Interference and competitive behaviour of the aphid predators,Chrysoperla carnea andCoccinella septempunctata in the laboratory

Interference and competition betweenChrysoperla carnea (Stephens) andCoccinella septempunctata L. was investigated in the absence and presence of aphid prey. When larvae of similar vigour encountered each other,C. carnea larvae were superior toC. septempunctata. Otherwise the larger of 2 individuals always killed the smaller. In the absence of preyC. carnea adults were attacked by their own 2nd and 3rd instar larvae as well as by 3rd instar larvae ofC. septempunctata. In all encounters the adults ofC. septempunctata were superior. Since the eggs ofC. carnea are protected to some extent by being on egg stalks, they were less susceptible to cannibalism and predation thanC. septempunctata eggs which are deposited in batches directly on plant leaves. In the presence of prey cannibalism and predation were reduced, especially between larvae. Only eggs and 1st instar larvae were endangered. In the present experimentsC. carnea showed a slight superiority overc. septempunctata. Paper presented at the 17th International Congress of Entomology held in August 20–26 1984 in Hamburg, F.R. Germany.     

Predation byIridomyrmex humilis [Hym.: Formicidae] on eggs ofChrysoperla carnea [Neu.: Chrysopidae] released for inundative control ofIllinoia liriodendri [Hom.: Aphididae] infestingLiriodendron tulipifera

In an effort to suppress the tuliptree aphidIllinoia liriodendri (Monell), approximately 2,000 eggs ofChrysoperla carnea (Stephens) from a commercial insectary were released 4 times on each of 8 tuliptreesLiriodendron tulipifera L. in Berkeley, California, during the spring of 1984. On trees foraged by the Argentine antIridomyrmex humilis (Mayr), 98% of the eggs ofC. carnea were removed from the egg release tapes by the ants. A total of about 1,250 larvae per tree eclosed from the 8,000 eggs released on each tree without ants. Fifty percent of the larvae that did eclose died due to cannibalism or entrapment in the sticky egg release tapes and approximately 625 first instar larvae on each tree were free to forage for aphids. Inundative lacewing releases ofC. carnea did not suppress populations ofI. liriodendri due to ant predation, the low viability of commercial eggs (0–73% eclosion),

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Résumé Dans le but de limiter les populations du puceron du tulipierIllinoia liriodendri (Monell), 4 lachers d'environ 2.000 œufs de provenance commerciale deChrysoperla carnea (Stephens) ont été réalisés au cours du printemps 1984 sur 8 tulipiersLiriodendron tulipifera L., à Berkeley en Californie. cannibalism by emerged larvae, and inadequate release technology. Sur les arbres visités par la fourmi d'ArgentineIridomyrmex humilis (Mayr), 98% des œufs deC. carnea ont été enlevés du support artificiel par les fourmis. Sur les arbres exempts de fourmis, la mortalité de 50% des larves est due au cannibalisme ou à leur engluement sur le support de lacher. A partir de 8.000 œufs déposés sur chaque arbre sans fourmi, on aboutit à environ 625 larves de 1^er stade susceptibles de rechercher des pucerons. Les lachers inondatifs deC. carnea n'ont pas limité les populations d'I. liriodendri. Les raisons en sont: la consommation par les fourmis, une faible viabilité de la plus grande partie des œufs commercialisés (0–73% d'éclosions), une technique inadaptée pour le lacher des œufs et le cannibalisme par les larves elles-mêmes deC. carnea.

