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The purpose of this guide is to provide tips for how to check, maintain, and use your septic system in the days leading up to a hurricane and immediately after any associ­ated flooding. This guide is intended for residents who have a residential septic system connected to their home. Written by Mary G. Lusk, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences, October 2024.

This Net Irrigation Requirements for Florida Turfgrass Lawns series explains the process of estimating net irrigation requirements for Florida turfgrasses. The process used here gives a long-term (30-year) historical analysis of turfgrass monthly net irrigation requirements. This article shows the calculation of evapotranspiration for selected sites throughout the state (plus one in Alabama, to cover the west side of the Florida Panhandle). Written by Consuelo C. Romero, Bernard Cardenas, and Michael D. Dukes, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, revised August 2024.

Safe drinking water is a fundamental requirement for human health and well-being. This publication is part of an EDIS series that aims to illuminate the critical issues surrounding drinking water quality and Florida’s drinking water system. In this article, we begin with a brief introduction to the different categories of Florida’s drinking water system. Then, we discuss relevant federal and state level regulations for each category. Information sources and channels are provided for readers to access drinking water information in their communities. The content is designed to benefit a diverse audience, including researchers, communications and outreach experts, environmental professionals, healthcare providers, and policymakers. It seeks to clarify the facts and regulatory framework governing drinking water systems, identify areas that require targeted extension programs, and aid in the development of outreach materials to ensure the provision of safe drinking water.

This publication was created to help Florida Extension specialists and their mentors in understanding their roles and responsibilities and the way their expertise fits within the Florida Cooperative Exten­sion Service (FCES). Written by Matt Benge, Karlibeth Leitheiser, Saqib Mukhtar, Karla P. Shelnutt, LaToya O’Neal, Maia McGuire, Shannon J. Horrillo, and Peyton N. Beattie, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, September 2024.

Digestive health is an overlooked but vital component of the success of Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies. Viral, bacterial, fungal, and protozoal infections can inhibit nutrient uptake and waste elimination by the honey bee digestive tract. Active management requires monitoring honey bee health on an individual and colony basis, providing adequate nutrition, and controlling for other pests and diseases. One organism that has gained recent attention is Malpighamoeba mellificae. This publication describes how to detect M. mellificae in A. mellifera colonies.

Urban landscapes are expanding, increasing the wildland-urban interface and leading to more frequent wildlife-human conflict. This publication discusses how to reduce conflict venomous snakes. We first discuss the ecological benefits of these species and then provide suggestions on how to limit conflicts with them. The overarching goal of this publication is to increase the likelihood of coexistence between humans and venomous snakes.

In this publication, we present an overview of stakeholder concerns regarding hydrilla management, synthesizing insights gathered from the largest state-wide survey of Florida residents about invasive aquatic plant management in the state’s public waters. Our objective is to equip decision-makers, including agencies like FWC, with valuable insights. By understanding stakeholder concerns, decision-makers can formulate policies for the effective management of aquatic invasive species that garner public support.

En ecosistemas conservados, la regeneración natural se inicia a partir de la germinación de especies que se localizan en el banco de semillas; esto no ocurre en áreas que han sido fuertemente degradadas, donde el banco de semillas se encuentra empobrecido, por lo tanto, la presente investigación buscó determinar la contribución de la lluvia y el banco de semillas, en el proceso de restauración ecológica en el Bosque Las Mercedes, importante relicto de bosque, ubicado al noroccidente de la ciudad de Bogotá. Se realizó la caracterización de la vegetación en la cobertura de bosque y de pastizales misceláneosla recolección de muestras de suelo y la ubicación de trampas de semillas, en 31 transectos, 16 en bosque y 15 en pastizales, con diferentes años de intervención. Como resultado, se encontró que las mayores abundancias obtenidas en la germinación del banco de semillas corresponden a especies herbáceas, pero, también, se presentan algunas especies nativas dinamizadoras de la sucesión natural, tanto en bosque como en los pastizales misceláneos, en estos últimos, con abundancias menores. Debido a los resultados obtenidos, se considera viable emplear el estudio de la lluvia y el banco de semillas como indicador del proceso de restauración ecológica en las coberturas vegetales, con diferentes años de intervención, en el Bosque Las Mercedes, ya que se logró establecer que las áreas, que han sido objeto de acciones de restauración ecológica, desde hace más tiempo, muestran algunas semejanzas con la trayectoria sucesional más avanzada que, en este caso, corresponde a bosque denso.

