STAR:

Le Service français de la Protection des Végétaux est chargé de missions à caractère réglementaire et de missions d'appui technique à la profession agricole telles que: les contrôles sanitaires des végétaux et produits végétaux à l'importation et à l'exportation; la surveillance phytosanitaire du territoire national; l'expérimentation et l'homologation des produits phytosanitaires; l'élaboration et la diffusion des Avertissements Agricoles. Depuis 1983, l'exécution de la plupart de ces missions est considérablement améliorée grâce à l'utilisation de l'informatique. Celle-ci pemet notamment la saisie et le stockage en temps réel de toutes les données présentant un caractère d'urgence (résultats des contrôles en frontière, d'analyses de laboratoires, données météorologiques, biologiques…). Le traitement immédiat de ces données devient possible (analyses statistiques, modélisation, sorties graphiques, tris complexes…), ainsi que leur consultation permanente et décentralisée. Les informations sont diffusées rapidement (messagerie électronique, télécopie). La gestion administrative est accélérée (facturations, abonnements aux Avertissements Agricoles, fichiers d'importateurs, d'exportateurs…).     

Note: The malvastrum mealybugFerrisia malvastra (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae): Distribution, host plants and pest status in Israel

The malvastrum mealybugFerrisia malvastra (McDaniel) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) is widely distributed in Israel, recorded so far from 30 species of host plants belonging to 18 families. Its occurrence on herbal plants and on avocado should be considered by farmers in Israel.     

Derelomus piriformis Hoffmann (Curculionoidea: Curculionidae: Curculioninae: Derelomini), a new invasive species in Israel

Derelomus piriformis (Hoffmann), a weevil species developing onPhoenix canariensis, is recorded from Israel for the first time. The species belongs to the group of weevils that are pollinators of palms.D. piriformis is a pollinator ofP. canariensis, but at the same time is injurious to male flowers and occasionally also to female flowers. This group of weevils has not been previously recorded from Israel and adjacent countries. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 19, 2006     

The Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea: Braconidae) of Greece

Keys for the identification of genera and species of the subfamily Aphidiinae which occur in Greece as well as the observed parasitoid — aphid relations on various host plants are presented.     

Endogenous development of Hemolivia mauritanica (Apicomplexa: Adeleina: Haemogregarinidae) in the marginated tortoise Testudo marginata (Reptilia: Testudinidae): evidence from experimental infection

Six young tortoises Testudo marginata Schoepff, 1792 were experimentally infected with Hemolivia mauritanica (Sergent et Sergent, 1904). The prepatent period ranged from 6 to 8 weeks. Young, smaller, club-like forms (6-9 x 3-6 Am) of gametocytes appeared in the peripheral blood first, whereas mature, elongated, cylindrical forms (9-12 x 5-7 Am) were detected after 1-2 weeks and predominated during later patency. Three of the infected tortoises were euthanized and dissected to study the endogenous stages. Meronts occurred in the cells of the reticulo-endothelial system and in the erythrocytes; these were observed mostly in parenchymatous organs. Mature forms measured 14.2 x 9.3 microm and contained 7-12 merozoites. Cysts with two (exceptionally one) cystozoites were also found predominantly in parenchymatous organs and measured 14.8 x 7.9 microm. Pathological changes attributable to Hemolivia were mild and limited to liver and kidneys. The role of individual developmental stages of haemogregarines is discussed with respect to evolution of heteroxenous life cycle and long-term persistence of parasites in their intermediate hosts.     

Investigations into carbamate insecticide selectivity: I: Evaluation of potential selectophores

In an effort to improve the generally unfavorable mouse/housefly toxicity ratio of most carbamate insecticides, potential selectophores (nitrile, carbamoyl oxime, carboxylic ester, or amide) were incorporated into a series of phenyl N-methylcarbamates. In addition to the insect and mouse toxicity determinations, the anticholinesterase activity of these compounds was determined for purified housefly head acetylcholinesterase and bovine erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase. The presence of these functional groups, in general, did not give enhanced selectivity ratios and, in one case, (o-N-methylcarbamoyloxyiminomethylphenyl N-methylcarbamate), a very unfavorable selectivity ratio of <0.03 was obtained. A mechanism implicating a Beckmann rearrangement is advanced to rationalize the high rodenticidal activity of this molecule. In general, the carbamates showed poor insecticidal activity when applied alone to the housefly, but, when the flies were pretreated with piperonyl butoxide, the compounds were quite toxic. Finally, an explanation is derived which seeks to justify the inability of these potential selectophores to improve the mouse/housefly toxidity ratio.     

PP 3/10 (3): Chapter 10: honeybees

Specific scope 1

This standard provides an assessment of the risks presented by plant protection products to honeybees. It was revised to include the risk presented by systemic plant protection products.

Specific approval and amendment

First approved in 1992‐09.
Edited as an EPPO Standard in 1998.
Revised in 2002‐09 and 2010‐09 (updated with ICPBR recommendations).     

