Researcher Taps Poultry Waste to Target Mosquitoes - Bangalore Mirror
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7/21/2017 Researcher taps poultry waste to target mosquitoes - Bangalore Mirror SIGN IN MUMBAI MIRROR | AHMEDABAD MIRROR | PUNE MIRROR RESEARCHER TAPS POULTRY WASTE TO TARGET MOSQUITOES By Deepthi Sanjiv, Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Apr 22, 2017, 04.00 AM IST Process aims to nip problem of mosquitoes in the budding stage A Shivamogga-based veterinary researcher is putting poultry waste to good use in eliminating the mosquito menace, in the process acting as a preventive for mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, filaria and chikungunya. Dr Dhoolappa Melinamani assistant professor, department of veterinary anatomy and histology, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal & Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU), Veterinary College, Shivamogga, is leading a team that has developed eco-friendly larvicidal floats from poultry waste – especially feathers – to do that. The team won the third place at Jugaad- He told Bangalore Mirror that the larvicidal float is a floating device which is a-thon, a hackathon held at Manipal composed of biodegradable material like poultry waste, along with starch, and Institute of Technology the main ingredient being a larvicide that destroys mosquito larvae. Dr Dhoolappa explained that when the float is put on stagnant water bodies, it releases active ingredients as it floats. When the mosquito larvae eat the contents of the larvicidal floats, the larvicide enters the gut tube of the larvae where it is activated to act as a toxin for the larvae, destroying it in the process. The dispersing device uses feathers, feather powder and starch from poultry waste along with some wheat powder to attract the larvae. Because of the porous quality of the feathers it acts as a carrier of the larvicide as well as helping to release it. “The larvicidal floats developed in this project can deliver larvicides on the water surface in a controlled manner for prolonged activity in various waterlogged bodies. The unique selling points of the product is affordability for end-users, and it is safe for non-target organisms like fish. Besides, it is fully bio-based and completely biodegradable,” he said. One float of about 20 grams is sufficient for an area of 100 square feet of stagnant water and the price is expected to be around Rs 35 per float. He said the prototype is ready and the field trials will be undertaken with the help of Manipal University in June this year. There is also future scope for development. It can be completely mechanical with a spring loaded and timed dispensing system, while a third prototype is being planned with a micro-controller and an inbuilt dispensing system to be used in larger water bodies. MUMBAI MIRROR TIMES OF INDIA E-PAPER CRICBUZZ GIZMODO INDIA AHMEDABAD MIRROR ECONOMIC TIMES M-PAPER MARATHI NEWS HAPPYTRIPS PUNE MIRROR BOMBAY TIMES LIFEHACKER INDIA MISS KYRA WEEKEND GETAWAYS FROM MUMBAI TIMES NOW ET NOW ZOOM TV MIRROR NOW TIMES NOW ET NOW ABOUT US ADVERTISE WITH US TERMS OF USE AND GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL POLICY PRIVACY POLICY COPYRIGHT © 2017 BENNETT, COLEMAN & CO. LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FOR REPRINT RIGHTS:TIMES SYNDICATION SERVICE http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/news/state/researcher-taps-poultry-waste-to-target-mosquitoes/articleshow/58304182.cms?prtpage=1 1/1.