This publication is intended to guide citrus growers in distinguishing the difference between citrus canker and citrus leprosis.

This publication addresses some of the most frequent questions that residents ask regarding the function and maintenance of their stormwater ponds. Written by Ange Asanzi, Miranda Carver Martin, Michelle Atkinson, Chamoda P. D. Dissanayake Mudiyanselage, Basil V. Iannone III, Eban Bean, Alexander J. Reisinger, Mary Lusk, Dail Laughinghouse, and Paul Monaghan, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, August 2024.

Mushrooms growing in potting soil are a common problem reported in nursery production and in potted plants in the indoor and outdoor home landscape. Many of these fungi are saprotrophic and feed on the organic matter contained in the potting soil itself and/or in the mulch, which varies in composition but often contains tree bark, wood chips, pine straw, moss, or leaves. These fungi are not necessarily harmful to the plants, but fungal fruiting bodies can make plants unmarketable. Unknown fungi can also be concerning to retailers and homeowners because of potential toxicity to pets and children. The purpose of this publication is to provide homeowners and retail nursery growers with an overview of some of the most common mushroom-forming fungi found in potted plants and potting soils in Florida. We also provide cultural control recommendations to help prevent or reduce mushroom growth.

Mientras el clima de Florida lo hace ideal para producir una amplia variedad de cultivos, la intensidad del calor y la humedad también pueden representar peligros importantes para quienes trabajan en la agricultura. Con tres de los años más calurosos registrados en Florida en los últimos cuatro años (NOAA, 2019), los dueños de fincas, sus familias y empleados deben conocer los síntomas, el tratamiento y la prevención de las enfermedades relacionadas con el calor (ERC).

This document provides an overview of the pickerel weed (Pontederia cordata), a native aquatic plant found in Florida and other parts of eastern North America. It describes the plant’s habitat, growth characteristics, and ornamental features, highlighting its adaptability to shallow wetland areas and its attractive purple-blue flowers. The document also covers planting guidelines, including optimal water depth and spacing, and notes the plant’s aggressive growth habit and potential for use in water gardens and pond stabilization. Additionally, it mentions the plant’s pest resistance and propagation methods. Original publication date October 1999.

This document provides an overview of Wheeler’s dwarf pittosporum, an evergreen shrub known for its compact, rounded form and dark green foliage. It details the plant’s characteristics, including its moderate growth rate, dense texture, and specific leaf and flower attributes. The document also covers the plant’s preferred growing conditions, such as its need for well-drained soil and partial to full sun exposure, and highlights its uses in landscaping, particularly in coastal areas. Additionally, it notes the plant’s susceptibility to certain pests and diseases, emphasizing the importance of proper maintenance and care. Original publication date October 1999.

This document provides an overview of the variegated pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira ‘Variegata’), a popular landscape shrub known for its glossy, creamy white and green variegated leaves. It discusses the plant’s growth habits, including its rapid growth when young and the need for frequent pruning. The document highlights the plant’s ornamental value, particularly when trained as a small tree, and its suitability for various uses such as screens, hedges, and container planting. Additionally, it covers the plant’s environmental tolerances, including its high drought and moderate soil salt tolerance, and addresses common problems such as pest infestations and root rot diseases. Original publication date September 1999.

This document provides an overview of Pittosporum tobira, commonly known as Japanese pittosporum or Japanese cheesewood. It details the plant’s characteristics, including its glossy, dark green leaves, creamy white flowers, and natural mounding shape. The document highlights its uses in landscaping, such as for screens, hedges, and container planting, and discusses its growth requirements and maintenance needs. Additionally, it addresses potential issues like pest sensitivity and soil preferences, emphasizing the importance of proper drainage to prevent root rot. The document also mentions different cultivars and their suitability for residential landscapes. Original publication date October, 1999.

This document provides an overview of the Weeping Japanese Red Pine (Pinus densiflora ‘Pendula’), detailing its characteristics, growth habits, and care requirements. The tree is noted for its picturesque silhouette, with a crooked trunk and reddish-orange peeling bark. It thrives in full sun and well-drained, slightly acidic soil, and is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 3B through 7A2. The document also highlights its moderate drought tolerance, pest resistance, and potential issues such as needle blight and rusts. Additionally, it mentions several cultivars and their unique features. Original publication date October 1999.

