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Consumers can receive guarantees through the certified evaluation tool of agriculture resources analysis of natural farming (CETARA NF) without having to deal with costly third-party certification's entry obstacles or complex participatory guarantee systems. The purpose of this study is to examine the reasons for farmers' engagement in CETARA-NF as well as their experiences and results. 400 farmers randomly interviewed from 4 agroclimatic zones using the well-structured questionnaire from a 135,000 certified farmers list. Most farmers fall under the Two Star category (61.5 %), followed by One Star (28.5 %) and Three Star (10 %). The findings imply that 61 per cent of farmers are transitioning towards natural farming as these farmers have minimised or eliminated the chemical use in their farming practices. Significant factors of adoption for this certification system were increased marketed quantity, chemical fertiliser cost and no certification cost. Also, market access (Rank 1), no cost of certification (Rank 2) and women friendly (Rank 3) recognized as the major advantages of this certification. CETARA-NF can be an alternative certification solution for smallholders by securing the integration of grassroots agroecological cooperation and customs inside natural farming systems, thereby overcoming certification barriers.

A two-year field experiment (2018–19 and 2019–20) was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with a spacing of 60 × 45 cm involving three replications with ten treatments having cow manurial amendments along with integrated nutrient management in a plot size of 3.0 m × 1.8 m. The effect of the integration of cow manurial amendments and mineral fertilizers on soil fertility, nutrient uptake, yield, and economics of broccoli was studied. The experiment was laid out during the rabi season in the mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. T8 [90% RDN (112.5 N: 67.5 P: 46.8 K kg/ha) + 5% jeevamrit (1.5 l/m2) + 5% jeevamrit foliar spray] obtained the greatest organic carbon (20.93 g kg−1), available N (375.13 kg ha−1), P (48.46 kg ha−1), K (260.53 kg ha−1) in the soil as well as more uptake of N (60.58 kg ha−1), P (7.25 kg ha−1) and K (37.88 g ha−1) by the plants. Further, this treatment obtained the greatest value for yield (186.77 q ha−1 and 12.44 kg plot−1), net income (₹ 245840) and cost-benefit ratio (1.93). Outcomes of this investigation suggested that combined usage of cow manure, jeevamrit, beejamrit, and ghanjeevamrit with inorganic fertilizers proved to be useful for enhancing soil health, increasing nutrient uptake, and ensuring sustainable production of broccoli.

Abstract A study was conducted to record the effect of modified atmospheric packaging (MAP), storage conditions (ambient, zero energy cool chamber and refrigerated) as well as storage period on shelf-life and quality of tomatoes produced through Subhash Palekar natural farming (SPNF) and chemical farming (CHEM) systems. Freshly harvested tomatoes (SPNF and CHEM) packed in LDPE pouches (25.40 μm and 10 pin holes/100 cm2 area) and without packaging were stored under ambient (27±2 °C and 70±2% RH), zero energy cool chamber (ZECC) (17±2 °C and 82 ±2 % RH) and low temperature conditions (10±2 ºC and 90 % RH) for shelf-life studies. The shelf-life comparison was done at every two days’ interval up to 24 days based on physiological loss in weight (PLW) and spoilage percentage. SPNF and CHEM tomatoes were compared on the basis of quality attributes (firmness, acidity, TSS, sugars, total phenols, antioxidant activity etc.), mineral content and sensory characteristics. Results revealed that tomato stored in refrigerated condition had significantly (p ˂0.05) lowest PLW and spoilage incidence and highest sensory acceptability up to 24 days and was at par with ZECC stored tomatoes. Quality evaluation indicated that tomatoes grown under SPNF system contained a higher amount of total solids, total sugars, reducing sugars, ascorbic acid, total phenols and ash. The results showed that tomatoes with MAP and stored under refrigerated storage condition retained maximum quality up to 24 days followed by tomatoes stored under ZECC (18 days) compared to 12 days at ambient conditions.

