Responding to Economic Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa: New Farmer-Developed Pest Management Strategies in Cocoa-Based Plantations in Southern Cameroon

Cocoa is a key or source of income and poverty reduction in the humid forest of Southern Cameroon. Cameroon like other African countries went through a major economic crisis in the early 1980s with a decline in international commodity prices and significant changes in macroeconomic policies. Structural adjustment reforms following the economic crisis led to removal of fertilizers and pesticides subsidies, cocoa price liberalization and the overall withdraw of Government interventions from the cocoa sub-sector. Cocoa input price increases have been compounded by the devaluation of the CFA Franc, which doubled the prices of the imported pesticides which were considered key to the control of cocoa pests. This overall economic shock led to changes in cocoa producer's production decisions as a response to minimize cost. Among the changes the use of alternatives to imported chemicals for cocoa pest control. Farmers responded to the high prices of pesticides by developing, from local botanical knowledge and pest management strategies, which include plant extracts and plant extracts mixed with pesticides at different proportions. This is a major decision given the importance of imported chemical in the cost of production of cocoa. Valuable indigenous knowledge from farmers could be used also as an effective support system for communicating and diffusing modern knowledge and technologies to farmers. The paper describes the farmer knowledge-based alternatives to chemical pesticides for pest control in cocoa fields as a response to high pest control costs. Pest management specialists are urged to take advantage of this shift in practice and assess their effectiveness for further use. Two sets of questions are posed: (1) were the conventional insecticides, with all their problems, really necessary? and (2) are the materials derived from locally grown plants effective pest management agents or are they, in some way, placebos?     

农作物病虫预报可视化发展与应用前景

农作物病虫预报可视化具有形象生动、信息传递快捷、覆盖面广等优点,是更好发挥预报作用的最佳方式。大范围实施这种预报发布形式的条件,目前已基本成熟,经过努力,必然会在不长的时间内取得长足进展。     

大白菜子叶离体培养再生植株

 探讨了植物激素、AgNO₃ 和琼脂浓度对大白菜子叶培养芽再生和植株再生的影响。结果表明:优化培养基条件为MS 培养基中加入5 mg / L BA、0. 5 mg/ L NAA、2 mg/ L AgNO₃ 和1. 2%~ 1. 6 %琼脂。培养过程中, 子叶的乙烯释放量对芽再生起很重要的作用, 具有高芽再生率的基因型或高浓度琼脂的培养条件下, 子叶产生的乙烯量较少。培养基中有AgNO₃ 存在时, 尽管子叶的乙烯释放量增加, 芽再生率也有提高。对子叶的乙烯释放量和不定芽再生的关系进行了讨论。     

培养条件对酸枣叶片不定梢再生率的影响

以酸枣无菌苗叶片为外植体,选用基本培养基ＮＮ６９和ＷＰＭ,外源激素包括ＴＤＺ、ＩＡＡ、ＩＢＡ和ＮＡＡ,暗培养时间为２、３、４周。采用正交实验设计方法,研究了基本培养基、外源激素及暗培养时间对叶片不定梢再生的影响。结果表明在附加ＴＤＺ１~３ｍｇ/Ｌ的ＷＰＭ和ＮＮ６９上都可诱导不定梢再生,但ＷＰＭ比ＮＮ６９更有效。暗培养时间对不定梢再生也有影响,暗培养３周比２、４周更有利于提高叶片的不定梢再生率。在附加ＴＤＺ１ｍｇ/Ｌ、ＩＡＡ０．１ｍｇ/Ｌ的ＷＰＭ培养基上,暗培养３周后转到光下培养,获得的不定梢再生率达８７．５%。     

早熟春大白菜新品种三园春皇的选育

从北京、天津引进的大白菜品种中选育出两个自交不亲和系 90 2和 90 7,继而配制成春大白菜一代杂种三园春皇。该品种早熟 ,生长期 6 0～ 6 5d(天 ) ;一般 6 6 7m2 产量 40 0 0～ 6 0 0 0kg ,比对照鲁春白 1号增产16 % ;抗病毒病和霜霉病 ,对软腐病的抗性与对照相近 ;叶球橄榄形 ,质地脆嫩 ,品质优良。单球质量 2～ 2 .5kg     

Effect of Jiawei Sini Decoction on glucocorticoid receptor in thymocytes of chronic psychological stress rats

