Bird damage to select fruit crops: The cost of damage and the benefits of control in five states

Fruit loss to birds is a long-standing and costly problem for many producers. We conducted a survey of Honeycrisp apple, blueberry, cherry, and wine grape growers in California, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Washington to estimate costs of bird damage and benefits of bird damage management. We also assessed grower perceptions of impacts on profits and effectiveness of bird management techniques. Current yield-loss estimates provided by growers and market price data were used to monetize current bird damage in each crop and growing region. Data on expected damage without management were used to estimate the benefits of bird damage management as it is currently being employed in the different crops and growing regions. We estimated that current bird damage costs per hectare ranged from $104 in Oregon tart cherries to $7267 in Washington Honeycrisp apples. Estimated benefits of bird management ranged from $299 per hectare in Oregon tart cherries to $36,851 in California blueberries. Aggregate bird damage in the five crops and states was estimated at $189 million, and the aggregate benefits of managing that damage were estimated at $737 million to $834 million. Growers viewed most techniques for bird damage management as ineffective, or only slightly effective, and a majority of blueberry and sweet cherry growers viewed bird damage as having a significant impact on profits. Enhancing the effectiveness of bird damage management would increase both the efficiency and profitability of fruit production.     

木薯叶片厚度、蜡质含量和气孔密度与抗朱砂叶螨的关系

为明确不同木薯品种的叶片组织结构与抗朱砂叶螨的关系,通过对木薯田间螨害情况的调查,计算出感、抗性稳定的感螨品种华南101、华南124和抗螨品种华南7号、华南13号的螨害指数,同时对叶片的相关物理性状进行测定,分析了叶片厚度、蜡质含量和气孔密度与木薯抗朱砂叶螨的关系。结果表明:4份木薯种质华南101、华南124、华南7号和华南13号的螨害指数依次为89.2%、65.8%、38.3%和0.8%;木薯叶片厚度与螨害指数呈显著负相关;气孔密度与螨害指数呈显著正相关;蜡质含量与螨害指数无显著相关性。上述结果为深入探究木薯抗螨机制提供了初步的理论基础。     

Investigation into the apparent failure of chemical control for management of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), on plums in the Western Cape Province of South Africa

Western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), causes russetting, pansy spot and silvering damage on plums. Despite routine insecticide applications for thrips control, some plum producers report economic losses due to pansy spot damage, pits and holes that render fruit unfit for export. Six commercial plum orchards in two climatic regions in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, were monitored to determine (1) why current management practices based on monitoring and insecticide applications failed to prevent damage in some orchards, and (2) whether WFT is responsible for pitting damage. Western flower thrips was the dominant thrips species in all orchards, though low numbers of Frankliniella schultzei Trybom also occurred. Blue sticky traps were more efficient for monitoring WFT and F. schultzei than yellow traps. Insecticide applications early in bloom and unfavourable weather conditions for thrips flight contributed to very low numbers of WFT on sticky traps during the flowering and fruit set periods. Flower dissections, however, revealed varying levels of oviposition damage to ovaries and fruitlets. Dissections confirmed that WFT enter flowers to lay eggs in the ovaries and other flower parts before petals are fully open. No consistent significant relationship between sticky trap counts and WFT oviposition damage to plums were found, therefore no treatment threshold level could be recommended. Insecticide applications during bloom limited thrips feeding damage, but were too late to prevent oviposition damage. Some oviposition sites developed into typical pansy spots, whilst others formed holes or pits that increased in size as the fruit matured. After insecticide applications ended, and as air temperature increased, WFT populations increased. Weeds and wild vegetation in and around orchards provide a continuous source of potential infestation for as long as the fruit remains attractive and vulnerable to WFT. As oviposition damage by WFT can occur before flowers open, and because of the risk to pollinators when insecticides are applied during flowering, a purely chemical control strategy does not appear to be feasible. A new approach to WFT management is required.     

