Acute lethal and behavioral sublethal responses of two stored-product psocids to surface insecticides

BACKGROUND: The psocids Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel and L. entomophila (Enderlein) (Liposcelididae) are emerging pests of stored products. Although their behavior, particularly their high mobility, may contribute to the reported relatively low efficacy of insecticides against them, studies to investigate this have not been conducted. The present study aimed to assess the label rate efficacy of three commercial insecticides (β‐cyfluthrin, chlorfenapyr and pyrethrins) applied on concrete surfaces against L. bostrychophila and L. entomophila, and also their sublethal effect on the mobility of these species. RESULTS: The synthetic insecticides β‐cyfluthrin and chlorfenapyr showed high short‐term efficacy (LT₉₅≤15 h) against both psocid species, unlike the natural pyrethrins (LT₉₅ ≥ 4 days). Liposcelis bostrychophila was slightly more tolerant (≥1.2×) than L. entomophila to all three insecticides. Behavioral assays with fully sprayed and half‐sprayed concrete arenas indicated that the insecticides reduced the mobility of both species. Pyrethrins seem to elicit weak repellence in L. bostrychophila. CONCLUSION: β‐Cyfluthrin and chlorfenapyr were effective against both psocid species, but not pyrethrins. The mobility of both species does not seem to play a major role in the differential selectivity observed, but the lower mobility of L. bostrychophila may be a contributing factor to its higher insecticide tolerance. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantitative analysis of beta-sitosterol oxides induced in vegetable oils by natural sunlight, artificially generated light, and irradiation

UV radiation is able to induce lipid peroxidation. Photooxidation-induced beta-sitosterol oxides were monitored in four vegetable oils exposed to sunlight for 10, 20, and 30 days during May 2005 (northeastern France), exposed to artificial light generated by a high-pressure Hg lamp for 21, 42, and 63 h at room temperature, and exposed to a 10 MeV electron beam at 0.93, 2.69, and 9.30 kGy at 8 degrees C. Quantification was performed by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry according to the total ion current mode and using a reconstructed ion trace chromatogram with specific ion fragments. Sunlight induced the formation of higher amounts of oxides than UV light, while no significant oxidizing effect was observed with electron beam irradiation. However, data suggested that the amount of the main oxides formed was strongly dependent on the dose rate (length of exposure). Accordingly, shorter but more intense treatments had lower oxidizing effects.     

Effects of Biochar and Marble mud on Mine Waste Properties to Reclaim Tailing Ponds

The effects of biochar addition in improving soil physical properties are not clearly understood in mining tailings. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of three different types of biochars, in addition to marble mud (MM) and their mixtures, on the structural stability and water retention of mine wastes in Cartagena, Spain. Biochars were produced at 500 °C from pig manure (PM), cotton (Gossipium hirsutum L.) crop residues (CR) and municipal solid waste (MSW). Biochars were added to the mine waste (MW) along with MM and a control (no amendments added). These mixtures were incubated in cores for 90 days (25 °C). PM and CR mixed with MM decreased soil bulk density (from 0 · 98 g cm^‐3 to 0 · 89 and 0 · 84 g cm⁻³, respectively). Amendments had no significant effect on total porosity whereas they increased gas diffusion by 100%, except for MSW. MM improved the plant available water from 0 · 59 to 2 · 56 cm as its combination with biochars, extremely relevant in water scarce climates. The micropores were likely replaced by mesopores when application of PM, CR, MM, and biochars + MM and they improved water retention. Total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) increased by using biochars and MM and no significant effects were assessed on aggregates. In general, MM mixed with PM and CR derived biochar improved the structural stability and exhibited a strong impact in reclaiming physical quality on mine tailings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SOYBEAN RESPONSE AND ION ACCUMULATION UNDER SPRINKLER IRRIGATION WITH SODIUM-RICH SALINE WATER

