JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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Solarization of field soil through mulching with transparent polyethylene sheets alone and in integration with farm yard manure (40 T/ha) and/or metalayl (25 kg/ha) during summer 1994-95 for five weeks in Isfahan resulted in an increase in temperature of 10 °C (± 1) and moisture preservation of up to 82%. Solarization effectively reduced foot-rot of cucumber (Phytophthora drechsleri) in the above treatments up to 88%, 96% and 95%, respectively.

Solarization, farm yard manure and their integration reduced the infection of Meloidogyne javanica up to 50%, 57% and 83% while plant parasitic nematodes were also reduced to 72%, 75% and 86%, respectively. The populations of free living nematodes increased only in farm yard manure and in integration with solarization by 30% and 53%, respectively.

Solarization effectively reduced the populations of almost all weeds by around 100%, except for Cyperus rotundus and Sonchus asper which were reduced by 59% and 44%, respectively.

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In this study, the control method of greater wax moth using male sterilization technique with gamma ray and chemical control methods were examined and compared. In order to determine the safe and effective dosage of gamma-ray to sterilize male pupae of the greater wax moth, an experiment was conducted in a complete randomized design with 5 treatments and 3 replicates with 50 male pupae in each replicate. Treatments included different levels of gamma-ray dosages with zero, 250, 300, 350 and 400 gray.

Release ratio of sterile to normal males was also studied in a similar experiment. Treatments included sterile-males, normal males and virgin females with the ratios of 1:1:1, 2:1:1, 3:1:1, 4:1:1 and 5:1:1. In this study, male pupae were irradiated with 350 grays of gamma-ray. The possible parthenogenetic reproduction of this pest was also studied. In order to compare the results from the male-sterile technique and the chemical control of this pest, another experiment was conducted in wax stores using 3 treatments with 3 replicates. Phostoxin was used as the most common chemical pesticide with a dosage of 1 tablet of 3 grams of 56% per 1 m3 space for the control of this pest.

The results showed that the best dosage to sterilize male pupae of the greater wax moth was 350 grays of gamma-ray. Also the best release ratio was four sterile male, one normal male for each normal female (4:1:1). Our results indicated that the females of the greater wax moth were not able to reproduce through parthenogenesis. There was no significant difference between the chemical and male-sterile methods for the control of this pest.

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Canning of sausage is one of the methods to extend the shelf life of sausage with lower percentage of additives such as nitrite. This method reduces transport and storgae costs, too. The present stduy was carried out in two stages. The first stage consists of preparing sausages with four different formulations in Isfahan Senobar Factory and producing canned sausage. In the second stage, physicochemical and organoleptic experiments were carried out. Canned (214409) and bottled (No. 10-67) sausages were produced and sterilized in autoclave (absolute pressure=2 atm) to give F value = 4 min. Cans and jars were filled with skinless sausage of 22 calibre and brine (2% and 25^oC) at a sausage/brine ratio of 1:1. Chemical composition such as moisture, fat and protein were measured according to the standard and AOAC methods. Physical experimets including measurement of texture shear strength were performed in sausage and canned sausage over the 3-month storage period. Factorial experiments in completely randomized design was used to investigate and analyze statistical data in this study. The Duncan’s multiple range test was used to compare data averages. Moisture content increased and sausgae texture shear strength decreased in all formulations as a result of sterilization. Moisture content increased in four canned sausage formulations while protein and fat decreased (by the end of the second month of storage). Also, sausage texture shear strength was observed at this time to decrease. In organoleptic evaluations, four canned sausage formulations were not significantly different in flavor, texture, and color (P<0.01).