Insecticidal and repellent activities of medicinal plant extracts against the sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hom.: Aleyrodidae) and its parasitoid Eretmocerusmundus (Hym.: Aphelinidae)

Toxicity and repellent activities of aqueous extracts of nine medicinal plants were evaluated on different life stages of the sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. Tomato plants infested with whiteflies were dipped in 10% (wt/wt) of each plant extract for toxicity evaluation. Repellency was evaluated in a choice experiment with detached tomato leaves. All extracts evaluated were relatively ineffective against the adult stage. Extracts of Ruta chalepensis, Peganum harmala and Alkanna strigosa were effective in reducing the numbers of B. tabaci immatures similar to the reduction observed in the imidacloprid treatment. These three extracts were not detrimental B. tabaci parasitoid, Eretmocerus mundus. In addition, the plant extracts Urtica pilulifera and T. capita were repellent to B. tabaci adults. These results indicate that the extracts from the plants R. chalepensis, P. harmala and A. strigosa could act as a potential source for natural product developed for B. tabaci management.     

四川省大邑县舞毒蛾天敌的研究*

１９９３年在大邑县共收集到舞毒蛾天敌３０种，其中寄生性昆虫１９种，捕食性昆虫９种，病毒和虫霉菌各１种。卵期平均寄生率为２７．０６％±０．５４％，大蛾卵跳小蜂是主要天敌。幼虫期天敌有病毒、斑痣悬茧蜂、毒蛾镶颚姬蜂和绒茧蜂等，平均杀死幼虫５１．５９％±６．４８％。蛹期主要天敌有寄蝇、广大腿小蜂和脊腿囊爪姬蜂等，平均寄生率达３２．９１％±２６．４０％。在舞毒蛾卵－蛹期，累计约有８７．６２％的个体被天敌致死。     

The effect of Phlebiopsis gigantea and urea stump treatment against spore infection of Heterobasidion spp. on hybrid larch (Larix × eurolepis) in southern Sweden

The efficacy of stump treatment with 40% urea solution and spore suspension of Phlebiopsis gigantea against primary infection by Heterobasidion spp. on hybrid larch (Larix × eurolepis) was tested in two field studies in southern Sweden. In the first study, stumps treated with urea or P. gigantea were sampled by cutting a cross‐section disc after 3 months following exposure to natural conditions, and in the second study, stumps treated with only P. gigantea were sampled after 2 months. Spore traps made from hybrid larch, Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) were used to estimate the abundance of ambient spores of Heterobasidion spp. in the second study. Urea significantly reduced infection frequency of Heterobasidion spp. compared to the control. Phlebiopsis gigantea was less effective at reducing infection frequency in the first study than in the second study. Infections were caused by both H. parviporum and H. annosum sensu stricto. The amount of H. annosum infection in proportion to Heterobasidion spp. was significantly lower on the stumps treated with P. gigantea compared to the control; however, the proportion of H. parviporum on the treated stumps was not higher than the control in the first study. Spore traps made of Scots pine had a significantly higher frequency of infection than Norway spruce and hybrid larch. Only the spore traps made of hybrid larch showed significant correlation with the control stumps in terms of relative infected area. Conclusively, it seems prudent to protect hybrid larch stumps from primary infection by Heterobasidion spp., and both urea and P. gigantea can be recommended as stump treatment agents on hybrid larch, even if urea seemed to present more stable results.