Larviculture of the painted river prawn Macrobrachium carcinus in different culture systems

The objective of this study was to evaluate different hatchery systems used for the larviculture of the Macrobrachium carcinus based on survival, larval development and production of post-larvae. The experimental culture was carried out in three phases designated as Phase I (Zoea VI to VIII – Z_{VI – VIII}), Phase II (Zoea VIII to X – Z_{VIII – X}), and Phase III (Zoea X to PL – Z_{X – PL}), with densities of 30, 27.5 and 25 larvae / L, respectively. The M. carcinus larvae (Z_VI) were reared in four culture systems, two being open (Greenwater – GW and Clearwater – CW) and two being closed (Biofloc – BFT and Bio-filter – RAS), distributed in twelve 10 L plastic containers, filled with 20 ppt brackish water, equipped with constant aeration, and water circulated by air lift and heated with thermostat (∼30 °C). The GW treatment was maintained with Chlorophyceae algae in the density of 3–5 × 10⁵ cells/mL. In the CW, the water was previously filtered through a 5 μm mesh screen, sterilized with 10 ppm active chlorine and, dechlorinated with vitamin C and subjected to aeration for 24 h. The BFT received water rich in bioflocs that was matured prior to the experiment and used molasses as a source of organic carbon. In the RAS, the culture water circulated through an external “Dry-Wet” biological filter. The feeding was carried out ad libitum four times daily, alternating a wet diet formula with a commercial diet, which was supplemented with newly hatched Artemia nauplii at a rate of 40–50 per larvae/day. Temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH were monitored daily and the salinity two times per week. Total ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, orthophosphate, alkalinity, total suspended solids, chlorophyll-a, COD and BOD were also analyzed. The best water quality (P < 0.05) was obtained in the RAS, with 0.49 (±0.38), 0.23 (±0.22), and 9.0 (±1.5) mg/L of TAN, NO₂-N and NO₃-N, respectively. In the GW, the nitrogen species showed high fluctuations and higher concentrations at 2.32 (±1.68), 3.53 (±3.53) and 18.2 (±12.9) mg / L of TAN, NO₂-N and NO₃-N, respectively. Considering the three phases (Z_{VI – PL}), the overall survival was 0.03, 1.97, 2.23 and 17.32 % for the BFT, CW, GW and RAS, respectively. When considering the phases separately, the survival in Phase I (Z_{VI – VIII}) was highest in the GW system at 58.7 % while the RAS was the highest in Phases II (Z_{VIII – X}) and III (Z_{X – PL}) at 70.6 % and 60.3 %, respectively. The BFT showed 8.4 (±3.5) PL/L, which was higher (P < 0.05) than that obtained in the RAS (2.8 ± 1.2 PL/L) and the GW (1.3 ± 1.1 PL/L) and similar to that obtained in the CW (5.6 ± 2.0 PL/L). Thus, the larviculture for the M. carcinus may be optimized by adopting a multiphase management strategy, which the intermediate larval stages (Z_{VI – IX}) are reared in the GW system and the final stages (Z_{X – PL}) are reared in the BFT system.     

New ways and new hopes for IGR development

Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) represent advanced, bio-rational insecticides. This Special Issue reflects progress in IGR development that has been enabled by insight into the molecular principles of biosynthetic or hormone signaling pathways. The unifying principle is aiming at processes and molecular targets that are unique to arthropods and ideally to narrower insect taxa representing pests or disease vectors. While some strategies of obtaining the desired compounds for chemical intervention rely on rational, structure-based design or computational power, others exploit technologies allowing automated, high-throughput screening of large chemical libraries. All avenues leading to selective and environmentally safe pest control are valid as we face the imminent threat of the declining world insect population.     

水温对方格星虫幼体发育及变态的影响

研究了温度对方格星虫浮游期海球幼体发育和附着幼体变态发育的影响。实验用的亲虫来自本地海区,试验幼体通过人工催产和孵化获得。结果表明,浮游期海球幼体的发育时间与温度变化的关系极密切,并遵从Log istic曲线分布。适宜的发育温度为27.5~32.0℃之间。幼体变态发育的临界温度为27.5~28.0℃,适宜水温30.0~34.0℃之间。在30℃以上进行变态发育的幼体,变态率和变态成活率都明显提高,变态后成活率达20%以上。本文还讨论了中国方格星虫自然分布与海区水温分布的关系,认为方格星虫的自然分布自北向南增高的原因与水温有关。     

