Essential Vitamins for Balanced Diet

We recommend a balanced diet, consuming fruits both fresh vegetables, eggs, meat and fish, because that way you can get the necessary amounts of all vitamins, and improve eye health. Meet the most important vitamins for maintaining good eye health.

1. Vitamin A – Retinol and beta-carotene

Vitamin A has two natural sources: retinol, from the animal kingdom, and beta-carotene from the vegetable kingdom. Matches all who say that carrots are good for the eyes, contains beta-carotene, a substance that our body can convert into vitamin A, crucial in the process of vision and represents a great help in keeping daylight vision and night.

Vitamin A is essential in the regeneration of rhodopsin, whose decomposition by the light allows the process of vision. The lack of this vitamin can lead to blindness or decreased Twilight visual acuity after dark. And other problems such as dry eye conjunctiva and corneal ulceration.

Its combination with other antioxidant vitamins (C and E) as well as with lutein may decrease the occurrence of cataracts, and the chances of developing muscular degeneration associated with age (AMD). Vitamin A is present in tomatoes, spinach, liver, eggs (yolk) and colored vegetables.

2. Vitamin E

Tocopherol is known as a powerful antioxidant and its combination with Vitamin A and C can help in some studies to delay the onset of cataracts and AMD. Vitamin E is present in apples, avocados, plums, melons, bananas, tomatoes, asparagus.

3. Vitamin C

As a powerful antioxidant, acts very effectively in combination with vitamin E and A. The combination of these three vitamins can help delay the onset of cataracts and muscular degeneration age-related. Vitamin C is present in: citrus, gooseberries, strawberries, kiwi, green peppers, cauliflower.

4. Lutein

It is an antioxidant of the carotenoid family, which has proved effective in preventing cataracts and macular degeneration. It is also clear about its role in strengthening the immune system and protection against ultraviolet radiation.

The consumption of spinach, one of the largest sources of lutein, five times a week reduces the risk of cataracts by almost 50%. Lutein is present in broccoli, spinach, pumpkins, corn, green leafy vegetables (raw).

Source: phoenixcodepink.org

Guide to Harvesting and Storing Herbs

Growing herbs for culinary, aroma therapeutic and medicinal purposes is becoming increasingly popular in the Philippines. Some of them are utilized as freshly harvested leaves while others are dried for future use.
Here are some useful pointers on harvesting, drying and storing these useful herbs. It is from the pamphlet of Aubin’s Village from Rockhampton, Australia. Herbs have to be harvested correctly, otherwise they will lose their value. Harvest the plants on a dry day. Don’t harvest them if the dew has not disappeared.

Pick the herbs and place them into a flat box or baskets to avoid crushing or bruising. Don’t gather more than what can be dealt with at a particular time because they do not retain their fragrance for long periods.

The experts suggest that if both roots and leaves are to be used, lift the plant when it is in bloom and wash off any soil.

They say that most herbs have reached maturity after the plant has flowered, and should be cut off at ground level with a sharp knife during gathering. If only the leaves are to be used, strip them off shortly before maturity to make sure that the essential oils have not been lost. Ascertain that the blooms are perfect, otherwise they will deteriorate while drying and spoil the product for which they will be eventually used.

To extract seed, cut off the whole flower head and tie the stems at the mouth of a paper bag. Hang the bag in a light, airy position and seeds will fall into the bag as the head dries.

DRYING. Herbs should be dried indoors, preferably in an area with good ventilation and a steady temperature of 30 degrees Centigrade. The leaves should be dried in the shade but the roots require sun.

Spread the herbs in a shallow lidless box or similar receptacle. Make sure that the plants lie flat and do not overlap. Some plants like sage’ or thyme can be hung upside down in small bunches.

How to make Greeting Cards with Word 2007?

You can make homemade cards for your friends and family on any occasion if you don't get time to buy cards from the shop. You can make greeting cards with Word 2007. You can make greeting cards with Word 2007 for many occasions and events as well as the Get Well, Friendship cards etc. As you decide to make greeting cards with Word 2007, you can make one card for everyone or a customized one for every individual. You can later print them on a greeting card paper or just the regular one. Follow these steps in order to make greeting cards with Word 2007:

Click on the Office Button from the top left corner.