The magnitude of crop growth and yield depends on the salinity level, the toxic ions present, and the irrigation system used. In order to study the effect of saline sprinkler irrigation on soybean growth and ionic accumulation in plant tissues a pot experiment was set up. There were three irrigation water quality treatments [electrical conductivity (EC) 0, 2, and 4 dS m^?1]. Soybean aerial biomass was 25% lower than the Control when irrigation salinity was 4 dS m^?1. Clearly salinity entering via leaves affected the grain filling stage and severely reduced soybean grain production (80% reduction) when salinity in irrigation water surpassed 2 dS m^?1. Sprinkler irrigation aggravates soybean's low salinity tolerance and restricts its cropping in such conditions. For early stages two linear relationships between leaf chloride (Cl^?) concentration (Y = 14.2–2x) or potassium (K⁺)/ sodium (Na⁺) ratio (Y = 5.3x?3.4) and soybean grain yield were found. Both relationships may be used as diagnostic tools for soybean growing under saline sprinkler irrigation.     

Separation of Delta5- and Delta7-phytosterols by adsorption chromatography and semipreparative reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography for quantitative analysis of phytosterols in foods

A method for the separation, isolation, and identification of phytosterols was developed. A commercial phytosterols mixture, Generol 95S, was fractionated first by adsorption silica gel column chromatography and then separated by means of a semipreparative reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography fitted with a Polaris C8-A column (250 mm x 10 mm i.d., 5 microm) using isocratic acetonitrile:2-propanol:water (2:1:1, v/v/v) as the mobile phase. Milligram scales of six individual phytosterols, including citrostadienol, campesterol, beta-sitosterol, Delta7-avenasterol, Delta7-campesterol, and Delta7-sitosterol, were obtained. Purities of these isolated sterols were 85-98%. Relative response factors (RRF) of these phytosterols were calculated against cholestanol as an authentic commercial standard. These RRF values were used to quantify by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) the phytosterols content in a reference material, oils, and chocolates.     

Selectivity of pesticides used on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) to Trichogramma pretiosum reared on two laboratory-reared hosts

The side-effects of pesticides (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and plant growth regulators) used on cotton were tested on adults and pupae of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley reared in the laboratory on two different hosts, the Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella Olivier) and the Mediterranean flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller)). The eggs of the host enclosing the parasitoid pupae received direct pesticide sprays, while the adults of the parasitoid were exposed to the pesticides through contact with residues on sprayed eggs offered to parasitism. Alpha-cypermethrin, carbosulfan, deltamethrin, endosulfan, profenofos and zeta-cypermethrin were highly noxious to the parasitoid, significantly reducing the percentage of emergence and parasitism of T. pretiosum developing in E. kuehniella or S. cerealella eggs. However, the pupal stage of the parasitoid developing in S. cerealella eggs was less susceptible to alpha-cypermethrin and deltamethrin. Lufenuron and metamidophos greatly reduced the percentage of adult emergence from eggs of both hosts, while novaluron only interfered on this variable when the wasps were developing in E. kuehniella eggs. However, lufenuron and monocrotophos had no effect on the parasitoid pupae of T. pretiosum developing in E. kuehniella eggs. Chlorfluazuron, diafenthiuron, diflubenzuron, fentin hydroxide, mepiquat chloride, novaluron, thiacloprid and triflumuron did not affect T. pretiosum emergence when eggs of S. cerealella enclosing pupae of the wasps were surface treated. The pesticides azoxystrobin, carbendazin + thiram, mepiquat chloride and novaluron had no effect on the ability of the wasps to parasitise E. kuehniella eggs. However, only mepiquat chloride did not affect the percentage of F1 wasps emerging from E. kuehniella eggs. The remaining pesticides moderately reduced the percentage of emergence and parasitism of the wasps when they had contact with the chemicals during their pupal or adult stage. Thus there were differences in pesticide toxicity according to the host used for parasitoid development. These differences were hypothesised to occur because of differences in egg morphology and parasitoid performance.