Effects of chlordimeform on mitochondria from eggs of Spodoptera littoralis

Mitochondria were isolated from eggs of Spodoptera littoralis. With succinate (+pyruvate) as substrate, respiratory control ratios between 1.70 and 2.54 were obtained. Uncouplers and the energy transfer inhibitor oligomycin influenced these mitochondria in the well-known manner. The uncoupling activity of chlordimeform in vitro was very weak and decreased with increasing age of the eggs. Electron transport in mitochondria from chlordimeform-treated eggs was not uncoupled. Therefore, it is concluded that the ovicidal effect of this pesticide is not due to its uncoupling effect.     

Relative persistence of di-and tri-chlorophenoxyalkanoic acid herbicides in Saskatchewan soils

The persistence of 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, dichlorprop, 2,4,5-T, and fenoprop at the 2 ppm level was studied in the laboratory on three prairie soils at 85% of field capacity and 20°C. Following extraction of the soils with aqueous acetonitrile containing acetic acid, the herbicidal acids remaining were analysed gas chromatographically. Breakdown was rapid on all soils and the average half-lives for 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, dichloroprop, 2,4,5-T, and fenoprop were < 7, < 7, 10, 12, and 12 days respectively. Degradation on air-dried soils (15% of field capacity) was negligible with over 85% of the applied herbicides being recoverable after incubation periods during which the herbicides remaining in the moist soils accounted for less than 30% of the original treatments. Persistance relative des acides di et tri-chlorophénoxy-alkanoï-ques herbicides dans des sols du Saskatchewan. La persistance du 2,4-D, du 2,4-DB, du dichlorprop, du 2,4,5-T et du fénoprop, à la concentration de 2 ppm, a étéétudiée au laboratorire, sur trois sols de prairie, a 85% de la capacité au champ et a 20°C. Après leur extraction des sols par l'acétonitrile aqueux contenant de l'acide acétique, les acides herbicides restants ont été analysés par chromatographie en phase gaseuse. La dégradation a été rapide pour tous les sols et les demi-vies moyennes du 2,4-D, du 2,4-DB, du dichlorprop, du 2,4,5-T, et du fénoprop ont été respectivement de <7, <7, 10, 12 et 12 jours. La dégradation sur des sols séchés a l'air (15% de la capacité au champ), a été négligeable, plus de 85% des quantités d'herbicides appliquées étant récupérables après des périodes d'incubation durant lesquelles les herbicides restant dans les sols humides ne représentaient plus que moins de 30% des quantités apportées à l'origine. Relative Persistenz von Di-und Trichlorphenoxyalkansäure-Her-biziden in Böden Saskatchewan In Laborversuchen wurde die Persistenz von 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, Dichlorprop, 2,4,5-T und Fenoprop in drei Prärieböden festgestellt. Die Versuche wurden bei 20°C, 85 % der Feldkapazität und einem anfänglichen Herbizidgehalt der Böden von 2 ppm durchgeführt. Die Extraktion der Böden erfolgte mit wässerigem Acetonitril mit einem geringen Anteil an Essigsäure. Die Herbizide wurden gaschromatographisch nachgewiesen. In allen Böden wurde ein schneller Abbau festgestellt. Die Halbwertszeiten betrugen für 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, Dichlorprop, 2,4,5-T und Fenoprop < 7, < 7,10, 12 bzw. 12Tage. Der Abbau im lufttrockenen Boden (15% der Feldkapazität) war zu vernachlässigen. Hier waren noch mehr als 85% der ausgebrachten Herbizidmenge vorhanden, wenn in den feuchten Böden die Konzentration bereits weniger als 30% betrug.     

An Evaluation of the USDA Preshipment Clearance Program for Propagative Material1)

One of the programs utilized by PPQ-APHIS-USDA2) to prevent the introduction of hazardous pests and pathogens is known as preclearance. Preclearance relies more on inspection at origin than it does on inspection upon arrival or entry into the United States. Two such programs have been developed by PPQ for plant materials. One, established in 1951, is for bulbs, while the other, established in 1975, is for a few ornamental crops. The USDA, in co-operation with the Plant Protection Services of the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Fed. Rep. of Germany, Israel and South Africa, has been performing preclearance for bulbous plant propagative materials. Flower bulbs are being precleared in all of the above countries at the request of the exporter's groups of the respective countries. The objective of this clearance is to facilitate the entry of this material, reduce the chances of introducing plant pests and diseases into the United States, and save APHIS manpower at US ports of entry. This is achieved by having USDA personnel working cooperatively with foreign plant protection services in the inspection of material in the field and packing houses in the country of origin. Detection and elimination of plant pests and diseases is a co-operative effort for mutual benefit of both parties.     