     

Post-exposure temperature influence on the toxicity of conventional and new chemistry insecticides to green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) is an important biological control agent currently being used in many integrated pest management (IPM) programs to control insect pests. The effect of post-treatment temperature on insecticide toxicity of a spinosyn (spinosad), pyrethroid (lambda cyhalothrin), organophosphate (chlorpyrifos) and new chemistry (acetamiprid) to C. carnea larvae was investigated under laboratory conditions. Temperature coefficients of each insecticide tested were evaluated. From 20 to 40 °C, toxicity of lambda cyhalothrin and spinosad decreased by 2.15- and 1.87-fold while toxicity of acetamiprid and chlorpyrifos increased by 2.00 and 1.79-fold, respectively. The study demonstrates that pesticide effectiveness may vary according to environmental conditions. In cropping systems where multiple insecticide products are used, attention should be given to temperature variation as a key factor in making pest management strategies safer for biological control agents. Insecticides with a negative temperature coefficient may play a constructive role to conserve C. carnea populations.     

Impact of intraguild predation by adult Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae) biological control in cage studies

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, has become a principal arthropod pest of soybean in the U.S. since its first detection in 2000. This species threatens soybean production through direct feeding damage and virus transmission. A diverse guild of insect predators feeds on soybean aphid in Michigan including the exotic coccinellid Harmonia axyridis, the native gall midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza and the native lacewing Chrysoperla carnea. In addition to feeding on A. glycines some members of this guild may also engage in intraguild predation. These interactions may produce positive, negative, or neutral impacts on A. glycines biological control. We explored the impact of intraguild predation on soybean aphid population dynamics by comparing aphid populations in microcosms with either A. aphidimyza larvae or C. carnea larvae alone, with both a H. axyridis adult and either A. aphidimyza or C. carnea larvae, and without predators. When H. axyridis was present with larval A. aphidimyza or C. carnea, the lady beetle acted as an intraguild predator. However, intraguild feeding did not result in a release of aphid populations compared with microcosms containing only the intraguild and aphid prey. A similar result was found in field cages. Cages allowing large predators had reduced numbers of A. aphidimyza and C. carnea larvae but also significantly fewer aphids compared with predator exclusion cages. Thus, in both lab and field studies the direct impact of H. axyridis on A. glycines overcame its negative impact as an intraguild predator. Together, these studies indicate that while the exotic H. axyridis does act as an intraguild predator and may contribute to local declines in A. aphidimyza and C. carnea, it is also currently important in overall biological control of A. glycines.     

Ultrastructural and experimental investigations of sperm-egg interactions in fertilization ofHydra carnea

Summary Fertilization in the freshwater hydrozoanHydra carnea has been examined by light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Sperm penetrate the jelly coat which covers the entire egg surface only at the site of the emission of the polar bodies. The egg surface exhibits a small depression, the so called fertilization pit at this site. Sperm-egg fusion takes place only at the bottom of the fertilization pit.Hydra sperm lack a structurally distinct acrosome and in most of the observed cases, fusion was initiated by contact between the membrane of the lateral part of the sperm head and the egg surfacce. Neither microvilli nor a fertilization cone are formed at the site of gamete fusion. The process of membrane fusion takes only a few seconds and within 1 to 2 min sperm head and midpiece are incorporated in the egg.Electron dense material is released by the egg upon insemination but cortical granule exocytosis does not occur and a fertilization envelope is not formed. The possible polyspermy-preventing mechanisms in hydrozoans are discussed. Hydra eggs can be cut into halves whereupon the egg membranes reseal at the cut edges and the fragments assume a spherical shape. Fragments containing the female pronucleus can be inseminated and exhibit normal cleavage and development. The observation that in such isolated parts the jelly coat will not fuse along the cut edges was used to determine its role in site-specific gamete fusion. These experiments indicate that site-specificity of gamete fusion can be attributed to special membrane properties at the fertilization pit.     

