New ways and new hopes for IGR development

Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) represent advanced, bio-rational insecticides. This Special Issue reflects progress in IGR development that has been enabled by insight into the molecular principles of biosynthetic or hormone signaling pathways. The unifying principle is aiming at processes and molecular targets that are unique to arthropods and ideally to narrower insect taxa representing pests or disease vectors. While some strategies of obtaining the desired compounds for chemical intervention rely on rational, structure-based design or computational power, others exploit technologies allowing automated, high-throughput screening of large chemical libraries. All avenues leading to selective and environmentally safe pest control are valid as we face the imminent threat of the declining world insect population.     

Seasonal growth and diet of juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in demonstration channels and the main channel of the Waitaki River, New Zealand, 1982–1983

Abstract– Juvenile chinook salmon in the Waitaki River, New Zealand and demonstration channels, living at about 16°C, increased in length by 0.32 mm day⁻¹ between 4 November and 4 March. They gained weight quickly, accumulated large visceral fat deposits and had high conditions factors. At 1600 h, stomachs averaged half full. The number of prey tended to decline as the fish grew and consumed larger items. Initially the diet was based mainly on chironomid larvae, but by December it included a diversity of prey in more equal proportions. These included Deleatidium in the Waitaki; amphipods in the demonstration channels; various trichopterans, hemipterans, elmid beetles, zooplankton. terrestrial dipterans and a variety of other prey. There were significant differences between sites in numbers of prey consumed and these probably reflected differences in the benthos. Diets in the Waitaki differ from those in the Rakaia River and the food of juvenile salmon appears closely linked to the availability of a diverse range of possible prey.     

Effects of predator-induced visual and olfactory cues on 0+ perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) foraging behaviour

Abstract –  Foraging juvenile fish with relatively high food demands are usually vulnerable to various aquatic and avian predators. To compromise between foraging and antipredator activity, they need exact and reliable information about current predation risk. Among direct predator-induced cues, visual and olfactory signals are considered to be most important. Food intake rates and prey-size selectivity of laboratory-reared, naive young-of-the-year (YOY) perch, Perca fluviatilis , were studied in experiments with Daphnia magna of two size classes: 2.8 and 1.3 mm as prey and northern pike, Esox lucius , as predator. Neither total intake rate nor prey-size selectivity was modified by predator kairomones alone (water from an aquarium with a pike was pumped into the test aquaria) under daylight conditions. Visual presentation of pike reduced total food intake by perch. This effect was significantly more pronounced (synergistic) when visual and olfactory cues were presented simultaneously to foraging perch. Moreover, the combination of cues caused a significant shift in prey-size selection, expressed as a reduced proportion of large prey in the diet. Our observations demonstrate that predator-induced olfactory cues alone are less important modifiers of the feeding behaviour of naive YOY perch than visual cues under daylight conditions. However, pike odour acts as a modulatory stimulus enhancing the effects of visual cues, which trigger an innate response in perch.     

Decreased transport of orally administered protein into the blood circulation of developing juveniles of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica

ABSTRACT: To clarify the quantitative changes in the transport of orally intubated protein into the blood circulation as macromolecules in development, immunoglobulin Y (IgY) extracted from chicken eggs was administered orally to juvenile Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica . For the first experiment, which was performed before the commencement of artificial feeding, the oral delivery of 2.0 μg/0.1 g bodyweight of IgY resulted in a rapid increase in plasma IgY to a maximum of 2.30 μg/mL. However, the transport of IgY into the blood decreased significantly in the experiments that followed, which were performed after 12, 25 and 42 days. During this period, bodyweight increased approximately by a factor of eight, and rapid growth of the stomach was observed histologically. Possible contributions for the development of the alimentary canal to the diminishment of intestinal protein assimilation are discussed.     

Resistance to Leveillula taurica in the genus Capsicum

One hundred and sixty-two Capsicum genotypes were evaluated for powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica) resistance, following inoculations with a suspension of 5 × 10⁴ conidia mL⁻¹ on 10-leaved to 12-leaved plants. Genotypes were graded into five resistance classes, based on the areas under the disease progress curves calculated from disease incidence (percentage infected leaves per plant) and severity (total number of colonies per plant). Results revealed a continuum from resistance to susceptibility, with the majority (70%) of C. annuum materials being classified as moderately to highly susceptible to L. taurica. Conversely, C. baccatum, C. chinense and C. frutescens were most often resistant, indicating that resistance to L. taurica among Capsicum species is found mainly outside the C. annuum taxon. Nevertheless, some resistant C. annuum material was identified that may be useful for resistance breeding. Eight genotypes were identified as immune to the pathogen: H-V-12 and 4638 (previously reported), and CNPH 36, 38, 50, 52, 279 and 288. Only H-V-12 and 4638 are C. annuum, while all others belong to the C. baccatum taxon. Latent period of disease on a set of commercial sweet pepper genotypes varied, indicating diverse levels of polygenic resistance. The latent period progressively reduced with plant maturity, from 14·3 days in plants at the mid-vegetative stage to 8·6 days in plants at the fruiting stage. Young plants of all commercial genotypes tested at the early vegetative stage were immune, irrespective of the reaction of the genotype at later stages, demonstrating widespread juvenile resistance to L. taurica in the Capsicum germplasm. Inoculation of plants of different botanical taxa with a local isolate indicated a wide host range. Some hosts, including tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), artichoke (Cynara scolymus) and poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), produced large amounts of secondary inoculum. Other hosts included okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), eggplant (Solanum melongena), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), Solanum gilo, Chenopodium ambrosioides and Nicandra physaloides.     