Influence of chitosan on the effects of proteases on wool fibers

Textile processes generally produce a large amount of wastewater and cause a negative environmental impact. The use of proteases in wool finishing could be an appropriate alternative to classical finishing methods. However, the enzymatic treatment could cause excessive fiber damage. The application of biopolymer chitosan on wool fabrics prior to proteases treatment in attempt to overcome the damage promoted by the enzymes has been studied. The treatments based on chitosan application followed by enzymatic treatment reduce felting shrinkage, enhance whiteness degree, and improve dyeability of wool. Moreover, it plays an important role in minimizing the wool fiber damage.     

不同寄主植物对橡副珠蜡蚧发育和繁殖的影响

研究橡副珠蜡蚧(Parasaissetia nigra Nietner)在香蕉、美人蕉、橡胶树、小叶枇杷、芒果、柑橘、蓖麻、木薯、柠檬、扶桑、木瓜、荔枝、番石榴、垂叶榕等寄主植物上的发育、存活和繁殖情况.结果表明,橡副珠蜡蚧的世代发育时间以在香蕉上的最短(为62.81 d),在垂叶榕上的最长(为120.58 d);世代存活率以在橡胶树上的最高(为67.30%),在垂叶榕上的最低(为6.51%);平均产卵量以在橡胶树上的最多(为801.34粒),在垂叶榕上的最少(为121.86粒);内禀增长率以在橡胶树上的最大(为0.068 1),在垂叶榕上的最小(为0.0146).综合比较橡副珠蜡蚧在14种不同寄主植物上的发育历期、存活率、产卵量及种群特征参数,发现橡胶树、香蕉和美人蕉是橡副珠蜡蚧种群生长发育和繁殖特性最适宜的寄主植物,垂叶榕、番石榴、荔枝和番木瓜是橡副珠蜡蚧的最不适宜寄主植物.     

Impact of DNA damage on the frequency of sperm chromosomal aneuploidy in normal and subfertile men

Background: Various frequencies of sperm aneuploidy are reported in sperms of subfertile patients compared to normal individuals. Moreover, sperm DNA damage is shown to be associated with male infertility. In this study, the rate of DNA damage and frequencies of aneuploidy in sperms of subfertile patients was investigated. Methods: Semen samples were obtained from healthy normal and subfertile (oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, and oligoasthenozoospermia) men. The frequency of aneuploidy was assessed using primed in situ labeling (PRINS) analysis with specific primers for chromosomes 18, 21, X, and Y. Sperm DNA damage was assessed using alkaline comet assay. Results: The mean frequencies of disomy for the patients were significantly higher than normal for all chromosomes (P<0.01). The extent of DNA damage in sperms of subfertiles was significantly higher than in normal individuals (P<0.001). The obtained results indicated that higher rate of DNA damages led to higher frequency of chromosomal disomy except for asthenozoospermia samples which exhibited higher rate of DNA damage and lower frequency of chromosomal disomy. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that men with oligozoospermia and oligoasthenozoospermia have an elevated risk for chromosome abnormalities in their sperm, particularly sex chromosomes. DNA damage might be involved in the process of malsegregation of chromosomes.Asthenozoospermia, DNA damage, Primed in situ labeling (PRINS), Comet assay     

Extraction of rice-planting area and identification of chilling damage by remote sensing technology: a case study of the emerging rice production region in high latitude

Rice is the second largest staple crop in the world and therefore plays an important role in food security. As a thermophilic crop, rice is sensitive to temperature changes. Thus, research on the chilling damage of rice is essential. The Sanjiang Plain is an emerging rice production area and is located at high latitudes in China, the world’s largest rice-producing country. Landsat data were used to extract rice-planting area from 1985 to 2015. MODIS 13Q1, which was uniformly distributed during the growing period of rice, was used to obtain NDVI values of paddies during 2002–2015. Dynamic Identification Index of sterile-type chilling damage and monitoring standard of delayed-type chilling damage were the proposed methods used in this paper, which were used to judge the chilling damage of rice. The results show that in the study region, the rice-planting area in 2015 is nearly 12 times larger than that in 1985. Delayed-type chilling damage occurred in 2002 and 2009, while sterile-type chilling damage occurred in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2014, and 2015. Comparing with the prevalent meteorological standards, the results indicate that the index and standards proposed in this paper are precise, applicable, and more sensitive than them. The method is a macroscopic and accurate method to identify chilling damage in rice and can also provide a scientific basis to ensuring the stability of rice yield.     