Background: One of the main purposes of root canal treatment is the complete debridement of root canals. Regardless of the instrumentation technique used 35% or more of the root canal surfaces have been observed to remain uninstrumented. To remove debris and address these uninstrumented surfaces, it is necessary to copiously irrigate the root canal. Many adjuncts have also been developed and being used in an effort to improve the delivery and effectiveness of these irrigants. Although much research have been conducted on different root canal treatment regime and irrigants used in dentistry, only a little data can be found on the widespread practice or acceptance of such methods. Aims and Objectives: The purpose of this survey was therefore to ascertain the current trends in the use of root canal irrigants and irrigation protocol followed by Endodontists and Postgraduate students across Central India (Madhya Pradesh). Material and Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted and participants were asked to fill in responses to some questions regarding their preferences for root canal irrigation like irrigant selection, irrigant concentration, technique used for delivery and activation of irrigants, etc. Results: The majority of the respondents considered both irrigations as well as instrumentation to be of equal importance. Also, the majority of respondents prefer full-strength sodium hypochlorite (5.25%) while only a few have been found to use its lower concentration (3%). Conclusion: It is essential for future prospects to get an awareness of the properties and actions of irrigants and incorporate them into practice for executing a successful endodontic treatment.

Abstract Background Entomopathogenic fungi are the most versatile having a wide host range, capable of infecting insects at different developmental stages. In the present study, Metarhizium rileyi, at the concentrations of 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 and 108 conidia/ml and sub-lethal concentrations of azadirachtin (1.02 and 1.53 ppm) and indoxacarb (0.72 ppm) were evaluated against the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th larval instars of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) under laboratory conditions. Results M. rileyi applied at 106 conidia/ml caused a maximum mortality of 83.33 and 80.00% of 1st and 2nd larval instars of H. armigera, respectively. The maximum mortality of 3rd, 4th and 5th larval instars of H. armigera with 108 conidia/ml of M. rileyi was 83.33, 76.67 and 53.33%, respectively. When M. rileyi blended with azadirachtin at 1.02 ppm, the highest mortality rate of 86.21% at 106 conidia/ml against 2nd instar larvae was resulted. Similarly, M. rileyi applied at 108 conidia /ml mixed with azadirachtin (1.53 ppm) showed 89.66% mortality of 3rd instar larvae. The 2nd instar larvae treated with M. rileyi at 106 conidia/ml, mixed with indoxacarb (0.72 ppm), the corrected mortality rate was 82.14%. Concentration mortality response of 3rd instar larvae to M. rileyi blended with indoxacarb (0.72 ppm) was 85.71% at 108 conidia/ml. The median lethal concentration (LC50) values were 5.51 × 103, 1.86 × 104, 2.81 × 105 and 5.55 × 105 conidia/ml for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th larval instars, respectively, after 7 days of treatment. M. rileyi when mixed with sub-lethal concentrations of azadirachtin (1.02 ppm) and indoxacarb (0.72 ppm) resulted LC50 values of 1.09 × 104 conidia/ml and 1.37 × 104 conidia/ml against 2nd instar larvae, respectively, after 24 hours. Similarly, M. rileyi mixed with sub-lethal concentrations of azadirachtin (1.53 ppm) and indoxacarb (0.72 ppm) resulted LC50 values of 3.12 × 108 and 3.06 × 105 conidia/ml against 3rd instar larvae, respectively, after 24 hours. The study revealed that the susceptibility of larvae decreased in case of large larval instars. Conclusions M. rileyi can be utilized as one of the component of Integrated Pest Management Program for the eco-friendly management of H. armigera. As the application of M. rileyi @ 107 conidia/ml alone or in combination with azadirachtin (1.02 and 1.53 ppm) or indoxacarb (0.72 ppm) resulted to the highest mortality.

Natural farming, popularly known as zero budget natural farming, is an innovative farming approach. It is low input based, climate resilient, and low cost farming system because all the inputs (insect repellents, fungicides, and pesticides) are made up of natural herbs and locally available inputs, thereby reducing the use of artificial fertilizers and industrial pesticides. It is becoming increasingly popular among the smallholder farmers of Himachal Pradesh. Under the natural farming system, 3 to 12 crops are cultivated together on the same area, along with leguminous crops as intercrop in order to ensure that no piece of land is wasted and utilized properly. This article focuses mainly on the different cropping systems of natural farming and comparing the economics of natural farming (NF) with conventional farming (CF) systems. Study shows that farmers adopted five major crop combinations under natural farming system, i.e., vegetables-based cropping system (e.g., tomato + beans + cucumber and cauliflower + pea + radish), vegetables-cereals-based cropping system, and other three more cropping systems discussed in this article. The results indicated that a vegetable-based cropping system has 19.68% more net return in Kharif season and 24.64% more net return in Rabi season as compared to conventional farming vegetable-based monocropping system. NF maximizes land use and reduces the chance of crop yield loss. NF has resulted in increased returns especially in the vegetable cropping system where reduction in cost was 30.73 per cent (kharif) and 11.88 per cent (rabi) across all crop combinations in comparison to CF. It is found in study that NF was cost savings from not using chemical fertilizers and pesticides, as well as higher benefit from intercrops.

