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Nature is the art of God. We are demolishing it by the usage of plastic at large scale in our daily lives. It’s been in the usage because of its numerous applications. Yet the problem arises when we no longer use these plastic items and want to dispose them, particularly used in packaging or wrapping and disposal of plastic still remains a major problem in India. Natural fibers are playing a major role in composite industries due to its renewable, biodegradable, and eco-friendly properties. Fibers are extracted from Areca palm tree and extracted fibers are cut into the required size. The fibers are treated with NaOH solution. The objective of the proposed work is to compare mechanical properties of chemically treated natural fibers with chemically untreated natural fibers by using NaOH solution. Laminates are prepared by using the hand lay-up process and the mechanical properties of Areca tree fibers will be evaluated.

The research article addresses, a new natural fibers namely Areca Palm Leaf Stalk Fibers (APLSF) were extracted from an Areca palm tree (Dypsis lutescens) and subjected to various concentrations of alkali treatment (NaOH) such as 5%, 10% and 15% by weight. The effects of this treatment on various properties of the fibers such as physical, chemical and mechanical properties were studied. However, the density of the fibers increased and diameter of the fibers reduced. The chemical result showed that the cellulose content was increased while hemicellulose, lignin, wax and ash contents were reduced. The chemical functional groups present in the fibers were confirmed by FTIR. The 5% alkali treated APLSF exhibited a highest tensile strength of 486.41 ± 35.57 MPa, tensile modulus of 9.89 ± 1.46 GPa and elongation at break of 4.91 ± 1.82%. The surface morphology, surface roughness and thermal stability of fibers were examined by SEM, AFM and TGA/DTG.

The whole idea is to produce eco-friendly plates from the sheaths of the Areca palm tree leaves. The technology developed for and employed in the project has negated the issues of production challenges that occurred due to humid weather conditions, high cost machines and low quality and fungus prone products. We have ergonomically designed the press machine. The dried sheaths are placed inside the machine using the required die size to manufacture plates and bowls of different sizes. The upper die plate made of aluminium is heated using electricity. Then the sheath is placed on the lower die and will be pressed against the upper die to create plate. In order to remove moisture content, we have designed an indirect forced convection Solar dryer. With integrated cutters in die, a separate cutter mechanism is avoided to prevent reduction of sheath waste. The most distinguished achievement of the project lies in its ability to develop entrepreneurial spirit among the rural unemployed youth, by providing them a dignified livelihood generation activity. Further the current technology will ensure to produce plates at a cost of 1 rupee which is way less than banana leaf. Most of the existing machines are costly in nature and they range from 1.5 lakhs to 3 lakh rupees. Further most of these machines lack a drying chamber. The initiative boosts the growth of palm trees ensuring year round employment and women empowerment leading towards creation of a self-sustained rural economic model.

Globally, ~0.8 million (M) ha of land is under Areca palm (Areca catechu) plantations with annual nut production of 1.0 ​M mega grams (Mg). Areca (also called betel nut) has been principally managed in plantations for commercial nut production and a primary source of income for ~16 million people in India. A substantial portion of betel nut plantations has been developed by converting natural forests. Although Areca has vast geographical distribution with economic importance, little has been studied on its role in biomass carbon management. Therefore, the present study aims (i) to develop biomass estimation models for Areca, and (ii) to estimate biomass storage and changes in carbon stock along a chronosequence of Areca plantations. The mean aboveground and total biomass across all height classes ranged from 4 to 56 and 5–75 ​kg plant−1, respectively. Among the biomass models compared, the model that contained both plant height (H) and diameter at breast height (D) as predictor variables was the top ranked for predicting total plant biomass. The estimated total biomass carbon stocks were 7.8, 18.4, 20.5 and 20.5 ​Mg ​ha−1 in 10, 15, 25, and 35 ​yr old plantations, respectively. The biomass carbon accumulation rate ranged between 0.59 ​Mg ​ha−1 yr−1in 35 ​yr old plantations and 1.22 ​Mg ​ha−1 yr−1 in 15 ​yr old plantations. Due to their low biomass carbon storage and other associated ecosystem disservices, monoculture palm plantations play a minimal role in sustainable land management and climate change mitigation in our study area. We recommend Areca polycultures and the integration of agroforestry practices in existing monoculture Areca plantations to maintain environmental sustainability.