褐飞虱为害对水稻产量结构影响的研究

 采用标准虫态分期连续接虫方法，研究了褐飞虱为害对水稻产量结构的影响。结果表明，褐飞虱为害可造成水稻有效穗数和实粒数减少，千粒重下降，并皆最终导致产量降低。分蘖期是穗数减少的敏感生育朝；灌浆开始以后为影响千粒重的敏感生育期。褐飞虱为害早期需达到较大的虫口数量才能造成水稻有效穗数和实粒数显著减少。灌浆期水稻只要遭受一定虫量为害即可引起千粒重显著下降，相同虫量下不同起始受害时间及同生育期稻株不同虫量造成的损失均有显著差异，水稻被害时间越早、受害时间越长、虫量越多，造成的产量损失越大。     

海南侨植农场砖厂附近橡胶树受害原因分析

为探明侨植农场砖厂附近橡胶树的受害原因，对受害橡胶树的表现症状、土壤、叶片养分及氟化物含量进行调查。结果表明：受害胶树的症状与植物生理学上氟化物伤害症状相符，排除了病虫害等致害因素；受害胶树周围土壤的主要养分指标处于正常水平，土壤养分不存在亏缺状态；受害胶树叶片的主要养分指标同样处于正常水平，叶片不存在缺素症状；受害胶树周围土壤和叶片中的氟化物含量显著高于正常值水平。鉴于该砖厂为受害胶树附近唯一的氟化物污染源，因此认为该砖厂排放的氟化物是导致胶树受害的主要原因。     

The effect of some invertebrate species on the growth of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in the lahoratory

In laboratory experiments to clarify earlier field observations, Sitona lepidus larvae caused significant damage to established clover plants at infestations of approximately 1–2 per plant. When eggs were placed on the soil, cultivars of differing cyanogenic capacity were damaged equally. The plants did not recover when larval feeding ended.
Leatherjackets, slugs and 'lucerne flea' fed most on the least cyanogenic cultivars, even where no choice was offered. Plants ultimately recovered from damage by leatherjackets. Deroceras reticulatum caused more damage than did Arion fasciatus. The proportion of leaves damaged by lucerne fiea was highest in the least cyanogenic eultivar but also tended to increase in the most cyanogenic cultivar, confirming a field observation. At high population densities lucerne flea was capable of killing some seedlings but was not tested against established plants.     

Use of the response of two growth stages of cowpea to different population densities of the coreid bug, Clavigralla tomentosicollis (Stål.) to determine action threshold levels

The effects of increasing the population density of the cowpea coreid, Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stål., up to a maximum of 32 pairs of insects per cage, infested on cowpea at either early flowering or mid pod-fill, were studied in potted plants and field cages. Overall, the results show that increasing insect density resulted in a corresponding increase in damage to the crop (measured as abscission of fruiting bodies and as damage to pods and seeds). Yield reduction was approximately proportional to the bug population when low, with highly significant correlation coefficients. Damage to the crop and yield reduction were more drastic when infestation was made during flowering as opposed to infestation at podding; although there was some compensation of damage to fruiting bodies during the former growth phase, this was not sustained with increasing pest density. Suggested pest densities at which control measures should be initiated are two insects (fourth instar and over) per 10 plants at flowering and four insects at podding. Further studies on damage thresholds in multiple pest scenarios are suggested.     