Click on New. The New Document window will open.

From the list under Templates, click on Greeting Cards.

You can choose the option you want from under the Greeting Cards section.

You will be connected to the Microsoft Office Online site. You can select from hundreds of templates or you can go to this website in the browser and download the templates from there.

You can preview every template in Word and then click the Download button.

The Office Genuine Advantage validation dialog box will appear. You might also have to download the updated version of OGA to be capable of downloading a template.

You can customize the downloaded card by changing the colors, fonts etc or adding  your message before printing it.

Now you can print the card. 

You can make the holiday card even more personal by adding your own photos to it. You should always have greeting card paper by the side of your printer for ceremonious events.

Is healthy lifestyle enough ?

Are you living an healthy lifestyle, doing plenty of exercise, eating fresh vegetables and fruits ? Never on coke, fries, snacks, pizza and burgers ? Then you are probably what we can call a healthy person : nice skin, looking young, fresh, sporty. No ? you’re not ?

Indeed, sometimes an healthy lifestyle is not enough in order to lose weight or just stay in good shape and avoid health issues. This is why dietary supplements can help you find your way to a brighter future, far away from the stress session when you put your feet on the balance.

In fact, if you’ve just some pounds to get rid of, diet/weight loss pills are the perfect, natural diet supplements you should consider.

More and more people turn to these diet pills when they want to look slimmer and sexier, especially before the summer.  They are the perfect supplements you should take with or before each meal if you want to avoid fat absorption or burn fat the quick and easy way. Another way to lose weight would be to carefully select appetite suppressant pills, hoodia based diet pills made of the purest P57 ingredient. Thanks to hoodia, this famous South African plant, thousands of people can control their appetite and avoid excess food consumption.

Prevent Deterioration of Perishable Crops

The Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE) advises farmers to prevent the deterioration of perishable crops like fruits and vegetables. The products must be of good quality even before harvest. This is because production practices have a tremendous effect on crop quality. This quality must be maintained through appropriate postharvest handling as they reach the consumers.

BPRE specialists tell us that recommended postharvest handling technologies and practices can no longer cure prior damage and injury suffered by the harvest. Farmers must understand that respiration, loss of moisture, and microbial growth induce quality deterioration of perishable crops. Thus, these must be minimized to attain optimum shelf life of fruits and vegetables.

During respiration, sugars, fats, proteins and other food reserves in the product are converted into metabolic energy needed to keep plant tissues alive and functioning. Since respiration uses oxygen and produces carbon dioxide and water vapor, the respiration rate of a product determines its transit and postharvest life. The higher the rate of respiration, the faster the product losses moisture, and the faster it deteriorates.

High temperature, bruises, injuries and stress cause faster respiration, resulting in shriveling, discoloration, senescence, and loss of market value.

Microorganisms multiply rapidly on vegetables and are prolific over a wide range of temperature and relative humidity. Their presence results in unpleasant smell and taste, and generates heat that hastens respiration.

To maintain high quality of fruits and vegetables, here are some tips on harvesting and packing.

Harvesting
• Harvest at the coolest time of the day, usually in the early morning, to minimize deterioration and water loss.

• Harvest the crop at the optimum stage of maturity because immature or overmature products may not last in storage.

• Use clean (sanitized) harvest containers to minimize the spread of decay pathogens.

• If possible, pack the harvest right in the field to prevent further physical damage.

• Avoid or reduce damage by gentle and minimized handling. Bruises and other mechanical damages do not only affect the appearance but also provide entrance for decay or
ganisms.

Packing
• Trim the unwanted parts (excess outer leaves, and discolored or damaged parts), which would be likely rejected by consumers, shorten shelf life, and increase chances of injury.

• Clean the product by soaking, washing, wiping, brushing and drying to prevent pathogen buildup and contamination.

• Dry or remove excess external moisture, which might promote diseases especially at high temperature and humidity.

• Sort and classify products according to size, weight, shape, appearance and other physical attributes. Sorting minimizes the spread of diseases and premature ripening. It also reduces packaging, transport and handling costs.

