Biology ofPterolonche inspersa (Lep.: Pterolonchidae), a biological control agent forCentaurea diffusa andC. maculosa in the United States

The moth,Pterolonche inspersa (Staudinger) (Lepidoptera: Pterolonchidae), is widely distributed in southern Europe, north Africa, Turkey and the former Soviet Union. It occurs in both thick and scattered stands of knapweeds in disturbed sites, usually on sandy and/or stony soil. Larvae bore in the roots of diffuse and spotted knapweeds (Centaurea diffusa De Lamarck andC. maculosa De Lamarck). There is one generation per year in northern Greece, and larvae feed in the roots for about 11 months during the growing season (August–September, to the following July–August). In the laboratory garden, emergence took place between the second half of July and the end of August, with peak emergence during mid August. In the field, adults were observed from early to late July. Female moths oviposited on rosettes during the first ten days of July and continued through the end of July. Eggs were laid singly or in groups of five or six, firmly attached to the leaves of the host plant. In the laboratory, females mated within 24 hours of emergence and the preoviposition period lasted 2.6±0.8 days. The oviposition period lasted 7.4±2.2 days and the average number of eggs per female was 142.2±59.2. The incubation period was 12±4.7 days; the pupal stage lasted 14.7±2.4 days; and females lived 15.8±2.4 days, while males lived 10.7±1.4 days. First instar larvae failed to survive on economically important Compositae in the generaCynara L.,Helianthus L.,Zinnia L. andCalendula L. (Dunnet al., 1989).     

几种沙漠地区野生药用植物资源及其引种栽培

几种沙漠地区野生药用植物资源及其引种栽培尹林克（中国科学院吐鲁番沙漠植物园,新疆吐鲁番８３８００８）Ｒｅｓｏｕｒｃｅｓｏｆｓｅｖｅｒａｌｓｐｅｃｉｅｓｏｆｗｉｌｄｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌｐｌａｎｔｓｉｎｄｅｓｅｒｔｒｅｇｉｏｎａｎｄｔｈｅｉｒｉｎｔｒｏｄｕ...     

Sexual isolation in Drosophila. II. Intraspecific variation in mate recognition systems

A simple behavioral model is used to investigate whether differences in the specific-mate-recognition system (SMRS), occur within species of the Drosophila genus. This model takes into account, and overcomes, the distorting effect of vigor differences on experimental results. Analysis shows significant deviations from the expected values under the assumption of identical SMRSs in around one fifth of the multiple-choice experiments performed with natural strains of twelve different Drosophila species. Different selection procedures raise the number of significant assortative mating results between strains of D. melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura from 3.0% to 32.8%. Finally, sub- or semispecific taxa show variations in their SMRS even more frequently (74.5%). Differences in male vigor and female receptivity are also found. These results show that a classification of Drosophila species based on SMRS stability, as proposed by the “Recognition concept of species”, is virtually impossible.     

Effects of Chicken-excrement Amendments on Meloidogyne arenaria

The effects of chicken litter on Meloidogyne arenaria in tomato plants cv. Rutgers were determined in the greenhouse. Tomato seedlings were transplanted into a sandy soil amended with five rates of chicken litter and inoculated with 2,000 M. arenaria eggs. After 10 days, total numbers of nematodes in the roots decreased with increasing rates of chicken litter. After 46 days, egg numbers also decreased with increasing litter rates. In another experiment, soil was amended with two litter types, N-P-K fertilizer, and the two primary constituents of chicken litter (manure and pine-shaving bedding). After 10 days, numbers of nematodes in roots were smaller in chicken-excrement treatments as compared to nonexcrement treatments. At 46 days, there were fewer nematode eggs in chicken-excrement treatments compared to nonexcrement treatments. Egg numbers also were smaller for fertilizer and pine-shaving amendments as compared to nonamended controls. Chicken litter and manure amendments suppressed plant growth by 10 days after inoculation but enhanced root weights at 46 days after inoculation. Amendment of soil with chicken litter suppressed M. arenaria and may provide practical control of root-knot nematodes as part of an integrated management system.     

Natural Occurrence of Entomogenous Nematodes in Tennessee Nursery Soils

To isolate potential insect biocontrol agents, entomogenous nematodes were surveyed in Tennessee plant nurseries in 1991. Soil samples from 113 nursery sites were baited with greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae, house cricket (Acheta domesticus) adults, lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperings) adults, and house fly (Musca domestica) larvae. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema carpocapsae were each recovered from 17 soil samples. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora was more common in habitats with crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) and Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis) than other nursery plants, and S. carpocapsae was more frequently recovered from habitats with juniper and Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). Bulk density, electrical conductivity, organic matter, pH, temperature, and moisture content of the entomogenous-nematode positive soil samples were compared. Other nematode genera recovered with insect baits included Rhabditis sp., Pelodera sp., Cryptaphelenchoides sp., and Mesodiplogaster sp., which was recovered from a greater percentage of soil samples than the other five genera.     

Survey of Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae (Rhabditida,Nematoda) in Western Canada

A survey was done in the summer months along the Alaska Highway, in other parts of British Columbia, in northern Alberta, and in the Yukon Territory for steinernematid and heterorhabditid nematodes occurring in the top 10 cm of soil. Steinernema feltiae and Steinernema spp. were found at 18 and Heterorhabditis megidis at 7 sites of 125 sampled. Most nematodes were found where visible insect infestation occurred and where human influence on the habitat was substantial (e.g., agricultural, forested and bush-hedgerow habitats); none was found in grassland or virgin forests. Heterorhabditis megidis occurred in only the southern, warmer, drier region of British Columbia. In the laboratory some steinernematid isolates and H. megidis killed Galleria mellonella larvae at 13 and 22 C, whereas some isolates of Steinernema killed the larvae at only 13 C. Steinernema spp. from three high altitude sites with low, average July temperatures (13-14 C) are cold-active in that they produced infective juveniles at 13 C and killed G. mellonella at 6 C.     