蚜虫取食和机械损伤对大豆真叶中异黄酮的诱导作用

采用高效液相色谱法,通过测定大豆真叶异黄酮含量的变化,探讨大豆蚜虫取食和机械损伤与大豆真叶异黄酮含量之间的化学诱导关系。结果表明:蚜虫取食诱导的异黄酮合成反应速度较快,而机械损伤处理诱导的异黄酮合成反应速度相对较慢;蚜虫取食引起大豆真叶内大豆黄素和染料木素苷元含量的同时增加,而机械损伤处理提高黄豆黄素苷元含量却降低了大豆黄素苷元含量;蚜虫取食能在相当长的时间内维持异黄酮含量的增加,而机械损伤处理只能在短时间内引起异黄酮含量的变化。因此,蚜虫取食和机械损伤处理所诱导的异黄酮含量变化的规律不同,蚜虫取食和机械损伤所诱导的大豆抗性不是完全对等的。     

大型仪器设备共享管理和成本核算探讨

苦瓜(Momordica charantia)具有丰富的营养价值和药用价值。由于耕地面积有限,苦瓜连作现象严重,根结线虫对苦瓜的为害逐年加重,严重影响苦瓜的产量和品质。针对海南省苦瓜根结线虫病的危害、传播途径、发生规律以及栽培特点,总结提出适合海南省苦瓜根结线虫病的防治对策,以期为海南苦瓜的安全生产提供技术支持。     

The invertebrate fauna of grassland and its influence on productivity. 1. The composition of the fauna

The invertebrate groups which are of most significance in grassland are briefly reviewed. Factors influencing the abundance and composition of the fauna are considered together with the types of damage caused in grassland, the economic importance of such damage and beneficial effects on soil fertility.     

Effect of simulated hail damage on yield and quality of Russet Burbank potatoes

The yield and quality response of Russet Burbank potatoes to simulated hail damage was dependent upon the amount of damage and on the growth stage at which the damage occurred. Plots of Russet Burbank potato plants were subjected to 0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% defoliation at 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, or 14 weeks after emergence. A motorized flail was used to simulate the complex damage that occurs during a natural hail storm. Early season simulated hail damage, when the plants were mainly vegetative, caused yield losses proportional to the degree of damage. Simulated hail damage during the early phases of tuber growth caused minor yield losses (< 5%) at low defoliation levels but severe losses at the higher levels with proportional loss of tuber quality. Defoliation later in the season resulted in progressively less reduction of both yield and quality. At or near maturity, late season simulated hail damage caused insignificant losses unless the stems were damaged enough to prevent nutrition and carbohydrate translocation into the tubers.     

Farmers' perspectives of rodent damage and management from the highlands of Tigray,Northern Ethiopian

A farmers' knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) survey was conducted in the highlands of Tigray, northern Ethiopia, to better understand rodent damage and rodent management from the farmers' perspective. Farmers (n = 191) from Dogu'a Temben district, were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The large majority of the farmers stated that rodents are the main pests in crop fields (92.1%) and storage (88.5%). The farmers (64.2%) reported they experienced 100–500 kg ha⁻¹ damage in crop fields, which is equivalent to 8.9–44.7% loss in annual production. There was some overlap between the most common crops grown in the highlands and the most common crops susceptible to rodent attack. Farmers identified barley as the crop most susceptible to rodent attack (76.4%) and the booting stage as the crop developmental stage with the highest rodent abundance and damage. Rodenticide application was the most commonly practiced management strategy in crop fields (51.8%); in storage, farmers mainly keep domestic cats around granaries (80.6%). We recommend a reduction in reliance on chemical rodenticide in crop fields and a shift to a more sustainable rodent management approach to reduce rodent numbers and damage.     

木豆花实期钻蛀性害虫的为害及防治

针对贵州省木豆花实期钻蛀性害虫的为害情况，着重调查分析了木豆钻蛀性害虫的种类、为害特征和为害程度。结果表明：木豆花实期的钻蛀性害虫包括豆荚野螟、棉铃虫、钝黑潜蝇和豆黑潜蝇。本调查中，平均株受害率达59％，其中最高88％，最低40％；平均荚受害率达44．5％，其中最高68％，最低35．8％。宿根木豆钻蛀性害虫发生为害较重，新植木豆受害相对较轻；坡地或缓坡木豆受害相对较轻，平地或台地相对较重。本文还分析了木豆钻蛀性害虫严重发生的原因，并提出了防治措施。     

The role of adjacent habitats in rodent damage levels in Australian macadamia orchard systems

Estimates of damage caused by Rattus rattus to macadamia nut crops were determined from several Australian macadamia orchards during the 1995/1996 growing season. Both the extent and pattern of crop damage were associated with the type of adjacent non-crop habitat. Orchards adjacent to large, temporally stable, structurally complex habitats experienced high levels of rodent damage (mean 9.9%). Front row trees adjacent to these stable habitats showed significantly higher damage than trees further into the orchard, suggesting an interaction between the crop and non-crop habitats. Orchards adjacent to highly modified grasslands and other orchard blocks exhibited the lowest levels of damage (mean 0.8%), with the damage in these areas being uniformly distributed.

