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Aprimary report of nectar robbing and deleterious damage by Purple sunbird on pomegranate flowers in India. Nectar robbing through external pecking at the base of flower was observed at significant heights (11.45%). This unusual foraging behavior sternly damaged the setting ovary with deep uneven peck holes (0.59 + 0.02 cm dia; 0.31+0.02 cm deep) resulting in drop off from plants and deformed fruits. Presence of sufficient nectar secretion in bisexual (16.33+1.94 μl) and staminate (14.43+1.93 μl) flowers encouraged the nectar robbery. The higher foraging rates had profound negative effect on plant reproductive fitness affecting the fruit set and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid-liquid extraction is an important unit operation in chemical engineering. The conventional designs such as mixer settler have lower-energy efficiency as the input energy is dissipated everywhere. Experimental studies have proved that the novel designs such as two-opposed-jet contacting device (TOJCD) microextractor allow energy to be dissipated close to the interface, and major part of energy is used for drop breakup and enhancement of surface renewal rates. It is very difficult to estimate the local variation of energy dissipation (ε) using experiments. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been used to obtain ε at different rotating speed of the top disc and nozzle velocity. In this work, performance analysis of TOJCD microextractor has been carried out using Reynolds stress model. The overall ε value was found in the range of 50 to 400 W/kg and shear rate in the range of 100000 1/s. A semiempirical correlation for kLa is proposed, and parity plot with experimental data has been plotted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro propagated and conventional runner propagated plantlets of strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa Duch) cv. ‘Festival' were transferred to the field and the size of crown for plants derived from both sources of planting material were compared. Four sizes of the crown, i.e., < 0.5, 0.5-0.8, 0.8-1, and > 1 cm were taken from both sources of planting material. The results obtained flashed that vegetative and reproductive responses of in vitro propagated plants in the field were superior over the runner propagated plants. The upshots among the various crown sizes of the planting material revealed that the plants of crown size > 1 cm performed better in all the vegetative and reproductive parameters like number of crowns per plant, number of leaves, plant height, number of runners, plant spread, terminal leaf area, number of days to flower induction, number of flowers, number of fruits, average fruit weight and fruit size. Thus, in vitro propagated derived plants can be advocated for large scale commercial cultivation. The crown size > 1 cm can be set as a selection criterion for planting materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study highlights the importance of herbivore induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) in attracting the cetoniid beetles, Protaetia alboguttata (Vigors) to ripe conspecific damaged Carissa carandas L.fruits. Olfactometer assays revealed that volatiles from damaged fruits are significantly attractive to the adult beetles of P. alboguttata. Gas chromatography electroantenno-detection studies revealed that presence of a-copaene and carvacryl acetate in the damaged C. carandas fruits that might be involved in guiding the adult P. alboguttata beetles to their host plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiment on effectiveness of different biorational insecticides against mealybug (Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green) and spiralling whitefly (Aleurodicus disperses Russel) and their safety to natural enemies in guava were carried out at Experimental Farm, Division of Entomology and Nematology, IIHR, Bangalore, India during 2015-16. All the treatments were significantly superior over untreated check. Results indicated that the maximum reduction of mealybug population was recorded in the treatment of organic salt 30 WS @ 5 ml/l (2.32 mealy bugs/three shoots) followed by spinosad 45 SC @ 0.2 ml/l (2.45 mealy bugs/three shoots) after first and second spray respectively. Whereas less population of spiralling whitefly was recorded in spinosad treated plot (2.06 spiralling whiteflies/three leaves). Safety of natural enemy's concern dimethoate 30 EC @1.6 ml/l, azadirachtin 10000 ppm @1 ml/l and Neem soap @ 10 g/l were found to be more harmful to coccinellid beetles and recorded very less beetle population, while Organic salt 30 WS @ 4 ml/l, L. lecanii @ 2 g/l and spinosad 45 SC @ 0.2 ml/l were the safest chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Health insurance schemes, like Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), should provide financial protection against catastrophic health costs by reducing out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) for hospitalizations. We estimated and compared the proportion and extent of OOPE among below poverty line (BPL) families beneficiaries and not beneficiaries by RSBY during hospitalizations in district Solan, H.P., India, 2013. Methods: We conducted a cross sectional survey among hospitalized BPL families in the beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries groups. We compared proportion incurring OOPE and its extent during hospitalization, pre/post-hospitalization periods in different domains. Results: Overall, proportion of non-beneficiaries who incurred OOPE was higher than the beneficiaries but it was not statistically significant (87.2% vs. 80.9%). The median overall OOPE was $39 (Rs 2567) in the non-beneficiaries group as compared to $ 11 (Rs 713) in the beneficiaries group (p<0.01). Median expenditure on in house and out house drugs and consumables was $ 23 (Rs 1500) in the non beneficiaries group as compared to nil in the beneficiaries group (p<0.01). Non-beneficiary status was significantly associated [OR: 2.4 (1.3–4.3)] with OOPE above median independently and also after adjusting for various covariates. Conclusion: RSBY has decreased the extent of OOPE among the beneficiaries; however OOPE was incurred mainly due to purchase of drugs from outside the health facility. The treatment seeking behaviour in beneficiaries group has improved among comparatively older group with chronic conditions. RSBY has enabled beneficiaries to get more facilities such as drugs, consumables and diagnostics from the health facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]