细胞周期素家族基因在家蚕4龄幼虫蜕皮过程中的转录特征

细胞周期蛋白(cyclin)是真核生物细胞有丝分裂的重要调节蛋白,家蚕具有5种类型细胞周期蛋白基因。以4龄将眠蚕、4龄眠蚕和5龄起蚕为材料,采用定量PCR方法分析5种细胞周期蛋白基因在4龄幼虫蜕皮过程的组织表达特征为:5种类型cyclin基因在生殖腺中都高表达,其中cyclinE在眠中表达量最高,其它4种类型cyclin基因在将眠时表达量最高,证实4龄眠期是家蚕生殖腺细胞发生有丝分裂的重要时期;5种类型cyclin基因在马氏管中都有表达,其中cyclinA和cyclinB3在4龄将眠蚕的马氏管中存在表达高峰,推测和马氏管内表皮更新相关;除cyclinL1在眠蚕丝腺的表达量很低外,cyclinA、cyclinB、cyclinB3和cyclinE在眠蚕丝腺中都存在表达高峰,可能和丝腺的内表皮更新相关;cyclinA、cyclinB、cyclinB3在脂肪体中的表达量较高,且在将眠时或眠中存在表达高峰,推测和脂肪体中能量物质的积累相关;5种类型cyclin基因在脑、血液和中肠的表达量都很低,且蜕皮前后的变化规律不明显。研究结果提示:在家蚕4龄幼虫蜕皮过程中,cyclin基因的转录特征不仅和来源于外胚层组织的表皮更新相关,还和生殖腺的发育及脂肪体中能量物质的积累存在相关性。     

Comparative bioactivity of selected seed extracts from Brazilian Annona species and an acetogenin-based commercial bioinsecticide against Trichoplusia ni and Myzus persicae

The acute and chronic toxicity of ethanolic seed extracts from selected Brazilian Annona species (Annona montana Macfadyen, Annona mucosa Jacquin, Annona muricata Linnaeus, and Annona sylvatica A. St.-Hil) and an acetogenin-based commercial bioinsecticide (Anosom^®) were investigated against the cabbage looper Trichoplusia ni Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and the green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). In the laboratory, extracts of A. mucosa and A. sylvatica as well as Anosom^® were especially active through oral and topical administration. A greenhouse trial showed that a formulated A. mucosa extract and Anosom^® were highly effective (>98% mortality) against third instar T. ni larvae, and comparable to a pyrethrin-based commercial insecticide (Insect Spray^®) used as a positive control. Similar to results with T. ni, A. mucosa extract showed the greatest aphicidal activity followed by A. sylvatica extract and Anosom^®. In another greenhouse trial, aphid population reduction from the formulated A. mucosa extract was superior to that provided by other treatments including the positive control. Though inferior to the A. mucosa extract, the acetogenin-based commercial insecticide (Anosom^®) and A. sylvatica extract also reduced aphid populations in a manner comparable to the positive control. Botanical insecticides based on these Annonaceae derivatives could be useful in the framework of Brassica IPM in Brazil and elsewhere, especially for organic production.     

Evaluation of European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) larval movement and survival in structured and seed blend refuge plantings

Blending Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn and non-Bt corn seeds in the same bag is a convenient and easier compliance solution to satisfy refuge regulations. However, there has been considerable debate and concern about larval movement of the target insects in a seed blend because of its potential effect on the development of resistance. Reported here are studies to determine the larval movement of European corn borers, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), in a seed blend compared to a structured refuge and their effects on survival, feeding injury and larval fitness. Also evaluated is the relative performance of a purple-seeded corn hybrid as a surrogate host plant for tracking gene flow. Seed blend and structured refuge arrangements of Agrisure GT/CB/LL Bt corn expressing Cry1Ab and isoline plants were evaluated at two locations in 2013 and 2014 by manually infesting refuge plants with first and second generation corn borer larvae. The majority of leaf and stalk injury was recorded on the refuge plant, which amounted to 66–83% of the total tunnel length. In both refuge arrangements, plant injury and the number of larvae recovered significantly decreased on neighboring plants with increasing distance away from the refuge plant in the same row. The relative decline in injury was much more pronounced in the seed blend, with neighbor Bt plants experiencing very minor tunneling or no injury at all due to the high dose trait. Eighty-nine percent fewer live larvae were also found on neighbor Bt plants in the seed blend compared to those found in the structured refuge plots. Larvae that moved to Bt plants as well as older instars that were manually placed on Bt plants failed to complete development. Comparison of the number of tunnels and larvae recovered per refuge plant indicated that the seed blend may not produce as many susceptible individuals as those produced in a structured refuge arrangement. Although the purple-seeded hybrid showed lower levels of ear and stalk injury, it could serve as an appropriate surrogate refuge plant to track gene flow.     

KCl诱导虾夷马粪海胆幼体变态的研究

研究了不同浓度的KCl对于虾夷马粪海胆幼体变态的诱导作用及对变态后个体生长的影响。试验结果表明,KCl对虾夷马粪海胆是一种极好的变态诱导剂,0.05 mol/L的KCl作用5~10 h诱导效果最佳,在提高变态率的同时,大大地降低了死亡率。