Effect of thiacloprid against the potato tuber moth Phthorimaea operculella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

The effect of the chloronicotinyl insecticide (thiacloprid 480 SC) was evaluated to determine its potential in controlling the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella. Application of thiacloprid at various concentrations (0.1–0.4 ml/l) on different age groups of eggs (1–4.5 day-old) had no effect on egg hatchability. However, slight embryocidal effect was noted in all egg age groups exposed to 0.4 ml/l concentration. Egg incubation period was increased (20%) when 4–4.5 day-old eggs were treated with thiacloprid at a rate of 0.4 ml/l compared with the untreated control. Thiacloprid was effective in reducing larval survival on potato seedlings or adults emergence from potatoes, exhibiting activity for at least 14 days after application. When already infected potato seedlings or tubers were treated with thiacloprid at a rate of 0.4 ml/l, adult emergence was decreased. Larvae that hatched from thiacloprid-treated eggs and fed, untreated tubers, encountered some difficulties in surviving and emerging as adults. Our data suggest that potato plants or tubers treated with thiacloprid at a commonly used rate (0.4 ml/l) should be well protected from the possibility of infestations by the potato tuber moth. Publication of this article was held up owing to technical problems. The publisher apologizes sincerely for this lengthy delay.     

两种药剂对板栗剪枝象的防治试验

为了更好地控制板栗剪枝象的危害,应用2.00%噻虫啉微胶囊粉剂和3.00%高渗苯氧威乳剂在林间展开人工地面防治板栗剪枝象的试验,结果表明:两种药剂均能有效控制板栗剪枝象.其中2.00%噻虫啉微胶囊粉剂平均防治效果达92.44%,3.00%高渗苯氧威乳剂平均防治效果达82.29%。因此,这两种杀虫剂都是防治板栗剪枝象的有效药剂,可进行林间大面积应用。     

Fumigant toxicity of Carum copticum and Vitex pseudo-negundo essential oils against eggs, larvae and adults of Callosobruchus maculatus

Fumigant activity of essential oil vapors distilled from Carum copticum C. B. Clarke and Vitex pseudo-negundo Hand I. MZT. was tested against eggs, larvae and adults of Callosobruchus maculatus (F.). Fumigant toxicity was assessed at 27 ± 1°C and 60 ± 5% RH, in dark condition. The influence of different concentrations of the essential oil vapors on egg hatchability, larval and adult mortality was significant. Data probit analysis showed that lethal concentration of the essential oil to kill 50% of the population (LC₅₀) for egg, larvae and adult were found to be 1.01, 2.50 and 0.90 μl/l air of C. copticum oil, followed by 2.20, 8.42 and 9.39 μl/l air essential oil of V. pseudo-negundo, respectively. Between these essential oils, C. copticum was almost more toxic than V. pseudo-negundo on all growth stages of C. maculatus. The present study suggests that essential oils from these medicinal plants may be potential grain protectants as botanical alternative fumigants and could be used in the management of various life stages of C. maculatus.     

Toxicity of biocide GCSC-BtA on arthropod pests under different temperature conditions

The present research dealt with the toxicity of GCSC-BtA (Germany–China Scientific Cooperation-Bacillus thuringiensis-Abamectin), a new type biocide developed by conjugating a toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) with Abamectin from Streptomyces avermitilis, on arthropod pests under different temperature conditions. The results showed that GCSC-BtA possessed higher toxicity than B.t. crystal, Abamectin or Cypermethrin, with pest mortalities of 97.9, 93.7, 96.4, 82.3 and 96.7% for Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisd.) (Acari, Tetranychidae), Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thys., Thripidae), Aphis fabae Scopoli (Hom., Aphididae), Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lep., Plutellidae) and Cameraria ohridella Deschka et Dimić (Lep., Gracillariidae), respectively. Toxicities of GCSC-BtA to T. cinnabarinus and P. xylostella decreased significantly at the older developmental stage with an exception that egg stage had the highest tolerance, in which LC₅₀s of GCSC-BtA were 0.0001, 0.0019 and 0.0708 mg/ml for nymph, adult and egg of T. cinnabarinus, and that 0.0399, 0.2035 and 0.9033 mg/ml for the 2nd instar larvae, 4th instar larvae and egg of P. xylostella, respectively. Also, the biocide was more effective to the lower stage of A. fabae than the higher one with LC₅₀s of 0.0023, 0.0086 and 0.0171 mg/ml against 1st instar nymph, 3rd instar nymph and adult, respectively. In general, toxicity of the new type of biocide was positively related to temperature against all the tested pests, except against T. cinnabarinus, where it was almost similar at the three temperature conditions. GCSC-BtA displayed significantly lower toxicities at 15/20°C than 20/25°C or 25/30°C against F. occidentalis, A. fabae, P. xylostella and C. ohridella. However, no significant difference was found in the toxicities against F. occidentalis, A. fabae and C. ohridella above 20°C, whereas toxicity against P. xylostella increased as temperature raised. Therefore, to achieve higher efficacy in the field, application rate and time should be devised according to these factors.     

