Azadirachtin in the fruit of melia azedaiuch

Azadirachtin, a triterpenoid of Azadirachta indica with feeding and growth disruptive effects on certain insects, has been found in Melia azedarach.     

Effects of a nucleopolyhedrovirus in mixtures with azadirachtin on Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae and viral occlusion body production

Abstract

The combined and alone effects of azadirachtin (AZA) and Spodoptera frugiperda multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) on the mortality of S. frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were evaluated in the laboratory. For this, diet surface contamination bioassays were performed on S. frugiperda in the third instar. LC₅₀ values for SfMNPV alone were determined to be 430 and 373 viral occlusion bodies (OBs)/mm² at 192 and 216 h after treatment, respectively. LC₅₀ values for AZA alone were estimated for two periods of continuous exposure (4 or 5 days). In this case, LC₅₀ values were 45.5 and 16.8 mg L^?1 at 216 h after treatment (4 or 5 days of larval exposition to insecticide, respectively). We observed that although the interaction of AZA with SfMNPV increased viral pathogenicity, such improvements were of greater magnitude and more consistent at the lower OB concentration used (177 OBs/mm²). Application of SfMNPV (430 OBs/mm²), AZA (26.4 mg L^?1) or SfMNPV–AZA mixtures resulted in a significant reduction in the mean weight of larvae treated in the third instar across the experiment, by 23–41%, 17–95% and 26–97%, respectively, compared to control. The duration of larval development during the third and fourth instars increased significantly in larvae exposed to SfMNPV–AZA mixtures and AZA alone compared to SfMNPV alone and control treatments. The yield of OBs/mg weight of larvae treated with SfMNPV alone was 1.8-fold higher than OB yields from insects inoculated with SfMNPV–AZA mixtures. We conclude that AZA + SfMNPV mixtures are unlikely to be useful for the mass production of this virus and laboratory observations on the value of AZA + SfMNPV mixtures as a potentiator of biological insecticides require validation in field studies under commercial growing conditions.     

Effects of azadirachtin on oogenesis in Aedes aegypti

ABSTRACT. . Azadirachtin in blood fed to adult female Aedes aegypti through an artificial membrane does not cause feeding inhibition over a wide dose range (0–200 ng/female), and high doses of ingested azadirachtin fail to inhibit or delay oviposition. However, significant, transient retardation of oocyte growth is observed for up to 72 h after feeding. Immature oocytes are observed in 86% of azadirachtin-fed females decapitated 10 h after a blood meal, whereas 96% of decapitated control females contain maturing oocytes. This suggests that azadirachtin delays the release of one or more factors from the head that regulate oogenesis. We propose that adult females overcome the effect of azadirachtin by rapid metabolism rather than by excretion of the compound, since by 2 h after a blood meal, only 0.1% of ingested azadirachtin was recovered from excreta and 5% recovered from the body.     

Biotechnological Production of Plant-Based Insecticides

ABSTRACT:?

The demand for natural and nonpersistent insecticides is increasing day by day. Plant cell cultures could be an alternative to conventional methods of production of insecticides from field-grown plants. In vitro cultured plant cells produce a wide array of insecticides as a part of their secondary metabolism. Their ability to synthesize key enzymes and the manipulation of these could lead to the enhanced production of many insecticides of industrial importance. The development of a high-yielding hairy root culture system for thiophenes, nicotine, and phytoecdysones is of considerable interest. In this article, the current literature on various factors that influence the growth, production, and secretion of six insecticidal compounds, namely, pyrethrins, azadirachtin, thiophenes, nicotine, rotenoids, and phytoecdysones which have been prospects for the scale-up of cell cultures, genetic engineering to obtain transgenic plants, and metabolically engineered plants for increased production of bio-molecules, has been discussed. Environmental safety clearance and the future prospects of application of bio-molecules for plant-derived insecticides are presented.     

