Effects of natural pyrethrum and synthetic pyrethroids on the tiger mosquito,Aedes albopictus (skuse) and non-target flower-visiting insects in urban green areas of Padua,Italy

Abstract

The tiger mosquito is a key vector of several human diseases and is considered a public health concern worldwide. The implementation of strategies aimed at maximizing mosquito control without affecting non-target insect groups is of major importance. In a field trial, we tested the efficiency of a natural pyrethrum-based vs. a synthetic pyrethroid-based insecticide in reducing tiger mosquito population and how they affect the diversity of non-target flower-visiting insects in green urban areas. Only the pyrethroid insecticide was effective in reducing mosquito abundance, although its effects disappeared nine days after application. The two adulticides did not significantly affect the diversity of flower-visiting insects, probably because of their large body size and the difference in flying and foraging activity. To effectively control mosquito populations while preventing intoxication of non-target flower-visiting insects, adulticide applications should be applied early in the morning and only on bushes and trees. Results from our small-scale applications cannot be extrapolate when larger areas are treated.     

三阶时滞泛函微分方程解的渐近性

本文讨论一类三阶时滞泛函微分方程解的渐近性质,给出了若干解的有界性及解趋于零的判定准则.     

Dynamics ofRhizoctonia solani (black scurf) in successive potato crops

The position of plants withRhizoctonia solani sclerotia (black scurf) on progeny tubers was mapped for an experimental field at Haren where potatoes were grown continuously and in rotation with other crops for five successive years, and for another field at Borgercompagnie with a 12 frequency of potatoes during three potato crops. Initially, the distribution of plants with black scurf on both fields was rather dense and homogeneous. In the following years the distribution became heterogeneous and patchy. The local decline ofR. solani AG 3 (the common potato pathogen) in Haren was apparently caused by an unknown factor selectively suppressingR. solani AG 3, while simultaneouslyR. solani AG 5 increased in mass. This AG 5 type proved to be an inferior competitor of AG 3 on the potato plant in a laboratory experiment. The specificR. solani antagonistVerticillium biguttatum did not play a role. A similar factor could have reduced the formation of black scurf in the experimental field at Borgercompagnie, whereV. biguttatum was also too infrequent to account for the decline.R. solani AG 5 was not present here and could not indicate the presence of a selective factor against AG 3.     

玫瑰、月季、蔷薇等蔷薇属植物RAPD分析

 对蔷薇属的玫瑰、月季、蔷薇3 个种的15 个品种进行RAPD 分析, 16 个引物对受试品种PCR扩增共获得202 条谱带, 其中123 条(60. 9 %) 表现多态性。利用UPGAMA 法构建分子系统进化树, 以相似性系数0. 5 为阈值, 玫瑰与月季为一个聚类组, 蔷薇为另一个聚类组; 以相似性系数0. 6 为阈值, 4个蔷薇品种分为4 个不同的聚类组, 5 个月季品种为一个聚类组, 5 个玫瑰品种为一个聚类组, 平阴紫枝玫瑰单独为一个聚类组, 表明玫瑰与月季的亲缘关系较近, 两者与蔷薇的亲缘关系较远。     

十五种柑桔种质资源的RAPD分析

对柑桔15个材料（其中包含14个种，1个为品种）进行了RAPD分析，从结果看，各材料之间具有不同的遗传距离，供试材料聚为8个类群，分别为柠檬，柠檬群；香橼，小香橼群；柚，红心柚群；宜昌橙，香圆群；香橙，大翼橙群；红桔，温州蜜柑群；枳登，富民枳群；枳群。采用RAPD技术可作为品种鉴别，亲缘关系和分类的手段。对所得结果进行了讨论。     

Single step genomic evaluation for female fertility in Nordic Red dairy cattle

Joint Nordic (Denmark, Finland, Sweden) genetic evaluation of female fertility is currently based on the multiple trait multilactation animal model (BLUP). Here, single step genomic model (ssGBLUP) was applied for the Nordic Red dairy cattle fertility evaluation. The 11 traits comprised of nonreturn rate and days from first to last insemination in heifers and first three parities, and days from calving to first insemination in the first three parities. Traits had low heritabilities (0.015–0.04), but moderately high genetic correlations between the parities (0.60–0.88). Phenotypic data included 4,226,715 animals with records and pedigree 5,445,392 animals. Unknown parents were assigned into 332 phantom parent groups (PPG). In mixed model equations animals were associated with PPG effects through the pedigree or both the pedigree and genomic information. Genotype information of 46,914 SNPs was available for 33,969 animals in the pedigree. When PPG used pedigree information only, BLUP converged after 2,420 iterations whereas the ssGBLUP evaluation needed over ten thousand iterations. When the PPG effects were solved accounting both the pedigree and the genomic information, the ssGBLUP model converged after 2,406 iterations. Also, with the latter model breeding values by ssGBLUP and BLUP became more consistent and genetic trends followed each other well. Models were validated using forward prediction of the young bulls. Reliabilities and variance inflation of predicted genomic breeding values (values for parent averages in brackets) for the 11 traits ranged 0.22–0.31 (0.10–0.27) and 0.81–0.95 (0.83–1.06), respectively. The ssGBLUP model gave always higher validation reliabilities than BLUP, but largest increases were for the cow fertility traits.