Interpopulation variation in Chrysoperla carnea reproduction: implications for mass-rearing and storage

To determine whether diverse populations and biotypes of Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) can be mass-produced and stored under uniform conditions, we assessed reproduction in five North American populations, four from the carnea biotype and one from the mohave biotype. Non-diapause adults from the carnea biotype varied significantly in only one aspect of reproduction, viz., the preoviposition period, whereas the duration and rate of oviposition, as well as fecundity, did not vary significantly. Relative to the carnea populations, the mohave population typically had delayed oviposition and a lower rate of oviposition; however, its oviposition period was long, and thus its fecundity differed only from that of the most productive carnea populations.The shelf-life (= survival during storage, and subsequent survival and reproduction after storage) was evaluated for four populations of the carnea biotype. Survival of diapausing adults during the first 18 weeks of storage was high among all four populations; adults from three populations also showed high survival after 35 weeks of storage. A high incidence of females from all four populations laid some fertile eggs after being stored for up to 31 weeks or longer. After six or more weeks of storage, average fecundity was high and ranged from 400–900 eggs/female. Duration of storage (up to 39 weeks) was a significant determinant of fecundity in two of the four populations.In practice, diverse populations of C. carnea can be efficiently mass-produced (with or without storage) under uniform conditions in the insectary. Thus, the choice of which populations to mass-produce and use in augmentation can be based primarily on the characteristics (e.g., climate, habitat, crop) of the intended area of release, rather than on considerations concerning mass-rearing.     

Association of Ipomoea carnea and BCG reduces birth defects caused by cyclophosphamide in rats

Immunosuppressive drugs can induce the development of malformations in fetuses of mothers exposed to them, possibly affecting the placental function directly or by crossing the placenta to enter fetal circulation. However, activation of the maternal immune system with well-known immunomodulator substances has been shown to produce a significant decrease in morphological defects caused by diverse teratogenic agents. All of these studies were performed on mice only, whereas the rat is the chosen species for developing teratological studies. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible protective effect of Bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG) and/or the aqueous fraction (AF) of the plant Ipomoea carnea on the decrease of the teratogenic effect resulting from cyclophosphamide (CP), an antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drug, exposure in pregnant rats. It was verified that both BCG and/or AF attenuated the embryotoxic effects of CP in rats. All immune stimulated dams demonstrated an increase in placenta and fetus body weight. In conclusion, the present work showed that the rat is a good model for performing studies which aim for a clearer understanding of the mechanism by which maternal stimulation reduces malformations and how the association of I. carnea AF and BCG provided improved immunostimulation compared to BCG alone; however, additional studies are required to determine the specific mechanisms by which immune stimulant substances decrease malformation.     

Cell proliferation and differentiation kinetics during spermatogenesis inHydra carnea

Summary Spermatogenesis inHydra carnea was investigated. The cell proliferation and differentiation kinetics of intermediates in the spermatogenesis pathway were determined, using quantitative determinations of cell abundance, pulse and continuous labelling with³H-thymidine and nuclear DNA measurements. Testes develop in the ectoderm of male hydra as a result of interstitial cell proliferation. Gonial stem cells and proliferating spermatogonia have cell cycles of 28 h and 22 h, respectively. Stem cells undergo four, five or six cell divisions prior to meiosis which includes a premeiotic S+G2 phase of 20 h followed by a long meiotic prophase (22 h).Spermatid differentiation requires 12–29 h. When they first appear, testes contain only proliferating spermatogonia; meiotic and postmeiotic cells appear after 2 and 3 days, respectively and release of mature sperm begins after 4 days. Mature testes produce about 27,000 sperm per day over a period of 4–6 days: about 220 gonial stem cells per testis are required to support this level of sperm differentiation. Further results indicate that somatic (e.g. nematocyte) differentiation does not occur in testes although it continues normally in ectodermal tissue outside testes. Our results support the hypothesis that spermatogenesis is controlled locally in regions of the ectoderm where testes develop.     