• Pack produce in properly cleaned shipping containers to minimize bruising and damage.

• Pre-cool the product at lower temperature before shipping to maintain fresh appearance, prevent decay and extend its shelf life.

• Store the product at ideal conditions to minimize quality loss.

How to Create a Shortcut for Locking the Computer Screen in Windows 7?

There are many ways in which you can lock the computer screen. The most popular as well as the fastest way to lock it is to use a keyboard shortcut. The keyboard shortcut used to lock the computer screen is Win+L. A few of us choose to utilize the mouse to lock it. And of course many people like to use both the options.

There is another method in which we can lock the computer screen. It is to create a shortcut for locking the computer screen in Windows 7. You can create a shortcut for locking the computer screen in Windows 7, XP and Vista too. Follow these steps in order to create a shortcut for locking the computer screen in Windows 7 as well as other editions:

Right-click on the desktop where you would like to create the shortcut.

Point to New.

Click on Shortcut from the menu.

Type in this text in the shortcut textbox. (This text will work for Windows XP as well even though the screen will be different)

rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation

Click on the Next button.

Type in a name for your shortcut.

Click on the Finish button.  

You have successfully created a shortcut to lock your workstation. Just click on the shortcut whenever you want to lock the computer screen.

Anti Aging tips: How to prevent Wrinkles

We all on the earth have to accept one of most fact of life is “Growing old”. With old age we lose some of our physiological functions that hasten death. This loss occurs primarily within the cells in our brain, heart, kidney, and bones.

We have to aware from signs of aging and the correct way on how to slow them.

Creases, Lines on the Skin a especially with old age at face, called Wrinkles. It’s one of the most Natural Part of Aging. 
Most of Young aged people’s skin also affected by this condition, if they are smoker or skin damaged by sun.

Ultraviolet (UV) rays in atmosphere from sunlight, can damage collagen and elastin, which are very helpful our skin smoothness. Collagen is a protein that makes up a large part of your skin.

The toxins in cigarette smoke stop your skin from producing as much new collagen. So we can say that “Smoking also causes wrinkles.”

As you get older, your skin gets thinner, more fragile and less stretchy, so it tends to wrinkle and crease.

Some people wrinkle more than others. This can happen for different reasons.

Wrinkles Symptoms:- (1) Deeply formed lines. 
(2) Skin that is wrinkled may also have a tough, leathery appearance if the person has had a lot of exposure to the sun. 
(3) Fine, crinkling crosshatch marks.

Wrinkles Causes:- 
Wrinkles are also one of the main causes of skin aging. 
Rapid weight loss can also cause wrinkles by reducing the volume of fat cells that cushion the face. 
Other environmental factors, including cigarette smoke and pollution, particularly ozone, may hasten ageing by producing oxygen-free radicals. These are particles produced by many of the body's normal chemical processes in excessive amounts, can damage cell membranes and interact with genetic material, possibly contributing to the development of wrinkles and cancer.

Wrinkles Treatment:- 
One of most common treatment and we can say Wrinkles Care Tips is, 
To minimize skin wrinkling, stay out of the sun as much as possible. When you are outside, wear protective clothing and use sunscreen. If you smoke, stop smoking. 
Other effective options of wrinkles are, Chemical peels or laser resurfacing. 
Botulinum toxin (Botox) may be used to correct some of the wrinkles associated with overactive facial muscles. 
Tretinoin (Retin-A) or creams containing alpha-hydroxy acids may be recommended.

Tips on Controlling Golden Apple Snail

Unmanaged water supply in the farm can aggravate golden apple snail infestation. According to the book “Global Advances in Ecology and Management of Golden Apple Snail”, continuous source of water enhances snail growth and development, which results in rapid growth, reproduction, and dispersion of snails.

Hence, Mario dela Cruz of the Technology Management and Services Division of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) strongly emphasizes the importance of having a well-leveled field for this facilitates water management, which plays a big role in controlling movements and feeding activities of the snails.

He also recommends maintaining a shallow water depth of 1 cm-2 cm from transplanting because golden apple snail, locally known as golden kuhol, can move only when the depth of water is half or more of its shell height.