Metabolic engineering of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 for increased solvent production by enhancement of acetone formation enzyme activities using a synthetic acetone operon

The ability to genetically alter the product-formation capabilities of Clostridium acetobutylicum is necessary for continued progress toward industrial production of the solvents butanol and acetone by fermentation. Batch fermentations at pH 4.5, 5.5, or 6.5 were conducted using C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824 (pFNK6). Plasmid pFNK6 contains a synthetic operon (the "ace operon") in which the three homologous acetone-formation genas (adc, ctfA, and ctfB) are transcribed from the adc promoter. The corresponding enzymes (acetoacetate decarboxylase and CoA-transferase) were best expressed in pH 4.5 fermentations. However, the highest levels of solvents were attained at pH 5.5. Relative to the plasmid-free control strain at pH 5.5, ATCC 824 (pFNK6) produced 95%, 37%, and 90% higher final concentrations of acetone, butanol, and ethanol, respectively; a 50% higher yield (g/g) of solvents on glucose; and a 22-fold lower mass of residual carboxylic acids. At all pH values, the acetone-formation enzymes were expressed earlier with ATCC 824 (pFNK6) than in control fermentations, leading to earlier induction of acetone formation. Furthermore, strain ATCC 824 (pFNK6) produced butanol significantly earlier in the fermentation and produced significant levels of solvents at pH 6.5. Only trace levels of solvents were produced by strain ATCC 824 at pH 6.5. Compared with ATCC 824, a plasmid-control strain containing a vector without the ace operon also produced higher levels of solvents [although lower than those of strain ATCC 824 (pFNK6)] and lower levels of acids. Strains containing plasmid-borne derivatives of the ace operon, in which either the acetoacetate decarboxylase or CoA-transferase alone were expressed at elevated levels, produced acids and solvents at levels similar to those of the plasmid-control strain. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Host selection and survival of the parasitoidEncarsia formosa on greenhouse whitefly,Trialeurodes vaporariorum, in the presence of hosts infected with the fungusAschersonia aleyrodis

Successful control of greenhouse whitefly may be achieved by complementary activity of the parasitoidEncarsia formosa and the fungusAschersonia aleyrodis. One way to obtain an additive mortality effect of both entomopathogen and parasitoid would be achieved by the selection of healthy hosts by the parasitoid and rejection of fungus-infected hosts. Third and fourth instar larvae ofTrialeurodes vaporariorum which had been treated with a spore suspension ofA. aleyrodis 0, 4, 7, 10 or 14 days beforehand, were presented to female parasitoids. The parasitoids adopted the oviposition posture on untreated hosts as well as on treated hosts, irrespective of the different stages of infection in the hosts. However, significantly more hosts were parasitized byE. formosa in the control treatment than in the fungal treatment. The parasitoids offered treated hosts, showed rejection behaviour after probing on hosts showing detectable signs of infection (containing hyphal bodies or mycelium in the haemolymph). For instance, when hosts were offered seven days after spore treatment, the parasitoids showed an oviposition posture on a total of 83 (95.4%) out of 87 infected larvae, but laid only 4 eggs (4.6%). In contrast, on 48 (94.1%) out of 51 noninfected (or showing no detectable signs of infection) hosts an oviposition posture was adopted and 40 eggs (78.4%) were found after dissection. When infected hosts were encountered the oviposition posture lasted less than 1′40″ while rejection of non-infected hosts occurred after more than 1′40″. Other experiments were carried out offering treated hosts for 24 h to the parasitoids. The hosts were dissected afterwards. Again, significantly more eggs were laid in the non-infected hosts. When hosts were parasitized shortly after fungal spore treatment they were colonized by the fungus and the parasitoids did not develop. Transmission of the entomopathogen after probing infected hosts was observed to a limited extent. In conclusion,A. aleyrodis andE. formosa can be used together in a glasshouse situation. The parasitoid will be most effective when introduced more than seven days after application ofA. aleyrodis, because from that time onwards it is able to detect and reject fungus-infected hosts.     

环境因子对荒漠沙蜥种群密度影响的研究

本文研究人类改造荒漠的活动,植被,潜在的可利用的食物资源,竞争种的密度,土壤理化性质等坏境因子对荒漠沙蜥种群密度的影响。结果说明：人类的活动对沙蜥种群密度没有显著影响;决定沙蜥种群密度的主导因子是潜在的可利用的食物资源,植被,土壤含水量,竞争种的密度。这些因子的任何改变都能改变沙蜥的种群密度,均具有调节种群的作用。     

Source of an egg kairomone for Trissolcus basalis, a parasitoid of Nezara viridula

Abstract. The eggs of the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), are successfully attacked by Trissolcus basalis (Woll.) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and are recognized as hosts by a secretion applied to the egg chorion. This secretion is produced by the follicular cells in the proximal region of the ovariole of the female pentatomid and functions as an adhesive for attaching the eggs to the oviposition substrate. The adhesive and kairomone activity could be partially removed with water. This water extract elicited host recognition behaviour in T. basalis when applied to glass beads which stuck together as the extract dried. The adhesive and kairomonal activity was removed completely with acetone since acetone-washed host eggs were not recognized by T. basalis. Application of the acetone extract to glass beads stimulated ovipositional probes by T. basalis. The adhesive appeared to be composed of a mucopolysaccharide–protein complex.