Inhibition of pheromone action in Sesamia nonagrioides by Haloacetate analogues

The electrophysiological activity of some halogenated analogues of the major component of the sex pheromone of the corn stalk borer Sesamia nonagrioides Lef. (1) is presented. The analogues comprise a series of fluoro-, chloro- and bromoacetate analogues 4 – 10 as well as trifluoromethyl ketone 11. The fluoro derivatives 4 – 6 displayed remarkable electro-antennogram (EAG) intrinsic activities in comparison with the parent acetate 1, while the remaining analogues elicited significantly lower response. The compounds have also been tested as inhibitors of the sex pheromone perception in EAG and in the field. In the laboratory. fluoro analogues 4 – 6 were better inhibitors than chloro derivatives 7 – 9 , which in turn behaved similarly to the bromoacetate 10 . Trifluoromethyl ketone 11, however, was a poor inhibitor of the pheromone action. In the field, baits of mixtures of compounds 5 – 11 with the corn stalk borer pheromone in 10 :1 ratio inhibited the concomitant attraction of the clover cutworm moth Scotogramma irifolii Rott., while the difluoro analogue 5, trichloroacetate 9 and trifluoromethyl ketone 11 also diminished the number of catches of the armyworm Mythimna unipuncta Haw. The monofluoroacetate 4. trifluoro analogue 6 and bromo derivative 10 significantly disrupted the pheromone action of the corn borer, whereas trifluoromethyl ketone 11 synergistically increased the number of males attracted to the pheromone trap alone. Addition of 11 to baits containing the corn borer pheromone caught S. nonagrioides selectively with regard to the other habitat-sharing species M. unipuncta and S. trifolii.     

Influence of Salinity in the Bioavailability of Zn in Sediments of the Gulf of Cádiz (Spain)

This study assesses the effect of salinity in bioavailability and toxicity of Zn by means of laboratory bioassays by observing contamination in both sediment and water, accumulation of Zn in biological tissues, and histopathological damage in the gills and guts tissues of Ruditapes philippinarum clams, which were exposed to different types of sediments from the Gulf of Cádiz (SW Spain) as well as two dilutions of toxic mud coming from an accidental mining spill. With this objective, the coefficients of distribution (K _D) for Zn between overlying water and sediments were calculated, the histopathological frequencies in the tissues of the gills and guts of clams were determined, and the biota-sediment bioaccumulation factors as well as the bioaccumulation factors were quantified in the different stations. Results showed that the greatest histopathological damages appeared when the salinity values decreased. Statistical results showed that salinity was inversely correlated with histopathological damage (p?<?0.01) for the lesion index for gills. The most outstanding results were observed in the two dilutions of toxic mud (0.3% and 7.9%) at a salinity value of 10. Salinity was inversely correlated with the concentration of Zn in biological tissues (p?<?0.05) and inversely correlated with the concentration of Zn in water and sediment. Zn mobilization to the overlying water is produced when salinity values decrease.     

Diurnal variation of walnut tree volatiles and electrophysiological responses in Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

BACKGROUND: In recent years, many studies have been carried out on the behavioural and electrophysiological responses of Cydia pomonella (L.) to host volatile emissions, to find alternative attractants to the sex pheromone for pest monitoring. These studies have focused on apple and pear, and very little has been done on walnut. In the present work, the diurnal and seasonal variation in walnut volatile emissions and the electrophysiological response of C. pomonella have been studied. RESULTS: Ninety compounds were detected in walnut emissions, mainly monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. The most abundant compound was β‐pinene, which, together with (Z)‐3‐hexenyl acetate, (E)‐β‐ocimene, limonene, germacrene D, 1,8‐cineole, sabinene, (E)‐β‐farnesene, (E)‐β‐caryophyllene, β‐myrcene and β‐phellandrene, constituted between 81.9 and 90.5% of the total chromatographic area. Differences between seasonal periods were significant for 39 compounds, and between daytimes for 14 compounds. Discernible and consistent EAD responses were detected to 11 walnut‐origin compounds, and confirmed with synthetics to seven of them. Except for alloocimene, pinocarvone and caryophyllene oxide, all these compounds are also emitted by apple. CONCLUSION: Walnut volatile emissions differ widely from apple ones, but both share many compounds that are EAD‐active in C. pomonella. However, among EAD‐active compounds there are three walnut‐specific ones, which should be further tested in behavioural assays. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

甘氨酸铁对断奶仔猪生长性能的影响

试验选用72头杜长大断奶仔猪,随机分为3组,每组3个重复,每个重复8头。试验分为对照组Ⅰ(基础日粮含100 mg/kg无机铁)、对照组Ⅱ(基础日粮+50 mg/kg无机铁)、试验组(基础日粮+50 mg/kg甘氨酸铁),试验结果表明:对照组Ⅰ、对照组Ⅱ和试验组3个组之间差异不显著,试验组的日增重比对照组Ⅰ和对照组Ⅱ分别提高2.67%(P>0.05)和2.18%(P>0.05);从料肉比来看,试验组和对照组Ⅰ差异显著,但与对照组Ⅱ相比差异不显著。分别比对照组Ⅰ和对照组Ⅱ降低1.4%(P<0.05)和0.7%(P>0.05);在腹泻率方面,试验组与对照组Ⅰ之间差异显著(P<0.05),但与对照组Ⅱ之间差异不显著(P>0.05)。试验组比对照组Ⅰ和对照组Ⅱ分别降低93.3%和83.3%;育成率3组之间差异不显著;血清微量元素铁增加的趋势试验组均高于对照组Ⅰ和对照组Ⅱ,组间差异均不显著(P<0.05);试验组粪中微量元素铁的含量比对照组Ⅰ和Ⅱ分别降低30.02%和30.47%,且试验组和对照组Ⅰ、对照组Ⅱ之间差异极显著(P<0.01),但对照组Ⅰ和对照组Ⅱ之间差异不显著(P>0.05)。由此可见,在基础日粮中添加50 mg/kg(含二价铁)甘氨酸铁不仅能提高断奶仔猪生产性能,还能减少粪中微量元素铁的排放量。     

Antifeedant activity of fruit and seed extracts ofMelia azedarach andazadirachta indica on larvae ofSesamia nonagrioides

Methanolic extracts of seeds and fruits of the chinaberry tree,Melia azedarach L. (Meliaceae), showed strong antifeedant activity against 2nd instar larvae ofSesamia nonagrioides Lefèbvre (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a very serious pest of maize(Zea mays L.) in Mediterranean countries. Extracts were applied in an artificial diet at concentrations of 1000 and 2000 ppm. The parameters used to evaluate the activity were larval growth rates; quantity of food ingested; phagodepression/phagostimulation index; quantity of frass produced; quantity of material ingested; duration of larval development; and cumulative mortality. Seed extract showed high bioactivity at both doses, while fruit extract proved to be less active, and only at the higher dose used (2000 ppm) did it display a slight antifeedant activity. The activity of theM. azedarach seed extract at the higher dose (2000 ppm) was comparable to that of pure azadirachtin applied at a dose of 1.25 ppm, or to ‘Mubel’, a commercial extract ofAzadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae), applied at a dose of 75 ppm.