La soberanía y seguridad alimentaria son aspectos determinantes del desarrollo socioeconómico. Entre las amenazas para el logro de la soberanía alimentaria es importante considerar la insularidad. Cuba, al ser un estado insular, es más vulnerable a los impactos del cambio climático. El trabajo tiene como objetivo elaborar un modelo para la gestión de vulnerabilidades enfocado en la soberanía y seguridad alimentaria de la provincia Guantánamo. La investigación, de carácter cuali-cuantitativa, se desarrolló con una muestra constituida por tres municipios de la provincia Guantánamo, siendo los criterios de selección, la existencia de diferentes índices de vulnerabilidad alimentaria (considerando el índice propuesto por el PMA en Cuba), que sean municipios priorizados por el gobierno en el Estrategia de Desarrollo Provincial, municipios incluidos en polos productivos, multi-amenazados con implicaciones para la producción de alimentos y con bajos valores de índice de desarrollo humano. Se presenta un modelo para la gestión de vulnerabilidades en función del logro de la seguridad alimentaria, que incluye un diagnóstico inicial, a partir de indicadores, en el que se evalúan las amenazas, las vulnerabilidades y los factores condicionantes, para el logro de la soberanía alimentaria. Los resultados mostraron que las principales amenazas que afectan los municipios estudiados son las inundaciones por intensas lluvias, la intensa sequía, el cambio climático y los fenómenos hidrometeorológicos extremos; sin embargo, su impacto en cada contexto es diferente. Por ello, resulta necesario que los análisis de vulnerabilidades sean integrados, con enfoque interdisciplinar y de manera comparativa en América Latina y el Caribe.

El cultivo de zapallo Cucurbita moschata Duchesne ha cobrado interés por el alto valor nutricional del fruto; sin embargo, en las regiones productoras de Colombia, el riego para el zapallo es una labor empírica, dado que en el país no existen estudios que asocien el efecto del riego sobre la producción del fruto. Por lo tanto, se estudió el efecto del régimen de riego sobre la producción de tres cultivares de zapallo. Se aplicaron cinco láminas de riego con base en: Kc del cultivo (0,4; 0,6; 0,8; 1,0 y 1,2) a tres cultivares de Zapallo: UnapaL-Abanico-75 (A75), Unapal-Bolo Verde (Bv) y Unapal-Dorado (Dr), con ocho repeticiones, para un total de 96 plantas. El diseño experimental fue parcelas divididas, donde la parcela principal fue el tratamiento de riego y la subparcela, los cultivares. Los caracteres frutos por planta (FPP), peso promedio del fruto (PPF), producción por planta (PPP), materia seca (MS) y espesor de pared de pulpa (EP) presentaron diferencias altamente significativas, de acuerdo con el régimen de riego, asociadas, en modo positivo, con nivel de Kc más alto (1,2).

The Net Irrigation Requirements for Florida Turfgrass Lawns series explains the process of estimating net irrigation requirements for Florida turfgrasses. The process used here gives a long-term (30-year) historical analysis of turfgrass monthly net irrigation requirements. This article explains how the weather data were gathered and checked for quality. Written by Consuelo C. Romero, Bernard Cardenas, and Michael D. Dukes, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, revised August 2024.

Lysimeters are often used in research concerning nutrient leachate all over the globe. However, due to factors such as Florida's high water table (a condition when the water level stays relatively close to the soil surface) in some production areas, the assessment and collection of leachate are not feasible. Another obstacle to the use of lysimeters in field research is the fact that several types of irrigation methods are used in Florida (e.g., subirrigation with seepage or drain-tile, overhead, microsprinkler, and drip irrigation) requiring different strategies for leachate assessment. This publication focuses on the use of crop models as alternatives to estimate nitrate leaching from cropping systems at a field scale. This publication's target audience is growers, extension agents, crop consultants, representatives of the fertilizer industry, state and local agencies, students, instructors, researchers, and interested Florida citizens.

