Classical biological control of Aphis gossypii (Homoptera: Aphididae) with Neozygites fresenii (Entomophthorales: Neozygitaceae) in California cotton

In August 1994 and 1995 classical biological control releases were made in cotton in the San Joaquin Valley, California, with an Arkansas strain of the entomopathogenic fungus, Neozygites fresenii, a pathogen of the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii. Pre-release samples in both years indicated that N. fresenii was not naturally present in A. gossypii populations in the San Joaquin Valley. Two release methods were compared: dried N. fresenii-infected cotton aphid “cadavers” and chamber inoculation of A. gossypii. Both methods were successful in introducing N. fresenii to cotton aphids in California; however, higher prevalence of fungal infection resulted with the cadaver treatments. N. fresenii persisted and spread in the aphid population until early October 1994 and late September 1995. The highest mean percentage infection in the cadaver treatment in 1994 reached a level (14%) considered imminent for epizootics (12–15%). The use of predator exclusion cages resulted in higher N. fresenii prevalences.     

Effects of contraction history on control and stability in explosive actions

In this model study, the effect of contraction history in skeletal muscle on joint movement and stability was investigated. A joint system was constructed with two identical (antagonistic) muscles. The muscles were modelled either according to the Hill tradition or as a modified Hill system including history-dependent properties. The joint system underwent movements with full activity of both muscles, mimicking explosive actions with high stability demands. Movements starting away from a balanced mid-position, as well as perturbation experiments, were simulated. The comparison between the Hill and modified Hill systems showed that contraction history improved stability (stiffness under perturbation) and, under certain conditions, caused a shift in the final joint position, which depended on the task characteristics (starting position and perturbations characteristics). This result indicates that modulations of muscle activity, required to move a joint to a particular end-position, do not only depend on the end-position but also on the preceding movements. This finding does not agree with the equilibrium-point hypothesis and is discussed accordingly.     

Differences in susceptibility of introduced and native white grub species to entomopathogenic nematodes from various geographic localities

Invasive, non-native, white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) cause significant damage in urban landscapes. Although the lack of natural enemies in their new home is often suggested as an important factor in the establishment and spread of invasive species, the potential of incumbent generalist parasites and pathogens to delay their establishment and spread has not been explored. We compared the susceptibility of the introduced Popillia japonica and the native Cyclocephala borealis to 16 species and strains of entomopathogenic nematodes isolated from within or outside the geographic ranges of the two scarabs. We found large variation in the virulence of the species/strains of nematodes with over 50% mortality of P. japonica produced by Heterorhabditis zealandica strain X1 and H. bacteriophora strain GPS11 and of C. borealis by H. zealandica and H. bacteriophora strains KMD10 and NC1. Heterorhabditis indica and H. marelatus caused less than 20% mortality of both scarab species. When considered as a group the nematode species and strains from within and outside the geographic ranges of either P. japonica or C. borealis did not differ in virulence towards either scarab species. Dose response studies with selected nematode species and strains against P. japonica and two additional non-native species Anomala (Exomala) orientalis and Rhizotrogus majalis and the native C. borealis indicated that R. majalis was the least susceptible and P. japonica and A. orientalis were as susceptible as the native C. borealis. Heterorhabditis zealandica was significantly more virulent than any other species or strain against P. japonica with a LC₅₀ of 272 IJs/grub. The LC₃₀ and LC₅₀ values for H. zealandica were also the lowest among the four nematode species/strains tested against A. orientalis and C. borealis. The LC₅₀ values for H. zealandica and H. megidis (UK strain) were significantly lower for the native C. borealis than the introduced A. orientalis. H. zealandica also showed the highest penetration efficiency and the lowest encapsulation in P. japonica and C. borealis grubs. Results suggest that the introduction of the exotic H. zealandica into the front-line states with respect to the movement of P. japonica and A. orientalis should be explored as a tactic to delay their establishment and spread. The results also suggest that the manipulation of the indigenous H. bacteriophora populations may help in delaying spread and mitigating losses caused by the invasive grub species.     