诺卡氏菌烈性噬菌体vB_Ncarnea_KYD1的分离纯化与基因组分析

【背景】诺卡氏菌是一种广泛分布的好氧放线菌,可在人体内引起局部或播散性感染,尤其是在免疫功能低下的个体中。诺卡氏菌感染在临床上较难鉴定,而且不断有新型诺卡氏菌种被发现。不同类型、不同地域的诺卡氏菌具有流行差异和抗生素敏感性差异,阻碍了适当治疗方式的选择。利用病灶处的宿主菌分离得到噬菌体来控制诺卡氏菌感染的这种方法在近年来受到了各界的关注。【目的】尝试从环境中分离出能够用于临床治疗的针对诺卡氏菌的烈性噬菌体,并研究其基因组学特征。【方法】利用双层平板法分离得到目标噬菌体,观察其噬菌斑形态,并对噬菌体进行分离纯化,在透射电镜下鉴定其特征。提取噬菌体DNA进行全基因组测序与注释,并与数据库内已知噬菌体基因组进行比较,同时构建系统进化树以进行遗传进化分析。【结果】本文以肉色诺卡氏菌为宿主,从环境样本中分离出一株烈性噬菌体vB_Ncarnea_KYD1,在双层平板上可形成直径<2 mm的透亮均匀的噬菌斑。基因组分析表明,vB_Ncarnea_KYD1DNA为环状,大小为66 621 bp,共发现102个蛋白质编码区(coding sequence,CDS)及一个tRNA-Ser编码序列。透射电镜观察与系统进化树综合分析可以确定,vB_Ncarnea_KYD1为长尾噬菌体科的一个新属。其在进化过程中经历了复杂的基因重组过程。暂未发现毒力因子相关基因与抗性基因,具备实用价值。【结论】从环境水体中分离出一株烈性肉色诺卡氏菌噬菌体vB_Ncarnea_KYD1,通过电镜观察与基因组分析可知,此株噬菌体为长尾噬菌体,基因组中暂未发现不利于临床应用的相关基因,是一株相对安全的烈性诺卡氏菌噬菌体。研究结果丰富了国内噬菌体资源库,并为后续诺卡氏菌感染疾病的治疗提供支持。     

Genome Analysis inNeurospora crassa;Cloning of Four Lociarginine-1(arg-1),methionine-6(met-6),unknown-7(un-7), andribosome production-1(rip-1) and Associated Chromosome Walking

We have cloned fourNeurospora crassagenes by complementation analysis. Cloned genes include thearginine-1(arg-1),methionine-6(met-6),unknown-7(un-7), andribosome production-1(rip-1) loci. Chromosome walks were initiated in ordered cosmid libraries from the cloned loci. A total of about 700 kb of theNeurosporagenome is covered in these walks.     

The effects of different components of an artificial food on adult green lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea) fecundity and longevity

Artificial foods comprising yeast products, sugar and water are often sprayed in the field to increase numbers of naturally occurring lacewing populations. The relative importance of the components of these foods for green lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea Stephens) fecundity and longevity is investigated in this paper. In laboratory experiments insects receiving only sugar solution lived significantly longer than those receiving diets containing both sugar and yeast (P<0.05). The inclusion of yeast is required for egg production, but few eggs are produced on yeast solution alone. For maximum egg production, food containing yeast and sugar must be offered on more than one occasion. Compared with insects given a diet comprising yeast autolysate, sugar, and water in the ratios 4∶7∶10, small but significant reductions in egg production rate were noted when the amount of either the yeast, or both the yeast and the sugar, was halved. The implication of these findings for the field is that viscous foods must be offered on a regular basis for maximum effectivity.     

