Changes in extreme high-temperature tolerance and activities of antioxidant enzymes of sacred lotus seeds

Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. ‘Tielian’) seed is long-lived and extremely tolerant of high temperature. Water content of lotus and maize seeds was 0.103 and 0.129 g H2O [g DW] ?1, respectively. Water content, germination percentage and fresh weight of seedlings produced by surviving seeds gradually decreased with increasing treatment time at 100℃. Germination percentage of maize (Zea mays L. ‘Huangbaogu’) seeds was zero after they were treated at 100℃ for 15 min and that of lotus seeds was 13.5% following the treatment at 100℃ for 24 h. The time in which 50% of lotus and maize seeds were killed by 100℃ was about 14.5 h and 6 min, respectively. With increasing treatment time at 100℃, relative electrolyte leakage of lotus axes increased significantly, and total chlorophyll content of lotus axes markedly decreased. When treatment time at 100℃ was less than 12 h, subcellular structure of lotus hypocotyls remained fully intact. When treatment time at 100℃ was more than 12 h, plasmoly-sis gradually occurred, endoplasmic reticulum became unclear, nuclei and nucleoli broke down, most of mitochondria swelled, lipid granules accumulated at the cell periphery, and organelles and plas-molemma collapsed. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content of lotus axes and cotyledons decreased during 0-12 h of the treatment at 100℃ and then increased. By contrast, the MDA content of maize embryos and endosperms increased during 5-10 min of the treatment at 100℃ and then decreased slightly. For lotus seeds: (1) activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) of axes and cotyledons and of catalase (CAT) of axes increased during the early phase of treatment at 100℃ and then decreased; and (2) activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) of axes and cotyledons and of CAT of cotyledons gradually decreased with increasing treat-ment time at 100℃. For maize seeds: (1) activities of SOD and DHAR of embryos and endosperms and of GR of embryos increased during the early phase of the treatment at 100℃ and then decreased; and (2) activities of APX and CAT of embryos and endosperms and of GR of endosperms rapidly decreased with increasing treatment time at 100℃. With decrease in seed germination, activities of SOD, APX, CAT, GR and DHAR of axes and cotyledons of lotus seeds decreased slowly, and those of embryos and endosperms of maize seeds decreased rapidly.     

猪卵巢体外保存温度对卵母细胞染色质构型和成熟能力的影响

Most porcine oocytes used in studies on embryo biotechnology and the in vitro production of embryos are currently obtained from the ovaries of slaughtered gilts. The duration and temperature during ovary transportation and handling might, therefore, affect the recovery of culturable COCs, chromatin configuration and developmental competence of oocytes. The effects of ovary storage temperature on chromatin configuration and in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes were examined in this study. Ovaries collected from a slaughterhouse were stored in vitro for 8 h under different temperatures. The results showed that more culturable COCs were isolated from the ovares stored at 39℃ than that from ovaries stored at 31℃ or 20℃ and before storage. Thirty-one centidegree was the best storage temperature in terms of cumulus expansion, nuclear maturation and morphology of the first polar body after in vitro maturation culture. The ability of cumulus expansion was completely lost in COCs derived from ovaries stored at 39℃ for 8 hours. Ovary storage （at both 31℃ and at 20℃ ） increased the proportion of oocytes with the GVc configuration in which chromatin condensed into a single big clump at the nucleolus and the functional significance of this configuration needs further investigations [ Acta Zoologica Sinica 51 （5）： 919 923, 2005].     

Developmental competence and ultrastructural changes of heat-stressed mouse early blastocysts produced in vitro

Mouse early blastocysts were exposed to temporatures of 39℃ and 41℃ for 2 h,respectively,to determine their developmental competence and uhrastructural changes. The results showed that heat stress at 41 ℃ for 2 h,significantly reduced the percentages of expanded and hatched blastocysts,but not at 39℃ for 2 h. The average cell numbers in expanded blastocysts,which developed from early blastocysts heat-stressed at temperatures of 39℃ and 41 ℃,were significantly reduced. The average cell numbers in hatched blastocysts subjected to heat stress were no different from those in the control group cultured at 37℃ . The mitochondria of the early blastocysts heat-stressed at 39T℃ for 2 h,were slightly swollen,but they had recovered after culturing at 37℃ for 2 h. However,the mitochondria in the blastocysts heat stressed at 41 ℃ for 2 h were severely swollen,and their number increased. The ribosomes shed from the rough endoplasmic reticulum,and the number of secondary lysosomes in the plasma increased. The integrity of desmosomes was disrupted. The space between the nuclear envelope and the perivitelline membrane enlarged. The fibre fraction and the particulate fraction of nucleoli were separated. The heterochromatin in nucleoli was also increased in its quantity. There were some lamellar-shape structures and heterogeneous dense materials exhibiting in the cytoplasm. The ultrastructural changes induced by heat shock at 41 ℃ for 2 h were not reversible. In conclusion,the damage of heat stress to mitochondria,lysosomes,ribosomes and cell nucleus,may be one of the most important factors that inhibit the normal development of mouse early blastocysts.     

