Available Online at http://www.recentscientific.com International Journal of CODEN: IJRSFP (USA) Recent Scientific

International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Research Vol. 11, Issue, 06 (B), pp. 38874-38876, June, 2020 ISSN: 0976-3031 DOI: 10.24327/IJRSR Research Article

FOLDSCOPES IN AGRICULTURAL SECTORS AS A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL FOR THE UPCOMING FARMERS AND HORTICULTURISTS

K. Sharma1 and K. S. Abbiramy2,*

1PG & Research Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, A.V.C College (Autonomous), Mayiladuthurai, Tamilnadu, 2*Assistant Professor, PG & Research Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, A.V.C College (Autonomous), Mayiladuthurai, Tamilnadu, India

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2020.1106.5394

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article History: Presently many agriculture practitioners are facing lots of evidential threats which makes them out

Received 13th March, 2020 of farming practices. In other hand, young people enthusiastically approachingthe agriculture and Received in revised form 11th horticulture. Those people are not well versed in indigenous methodologies and skillson infection April, 2020 prediction and crop surveillance. This happens because of intergenerational change. It has to be Accepted 8th May, 2020 resolved for the substantial development of agriculture sector in forthcoming generations. Foldscope Published online 28th June, 2020 device can resolve these kinds ofinconveniences and it may play a pivotal role in modern agriculture practice. Based on the above issues this study was executed. The objectives of this study are the Key Words: observation and identification of microbes and pests in available infected crops and assessment of feasibleness in observations while using foldscope. Through the foldscope device we have identified Foldscope; Agriculture; Horticulture; five fungal species and one parasitic mite species from the infected crops which are procured from Prognostication. the agricultural field. Foldscope device gives a baseline prognostication of infections. Few inconveniences in observation were subjected in this study those issues can be rectified through enhancing the guidelines for the people who are technically not sound in microscopy.

Copyright © K. Sharma and K. S. Abbiramy, 2020, this is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative

Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the

original work is properly cited.

INTRODUCTION into farming practice. Therefore, Modern problems must need a modern solution. These kinds of inconvenience towards The emergence of awareness on agriculture among the upcoming farmers can be resolved by foldscope devices. upcoming youth farmers, those who are from the various sectors not related to agricultural background, but they eager to Foldscope device do farming and some of them wish to do horticulture. Those Foldscope is a hand held , which was invented by people are not well versed in indigenous methodologies on Manu Prakash and Jim Cybulski in Manu’s laboratory at infection prediction in crops, just because they are lacking in Stanford University in 2014, CA[1]. It is an origami-based innate knowledge on agriculture. This will raise imperfections optical microscope that can be made with wet proof paper. in the application of anti-microbial agents to the crops. It leads Foldscope was created with a vision to solve an accessibility to vanishing of wild native paddy and other grain species due to barrier in biological science. Foldscope is a highly cost- deficiencies in care. Meanwhile, microbes and pests are effective and easy portable device with astonishing resolution uprising along with time. It is one among the difficulty faced (upto 2100 X) as like a conventional research . by the youth farmers and horticulturists. These scenarios are Foldscope can help us to identify the infectious organism actually obstructing their enthusiastic involvement in farming through microscopic observation of infected crop samples and and horticulture. Sometimes well-experienced farm we can specify the damage causing organism whether it’s a practitioners may also be chanced on certain difficulties in fugal or some other infection. While using foldscope fungal infection prediction and treatment. The present scenario instrument the anticipation towards an infection is more precise among the agriculture sector is many of the farm practitioners than the indigenous methodologies. letting their profession because of diverse issues. Fortunately, Studies on agriculture sectors by using a foldscope device is young people realized the values of agriculture and keenly get not plenty. Thus the objective of the present study is to

