Plant-derived smoke: an effective seed pre-treatment

Plant-derived smoke and aqueous extracts of smoke can overcome certain types of seed dormancy. Successful smoke (aqueous) pre-treatment of seed of the fire-climax grass Themeda triandra Forssk. is reported. The promotive effect of smoke on seed germination was retained when pre-treated seed was dried and stored for up to 21 days. Seed pre-treatment with smoke had no detrimental effect on subsequent seedling growth.     

Enzyme fingerprint analyses in tissue regenerated from anther culture of maize

The objectives of our studies were to investigate the effect of cold pre-treatment duration and the effect of two different culture media (YP and N6) on maize anther culture response in two maize genotypes (A 18 and A 19) and to identify the gametic origin of the maize regenerants. Androgenic induction and callus formation was compared in anther cultures following pre-treatment applied to both media tested and with both maize genotypes. Higher plant regeneration was observed in case of YP media independently of the genotype used. The best results were achieved when 12 days (genotype A 18) or 14 days (in case of genotype A 19) cold pre-treatment at 10°C was applied. We have tested the possibility of using enzyme isoform analyses to identify the microspore origin of calli and plants derived from anther cultures. The 11 enzymes tested in our experiments were acid phosphatase, alcohol dehydrogenase, catalase, diaphorase, β-glucosidase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase and phosphoglucoisomerase. Analysis of malate dehydrogenase proved the gametic origin of the calli initiated and of the DH plants regenerated from anther culture, when the coleoptile of the donor plant material showed two forms of enzyme 3/6 and the analysed calli showed only one of the two forms (3 or 6).     

Efficacy of eprinomectin pour-on treatment in sheep naturally infected with Dictyocaulus filaria and Cystocaulus ocreatus

The efficacy of eprinomectin on Dictyocaulus filaria and Cystocaulus ocreatus in naturally infected sheep was evaluated in the present study. In total, 30 infected sheep were randomly divided into two groups: treated (n?=?15) and untreated (n?=?15). A single pour-on dose of eprinomectin (0.5?mg/kg) was administered to the treated group. No medication was used in the untreated group. Faecal larval counts were performed on pre-treatment (day 0) and post-treatment (days 7, 14, 21 and 42) days. Eprinomectin was found to be 100% effective against D. filaria on day 7 post-treatment when compared with the untreated group and it maintained this effect on days 14, 21 and 42. However, the decrease in faecal larval count of C. ocreatus was found to be 86, 86 and 91%, on days 14, 21 and 42, respectively.     

In vitro evaluation of the action of the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans, Monacrosporium sinense and Pochonia chlamydosporia on Fasciola hepatica eggs

This work evaluated the in vitro action of four isolates of the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001), Monacrosporium sinense (SF53) and Pochonia chlamydosporia (VC1 and VC4) on eggs of Fasciola hepatica. The eggs were plated on 2% water-agar with the grown isolates and control without fungus. After 7, 14 and 21 days, the eggs were removed and classified according to the following parameters: effect type 1, lytic effect with no morphological damage to eggshells; type 2, lytic effect with morphological changes in eggshells and embryos; and type 3, lytic effect with morphological changes in embryos and eggshells, with hyphal penetration and internal egg colonization. Pochonia chlamydosporia showed ovicidal activity on F. hepatica eggs in the studied intervals of the type-3 effect, of 12.8% (VC1) and 16.5% (VC4); 14.4% (VC1) and 18.7% (VC4), 20.1% (VC1) and 21.5 % (VC4), over 7, 14 and 21 days respectively. No statistical difference was found (P > 0.01) among the isolates VC1 and VC4 for effects type 1, 2 and 3 during the studied intervals. Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) and Monacrosporium sinense fungi only showed effect type 1, with no significant difference between them, with the following results: 60.1% (AC001) and 57.5% (SF53); 62.3% (AC001) and 62.0% (SF53); 66.5% (AC001) and 73.4% (SF53), over 7, 14 and 21 days respectively. Pochonia chlamydosporia fungi negatively influenced the in vitro F. hepatica viability. Therefore it can be considered as a potential biological control agent for this helminth.     

