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.     

Development of resistance to insecticides in the invasive mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Pakistan

The mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis has been a serious pest of cotton, vegetables, ornamentals and other plants since its invasion into Pakistan in 2005. Its susceptibility to commonly-used insecticides was monitored during 2005–2013 by a nymphal dip bioassay. Initially, P. solenopsis was found susceptible to a range of insecticide classes. Lethal concentration values were particularly low for organophosphates and pyrethroids. After a year of its exposure to insecticides, P. solenopsis developed moderate to high levels of resistance to pyrethroids. After two years, resistance to organophosphates methidathion and chlorpyrifos also rose to moderate to high levels. After five years of use, resistance to pyrethroids, organophosphates, neonicotinoids, endosulfan, carbosulfan, and thiocyclam was generally high to very high. Acetamiprid resistance was slow to develop, as it reached moderate level of resistance after seven years of its extensive applications. Insecticide resistance in P. solenopsis could have been managed in Pakistan if the effective and diverse insecticides were used in rotation, along with other integrated pest management tactics, at the initial stages of resistance development.     

Sublethal effect of avermectin and acetamiprid on the mortality of different life stages of Brontispa longissima (Gestro) (Coleoptera: Hispidae) and its larvae parasitoid Asecodes hispinarum Bouček (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

The beneficial parasitoid Asecodes hispinarum Bouček plays an important role in integrated pest management (IPM) of the coconut leaf beetle, Brontispa longissima (Gestro), in China. A. hispinarum females parasitize 3rd to 4th instars B. longissima larvae. Hatched parasitoid larvae develop within the host, and parasitoid adults emerge through holes that they chew through the cuticle of the host. Although chemicals serve as the main short term control agents, the compatibility of biological and chemical control has never been investigated for this system. This study examined the responses of immature and adult B. longissima and its larval parasitoid A. hispinarum to avermectin and acetamiprid. Avermectin caused complete mortality of 2nd to 4th instar larvae, and of adults of B. longissima at 10, 15 and 2 d after treatment, respectively. However, 26.7% of the 2nd instar larvae, 55.3% of the 4th instar larvae, and 74%, of adult B. longissima were still alive 40 d after acetamiprid application. Following avermectin exposure, 17.5%, 9.2% and 23% of mummified B. longissima larvae contained viable adult parasitoids for the parasitoid egg, larva and pupa treatments, respectively, and the numbers of dead parasitoids per mummy were 3.3, 7.2 and 13.3 for the egg, larva and adult treatments, respectively. However, for acetamiprid treatment, 70–75.9% of mummified B. longissima larvae contained viable adult parasitoids in all three stage treatments, and the number of dead parasitoids per mummy was 2.8, 2 and 3.4 in egg, larva and adult treatments, respectively. This study showed that a sublethal dose of avermectin is more toxic than acetamiprid to B. longissima and A. hispinarum. Therefore, direct contact of the parasitoid with avermectin should be avoided when this insecticide is used to control B. longissima.     

朱砂叶螨抗药性研究

1986～1987年测定了河南省12个产棉县、市棉田朱砂叶螨对当前主要杀螨剂的抗性水平和多种农药对抗性叶螨的毒力水平.结果显示,朱砂叶螨已对三氯杀螨醇和氧化乐果产生抗性,各棉区基本处于抗性上升阶段.其中对三氯杀螨醇的抗性相对倍数较高,LC_(50)和LC_(95)值分别是相对敏感品系的1.72～8.26和3.47～17.67倍.从抗性品系对23种农药的感受性看出,朱砂叶螨已形成对硫磷高抗品系,抗性倍数达466.8倍;对磷胺、久效磷等也表现较高的抗性,但对甲氰菊酯、PP321、克螨特等尚未产生明显抗性,三环锡、Nissorun、毒死蜱、来福灵等有较好的杀若螨作用,对卵的抑制作用以Nissorun为最强,其次为浏阳霉素和杀虫脒.     

Essential oil from the leaves of Cryptomeria japonica acts as a silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) repellent and insecticide

This is the first article to report the evaluation of a natural product used as an antisilverfish agent. Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina), primitive wingless insects, feed on a variety of materials, including paper, cotton, starch, and cereals. They can be a problem in libraries and other places where books, documents, and papers are stored. In this pilot study, the essential oil from leaves of Cryptomeria japonica was investigated to test its properties as a silverfish repellent and insecticide. The results from a repellency bioassay show that the essential oil significantly repelled silverfish. The repellent activity was 80% at a dosage of 0.01 mg/cm³. When silverfish were exposed to a concentration of 0.16 mg/cm³ of essential oil, they were killed within 10h. The chemical composition of essential oil, the emissions from a test chamber, and the residue left on filter papers previously soaked with the essential oil in a chamber were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The components of the essential oil were found to be: elemol (18.22%), 16-kaurene (11.63%), 3-carene (9.66%), sabinene (9.37%), 4-terpineol (9.06%), β-eudesmol (5.70%), α-pinene (5.62%), and limonene (5.26%). Only some constituents of the essential oil compounds collected by solid-phase microextraction were found to be emitted in the test chamber. The main constituents were: 3-carene (21.03%), p-cymene (10.95%), limonene (9.49%), β-myrcene (9.39%), γ-terpinene (9.10%), α-terpinene (8.57%), and 4-terpineol (7.97%).     