Are drought and wildfires turning Mediterranean cork oak forests into persistent shrublands?

In the Iberian Peninsula Mediterranean oak forests have been transformed into a mosaic landscape of four main patch-types: forests, savannas, shrublands and grasslands. We used aerial photographs over a period of 45 years (1958–2002) to quantify the persistence and rates of transitions between vegetation patch-types in southern Portugal, where cork oak is the dominant tree species. We used logistic regression to relate vegetation changes with topographical features and wildfire history. Over the 45 years, shrublands have been the most persistent patch-type (59%), and have been expanding; forests are also persistent (55%) but have been decreasing since 1985; savannas and grasslands were less persistent (33% and 15%, respectively). Shrublands persistence was significantly correlated with wildfire occurrence, particularly on southern exposures after 1995. In contrast, forest persistence decreased with wildfire occurrence, and forests were more likely to change into shrublands where wildfire had occurred after 1995.     

Effectiveness of Neem (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Azadirachta indica</Emphasis>) insecticides against Brassica pod midge (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dasineura brassicae</Emphasis> Winn<Emphasis Type="Italic">.</Emphasis>)

The efficiency of the botanical insecticide (BI) NeemAzal T/S (containing 1% Azadirachtin A), on the basis of azadirachtin applied in a dose of 20 g a.i. ha⁻¹ against Brassica pod midge (Dasineura brassicae), has been monitored for 4 years. The biological efficiency of BI was compared with the efficiency of some synthetic insecticides. It was ascertained that BI was very efficient in decreasing the number of damaged oilseed rape pods (ranging from 56.5 to 85.9% compared to untreated plants) and its efficiency was comparable with synthetic insecticides based on Chloronicotinyl (Thiacloprid) and Neonicotinoid (Acetamiprid). BI’s efficiency was, in some years, even significantly higher compared to pyrethroid (λ-cyhalothrin). The high biological efficiency of azadirachtin that we ascertained was significantly reflected in increasing potential crop yields. The yield increase of azadirachtin ranged between 9.3 and 19.4% compared to the control sample. Azadirachtin showed the highest yield for the whole time of experimentation, and in some years the yield increase was significantly higher compared to some synthetic agents.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ophiostoma</Emphasis> species associated with bark beetles infesting three <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies</Emphasis> species in Nikko,Japan

Ophiostoma species were isolated from bark beetles and Abies mariesii, A. veitchii and A. homolepis attacked by the beetles in Nikko, Tochigi, central Honshu, Japan. One to two Ophiostoma species were frequently isolated from each species of bark beetle. Ophiostoma subalpinum was the most common associate of Cryphalus montanus. Ophiostoma sp. B as well as O. subalpinum was a common fungus associated with Polygraphus proximus. Ophiostoma europhioides was isolated from Dryocoetes hectographus and D. autographus as one of the common associates. Ophiostoma sp. J and Ophiostoma sp. S were frequently isolated from D. autographus and D. striatus, respectively. These fungi seem to have specific relationships with particular bark beetles. Ophiostoma sp. B, Ophiostoma sp. J and Ophiostoma sp. S have unique morphological characteristics and appear to be new species. Five trees of A. veitchii, approximately 43 years old, were inoculated with five Ophiostoma species to assess the relative virulence of the fungi. Ophiostoma subalpinum, Ophiostoma sp. B, and O. europhioides had relatively higher virulence than the other species studied.     

Decomposition and nutrient loss from prunings of different contour hedgerow species in tea plantations in the sloping highlands of Sri Lanka

Contour hedgerows of multipurpose tree species in the sloping tea lands of Sri Lanka are expected to reduce soil erosion and also add significant amounts of plant nutrients to the soil via periodic prunings. The objective of this experiment was to characterize the biomass decomposition pattern and quantify the amount of nutrients added through prunings of six tree species (Calliandra calothyrsus, Senna spectabilis, Euphatorium innulifolium, Flemingia congesta, Gliricidia sepium and Tithonia diversifolia) currently being used in hedgerows associated with tea. Withered leaf and stem prunings (50 g) were enclosed in 2-mm litter bags, placed at 5-cm depth and retrieved after one, three, six, nine and 12 weeks. Loss of initial dry weight, N, P and K was measured. Single exponential decay function adequately described both dry weight and nutrient loss. Tree species differed significantly in their rate of breakdown with decomposition constants (k) varying from 0.0299 to 0.2006 week⁻¹ for leaves and from 0.0225 to 0.0633 week⁻¹ for stems. Gliricidia showed the highest k for leaves with the rest in the following descending order: Senna > Tithonia ≥ Euphatorium > Calliandra > Flemingia. A similar pattern was observed for loss of all nutrients with Calliandra and Flemingia always having lower k values than the rest. Although N immobilization was not observed, immobilization of P and K was observed during the first week of incubation in some species, particularly in stem prunings. Annual biomass of prunings differed significantly between tree species in the following descending order: Calliandra > Senna > Flemingia > Tithonia > Gliricidia > Euphatorium. Calliandra added the greatest amount of nutrients annually to the soil with Euphatorium adding the least. Calliandra prunings provided the annual total K requirement and 49% of the N requirement of mature tea. However, none of the species provided more than 5% of the P requirement. It is concluded that among the tree species tested, Calliandra and Flemingia are the most suitable for contour hedgerows in tea plantations of this agroclimatic region because of their higher soil nutrient enrichment capacity and slower decomposition rates which would minimize leaching losses. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Parasitic Ichneumonoidea on the horse chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Slovakia