In?vitro evaluation of the effect of the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans , Monacrosporium sinense and Pochonia chlamydosporia on Schistosoma mansoni eggs

The in vitro effect of four isolates of the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans (AC 001), Monacrosporium sinense (SF 53) and Pochonia chlamydosporia (VC 1 and VC 4) on eggs of Schistosoma mansoni was examined. One thousand S. mansoni eggs were plated on 2% water–agar with the grown isolates and control without fungus. After 7, 14 and 21 days, the eggs were removed and classified according to the following parameters: type 1, lytic effect without morphological damage to eggshell; type 2, lytic effect with morphological alteration of embryo and eggshell; and type 3, lytic effect with morphological alteration of embryo and eggshell, besides hyphal penetration and internal egg colonization. Significant differences (P < 0.01) were found among the studied fungal isolates for ovicidal activity, confirming type 3 effect for the isolates VC 1 and VC 4, which characterizes the ovicidal activity of a fungus. Type 3 effect was only found for P. chlamydosporia (VC 1 and VC 4) with 26.6 and 17.2%, 25.6 and 22.6%, 27.4 and 23.9% in the 7, 14 and 21 days respectively (P < 0.01). P. chlamydosporia can thus be a potential biological control agent for S. mansoni eggs.     

Short term biotic response before and during the treatment of an acid mine drainage with sodium carbonate

The lower portion of Upper Three Runs, a woodland stream in central Pennsylvania, receives acid drainage from a strip mine. In 1974, the effect of this input on pH and benthic invertebrates was studied by Tomkiewicz & Dunson (1977). We sampled the same stations in 1986 and then treated the mine drainage with sodium carbonate for seven days in an effort to evaluate the short term colonization response of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and invertebrates. No differences in the pattern of pH and invertebrate distribution was found between the 1974 and 1986 results, although pH values and invertebrate densities were higher in 1986. Total number of invertebrates and number of taxa colonizing bricks during three pre-treatment time periods (8, 10, 18 days) did not differ from the single treatment period (7 days). However, two species of Baetis (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) did increase in the treatment section during sodium carbonate application. The number of brook trout also increased in the treatment section, as compared to one pre-treatment estimate. These results indicate that motile species are able to respond within seven days, whereas, longer treatment may be required to produce community wide responses.Author to whom correspondence should be addressed     

The response of rice to the growth and nitrogen fixation inAzolla caroliniana andAzolla pinnata at varying rates of phosphate fertilization

The response of rice toAzolla caroliniana, newly introduced in India, was compared with the reponse to the local isolate ofAzolla pinnata at varying rates of phosphate fertilizer (4.4–8.8 kg P ha^–1) during a wet and a dry season.Fresh weight, dry weight and fixed N were more for both species 21 DAI (days after inoculation) than 14 DAI, but acetylene reduction activity (ARA) was higher 14 DAI than 21 DAI. Dry weight of Azolla and fixed N were less 14 DAI forA. caroliniana than forA. pinnata during the wet season. Twenty-one DAI, fresh weight ofA. caroliniana was 62.1 and 27.6% higher than that ofA. pinnata during the wet and dry season, respectively. However, dry weight and fixed N were more 21 DAI inA. caroliniana than inA. pinnata during only the wet season. The ARA was higher inA. caroliniana both 14 and 21 DAI, irrespective of season. The presence of either species in the rice field increased grain yield, straw yield, number of panicles m^–2, number of grains per panicle and reduced percentage sterility during both the wet and the dry season. Phosphate application significantly increased fresh weight, dry weight, ARA and fixed N for both species as well as grain and straw yields of rice. The responses to phosphate fertilizer were similar for both Azolla species and for rice grown with either one of the Azolla species.     

