Inverse Stress Relaxation and Viscoelastic Recovery of Multifilament Textile Yarns in Different Test Cycles
The article presents the results of the experimental research of inverse stress relaxation (IR) and viscoelastic recovery (VR) that take place in acetate and polyester multifilament yarns in dependance on the mechanical pre-history. The above-mentioned time-effects are investigated in two different – stress relaxation (R-) and creep (C-) testing cycles. The fact that inverse stress relaxation process takes place in Ctest cycle, i.e. after previous sustaining the specimen at constant load is experimentally confirmed. It is shown that viscoelastic recovery is the slower process than the inverse stress relaxation. At identical elongations of the yarns at the end of loading period the inverse relaxation and viscoelastic recovery processes go on similarly regardless of the character of testing cycle.
Influence of the Straining Level on the Long-Lasting Relaxation Behaviour of Polyester Yarns
The main problem in the investigation and prediction of stress relaxation is the long time periods (not in seconds or minutes but in days or even months) of measurements for each kind of textile, especially in cases where users need to know the behaviour of the textile in prolonged time usage. Previously it was found that the rate of relaxation on the log scale can be described by two straight lines and the values of relaxation can be predicted over a long time by the rate of relaxation of the second linear dependency. The present paper shows investigations of 29.4 tex polyester yarn’s relaxation behaviour at different levels of elongation, i.e. at 3, 5, 7 and 10%. Investigations show that the place of the break-point of relaxation depends on the level of elongation – by increasing the level of elongation the time decreases till the break-point. This phenomenon is clearly visible at higher levels of elongation, while at low levels (3 and 5%) the difference is quite small. Using the data presented, it is possible to predict long-lasting relaxation without long-lasting experiments; only shorter than 1000 second tests are needed.
The infection process, sporulation and survival of Alternaria helianthi on sunflower
SUMMARY 
 
Electron microscopy was used to study the infection of sunflower leaves by Alternaria helianthi. Conidia germinated by producing one to many germ tubes which grew across the leaf surface before forming appressoria. The fungus directly penetrated its host through the cuticle and epidermis. Entry into the host through wounds and stomates was also observed. Extracellular sheaths were found to be associated with germ tubes and intercellular hyphae of A. helianthi. Conidiophores developed through collapsed stomates, from leaf veins, trichomes and also from mycelium growing across the host leaf surface. Microcylic conidia were produced directly from parent conidia under certain conditions. Studies using a volumetric spore trap showed that the airborne spore concentration followed a distinct periodicity with peaks occurring between 0900 and 1100 h each day. Laboratory studies showed that safflower, noogoora burr and bathurst burr could serve as alternative hosts for A. helianthi. The pathogen was readily isolated from sunflower crop debris from a diseased crop that had been harvested 1 yr earlier.