Developmental competence and ultrastructural changes of heat- stressed mouse early blastocysts produced in vitro

Mouse early blastocysts were exposed to temperatures of 39℃ and 41℃ for 2 h, respectively, to determine their developmental competence and ultrastructural changes. The results showed that heat stress at 41 ℃ for 2 h, significantly reduced the percentages of expanded and hatched blastocysts, but not at 39℃ for 2 h. The average cell numbers in expanded blastocysts, which developed from early blastoeysts heat-stressed at temperatures of 39℃ and 41 ℃, were significantly reduced. The average cell numbers in hatched blastocysts subjected to heat stress were no different from those in the control group cultured at 37 ℃ . The mitochondria of the early blastocysts heat-stressed at 39℃ for 2 h, were slightly swollen, but they had recovered after culturing at 37 ℃ for 2 h. However, the mitochondria in the blastocysts heat stressed at 41 ℃ for 2 h were severely swollen, and their number increased. The ribosomes shed from the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and the number of secondary lysosomes in the plasma increased. The integrity of desmosomes was disrupted. The space between the nuclear envelope and the perivitelline membrane enlarged. The fibre fraction and the particulate fraction of nueleoli were separated. The heterochromatin in nueleoli was also increased in its quantity. There were some lamellar-shape structures and heterogeneous dense materials exhibiting in the cytoplasm. The ultrastructural changes induced by heat shock at 41 ℃ for 2 h were not reversible. In conclusion, the damage of heat stress to mitoehondria, lysosomes, ribosomes and cell nucleus, may be one of the most important factors that inhibit the normal development of mouse early blastoeysts .     

衍生化条件的优化及不同产地青蒿中青蒿素含量的柱前衍生化-HPLC法测定

Derivation conditions of pre-column derivation-HPLC method used for determinating artemisinin content were compared and selected,and artemisinin content in above-ground part of Artemisia annua L.from seventeen locations was compared by optimal pre-column derivation-HPLC method.The optimal derivation condition is selected via comparing of 0.2% NaOH solution addition(3,4,5,6 and 7 mL),derivation temperature(30 ℃,35 ℃,40 ℃,45 ℃ and 50 ℃) and derivation time(0,2,5,10,20,40 and 60 min) during derivation process.The optimal derivation condition is adding 5 mL 0.2% NaOH solution,then insulating in 40 ℃ water bath for 10 min.Differences of artemisinin content in A.annua from seventeen locations are obvious,the general trend is that artemisinin content decreases gradually with location from south to north,in which artemisinin content in A.annua from Youyang of Chongqing is the highest with a value of 7.08 mg·g-1.The method is simple and accurate with good reproducibility,and can be used to determinate artemisinin content in medicinal material of A.annua.     

Wear Resistance and Non-Magnetic Layer Formation on 316L Implant Material with Plasma Nitriding

In this study, the applicability of plasma nitriding treatment in the production of non-magnetic and corrosion resistant layer on 316L stainless steel implant material was investigated. 316L stainless steel substrates were plasma nitrided at temperatures of 350 ℃, 375 ℃, 400 ℃, 425 ℃ and 450 ℃ for 2 h in a gas mixture of 50% N2-50% H2, respectively. It was determined that the treatment temperature is the most important factor on the properties of the corrosion resistant layer of 316L stainless steel. The results show that s-phase formed at the temperatures under 400 ℃, and at the temperatures above 400 ℃, instead of s-phase, CrN and y＇-Fe4N phases were observed in the modified layer. The electrical resistivity and surface roughness of the modified layer increase with treatment temperature. Under 400 ℃ the corrosion resistance increased with the temperature, above 400 ℃ it decreased with the increase in treatment temperature. It was analyzed that the electrical resistivity and the soft （ideal） ferro- magnetic properties of 316L stainless steel increased with treatment temperature during nitriding treatment. Also, plasma ni- triding at low temperatures provided magnetic behavior close to the ideal untreated 316L stainless steel.     

