南非盲走螨实验种群的发育历期及生命表

在27℃条件下,以粗脚粉螨Acarus siro L.为饲料饲养观察南非盲走螨Typhlodromus(Anthoseius) transvaalensis(Nesbitt)的生长发育和繁殖情况,组建实验种群生命表。结果表明,南非盲走螨行孤雌生殖,卵、幼螨、前若螨、后若螨、成螨产卵前期各阶段发育历期分别为2.00,0.72,1.96,1.53,1.77d,完成1个世代发育需7.98d,雌成螨平均寿命14.82d、平均产卵量25.75粒,各种群生命参数分别为:净增殖率R0=25.01,世代平均周期T=13.71,内禀增长率rm=0.23,周限增长率λ=1.26,种群倍增所需日数t=2.95。采用小空间湿度控制法,测定不同湿度对南非盲走螨卵的孵化和成螨产卵的影响。结果表明,卵发育和孵化的最适湿度为75.0%~85.0%,96.0%的相对高湿度对成螨的产卵和存活均有不利影响。以橘全爪螨Panonychus citri McGregor不同螨态为猎物时,南非盲走螨对橘全爪螨幼螨的捕食量最大,日平均捕食量为5.40头,而对橘全爪螨雌成螨则几乎不取食。     

Integrated control of apple pests in New Zealand 16. Progress with integrated control of European red mite

Abstract

Studies were made in an orchard near Nelson from 1974 to 1978 on integrated control of Panonychus ulmi (Koch) using the organophosphate-resistant predator Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten. Correct timing of selective acaricides during the October-January period is essential, and can be achieved by close observation of P. ulmi development. When the majority of winter eggs have hatched (late October to early November), or the majority of the summer eggs laid by the first generation (very late November to early or mid December), there is a short period when a maximum of immature mites occurs. This is before many adult females have matured, and is the most effective time for application of an acaricide such as cyhexatin. The development of P. ulmi, in particular the incubation period of the summer eggs, is controlled by temperature, and in seasons when mean temperatures are well below average in November and December the delayed mite development makes accurate timing of the December spray more difficult. Other factors which also affect mite development are the use of dormant oil, cultivar, and orchard aspect and shelter.

On the block of trees where no acaricides were used since 1968, although regular applications of azinphos-methyl were made, T. pyri maintained P. ulmi at acceptable levels over the 5 years 1973-78, a maximum of P. ulmi occurring each season in January with the third generation. In three seasons the peak was well below the threshold for commercial spraying; in two seasons this threshold was exceeded, but despite the absence of acaricides P. ulmi numbers soon fell.

A further experiment demonstrated the utility of mineral oil and cyhexatin as selective acaricides in integrated programmes. Cycloprate, tricyclotin, and fenbutatin oxide were shown to be as effective and selective as cyhexatin, a single application in early December giving good survival of T. pyri and season-long control of P. ulmi. In another experiment propargite was as effective and selective as cyhexatin; amitraz was more toxic to T. pyri and less persistent against P. ulmi, and resulted in a poor P. ulmi : T. pyri ratio; and chlorpyrifos, though not more toxic than cyhexatin to T. pyri, was less effective against P. ulmi.

Mancozeb, and dinocap + mancozeb, used in a summer-long programme of 12 treatments, were more toxic to T. pyri than were binapacryl or dinocap alone.     

Miticide bioassays with spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae): effect of test design and sample size on the precision of lethal concentration estimates

The effect of interval space between the concentration (symmetric or geometric), number of concentrations and overall sample sizes were investigated using a Petri dish bioassay, the miticide propargite and two spider mites species. The precision (width of the 95% confidence intervals) of the LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ estimates was shown to be influenced by the test design and total sample size The results suggest that a symmetric five-concentration design using a minimum total sample size of 480 mites is required to produce reliable LC estimates using the Petri dish method. Asymmetric designs did not increase the reliability of LC estimates. When less than 480 test subjects are available, a symmetric three-concentration design would give adequate LC estimates, but the precision would be less than with a five-concentration design.     

Survey of natural enemies of spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) in citrus orchards in eastern Spain

Field surveys were conducted from 2004 to 2007 to determine the species composition and relative abundance of natural enemies associated with colonies of either the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri, or the two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, in Valencian citrus orchards (eastern Spain). Fourteen species were recorded, six phytoseiid mites and eight insect predators. Two of them are reported for the first time on citrus in Spain and two more are first reports as predators associated with T. urticae. The community of predators associated with T. urticae and P. citri was almost identical, and the Morisita–Horn index of similarity between both natural enemy complexes was close to one, suggesting that predators forage on both pest species. Quantifying the presence of many known spider mites predators in Valencian citrus orchards is an important first step towards spider mite control. A challenge for future studies will be to establish conservation and/or augmentation management strategies for these predators, especially to improve T. urticae biological control.     

Effect of Coleus Size and Variegation on Attack Rates, Searching Strategy, and Selected Life History Characteristics of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Twenty-four-hour attack rates and the search strategy of third instar Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) attacking 1 to 16 third instar Planococcus citri Risso (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) were measured on green and yellow-variegated Solenostemon scutellarioides (L.) Codd (= Coleus blumei (Bentham)) (Labiatae) plants of different sizes. Selected life history characteristics of C. montrouzieri fed different amounts of P. citri as prey from third instar to adults were also examined. On average, predators attacked 1 to 4 mealybugs, depending on the number of mealybugs and plant size. There was no effect of plant color on attack rates. Attack rates were positively related to prey density, whereas the estimated area searched by predators was inversely related to prey density. Analyses suggest that leaf area was the plant characteristic that most affected attack rates. Predators fed few prey had a decrease in body weight and survival. The implications for the use of C. montrouzieri in biological control are discussed.     

Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Xylan Degradation by Xanthomonas Plant Pathogens

Xanthomonas pathogens attack a variety of economically relevant plants, and their xylan CUT system (carbohydrate utilization with TonB-dependent outer membrane transporter system) contains two major xylanase-related genes, xynA and xynB, which influence biofilm formation and virulence by molecular mechanisms that are still elusive. Herein, we demonstrated that XynA is a rare reducing end xylose-releasing exo-oligoxylanase and not an endo-β-1,4-xylanase as predicted. Structural analysis revealed that an insertion in the β7-α7 loop induces dimerization and promotes a physical barrier at the +2 subsite conferring this unique mode of action within the GH10 family. A single mutation that impaired dimerization became XynA active against xylan, and high endolytic activity was achieved when this loop was tailored to match a canonical sequence of endo-β-1,4-xylanases, supporting our mechanistic model. On the other hand, the divergent XynB proved to be a classical endo-β-1,4-xylanase, despite the low sequence similarity to characterized GH10 xylanases. Interestingly, this enzyme contains a calcium ion bound nearby to the glycone-binding region, which is required for catalytic activity and structural stability. These results shed light on the molecular basis for xylan degradation by Xanthomonas and suggest how these enzymes synergistically assist infection and pathogenesis. Our findings indicate that XynB contributes to breach the plant cell wall barrier, providing nutrients and facilitating the translocation of effector molecules, whereas the exo-oligoxylanase XynA possibly participates in the suppression of oligosaccharide-induced immune responses.     

Population dynamics of Panonychus osmanthi (Acari: Tetranychidae) on two Osmanthus species

Panonychus osmanthi is a non-diapausing species of spider mite that superficially resembles P. citri. It infests Osmanthus species, which are evergreen roadside and garden trees. The population dynamics of P. osmanthi were studied on Osmanthus aurantiacus and O.×fortunei during a three-year period. Seasonal changes in P. osmanthi populations were fundamentally the same in each year, although their density differed greatly from year to year. TheP. osmanthi population was bimodal, with one peak in spring (May–June) and another in winter (November–January). Populations abruptly declined after the spring peak. Predators showed a delayed density-dependent response to changes in spider mites from spring to summer, whereas in autumn and winter, predators were few because they had entered diapause. To determine the effect of predators on the rapid decline of spider mites just after the spring peak, the predators were removed by treating the trees with a synthetic pyrethroid. As a result, spider mite density did not decline after the spring peak and remained at a high level during the June-August period when spider mite density is usually very low. This suggests that predators play an important role in the drastic decline of P. osmanthi density just after the spring peak. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Functional response of Euseius finlandicus and Amblyseius andersoni to Panonychus ulmi on apple and peach leaves in the laboratory

The functional response of adult females of the predatory mites Euseius (Amblyseius) finlandicus and Amblyseius andersoni to larvae and adult females of the fruit tree red spider mite Panonychus ulmi was determined on apple and peach leaf disks in the laboratory at 25°C and 16:8 (L:D). For adult females of P. ulmi the predation efficiency of E. finlandicus was higher on peach than on apple, whereas that of A. andersoni was higher on apple than on peach. Efficiency of predation on larvae of P. ulmi by either predator did not differ significantly between apple and peach. On both plants, A. andersoni had a higher predation rate than E. finlandicus on larvae of P. ulmi. It is concluded that in the laboratory the host plant has a substantial effect on predation efficiency of A. andersoni and E. finlandicus when they preyed on adults but not when they preyed on larvae of P. ulmi.     

Characterisation of entomopathogenic fungi used in the biological control programme of Diaphorina citri in Mexico

The production of biological insecticides requires the identification and selection of candidate isolates of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF). The objective of this study was to characterise by virulence factors, single-spore strains of the CHE-CNRCB 303, 305, 307 strains initially identified as Isaria fumosorosea and the 224 strain of Metarhizium anisopliae to identify those with outstanding quality parameters that can serve to improve the control programme for Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) in Mexico. The size of conidia and phialides was evaluated. The internal transcribed spacers established molecular identity. The selection of single-spore strains was done using radial growth (RG), the production of conidia (PC) and germination (G) rates. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the correlation between the variables and as screening criterion. Molecular and morphometric analysis confirmed that isolates 303, 305 and 307, and their single-spore strains correspond to the Isaria javanica species. The 224 strain and its single-spore strain were identified as M. anisopliae sensu lato. The statistical analysis of the RG, PC and G variables showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) between single-spore strains and their multi-spore strains. PCA showed a correlation between the RG and PC. The assay with Pr1 proteases associated with the surface of the conidia showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) for single-spore strains of I. javanica 303/2, 305/1 and 305/5 compared to the original strains. The characterisation of genetically homogeneous populations of EPF will allow us to obtain improved isolates, which are needed for the mass production of mycoinsecticides.     

Recovery of the indigenous Coccidoxenoides peregrinus and the exotic Leptomastix dactylopii on Planococcus citri in lemon and acid lime orchards

The citrus mealybug Planococcus citri was found in large numbers on lemon and acid lime in 1991 around Bangalore. It was attacked by two encyrtid parasitoids, the exotic Leptomastix dactylopii and the indigenous Coccidoxenoides peregrinus. L. dactylopii was recovered 7 years after a release in 1984 around Bangalore. However C. peregrinus was more abundant, and was responsible for the decline of P. citri both on lemon and acid lime. No other primary or hyper‐parasitoid or predator of P. citri was recorded in these citrus orchards during the study.