基于nad5的西施舌漳州群体遗传分化水平分析——以蛤蜊属2个物种差异水平为参照

扩增了西施舌日照、连云港、北海、漳州4个野生群体、四角蛤蜊和中国蛤蜊各1个群体共73个样本的NAD5基因片段,测序获得了480bp核苷酸序列,分析核苷酸的多态性,旨在评估福建漳州西施舌与日照、连云港、北海西施舌之间的分化水平。结果:从73个序列中共检测到44种单倍型(Hap),其中西施舌4个群体有29种Haps,四角蛤蜊和中国蛤蜊分别有10种和5种Haps,漳州群体与北海、日照、连云港群体单倍型有明显差异;将西施舌分为北海、日照、连云港组(GP1)和漳州组(GP2)2个组,分析核苷酸差异,GP1与GP2间的T、A、G含量差异极显著(P0.01)。GP1与GP2间的遗传距离与组内(GP1、GP2)遗传距离之比为25.1—41.8,四角蛤蜊与中国蛤蜊之间的遗传距离与种内个体间遗传距离之比为24.4—36.7,GP1、GP2间的差异达到了四角蛤蜊和中国蛤蜊种间差异水平,而日照、北海群体间的遗传距离只有0.009,北海与日照群体地理位置虽远,但遗传差异则很小;AMOVA分析显示漳州西施舌发生了极显著遗传分化(FST=0.966—0.978,P0.01)。     

秦岭石蝴蝶人工种群花器变异现象研究

以人工栽培的秦岭石蝴蝶为实验材料,通过观察并记录花器官形态和数目的变化,初步探讨秦岭石蝴蝶花器变异规律,并分析了导致其变异的诱因。结果显示:(1)在观察的1 996朵秦岭石蝴蝶花朵中,发现了17种花冠变异类型、5种萼片变异类型和7种可育雄蕊变异类型,总变异率分别为34.57%、38.38%和32.67%。(2)秦岭石蝴蝶花梗或可分支,花梗苞片数目2～3枚。(3)相关性分析结果表明,下唇数目与可育雄蕊数目呈正相关,相关系数为0.927 4,而上唇数目与可育雄蕊数目呈负相关,相关系数为-0.481 1,结合花型图示分析这可能与秦岭石蝴蝶雄蕊着生于花冠下唇内侧近基部有关。该研究统计的秦岭石蝴蝶变异类型丰富,可能对于今后秦岭石蝴蝶的系统进化、花器官发育、生殖生态以及分子遗传方面研究奠定了基础,也为培育不同观赏价值的品种提供思路。     

Implications of transgenic, insecticidal plants for insect and plant biodiversity

Genetically modified plants are widely grown predominantly in North America and to a lesser extent in Australia, Argentina and China but their regions of production are expected to spread soon beyond these limited areas also reaching Europe where great controversy over the application of gene technology in agriculture persists. Currently, several cultivars of eight major crop plants are commercially available including canola, corn, cotton, potato, soybean, sugar beet, tobacco and tomato, but many more plants with new and combined multiple traits are close to registration. While currently agronomic traits (herbicide resistance, insect resistance) dominate, traits conferring “quality” traits (altered oil compositions, protein and starch contents) will begin to dominate within the next years. However, economically the most promising future lies in the development and marketing of crop plants expressing pharmaceutical or “nutraceuticals” (functional foods), and plants that express a number of different genes. From this it is clear that future agricultural and, ultimately, also natural ecosystems will be challenged by the large-scale introduction of entirely novel genes and gene products in new combinations at high frequencies all of which will have unknown impacts on their associated complex of non-target organisms, i.e. all organisms that are not targeted by the insecticidal protein. In times of severe global decline of biodiversity, pro-active precaution is necessary and careful consideration of the likely expected effects of transgenic plants on biodiversity of plants and insects is mandatory.In this paper possible implications of non-target effects for insect and plant biodiversity are discussed and a case example of such non-target effects is presented. In a multiple year research project, tritrophic and bitrophic effects of transgenic corn, expressing the gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt-corn) that codes for the high expression of an insecticidal toxin (Cry1Ab), on the natural enemy species, Chrysoperla carnea (the green lacewing), was investigated. In these laboratory trials, we found prey-mediated effects of transgenic Bt-corn causing significantly higher mortality of C. carnea larvae. In further laboratory trials, we confirmed that the route of exposure (fed directly or via a herbivorous prey) and the origin of the Bt (from transgenic plants or incorporated into artificial diet) strongly influenced the degree of mortality. In choice feeding trials where C. carnea could choose between Spodoptera littoralis fed transgenic Bt-corn and S. littoralis fed non-transgenic corn, larger instars showed a significant preference for S. littoralis fed non-transgenic corn while this was not the case when the choice was between Bt- and isogenic corn fed aphids. Field implications of these findings could be multifold but will be difficult to assess because they interfere in very intricate ways with complex ecosystem processes that we still know only very little about. The future challenge in pest management will be to explore how transgenic plants can be incorporated as safe and effective components of IPM systems and what gene technology can contribute to the needs of a modern sustainable agriculture that avoids or reduces adverse impacts on biodiversity? For mainly economically motivated resistance management purposes, constitutive high expression of Bt-toxins in transgenic plants is promoted seeking to kill almost 100% of all susceptible (and if possible heterozygote resistant) target pest insects. However, for pest management this is usually not necessary. Control at or below an established economic injury level is sufficient for most pests and cropping systems. It is proposed that partially or moderately resistant plants expressing quantitative rather than single gene traits and affecting the target pest sub-lethally may provide a more meaningful contribution of agricultural biotechnology to modern sustainable agriculture. Some examples of such plants produced through conventional breeding are presented. Non-target effects may be less severe allowing for better incorporation of these plants into IPM or biological control programs using multiple control strategies, thereby, also reducing selection pressure for pest resistance development.     