Most of the take away materials used today is made of plastic. This presents a huge challenge in terms of waste management and pollution. It is widely known that plastic takes several hundred to thousand years to decompose, releasing toxic substances in the process. Therefore, the aim of this work was to analyze alternatives to plastic takeaway cutlery, crockery from areca palm and coconut tree by products. This focuses on reviving the methods and knowledge that existed in the southern and central parts of the Indian subcontinent for making sustainable cutlery and crockery products used in everyday life. A market analysis, design, life cycle analysis and deeper research on the fabrication will be briefly presented.

White grub, Leucopholis lepidophora Blanchard (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), is a major insect pest infesting areca nut in India. Larvae feed on roots (hence also called root grubs), causing reduced number of roots, loss of anchorage, stem tapering, reduced number of fronds, yellowing of leaves, yield reduction and death of the plants. The biology and ecology aspect of this scarabaeid are scanty. Hence, the aim of this study was to understand the ecological and behavioral aspects to develop IPM program. The adult emergence pattern of L. lepidophora was observed daily during the rainy season. The emergence period was defined between June and October during 2013 and 2014. Peak emergence of adult beetles occurred between 1900 and 2000 h. When raining occurred between 1800 and 2100 h, no emergence of adult beetles was observed. The sex ratio of L. lepidophora varied over time, but the overall sex ratio was female biased in both the study years (female:male; 1:1.18 and 1:1.46 in 2013 and 2014, respectively). Males were found to emerge first in the season resulting in protandry. Innovative idea emerged during our field experiments in 2013–2014 was the use of female beetles for attracting male beetles. Female adults were collected and placed individually in traps made of small pouches of nylon net and were tied to the areca palm at a height of 5 ft. Trap containing a female beetle attracted male individuals for about 8–10 days. The same technique was employed for the large-scale collection of beetles during 2014. A total of 1843 males were collected in an areca grower's field using female-baited traps during 2014. Male baited traps did not attract female beetles, indicating existence of only female produced semiochemical that attracts males. Our findings provide new insights for incorporating adult collection using female-baited traps in IPM against areca nut white grubs.

The antifungal activities of cinnamon oil, clove oil, anise oil, and peppermint oil, and their main components (cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, trans -anethole, and menthol, respectively) against molds identified from areca palm leaf sheath ( Mucor dimorphosporus , Penicillium sp., Aspergillus niger , and Rhizopus sp.) were investigated. An agar dilution method was employed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of essential oils and their main components. Zone inhibition tests and the inhibitory effect of the leaf sheath dip-treated with essential oils against those molds were examined. Major components of essential oils on the leaf sheath during storage were quantified by gas chromatography analysis. The MIC values of essential oils on agar and on the leaf sheath were identical. With an MIC of 50 μg ml −1 , cinnamon oil had the strongest inhibitory effect. At their MICs the oils were capable of providing protection against mold growth on the leaf sheath for at least 12 weeks during storage at 25 °C and 100% RH. Scanning electron microscope examination showed that essential oils prevented spore germination. Except for menthol in peppermint oil, the main components of the essential oils, which were fairly stable over the storage period, largely contributed to the antifungal activity.

Betel is a compound of natural substances chewed for its psychostimulating effects. Betel is composed of the nut of the areca palm (Areca catechu), the leaf of the betel pepper (Piper betle), and lime (calcium hydroxide). Approximately 200 million persons chew betel regularly throughout the western Pacific basin and south Asia. Only three drugs (nicotine, ethanol, and caffeine) are consumed more widely than betel. When betel is chewed, it produces mild psychoactive and cholinergic effects. There is copious production of a blood-red saliva that can stain oral structures. After years of chewing, the teeth may become red-brown to nearly black. Betel use is associated with oral leukoplakia, submucous fibrosis, and squamous cell carcinoma. Use of betel is discouraged in Western countries because of its alleged carcinogenic and perceived dysesthetic properties; nevertheless, betel is widely available in the West.