Bio-assay study of response by a parasitoid to frass and feeding substrates of its host, the stalk borer Eldana saccharina

In Petri dish and olfactometer tests Goniozus natalensis Gordh (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) exhibited a host-searching response upon contact with, and at a short distance from, frass of its natural host, Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), whichever the substrate on which E. saccharina had been feeding. The substrates were two host plants, sugarcane or Cyperus papyrus L.; diet media based respectively on sugarcane, papyrus, or cellulose; or a synthetic diet medium, containing no plant material. Host-searching behaviour increased in intensity with age and after mating of G. natalensis females. Parasitoids responded similarly to frass produced by male and female E. saccharina larvae. The substrates themselves elicited little response in G. natalensis. Frass of another borer, Sesamia calamistis Hamps. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), fed on sugarcane-based medium, also elicited little response in G. natalensis. The results suggest that frass of E. saccharina larvae contains a material, evidently volatile, to which their parasitoid G. natalensis responds, irrespective of the substrate on which the E. saccharina subsist.     

Soil characteristics and Cyperus spp. occurrence along a toposequence

On acrisol (locally named terre de barre in Republic of Benin, West Africa), weed and soil (0–20 cm depth) were sampled at the beginning and the end of the cropping period in 2009 to gain knowledge about interaction between nutsedge occurrence and soil parameters. The samples were taken along a toposequence at the Africa Rice Center experimental station according to the topographic positions of summit, upper slope, middle slope and foot slope. At each topographic position, a 1 m × 1 m quadrat was set to study Cyperus abundance using 0, 3 and 5 abundance indices scale. Weed species sampled were identified, oven‐dried and weighed. Soil particle sizes and organic C, total N, available P, K, Ca, Mg and extractable Fe contents were determined. Among the three species of Cyperus that were encountered, C. rotundus was the most frequent along the entire toposequence, while C. esculentus and C. sphacelatus were limited to the summit and upper slope, respectively. Sand, Fe and Pa contents of soil were influencing positively Cyperus spp. occurrence in opposition to C and Mg contents. But only the latest nutrients did so consistently and significantly. Thus, increasing organic matter and applying Mg fertilizer might enhance Cyperus control.     

Phytodegradation of Ethanolamines by Cyperus alternifolius: Effect of Molecular Size

Our screening of plants showed that Cyperus alternifolius (Umbrella papyrus) had the highest efficiency removal in real wastewater containing monoethanolamine—higher than Echinodorus cordifolius (Creeping Burrhead), Thalia geniculata (Alligator Flag), Acorus calamus (Sweet Flag), and Dracaena sanderiana (Lucky Bamboo). Therefore, this research studied the degradation of monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and triethanolamine (TEA) by C. alternifolius. Plants could degrade TEA into DEA, then into MEA, and then further into acetic acid. The accumulation of ethanolamines was found mainly in plant stems, which had the highest biomass. This demonstrated that the molecular size is closely related to a diffusion coefficient that affects the removal rate through plant bodies. A smaller molecular weight—MEA (MW = 61.08 g mol^?1)—was taken up the fastest, followed by DEA (MW = 105.14 g mol^?1) and TEA (MW = 149.19 g mol^?1), the highest molecular weight. The plants’ toxicity when exposed to ethanolamines elucidated that MEA had the highest toxicity, followed by DEA and TEA. In addition, the application of C. alternifolius in monoethanolamine-contaminated wastewater revealed that plant could completely uptake MEA at day 5 from an initial MEA concentration of 18 mM. The result indicated that C. alternifolius has the potential to remove ethanolamines and can be applied to ethanolamine-contaminated wastewater.     