Cell death localization in situ in laboratory reared honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) larvae treated with pesticides

In this study, cell death detected by DNA fragmentation labeling and phosphatidylserine (PS) localization was investigated in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) midgut, salivary glands and ovaries after treating larvae with different pesticides offered via an artificial diet. To do this, honey bee larvae reared in an incubator were exposed to one of nine pesticides: chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, amitraz, fluvalinate, coumaphos, myclobutanil, chlorothalonil, glyphosate and simazine. Following this, larvae were fixed and prepared for immunohistologically detected cellular death using two TUNEL techniques for DNA fragmentation labeling and Annexin V to detect the localization of exposed PS specific in situ binding to apoptotic cells. Untreated larvae experienced ∼10% midgut apoptotic cell death under controlled conditions. All applied pesticides triggered an increase in apoptosis in treated compared to untreated larvae. The level of cell death in the midgut of simazine-treated larvae was highest at 77% mortality and statistically similar to the level of cell death for chlorpyrifos (65%), imidacloprid (61%), myclobutanil (69%), and glyphosate (69%) treated larvae. Larvae exposed to fluvalinate had the lowest midgut columnar apoptotic cell death (30%) of any pesticide-treated larvae. Indications of elevated apoptotic cell death in salivary glands and ovaries after pesticide application were detected. Annexin V localization, indicative of apoptotic cell deletion, had an extensive distribution in the midgut, salivary glands and ovaries of pesticide-treated larvae. The data suggest that the tested pesticides induced apoptosis in tissues of honey bee larvae at the tested concentrations. Cell death localization as a tool for a monitoring the subclinical and sub-lethal effects of external influences on honey bee larval tissues is discussed.     

植物源杀虫剂对夜蛾科害虫的作用研究进展

针对滥用化学农药造成的污染和残留问题,阐明了植物源杀虫剂研究开发的必要性和广阔前景,并主要介绍了研究较多的三个科杀虫植物杀虫活性物质的类型、有效成分、作用机理及对夜蛾科害虫作用研究的进展.     

海南不同地区香蕉假茎象甲对几种杀虫剂的敏感性测定

采用虫体浸渍法，测定了海南澄迈和儋州两地的香蕉假茎象甲成虫对480克/升毒死蜱EC、77.5%敌敌畏EC、40%辛硫磷EC、40%丙溴磷EC、25%丙溴?辛硫磷EC、20%三唑磷EC等6种杀虫剂对的敏感性。结果表明，6种药剂对澄迈和儋州两地区的香蕉假茎象甲的毒力大小顺序相同，毒死蜱＞丙溴?辛硫磷＞丙溴磷＞三唑磷＞敌敌畏＞辛硫磷；儋州地区的香蕉假茎象甲对6种药剂的敏感性均高于澄迈地区。     

Mechanism of action of insecticidal secondary metabolites of plant origin

Insect pest management is facing the economic and ecological challenge worldwide due to the human and environmental hazards caused by majority of the synthetic pesticide chemicals. Identification of novel effective insecticidal compounds is essential to combat increasing resistance rates. Botanicals containing active insecticidal phytochemicals appear to be promising to address some of these problems. Therefore, there is a continuous need to explore new active molecules with different mechanisms of action. Secondary metabolites present in plants apparently function as defense (toxic), which inhibits reproduction and other processes. The phytochemical biomolecules could be used for maximizing the effectiveness and specificity in future insecticide design with specific or multiple target sites, while ensuring the economic and ecological sustainability. In this article, the current state of knowledge on phytochemical sources and insecticidal activity, their mechanism of action in insects, resistance, and promising advances made in phytochemical research are reviewed.     

不同药剂预防白蚁蛀蚀木材的效果测定

室内采用河砂木块法研究了 15种药剂对白蚁的防治效果 ,48%毒死蜱、5 %锐劲特、48%毒死蜱 + 10 %安绿宝、2 5 %辛硫·灭扫利、5 %锐劲特 + 76 9%樟脑油、10 %安绿宝等 6种药剂 (或混配剂 )抗白蚁蛀蚀效果显著优于氯丹。野外试验了15种药剂 ,2 2个月后的结果表明 :48%毒死蜱单独使用或与 76 9%松节油等混配使用 ,可以保持木材近 2a仍不受白蚁蛀蚀 ;5 %锐劲特、2 5 %辛硫·灭扫利等药剂单独使用或与巴丹等混配使用 ,其效果也优于 70 %氯丹