This publication is intended to help pesticide applicators and county Extension faculty to better understand proper pesticide mixing and to reduce instances of incompatibility. After reading this publication, readers should understand the causes of pesticide incompatibility, how to avoid incompatibility, and how to maximize the benefits of tank mixing. Written by Brett Bultemeier, Ethan Carter, and Benjamin Sperry, and published by the UF/IFAS Pesticide Information Office, September 2024.

Maintaining the health and integrity of the hoof structures is critical to the overall health of the horse. This publication is intended to help Florida horse owners care for their horses’ hooves. Written by Jennifer Bearden and Caitlin Justesen, and published by the UF College of Veterinary Medicine, UF/IFAS Extension, September 2024.

Tar spot, a fungal foliar disease, affects most maize types commonly grown in Florida, such as sweet corn, field corn, and criollo corn. This disease is characterized by brown-to-black, raised structures called stromata, which are embedded in leaf tissue. As a polycyclic disease, tar spot lesions can increase in number as the disease progresses throughout the growing season, leading to reduction of photosynthetic area on the leaves. Tar spot has recently emerged as a significant threat in Florida and in the United States, with reports of up to 100% incidence in maize fields in south Florida. Tar spot occurrence and development in Florida is influenced by several factors, such as environmental conditions, maize types, crop maintenance, and corn growth stages. The purpose of this publication is to promote awareness among Florida growers regarding this newly identified disease and its management practices.

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

Over 90 percent of Floridians live in urban areas. Many city dwellers are disconnected from or have limited exposure to the natural world. Urban green spaces, among them urban gardens, can provide various benefits to people and wildlife. These urban gardens provide important avenues for people to maintain their mental and physical health, reduce stress, and improve their general well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of urban green spaces. Community efforts to grapple with the evolving pandemic present an opportunity to reconsider the benefits of urban gardens This publication is intended to assist Extension agents, gardeners, garden managers, and urban planners interested in adding new gardens and supporting and promoting existing gardens in Florida’s urban communities. To that end, it lists and explains 10 major benefits urban gardens provide to ecosystems and people.

This publication provides information on conventional fresh market sweet corn acreage, volume, and pricing for the top four producing states: California, Florida, Georgia, and New York. (Other states produce a substantial amount of processed market sweet corn but are not the focus here.) This is one in a series of Ask IFAS publications focused on trends in Florida’s five most economically important specialty crops (excluding citrus): fresh market sweet corn, bell peppers, tomatoes, watermelons, and strawberries. This information will be useful to producers, Extension agents, and others interested in trends concerning specialty crop commodities. This publication serves as a unique source summarizing important information about the specialty crop market and production trends.

This publication is part of a larger body of work initiated by the UF/IFAS Extension Climate and Carbon Extension Educators that informs a general audience about climate issues and mitigation strategies. It was prepared to help Extension agents, farmers, and ranchers interested in carbon credit programs better understand the process of carbon credit trading, from credit generation to markets. Note that because carbon markets are relatively new, programs and prices are likely to change over time. This publication includes a list of resources for further information.

This publication is a brief description of the life cycle and damage of the broadwinged katydid.

This publication is about the life cycle and damage of cottony cushion scale.

This information sheet is the introduction to the 4-H Volunteer Training Series (VTS). The series contains a wealth of information, from how to start a club, to planning field trips, to how to work with youth. This part was originally published in July 2014 and then revised in July 2018. It was updated in the summer of 2023 and is now revised in September 2024.

Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki) are a good source of vitamins A and C and dietary fiber, while also being low in calories and fat. These fruits are popular in many Asian cuisines and are enjoyed in various ways, including fresh, dried, or cooked in multiple value-added products. This publication will provide information on persimmon phenological growth stages of four established varieties grown at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, Florida. The nine major persimmon growth stages are divided into two categories: vegetative and reproductive stages. This publication provides illustrative figures for each development stage. Accurate identification of phenological stages is important for making informed decisions on plant care, fertilizer, irrigation, and fruit harvesting. This information will be helpful to students, growers, homeowners, nursery workers, and Extension agents interested in growing persimmons in Florida.

This is a review of the most commonly available wine packaging types currently on the market. This includes glasses bottles, polethylene terephthalate bottles (PET), bag-in-box (BIB), aluminum cans, and Tetra Pack. This review focuses on the pros and cons of each packaging type in relation to wine and alcoholic beverages.