In direct-seedling, he said that pre-germinated seeds should be broadcast to saturated field with 1 cm water depth. Farmers should drain water from the field the day after broadcasting. Keeping the field drained for two to three weeks after seeding is the most effective way to avoid snail damage in direct-seeded areas. Farmers are also advised to prepare canalettes around bunds to attract golden kuhol.

However, when there’s 1 snail per 2 square meters in direct-seeded fields or 3 snails in transplanted fields, adds dela Cruz, farmers should prevent impending damage by practicing other non-chemical approaches such as the following:

• Place attractants along the edges of the dikes to make collection of snails easier. These include old newspapers and leaves of gabi, banana, and papaya.
• Raise strong and healthy seedlings for transplanting. Seedlings should be sturdy enough to discourage the snails from attacking them. They should be at the three-leaf stage or 21-25 days old before transplanting. Sturdy seedlings have erect, light green colored leaves and long, fibrous roots.
• Dry-plow after harvest as this enhances snail mortality. This method exposes the snails to the heat of the sun, which they cannot stand for a long time. It also makes them susceptible to predators such as rats.
• Herd ducks in rice paddies immediately after harvest up to the last harrowing for the succeeding crop. Handpicking is suggested to control large adult golden kuhol as these are not eaten by ducks. Collect also egg clusters, crush or leave the eggs in dry areas to desiccate and die.

When all options failed, farmers could apply moluscicide at label recommendation. Application should be done early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the snails are out and active.

How to Add Horizontal Lines in Word 2007 Document Quickly?

You can add horizontal lines in Word 2007 document quickly without having to use the ribbon on the top of the page. A very easy way to add horizontal lines in Word 2007 quickly is by using the keyboard shortcuts. This method will save your time. You will be able to insert lines of many different designs by using the keyboard and not having to use the mouse at all. In order to add horizontal lines in Word 2007 document quickly, you can use one of the following procedures:

1.       If you want to add a simple straight line, type three dashes (---) and press Enter on the keyboard.

2.       For this style of a horizontal line, type three asterisks (***) and press Enter.

3.       Type three underscores ( ___ ) and press Enter to get this line:

4.       Type three equal signs (===) and hit Enter to get this line.

5.       Three pound signs ( ### ) and press Enter for this style of line:

6.       Typing in three tildes ( ~~~ ) and hitting Enter will allow you to add this horizontal line:

You can add horizontal lines in Word 2007 document quickly by using these shortcuts to break two paragraphs, to mark the end of a document or to break the numerous sections of a document. By simply using a new character such as an asterisk or a pound sign, you can add style to the Word document.

Just 10 Minutes of Exercise Could Help Prevent Vision Loss from Glaucoma

here may be a new ray of hope for glaucoma patients striving to preserve their vision. According to a recent study that appears in August’s online issue of BMC Ophthalmology, just ten minutes daily of aerobic exercise may help prevent further vision loss.

Researchers from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Department of Anesthesiology at the "G.Papanikolaou" Regional Hospital in Thessaloniki, Greece, sought to explore the effects of exercise on medicated patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).

Glaucoma is a disease that causes damage to the optic nerve, often resulting in severe vision loss or blindness. It is an irreversible condition that affects roughly 4 million people in the United States, about half of whom are unaware that they have it. Women, persons with diabetes or stroke, and African American men over 40 are at a greater risk.

Although glaucoma is typically seen in the elderly (persons over 60), everyone is at risk. Glaucoma may develop with or without symptoms, and as many as 10 percent of people receiving proper treatment will still experience vision loss. High intraocular pressure (IOP) is one of its many risk factors.

“Since exercise increases systemic fibrinolytic activity (such as dissolving blood clots), one can speculate that exercise decreases intraocular pressure by facilitating (uveoscleral) outflow,” authors of the study wrote.”

Based on this information, researchers gathered data from 145 individuals—100 healthy and 45 with POAG. Prior to testing researchers checked IMP levels using Goldmann’s applanation tonometry, a method of measuring the amount of pressure needed to flatten the cornea.