Nerine latent virus: some properties and serological detectability in Nerine bowdenii

Nerine latent virus (NeLV), first found inNerine bowdenii, may occur also in the otherNerine species investigated so far:N. sarniensis, N. flexuosa Alba, andN. Mansellii. Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa, andGomphrena globosa sometimes reacted with local lesions after mechanical inoculation with NeLV.Nicotiana clevelandii andHippeastrum were symptomless hosts. In this respect NeLV resembled the incompletely describedHippeastrum latent virus (HLV).Serologically NeLV was closely related to HLV and to carnation latent virus (CaLV), but differed from the latter in host plant reaction. A more distant relationship was observed with some other carlaviruses, wheareas NeLV also reacted with an antiserum to potato virus X.Depending on the lot, NeLV could be detected rather reliably with the micro-precipitin test inN. bowdenii Van Roon, but less well in 63. Better results were obtained with the microplate method of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The average particle length was 664 nm, the sedimentation coefficient 155 S and the buoyant density 1.298 g/cm³.NeLV can be considered as a member of the carlavirus group. On basis of priority HLV may be considered as NeLV.     

Differentiation of strains of bean common mosaic virus

Pathogenicity and symptom expression of seventeen described isolates of bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) and five previously unreported isolates were compared on many bean cultivars (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). From these cultivars, a standard set of differentials were assigned to nine groups with different disease reactions. The twenty-two virus isolates comprised seven strain (pathotype) groups, three of which were divided into two subgroups each. To promote international standardization in BCMV research, recommendations are given for test conditions and procedures, criteria for strain differentiation, and maintenance of differential cultivars and virus strains.Samenvatting Zeventien beschreven stammen van het bonerolmozaïekvirus en vijf niet geïdentificeerde isolaten (Tabel 1) werden bestudeerd op een uitgebreide reeks van toetsrassen. De meeste van deze toetsrassen waren in de literatuur als zodanig vermeld, maar door de desbetreffende onderzoekers waren vaak verschillende series toetsrassen gebruikt, hetgeen de onderlinge vergelijking van de stammen bemoeilijkte.De bedoeling van dit onderzoek was: vergelijking en indeling van de virusstammen, samenstelling van een standaard-toetsrassenserie en het ontwerpen en beschrijven van werden zowel in Wageningen als in Prosser, Washington, USA, uitgevoerd met dezelfde virusisolaten en dezelfde zaadmonsters van de toetsrassen.De toetsrassen konden op grond van hun differentiële reacties na inoculatie met de virusstammen worden ingedeeld in negen groepen. De rassen binnen een groep hebben hetzelfde resistentiespectrum t.o.v. een standaardserie virusstammen. Uit elke groep werden op grond van hun geschiktheid (duidelijkheid en reproduceerbaarheid van de symptomen) één of meer vertegenwoordigers gekozen, waaruit een standaardserie van toetsrassen werd samengesteld (Tabel 2).De 22 stammen en isolaten werden op grond van hun pathogeniteitsspectrum t.o.v. de standaardserie van toetsrassen ingedeeld in tien groepen en subgroepen (Tabel 1). De stammen en isolaten binnen een groep of subgroep hebben eenzelfde pathogeniteitsspectrum (Tabellen 4 en 6) en worden op grond daarvan als identiek beschouwd. De differentiële reacties tussen de rassen van de standaardserie en de virusstammen en-isolaten zijn vermeld in de Tabellen 3 en 5. Voorgesteld wordt om de naam van de eerstbeschreven stam van iedere groep te handhaven en de andere stammen in een groep of subgroep op te vatten als isolaten daarvan.De toetsmethodiek wordt uitvoerig beschreven om standaardisatie van de stammenidentificatie te bevorderen. Ter verklaring van de in de literatuur gevonden tegenstrijdigheden in de differentiële reactie van de toetsrassen wordt een negental mogelijke oorzaken genoemd, o.a. het gebruik van planten van toetsrassen die reeds vanuit zaad met een onbekende stam waren besmet en het gebruik van onzuivere virusstammen (mengisolaten).De auteurs stellen zich verantwoordelijk voor het distribueren (op aanvraag) van kleine zaadhoeveelheden van de toetsrassen en, op beperkte schaal, van in zaad aanwezige zuivere virusstammen aan onderzoekers die betrokken zijn bij de identificatie van de stammen van dit virus. Bovendien zal zaad van de standaardserie van toetsrassen worden gedeponeerd in het National Seed Storage Laboratory te Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, terwijl de virusstammen (in zaad) in bewaring worden gegeven bij de American Type Culture Collection te Rockville, Maryland, USA, waar ze beschikbaar zullen blijven voor verder onderzoek.     