人工湿地对猪场废水有机物处理效果的研究

分别以香根草 (Vetiveriazizanioides)和风车草 (Cyperusalternifolius)为植被 ,按 1.0m× 0 .5m×0 .8m建立人工湿地 ,通过 4季测试 ,研究其对猪场废水有机物的净化功能及其随季节、进水浓度及水力停留时间变化的规律 .结果表明 ,4个季节香根草或风车草人工湿地对COD和BOD有较稳定的去除效果 ,两湿地抗有机负荷冲击能力强 .在春季 ,停留时间 1～ 2d ,COD和BOD去除率分别为 70 %和 80 %;在夏季 ,进水COD高达 10 0 0～ 140 0mg·L-1情况下 ,COD去除率接近 90 %;在秋季 ,停留时间 1～ 2d ,COD和BOD去除率分别为 5 0 %～ 6 0 %和 5 0 %;在冬季 ,进水COD达 10 0 3mg·L-1情况下 ,COD去除率在 70 %以上 .COD、BOD和SS的去除率在两湿地间没有显著差异 .人工湿地污染物 (Y)随水力停留时间 (t)延长的降解遵从指数方程规律Yt=Y0 ·e( -kt) .在相同停留时间时 ,随进水污染物浓度 (x)提高的出水污染物浓度 (y)的回归关系遵从直线方程规律 y =a+bx .     

Host Status of Seven Weed Species and Their Effects on Ditylenchus destructor Infestation of Peanut

The host suitability to Ditylenchus destructor of seven common weed species in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) fields in South Africa was determined. Based on the number of nematodes per root unit, white goosefoot (Chenopodium album), feathertop chloris (Chloris virgata), purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), jimson weed (Datura stramonium), goose grass (Eleusine indica), khaki weed (Tagetes minuta), and cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) were poor hosts. Ditylenchus destructor survived on all weed species; population densities increased in peanut hulls and caused severe damage to seeds of peanut grown after weeds. Roots of purple nutsedge left in the soil suppressed populations of D. destructor and root and pod development in peanut grown after the weed. However, nematode populations in peanut hulls and seeds were not suppressed. Some weed species, especially purple nutsedge which is common in peanut fields, can be used to indicate the presence of D. destructor in the absence of peanut.     

Glyphosate-increased levels of indole-3-acetic acid in yellow nutsedge leaves correlate with gentisic acid levels

The effects of glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] on endogenous in-dole-3-acetic acid (IAA) level, IAA oxidase activity, and possible interactions with alterations in phenolic metabolism have been examined in yellow nutsedge ( Cyperus esculentus L.) plants. IAA was quantified by flame ionization detector gas-chroma-tography, phenols were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography and the auxin protection and the IAA oxidase activities were determined spectrophoto-metrically and/or polarographically. A significant increase in IAA content was recorded after glyphosate treatment. No IAA oxidase activity was detected in control and treated tissues. Auxin protection activity and gentisic acid were present in all extracts assayed, and their concentrations increased as the rate of glyphosate application increased. Addition of gentisic acid to an extract of control plants increased the auxin protection detected. These findings indicate that the high levels of free IAA in yellow nutsedge leaves after glyphosate application are due to the inhibition of the IAA oxidase activity by increased levels of the IAA-protecting phenol gentisic acid.     

Influence of recirculation over COD and N-NH4 removals from landfill leachate by horizontal flow constructed treatment wetland

Abstract

Treatment of landfill leachate is a challenge due to its complex chemical composition and high recalcitrance and because of high costs for conventional wastewater treatment. In our study, leachate from the Quitaúna Landfill, Sao Paulo Metropolitan Region, Brazil, was treated at a laboratory scale with a horizontal subsurface flow constructed treatment wetland (HF-CTW) operating under a recirculation regime. Two units planted with Heliconia psittacorum (HP) and Cyperus papyrus (CP), and one unplanted control unit were assessed. With a recirculation regime over 21?days, the planted units removed 40% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) while the control unit removed only 29%. True color removal efficiencies were 2, 22, and 23% for the control, HP, and CP HF-CTWs, respectively. The ammonium nitrogen removal efficiencies for a 21-day hydraulic retention time (HRT) were 63–81% for planted units and 72% for the control. The increase of the HRT from 7 to 21?days led to the enhancement of ammonium nitrogen removal but did not affect the COD and total nitrogen removals. This phenomenon is a consequence of leachate’s low biodegradability. The present study shows the importance of the HRT and plant presence for landfill leachate treatment using HF-CTWs.     