Intraerythrocytic merogony in Haemogregarina koppiensis (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina: Haemogregarinidae)

During October 2003, a specimen of Amblyrhynchotes honckenii (Bloch, 1795) was captured at low tide, with a hand net, in a rock pool at Koppie Alleen, De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa. This fish was heavily parasitized by unidentified gnathiid praniza larvae, caligid copepods identified as Caligus tetrodontis Barnard, 1948, cymothoid isopods identified as Cinusa tetrodontis (Schioedte et Meinert, 1884), and the blood protozoan Haemogregarina koppiensis Smit et Davies, 2001. Giemsa-stained blood smears from this fish revealed new and unusual stages of merogony for H. koppiensis that included small, rounded, likely intraerythrocytic merozoites arranged in circles of eight around the host nucleus. Host cells appeared ghost-like and enlarged compared with normal erythrocytes. Identical merozoites, usually in clusters of up to 16, were also observed free of host cells. The pattern of merogony seen in H. koppiensis is unusual for a fish haemogregarine.     

A new genus of syringophilid mites (Acari: Cheyletoidea: Syringophilidae) from cuculiform birds (Aves: Cuculiformes)

Cuculisyringophilus crotophaginus gen. n. et sp. n. is described from the guira cuckoo Guira guira (Gmelin) from Paraguay and also was collected from the groove-billed ani Crotophaga sulcirostris Swainson from Colombia and Mexico. This new genus is closely related to Neoaulobia Fain, Bochkov et Mironov, 2000 but is distinguished by the following characters: propodosomal setae sce are situated distinctly anterior to level of setae d1, leg setae vs'II are absent, apodemes I are divergent.     

Graphosoma lineatum (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae): a suitable host for mass rearing Ooencyrtus telenomicida (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)

The species Ooencyrtus telenomicida (Vassiliev) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is currently being considered as a candidate for augmentative biological control agent (BCA) against several pests, including Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Protocols for mass production of a BCA need fundamental information on its biological attributes. Here we tested a possible laboratory host for the rearing of O. telenomicida: the common bug Graphosoma lineatum L. (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). At tested conditions, O. telenomicida biological parameters were: r_m 0.154, offspring production 84.07 specimens/female, sex ratio (% females) 71%, juvenile development time about 16 days, population doubling time 4.52 days, emergence rate about 90%.     

A new species of Litomosoides (Nematoda: Onchocercidae), parasite of Nectomys palmipes (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) from Venezuela: description, molecular evidence, Wolbachia pipientis screening

Abstract: The onchocercid filaria Litomosoides taylori sp. n. is described from the sigmodontine cricetid Nectomys palmipes Allen et Chapman in northeast Venezuela. A voucher specimen of the new species was used for molecular analysis of the coxI and 12S rDNA genes, and screened for the presence of the endobacterium Wolbachia pipientis. Litomosoides taylori belongs to the "sigmodontis group" of Litomosoides and a combination of characters can be used to distinguish it from the remaining 18 species forming this group. Among the five Nectomys species, all living near running water, N. squamipes also harbours Litomosoides species, L. khonae in Brazil and L. navonae in Argentina. These three Litomosoides species of the "sigmodontis group" do not share any particular characters. Gene sequences of L. taylori differ from those of the five Litomosoides species available, the three of the "carinii group" being the most distant. The new species harbours W pipientis, which is concurrent with the great majority of Litomosoides species screened to date.     

Haemogregarina bigemina (Protozoa: Apicomplexa: Adeleorina)--past, present and future

This paper reviews past, current and likely future research on the fish haemogregarine, Haemogregarina bigemina Laveran et Mesnil, 1901. Recorded from 96 species of fishes, across 70 genera and 34 families, this broad distribution for H. bigemina is questioned. In its type hosts and other fishes, the parasite undergoes intraerythrocytic binary fission, finally forming mature paired gamonts. An intraleukocytic phase is also reported, but not from the type hosts. This paper asks whether stages from the white cell series are truly H. bigemina. A future aim should be to compare the molecular constitution of so-called H. bigemina from a number of locations to determine whether all represent the same species. The transmission of H. bigemina between fishes is also considered. Past studies show that young fish acquire the haemogregarine when close to metamorphosis, but vertical and faecal-oral transmission seem unlikely. Some fish haemogregarines are leech-transmitted, but where fish populations with H. bigemina have been studied, these annelids are largely absent. However, haematophagous larval gnathiid isopods occur on such fishes and may be readily eaten by them. Sequential squashes of gnathiids from fishes with H. bigemina have demonstrated development of the haemogregarine in these isopods. Examination of histological sections through gnathiids is now underway to determine the precise development sites of the haemogregarine, particularly whether merozoites finally invade the salivary glands. To assist in this procedure and to clarify the internal anatomy of gnathiids, 3D visualisation of stacked, serial histological sections is being undertaken. Biological transmission experiments should follow these processes.