Aim: The present study was conducted for the evaluation of Interleukin (IL)-1b levels in human gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), intensity of pain, and the amount of tooth movement measured during canine retraction using different magnitudes of continuous orthodontic force. Materials and Method: A statistically significant number of subjects were included for the study (n = 16, 6 male subjects and 10 female subjects). The age ranged from 18 to 24 years and all were diagnosed with Class I bimaxillary protrusion. They underwent first premolar extractions prior to participating in the study. The maxillary cuspids were then retracted using a continuous force of either 50 or 150 g. This was executed using nickel–titanium coil springs on segmented archwires. The opposite counterpart, that is, mandibular cuspid was used as control. GCF was then drawn from the distal aspect of each tooth at defined time intervals. This was followed by the assessment of IL-1b concentrations, pain intensity, using the visual analogue scale (VAS), and the amount of tooth movement. ANOVA test, Friedman test, and paired t-tests were used for comparisons of IL-1b in GCF, the plaque and gingival indices, and the efficiency of tooth movement on pain perception, respectively. Results: The 150 g group showed the highest level of IL-1b concentration at 24 h from baseline and at 2 with significant differences compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The mean VAS score of pain intensity from the 150 g force was significantly greater than from the 50 g force at 24 h (P < 0.01). Conclusion: No significant difference in the amount of tooth movement was found between these two different magnitudes of continuous force at 2 months. A 50 g force could effectively induce tooth movement similar to 150 g with less pain and less inflammation.

Introduction: A successful root canal therapy is largely dependent on thorough chemo-mechanical debridement of the root canal space. However, mechanical preparation inadvertently forms an amorphous layer, known as the “smear layer.” Traditionally used irrigants have a deleterious effect over root dentin and thus herbal alternatives can be a better option for smear layer removal with no action on root dentin. Aim: The purpose of the study was to compare the in vitro effectiveness of two potential herbal irrigants: 6% German chamomile extract (GCE) and 6% Morinda citrifolia juice (MCJ), in removal of smear layer. Materials and Methods: Eighty single-rooted human teeth were allocated into two equal groups: one to be instrumented with the self-adjusting file (SAF), while the other with WaveOne (WO). Four subgroups in each group were irrigated with 6% GCE, 6% MCJ, 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (positive control), and NS (negative control). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the presence of smear layer. Statistical Analysis: As data for smear layer were categorical, Chi-square test was applied for data analysis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The most effective smear layer removal in the coronal part was observed with SAF-EDTA and SAF-GCE, followed by WO-EDTA. In the middle part, SAF-GCE was equivalent to that of SAF-EDTA, followed by WO-EDTA and WO-GCE. In the apical third, the most efficient smear layer removal was observed with SAF-EDTA, followed by some removal of smear layer by WO-EDTA and SAF-GCE. GCE was as effective as EDTA in removal of smear layer in the coronal and mid-root regions, when used with continuous irrigation.

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common histologic subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) accounting for approximately 30 percent of all NHL cases, involving both nodal and extra-nodal sites. Apart from distinct morphological and clinicopathological subtypes, DLBCL can be dived into molecular subtypes, Germimal Centre Subtype (GCB) and Activated B-Cell (ABC) based on gene expression profiling. IPI (International Prognostication Index) and its variants are used to prognosticate the patients. Limited stage DLBCL is primarily treated with combined modality therapy consisting of abbreviated systemic chemotherapy (three cycles), and involved field radiation therapy, whereas advanced stage disease is treated with full course of chemotherapy with recommendation of addition of novel agents ( Bortezomib, Ibrutinib, Lenalidomide) in ABC type DLBCL.