甘菊ClHSP70与ClHSP90基因的克隆及表达分析

该研究以甘菊(Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium)为实验材料,通过RT-PCR方法从甘菊转录组数据中分离出热激蛋白合成相关基因,命名为ClHSP70和ClHSP90。序列分析表明,ClHSP70基因ORF全长为2 559bp,编码852个氨基酸,蛋白功能区预测表明含有典型的HSP70蛋白NBD和SBD保守结构域;ClHSP90基因ORF全长为2 094bp,编码697个氨基酸,含有HATPase结构域和HSP90保守结构域。生物信息学分析表明,甘菊ClHSP70与大豆(Glycine max)和烟草(Nicotiana tomentosiformis)HSP70蛋白有较高的一致性,ClHSP90基因编码的氨基酸序列与紫茎泽兰(Ageratina adenophora)HSP90高度相似;实时荧光定量表达分析表明,在42℃处理不同时间,甘菊叶片中ClHSP70和ClHSP90基因表达均在0.5h时显著增加,1h达到最大值,2h后缓慢下降;不同组织表达分析表明,甘菊在42℃处理1h后,ClHSP70在成熟叶中的表达量显著高于嫩叶和根等其他组织;ClHSP90在成熟茎中的表达量最高。研究说明,ClHSP70和ClHSP90基因具有热激蛋白特征,参与了甘菊热胁迫应答过程,该研究结果为以后深入研究其基因功能奠定了基础。     

Functional response ofChrysopa carnea [Neur: Chrysopidae] larvae feeding onHeliothis virescens [Lep.: Noctuidae] eggs on cotton in field cages

The functional response of 3rd instarChrysopa carnea (Stephens) larvae feeding on 4 densities ofHeliothis virescens (F.) eggs was determined on caged cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).C. carnea larvae had a mean search rate of 1.08×10⁻⁵ ha/predator-day or 0.11 row-m/predator-day.      