东喜马拉雅和横断山地区常绿硬叶栎类的气候封套与现代分布

Evergreen sclerophyllous oaks （the E.S. oaks, Quercus section Heterobalanus） are the dominant species of the local ecosystem in the eastern Himalaya and the Hengduan Mountains, southwest China. In this study, we document the climatic envelope of the seven E.S. oak species and examine the relationships between climate and their distribution. This was done using a principal components analysis （PCA） and multiple regression analysis （MRA） of nine climatic indices. The main climatic envelope of the E.S. oaks were： mean temperature of the warmest month （MTW）= 12.0-19.5℃, warmth index （WI） = 33.2-88.9℃ month, annual biotemperature （BT）=-6.9- -0.3 ℃, coldness index （CI）=-30.4- -10.1 ℃ month, mean temperature of the coldest month （MTC）=-3.7-3.0℃ and annual precipitation （AP）=701-897 mm at the lower limits; and MTW=8.3-16.1℃, WI=15.7-59.1℃ month, BT=3.6-8.9℃, CI=-55.4-19.3℃ month, MTC=8.3-16.1 ℃ and AP=610-811 mm at the upper limits. The climatic range of the E.S. oaks is wide and includes two climatic zones, the cool-temperature zone and the subpolar zone. The PCA and MRA results suggest that the thermal climate plays a major role and precipitation plays a secondary role in controlling the large-scale distribution of the E.S. oaks, except Quercus monimotricha. In thermal regimes, BT and/or MTW are most important for both lower and upper limits of the E.S. oaks. Furthermore, our results indicate that the upper distribution limits of the E.S. oaks are less determined by low temperatures and their duration （CI） than by other factors.     

Comparative demography of Liriomyza sativae Blanchard （Diptera： Agromyzidae） on cucumber at seven constant temperatures

Reproduction and population parameters of vegetable leafminer, Liriomyza sativae Blanchard were measured on cucumber （Cucumis sativus L.） at seven constant temperatures （10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40℃）. No eggs were found at 10℃ and flies died after exposure to 40℃. The significantly highest intrinsic rate of natural increase （rm）, net reproductive rate （R0） and finite rate of increase （λ） ofL. sativae were obtained at 25℃ as 0.196, 52.452, and 1.216, respectively. The above-mentioned parameters decreased at 15℃ and 135℃ and this reduction at 35℃ was strong. Doubling time （DT） varied significantly with temperature. The shortest doubling time was obtained at 25℃. Mean generation time （T） decreased significantly with increasing temperature between 15℃ and 35℃. Percentage of immature ages in the stable age distribution was more than 95% at all temperatures. Female longevity was greater than male at all temperatures. Liriomyza sativae lived for a long time at 15℃, whereas at 35℃ had lower survival rates. The effect of temperature on reproduction, especially the intrinsic rate of increase of L. sativae would be useful for predicting its longterm population fluctuation over several generations.     

Antioxidation of Anthocyanins in Photosynthesis Under High Temperature Stress

Chlorophyll fluorescence and antioxidative capability in detached leaves of the wild type Arabidopsis thaliana L.ecotypeLandsberg erecta(Ler)and three mutants deficient in anthocyanins biosynthesis(tt3,tt4,and tt3tt4)were investigatedduring treatment with temperatures ranging 25-45℃.In comparison with the wild type,chlorophyll fluorescence parametersFv/Fm,Φ_(PSII),electron transport rate(ETR),Fv/Fo and qP in three anthocyanin-deficient mutants showed a more rapidlydecreasing rate when the temperature was over 35℃.Non-photochemical quenching(NPQ)in these mutants was almostcompletely lost at 44℃,whereas the content of heat stable protein dropped and the rate of the membrane leakage increased.Fo-temperature curves were obtained by monitoring Fo levels with gradually elevated temperatures from 22℃ to 72℃ at0.5℃/min.The inflexion temperatures of Fo were 45.8℃ in Ler,45.1℃ in tt3,44.1℃ in tt4 and 42.3℃ in tt3tt4,respectively.The temperatures of maximal Fo in three mutants were 1.9-3.8℃ lower than the wild type plants.Meanwhile,three mutantshad lower activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and ascorbate peroxidase(APX)and an inferior scavenging capabilityto DPPH(1.1-diphenyl-2-picrylhy.drazyl)radical under heat stress,and in particular tt3tt4 had the lowest antioxidativepotential.The results of the diaminobenzidine-H_2O_2 histochemical staining showed that H_2O_2 was accumulated in theleaf vein and mesophyll cells of mutants under treatment at 40℃,and it was significantly presented in leaf cells of tt3tt4.The sensitivity of Arabidopsis anthocyanins-deficient mutants to high temperatures has revealed that anthocyanins innormal plants might provide protection from high temperature injury,by enhancing its antioxidative capability under hightemperature stress.     