Background: We evaluated the clinical presentation and risk factors of pulmonary embolism (PE) in soldiers posted at high altitude areas (HAA). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all cases of PE presented to us between March 2011 and Aug 2014. The patients were serving at an altitude between 10,000 and 22,000 ft above sea level and PE was diagnosed using the pulmonary CT angiography. Screening for the deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and procoagulant conditions was done at presentation and after six months of treatment. The patients were managed as per the American College of Cardiology (ACC) guidelines and descriptive statistics were used to present the data. Results: The patients (53 males) had a mean age of 33 ± 4.2 year and were serving at a mean altitude of 12,176 ± 448 feet (ranged between 10,000 and 20,500) at the onset of symptoms. Dyspnea (79%) and tachycardia (68%) were the commonest symptom and sign, respectively. D dimer was positive in 96.2% of the cases while nonspecific T inversion in the ECG was seen in 54.7% of the patients. Procoagulant work up revealed a hereditary thrombophilic condition in 9 out of 53 patients. A total of 44 cases were idiopathic and DVT of lower limb veins was seen in 2 patients. There was no mortality in our case series. Conclusion: PE is a common complication of HAA and hereditary thrombophilia contributes in a minority of the patients. Further studies are needed to ascertain the risk factors of PE at HAA. Keywords: Pulmonary embolism, High altitude, Cold, Soldiers, Thrombophilia

Introduction: Laser is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation." They are being developed for a variety of uses in periodontal therapy. The diode laser in dentistry is used for treatment of diseased periodontal soft tissue, allowing significant bacterial reduction, and removal of the inflammatory products while creating excellent hemostasis. A flexible fiber optic delivery system allows the clinician easy and safe access around the periodontal pocket. The wavelengths are transmitted through water and are very poorly absorbed in apatite crystals, making them an excellent choice to use in a periodontally involved sulcus that has inflamed tissue and pigmented bacteria. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of diode laser as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the nonsurgical treatment of chronic periodontitis. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of diode laser on plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI) probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) in chronic periodontitis patients and to compare the outcome with SRP alone. To evaluate the efficacy of diode laser on plaque microorganisms namely Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Prevotella intermedia. Materials and Methods: A total number of 20 generalized chronic periodontitis patients were selected for the study. A randomized split-mouth design was followed to assign quadrants in each to one of the two treatment groups: SRP alone (Group I control group) and diode laser as an adjunct to SRP (Group II test group). The assessment of clinical parameters was carried out at baseline, day 30, 90, and 180. The microbiological analysis was done prior to the start of the treatment at baseline, day 15, 30, 90, and 180, respectively. Results: At baseline mean colony count was equal in both groups, however, at all the subsequent time intervals, mean colony count was lower in Group II as compared to Group I. All the groups showed statistically significant reduction in relation to PI, GI, PPD, CAL, and microbial count. Discussion: In this study, an attempt was made to evaluate the adjunctive role of diode lasers on gingival inflammation, pocket probing depth, the level of clinical attachment, and microbial count in relation to SRP using a case-control design. Recently, the use of laser has emerged as an adjunctive procedure in enhancing the clinical outcome of the periodontal treatment. It is one of the most promising new technical modalities for nonsurgical periodontal treatment and has an advantage of reaching sites that cannot be approached by conventional mechanical instrumentation. Conclusion: In the present study, an attempt was made to evalute the adjunctive role of diode lasers on plaque index, gingival index, pocket probing depth, level of clinical attachment and microbial count in relation to scaling and root planning using a case-control design. On the basis of these findings, adjunctive treatment with diode laser at a higher but clinically safe frequency (940nm) at repeated intervals showed a better efficacy in ensuring a better periodontal health as compared to SRP alone.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the feasibility of reusing nickel–titanium (NiTi) alloy wires after 6 weeks of intraoral use by evaluating the changes in the load-deflection properties and surface characterization of these alloy wires after cold sterilization by immersion in 2% of acidic glutaraldehyde for 10 h. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty wires each in three groups of G1-as-received wires (ARW), G2-unsterilized used wires, and G3-sterilized used wires (SUW) were tested by the three-point bending test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The data were subjected to statistics, one-way analysis of variance, and Bonferroni posthoc test for comparison. RESULTS: Recycling of NiTi wires produced statistically insignificant changes in both the loading and unloading properties of the wires. The forces needed to twist the used wires, that is, G2-(UUW) and G3-(SUW) were lower than G1-(ARW), suggesting lowering of the stiffness of the wires. Superelasticity is well-maintained by G2-(UUW) and G3-(SUW) although there is an insignificant lowering of the forces exerted by them during loading and unloading. SEM demonstrated no increase in the pitting of surfaces in both G2-(UUW) and G3-(SUW); multiple areas were seen to be more smoothened over G2-(UUW) and G3-(SUW) NiTi wires surfaces. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study support the reuse of NiTi wires after 6 weeks of use in oral conditions followed by cold sterilization by immersion in 2% acidic glutaraldehyde for 10 h.