Las áreas con suelos degradados en el mundo son cada vez mayores y ponen en peligro la seguridad alimentaria, los ecosistemas y la sostenibilidad; no obstante, una herramienta para controlar esta pérdida de suelo es la adición de materia orgánica (MO). Existen diversas fuentes de materia orgánica, una de ellas, proviene del abono orgánico de escarabajo, pero se desconoce su efecto sobre las propiedades físicas del suelo. Este trabajo evaluó el impacto de la aplicación de diferentes cantidades de materia orgánica de escarabajo en las propiedades físicas de un suelo. Se utilizó un diseño experimental completamente aleatorizado con cinco tratamientos correspondientes a diferentes dosis de materia orgánica de escarabajo (0, 4, 8, 12 y 16 t ha-1), aplicada al suelo. La materia orgánica se aplicó y se dejó actuar durante 70 días; al cabo de este tiempo se midieron las propiedades físicas del suelo. Los resultados indicaron que la materia orgánica de escarabajo afectó significativamente la densidad aparente, el índice de estabilidad de agregados (IEA), la resistencia a la penetración y la humedad volumétrica. Los mayores valores de IEA se obtuvieron con la aplicación de 4 t ha-1 de MO. La adición de 16 t ha-1 de MO disminuyó, tanto la densidad aparente como la resistencia a la penetración y mejoró la calidad del suelo en parámetros, como el índice de plasticidad y la humedad volumétrica. La materia orgánica de escarabajo se convierte en una alternativa importante para mejorar las propiedades físicas del suelo.

La obtención de ADN genómico de alta calidad es fundamental para la preservación de los recursos genéticos, especialmente, en especies de valor importante en la economía popular; sin embargo, la presencia de contaminantes, como polisacáridos, polifenoles y metabolitos secundarios en árboles frutales, dificulta la extracción de ADN puro. En este trabajo, se compararon dos métodos de extracción de ADN en tejido seco: un kit comercial y el método modificado de Doyle & Doyle. La cantidad y calidad del ADN extraído se evaluaron utilizando un espectrofotómetro y mediante electroforesis en gel de agarosa. Es importante señalar que el ADN obtenido con el kit comercial mostró presencia de compuestos aromáticos y proteínas, mientras que el método modificado de Doyle y Doyle logró obtener ADN de alta calidad, sin contaminantes, lo cual, se corroboró por la posterior amplificación, mediante PCR del ADN obtenido con cebadores SSR, mostrando bandas nítidas y bien definidas.

Las palmeras son una parte integral del paisaje urbano de Florida. La pudrición de las palmas por Ganoderma, una enfermedad causada por el hongo Ganoderma zonatum, que descompone la madera, es una de las principales preocupaciones bióticas para la industria del paisajismo. La enfermedad letal prevalece en las regiones de cultivo de palmeras en los EE. UU., y se cree que todas las especies de palmeras son susceptibles a este hongo. La palma enferma puede tardar entre seis meses y un año en morir una vez que aparecen los síntomas iniciales. Pero con la disponibilidad de un ensayo de diagnóstico de enfermedades, este patógeno fúngico se puede detectar utilizando muestras de aserrín recogidas de palmas en declive, varios meses antes de que aparezcan los síntomas. Aquí se indican los pasos a seguir.

Nutrient management recommendations for carrot are described according to the standard UF/IFAS recommendation format of 1) a calibrated soil test result; 2) target soil pH; 3) the "4Rs" of fertilizer management: rate, timing, placement, and source; and 4) water management factors.

Nutrient management recommendations for watermelon are described according to the standard UF/IFAS recommendation format of 1) a calibrated soil test result; 2) target soil pH; 3) the "4Rs" of fertilizer management: rate, timing, placement, and source; and 4) water management factors.

Virtual and hybrid events present both challenges and opportunities for engaging persons with disabilities. In particular, accommodations for people who are blind or low vision, and deaf or hard of hearing, are common challenges that technology has been able to address but still require some work on the part of facilitators in similar manners to in-person events. Centering accessibility, however, opens up your events and often makes them more welcoming for non-disabled participants as well. This document will overview strategies for event facilitators for ensuring maximum accessibility for virtual events to allow a wide variety of participants.