IMP was measured again hours after receiving medicated eye drops. Participants were then asked to engage in “moderate to sub-maximal” aerobic exercise (on a bicycle) for 10 minutes, after which IOP data was again measured. All participants experienced lower IOP levels, even in the participants who received no medication.

“Regardless of the antiglaucoma medication instilled, they still benefited from the aerobic exercise since they all had a post-exercise reduction of IOP,” the authors wrote in the study. “It is obvious that these patients should be encouraged to perform aerobic exercise.”

He Harvests From the Same Mango Trees Twice a Year

Normally, mango trees will bear fruit only once a year. But one fellow who grows mangoes in Libungan, North Cotabato, can make two harvests from the same mango trees twice a year. And both harvests are considered off-season so he gets a very good price for his two crops

The fellow is Francisco “Frank” Sacdalan, a retired accountant whose passion these days is farming, particularly mango production. He operates four mango farms with a total area of more than 40 hectares, two of which he owns while two others are leased. Many of the trees are 16 to 20 years old but there are 63 trees that are at least 50 years old. These old trees are really big and very productive because they are adequately fertilized and judiciously pruned.

At the recent National Mango Congress in Tagbilaran City, he detailed how he produced two off-season mango crops in 2007 from the same trees. He revealed that although he had owned the two farms for many years, it was only starting four years ago that he took over the management of the trees. In previous years, a contractor took charge of production under a sharing scheme of the harvests.

How did he manage to produce two off-season crops in one year? First he treated the mango trees with Paclobutrazol in October 2006. This chemical hastens the maturity of the mango leaves so that they can be induced to flower just three to four months from the time of treatment. Normally, he said, you will have to wait for eight months for the new leaves to mature and are ready for flower induction.

The trees treated with Paclobutrazol (brand name is Cultar) were sprayed with flower inducer in February. He harvested the fruits in June which is considered off-season since the main crop in Luzon was already over. Immediately after the June harvest, he induced the trees to flower again. There was no need to apply Cultar again. The crop was harvested in late October, another off-season crop.

Of course, Frank does not induce the trees in the four farms that he operates all at the same time. Harvesting would be problematic because of the huge volume. Some are timed for harvest in February, which is also considered off-season because supply of fruits during this time is still scarce.

He particularly cited one crop from 500 trees that he harvested in February 2008. He harvested 142 tons, about 60 percent of which was export quality. He was able to sell the harvest at a very good price of P31.50 per kilo so that he grossed P4.4 million. He revealed that his cost of production was P1.7 million so that he made a profit of P2.7 million from that one crop.

Of course, not all harvests are that profitable. There was a harvest of 127 tons in September last year from about 200 trees that are 23 years old. One food processor had contracted the harvest for P29 per kilo. Before the fruits were harvestable, however, the buyer had begged off because his buyers from abroad had stopped remitting payments due to the financial meltdown in the United States.

Two other buyers had subsequently offered to buy at P24 per kilo but before harvest time came, they also had to beg off due to lack of funds. He was eventually forced to ship the harvest to Cebu where he got P20 per kilo. Actually, he said, he got a price of only P18 per kilo because the shipping had cost him P2 per kilo. He made only half a million peso profit from that crop which he considered not so profitable because it cost him P1.5 million to produce.

What’s good about Frank is that he is an accountant and he records all his expenses and incomes. That’s why it is very easy for him to know if he is making money or not from his operations.

He observes that it takes good management to make money from mango production. He offers a number of pointers to make mango farming profitable. One is to schedule the harvesting at a time when prices are usually high. One way to do it is to treat the trees with Cultar.

He also recommends that the trees be judiciously pruned. The top of the canopy should be open and the weak branches cut off. Exposure to the sun of the inner branches will result in higher fruit production.

The trees should also be adequately fertilized so that even if they are made to bear two off-season crops in one year, they will be able to sustain their good health. After a double harvest in one year, he rests the trees for another year so that they can recover their strength.

He follows a schedule of spraying his flowers and fruits to protect them from pests and diseases. He bags the fruits when they are 55 days old or about pullet-egg size. That way, he saves money because he does not have to spray pesticide on the bagged fruits. The bagged fruits have a cleaner appearance; hence they usually fetch a better price.