基因CfATG6和CfATG14参与调控果生刺盘孢细胞自噬和致病力

【目的】炭疽病是油茶的主要病害,由刺盘孢属的多种真菌引起,其中果生刺盘孢分布范围最广、分离率最高,是油茶炭疽病的主要致病菌。研究自噬相关蛋白CfAtg6和CfAtg14的生物学功能,为进一步揭示果生刺盘孢通过细胞自噬调控致病的分子机制,并为油茶炭疽病的防治提供理论基础。【方法】根据同源重组原理,通过聚乙二醇(polyethylene glycol, PEG)介导的方法,在果生刺盘孢中敲除基因CfATG6和CfATG14,并进一步获得回补菌株ΔCfatg6-C和ΔCfatg14-C。【结果】酵母双杂交试验结果显示,果生刺盘孢蛋白CfAtg6和CfAtg14可能存在互作关系。生物学表型测定结果表明,相较于野生型和回补菌株,突变体ΔCfatg6和ΔCfatg14均表现出营养生长速率显著减慢,附着胞形成率分别只有野生型的5%和18%;突变体ΔCfatg6和ΔCfatg14致病力均极显著减弱,造成的油茶叶片病斑面积少于野生型和回补菌株的1/3;CfATG6和CfATG14基因缺失突变体均丧失转运和降解CfAtg8蛋白的能力,并对细胞壁胁迫更敏感。突变体ΔCfatg6的分生孢子产量显著降低,仅为野生型的20%左右;氧化胁迫试验结果表明,相较于野生型和回补菌株,过氧化氢对突变体的生长抑制率升高10%左右。内质网压力胁迫试验表明,ΔCfatg14对二硫苏糖醇抑制率升高5%以上。【结论】自噬相关基因CfATG6和CfATG14参与调控了果生刺盘孢生长发育、细胞自噬和致病力。     

Impacts of the pesticides imidacloprid,propargite, and pymetrozine on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysoperla carnea</Emphasis> (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae): IOBC and life table assays

The effects of imidacloprid, propargite, and pymetrozine on the common green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) were investigated in the laboratory, using the IOBC-system and the life table response experiment. Residual glass plate bioassays were carried out using two-day-old larvae at the Iranian maximum field recommended rate of each commonly used pesticide. All three tested pesticides produced significant adverse effects on pre-imaginal survival (p < 0.01). Imidacloprid had no significant effect on fecundity, but propargite and pymetrozin caused significant reductions (p < 0.05). According to the IOBC classification, imidacloprid was found to be harmless (E = 27.44%); propargite (E = 49.78%) and pymetrozine (E = 66.9%) were slightly harmful. Life table assays revealed that imidacloprid and propargite had no significant effects on the intrinsic rate of natural increase, while pymetrozine caused a 34% reduction in r _m value (p < 0.05). Propargite was non-toxic to C. carnea under the tested conditions. In the case of imidacloprid, using a glass plate as test substrate led to␣underestimation of its effects. The life table assay showed more adverse effects of pymetrozine than the IOBC method.     

Clonal and genetic structure of two Mexican oaks: Quercus eduardii and Quercus potosina (Fagaceae)

Quercus eduardii and Q. potosina are dominant oak species in Sierra Fría, Aguascalientes, Mexico. These species have been exploited for multiple purposes since the 16th century. Both species produce clonal offspring through root suckering and acorns through sexual reproduction. To understand clonality for the implementation of the most adequate actions for the conservation of these species, we addressed the following questions: (a) what is the spatial clonal structure of both species? (b) How much clonal and genetic diversity is maintained in these species? Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) were used as molecular markers for these analyses. Genets of both species have few ramets and these grow close the parent tree. Autocorrelation analyses at the ramet level showed an aggregated distribution at short distances and a random spatial distribution at larger distances. Also, at the genet level the autocorrelation analyses showed a random distribution. Clonal diversity was high in both species (Q. eduardii: D=0.963, G/N=0.60; Q. potosina: D=0.985, G/N=0.65). Genetic diversity was high within populations (Q. eduardii: H _e =0.33±0.11; Q. potosina: H _e =0.35±0.11). Low levels of genetic differentiation among populations were observed (Q. eduardii ? _st =0.19, P < 0.002; Q. potosina ? _st =0.13, P < 0.002). Both species maintain high levels of clonal and genetic diversity, probably due to successful sexual reproduction, which allows gene flow among populations. Conservation and/or reforestation programs must include seed collections and germplasm banks. Due to the small genet size and the high clonal diversity of these species, seeds can be collected in any place in Sierra Fría, Aguascalientes.