NaCl pre-treatment at the seedling stage enhances fruit yield of tomato plants irrigated with salt water

Although salt-adaptation seems to be a widespread property of plants, the adaptive response has been rarely differentiated to the tolerance response. We report on the adaptive response of tomato plants to growing under saline conditions following a 15 day pre-treatment with a lower NaCl concentration (half) than that used during the plant growth. After 20 days of salt treatment (100 mM NaCl), the biomass of the adapted plants increased significantly with respect to that of the unadapted plants when the pre-treatment was applied to five leaf seedlings, but not at the two leaf stage. The long-term adaptive response was determined in two tomato genotypes with different tolerance to moderate salt levels. At 70 mM NaCl, the adapted-plants of the more salt-sensitive genotype produced up to 29% more fruit yield than did the unadapted plants. However, no positive effect was observed to long-term in the adapted-plants of the more salt-tolerant genotype, which suggests that the stress level necessary to trigger the adaptive response is related to the tolerance degree of genotype. The physiological response of the plants showing a positive response to the adaptation was also modified to long-term. Thus, K⁺ concentrations increased in the young leaves of the adapted plants, with respect to unadapted plants, and moreover these differences increased with the salinization period. These results indicate that the changes in growth and physiological responses induced by NaCl pre-treatment at the seedling stage are maintained throughout plant life cycle and this is, therefore, an interesting strategy for increasing the salt tolerance in tomato plants.     

Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil by a two-step sequential treatment

The objectives of this work were to isolate the microorganisms responsible for a previously observed degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in soil and to test a method for cleaning a PAH-contaminated soil. An efficient PAH degrader was isolated from an agricultural soil and designated as Mycobacterium LP1. In liquid culture, it degraded phenanthrene (58%), pyrene (24%), anthracene (21%) and benzo(a)pyrene (10%) present in mixture (initial concentration 50 μg ml⁻¹ each) and phenanthrene (92%) and pyrene (94%) as sole carbon sources after 14 days of incubation at 30°C. In soil, Mycobacterium LP1 mineralised ¹⁴C-phenanthrene (45%) and ¹⁴C-pyrene (65%) after 10 days. The good ability of this Mycobacterium was combined with the benzo(a)pyrene oxidation effect obtained by 1% w/w rapeseed oil in a sequential treatment of a PAH-spiked soil (total PAH concentration 200 mg kg⁻¹). The first step was incubation with the bacterium for 12 days and the second step was the addition of the rapeseed oil after this time and a further incubation of 22 days. Phenanthrene (99%), pyrene (95%) and anthracene (99%) were mainly degraded in the first 12 days and a total of 85% of benzo(a)pyrene was transformed during the whole process. The feasibility of the method is discussed.     

Influence of feeding interval on reproduction and longevity ofPodisus sagitta (Het.: Pentatomidae)

The effect of various feeding intervals on reproduction and longevity of the predatory bugPodisus sagitta (Fabricius) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) was studied in the laboratory. Isolated pairs of adult bugs were given moisture in excess and were fed 1 seventh-instar larva of the greater wax moth,Galleria mellonella (L.), with a mean weight of 90 mg every 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days. Reproduction ofP. sagitta reflected well the feeding intervals. Females fed at increasing time intervals reduced reproductive outputs by decreasing oviposition frequency and size of egg batches. Predators fed every 21 days produced a mean of only 1.0 egg per day in comparison with 9.9 eggs per day for females fed daily. Longevity of females fed daily was 110.7 days; females fed less frequently tended to live longer, with a maximum mean longevity of 217.5 days for females fed every 14 days. No cannibalism among adults was observed, but females were occasionally seen to feed on their own eggs. Availability of moisture was found to be essential for the predators to survive during periods of low food supplies. These findings are discussed in relation to the predator's adaptation strategies in conditions of prey scarcity.      

Effect of prior FSH treatment on the estrus and ovulation responses to eCG in prepubertal gilts

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of pre-treatment of prepubertal gilts with FSH on the estrus and ovulatory responses to eCG injection at two ages. A total of 149 prepubertal Hypor gilts were selected at 150 days (n=76) or 180 days (n=73) of age and assigned to injection of 400 IU eCG plus 200 IU hCG (PG600), 600IU eCG alone (Folligon), pre-treatment with 72 mg FSH (Folltropin) administered as 6 x 12 mg injections at 12 h intervals with 600 IU Folligon 12h after last FSH injection, or non-injected controls. To facilitate detection of estrus, gilts were exposed to a mature boar for 15 min daily for 7 days. To determine ovulatory responses, blood samples were obtained on the day of injection and 10 days later and assayed for progesterone content. Following treatment at 150 days, one control gilt (5.3%) was deemed estrus but ovulation did not occur. Compared to treatment with Folligon alone, PG600 injection tended (P=0.1) to increase the estrus response (52.6% compared with. 26.3%) and increased (P<0.01) the ovulatory response (89.5% compared with. 47.4%). The estrous response in gilts pretreated with Folltropin was intermediate (42.1%) but the ovulatory response (47.4%) was the same as for Folligon alone. Following treatment at 180 days, two control gilts (10.5%) were deemed estrus and ovulation did occur in these gilts. There was no difference between hormone-treated groups for estrus or ovulatory responses, although the ovulatory response of PG600-treated gilts tended (P=0.1) to be greater than for the Folligon-treated group (89.5% compared with 66.7%), with Folltropin-pretreated gilts being intermediate (76.5%). These data demonstrate that the estrus and ovulatory responses of gilts were greater for PG600 than for Folligon and that while responses to PG600 were not affected by gilt age, for the combined Folligon groups, estrous response (P<0.02) and ovulatory response (P<0.05) improved with increased gilt age.     

