Quantification of plasma and egg 4,4'-dinitrocarbanilide (DNC) residues for the efficient development of a nicarbazin-based contraceptive for pest waterfowl

Urbanization and associated landscaping has increased the abundance of year-round habitat for waterfowl, resulting in vegetation damage, loss of recreational activities, air transportation mishaps and health hazards. As part of a research program to develop socially acceptable techniques for management of pest bird populations, we are evaluating nicarbazin as a contraceptive in pest and surrogate avian species. As reproductive studies with Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) are tedious due to the difficulty of conducting controlled field studies and/or breeding geese in captivity, we evaluated the effects of oral nicarbazin administration on the production and hatchability of chicken eggs. Blood plasma and egg DNC concentrations were correlated to contraceptive efficacy. Subsequent studies are being conducted with geese to determine the diet nicarbazin concentration required to produce the desired blood and plasma DNC concentrations. This approach permits the expeditious evaluation of formulations and dosing regimes by simply monitoring blood DNC concentrations in target species.     

夜蛾黑卵蜂雌雄蜂鉴别方法及雌蜂寄生草地贪夜蛾卵的行为特征

夜蛾黑卵蜂Telenomus remus被认为是草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda卵期的高效寄生蜂。明确夜蛾黑卵蜂基本生物学特征将为其繁育及应用提供重要参考。本研究对雌、雄蜂外部形态及雌蜂寄生行为进行了观察。结果显示,1、除雌蜂产卵器和雄蜂外生殖器等第一性征外,夜蛾黑卵蜂雌、雄蜂个体还具备一些典型的第二性征,可通过触角环节数量、触角棒节和柄节形态以及足和触角的颜色进行区分。2、在同一卵块上,雄蜂先于雌蜂羽化,并撕咬寄主卵壳协助雌蜂羽化;雌蜂羽化后雄蜂会立即求偶并与其交配。3、夜蛾黑卵蜂雌蜂通过利用寄主卵表鳞毛空隙、主动清理鳞毛和移动表层卵粒3种行为策略实现对大部分草地贪夜蛾卵的寄生。本研究建立了夜蛾黑卵蜂雌、雄蜂的鉴别方法,并明确了雌蜂应对夜蛾黑卵蜂卵表结构防御的行为策略。     

Studies on the performance of laying hens and broiler chickens fed low doses of tetrachlorvinphos

The effects of moderate to low doses of tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP) on egg production in hens and growth in broiler chickens have been studied. Dietary levels of 0, 50 and 500 mg TCVP/kg were fed to laying hens for 12 or 13 weeks. Adverse effects of the treatment on egg production, egg and yolk weight, egg hatchability, shell thickness, bird weight or food consumption were not observed. In an 8-week study on broiler chickens fed dietary concentrations of 0,2,5,50,100 and 150 mg TCVP/kg growth and food conversion were not significantly affected.     

Fate of the benzoylphenyl urea CGA-184699 in the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis

HPLC was used to determine levels of the benzoylphenyl urea, CGA-184699, in cat blood, flea faeces and eggs. Rate constants were determined for the decline of CGA-184699 concentration in flea faeces of fleas that fed on both high (696 ng ml^?1) and low (305 ng ml^?1) host blood concentrations. There were strong correlations between the concentration of the drug in the host's blood and in flea eggs, between egg concentration and egg hatch and between the concentration of CGA-184699 in faeces and mortality to larvae feeding upon faeces.     

Inhibition of egg development by phosphine in the cosmopolitan pest of stored products Liposcelis bostrychophila (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae)

Phosphine-induced delay in development of eggs was investigated as a mechanism of resistance to this fumigant in Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel. One-day-old eggs of a susceptible and a strongly resistant strain of L bostrychophila were exposed to a range of phosphine concentrations for 6days at 30 (+/- 1) degrees C and 70 (+/- 2)% RH. Delay in mean hatching period occurred in both susceptible and resistant eggs, although it was more pronounced in the latter. A maximum delay of 2.65 days was recorded for eggs of the susceptible strain at 0.01 mg litre(-1) (the highest concentration at which eggs survived) and 13.39 days for the resistant strain at 1 mg litre(-1) (the highest concentration tested). Delay in egg development time was positively correlated with increasing phosphine concentration. Our results reveal that the most successful strategy to control resistant L bostrychophila is to apply relatively low concentrations of phosphine for extended exposure times (eg 0.05 mg litre(-1) for 16 days) that allow all eggs to hatch to the much less tolerant nymph stage.     