Nutrient management recommendations for strawberry are described according to the standard UF/IFAS recommendation format of 1) a calibrated soil test result; 2) target soil pH; 3) the "4Rs" of fertilizer management: rate, timing, placement, and source; and 4) water management factors.

Los ácidos biliares son biomoléculas con esqueleto esteroidal presentes en la bilis animal y humana, sintetizada en el hígado, a partir de la descomposición del colesterol y luego metabolizados por el microbiota intestinal. Se les atribuyen propiedades biológicas, farmacológicas, anticancerígena, antimicrobiana y terapéuticas; también exhiben efectos bacteriostáticos y bactericidas afectando a géneros, como Staphylococcus, Balantidium, Pneumococcus y Enterococcus; sin embargo, hay pocos estudios con actividad antioxidante apreciable. Por lo tanto, se extrajeron e identificaron químicamente los ácidos biliares aislados de la bilis de bovino (Bos), para determinar su potencial antioxidante y bactericida. Los ácidos biliares fueron derivatizados como ésteres metílicos y analizados mediante cromatografía de gases, acoplada a espectrometría de masas. La actividad bactericida se evaluó frente a Staphylococcus aureus y Pseudomona aeruginosa por el método de microdilución, con concentraciones entre 250 - 4000 μg/mL. El potencial antioxidante fue evaluado frente al radical libre 2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidracilo, a una concentración de 100 μg/mL. Los resultados mostraron la presencia de tres ácidos biliares: ácidos cólicos, ácido desoxicólico y ácido 7alfa-hidroxi-3-oxo-colan-24-oico. La inhibición del crecimiento bacteriano se alcanzó, en su totalidad, con los dos microorganismos evaluados, aún a la concentración más baja utilizada (250 μg/mL). La actividad antioxidante de los ácidos biliares frente al radical DPPH fue muy baja, presentándose un potencial de reducción de 8,9 % a la concentración utilizada. Esta investigación permitió contribuir con el estudio de las actividades biológicas y químicas de los ácidos biliares.

The development of a linear multistep method for initial value problems of Ordinary Differential Equations (O.D.E.s) has been the subject of investigation for some time. In this work, a class of hybrid backward differentiation methods with step number k=1 for initial value problems of first-order ordinary differential equations was presented. The method entails interpolation of approximate solutions and collocation of the differential system. The scheme has been tested and found to be consistent and zero-stable. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the efficiency of the new method. Keywords: Differential equations; collocation hybrid backward differential equation; initial value problems

This document provides an overview of Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’, commonly known as ‘Morning Light’ maiden grass. It describes the plant’s physical characteristics, including its height, spread, and fine-textured foliage. The document highlights its ornamental uses in landscapes, such as mass planting, borders, and as an accent. It also covers the plant’s adaptability to various soil types, its drought tolerance, and its preference for full sun. Additionally, the document mentions the plant’s invasive potential and provides information on its propagation and pest resistance. Original publication date September 1999.

This document provides an overview of Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegatus’, commonly known as variegated Japanese silver grass or maiden grass. It describes the plant’s distinctive features, including its variegated leaves, pink flowers, and upright growth habit. The document highlights its uses in landscaping, such as mass planting, borders, and as an accent plant. It also covers the plant’s adaptability to various soil types, its moderate drought tolerance, and its invasive potential. Additionally, it mentions other cultivars of Miscanthus sinensis and provides guidance on planting and maintenance. Original publication date October 1999.