The influence of pre-treatment temperature on the thermal sensitivity of a mouse tumour

The response of tumours to hyperthermia was tested by giving graded heat treatments and assessing local control at 90 days. Mice were divided into three groups which were pre-treated for 3 days in ambient temperatures of 4, 21 or 35 degrees C. This enabled the mean tumour resting temperature to be varied by up to 11 degrees C, before subsequent heat treatment. For the heat treatments, the tumours were clamped in order to eliminate blood flow, resulting in uniform temperature distributions and hence more uniform thermal sensitivity. TCD50 values were used to construct Arrhenius plots. For all three pre-treatment temperatures, these plots demonstrated a factor of 1.6 increase in heating time per degree Celsius reduction in heating temperature. However, tumours kept in a 4 degrees C environment before treatment were more thermally sensitive than those kept in 21 degrees C conditions, while those in a 35 degrees C environment were more resistant. Pretreatment at 4 degrees C was equivalent to an increase of either 0.5 degree C in heating temperature or 28 per cent in heating time, compared with pre-treatment at 21 degrees C. Pre-treatment at 35 degrees C was equivalent to a reduction of either 0.6 degree C in heating temperature or 25 per cent in heating time. These data indicate that the pre-treatment tumour temperature is an important parameter, but the effect of heat treatment is more closely related to absolute heating temperature rather than to the increase in temperature above the normal resting level.     

Chemotherapy and angiogenesis in advanced cancer: vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) decline as predictor of disease control during taxol therapy in metastatic breast cancer

Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth. Since vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) represents the main angiogenic factor, the control of VEGF secretion could constitute the most important mechanism to achieve the inhibition of angiogenesis-related processes. High blood concentrations have been proven to correlate with poor prognosis in advanced cancer. In experimental conditions, chemotherapeutic agents such as taxol appeared to inhibit VEGF-induced angiogenesis, while at present there are no data about the influence of chemotherapy on VEGF secretion in cancer patients. This preliminary study was performed to evaluate the effect of taxol therapy on VEGF secretion in advanced cancer patients in relation to the clinical response. The study included 14 patients with metastatic breast cancer who were treated with taxol monochemotherapy (175 mg/m2 i.v. every 21 days for three cycles). Serum levels of VEGF were measured by ELISA in blood samples collected before therapy and at 21-day intervals. The clinical response consisted of partial response (PR) in three and stable disease (SD) in six patients, whereas the other five patients had progressive disease (PD). Abnormally high pre-treatment levels of VEGF were seen in 8/14 patients. VEGF mean values significantly decreased during taxol therapy in patients with PR or SD, whereas no decline was observed in patients with PD. Moreover, the percent of normalization or decline greater than 50% in VEGF levels was significantly higher in patients with PR or SD than in those with PD (5/9 vs. 0/5). This preliminary study would suggest that the efficacy of taxol therapy in metastatic breast cancer - at least in terms of disease stabilization - may be associated with a decrease in VEGF blood levels followed by potential inhibition of cancer-related neovascularization.     