花生田蛴螬药剂防治指标的探讨

使用八号菌(苏云金杆菌库斯塔变种Bacillus thuringiensis var.Kurstaki)拌种防治花生田蛴螬,在单中型种蛴螬发生田(刘荆等,1988),经济损害允许水平为花生收获期每亩虫量1672头;在中型种和小型种蛴螬混合发生田,其中型种蛴螬占三分之一左右的田块,经济损害允许水平可定为花生收获期每亩虫量6498头。根据蛴螬自然孵化率和花生收获时的生存率,可制定蛴螬卵期和孵化期的药剂防治指标。     

伽马辐照对智利小植绥螨生殖及性别决定的影响

辐照可导致染色体变异,是研究生殖机理的常用辅助方法之一。本研究对不同生理状况下智利小植绥螨雌螨、雄螨、不同发育阶段卵进行不同剂量的伽马辐照,探索其后代发育与繁殖情况,以期解释智利小植绥螨性别决定机制及生殖机理。研究结果表明,在160~640 Gy辐照剂量下,辐照的未交配的雄成螨与正常的未交配的雌成螨交配,F1代中只有雄成螨且仅1/3可育。在45~90 Gy辐照剂量下,辐照的未交配的雌成螨与正常的未交配的雄成螨交配,其子代雌性比随着辐照剂量的增加而减小,且至90 Gy处理下无子代完成胚胎发育。辐照交配后产卵前的雌成螨,其子代雌性比间没有显著差异（77.5%~85.0%）。辐照卵龄0~12 h的卵,没有卵发育至成螨;辐照卵龄12~24 h的卵,其中发育至成螨的全为雌螨;辐照卵龄24~48 h的卵,其中发育至成螨的雌性比随着辐照剂量的增加具有增加的趋势。试验结果推测出父系染色体组参与形成配子且对性别起决定作用;父系染色体组异质化的时间可能集中于卵壳形成后至卵期12 h之间。本试验为智利小植绥螨父系染色体组参与性别决定的机制做出了新的诠释,对深入研究性别决定的机理具有重要的意义。     

Adverse effect of the chitinolytic enzyme PjCHI‐1 in transgenic tomato on egg mass production and embryonic development of Meloidogyne incognita

A novel chitinase gene (PjCHI‐1) isolated from Paecilomyces javanicus, a non‐nematophagous fungus, and driven by a CaMV35S promoter, was delivered into CLN2468D, a heat‐tolerant cultivar of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). T₁ tomato plants exhibited high endochitinase activity and reduced numbers of eggs and egg masses when infected with the root‐knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne incognita. The eggs found in transgenic tomato had lower shell chitin contents than eggs collected from control plants. Egg masses from transgenic plants exhibited higher chitinase activity than those from control plants. Moreover, only 30% of eggs from transgenic plants were able to develop to the multi‐cell/J1 stage, compared with more than 96% from control plants. The present study demonstrated that the expression of the PjCHI‐1 chitinase gene can effectively reduce the production of egg masses and repress the embryonic development of M. incognita, presenting the possibility of a novel agro‐biotechnological strategy for preventing crop damage by RKN.     

利用人工寄主卵繁殖平腹小蜂防治荔枝蝽

用人工寄主卵繁殖平腹小蜂防治荔枝蝽,首次获得成功。筛选出12种人工卵卵液配方、卵壳材料和“羊1号”防腐剂。人工寄主卵繁殖平腹小蜂,化蛹率74.34～93.49％,羽化率66.5～89.49％。在笼罩荔枝上及果园中释放防治荔枝蝽,卵粒寄生率分别达89.12％和89.45％。初步看出,用人工寄主卵代替自然寄主卵来繁殖平腹小蜂,可能是解决中间寄主的新途径。     

The Effect of Environment on Survival and Hatching of Heterodera avenae1

Eggs within cysts of Heterodera avenae are able to survive long periods of desiccation and can be held for several years at 5oC when stored at low relative humidity. While this provides an excellent means of storing the nematode for use in laboratory experiments, field experiments show that desiccated eggs are readily dispersed by wind. Tolerance to desiccation is similar in free and encysted eggs, which hatch at the same rate. When eggs are desiccated, water is withdrawn from the larva within the egg shell. If cysts are exposed to conditions favouring eclosion, subsequent desiccation reduces egg viability and larval emergence. The importance of defining pre-test conditions in survival studies is emphasized, and differences in the physiological state of eggs may explain different observations in Australian and European studies.     