Frank was the most-applauded resource person at the mango convention. lie freely shares his experiences so that other growers may be able to produce profitable mango crops, too.

How to Secure a Wireless Network from Hackers?

The reason we secure a wireless network is to stop people from using the services of our network who don't have permission to utilize them. It is harder to secure a wireless network from hackers as compared to a classic wired network. This is due to the fact that a wireless network can be accessed anywhere inside the range of its antenna.

In order to secure a wireless network from hackers, we should take proper steps to save ourselves against security issues. If you don't secure a wireless network from hackers, you might end up without its service. The consequence might also include the utilization of our network to attack further networks. To secure a wireless network from hackers, you should follow these simple wireless networking tips:

1.       Strategic antenna placement:

The first thing you have to do is to position the access point's antenna in a place which restricts the range of its signal to go further than the required area. You should not put the antenna close to a window because glass can't obstruct its signals. Place it in a central location of the building.

2.       Use WEP:

WEP stands for Wireless encryption protocol.  It's a customary technique for encrypting traffic on a wireless network. You should never skip it as that will allow hackers to get instant access to the traffic over a wireless network.

3.       Change the SSID, disable the broadcast of SSID:

SSID stands for service set identifier.  It is the recognition thread utilized by the wireless access point due to which the customers are capable of starting connections. For every wireless access point arranged, select an exclusive as well as unique SSID. Also, if it's attainable, hold back the broadcast of the SSID out over the antenna. It won\t appear in the listing of offered networks, while being able to provide services as usual.

4.       Disable DHCP:

By doing this, the hackers will have to decode the TCP/IP parameters, subnet mask as well as the IP address in order to hack your wireless network.

5.       Disable or modify SNMP settings:

Change the private as well as public community settings of SNMP. You can also just disable it. Otherwise the hackers will be able to utilize SNMP to get significant info regarding your wireless network.

6.       Utilize access lists:

For additional security of your wireless network, and if your access point support this feature, employ an access list. An access list lets us determine precisely which machinery is permitted to attach to an access point. The access points which include the access list can employ trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP) now and then in order to download modernized lists to steer clear of hackers.

Healthy Way of Smoking

Have you ever think about quitting smoking? But don’t know how to? Have you ever imagined what will your life be after 10 years from now if you still continue smoking? Well, probably you will have some diseases that might be a problem for you. Did probably know that you can get cancer or other disease from smoking. Some still thinks of ways how to get rid of their addictiveness in smoking. Some doctors say once you start smoking it will take so much time to get rid of it because of the ingredients that cigarette have. Well have you heard about this electric cigarettes? This is made to help you quit your smoking without noticing it in any time. Electronic cigarettes is quickly rising in popularity as more smokers become aware of this healthier smoking alternative. So in this way, you won’t notice that your addictiveness in smoking will be gone in no time. Try to check out their site for more info at smokeelectriccigarettes.info, stop smoking now and live a healthy life…

Air-Dried Versus Sun-Dried Corn

One simple technique that could add more weight to our corn harvest is to air-dry the husked ears rather than drying the kernels in the sun.

This is what Virginia de Guzman has found in her own experiment. De Guzman is the provincial agriculturist of Salvador town in Lanao del Norte. At the recent agri-fair in conjunction with the 50th anniversary celebration of Lanao del Norte, she showcased her technology.

In her experiment, she has found that grains of air-dried husked corn ears are heavier by three percent than the kernels dried in the sun to about 14 percent moisture content. Besides being heavier, she said that the air-dried corn grains have a longer storage life.

What gave her the idea to conduct the experiment on drying corn? Well, although she has been the municipal agriculturist of Salvador for 17 years, her college training is actually as a marine biologist. In fact, she was responsible for starting and developing the seaweed industry in the town of Kolambugan, also in Lanao del Norte. Today Kolambugan is a major producer of seaweeds. She said that they had long found that when the seaweeds are air-dried, they are heavier than those sun-dried. So she thought of finding out if that would also work in drying corn. And she found that the technique does work.