A simple shoot multiplication procedure using internode explants,and its application for particle bombardment and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis>-mediated transformation in watercress

A shoot multiplication system derived from internode explants was investigated with the aim of improving genetic characteristics of watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.). Internodes of ca. 1 cm excised from in vitro stock shoot culture were placed on half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid as a pre-treatment. Laser scanning microscopy indicated clearly that the first sign of meristematic cell division could be seen after 1–2 days of pre-culture, and meristematic tissues multiplied along the vascular cambium of the internode segment during 7 days of culture. Multiple shoots could be obtained from more than 90% of the pre-treated explants when they were subsequently transferred to MS medium supplemented with 1 μM thidiazuron for 3 weeks. These findings indicate that pre-treatment of the internodes for 7 days promoted their capacity for organogenesis. Using this pre-treatment, frequent generation of transgenic watercress plants was achieved by adapting particle bombardment and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation techniques with a construct expressing a synthetic green florescent protein gene.     

Effects of chronic exposures of selected heavy metals on the glutathione S-transferase activity of freshwater snails Lymnaea natalensis in Zimbabwe

The effect of the heavy metals (cadmium, copper, mercury and lead) on snail glutathione S-transferase (GST) was investigated in 2015. Groups of Lymnaea natalensis snails were exposed to heavy metals for 28 days at concentrations reportedly found in the Mguza Dam. Water and food were changed daily. Samples were collected at days 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28 post exposure. Inhibition of GST activity, following cadmium exposures, ranged between 58 and 60%, with a decrease of 30% on day 28. When snails were exposed to copper, inhibition significantly decreased by 16%, 29%, 49% and 72% inhibition when tested on days 1, 7, 14 and 21, respectively. Inhibition on day 28 was 44%. Mercury exposures resulted in significant increases in GST inhibition, namely, 47%, 62% and 79% inhibition on days 1, 7 and 14, respectively. Inhibition on day 21 was 82%, whereas on day 28 it was significantly lower, at 29%. Concerning lead exposures, inhibition levels on day 1, 7 and 21 had mean inhibition of 60%. Inhibition on days 14 and 28 was significantly lower, with a mean inhibition of 30%. These results suggest that chronic exposures could inhibit GST activity for a certain period, after which inhibition is reduced, possibly as a result of adaptation.     

Incorporation of labeled small molecules into rubratoxin

A sterile glucose-mineral salts broth was inoculated with conidia of Penicillium rubrum P-13 and P-3290. Radiolabeled compounds were added to some cultures, these being incubated quiescently at 28° C for 14 days. Other stationary cultures were grown for 21 days, received labeled compounds, and were then grown for 5 more days. The remaining cultures were inoculated with 72-h-old mycelial pellets, received labeled materials and were incubated with shaking for 60 h. Rubratoxin was resolved by thin-layer chromatography. Labeled [1¹⁴C]acetate, [1,5¹⁴C]citrate, [2¹⁴C]malonate, [1¹⁴C]glucose, [U¹⁴C]glucose or [1¹⁴C]hexanoate were incorporated into rubratoxins A and B by P. rubrum 3290 and into rubratoxin B by P. rubrum 13. Incorporation of [1¹⁴C]acetate and [2¹⁴C]malonate increased when exogenous unlabeled acetate, malonate, pyruvate, or phosphoenol-pyruvate was added. Acetate incorporation was influenced by cultural conditions, attaining maximum amounts in quiescent cultures which received labeled acetate after 21 days of incubation. Acetate incorporation in shake cultures was enhanced by reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and by unlabeled exogenous citrate.Abbreviations GMS glucose-mineral salts - RCM replacement culture medium - TCA tricarboxylic acid - PEP phosphoenolpyruvate - RIC relative isotopic content - PI percent incorporation     

Effects of waterlogging on chickpeas I. Influence of timing of waterlogging

The effect of timing of waterlogging on chickpeas was examined in two pot trials. Plants were waterlogged for ten days from 21 days after sowing (DAS), at flowering or at mid-pod fill, plus combinations of these times. Waterlogging at any stage reduced seed yield; waterlogging at 21 DAS had the least effect, reducing yield relative to the non-waterlogged control by 35%. Ability of the plant to survive and regrow following waterlogging decreased with increasing physiological age: mortality rate averaged 0, 30 and 100% after waterlogging at 21 DAS, flowering and pod fill, respectively. Tolerance to waterlogging was not enhanced by previous exposure to waterlogging.In the second experiment, waterlogging was imposed at six different times shortly before or after flowering began. Ability to survive waterlogging declined sharply as flowering commenced: mortality rate increased from 13% when waterlogging was imposed six days before flowering to 65% one day after flowering, and 100% when waterlogging began 7.5 days after flowering. We suggest that survival and recovery after waterlogging may have been inhibited in flowering plants by an inadequate supply of nitrogen or carbohydrates.     