Fate of mercury in a terrestrial biological lab process using Polypogon monspeliensis and Cyperus odoratus

Abstract

Mercury has been extracted in Queretaro, Mexico since the 1960s. The mining wastes were open-air disposal and these mercury wastes have polluted the zone. The aim of this research was to evaluate mercury's fate in lab scale terrestrial reactors considering the following mercury species: soluble, interchangeable, strongly bound, organic, and residual ones. Soils were sampled in two former mines of Pinal de Amoles, Queretaro, Mexico (N 20° 58′ to 21° 21′ and West 99° 26′ to 99° 43′) with initial mercury concentrations were 424?±?29 and 433?±?12?mg?kg^?1 for “La Lorena” and “San Jose” former mines, respectively. Two vegetal species Polypogon monspeliensis and Cyperus odoratus were used and 20 reactors were constructed for the lab process. Total mercury was removed to 49–79% from both soils. Mercury elemental, exchangeable, and organic species had the most removal or exchange in the process. Metal uptake, by the plants, was of 5–6% for P. monspeliensis and 5–15% for C. odoratus. Also, mercury fate was estimated to the atmosphere to be 3.3–4.5?mg m^?2 h^?1 for both soils.     

Chemical Constituents and Anti-Gastric Ulcer Activity of Essential Oils of Alpinia officinarum (Zingiberaceae), Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae), and Their Herbal Pair

The essential oil (EO) of the herbal pair (HP), Alpinia officinarum-Cyperus rotundus (HP G-X) has been conventionally used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for ‘warming the stomach’ and relieving pain. However, its pharmacologically active compounds, as well as the mechanism of its anti-gastric ulcer properties remain unclear. In this study, the EOs obtained from HP G-X and its corresponding single herbs were analyzed using GC/MS. A total of 74, 56, and 85 compounds were detected in A. officinarum (GLJ), C. rotundus (XF), and HP G-X, accounting for 93.2 %, 89.5 %, and 92.0 % of the total content, respectively. GLJ mainly contains 1,8-cineol (22.0 %) and α-terpineol (11.8 %), whereas cyperenone (22.4 %) and cyperene (12.3 %) were the major constituents in XF. These four compounds were also detected in the HP G-X with relatively high composition as 11.8 %, 5.5 %, 11.8 %, and 10.6 %, respectively. Although no new compounds were detected in HP G-X, the relative concentration of some compounds increased, while others decreased or even disappeared. HP G-X showed the lowest toxicity (TC₅₀ >800 μg/mL) against human gastric mucosal epithelial cells (GES-1) and had the best protective effect against ethanol-induced GES-1 cell damage compared to the individual herbs. In vitro studies demonstrated that HP G-X and the corresponding single herbs significantly reduced IL-6, TNF-α, and COX-2. In addition, in vivo investigations indicated that HP G-X can protect the gastric mucosa of mice from ethanol-induced damage by inhibiting the inflammatory reaction and providing analgesia. It can also inhibit the expression of NF-κBp65, COX-2, and TRPV1 protein, reduce the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α, and relieve heat-induced pain. This study further substantiated the traditional application of HP G-X against gastric ulcers through both in vivo and in vitro investigations.     

咸草总黄酮提取工艺的比较研究

通过超声波法与乙醇回流法分别提取咸草总黄酮,两者均采用L₉(3⁴)正交实验方法,并运用SPSS11.5软件统计分析。结果如下:超声波法的最佳提取条件为超声波功率400W、乙醇浓度60%、料液比1:60、超声波作用时间10min,样品总黄酮含量为1.558%;乙醇回流法的最优条件为水浴温度90℃、乙醇浓度60%、料液比1:60、回流时间1.5h,总黄酮含量2.011%。两种方法比较:乙醇回流法提取总黄酮含量较高,而超声波法更节省时间。