Results of the sixth joint pesticide testing programme of the IOBC/WPRS-working group «pesticides and beneficial organisms»

The side effects of 5 insecticides, 8 fungicides and 6 herbicides on 24 species of beneficial organisms were tested by members of the Working Group «Pesticides and Beneficial Organisms» of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC), West Palaearctic Regional Section (WPRS). The tests were conducted by 24 members in 11 countries according to internationally approved guidelines. The insecticide buprofezin (Applaud), the fungicides triforine (Saprol), procymidone (Sumisclex), anilazine (Dyrene), triadimenol (Bayfidan), hexaconazole (Anvil), tridemorph (Calixin) and the herbicides tralkoxydim (Grasp), bentazone (Basagran) were harmless to nearly all the beneficial organisms. Diflubenzuron (Dimilin) affected spiders and the larvae of predatory insects. The remaining 10 preparations were more toxic and should therefore be further tested in semi-field and field experiment on relevant organisms.     

Isolation of an osmotic stress- and abscisic acid-induced gene encoding an acidic endochitinase from Lycopersicon chilense

We have identified one osmotic stress- and abscisic acid-responsive member of the endochitinase (EC 3.2.1.14) gene family from leaves of drought-stressed Lycopersicon chilense plants, a natural inhabitant of extremely arid regions in South America. The 966-bp full-length cDNA (designated pcht28) encodes an acidic chitinase precursor with an amino-terminal signal peptide. The mature protein is predicted to have 229 amino acid residues with a relative molecular mass of 24 943 and pI value of 6.2. Sequence analysis revealed that pcht28 has a high degree of homology with class II chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) from tomato and tobacco. Expression of the pcht28 protein in Escherichia coli verified that it is indeed a chitinase. Northern blot analysis indicated that this gene has evolved a different pattern of expression from that of other family members reported thus far. It is highly induced by both osmotic stress and the plant hormone abscisic acid. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA suggested that the pcht28-related genes may form a small multigene family in this species. The efficiency of induction of the gene by drought stress, in leaves and stems, is significantly higher in L. chilense than in the cultivated tomato. It is speculated that, besides its general defensive function, the pcht28-encoded chitinase may play a particular role in plant development or in protecting plants from pathogen attack during water stress.     

Lipid peroxidation as a possible cause of TCDD toxicity

The target tissues of TCDD, the dysfunctions that result in death in experimental animals, and the ultimate biochemical lesion(s) caused by TCDD are not known despite numerous studies. We have shown by the thiobarbituric acid and conjugated diene methods that TCDD induces hepatic lipid peroxidation in rats. The lipid peroxidation produced by TCDD is both dose and time dependent. A 5-6 fold increase in lipid peroxidation occurs within 6 days following the administration of 40 micrograms TCDD/kg body weight/day for 3 days. Thus, the toxicity of TCDD may be caused in part by free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation that leads to general cell membrane damage which can ultimately produce death in experimental animals at acutely toxic doses.     

Physiological function of superoxide dismutase in glucose-limited chemostat cultures of Escherichia coli.

Conditions for continuous culture of Escherichia coli K-12 His- Thi- under glucose limitation were established. Both the capacity for respiration, at D greater than 0.2/h, and specific activity of superoxide dismutase increased as a function of specific growth rate, whereas peroxidase and catalase were either invariant with or inversely related to this growth rate. The abrupt increase in the availability of glucose, as a means of elevating the growth rate, was followed by an increase in superoxide dismutase, which reached a plateau before there was a significant increase in the growth rate. Thus, an increase in superoxide dismutase appeared to be a prerequisite for an increase in the rate of growth. Cells that had higher levels of superoxide dismutase, because of varying specific growth rates, were more resistant to the toxicity of hyperbaric oxygen. Superoxide dismutase thus behaved like an essential defense against the toxicity of oxygen. Sensitivity towards streptonigrin increased with specific growth rate in the range of 0.09 to 0.25/h but decreased with further increases in the growth rate. Since this antibiotic has been shown to shunt electrons to oxygen, with concomitant production of O2-, these results indicated a progressive deficiency of reducing power at growth rates below 0.25/h and a surfeit of reducing power with progressively greater protection against O2- by superoxide dismutase at growth rates greater than 0.25/h.     

Massenproduktion und anwendung vonTrichogramma 1. Produktion des WirtesSitotroga cerealella

Zusammenfassung Zur rationellen Gestaltung einer kommerziellen Anwendung von Eiparasiten der GattungTrichogramma zur Bek?mpfung von Schadlepidopteren wurde ein Verfahren zur Massenzucht der GetreidemotteSitotroga cerealella (Olivier) als Ersatzwirt weiterentwickelt und erprobt. Bleche mit infiziertem Weizen werden in Brut- und Schlüpfeinrichtungen deponiert. Die ausschlüpfenden Falter werden direkt in einen zentral angebrachten Zylinder aus Drahtgaze geleitet und mit dieser “Faltertrommel” in ein halbautomatisch gesteuertes Ger?t zur Gewinnung und Reinigung von Eiern gebracht. Durch Drehen und gleichzeitiges Abbürsten der Trommeln bei laufendem Abzug lassen sich dieSitotroga-Eier leicht von den l?stigen Flügelschuppen der Motten trennen. Bei einem w?chentlichen Weizenverbrauch von 12 kg wurden in der Dauerzucht ca. 3,2 MillionenSitotroga-Eier pro Woche geerntet. W?hrend der Sommermonate 1980 lie? sich die Eiproduktion durch Verarbeitung von 34 kg Weizen pro Woche auf 9,5 Millionen steigern.

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Summary A rational method for the mass rearing of the Angoumois grain mothSitotroga cerelella (Olivier) for use as a host for the commercial production ofTrichogramma evanescens Westwood to control the European corn borerOstrinia nubilalis Hübner was developed. Sitotroga adults emerging from rearing units holding 56 to 104 kg wheat are collected into cylindrical cages with wire gauze walls. The gathering and clearning of the host eggs are carried out by fitting the moth cages into semi-automatic egg laying units. In these, the cylindrical cages are rotated at intervals, their outer walls being swept with built-in brushes and air suction to remove the moth wing scales is simultaneously provided. The cleaned eggs fall through bottom openings and are collected into trays. Using about 12 kg wheat per week in the continuous rearing ofSitotroga, an average of 3,2 million eggs per week were produced. During the summer months of 1980, 34 kg wheat were used weekly and the level of production increased to an average of 9,5 million eggs per week.

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Mit freundlicher Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Mono- and bis-hydrazone of D-erythrose and 2,3-Dioxo-y-butyrolactone

Aryl-and benzoyl-hydrazones of 2,4-O benzylidene D-erythrose were prepared and acetylated. D-glycero-Tetrulose phenyl-and p-substitute-phenyl-osazones were acylated with acetyl chloride and benzoyl chloride to give the N-acyl-di-O-acyl derivatives, which, on boiling with acetic anhydride, afforded the 1-aryl-3-formylpyrazole N-acetylarylhydrazones. The bis(hydrazones) of 2,3-dioxo-y-butyrolactone are partially hydrolyzed with copper(II) chloride to give the 2-hydrazono-3-oxo-y-butyrolactones, which, on treatment with alkali, rearrange to give the 1-aryl-3-hydroxymethylpyrazoline-4,5-dione 4-arylhydrazones.