Parasitic Hymenoptera from the suprafamily Ichneumonoidea attacking the horse chestnut leafminer Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimic (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) were studied in southwest Slovakia during 2000 and 2001. The search for such species resulted in the determination of eight ichneumonid species, Gelis agilis (Fabricius), Itoplectis alternans (Gravenhorst), I. clavicornis (Thompson), I. maculator (Fabricius), Scambus annulatus (Kiss), S. brevicornis (Gravenhorst), Zatypota percontatoria (Müller), Adelognathus sp. and a braconid Colastes braconius Haliday. The most abundant species was S. annulatus. All these species recorded are polyphagous and often facultative hyperparasitoids, except C. braconius, which departs from this norm in not being hyperparasitic. The presence of more diversified native parasitoids and hyperparasitoids from the Ichneumonoidea predicate a slow successive adaptation of the parasitoid fauna to the invasive host, Cameraria ohridella.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bursaphelenchus mucronatus</Emphasis> (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) vectored by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Monochamus </Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">urussovi</Emphasis> (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Hokkaido,Japan

Bursaphelenchus mucronatus Mamiya et Enda has been recovered for the first time from adults of the cerambycid beetle, Monochamus urussovi (Fischer), in Hokkaido, Japan. The nematode was also recovered from the inner bark of Picea jezoensis (Siebold et Zuccarini) Carrière and Abies sachalinensis (Fr Schmidt) Masters infested with M. urussovi larvae. PCR–RFLP analysis indicated that B. mucronatus in Hokkaido is the European type.     

基于cpDNA rps16序列分析兰考泡桐与白花泡桐和毛泡桐的遗传关系

【目的】通过测序法分析兰考泡桐与白花泡桐和毛泡桐在叶绿体rps16序列上的遗传差异,旨在分析三者之间在叶绿体基因上的变化特点和规律,探讨其种间的遗传关系。【方法】选取兰考泡桐、白花泡桐和毛泡桐各15个样本,对其提取的DNA用PCR扩增获得特异片段,并将其纯化与测序。利用软件Clustal X 2.0对所得序列进行排序;运行MEGA 4软件,进行多序列比对,分析其序列特征,并计算出K2P遗传距离。【结果】(1)对获得的rps16序列进行测定分析,得兰考泡桐序列长度分别为932 933 bp;白花泡桐序列长度为932 bp;毛泡桐序列长度分别为916918 bp。对所得rps16序列进行排序后的长度为938 bp,平均GC含量为34.31%。3个种所代表的个体之间共有10个变异位点,占整个序列长度的1.07%。其中有9个变异位点属于碱基插入或缺失类型,占变异位点总数的90%,占整个序列长度的0.96%。有1个变异位点属于碱基替换类型,占整个变异位点总数的10%,占整个序列长度的0.11%。(2)整个rps16片段的序列共有10个变异位点,其中兰考泡桐与白花泡桐在总的变异位点上,具有一致的碱基位点9个,占总变异的90%。而兰考泡桐与毛泡桐相比,没有相同的碱基。【结论】根据三种泡桐的rps16序列的序列特征和变异位点的分析,表明在叶绿体遗传方面,兰考泡桐具有与白花泡桐更多相似的遗传物质,其亲缘关系较近。综上所述,推测兰考泡桐与白花泡桐可能来自同一母系遗传。     

Rehabilitation of diseased cacao fields in Peru through shade regulation and timing of biocontrol measures