Rattus rattus was the main rodent species responsible for damage. Animals were not distributed uniformly throughout the orchard system. High densities of rodents were found in temporally stable adjacent habitats, while low densities were present in temporally unstable adjacent habitats and cropped areas. The stability and complexity of adjacent non-crop habitats directly affected the potential for rodent damage to macadamia crops. Manipulation of large, temporally stable adjacent habitats therefore could be an effective method for reducing rodent damage in macadamia orchards.     

Relative abundance and damage of some insect pests of wheat under different tillage practices in rice–wheat cropping in India

Tillage changes the physical and chemical properties of soil and can also inhibit or enhance useful and harmful fauna. In agriculture, different tillage technologies are being tried to enhance crop productivity, but little concrete information seems to exist on their effects on pest abundance and damage. To address this lack of information, sowing of wheat was investigated under different tillage systems. In order to monitor pest abundance and damage in altered tillage systems, the present studies on the relative abundance and damage due to insect pests viz. pink stem borer (PSB, Sesamia inferens Walker), termites (Microtermes obesi Holmgren and Odontotermes obesus Rambur) and root aphid (Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominalis Sasaki) were undertaken in a rice–wheat cropping system during 2010–11 and 2011–12. Pest abundance and damage was monitored in four tillage systems i.e. conventional tillage (CT), zero tillage (ZT), ZT + mulch and rotary tillage (RT) under insecticide protected and unprotected conditions. The application of insecticide did not affect root aphid incidence or termite damage. However, significant differences in PSB damage in insecticide protected (0.9%) and unprotected (1.2%) conditions were observed. The investigations demonstrated that in CT, damage by PSB (0.6%) was minimum; however termite damage (2.2%) was maximum as compared to all other tillage conditions. In ZT, PSB damage (1.4%) was maximum and root aphid incidence (3.1 aphids/tiller) was minimum in comparison to other tillage conditions. ZT + mulch resulted in inter-mediate insect pest incidence/damage; however, RT was the least effective practice which showed relatively high incidence/damage of these three insects (1.2% PSB damage, 1.9% termite damage and 5.1 aphids/tiller). The insecticide × tillage interaction indicated that insecticide application is needed only in ZT and RT for PSB management.     

Rodent abundance,stone bund density and its effects on crop damage in the Tigray highlands,Ethiopia

In areas of subsistence agriculture, a variety of soil conservation methods have been implemented in the last few decades to improve crop yields, however these can have unintended consequences such as providing habitat for rodent pests. We studied rodent population dynamics and estimated crop damage in high and low stone bund density fields for four cropping seasons in Tigray highlands, northern Ethiopia. Stone bunds are physical structures for soil and water conservation, and potentially habitat for rodents. We used a general model to relate the proportion of crop damage to rodent abundance, stone bund density and crop stages. Generally, rodent abundance remained relatively low during the study period, except during the fourth quarter of the 2010 cropping season. We found a positive correlation between rodent abundance and crop damage, and significant variation in rodent abundance and crop damage between high and low stone bund density fields. Furthermore, crop damage also varied significantly between crop stages. We concluded that Mastomys awashensis (Lavrenchenko, Likhnova and Baskevich, 1998) and Arvicanthis dembeensis (Ruppel, 1842) were the two most important crop pests in Tigray highlands causing significant damage. Fields with high stone bund density (∼10 m average distance apart) harbor more rodents and endure a significantly higher proportion of crop damage compared to fields with lower stone bund density (∼15 m average distance apart). The fact that rodent abundances peaked during the reproductive stage of the crop and around harvest implies the need for management intervention before these crop stages are attained.