ABSTRACT
The insecticides were tested under field conditions on the basis of percentage of capsule bore Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenee) infestation noticed under field condition. The capsule borer C. punctiferalis (Guenee) damage goes on decreasing among the chemical and plant based insecticidal treatments at first and second week after spraying. Among the eight treatments, the lowest capsule borer damage/plant recorded by T5 Mahua oil 2% with 43.55% reduction over control followed by T6 neem oil 2% recorded 36.05% reduction over control recorded during 1st week after spray. The percentage of capsule borer C. punctiferalis (Guenee) damage per plant was highest recorded by T1 treatment it was mainly due to, this treatment did not receive any insecticidal spray either chemical or plant based insecticides throughout the experimental period. Same trend was noticed after 2nd week after spray. During 2nd week after spray highest percent of reduction over control recorded by T6 neem oil 2% recorded 80.27% reduction over control followed by T7 pongamia oil 2% recorded 79.09% reduction over control. Lowest percentage of castor capsule borer C. punctiferalis (Guenee) per plant recorded by T6 neem oil 2%, T7 pongamia oil 2% and T5 mahua oil 2% which were statistically at par with throughout the observation. The T6 neem oil 2% and T7 pongamia oil 2% recorded as best treatments over rest of the treatments. The grain yield in the treatment significantly highest grain yield @3730.00 kg and 3627.63 kg recorded by T6 Neem oil 2% and T7 Pongamia oil 2% followed by T5 Mahuva oil recorded yield @ 3283.30kg. However, the chemical treatments viz., T3 Profenophos 50 EC @0.03% and T4 quinolphos 25 EC @ 0.05% recorded yield @ 2956.66 and 2936.00 kg/ha both at par with each other. Whereas untreated control recorded the lowest yield @2426.03 kg/ha.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is paucity of information on epidemiological situation of Tuberculosis (TB) in the State of Kerala. The DOTS strategy under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) was introduced in the year 1998 to cover the entire State by 2002. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of tuberculous infection among children attending 1-4th standard in a sample of selected schools in Kerala. METHODS: A cluster-sample school-based tuberculin survey was carried out in 70 schools selected by a two-stage sampling procedure. A total of 4821 children (including those with and without BCG scar) in the age group of 5-9 years were tuberculin tested using 1 TU PPD RT23 with Tween 80 and the maximum transverse diameter of induration was measured about 72 hours later. About 81% of the children were found to have BCG scars. Analysis was also undertaken by mixture model. RESULTS: While 67% of children without BCG scar and 62% with scar did not elicit any induration at the test site, the mode or anti-mode of reactions due to infection with tubercle bacilli could not be identified from the distribution graphs. Analysis by mixture model also did not provide the best fit thus precluding estimation of prevalence of infection. About 5% of children had reactions > or =10 mm, 3% had reactions > or =12 mm and 2% had reactions > or =14 mm. CONCLUSION: Low proportion of reactors indicated a low level of transmission of infection in Kerala. Considering the problems in interpretation of tuberculin survey data, it may not be feasible to use ARTI as an epidemiological parameter to monitor future trends of TB situation in the state.