Temperature acclimation affects thermal preference and tolerance in three Eremias lizards

We acclimated adult males of three Eremias lizards from different latitudes to 28℃,33℃ or 38℃ to examine whether temperature acclimation affects their thermal preference and tolerance and whether thermal preference and tolerance of these lizards correspond with their latitudinal distributions.Overall,selected body temperature（Tsel）and viable temperature range（VTR）were both highest in E.brenchleyi and lowest in E.multiocellata,with E.argus in between;critical thermal minimum（CTMin）was highest in E.multiocellata and lowest in E.brenchleyi,with E.argus in between;critical thermal maximum（CTMax）was lower in E.multiocellata than in other two species.Lizards acclimated to 28℃ and 38℃ overall selected lower body temperatures than those acclimated to 33℃;lizards acclimated to high temperatures were less tolerant of low temperatures,and vice versa;lizards acclimated to 28℃ were less tolerant of high temperatures but had a wider VTR range than those acclimated to 33℃ and 38℃.Lizards of three species acclimated to the three temperatures always differed from each other in CTMin,but not in Tsel,CTMax and VTR.Our results show that：temperature acclimation plays an important role in influencing thermal preference and tolerance in the three Eremias lizards,although the degrees to which acclimation temperature affects thermal preference and tolerance differ among species;thermal preference rather than tolerance of the three Eremias lizards corresponds with their latitudinal distributions.     

Comparison of Classical Models for Evaluating the Heat Requirements of Olive （Olea europeae L.） in Portugal

The aim of the present study was to compare the accuracy and reproducibility of six statistical models for the calculation of olive （Olea europeae L.） heat requirements to trigger the onset of flowering in three Portuguese regions： Reguengos de Monsaraz, Valenga do Douro, and Braga. Other alms were to ascertain the date on which the heat-accumulation period started and the threshold temperatures above which the development of reproductive structures starts in olives. The starting and peak dates for the regional O. europeae flowering season were estimated by monitoring airborne pollen from 1998 to 2004 using ＂Cour＂- type samplers. The threshold temperature values calculated for the three regions were very similar （9.0 ℃ for Valenca do Douro, 9.2 ℃ for Reguengos de Monsaraz, and 9.7 ℃ for Braga）. The accumulated daily mean temperature model had less interannual and inter-regional variation, showing best predictive results for 2004, with absolute differences between the observed and predicted dates of 4 d in Reguengos de Monsaraz and 2 d In Valenca do Douro and Braga for the onset of flowering date and of 2 d In Reguengos de Monsaraz, 7 d in Valenca do Douro, and 4 d in Braga for peak flowering dates. This model was the most accurate, reproducible, and operational to calculate heat requirements for olives to flower, with an average mean temperature accumulation of 1 446 ℃ In Reguengos, 1 642 ℃ in Valenga do Douro, and 1 703℃ In Braga to reach the onset of flowering. The best initial date for this accumulation was 1 January.     

甘肃白龙汀流域肉疣衣科地衣研究

1 INTRODUCTION Bailong River valley is situated in the south of Gansu Province and northeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at longitudes of 101°40'-105°20' E and latitudes of 32°21'-35°50' N.The mean annual precipitation is 448.9-911.6ram and the mean annual temperature 4.7℃-12.7℃.The drainage area has an elevation from 550m to 4920m.The complex habitats give rise to a variety of forest communities and varied patterns of ecosystems.     

