Laboratory studies were conducted at the biological control unit, college of Agriculture, University of Baghdad to evaluate some biological aspects of the predator Chilocorus bipustulatus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), which is considered one of the most important predators on many insect pests, especially the scale insect, Parlatoria blanchardi, (Homoptera: Diaspididae) on date palms. The results showed that biological parameters of the predator were varied according to different degree of temperature. Egg incubation period was significantly different and reached to 7.5 and 5.44 day at 25 and 30°C respectively, Fertility was the same 100% at both temperature degrees. Larval growth periods were 17.41 and 16.12 day as well as the mortality during this stage was also the same 0.0%. Duration rate of pupal stage was 9.62 day at 25°C and reduced significantly to 7.13 day at 30°C. No morality was found, in pupal stage at both temperatures. The adult longevity rates for both males and females were also significantly different that the adult longevity of the male was 80.87 and 66.75 day and less than that of female longevity rate which reached to 90.89 and 67.0 days at both temperature degrees of 25 and 30°C, respectively. Fecundity affected significantly and reached to 254.3 and 316.0 egg female at 25°C and 30°C, respectively. The predator has very high consumption efficiency of scale insect nymphs, this predation was increased as the larva developed from one instar to the following. As average the 1ˢͭ, 2ⁿᵈ, 3ͬ ͩ and 4ᵗͪ instars were consumed 95.12, 171.4, 328.06 and 710.0 scale insect nymphs, and the average of daily consumption of each instar reached to 23.78, 34.28, 65.61 and 140.2 nymph, respectively. The average rate for the whole larval stage consumption was 263.87 and 1295.58. The female of predator consumed more nymphs (127.5 nymph/ day) than that of male (106 nymphs/ day).
A field experiment was conducted during winter, 2015-16 with the objective to investigate the effect of bread wheat cultivars (Abu-Ghraib3, Ibaa99, and Alfeteh) and seed priming 100, 100, 150 mg L-1 of benzyl adenine, salicylic acid, gibberellic acid (GA3), respectively, ethanolic extract of Salix Sp., water extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra and distilled water (control) on grain growth rate (GGR), effective filling period (EFP) and accelerating of physiological maturity. Randomized complete block design with three replicates was applied. GA3×Ibaa99 surpassed others in grain yield (7.432 tonne ha-1) when gave the highest grain weight (45.13 mg grain-1) and GGR (1.5 mg grain-1 day-1) with the fastest time to start and end EFP (5 and 34 days), w
... Show MoreThe incidence of disease and damage will increase, if environmental control and acceptable management practices are not provided during the rearing period. Ascites affect young broilers with rapid growth, and the most critical factor in causing ascites syndrome is the lack of oxygen in body tissues (hypoxia). This research aimed to investigate the effect of olive leaves hydroalcoholic extract and probiotics (LactoFeed) on experimental ascites caused by levothyroxine in male broiler chickens. The present study was an interventional type, and for its implementation, a single-factor design was used in eight groups with 3 replicates. Data were analyzed based on a one-way analysis of variance. Blood parameters of male chick
... Show MoreThe present research was performed to study the qualitative and quantitative composition of epiphytic algae on the aquatic host plant Ceratophyllum demersum L. Four sites in Tigris River, at Wassit Governorate were covered, during the seasons of Autumn 2017, winter 2018, Spring 2018, and Summer 2018. The study also included measuring the physiochemical parameters (temperature of air and water, pH , water level, EC, salinity, TDS, TSS, dissolved oxygen, BOD5, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, total nitrogen, total phosphourus). The total number of species of epiphytic algae was145 species, 98 species belonging to Bacillariophyceae, followed by 27species of class Cyanophyceae, 19 species of class Chloroph
... Show MoreThe possibility of using the magnetic field technique in prevention of forming scales in heat exchangers pipes using
hard water in heat transfer processes, also the studying the effective and controllable parameters on the mechanism of
scale formation.
The new designed heat exchanger experimental system was used after carrying out the basic process designs of the
system. This system was used to study the effect of the temperature (40-90 °C) and water flow rate (0.6-1.2 L/min) on
the total hardness with time as a function of precipitation of hardness salts from water and scale formation.
Different magnetic field designs in the heat exchanger experimental system were used to study the effect of magnetic
field design a
Statistical methods and statistical decisions making were used to arrange and analyze the primary data to get norms which are used with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis programs to identify the animals production and poultry units in strategic nutrition channels, also the priorities of food insecurity through the local production and import when there is no capacity for production. The poultry production is one of the most important commodities that satisfy human body protein requirements, also the most important criteria to measure the development and prosperity of nations. The poultry fields of Babylon Governorate are located in Abi Ghareg and Al_Kifil centers according to many criteria or factors such as the popu
... Show MoreFour simply supported reinforced concrete (RC) beams were test experimentaly and analyzed using the extended finite element method (XFEM). This method is used to treat the discontinuities resulting from the fracture process and crack propagation in that occur in concrete. The Meso-Scale Approach (MSA) used to model concrete as a heterogenous material consists of a three-phasic material (coarse aggregate, mortar, and air voids in the cement paste). The coarse aggregate that was used in the casting of these beams rounded and crashed aggregate shape with maximum size of 20 mm. The compressive strength used in these beams is equal to 17 MPa and 34 MPa, respectively. These RC beams are designed to fail due to flexure when subjected to lo
... Show MoreThe objective of this study was to isolate and identify the asparaginase-producing bacteria, then purify and characterize the enzyme in order to investigate their properties in the future. Fifteen local bacterial isolates were isolated from various sites in the city of Baghdad, identified by conventional morphological and biochemical procedures, and confirmed using vitek 2 methods, and submitted to primary screening processes for asparaginase production. For secondary screening, eight isolates with the greatest yellow zone ability on a specific solid medium were chosen. Bacillus sp. was reported to have the highest enzyme production (7.5 U/mg proteins). After 24 hours of incubation, submerged fermentation yielded optimal conditi
... Show MoreA study of some mite species of alfalfa. wheat, and barley was conducted in central Iraq.
The mites were extracted using a tullgren funnel method. Twelve species were recorded. 10 of
them belong to suborder Trombidiformes and 2 belong to suborder Sarcoptiforms. Three
mites, Irnpar(pes hystricinus, Scutacarus longitarsus, and Rhizoglyphus echin opus are new
records for Iraqi mite fauna, and 11 are new host records in alfalfa soil.
We propose an intraguild predation ecological system consisting of a tri-trophic food web with a fear response for the basal prey and a Lotka–Volterra functional response for predation by both a specialist predator (intraguild prey) and a generalist predator (intraguild predator), which we call the superpredator. We prove the positivity, existence, uniqueness, and boundedness of solutions, determine all equilibrium points, prove global stability, determine local bifurcations, and illustrate our results with numerical simulations. An unexpected outcome of the prey's fear of its specialist predator is the potential eradication of the superpredator.