两种农药不同亚致死浓度对梨小食心虫生长发育和繁殖的影响

在室内将梨小食心虫即将孵化的卵置于浸药幼果上,测定高效氯氟氰菊酯和氯虫苯甲酰胺不同亚致死浓度对梨小食心虫不同龄期幼虫发育时间、幼虫和蛹的发育历期、化蛹率和成虫羽化率、成虫产卵量的影响。结果表明,两种药剂不同亚致死浓度均使害虫不同龄期发育时间、幼虫和蛹发育历期显著延长,且随药剂浓度增加而增加;对化蛹率影响较小;两种药剂较高浓度会显著影响羽化率。两种药剂不同亚致死浓度对蛹重和产卵量影响显著:高效氯氟氰菊酯3个浓度均会显著减轻雌、雄蛹重量,且对雌蛹重量抑制率要高于雄蛹,并使成虫产卵量减少;氯虫苯甲酰胺LC50剂量也会显著减轻雌、雄蛹重量,使成虫产卵量显著减少,当药剂浓度降至LC20和LC30时,氯虫苯甲酰胺对雌、雄蛹重量和成虫产卵量影响不显著,但抑制率出现负值。     

Is Change in Electrical Potential or pH a Hatching Signal for Heterodera glycines?

ABSTRACT This study explored the possibilities that changes in the egg shell/lipid layer electrical potential or pH communicate external hatching conditions to the Heterodera glycines second-stage juvenile (J2) within the mature egg and that electrophysiology could measure effects of chemicals on emergence. Potentials were measured following application of the emergence inducers (ZnSO(4) and ZnCl(2)), ions that do not affect emergence, or synthetic emergence inhibitors. Results were compared with pH measurements and emergence bioassays. Healthy appearing eggs had negative resting potentials. Application of ZnSO(4) caused a smooth depolarization. However, eggs containing J2 and immature eggs depolarized to a similar degree when ZnSO(4) was added. In addition, ZnSO(4), synthetic emergence inhibitors, and CaCl(2) caused similar depolarization, and some depolarization was measured in dye-permeable eggs and empty shells. Results suggest that change in cation surface charge contributed to depolarization and that Cl penetrated the egg shell/lipid layer without causing potential changes. In bioassays, zinc consistently stimulated emergence to a greater degree than H(2)O, other cations, or buffers, and counteracted emergence inhibitors. Zinc-caused emergence stimulation was independent of pH. In summary, it is concluded that depolarization and pH are not emergence signals and electrophysiology is unlikely to measure effectiveness of emergence stimulators or inhibitors.     

甲氰菊酯和螺螨酯对二斑叶螨实验种群的亚致死效应

在室内研究了甲氰菊酯和螺螨酯亚致死剂量对二斑叶螨实验种群成螨和卵的影响。结果表明,甲氰菊酯亚致死剂量LC10处理成螨后,二斑叶螨的卵期、幼螨期、若螨期、成螨期及寿命均显著缩短,处理卵后各发育历期均显著低于对照;亚致死剂量LC20处理成螨后二斑叶螨的卵期、若螨期、成螨期及寿命均显著缩短,处理卵后各发育历期均低于对照,处理后F1代种群的内禀增长率rm由0.191 9增至0.193 4～0.205 9,对种群有刺激增殖作用。螺螨酯亚致死剂量LC10处理成螨后,卵期、若螨期显著延期长,处理卵后卵期、若螨期、产卵前期均长于对照;亚致死剂量LC20处理成螨后卵期、幼螨期显著延长,处理卵后卵期、若螨期、产卵前期均长于对照,螺螨酯两亚致死剂量处理成螨和卵后成螨期和寿命均缩短,处理后F1代种群的内禀增长率rm由0.191 9降低至0.149 9～0.150 8,对种群有抑制作用。     

Effects of sublethal concentrations of fenitrothion on beet armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) development and reproduction

We present data on the effects of various concentrations of the organophosphorus insecticide, fenitrothion, on development, reproduction and eggshell structure of Spodoptera exigua. The insecticide did not change the male/female ratio in tested populations. The pesticide-exposed larvae were significantly smaller than the controls and their pupation was delayed. These changes were not proportionally concentration-dependent. After imaginal molting experimental females laid significantly fewer eggs than controls. This effect was the same whether one or both members of a mating pair were exposed to fenitrothion during the larval stage. In the egg stage the insecticide caused serious malformations of the eggshell. The exposure caused other types of clearly abnormal development of eggs: two micropylar regions were noticed. Hence, even a low concentration of fenitrothion in the diet can lead to serious disturbances in reproduction and thus possibly at the population level.     

甜菜夜蛾卵和成虫携带核型多角体病毒对种群数量的影响

在室内分别测定了甜菜夜蛾的卵、雌蛾和雄蛾分别携带甜菜夜蛾核型多角体病毒(SeNPV)对其卵孵化率、幼虫存活率及单雌产卵量的影响。结果表明:甜菜夜蛾卵块携带SeNPV后,卵孵化率和幼虫存活率均显著下降。雌、雄蛾分别携带病毒再交尾后,对单雌产卵量、卵孵化率和幼虫的存活率也有显著影响,并且不同带毒量处理间存在显著差异,表现为带毒量越高,单雌产卵量越少、卵孵化率和幼虫存活率越低。同等带毒处理条件下,卵、雌蛾和雄蛾带毒3种处理方式对甜菜夜蛾种群数量的影响没有显著差异。说明SeNPV能通过甜菜夜蛾的卵、雌蛾和雄蛾3种虫态进行垂直传播,可以明显抑制甜菜夜蛾种群数量的增长,为昆虫性诱剂和病毒集成技术在田间的应用提供了理论依据。     