代谢网络定量分析研究进展

综述了代谢工程中代谢控制分析、代谢通量分析、生化系统理论、途径分析、控制论模型等定量分析方法的基本理论,以实例说明了这些方法的应用,并对代谢分析方法的发展进行了展望。     

Restoration of a Native Shrubland Impacted by Exotic Grasses, Frequent Fire, and Nitrogen Deposition in Southern California

Natural ecosystems globally are often subject to multiple human disturbances that are difficult to restore. A restoration experiment was done in an urban fragment of native coastal sage scrub vegetation in Riverside, California that has been subject to frequent fire, high anthropogenic nitrogen deposition, and invasion by Mediterranean annual weeds. Hand cultivation and grass‐specific herbicide were both successful in controlling exotic annual grasses and promoting establishment of seeded coastal sage scrub vegetation. There was no native seedbank left at this site after some 30 years of conversion to annual grassland, and the only native plants that germinated were the seeded shrubs, with the exception of one native summer annual. The city green‐waste mulch used in this study (C:N of 39:1) caused short‐term N immobilization but did not result in decreased grass density or increased native shrub establishment. Seeding native shrubs was successful in a wet year in this Mediterranean‐type climate but was unsuccessful in a dry year. An accidental spring fire did not burn first‐year shrubs, although adjacent plots dominated by annual grass did burn. The shrubs continued to exclude exotic grasses into the second growing season, suggesting that successful shrub establishment may reduce the frequency of the fire return interval.     

Effects of Cadmium on Chlorophyll Content,Photochemical Efficiency,and Photosynthetic Intensity of Canna indica Linn.

The effects of cadmium (Cd²⁺) on growth status, chlorophyll (Chl) content, photochemical efficiency, and photosynthetic intensity were studied on Canna indica Linn. Plant specimens that were produced from a constructed wetland and precultivated hydroponically in 20 L of 1/10 Hoagland solution under greenhouse conditions for 1 week were exposed to cadmium in concentrations of 0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6 and 3.2 mg L^―1 Cd²⁺, respectively. The results show that leaves were injured in the Cd²⁺ solution by the third day of exposure and the injury became more serious with an increase in the applied heavy metal. Under 3.2 mg L^―1 Cd²⁺ treatment, growth retardation, the decrease of chlorophyll content from 0.70 to 0.43 mg g^―1 FW, and a decrease in Chl a/b ratio from 2.0 to 1.2 were observed. Chl a was more sensitive than Chl b to Cd²⁺ stress. The decrease was the same with photochemical efficiency. Photosynthetic intensity decreased by 13.3% from 1.5×10⁴ μmol m^―2s^―1 CO₂ in control to 1.3×10⁴ μmol m^―2s^―1 CO₂ in the treatment of 3.2 mg L^―1. Because Canna species are used in heavy metal phytoremediation, these results show that C. indica can tolerate 0.4 to 0.8 mg L^―1 Cd²⁺. Therefore, it is a potential species for phytoremediation of cadmium with some limitations only at higher concentrations.     

Does the satiation hypothesis account for the differences in efficacy of coccidophagous and aphidophagous ladybird beetles in biological control? A test with Adalia bipunctata and Cryptolaemus montrouzieri

Mills (1982) formulated the satiationhypothesis in order to explain why ladybirdsare generally more effective in the biologicalcontrol of coccids than of aphids:aphidophagous ladybirds are supposedly lessefficient because they become more rapidlysatiated than coccidophagous ladybirds. If thisis true, the former should spend less timeeating than the latter. This hypothesis istested in this study using the coccidophagousCryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and theaphidophagous Adalia bipunctata (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Contrary to Mills'(1982) prediction the coccidophagous ladybirddid not feed continuously and even spent lesstime feeding than the aphidophagous ladybird.Furthermore, the gut capacity of C. montrouzieri is smaller than that of A. bipunctata.     

The potential of artemether for the control of schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis continues to rank – following malaria – at the second position of the world's parasitic diseases in terms of the extent of endemic areas and the number of infected people. There is yet no vaccine available and the current mainstay of control is chemotherapy with praziquantel used as the drug of choice. In view of concern about the development of tolerance and/or resistance to praziquantel, there is a need for research and development of novel drugs for the prevention and cure of schistosomiasis. Interestingly, derivatives of artemisinin, which are already effectively used in the treatment of malaria, also exhibit antischistosomal properties. Significant advances have been made with artemether, the methyl ether derivative of artemisinin. We review the discovery of the antischistosomal activity of artemether by Chinese scientists two decades ago; the detailed laboratory studies of the susceptibility of, and effect on, the different developmental stages of Schistosoma japonicum, Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium to artemether; the possible mechanism of action and the potential long-term toxicity. Finally, we look at the effect of combined treatment with artemether and praziquantel; and clinical findings thus far obtained from randomised controlled trials with oral artemether for the prevention of patent infections and morbidity. The review intends to create a forum for strategic discussion of how these laboratory and clinical findings could be translated into public health actions. We conclude that artemether – as part of integrated current control measures and adapted to specific socio-ecological and epidemiological settings – has considerable potential to significantly reduce the current burden of schistosomiasis in many parts of the world.