元谋干热河谷实生印楝人工林产量和品质与叶片养分含量之间的关系

应用临界值浓度法、DRIS图解法和指数法等叶片营养诊断分析方法,研究了元谋干热河谷地区的实生印楝人工林产量和品质与叶片养分含量之间的关系.结果表明:6月份所采集的印楝叶片其养分含量与印楝产量之间存在显著线性相关;获得印楝高产的叶片全N、全P和全K的临界值分别为15.09、1.22和7.68 g·kg-1,相应的最适范围分别为15.09 ～ 22.68、1.22～1.59和7.68 ～9.17 g·kg-1;低产印楝人工林的叶片养分的DRIS图解法和DRIS指数法诊断结果基本一致,它们对N、P、K的需求次序均为P＞N＞K,并且这一结果与当地土壤本底肥分检测结果相印证.此外,叶片养分含量与印楝素含量之间不存在相关性,可能与印楝素本身的遗传因素有关,故不能在印楝实生群体中采用叶片营养诊断技术来进行种仁印楝素含量的诊断分析.     

印楝油对印楝素的增效作用和保护作用

印楝油对印楝素具有增效作用,印楝素A和印楝种子石油醚抽提物和印楝种子植物油分别按1：10(m／m)混用处理斜纹夜蛾3龄幼虫,共毒系数分别为150．17和226．87,印楝素B和两者混用后的共毒系数分别为166．00和242．18。印楝种子植物油对印楝素具有保护作用,在54℃下热贮7d,印楝油(甲醇：印楝油=9-1,v／v)对印楝素A和印楝素B的保护效果分别为56．96％和50．86％;热贮14d,保护效果分别为26．72％和38．42％。     

Potential for habituation to a neem-based feeding deterrent in Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica

We tested the potential for the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, to habituate to a neem-based feeding deterrent applied to foliage of linden, Tilia cordata L., a preferred host for the adults. Female beetles' consumption of control foliage versus foliage treated with either a low or high rate of neem insecticide, corresponding to 9 or 39 pm azadirachtin, respectively, was tested in a series of 4-h choice or no-choice tests over four successive days. In another experiment, females were conditioned for 22 h with either control foliage, leaves treated with the low rate, or a mixture of both treated and untreated leaves. Deterrence of either the low or high rate of neem to these beetles was then evaluated in choice tests with control foliage, as before. In choice tests, mean consumption of control foliage was always greater than for treated foliage, regardless of rate. There was, however, proportionately more feeding on foliage treated with the high rate upon successive exposures. In no-choice tests, beetles initially deterred by the low rate were not significantly deterred by that rate by the third and fourth days of the experiment. Finally, beetles conditioned by exposure to leaves treated with the low rate were not deterred by that rate in a subsequent choice test, although they were deterred by the higher rate. Despite these trends, we suggest that Japanese beetles' polyphagy and mobility probably would reduce the likelihood for habituation to neem-based feeding deterrents in the field.     

印楝素乳油对梨小食心虫的防控效果研究

【目的】探索0.3%印楝素乳油对梨小食心虫Grapholita molesta的控制效果。【方法】根据梨小食心虫的生物习性,采用浸渍法和浸虫法对梨小食心虫1日龄、3日龄、5日龄的卵和3龄、5龄幼虫进行了杀虫活性测定,采用药膜法对梨小食心虫初孵幼虫进行毒力测定,并通过田间试验测定0.3%印楝素乳油对梨小食心虫的控制效果。【结果】0.3%印楝素乳油对梨小食心虫1日龄、3日龄和5日龄卵的致死中量分别为6.5195、4.5789、6.6268 mg/L,对初孵幼虫的致死中量为6.0495 mg/L,效果较好,而对3龄和5龄幼虫几乎没有杀伤作用。使用有效成分为2.0 mg/kg~3.0 mg/L的印楝素乳油在田间进行梨小食心虫防治试验时,药后5 d和10 d的防治效果在63.18%~76.22%之间,至药后15 d时,防效则下降到27%以下,果实受害明显,表明该药剂已失去控制作用。【结论】印楝素乳油不能作为防治梨小食心虫的专用药剂,仅可在其发生危害的初期,防治其他害虫时,作为兼治的药剂来使用。