The pomegranate butterfly Deudorix livia (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): an emerging pest on dates in Tunisia

The pomegranate butterfly Deudorix (=Virachola) livia Klug 1834 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) was encountered for the first time infesting dates (Phoenix dactylifera, variety Deglet Nour) in the oasis of Gafsa, Southern Tunisia in September 2011. Larvae of D. livia only caused damage on date fruits at the phenological stages kimiri (green fruits) and khalal (yellow fruits). The average infestation rate of dates was 10%. In addition, 7.1% of the infested fruits dropped to the ground. Damage caused by this insect on dates is described, the current situation in Tunisia is provided and possible control methods in Tunisia are briefly discussed. Although this pest has previously been reported in Tunisia on pomegranate this is the first report of D. livia on dates in the country.     

Comparative study of 2 protection strategies against Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) in late open field tomato crops in Tunisia

A comparative study of 2 protection strategies against Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) in open field tomato crops was performed. The first strategy used Integrated Pest Management (IPM) through mass trapping, release of Nesidiocoris tenuis and rational use of compatible insecticides. The second strategy was based on conventional use of synthetic insecticides (9 treatments). This study revealed at the end of the culture a 20% infestation rate of leaves in the IPM cropping system versus 98% in the conventional cropping system. The infestation rate of fruit was 18.2% in the IPM cropping system versus 46.8% with the conventional one.     

Experimental contact transmission of contagious pleuropneumonia of goats (Abu Nini) in the Sudan

Pleuropneumonia was induced in goats by inoculation of mycoplasma strain ... SGP1 (F38 type) and spread readily from them to in-contact goats which in turn passed it to other in-contact goats. This emphasises the similarity between the experimentally produced disease and classical contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) thus supporting the view that SGP1 has an aetiological role in CCPP in the field.