The objective of this case study was to test the effectiveness of biocontrol for the rehabilitation of abandoned, diseased (moniliasis, witches' broom and black pod) cocoa and to develop testable hypotheses regarding the effect of shade and biocontrol timing. Three trial fields differed in their shade regimes. Biocontrol was administered starting either at flowering or pod filling. Disease incidence and yield were compared with cultural control alone. Biocontrol reduced moniliasis from 49% to 25%, independent of the shading regime and application time. Witches' broom was most severe without shade and unaffected by biocontrol. No significant effects on black pod were observed. Although biocontrol increased percentage healthy fruit independent of shading and timing, only the shaded plot with biocontrol from flowering onwards responded with increased yield. Our hypothesis is: 'In the rehabilitation of abandoned cacao, only fields under sustainable shade management and early onset of biocontrol can realise their production potential.' This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Populations of adult fungus gnats and shore flies in British Columbia container nurseries as related to nursery environment,and incidence of fungi on the insects

Adult fungus gnat and shore fly populations were monitored in four container nurseries near Victoria, British Columbia. In general, populations of both insects were larger in summer than in winter. Also, both insects were more abundant in the nursery with a plastic-covered, soil floor, which favored moisture accumulation and build up of algae, liverworts and mosses, than in nurseries with other types of floors such as cement. Results of fungus isolations revealed that gnats and flies both harbor the seedling pathogens Botrytis cinerea and species of Fusarium and Phoma, plus several non-pathogenic fungi. The results are discussed in relation to nursery sanitation practices, their effects on gnat and fly populations, and some possible roles of these insects in seedling disease epidemiology.     

Insecticidal activity of certain medicinal plants

The methanol extracts of eight species of medicinal plants were tested for insecticidal activity in third instar larvae of Egyptian cottonworm (Spodoptera littoralis). All extracts showed a certain degree of larval toxicity. The extracts of Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana and Salvia officinalis appeared to be highly toxic. The extracts significantly affected the growth indexes [relative growth rate (RGR), efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD)].     

A new norlignan from Taxodium ascendens

A new norlignan, (2R,3R,4S,5S)-2,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,5-dihydroxy-tetrahydropyran (1), together with 9 known compounds were isolated from the branches and leaves of Taxodium ascendens. Their structures were mainly determined on the basis of MS, IR, 1D and 2D NMR spectral evidences. Methanol extract showed inhibitory activity on carbonic anhydrase II with an IC₅₀ value of 4.27 µg/ml, acetone extract and methanol extract inhibited activity of cathepsin B with IC₅₀ values of 2.12 and 3.71 µg/ml, respectively.     

The potential use of different predatory bug species in the biological control of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Frankliniella occidentalis</Emphasis> (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

In the present study, the suitability of different predatory bug species, such as Dicyphus tamaninii Wagner, Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur), Orius albidipennis Reuter, Orius majusculus Reuter and Orius sauteri Poppius, for the biological control of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), were investigated. Development of the predatory bug species, their reproduction as well as their daily and total prey consumption over a 18-day period with F. occidentalis larvae or various stages of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) individuals as prey species were studied during the experiments in the laboratory. In further experiments, the efficiency of D. tamaninii, M. pygmaeus, O. albidipennis and O. majusculus in controlling F. occidentalis under glasshouse conditions was investigated. Results showed that all the predators could develop under the experimental conditions with either F. occidentalis larvae or different stages of T. urticae as prey. When F. occidentalis larvae were offered as prey, the shortest duration of development was observed for O. albidipennis with a mean of 17.7 days, while D. tamaninii took the longest to develop with a mean of 36.3 days. With different stages of T. urticae as prey, the duration of development ranged from 19.3 days in O. albidipennis to 42.9 days in M. pygmaeus. Mean daily fecundity ranged from 0.8 eggs/female for O. majusculus to 2.2 eggs/female for O. sauteri with F. occidentalis larvae as prey and from 0.6, O. majusculus, to 2.3 eggs/female/day, O. sauteri, when different stages of T. urticae were offered as prey. Over the 18-day reproduction period, O. sauteri was the most fecund predatory species, laying a mean total of 31.6 and 31.3 eggs/female with F. occidentalis and T. urticae as prey, respectively. Daily consumption from F. occidentalis larvae ranged between 5.5 individuals consumed per day by O. majusculus and 29.1, by O. sauteri. When different stages of T. urticae were offered as prey, maximal consumption was observed in D. tamaninii with a mean of 29.0 individuals/day, while O. albidipennis consumed the least with an average of 8.1 preys/day. Over the 18-day prey consumption period, D. tamaninii consumed the highest mean number of 422.8 F. occidentalis larvae, while O. majusculus only consumed 98.8 larvae. Also, D. tamaninii had the maximum consumption of different stages of T. urticae with a mean of 522.4, while M. pygmaeus and O. albidipennis consumed the least, with an average of 146.1 and 146.0, respectively. The predatory bugs D. tamaninii, M. pygmaeus, O. albidipennis and O. majusculus significantly reduced the density of F. occidentalis on hybrids of Euphorbia milii, Serissa foetida and Saintpaulia ionantha in the glasshouse, which confirms their efficiency against this pest on different hosts under controlled climatic conditions.