A survey of plant-parasitic nematode genera associated with roots of mature date palm trees was conducted in central Iraq to study their occurrence, population density, and geographical distribution. This study in Baghdad, Babil, Diyala, Karbela, Najaf, and Wasit governorates was conducted from 2019 to 2023, during the months from October to April. A total of 150 soil and root samples were gathered from 46 fields, and plant-parasitic nematodes were extracted and morphologically identified to genus level. Eleven genera of plant-parasitic nematodes were detected in the declining order of frequency: Tylenchorhynchus spp. (20%) in Baghdad, Babil, Diyala, Karbala, and Najaf; Meloidogyne spp. (17.3%) in Baghdad, Babil, Diyala, Najaf, and Wasit; Paratylenchus spp. (16%) in Diyala and Najaf; Helicotylenchus spp. (12%) in Baghdad, Diyala, Najaf, and Wasit; Tylenchus spp. (12%) in Baghdad, Babil, Diyala, Najaf, and Wasit; Aphelenchoides spp. (6.7%) in Babil, Diyala, Karbala, and Wasit; Pratylenchus spp. (4%) in Baghdad, Diyala, Najaf, and Wasit; Ditylenchus spp. (3.3%) in Babil and Najaf; Hoplolaimus spp. (1.3%) in Diyala; and Heterodera spp. and Scutellonema spp. (0.7% each) in Diyala. Population density was low in Baghdad. High population density was recorded for Meloidogyne spp. (37,625 J2/1,000 cm3 of soil) and the lowest population density occurred with Paratylenchus spp. (20 nematodes/1,000 cm3 of soil) in Diyala (Al-Jadidah). This appears to be the first report of occurrences of plant-parasitic nematodes of date palm in central Iraq.
The present study involves experimental analysis of the modified Closed Wet Cooling Tower (CWCT) based on first and second law of thermodynamics, to gain a deeper knowledge in this important field of engineering in Iraq. For this purpose, a prototype of CWCT optimized by added packing under a heat exchanger was designed, manufactured and tested for cooling capacity of 9 kW. Experiments are conducted to explore the effects of various operational and conformational parameters on the towers thermal performance. In the test section, spray water temperature and both dry bulb temperature and relative humidity of air measured at intermediate points of the heat exchanger and packing. Exergy of water and air were calculated by applying the exergy
... Show MoreThis study is carried out to investigate the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) infections in cattle using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting IS1111A transposase gene. A total of 130 lactating cows were randomly selected from different areas in Wasit province, Iraq and subjected to blood and milk sampling during the period extended between November 2018 and May 2019. ELISA and PCR tests revealed that 16.15% and 10% of the animals studied were respectively positive. Significant correlations (P<0.05) were detected between the positive results and clinical data. Two positive PCR products were analyzed phylogenetically, named as C. burnetii IQ-No.5 and C. burnet
... Show MoreBacterial meningitis is a leading cause of illness and death worldwide. It is crucial for clinical and public health care, as well as disease control, to identify the meningitis-causing agent promptly. Between June 2021-February 2022, a total of 100 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples were collected from suspected cases of meningitis admitted to Raparin Paediatric Teaching Hospital, Erbil city-Iraq. Cytochemical, cultural, and biochemical tests were conducted, and confirmed by molecular techniques. Bacterial culture findings were positive in 7% of CSF samples and just one positive among blood samples. The most common pathogens found by cultural characteristics and VITEK 2 Compact System were Staphylococcus sciuri in two
... Show MoreThis study focused on benthic algae (epipelic and attached algae on concrete lining stream) in Bani-Hassan stream in Holly Karbala, Iraq. The qualitative and quantitative studies of benthic algae were done by collecting 240 samples from five sites in the study area for the period from December 2012 to November 2013. Also, the environmental variables of the stream were examined in term of temporary and spatial. The results showed that the stream was alkaline, hard, oligohaline and a well aerated. The total nitrogen to the total phosphorus (TN: TP) ratio indicates nitrogen limitation. 129 species of benthic algae belonging to 57 genera were identified. Bacillariophyceae (diatoms) was the predominant taxon (95 species) followed by Chlorophyce
... Show MoreThe anatomical features of Agave americana L. leaf have been described, transverse sections of the leaf have been examined, the epidermis is single-layered on both surfaces, the stomata are sunken and mesophyll is (2-3) layers of parenchyma cells, vascular bundles are collateral type. The pollen of A. americana was studied. The observation was made with L.M. (Light microscope) and S.E.M. (Scanning electron microscope) to determine the significance of pollen features as taxonomic characters. The pollen was monades, homopolar, monosulcate, and with large size, subprolate in shape from P/E ratio (Polar axis/ Equatorial diameter) and furrow length and width, exine thickness and ornamentation.
The present study aimed to assess the antibacterial activity of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) skin extracts. The phytochemical analysis of the peanut skin extracts was investigated, the result showed a strong presence of flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids and tannins in methanol and ethyl acetate extracts. Antibiotic susceptibility of the bacterial isolates was performed on seven antibiotics represented by Amikacin, Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Chloramphenicol, Ticarcillin, Cefotaxime and Gentamicin by disc diffusion method. The antibiogram for studied isolates revealed high level resistance of A. baumannii to all of the antibiotics under test except amikacin, while Staph. aurous was resistance to Chloramphenicol and Cefotxime and sensitive to A
... Show MoreHeat transfer process and fluid flow in a solar chimney used for natural ventilation are investigated numerically and experimentally her in. Solar chimney was designed, manufactured and tested by selecting different positions of air entrance namely: bottom entrance, side entrance, and both side and bottom entrances. The effect of integrating the chimney with paraffin (phase change material) on its thermal behavior has been also investigated. CFD analysis based on finite volume method is used to predict the thermal performance, and fluid flow in two-dimensional solar chimney under unsteady state condition, to identify the effect of different parameters such as solar radiation, and inclination angle. Experimental results show that a solar chi
... Show MoreAfter the year 2003, Iraq went through multiple waves of violence and at different levels on the security, intellectual, political and social levels. Behind that stood several motives and incentives to enable violence that represented the first axis of research, the most important of which was the political motives that circulated an atmosphere that politics against society and transformed power into a field of political brutality against the individual and the group at once. There are also cultural, intellectual, media and economic motives such as weak cultural independence, poverty, marginalization, unemployment and want, and the absence of a media discourse that rejects violence but incites it, on the other ha
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