*Corresponding author: K. S. Abbiramy Research Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, A.V.C College (Autonomous), Mayiladuthurai, Tamilnadu, India K. Sharma and K. S. Abbiramy., Foldscopes in Agricultural Sectors as A Diagnostic Tool for the Upcoming Farmers and Horticulturists investigate the feasibility of using foldscope for microscopic content, then gently lifted and stacked onto a glass slide or observation of fungal organisms in infected crop samples. vented foldscope slide (Fig.3). Then it must be loaded into the Infected paddy crops, stored grains and horticulture plants were stage of foldscope for the observation. Observation needs a sampled from the farmers and horticulturists and the bright light source like sunlight or LED lamps. While observation and identification of fungal organisms was done observing, spotted organisms can be captured by mobile using foldscope. Observations were also done to assess the camera using mobile couplers which was given along with a working convenience and observation capability of foldscope foldscope kit. (classroom kit-140x).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Foldscope microscope (classroom kit-140x resolution) and other accessories given along with foldscope kit were used for observations (Fig. 1). Infected crop samples are procured from farmers and horticulturist through visual investigation of plant samples (Fig. 2)

Figure 3 Slide preparation and observation

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

As a result of foldscope observations there are 5 fungal species (Figs 4, 5, 6, 7and 8) and 1 parasitic mite species (Fig. 9) were identified using the book written by Dugan (2006)[4]. The pictures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 were identified as the fungal species

which are plant pathogenic , causing diseases such as Figure 1 The unpacked and assembled foldscope root rot, sheath blight and wire stem etc. They can reduce both plant yield and quality.

Figure 2 The samples collected for observation

Slide Preparation

The standard cellophane tape preparation method proposed by Alice et al. (2004)[2] is performed for the isolation of fungal content from the samples. It is also called as Double layer tape preparation method. Another method, the adhesive tape preparation method (Scotch tape or cellophane tape preparation) for microscopic examination of fungal colonies is also a standard technique found in manuals of medical mycology[3]. This method is fast and inexpensive and allows direct visualization of fungal morphology. The only disadvantage to this technique is that the preparation dries and the tape wrinkles after several hours. Hence it is suitable only for rapid observations. Direct wipe method is also being done using brush in order to separate powdery spores from the sample. Figures 4 and 5 Rhizoctonia solani and Flagelloscypha sp. (Fungi) In the standard tape preparation, an adequate inch or piece of transparent cellophane tape was crop down. Using forceps, The sticky side is gently pressed to the surface of the fungal

38875 | P a g e International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Vol. 11, Issue, 06 (B), pp. 38874-38876, June, 2020

Pros & Cons of Foldscope

1. Utilization, handling and Observations are easier, but identification is feasible only for certain fungal species because some them requires culture procedures to identify them. 2. Certain microorganism (mainly the bacteria) should be stained for the observation which is practically not possible for the farmers and horticulturists due lack of staining methods and skills. 3. Working convenience is pretty good, but that too depends on the kit quality. Kit with a high resolution lens makes observation quite finer. 4. Minimum technical skill is needed for sample isolation

and preparation of slide for observation. For identification part the observer must keep proper guidelines.

CONCLUSION

Though the long-term vision to universalize frugal science, using this foldscope by the lay man masses was achieved, the wholeness of microscopy mainly in, observing the bacteria was not achieved. But the fungal diseases can be identified promptly through the bright field foldscope images. It gives a baseline prognostication of infections. Also the symptoms of the crop diseases can be easily observed and diagnosed. Regarding the feasibility of the instrument, it is very well feasible for the youth farmers and horticulturists for observing and identifying the crop diseases. International field-work in

both diagnostics and education will provide vital inputs for Figures 6 and 7 Spores of Umbelopsis sp. and Ustilaginoides virens (Fungi) further improvements.

References

1. Cybulski JS, Celements J, Prakash M. Foldscope: origami-based paper microscope.PLOS ONE (2014). 9, pp:e98781. 2. Alice D. Hughes, Giovanni D. Lorusso and Donald L. Greer.The ‘double-layer tape prep’: an improvement to a standard technique. J. Med. Microbiol (2004). 53, 455. DOI:10.1099/jmm.0.05260-0 3. Forbes BA, Sahm DF, Weissfeld AS. Bailey & Scott’s Diagnostic Microbiology. 11th ed, 789, 2002. St Louis, MO: Mosby. 4. Dugan FM. The Identification of fungi: An Illustrated

Introduction with keys glossary and guide to literature. 2006. The American Phytopathological society press, St.paul, Minnesota.

Figures 8 and 9 Powdery mildew (Fungi) and Eriophyid mite (plant parasite)

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