异色瓢虫幼虫捕食蚜虫与同种非同胞卵的混合食物对成虫捕食行为的影响

许多研究发现只捕食非同胞卵对捕食性瓢虫的发育、存活和行为具有不良影响,但较少关注少量捕食非同胞卵对瓢虫是否有影响,自相残杀作为瓢虫捕食其他猎物的营养补充乃是自然界的常态。本研究旨在探明异色瓢虫Harmonia axyridis（Pallas）幼虫期在捕食蚜虫的基础上取食非同胞卵是否对成虫捕食行为产生影响。设置3个幼虫期饲喂处理：给各龄幼虫仅饲喂禾谷缢管蚜Rhopalosiphum padi（Linnaeus）（对照）,给各龄幼虫饲喂蚜虫加少量非同胞卵（分散食卵）,给4龄幼虫饲喂蚜虫加较多的非同胞卵、其余龄期只喂蚜虫（集中食卵）等;观察雌、雄成虫体型大小和羽化后连续3 d的捕食行为。对观测的异色瓢虫成虫体重、捕食总时间、捕食攻击频次和首次捕食发生倾向等行为特征进行的数据分析结果表明,在所检验的3个饲喂处理间这些特征均不存在显著差异。说明异色瓢虫在幼虫期除捕食蚜虫外,持续少量或一次性大量取食非同胞卵不影响其在成虫期的捕食行为。     

A new Huffmanela species, H. schouteni sp. n. (Nematoda: Trichosomoididae) from flying fishes in Cura?ao

A new nematode species, Huffmanela schouteni sp. n., has been established on the basis of its egg morphology and biological characters (adult nematodes are unknown). The dark-shelled eggs of this histozoic parasite occur in masses in the abdominal cavity, serose covers of internal organs and in the liver of the flying fishes Hirundichthys affinis Günther (type host) and Cypselurus cyanopterus Cuvier et Valenciennes in Cura?ao. The eggs of H. schouteni sp. n. differ from those in other congeneric species mainly in the absence of small spines on the surface of the transparent envelope enclosing the egg proper, measurements (size of eggs 0.069-0.075 x 0.027-0.030 mm) and their localization in the host. A key to Huffmanela species based on egg morphology has been provided.     

Seasonality of the common cutworm Spodoptera litura in a soybean ecosystem

Seasonal occurrence of the common cutworm Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) moths captured in synthetic sex pheromone traps and associated field population of eggs and larvae in soybean were examined in India from 2009 to 2011. Male moths of S. litura first appeared in late July or early August and continued through October. Peak male trap catches occurred during the second fortnight of September, which was within soybean reproductive stages. Similarly, the first appearance of S. litura egg masses and larval populations were observed after the first appearance of male moths in early to mid-August, and were present in the growing season up to late September to mid-October. The peak appearance of egg masses and larval populations always corresponded with the peak activity of male moths recorded during mid-September in all years. Correlation studies showed that weekly mean trap catches were linearly and positively correlated with egg masses and larval populations during the entire growing season of soybean. Seasonal means of male moth catches in pheromone traps during the 2010 and 2011 seasons were significantly lower than the catches during the 2009 season. However, seasonal means of the egg masses and larval populations were not significantly different between years. Pheromone traps may be useful indicators of the onset of numbers of S. litura eggs and larvae in soybean fields.     

Action of the microbial metabolite and chitin synthesis inhibitor nikkomycin on the mite Tetranychus urticae; an electron microscope study

Chitinous structures of Tetranychus urticae K., after treatment with the microbial metabolite nikkomycin, were examined using an electron microscope. The results were compared with published information on the mechanisms of action of this antibiotic. Application of the drug resulted in an inhibition of moulting, due to a deficient or abnormal differentiation of the procuticle during ecdysis. Damage to the procuticle caused disorders in the muscle attachments, preventing the chrysalis stages leaving their exuviae after treatment with the metabolite. Application of nikkomycin to an adult female caused plug-like accumulations below the procuticle of the prosoma and cranial opisthosoma, as well as inside the hypodermis. The egg shell was another site of action of nikkomycin; depending on when drug treatment began, an abnormally thickened or incomplete plaque-like egg shell was produced. The deposition of affected eggs was strongly inhibited, if they were laid at all. The electron micrographs supported the suggestion that a competitive inhibition of chitin synthetase results in inhibition of cuticle synthesis. However, such a mechanism of action cannot explain the results on egg shell damage after nikkomycin treatment, which indicates some other influences of the antibiotic.