Mating disruption is a novel technique that has been used successfully by many apple growers for control of one or more pest species. However, this approach has not been widely adopted in some apple production regions, including Michigan. Among the factors that contribute to the relatively low adoption of mating disruption in some areas are the high cost of the technique and the presence of sev...

Hail, known as an agricultural meteorological disaster, can substantially constrain the growth of apple industry. Presently, orchards use a variety colored (photo-selective) hail nets preventative measure. However, it is unclear which color proves most effective for orchards. This study provides systematic investigation impact four photo-selective (white, blue, black, and green; with white bein...

The quality of castings in a green sand mould is influenced significantly by its properties, such as green compression strength, permeability, mould hardness, and others, which depend on input parameters. The relationships of these properties with the input parameters, like sand grain size and shape, binder, water, etc. are complex in nature. In the neural network based forward mapping, mould p...

Abstract: structures in alloys. This method is based on pouring the melt through a small sized nozzle into a mould located at acertain height under the crucible. This simple method generates globular structures without using equipments such asimpellers, electromagnetic stirrers, ultrasonic probes and cooling slopes. Therefore it is cost effective. In the presentstudy, the effect of casting size...

Background & Aims: Apple (Malus domestica Borkh. from Rosaceae family), a rich source of phytoestrogenes has not been thoroughly tested for its reproductive effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of apple diet on rats' reproduction. Method: Nine groups of NMRI rats (n= 10 females + 2 males) with different apple diets (free- apple diet and apple diet in every other day and every tow...

potential of three physically different formulations of biocontrol agent thrichoderma harzianum199 was investigated in a field trial against wheat common bunt caused by tilletia laevis kühn. wheat seeds of cv. chamran were treated with liquid, semi-solid (gel mixed suspension) and solid (talc powder) formulations prior to planting. field practices were performed based on khuzestan wheat plantin...

In the present study, two yeast antagonists, Cryptococcus laurentii (strain 317) and Candida ciferrii (strain 283) isolated from the surface of healthy apples, controlled blue mold of apple caused by Penicillium expansum. Both antagonists reduced the incidence of blue mold by 80% at 25 °C. At 5 °C C. ciferrii (strain 283) maintained the efficacy of disease control, but C. laurentii (strain 317)...