AIM: To observe the effect of Jiawei Sini Decoction (JWSND) on glucocorticoid receptor (GCR) in thymocytes of chronic psychological stress rats. METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, control group (C), model group (M), group treated by JWSND C₁, group treated by ginsenosides C₂. The number of thymocyte GCR sites and the GCR nuclear thanslocation rate were detected by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, in the model group, the thymocyte weight index lowered significantly ( P<0.05 ), and the GCR nuclear thanslocation rate was increased significantly ( P<0.01 ), but the number of thymocyte GCR sites was unchanged. Compared with the model group, thymus gland weight indexes of C₁ and C₂ were increased significantly ( P<0.05 ), while the GCR nuclear thanslocation rate lowered significantly ( P<0.01 ). Moreover, no significant difference was found in all indexes between C₁ and control group. CONCLUSION: The inhibitory effect of glucocorticoid on the thymus could be significantly reversed by JWSND via suppressing the thanslocation of GCR from cytoplasm to nucleus in chronic psychological stress rats.     

Effects of Taoren Honghua Jian on the hyperlipidemia without symptom

AIM: To examine the effect of traditional chinese medicine recipe, Taoren Honghua(semen persicae-flos carthami) decoction, on hyperlipidemia without symptom. METHODS: The plasma TC, TG, LDL, HDL, apolipoprotein(Apo) A, Apo Bof the patients with hyperlipidemia without symptom were measured using automatic analyzer (shimadiu CL-7200), the production of nitric oxide(NO) was detected by Greiss reaction, and SODactivity and MDAformation were examined using o-trihydroxy benzene and barbituric methotheds, respectively. RESULTS: After oral administration of Taoren Honghua decoction, the plasma levels of TC, TG, LDL, and MDAof the patients were markedly decreased, however, the plasma levels of ApoA, HDL, SODand NOwere significantly increased and almost no change was detected in the plasma level of Apo B. In control group, it was found that although the plasma level of TC, TG and LDL were decreased ( P<0.05 ) and ApoAas well as HDLwere increased, ApoB, SOD, MDA and NO production were all unchanged. CONCLUSION: The traditional chinese medicine recipe, Taoren Honghua decoction,has a significant therapeutic effect on patients with hyperlipidemia by removing blood stasis, promoting qi circulation and in turn reducing blood lipid level.     

甲胺磷对褐飞虱酯酶时序变化的影响

褐飞虱经甲胺磷处理后 ,酯酶活性首先表现为受到抑制 ,然后上升 ,到达最大值后再下降并停留在一个相对对照较高的水平。在 1次处理的基础上 ,第 3天和第 7天再次处理 ,酯酶的变化进程与 1次处理相同 ,但最后的停留水平均高于 1次处理 ,分别为 1次处理的 1.35倍和 1.63倍左右。敏感性测定同样表明再次处理可以导致敏感性进一步下降 ,第 3天和第 7天再次处理 ,敏感性分别比 1次处理下降了0.35 1、0.696倍。     

笋用竹害虫天敌资源研究

本文报道了浙江省笋用竹害虫天敌资源调查的结果，共查明天敌资源44种，经鉴定属于螳螂目1科2种，半翅目1科2种，蛇蛉目1科1种，脉翅目1科2种，鞘翅目2科9种，双翅目2科2种，膜翅目9科22种；蛛形纲蜱螨目1科1种，蜘蛛目3科3种，指出了天敌的寄主和分布。     

磷化氢熏蒸处理对嗜卷书虱不同虫态的致死作用

实验室条件下系统研究了磷化氢(PH3)对储物害虫嗜卷书虱Liposcelis bostrychophila卵、各龄若虫和成虫的致死作用,并选用PH3间歇熏蒸以及PH3与气调交替处理等措施对嗜卷书虱进行处理,比较了不同处理措施对嗜卷书虱种群的控制效果。结果表明,PH3熏蒸处理对嗜卷书虱各虫态有不同的致死效果。对卵而言,24、72和120 h熏蒸处理的LC50分别为0.137、0.045和0.035 mg/L;而24 h熏蒸处理对若虫的LC50在4.285~7.364 μg/L之间,对成虫的LC50为20.404 μg/L;采用25 μg/L的PH3进行24 h熏蒸处理,间隔10 d后再分别进行第2次和第3次熏蒸处理,可以完全控制嗜卷书虱的发生。采用PH3 (12 μg/L)和气调(体积比例为35% CO2,1% O2,64% N2)交替处理能够延缓嗜卷书虱种群抗性的发展,交替处理3~5次可以完全控制嗜卷书虱的发生。