Biosurfactants possess essential properties that make them highly indispensable in many industries, such as waste management, food, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, due to their surface-active and wetting abilities. The search for microorganisms capable of producing this extensively utilized biomolecule is increasing daily. In this study, abattoir soil collected from Awka metropolis, Anambra State, was screened for biosurfactant-producing bacteria using mineral salt medium (MSM) supplemented with engine oil. Three bacterial isolates (NJ1, NJ2, and NJ3) were obtained from MSM agar. These isolates were subjected to four biosurfactant screening assays: haemolysis test, drop collapse test, oil spreading test, and emulsification index (E24). The results indicated that all three isolates showed alpha-haemolytic activity, and drop collapse positive reactions. Notably, NJ3 exhibited complete collapse reaction (+++) in the drop collapse test. Additionally, in the oil spreading test, NJ3 demonstrated the highest displacement of engine oil (10 mm), followed by NJ2 (7 mm) and NJ1 (5 mm). The determination of E24 using kerosene for all isolates revealed that NJ1 exhibited the highest E24 at 13%, while NJ2 and NJ3 had E24 of 2.56% and 2.50%, respectively. Morphological characterization, Gram’s staining, and biochemical analyses performed on the isolates, identified NJ1 and NJ3 as members of Streptomyces spp., while NJ2 was identified as Bacillus sp. These findings suggest that abattoir soil could be a potential source of biosurfactant-producing bacteria. Biosurfactants possess essential properties that make them highly indispensable in many industries, such as waste management, food, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, due to their surface-active and wetting abilities. The search for microorganisms capable of producing this extensively utilised biomolecule is increasing daily. In this study, abattoir soil collected from Awka metropolis, Anambra State, was screened for biosurfactant-producing bacteria using mineral salt medium (MSM) supplemented with engine oil. Three bacterial isolates (NJ1, NJ2, and NJ3) were obtained from MSM agar. These isolates were subjected to four biosurfactant screening assays: haemolysis test, drop collapse test, oil spreading test, and emulsification index (E24). The results indicated that all three isolates showed alpha-haemolytic activity and drop collapse positive reactions. Notably, NJ3 exhibited a complete collapse reaction (+++) in the drop collapse test. Additionally, in the oil spreading test, NJ3 demonstrated the highest displacement of engine oil (10 mm), followed by NJ2 (7 mm) and NJ1 (5 mm). The determination of E24 using kerosene for all isolates revealed that NJ1 exhibited the highest E24 at 13%, while NJ2 and NJ3 had E24 of 2.56% and 2.50%, respectively. Morphological characterisation, Gram staining, and biochemical analyses performed on the isolates identified NJ1 and NJ3 as members of Streptomyces spp., while NJ2 was identified as Bacillus sp. These findings suggest that abattoir soil could be a potential source of biosurfactant-producing bacteria. Keywords: Biosurfactant, Abattoir, Oil Spreading, Screening, Streptomyces spp

Nowadays, there is no shortage of options for customers when choosing where to put their money. As a result, customer churn and engagement have become one of the top issues. With the increase in the number of service providers for the same targeted population, there is a need for service providers to try to find the changing customer behaviour and their rising expectations to retain them. Various studies have proposed customer churn. Data mining was routinely used to predict telecom customer attrition. Most researchers have compared and proposed different approaches for the prediction of customer churn, though some of the Machine learning (ML) algorithms used were unable to provide the performance needed to identify customer churn. Therefore, this paper presents a comparative analysis of Support Vector Machine (SVM), Decision Tree (DT) and Random Forest (RF) in the Telecommunications Dataset. To prepare the dataset for machine learning algorithms, chi-square was used for feature selection to select the most informative features from the original dataset. We validate our model using a ten-fold cross-validation approach to test the performance of our models. RF model performed better than other models in terms of accuracy (94%), precision (94%) and F-measure (94%), respectively. Additionally, we compared our results with existing models that used the same dataset; the proposed strategy outperformed them. Keywords: Customer Churn, Telecommunication, Machine Learning, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF)

Este documento está dirigido a los residentes de Florida que dependen de pozos privados para su suministro de agua potable. El propósito educar a los propietarios de pozos sobre los riesgos de contaminación bacteriana, particularmente después de eventos de inundación, y proporcionar una guía detallada para realizar una cloración de choque efectiva. La cloración de choque es un método crucial para desinfectar pozos contaminados y asegurar la potabilidad del agua. Además, se ofrecen recomendaciones sobre el uso correcto de cloro, la importancia de pruebas de laboratorio post-desinfección, y consideraciones sobre la posible necesidad de sistemas de desinfección continuos en casos de contaminación persistente.

This is one part of the 4-H Volunteer Training series. It was originally written in 2005, adapted in 2014, and updated in 2023.

This is one part of the 4-H Volunteer Training series. It was originally published in 2005 and revised in 2012. It was updated in the summer of 2023 and is now published in 2024.

This publication is aimed to introduce “push-pull” technology and companion planting for pest management to high tunnel vegetable growers. It is also of interest to other crop producers wishing to improve their IPM practices.