Evidence of synergy with ‘stacked’ intrarow cultivation tools

Intrarow cultivation efficacy is often low and highly variable. As the mechanisms affecting weed mortality likely vary by tool, several companies have developed cultivators with the ability to use several different intrarow tools at once. We evaluated the potential for such ‘stacking’ of cultivation tools to increase efficacy. We used different sequences of torsion weeders, finger weeders and row harrows in a test crop of maize with surrogate weeds, Sinapis alba and Panicum miliaceum. Most tool combinations resulted in an additive increase in efficacy compared with the individual tools, but the combination of torsion–finger–row harrow demonstrated a synergistic increase in efficacy. In separate experiments, forward speed, soil moisture and weed size were negatively correlated with efficacy, but the torsion–finger–row harrow combination continued to demonstrate a synergistic increase in efficacy compared with the individual tools in 7 of 11 cases. The drawback was high crop mortality (16.0 ± 1.16%); further mechanistic research is needed to reduce crop mortality while maintaining high mean efficacy, through tool design, adjustment and cultural factors.     

南瓜饲养榕树粉蚧的发育历期与生物学特征初报

榕树粉蚧是一种重要的入侵害虫,对果蔬和园林植物存在巨大的潜在威胁。为满足开展检疫处理、防控、生物学和生理学等研究的需要,本研究以南瓜为饲养材料,在室温条件下(26±1℃,RH 65%±5%)观察榕树粉蚧的生物学特性与发育历期。结果表明,榕树粉蚧具有典型的雌雄二型现象。雄虫主要经历卵、12龄若虫、预蛹、蛹、雄成虫阶段;雌虫经历卵、13龄若虫、雌成虫(产卵前期、产卵期)阶段,其发育历期(mean±SE)分别为8.51±0.03 d、9.79±0.09 d、7.46±0.10 d、6.52±0.11 d、12.13±0.11 d、8.16±0.11 d,世代发育历期54.4±0.25 d。雌成虫产卵量483651粒,平均550.87±51.07粒,卵期711 d,孵化率95.19%±0.75%。该研究结果表明榕树粉蚧繁殖能力强,应高度重视其防控工作。     

Total Replacement of Dietary Fish Oil with a Blend of Vegetable Oils in the Marine Herbivorous Teleost,Siganus canaliculatus

To investigate the feasibility of total replacement of dietary fish oil (FO) with vegetable oils (VOs) and the optimal dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) level in the marine herbivorous teleost Siganus canaliculatus, six isonitrogenous (32%) and isolipidic (8%) diets were formulated. Control diet used FO as lipid source, whereas diets VO1–VO5 contained various blends of palm, soybean, rapeseed, and linseed oils, in which the dietary PUFA levels were 42.0, 38.2, 33.8, 29.9, and 27.1%, respectively. After S. canaliculatus juveniles were fed with the diets for 9 wk, their growth performance exhibited no significant difference among the dietary groups. The tissue fatty acid (FA) profiles in liver and fillet generally reflected the dietary FA compositions and showed no significant difference among the VO dietary groups. The results suggest that dietary FO can be replaced completely by VO, without affecting their growth performance. Concerning the effects of the dietary FA profile on the survival rate, hepatosomatic index and viscerosomatic index, and PUFA composition in fillets, diets VO1 and VO2 were more favorable compared with diets VO3–VO5. Considering the availability and cost of the VOs, diet VO2 was recommended for practical use in S. canaliculatus.     

Habitat specialization and sensitivity to change in a threatened crayfish occupying upland streams

1. Crayfish are culturally and ecologically important species in freshwater ecosystems, but many are now threatened with extinction, due to threats such as habitat loss. Depending on their habitat selectivity and sensitivity, freshwater crayfish could provide effective targets for stream monitoring, restoration and conservation. This study used repeated field surveys of the threatened Murray crayfish, Euastacus armatus (family Parastacidae), to establish their habitat preferences and sensitivity to habitat loss across mesohabitat and microhabitat scales within upland streams of south‐east Australia. 2. Selectivity analysis revealed that upland populations of E. armatus displayed a strong preference for areas of intermediate water flow velocity, deeper water, and stream beds dominated by boulders and gravel. Variations in E. armatus density among and within the two upland streams aligned with these microhabitat preferences, with best‐subsets analyses revealing that E. armatus abundance hotspots were best predicted by models combining water depth with percentage cover of boulders, gravel and overhanging riparian vegetation. 3. Major shifts in stream habitat condition from 2009 to 2015 (e.g. 32% and 50% decline in boulder and overhanging vegetation cover, respectively) was associated with a 91% decline in E. armatus mean density within glide‐pool mesohabitats. 4. These findings highlight how habitat specialization in threatened crayfish such as E. armatus may render them sensitive to changes in stream habitat condition, and how targeted monitoring, restoration and conservation of their preferred habitats could yield multiple benefits for montane freshwater ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

草甘膦助剂的选择与展望

本文从助剂对草甘膦活性的作用机理出发,介绍了不同草甘膦助剂的应用特点以及不同草甘膦盐对助剂的选择性。通过复配助剂在草甘膦制剂中的应用实例,展望了草甘膦制剂的未来发展方向。     

Influence of edible fruit coatings on Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) oviposition and development

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a highly invasive vinegar fly recently detected in the United States that severely threatens the viability of soft skinned fruit production. Insecticides mitigate some of this damage, but alternative methods to manage D. suzukii infestation are needed. We tested three edible coatings to determine if they could prevent or reduce oviposition by D. suzukii females or affect immature survivorship and development in two important host crops, blueberry and raspberry. None of the coatings prevented oviposition, but some reduced the number of eggs laid. Two carnauba wax-based coatings, PrimaFresh 45 and Raynox, dramatically reduced survivorship of immature D. suzukii in raspberries, but not in blueberries. Our results suggest that obtaining thorough, even coverage in the field will be essential if edible coatings are to be used as a management strategy for D. suzukii.