环境温度对社鼠能量需求和食物同化的影响

Niviventer confucianus is a common species of rodent in South China. We designed an experimental protocol to determine the influence of temperature on energy requirement and food assimilation of the N. confucianus . In our feeding trials, four experimental temperatures were applied: 17℃,22℃,27℃ and 32℃. The energy requirements of N. confucianus under different temperature were:107 43±6 44 KJ/animal/day (17℃),94 76±4 46 KJ/animal/day (22℃),73 96±5 65 KJ/animal/day(27℃),and 62 80±5 15 KJ/animal/day(32℃),respectively. Moreover, the energy intake, digested and assimilated energy of N. confucianus decreased with temperature increase. However, no significant differences on digestibility and assimilation rate of N. confucianus were found among four experimental temperatures. It indicated that, during a range of particular temperatures, N. confucianus might maintain relatively high digestibility by change of digest tract morphology.     

Antioxidation of Anthocyanins in Photosynthesis Under High Temperature Stress

Chlorophyll fluorescence and antioxidative capability in detached leaves of the wild type Arabidopsis thaliana L. ecotype Landsberg erecta （Ler） and three mutants deficient in anthocyanins biosynthesis （tt3, tt4, and tt3tt4） were investigated during treatment with temperatures ranging 25-45 ℃. In comparison with the wild type, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters Fv/Fm, φps,, electron transport rate （ETR）, Fv/Fo and qP in three anthocyanin-deficient mutants showed a more rapidly decreasing rate when the temperature was over 35 ℃. Non-photochemical quenching （NPQ） in these mutants was almost completely lost at 44 ℃, whereas the content of heat stable protein dropped and the rate of the membrane leakage increased. Fo-temperature curves were obtained by monitoring Fo levels with gradually elevated temperatures from 22 ℃ to 72 ℃ at 0.5 ℃/min. The inflexion temperatures of Fo were 45.8 ℃ in Ler, 45.1℃ in tt3, 44.1℃ in tt4 and 42.3 ℃ in tt3tt4, respectively. The temperatures of maximal Fo in three mutants were 1.9-3.8℃ lower than the wild type plants. Meanwhile, three mutants had lower activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and ascorbate peroxidase （APX） and an inferior scavenging capability to DPPH （1.1-diphenyl-2-picrylhy.drazyl） radical under heat stress, and in particular tt3tt4 had the lowest antioxidative potential. The results of the diaminobenzidine-H2O2 histochemical staining showed that H2O2 was accumulated in the leaf vein and mesophyll cells of mutants under treatment at 40 ℃, and it was significantly presented in leaf cells of tt3tt4. The sensitivity of Arabidopsis anthocyanins-deficient mutants to high temperatures has revealed that anthocyanins in normal plants might provide protection from high temperature injury, by enhancing its antioxidative capability under high temperature stress.     

Effects of photoperiod and temperature on diapause induction in Conogethes punctiferalis （Lepidoptera： Pyralidae）

The yellow peach moth, Conogethes punctiferalis （Guenee）, a multivoltine species that overwinters as diapausing larvae, is one of the most serious insect pests on maize in China. Effect of photoperiod and temperature on larval diapause was examined under empirical laboratory conditions. Short-day treatments caused larval diapause at 25℃, and the critical photoperiod was between 12 and 13 h （or 12 h 51 min） light per day. No sensitive instar was identified for diapause induction under alternated short- （L ： D 11 ： 13 h） and long-day （L ： D 14 ： 10 h） treatments at different larval stages. However, accumulative treatment of three instars and 10 d under short-day treatment was required for the induction of 50% larval diapause. All larvae entered diapause at 20℃, whereas less than 3% did so at 30℃, irrespective of the long- or short-day treatment. Furthermore, under the short-day treatment, more than 90% of larvae went into diapause with temperatures ≤ 25℃, but less than 17% did so at 28℃. In contrast, under the long-day treatment, less than 19% of larvae went into diapause with temperatures ≥23 ℃. The forward shift （5℃） of critical temperature under the long-day regime demonstrated the compensatory effect of temperature and photoperiod on diapause induction. In conclusion, C. punctiferalis had a temperature-dependent type Ⅰ photoperiodic diapause response; there was no sensitive instar for diapause determination, but the photoperiodic accumulation time countermeasures both of the short-day cycles and the number ofinstars exposed, and the photoperiodic diapause response, was a temperature-compensated phenomenon.     

