was developed. As the research starting base, a three-axis CNC woodworking machine was used. The developed methodology is proposed for programming, simulation, postprocessing, and machining by woodworking machine. This flexible programming method integrates the standard programming based on CAD, CAD/CAM systems, and STEP-NC protocol through different output files, enabling data interoperability during the realization of the machining tasks. The control system for the machine is configured based on the open-architecture software LinuxCNC to verify the flexible programming method and the results obtained. Programming verification was realized by simulation on a configured virtual machine in different programming environments and finally on a virtual machine integrated with the control system. The results obtained from the study were evaluated comparatively.

This study examined the mechanical characteristics of 3D printed concrete utilized in sculpture materials, with an emphasis on the incorporation of wood fibers. A series of experiments were conducted to probe into the wood fiber-reinforced 3D printed concrete sculpture materials. Through mechanical and microscopic examinations, the role of flexible fibers in enhancing the bearing capacity of concrete 3D printed components was investigated. The results indicated that an optimal amount of wood fiber addition significantly improved the mechanical properties of the concrete sculpture materials. At the interlayer interface, wood fibers exhibited elongation, thereby mitigating the specimen damage. However, beyond a certain threshold, the mechanical properties tended to decline due to either the agglomeration or direct dislodgment of wood fibers at the interlayer interface, which resulted in an absence of notable deformation. This scenario thereby failed to impede crack propagation. Hydrophobic performance assays revealed an elevation in surface hydrophobicity of 3D printed concrete sculpture materials with the inclusion of wood fibers. Yet, an excessive amount of wood fibers caused a gradual reduction in the contact angle, implying a decrease in the hydrophobicity of the material surface.

Prior work on computer-vision wood identification (CVWID) for North American hardwoods yielded two independent deep learning models – a  22-class model for diffuse-porous woods and a 17-class model for ring-porous woods – but did not address semi-ring-porous woods nor provide a CVWID solution for an unknown specimen without a human first determining which model to deploy. As untrained human operators would lack the anatomical proficiency to differentiate among porosity domains, it is necessary to develop a consolidated model that can identify diffuse-, ring-, and semi-ring-porous woods. Previous research suggests that prediction accuracy might decrease as class number grows. A potential strategy to reduce the number of classes a CVWID system must consider at a time is to hierarchically deploy a cascade of models. In pursuit of a unified model that can cover North American hardwoods of all porosity types, this study compared the accuracies of a consolidated 39-class (ring- + diffuse-porous) model and a consolidated 42-class (ring- + diffuse- + semi-ring-porous) model with a two-tiered, cascading model scheme whereby images are first differentiated into three porosity domain classes and then again into only those taxonomic classes with that porosity. The results showed that the cascading model scheme can mitigate the accuracy reductions incurred by the 42-class model and nearly eliminate the occurrence of cross-domain misidentifications.

Fungal infection in agricultural grains is a global problem, particularly if it is accompanied by mycotoxin production. In this study, the degradation of mycotoxins by laccase and manganese peroxidase was investigated. Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Fusarium graminearum were recorded in infected maize grains. Aflatoxin B1 (AF B1) was detected (from 3.38 to 2.60 ppm) on the infected samples by fungi compared to other detected aflatoxins. Trichothecene (T-2) toxin and deoxynivalenol (DON) were recorded with concentrations ranging from 0.464 to 0.184 ppm and 0.370 to 0.214 ppm, respectively. The addition of laccase and manganese peroxidase to the inoculated medium with A. flavus and F. graminearum individually degraded the produced AF B1, B2, G1, G2, T-2 toxin, and DON from 5.0, 1.33, 0.76, 0.61, 0.63, and 0.38 ppm to 2.77, 0.66, 0.37, 0.15, 0.45, and 0.38 ppm using laccase, to 3.08, 1.25, 0.61, 0.39, 0.55, and 0.36 ppm using manganese peroxidase. The computational technique (docking) demonstrated the laccase and manganese peroxidase activities on aflatoxin and DON degradation. Consequently, the results suggested that laccase (PDB ID: 1HFU) and manganese peroxidase (PDB ID: 1MNP) promise innovative activity toward aflatoxin degradation, while 1HFU has more effect than 1MNP on DON degradation.