A three-percent increase in weight may not look much when small quantities are involved, but when it comes to thousands of tons, the increase in weight would be substantial. De Guzman said that the town of Salvador is a major corn producer. No less than 6,000 hectares are devoted to corn which are planted three times year. The wet season crop is planted late May to June, the “palagad” from in late September to October, and the dry season crop planted in February.

The farmers plant mostly hybrid corn seeds so that the average yield per hectare is 6 to 7 tons. The corn harvests are bought by traders from Cebu, Negros, Cagayan de Oro and others. The current buying price is P11.50 per kilo ex-farm, according to De Guzman. -The farmers also plant white corn which fetches P13 per kilo with 14 percent moisture content. The problem is that there are no big feedmills in Lanao del Norte that is why most of the grains are sold to traders outside of the province.

Many of the corn farmers have small landholdings. But there is one fellow who is planting corn on 2,000 hectares of mostly rented farms. He is Sultan Johnny Tawan-tawan.

Aside from corn, Salvador farmers also produce rice on 2,605 hectares, most of which are planted two times a year. Most of the rice farms yield about 100 cavans per hectare.

How to quickly repair your Mobile Phone dropped in water?

Many of you get your mobile phone wet by one way or another. You worry as you mistakenly drop your mobile phone in water. It can also get wet if you are out in a heavy rain.  However, there is no need to panic. It is possible to save your wet mobile phone by quickly repairing it. In order to save your mobile phone from water damage, you can consider these easy and simple solutions:

Act rapidly :

The first thing you have to do in order to save your wet mobile phone is to act rapidly. Quickly remove all the detachable parts as well as covers possible such as the back cover, battery, the SIM card, memory card etc. Next, take a piece of cloth or a tissue paper to wipe the excess water you are able to notice within the mobile phone. Make sure that you dry it completely. If you don' t do this, the water inside the mobile phone will begin to evaporate and gather in places which will be difficult to reach.

This will save your wet mobile phone and it will start working if it was under water for just a little while.

Using a hairdryer :

Take a hairdryer and begin drying the mobile phone while giving more consideration to the place where the battery is located. The battery housing usually consists of tiny holes to let in air (so giving more space for water) inside the mobile phone.

Make sure that you are not holding the hairdryer very near to the mobile phone. Keeping it too close to the mobile phone may harm the electrical mechanism of the mobile phone. Keep on drying the mobile phone from a safe distance for about twenty to thirty minutes.

If solution number 1 and solution number 2 don't work, try solution number 3. 

Drying for a long time:

Take off the covers as well as battery from the mobile phone. Put the phone in a dry as well as warm place to let the water inside the phone evaporate gradually from the little holes in the mobile phone.

Strategic Weed Control in Hybrid Rice

“Weed” is a harsh and very condemning term that we can coin for a plant whose economic importance and value is yet to be discovered. Weed is a plant that is unwanted at a particular space and time. Such unwantedness can be traced by generalizing that it can do more harm than good under such particular condition.

These are some of the possible damages weeds can do in ricefields.
1. It reduces yield due to competition with crops for light, water, and nutrients.
2. It reduces quality of produce through adulteration.
3. It blocks irrigation and drainage-canals.
4. It interferes with cultural practices.

5. It makes harvesting difficult.
6. It harbors insect pest and pathogens that attack the rice.

In comparison with other pests, weeds do not show visible damage to rice and because of this farmers do not recognize the yield reducing effect of weeds. Some farmers often neglect their presence, and will only remove when weeds have already grown vigorously and have already produced seeds. On the other hand, some farmers are so meticulously concerned to achieve a weed-free field in the whole cropping season. Both situations are an example of improper weed management. Removal of weeds after completing their life cycle is already too late because the weeds have already established themselves in the ricefield. Maintaining absolutely weed-free fields is too costly and time and labor consuming. Both approaches will reduce – farmer’s productivity either by reduced yields or by unnecessary channeling of resources to weed control. Weeds should only be controlled only when they pose significant yield reduction.

To avoid significant yield losses, we must observe a timely weed management. Providing a good head start for the rice will pose less competition, thus weed management should be done early in the cropping season within the first 40 days. The said 40 days corresponds to the critical period of crop-weed competition.