Studies on the chiral isomers of fonofos and fonofos oxon: II. In vitro metabolism

The in vitro metabolism of the chiral isomers of fonofos and fonofos oxon in the presence of mouse liver mixed-function oxidase and serum esterase was investigated. The metabolism of ³⁵S-labeled phenyl-(S)_P-fonofos mediated by mixed-function oxidase took place stereoselectively, resulting predominantly in (R)_P-fonofos oxon. Similarly, (R)_P-fonofos was converted to (S)_P-oxon. In each case, however, a significant amount of racemization occurred. Other products were diphenyl disulfide and diphenyl disulfide oxide. In addition to stereospecificity, the oxidative metabolism of (R)_P-fonofos proceeded at a rate faster than that of (S)_P-fonofos. Stereoselective rate differences also were observed in mouse or rat serum-catalzyed degradation of the fonofos oxon enantiomers, the (S)_P isomer being degraded about twofold faster than its enantiomer. The differences in toxicities of the isomers of fonofos and fonofos oxon were consistent with the in vitro metabolism data.     

In vitro effects of DDT analogs on trout brain Mg2+-ATPases: Inhibition kinetics

A continuous in vitro steady-state assay procedure was used to investigate the dependence of trout brain mitochondrial Mg²⁺-stimulated adenosinetriphosphatase specific activity on temperature and substrate concentration. The inhibition of enzyme activity by DDT was independent of substrate concentration. DDT and several analogs caused increases in the experimental activation energy and frequency factor of the enzyme-catalyzed reaction, which gave rise to a negative temperature coefficient of inhibition. It is suggested that DDT and other highly lipophilic compounds have the potential to allosterically affect membrane-bound enzymes by simply becoming a major lipoid component of the membranes.     

A study of liver function in rats with mirex-induced enlarged livers

The functional capacity of a mirex-induced, enlarged liver was studied in rats. The tests used were sulfobromophthalein clearance, hepatic cytochrome P-450 concentration, serum total protein concentration and electrophoretic pattern, serum total lipid concentration, serum glucose concentration, and the liver response to epinephrine. There was no indication of a loss of functional capacity in the enlarged liver. Sulfobromophthalein clearance and microsomal cytochrome P-450 concentration indicated an increase in total liver functional capacity. We conclude that mirex is not a direct hepatotoxin producing generalized parenchymal cell damage.     

Herbicidal interference with the photochemical activities of chloroplasts (in vivo and in vitro) of certain crop and weed species

The independent modes of action of diuron and atrazine on the photochemical activities of chloroplasts (In vivo and in vitro) from the leaves of crop plants Pisum sativum and Pennisetum typhoides and the weeds Amaranthus viridis and Cyperus rotundus were investigated. Hill reaction activity (DCPIP photoreduction) of in vivo chloroplasts (chloroplasts isolated from herbicide-sprayed plants) was unaffected by treatment at sublethal or intermediate levels of diuron or atrazine while that of in vitro chloroplasts (chloroplasts incubated in the required herbicidal concentration) was severely inhibited. The ferricyanide catalyzed noncyclic photophosphorylation was markedly reduced in both the in vivo and in vitro chloroplast systems. N-Methyl phenozonium sulfate (PMS)-mediated cyclic photophosphorylation was inhibited in the in vivo system while a pronounced enhancement of activity was noticed in the in vitro chloroplasts. The rate of NADP⁺ photoreduction was severely inhibited in the in vitro chloroplasts. The unaffected in the in vivo system. The herbicidal effects on the photoreactions of isolated chloroplasts were compared with chloroplasts isolated from herbicide-sprayed plants.