The effects of covering technology and the combined membrane covering with biochar on nutritional elements content during the aerobic composting process of agricultural waste were studied. The results showed that the concentration effect of organic matter degradation during composting increased the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents in all treatment groups. The proportion of available phosphorus and available potassium also increased to varying degrees. Compared with composting without an expanded poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) covering with 0.2 to 0.4 µm pores, the covered composting increased the total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, available phosphorus, and available potassium contents by 13.1%, 12.6%, 7.4%, 21.5%, and 16.6%, respectively, while the addition of biochar to polymer membrane-covered composting increased the total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, available phosphorus, and available potassium contents by 19.7%, 13.7%, 8.3%, 18.0%, and 20.2%, respectively. This study indicated that membrane covering technology can effectively increase the nutrient element contents in compost products and the availability of phosphorus and potassium and that the addition of biochar enhances these effects.

Wood is a heterogeneous and anisotropic material, and its mechanical properties are different from other building materials. It is necessary to know the mechanical properties of wood materials in buildings, such as carriers, floor beams, roof timber, plywood roof covers, laminated beams, stair or wire poles, yacht poles, and furniture frames. Tensile strength is the resistance of wood material to two forces applied in opposite directions, trying to break and separate the fibers. This study aimed to determine the tension strength perpendicular to fibers of beech timber reinforced with basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP), glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP), and plaster mesh (PSM). One component polyurethane (PUR-D4) and polyvinyl acetate (PVAc-D4) were used as the adhesive. The BFRP, GFRP, and PSM were added as one layer of reinforced materials. Experimental materials reinforced with BFRP, GFRP, and PSM were tested in the unreinforced locations, of reinforced lumber with BFRP, GFRP, and PSM. Tests were performed to investigate the tensile strength perpendicular to fiber (┴σt). The test results showed that the reinforcement process increased the (┴σ). The ┴σt value of samples reinforced with BFRP was 13%, 32%, and 66% higher than those reinforced with GFRP, unreinforced, and reinforced PSM, respectively. Accordingly, the BFRP shows potential to serve as an option for reinforced wood structural members.

The anatomical characteristics, fibre morphologies, and densities were evaluated for six rattan species, i.e., Calamus manan, Calamus ornatus, Calamus ridleyanus, Calamus crinitus subsp. sabut, Korthalsia scortechinii, and Korthalsia tenuissima from the Forest Research Institute in Malaysia. Rattan samples of about 5 to 7 cm were cut at the middle portion of the internodes of a mature stem for assessment. The results allowed differentiation between the genera Calamus and Korthalsia based on anatomical characteristics such as the type of vascular bundle, ground tissue, and the presence of the ‘yellow cap.’ The fundamental properties of C. manan, including longer fiber length, thickest fibre wall, and higher density compared to other species, signified the superior quality of this species. Based on the density result, the study of other species of rattan would also find potential for furniture, decorations, and craft purposes.

Effects of Fe-based nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄) on germination parameters were studied for some seedling characteristics of Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) seeds. Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle applications were made at concentrations of 400, 800, 1200, 1600, and 2000 mg/L on Fagus orientalis seeds collected from 10 different populations, and some germination and seedling characteristics were evaluated. Preliminary results generally indicated that low-dose nanoparticle applications positively affected germination and seedling characteristics, while increases in doses led to decreases in these parameters. Values obtained from high-dose nanoparticle applications were generally lower than those from the control group. The iron nanoparticles affected the parameters to different extents, Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles showed a significant positive effect on germination rate and radicle length, while exhibiting a significant negative effect on germination percentage and plumule length. The populations least affected by high-dose iron nanoparticle applications were Bursa Inegol, Karabuk-Yenice, and Ordu Akkus, while the most affected were the Bartin-Kumluca and Kahramanmaras-Andirin populations.

Co-composting of water hyacinth, vegetable waste, and goat dung was performed with a ratio of 5:2:1 for a period of 60 days. Water hyacinth is rich in hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. In the initial co-composting bulking agent, the moisture content was high (71 ± 2%), and it decreased continuously during composting. The compost reached the mesophilic phase (2 to 10 days), the short thermophilic phase (10 to 18 days), the maturing phase (18 to 40 days), and the cooling phase (40 to 60 days). The increased temperature was observed at the thermophilic stage due to microbial activity. The pH of the composting manure ranged from 6.53 ± 0.02 to 7.12 ± 0.01. The mature compost achieved a stable pH after six weeks. The proteolytic, cellulolytic, and ligninolytic bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes in the compost digested the lignin and cellulosic substrates and composted the organic matter. The organic matter content decreased during the maturation phase. A field experiment was performed to determine the efficacy of compost materials. Water hyacinth compost improved maize growth in terms of root height, shoot height, and leaf chlorophyll content. The co-composting method is used to produce nutrient-rich nitrogen sources for organic amendment and to improve crop yield.