Functional response of a parasitoid Ganaspidium utilis （Hymenoptera： Eucoilidae） on the leafminer Liriomyza trifolii （Diptera： Agromyzidae）

Functional response of a solitary, larval-pupal endoparasitoid of Liriomyza leafminers, Ganaspidium utilis Beardsley, was estimated on Liriomyza trifolii Burgess at three temperatures （17℃, 25℃, 29℃ ） and host densities. A type Ⅱ random parasitoid equation （RPE） was used to estimate instantaneous search rate and handling time. The instantaneous search rate increased as temperature increased. All of the RPE regressions obtained for functional response of G. utilis at different temperatures were significant （P〈0.01）. The slope of RPE regression lines was lower across the temperatures. At 29±2℃, the maximum number of larvae parasitized was 7.8 per day. It decreased to 7.2 larvae parasitized at 25±2℃. At 17±2℃, no significant increment of parasitization was observed due to the host density increments. The estimated handling time was lowest at 17±2℃ and highest at 25 ± 2℃, respectively. The ability of G. utilis to find and parasitize L. trifolii over a wide range of temperatures makes them a good candidate for biological control of Liriomyza leafminers.     

Purification and Characterization of Two Endo-β-1,4-glucanases from Mollusca, Ampullaria crossean

Two novel endo-β-1,4-glucanases, EG45 and EG27, were isolated from the gastric juice of mollusca, Ampullaria crossean, by anion exchange, hydrophobic interaction, gel filtration and a second round of anion exchange chromatography. The purified proteins EG45 and EG27 appeared as a single band on sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with a molecular mass of 45 kDa and 27 kDa, respectively. The optimum pH for CMC activity was 5.5 for EG45 and 4.4-4.8 for EG27. The optimum temperature range for EG27 was broad, between 50℃ and 60 ℃; for EG45 it was 50 ℃. The analysis on the stability of these two endo-β-1,4-glucanases showed that EG27 was acceptably stable at pH 3.0-11.0 even when the incubation time was prolonged to 24 h at 30 ℃, whereas EG45 remained relatively stable at pH 5.0-8.0. About 85% of the activity of EG27 could be retained upon incubation at 60 ℃ for 24 h. However, less than 10% residual activity of EG45 was detected at 50 ℃. Among different kinds of substrates, both enzymes showed a high preference for carboxymethyl cellulose. EG45, in particular, showed a carboxymethyl cellulose hydrolytic activity of 146.5 IU/mg protein. Both enzymes showed low activities to xylan （from oat spelt） and Sigmacell 101, and they were inactive to p-nitrophenyl-β-D-cellobioside, salicin and starch.     

'红香芋'茎尖玻璃化法保存条件的筛选

In order to screen suitable vitrification conservation conditions for shoot tip of Colocasia esculenta'Hongxiangyu', pre?culture, vitrification protection and thawing conditions were compared. The results show that with increasing of sucrose concentration in the medium and extending of pre?culture time, survival rate of shoot tip increases gradually. After different loaded and dehydrated measures, water content in shoot tip is lower than that of the control, while survival rate of shoot tip increases significantly than that of the control. Thawing for 1-2 min at 40℃-60℃ generally has no significant effect on survival rate of shoot tip. Suitable cryopreservation steps of vitrification as follows: shoot tip pre?cultured for 3 d in medium with 06 mol·L-1 sucrose firstly, then loaded for 30 min in 60% PVS2, dehydrated for 15 min in PVS2, put in PVS2 and conserved in liquid nitrogen, and shoot tip thawed for 1-2 min in 40 ℃.     

Production protocol for and storage efficacy of an anthocorid predator Cardiastethus exiguus Poppius

Cardiastethus exiguus Poppius is an indigenous anthocorid predator of eggs and neonates of the notorious pest,coconut black-headed caterpillar Opisina arenosella Walker in India.At the National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects(Indian Council of Agricultural Research),Bangalore,India,a simple mass production protocol was developed for multiplying C.exiguus using UV-irradiated eggs of alternate laboratory host Corcyra cephalonica Stainton.Field evaluation of the predator in the states of Kerala and Karnataka indicated that this predator could bring about a significant reduction in the pest population.Subsequently,the need was felt to investigate the storage efficacy of the eggs and adults of C.exiguus so that sufficient numbers could be accumulated and transportation of the predator could be planned for field releases.Low temperature storage studies indicated that C.exiguus eggs can be safely stored for up to 5 days at 10℃ and 10 days at 15℃ and incubation period could be staggered for up to 10 and 13 days,respectively.The longevity of the C.exiguus adults was significantly reduced due to low temperature storage.However,for adult females,a storage temperature of 15℃ for 15 days could be recommended as they could live for a more than a month after removal from storage and their progeny production was comparable to that of the control adults.