Accumulation of malathion residues in grain stored on malathion-treated wood surfaces

Laboratory studies were conducted to determine whether insecticides applied to storage structures are able to move past a single layer of grain kernels to give adequate control of stored-grain insects. The extent of uptake of insecticides was assessed on three layers of wheat in contact with wood surfaces treated with malathion 836 g litre^?1 e.c. at 1–0 g a.i. m^?2 using chemical and biological methods at predetermined time intervals. There was a progressive uptake of malathion beyond the layer directly in contact with the treated surfaces and the uptake depended on the duration of storage. After 8 weeks a sufficient amount of malathion accumulated on the top layer of grain kernels to cause 100% mortality of adult Tribolium castaneum (Herbst).     

Effects of seasonal and environmental changes on aquaculture production in tropical Lake Volta,Ghana

Globally, aquaculture production is faced with numerous challenges, notable among which is water quality. The study determined seasonal environmental changes in Lake Volta and its implications on cage production of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus in experimental and commercial farm (Sun Woo Farm) set-ups. For each set-up, three cages were used, each measuring 81 and 162.5 m³ for experimental and commercial, respectively. The cages were stocked with 22.5 g fingerlings at a rate of 40 and 80 m^?3 in experimental and commercial cages, respectively, and fed commercial diet. The growth performance, yield, economics, and selected water quality parameters were monitored during the dry and wet seasons between November 2014 and July 2015. There were no differences in water quality parameters between dry and wet seasons (p?>?0.05). Water quality for both seasons remained within limits required for good Tilapia growth in both set-ups. There were minimal variations in growth characteristics between seasons which were not significant; however, final mean weight and yields were high in the dry seasons in both set-ups. The cost of feed and fingerling accounting for about 80% of total costs were the major components identified to affect cost of production. A higher profit index and returns on investment were observed in the dry season in both set-ups and was linked to higher survival rates in the season. Production of Nile tilapia in cages can be cultured throughout the year without any adverse effects as exhibited in similar production patterns in both experimental and commercial set-ups.     

Comparative assessment of food web structure and fisheries productivity of three reservoirs in Ghana

Three Ghanaian reservoirs (Tono, Bontanga and Golinga) were compared through a food web modelling approach (Ecopath with Ecosim) to assess production characteristics and food web structures. The lakes differ in size and morphology, generating specific conditions for fish growth and production. While the two top fishery target species were Sarotherodon galilaeus (L.) and Oreochromis niloticus (L.) in all reservoirs, the mean trophic level of the catch was lowest in the largest and deepest reservoir (Tono) due to higher trophic level species occupying less accessible deep “refuge” habitats. The smallest lake had the highest fish production under optimal conditions of water supply (17.1 compared with 15.5 and 10.1 t/km²/year for lakes Bontanga and Tono), but it appears to be most vulnerable under conditions of drought. For the planning and construction of adequately sized reservoirs used for fishery and irrigation purposes, the water budget (ratio of inflow and evaporation) needs to be estimated.     

Effects of petroleum spray oils on oviposition behaviour and larval survival of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Ostrinia nubilalis Hubner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

We determined the effects of petroleum spray oil (PSO) (Caltex Canopy®) on oviposition responses of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner and Ostrinia nubilalis Hubner adults, and larval survival of the pest moths on cotton and maize plants in the laboratory. Application of 2% (v/v) of the PSO deterred H. armigera oviposition. Increasing the rate from 2 to 5% (v/v) did not significantly reduce the number of eggs laid by H. armigera on the treated plants. In contrast, the minimum rate at which the oil could deter oviposition of O. nubilalis on maize plants was 5% (v/v). Increasing the rate from 5 to 10% (v/v) did not significantly reduce the number of eggs laid per plant. However, a reduction in the rate of the PSO from 5 to 3% (v/v) resulted in a 73.9% increase in oviposition activity on the maize plants. In wind tunnel bioassay tests, all mated H. armigera females tested could detect and settle on plants treated with water but with plants treated with PSO at various times, only 50% of tested females settled on the plants 4?–?5 days after treatment (DAT) and none on the plants 0?–?2 DAT. A solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) test to determine the effect of the PSO on volatiles released by the cotton plants showed that the quantity of volatiles released by the cotton plants treated with PSO was lower than for water treated plants. This indicates that the PSO sprays may be suppressing or masking the leaf surface volatiles of the cotton plants, thereby deterring oviposition of H. armigera. Larval survival data show that PSO sprays can cause direct mortality of first, second and third instar O. nubilalis larvae. PSOs may have the potential to be integrated into pest management programme targeting H. armigera and O. nubilalis on cotton and maize crops, respectively.     