The present study was conducted on Pinus roxburghii (chir) forests of Rajouri Forest Division in Jammu & Kashmir State to assess the temporal variations of carbon biomass and C storage between 1995-96 and 2015-16. Results of present study unveil that despite an increase of Chir tree density from 132.60 trees/ha during 1995-96 assessment to 197.61 trees/ha during 2015-16, the growing stock as well as aboveground tree biomass of Chir forests, which were 16.28 lac m3 and 9.73 lac tonnes in 1995-96, declined to 12.10 lac m3 and 7.24 lac tonnes, respectively by 2015-16. Similarly, the total C stocks of Chir forests (aboveground + belowground), which stood at 5.90 lac tonnes during 1995-96, declined to 4.39 lac tonnes; a decrease of 25.59% in assessment period. In line with these changes, the C density of these forests also witnessed a decline from 58.95 Mg ha-1 to 43.84 Mg ha-1. Such declining trends definitely indicate forest degradation; poor forest health, cumulatively attributed to excessive removals, skewed distribution of Chir trees, subdued movement of trees from lower to higher diameter classes and increased anthropogenic pressure on forests in the division.

Introduction: Increase in life expectancy across the globe has led to rise in geriatric population. Geriatric population is now living longer and healthier. This rise in geriatric population has also led to increase in the geriatric ailments leading to increased number of geriatric patients requiring intensive care including mechanical ventilation. Data on outcomes of geriatric patients requiring mechanical ventilation from India is scarce. Aim: To study the profile and outcome of geriatric patients more than equal to 60 years requiring mechanical ventilation in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Materials and Methods: The data of all the geriatric patients, more than 60 years of age, admitted to ICU between January 2008 to August 2014 requiring mechanical ventilation for various reasons were extracted from the hospital records. Various reasons for ventilation, duration of ventilation/hospital stay, mortality and associated comorbidities were recorded and analysed. Results: Total 140 geriatric patients were mechanically ventilated in the study period, out of which 43.5% (61/140) were above 70 years of age and 67.8% (95/140) were above 65 years of age. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) was the most common cause for mechanical ventilation constituting 20% of patients followed by severe sepsis (17.8%), cerebrovascular accident (12.8%), post-surgical patients (12.8%) and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in 10%. In our study, 44.28% of the geriatric patients requiring mechanical ventilation in the ICU were successfully weaned off the ventilator. Early tracheostomy helped in weaning off from ventilator as 83.33% (5/6) of patients requiring tracheostomy could be weaned off the ventilator suggesting that tracheostomy may help in improving the outcome. Reintubation carried a very poor prognosis and increased mortality, as 80% (4/5) of the patients who were reintubated in our study could not survive. Conclusion: Our study revealed that in appropriate intensive care setting and with standard protocol based therapy for primary ailments, outcomes with mechanical ventilation in geriatric population can be comparable to outcomes in younger population.