In vivo biocompatibility of aliphatic segmented polyurethane in rabbit

An aliphatic segmented polyurethane with soft to hard segment ratio 3 was synthesised using hexamethylene diisocyanate, polypropylene glycol 400 and 1,4-butane diol.A stainless steel cage implant system has been used to study thein vivo biocompatibility of this polyurethane. United States Pharmacopoeia negative control polyethylene was used for the comparison. Three cages, one with polyurethane another with United States Pharmacopoeia polyethylene and the third control empty cage were implanted subcutaneously in the dorsal aspect of rabbits. The inflammatory exudate surrounding the material was aspirated from the cages on 4, 7, 14 and 21 days after implantation. The total protein content in the exudate aspirated from all the 3 cages was significantly higher at 7 days than in the reported normal rabbit serum of New Zealand white rabbit but equal to that of our rabbit colony. The albumin concentration was lower in the initial period but increased at 21 days post implantation period in all the cages. Concentration of α₁, α₂ and γ-globulin also decreased in all cages at 21 days. Neutrophils were predominant in all the exudates aspirated from polyurethane, polyethylene and empty control cages during whole implantation period. This is attributed to the profound effect of the cages on the surrounding vasculature. Macrophage was found to be seen during acute phase of inflammation due to the migration of macrophage along with neutrophil towards the inflammatory lesion. The percentage of neutrophils showed a faster decline in the cage containing polyethylene at 21 days. The extra cellular alkaline phosphatase activity, though higher in exudate from cages containing polyurethane at 14 days post implantation, was same in all 3 cages at 21 days. Leucine amino peptidase activity was found to be decreased at 21 days of post implantation time though the empty control cage exhibited an increase at 14 days post implantation. The inflammatory response at 21 days was similar in polyurethane and the control polyethylene     

Induction and termination of diapause inOrius predatory bugs

Photoperiodic induction of reproductive diapause at 18°C was investigated in fourOrius [Heteroptera: Anthocoridae] species.Orius insidiosus (Say) displayed a long-day response with a critical photoperiod between L11:D13 and L12:D12. Diapause in this species was terminated rapidly when the temperature and/or the daylength were increased.Orius majusculus (Reuter) also displayed a long-day response. The critical photoperiod fell between L14:D10 and L16:D8. Diapause in this species was not terminated within 14 days when both temperature and daylength were increased. InOrius albidipennis (Reuter) no diapause could be induced at photoperiods varying from L8:D16 to L16:D8. InOrius tristicolor (White) a high proportion of diapause was found at all photoperiods tested. The effect of temperature on photoperiodic induction of diapause was studied inO. insidiosus at L10:D14. Diapause occurred at 18°C, 21°C and 25°C, but not at 30°C. Again, diapause was terminated rapidly after transfer to 25°C/L16:D8. Exposing only the nymphal instars 1–5 to short daylength was not enough to induce diapause in the whole population ofO. majusculus. Orius predatory bugs are used as biocontrol agents against western flower thrips,Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) [Thysanoptera: Thripidael, in greenhouses. The consequences of photoperiodic induction of diapause for the success of early season releases ofOrius are discussed.     

Differential response of fourTrichogramma species to low temperatures for short term storage

Differential response was noticed when 4 species ofTrichogramma egg parasitoids were stored at 2°, 5° and 10°C for 7 to 49 days. Pupal stage was found to be most appropriate for storage. Emergence ofTrichogramma achaeae Nagaraja and Nagarkatti andTrichogrammatoidea eldanae Viggiani was greater in comparison toTrichogramma chilonis Ishii andTrichogramma japonicum Ashmead at all 3 temperature regimes. Fecundity and longevity declined drastically after storage of 14 days at 2° and 5°C and 21 days at 10°C, when removed to room temperature. 10°C was found to be the best temperature for storage up to 49 days. Contribution No. 51004 of Biological Control Centre (NCIPM), Bangalore.