Development of an integrated pest management programme for cotton. Part 2: Integration of a lucerne/cotton interplant system,food supplement sprays with biological and synthetic insecticides

Part 1 of the paper showed that the integration of a lucerne/ cotton interplant system with supplementary food sprays retained and increased populations of predatory insects in the cotton crop. The strategic use of biopesticides (Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV)) reduced the use of synthetic insecticides by 50% without sacrificing cotton yield and profitability. In economic terms, the average gross margin for the IPM plot was A$3255 compared with A$3020 and A$3218 for the plots treated with (1) conventional insecticides on transgenic (Ingard®) cotton and (2) conventional insecticides on non-transgenic cotton. The use of transgenic cotton affected a 25% saving on synthetic insecticide usage. The results clearly indicate that a refined IPM approach could have a distinctive advantages in terms of economic and environmental impacts on cotton production. The success of such an approach lies in a strict adherence to its methodology.     

The efficacy of a petroleum spray oil against Aphis gossypii Glover on cotton. Part 1: mortality rates and sources of variation

Petroleum spray oils (PSOs) kill insect pests on contact, and the composition of modern PSOs is substantially different from the ones introduced earlier. The effects of direct application of a new nC24 PSO on the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, were therefore determined. This covered not only aphid mortality rates but also the way in which the oils affected aphid behaviour at the time of contact with the oil. Direct application of the nC24 oil proved to be highly effective in controlling A. gossypii at a range of concentrations between 1 and 10% v/v. The oil killed cotton aphids quickly, with most of the mortality occurring within the first 10 min of spraying. The fast killing action of the oils prevented any behavioural responses by the aphids. Aphids killed by the oils became flaccid and their legs and antennae extended horizontally relative to the body axis. With time, their cuticle became very shiny and began to darken. The quick death of the aphids suggested a contact mode of action of the oils, an interpretation supported by the lack of any negative effect on aphids not initially reached by the oils. However, those aphids not hit by the oils, but that subsequently encountered oil-treated areas when they moved elsewhere, also died, indicating that the oil deposits are also toxic to the aphids. The mode of action of the oil thus seems to be versatile, and the means by which it kills the aphids may be more complex than anoxia, which is the widely claimed mechanism attributed to PSOs. This oil now needs to be tested for any possible indirect effects on the cotton aphid (e.g. through its host-plant acceptance behaviour). The implications of the present findings for cotton aphid control and assessment of PSO efficacy in the field are discussed.     

Reciprocal rewards stabilize cooperation in the mycorrhizal symbiosis

Plants and their arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal symbionts interact in complex underground networks involving multiple partners. This increases the potential for exploitation and defection by individuals, raising the question of how partners maintain a fair, two-way transfer of resources. We manipulated cooperation in plants and fungal partners to show that plants can detect, discriminate, and reward the best fungal partners with more carbohydrates. In turn, their fungal partners enforce cooperation by increasing nutrient transfer only to those roots providing more carbohydrates. On the basis of these observations we conclude that, unlike many other mutualisms, the symbiont cannot be "enslaved." Rather, the mutualism is evolutionarily stable because control is bidirectional, and partners offering the best rate of exchange are rewarded.     

Determinants of cost inefficiency in poultry production: evidence from small-scale broiler farms in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

This paper examines the extent of cost inefficiency at 120 small-scale broiler farms in the Ashanti Region of Ghana by the use of stochastic frontier cost function, which incorporates cost inefficiency effects. Furthermore, farm-specific determinants that help explain why cost inefficiencies are different across broiler farms are identified. The findings confirm the presence of cost inefficiencies in small-scale broiler production in the area studied. Specifically, the results suggest that the broiler farms in question have the potential to reduce their production costs by 13.6% by being more efficient in cost management. The findings further indicate that experience in broiler production, an increase in farm size, veterinary contacts, use of self-prepared quality broiler feed, and membership in the Poultry Farmers’ Association (PFA) all help minimize cost inefficiency. On the other hand, the findings show that cost inefficiency appears to worsen with an increase in the market age of a farm’s broiler birds.