Aerial seed germination and morphological characteristics of juvenile seedlings in Commelina benghalensis L.

Seed germination, seedling emergence, and the morphological characteristics of juvenile seedlings of Commelina benghalensis L. were observed. For aerial seeds collected in September and October, seedling emergence peaked in April and June for large seeds and from June to August for small seeds, whereas seedling emergence for large seeds collected in November showed peaks in March and April under natural rainfall conditions, and in April and June under irrigation conditions. Seedlings from small seeds emerged intermittently over a longer period from April to August under both conditions. Aerial seeds of C. benghalensis germinated on wet filter paper on the second day after seeding (DAS) for large seeds and the fourth DAS for small seeds. The germination percentage for large seeds was higher than that for small seeds by the 14th DAS. The germination percentage for large aerial seeds showed no significant difference between light and dark conditions. However, the percentage for small aerial seeds was higher under light than under dark conditions. Seedlings from large aerial seeds emerged on the third DAS at 0–50 mm soil depths. The percentage of emergence at 0 and 1 mm soil depths increased until the 30th DAS, whereas those at soil depths of 5–50 mm showed no change after the 9th DAS. There was no emergence at a soil depth of 100 mm. Seedlings from small aerial seeds emerged on the 6th DAS at 0–1 mm soil depths, with the percentage increasing until the 30th DAS. Although seedlings at 5 and 10 mm soil depths also emerged on the 6th DAS, there was no change in the percentage after the 12th DAS. There was no emergence at soil depths of 20–100 mm. The hypocotyl and taenia (part of the cotyledon connected to the seed) in juvenile seedlings that emerged from soil depths of 50 mm were longer than those in seedlings emerging from a soil depth of 1 mm.     

Some behavioural and ecological factors affecting distribution,biomass and production of juvenile Atlantic salmon

Observations were made in an experimental stream tank (total area 14.7 m²) on juvenile Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L (parr), relating experimental observations to field observations, including the reported diurnal fasting behaviour of juvenile salmon at water temperatures <10 °C. Densities in the tank ranged from five to twenty parr, at water temperatures ranging from 4.6 °C to 15.8 °C. The wide channel of the stream tank, with mean water velocity of 18.8 cm·s^?1, was the preferred section, where territorial behaviour was observed. Biomass was regulated in the wide channel by territorial mosaics or by dominance hierarchies. Dominance hierarchies were reflected in coloration of the fish. Dominant salmon were generally in the wide channel. Densities of salmon parr (of mean fork length 10.2 cm) in the channel ranged from 0.84 m^?2 to 1.73 m^?2, with an average biomass of 14.2 g·m^?2. Growth was least at the 5.9 °C temperature treatment. In experiments at temperatures below 10 °C, feeding, dominance hierarchy and territorial behaviour were observed in daylight hours, contrary to the published literature. Interactions with other species may affect behaviour. Some observations were made on a closely related species, brown trout (Salmo trutta L.), a commonly cohabiting species in many systems. Trout displaced salmon from their preferred locations in the tank and were more aggressive than the salmon, reducing agonistic behaviour by the salmon. The commonest agonistic act shown by salmon was ‘charge’ and that by the trout was ‘approach’. Some field observations affecting behaviour and production are discussed.     

Potential for reintroduction of lake sturgeon in five northern Lake Michigan tributaries: a habitat suitability perspective

• 1. Conservation and rehabilitation efforts for lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens throughout the Great Lakes include the re‐establishment of self‐sustaining stocks in systems where they have been extirpated.
• 2. Information on the suitability of potential lake sturgeon habitat in tributaries is important for determining their capacity to support lake sturgeon stocking and to develop system‐specific rehabilitation strategies.
• 3. Geo‐referenced habitat information characterizing substrate composition, water depth, and stream gradient were applied to a life‐stage specific lake sturgeon habitat suitability index in a geographic information system to produce spatially explicit models of life‐stage specific habitat characteristics in five northern Lake Michigan tributaries from which lake sturgeon have been extirpated.
• 4. Habitat models indicated that high quality lake sturgeon spawning and staging habitat comprised 0 to 23% and 0 to 9% of the available habitat, respectively, whereas high quality juvenile lake sturgeon habitat was relatively ubiquitous throughout each river and comprised 39 to 99%.
• 5. Comparison of these data to lake sturgeon habitat availability in Lake Michigan tributaries currently supporting populations indicated that spawning and staging habitats may limit the ability of these systems to support spawning. Efforts to re‐establish lake sturgeon populations in these systems should consider the creation of spawning and staging habitat to increase reproductive and recruitment potential prior to the initiation of stocking efforts.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of density on growth and survival of juvenile Red Swamp Crayfish, Procambarus clarkii (Girard), reared under laboratory conditions

The aim of this study was to quantify the importance of population density on the growth and survival of juvenile red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii (Girard), and to understand the effects of density on both the period between moults and the increment per moult at high densities without food limitation. A laboratory experiment was performed to determine growth and survival of juvenile crayfish at five densities (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 crayfish m^?2). Density clearly affected crayfish growth. The impact of density on final weight was higher than on total length increase, growth rate and final length (FL) (by decreasing order of effect). When comparing minimum and maximum densities, we observed that FL suffered a 34% reduction. Number of moults, mean intermoult period (IP) and survival were not significantly affected by density. Our results indicated that the IP and the percentage of increment per moult are affected by the size of crayfish before moult and we provide equations for these relations. Our findings are relevant both for crayfish aquaculture management and for the management of wild or harvested rice‐field crayfish populations.