WEED MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
Over the years, weed management strategies have evolved from manual to mechanical to the use of herbicides. Mechanical control includes some cultural practices, including the seedbed preparation, crop rotation, land leveling; levee construction, seed selection and water management.

Moisture availability, financial capability of the farmer, and cultural practices significantly contribute to the reduction of weed problems, control, and cost. These are some of the strategies that farmers can employ.

1. Use hybrid varieties with high percentage of productive tillers. The use of hybrid seeds from reputable sources such as Pioneer Hi-Bred will ensure farmers that the seeds have high germination percentage, minimal or no weed seed mixtures. The use of hybrid seeds also assures an increase in yield. Planting of hybrid rice follows a planting scheme, one seedling per hill with given dimensions, thus population density and spacing is properly observed. Weed management is easier because planting is more organized. Correct choice of hybrid variety should also be considered.

Remember that a weed is any plant that competes for basic necessities of your crop. Therefore, non-productive tillers can be considered as weeds! Choose hybrid varieties that have high percentage of productive tillers such as Pioneer’s PHB71. Be wary of varieties that have recommended spacing of less than 15 cm between hills as these varieties tend to produce non-productive tillers if planted in more than 15-centimeter spacing.

2. Good land preparation. The farmers’ first line of defense against weeds is good land preparation. It is one of the standard cultural management practices for good seedling establishment. A field that is properly prepared will have good water management and reduced weed population. Good land preparation involves one round of plowing, followed by a weekly interval of 2-3 harrowing and leveling. Puddling uproots weeds that grow after plowing and buries them under the layers of mud. The process also allows for weeds to flush and then removed by the Subsequent harrowing. Research shows that cultivation stimulates first weed flush by 50 percent to 79 percent (Baki and Jeremiah Jr., 2001 and Paller. 2002). Leveling, on the other hand, become very important by eliminating the areas that were inadequately flooded and hence, ideal for the growth of weeds.

Good land preparation will prevent the re-establishment of the previously existing weed population.

3. Good water management. Flooding is commonly practiced to control weeds, especially in transplanted irrigated rice. The flooded condition will inhibit the germination of most weed species associated with rice because of reduced oxygen supply and accumulation of carbon dioxide and other gaseous products o: anaerobic respiration.

Research shows that it is desirable that the field is flooded 2-3 days after transplanting at a 5 cm water depth. In direct seeded rice, flooding is done at 7-10 days, accompanied with pre-emergence and early post emergence herbicides that take its full effect when the field is in the saturated condition. Late emerging weeds can be further controlled if the water is maintained at 3 cm-5 cm deep throughout the season.

Intermittent irrigation enhances growth; however minimal application of herbicides can control weeds.

4. Weed Control Action Indicator. The Weed Control Action Indicator (WCAI is a tool used to determine if there is need for a subsequent weed control after implementing an initial weed management strategy. WCAI was developed at UPLB and has been tested in different agronomic crops, especially in rice. The parameters being used as basis for the decision making were percentage weed cover (WC) and relative weed height (RWH) of the crop over the weeds.

At 15 DAS, if RWH > 20% and %,WC >5%, there is a need for a subsequent weed control.

At 30 and 45 DAS, if RWH > 30% and %WC > 5%, there a need for a subsequent weed control.

By using WCAI, farmers are able to implement different weed control options such as spot weeding or use oi post-emergence herbicides application Research shows that WCAI can reduce weed control cost by 6 percent to 79 percent.

5. Use of herbicides from reputable suppliers. Herbicides are agrochemicals that either kill or suppress the growth of weeds, thus farmers who will employ this control should be properly equipped with the required skills and knowledge on how to apply them. It is a must that farmers should have a basic identification and knowledge about weeds and the intensity of the infestation. Proper timing and method of application should also be observed.

Make sure that you are using herbicides from a reputable company with excel after sales support such as DuPont. An excellent pre- and early post-emergence herbicide is DuPont’s Londax. Almix is a recommended post-emergence herbicide for rice. Consult your local DuPont technical support if you have questions regarding these herbicides.