Introduction: In the event of any mass fatality incident, DNA analysis plays a vital role in disaster victim identification. Teeth are one of the most resistant structures in the human body that resist decomposition hence making them prime choice for extracting DNA for identification of individuals. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis that target regions of Amelogenin gene have become the method of choice for sex determination of biological samples. Aim: Determining the sex of a given DNA sample from either dental pulp or dentin of tooth and help in identification of missing persons and disaster victims. Materials and Methods: In our study 50 teeth samples were studied and they were subjected to various environmental conditions along with freshly extracted teeth taken as control for duration of one month and three months. Pulpal tissue was retrieved from the teeth specimens by access opening of root canals and for incinerated samples, the specimens were crushed. From the DNA that was extracted from the dental pulp sample Amelogenin gene locus was used for sex determination by amplifying a segment of X-Y homologous gene locus through PCR analysis. Results: ANOVA test and t-test proved to be statistically significant and 100% retrieval rate was observed in samples. Conclusion: Pulpal tissue along with degenerating odontoblastic processes yield sufficient amount of DNA for gender determination when subjected to various forensic conditions with maximum accuracy.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders have serious impact on the profession of dentistry. There is common occurrence of pain due to incorrect posture in dental professionals. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies may cast a new light on preventing and intercepting musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). An epidemiological study was conducted in an effort to contribute to the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders in dentistry. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of MSD at dentists using CAM as a treatment and preventive modality for MSD and to compare job/career satisfaction between dentists who use CAM and conventional therapy (CT). Material and Methods: Dentists registered in Uttrakhand state, India, under the Dental Council of India and registered members of the Indian Dental Association, Uttrakhand branch (N = 1496) were surveyed. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 17. Results: A response rate of 84% (N = 1257) was obtained, revealing that 90% (N = 1131) had the problem of MSD. Seventy three percentage (N = 826) of dentists with MSD reported the use of CAM and CT. Complementary and alternative medicine users reported greater overall health (72.7% vs. 51%, p < 0.001), job satisfaction (61.2% vs. 35%, p < 0.001) and work efficiency compared to CT users. Conclusions: Complementary and alternative medicine therapies may improve quality of life, reduce work interruption and enhance job satisfaction for dentists who suffers from MSD. Through the course of their studies, dentists should be equipped with knowledge on ergonomics and CAM therapies, such as yoga and others, to help them prevent musculoskeletal disorders more effectively. Med Pr 2014;65(3):317–323

Background: Periodontal diseases are ubiquitous, affecting all dentate animals. Regular methods for controlling it have been found to be ineffective, which have paved the way for the use of herbal products as an adjunctive to mechanical therapy as they are free to untoward effects and hence can be used for a long period of time. Ocimum sanctum is a plant which has the greater medicinal value and enormous properties for curing and preventing disease. Objective: In the present study we assessed the effectiveness of Ocimum sanctum on dental plaque, gingival inflammation and comparison with gold standard chlorhexidine and normal saline (placebo). Materials and Methods: A triple blind randomized control trial was conducted among volunteered medical students. They were randomly allocated into three study groups: (1) Ocimum sanctum mouthwash (n = 36); (2) Chlorhexidine (active control) (n = 36); (3) normal saline (negative control) (n = 36). Assessment was carried out according to plaque score and gingival score. Statistical analysis was carried out later to compare the effect of both mouthwash. ANOVA (Analysis of variance) and post-hoc LSD tests were performed using software package used for statistical analysis (SPSS) version 17. P ≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Our result showed that Ocimum sanctum mouthrinse is equally effective in reducing plaque and gingivitis as Chlorhexidine. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in gingival bleeding and plaque indices in both groups over a period of 15 and 30 days as compared to control group. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that Ocimum sanctum mouthrinse may prove to be an effective mouthwash owing to its ability in decreasing periodontal indices by reducing plaque accumulation, gingival inflammation and bleeding. It has no side effect as compared to chlorhexidine.

Phytoseiids are an essential group of predators that feed on phytophagous mites. Studies on the detrimental impacts of plant protection chemicals on phytoseiids are crucial for their successful utilization as biocontrol agents. In the present study, the toxicity and side effects of fungicides on the predatory mite Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) were examined fed on Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) in tomato under laboratory conditions. Gravid females of N. longispinosus were exposed to fungicides using the leaf dip method for 48 hours. Results showed that the fungicide metalaxyl + mancozeb caused the highest mortality of 60%, followed by mancozeb (52.50%), copper oxychloride (35%), and thiophanate methyl (17.50%). Additionally, residual toxicity from metalaxyl + mancozeb and mancozeb treatments significantly affected the biological and life table parameters of the predatory mite. However, the effects of the other two fungicides were moderate to negligible, implying that the application of metalaxyl + mancozeb and mancozeb could negatively impact the biological performance of N. longispinosus in tomato fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]