Attraction and mortality of oriental fruit flies to SPLAT‐MAT‐methyl eugenol with spinosad†

Studies were conducted in 2007 and 2008 in Hawaii, USA to quantify attraction and feeding responses resulting in mortality of the male oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), to a novel male annihilation treatment (MAT) formulation consisting of specialized pheromone and lure application technology (SPLAT) in combination with methyl eugenol (ME) and spinosad (=SPLAT‐MAT‐ME with spinosad) in comparison with Min‐U‐Gel‐ME with naled (Dibrom). Our approach involved a novel behavioral methodology for evaluation of slow‐acting reduced‐risk insecticides. Methyl eugenol treatments were weathered for 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks in California, USA, and shipped to Hawaii for bioassays. In field tests involving bucket traps to attract and capture wild males, and in toxicity studies conducted in 1 m³ cages using released males of controlled ages, SPLAT‐MAT‐ME with spinosad performed similar to or outperformed the standard formulation of Min‐U‐Gel‐ME with naled for material aged for up to 8 weeks in the 2008 tests. In laboratory feeding tests in which individual males were exposed for 5 min to the different ME treatments, mortality induced by SPLAT‐MAT‐ME with spinosad recorded at 24 h did not differ from that caused by Min‐U‐Gel ME with naled at 1, 2, and 4 weeks. Spinosad has low contact toxicity, and when mixed with SPLAT offers a reduced‐risk alternative for control of B. dorsalis, without many of the negative effects to humans and non‐targets of broad‐spectrum contact poisons such as naled. Our results indicate that SPLAT‐MAT‐ME with spinosad offers potential for control of males in an area‐wide integrated pest management (IPM) system without the need for conventional organophosphates.     

Plant-parasitic nematodes associated with organic and conventional vegetable farms in Laguna Province,Philippines

A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with vegetable crops grown in organic and conventional farms in Laguna province, Philippines. Seven nematode genera (Aphelenchoides, Aphelenchus, Helicotylenchus, Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Rotylenchulus and Tylenchus) from organic farms and five (all those found in organic except Aphelenchoides and Pratylenchus) from conventional farms were isolated using modified Baermann tray method. Among these taxa, Meloidogyne and Rotylenchulus were the most prevalent and abundant in both organic and conventional farms. Pratylenchus was also prevalent in organic farms and Helicotylenchus in conventional farms. Rotylenchulus was found associated with every vegetable in both organic and conventional farms and Meloidogyne was also observed with all vegetables in conventional farms. Organic vegetable farms were more diverse in terms of genera of plant-parasitic nematodes than conventional farms.     

山东稻区褐飞虱的发生规律及预测研究

褐飞虱在山东稻区一年发生3-4代．当地不能越冬,第二代是主要为害世代,发生在8月下旬至9月中旬。将影响发生的因子如虫源,降水量、气温等输入微机．筛选出的预报因子．用模糊列联表方法建立的预报矩阵,经1994年应用．准确率为100％：     

Biological control and sustainable food production

The use of biological control for the management of pest insects pre-dates the modern pesticide era. The first major successes in biological control occurred with exotic pests controlled by natural enemy species collected from the country or area of origin of the pest (classical control). Augmentative control has been successfully applied against a range of open-field and greenhouse pests, and conservation biological control schemes have been developed with indigenous predators and parasitoids. The cost-benefit ratio for classical biological control is highly favourable (1:250) and for augmentative control is similar to that of insecticides (1:2-1:5), with much lower development costs. Over the past 120 years, more than 5000 introductions of approximately 2000 non-native control agents have been made against arthropod pests in 196 countries or islands with remarkably few environmental problems. Biological control is a key component of a 'systems approach' to integrated pest management, to counteract insecticide-resistant pests, withdrawal of chemicals and minimize the usage of pesticides. Current studies indicate that genetically modified insect-resistant Bt crops may have no adverse effects on the activity or function of predators or parasitoids used in biological control. The introduction of rational approaches for the environmental risk assessment of non-native control agents is an essential step in the wider application of biological control, but future success is strongly dependent on a greater level of investment in research and development by governments and related organizations that are committed to a reduced reliance on chemical control.     

农作物虫害的机器检测与监测技术研究进展

在早期发现并准确定位害虫, 对其未来的发展趋势作出评价, 可提高施药处方决策和综合防治的针对性和准确性。在作物虫害信息的获取中, 传统的检测和监测方法不但耗时、费力, 而且导致的预报滞后会进一步增加损失程度, 很难较好地满足现代农业的精准生产要求。本文介绍了国内外学者在田间作物上开展害虫及其危害状况的机器检测和监测技术研究取得的进展, 包括声特征检测法、雷达观测法、图像识别法以及光谱监测法等, 讨论了现有技术的局限性, 指出了未来作物虫害机器检测和监测技术的可能发展方向是采用多种技术相结合的组合式检测和监测方法, 从多个角度获取特定虫害的相关信息, 相互进行实证检验, 以提高作物虫害机器检测和监测的精度及效率。     

Salinity and the distribution of rotifers in the Lagos Harbour — Badagry Creek system,Nigeria

The waters of Lagos Harbour have a salinity variation of 30, as a consequence of the annual rainfall regime and of the influx of Atlantic Ocean waters. We made monthly plankton hauls at 10 stations for 11 months starting in October 1986, and found 51 species of rotifers, with Brachionus baylyi Sudzuki & Timms, Keratella hispida Lauterborn, Colurella obtusa Gosse, and Filinia pejleri Hutchinson recorded for the first time in Nigeria. In distribution, species numbers decreased with increasing salinity. Brachionus plicatilis, B. rubens, Hexarthra intermedia, Keratella americana, K. cochlearis and K. tropica were classed as euryhaline. Stenohaline species were Anuraeopsis fissa, Ascomorpha ovalis, Filinia longiseta, F. opoliensis, Gastropus sp., Lecane curvicornis and Monostyla stenroosi. All other monogononts were restricted to waters of salinity below 1.     

A survey of some irregular monoterpenes and their biogenetic analogies to presqualene alcohol

A survey of all naturally occurring irregular monoterpenes which may bear structural analogies to presqualene alcohol is presented. Attention is focused on structural and stereochemical relationships among these compounds. A critical analysis of biogenetic proposals is made.     

Planteose,the major soluble carbohydrate of seeds of Fraxinus excelsior

The major soluble carbohydrate of seeds of ash has been characterized as planteose (6_F-galactosylsucrose). The taxonomic and morphological distribution of planteose is discussed.     

Monitoring populations of the almond seed wasp, Eurytoma amygdali, with sex pheromone traps and other means, and optimal timing of chemical control

During the four years 1986–1989 we monitored an adult male population of the almond seed wasp, Eurytoma amygdali Enderlein, in the region of Thessaloniki, using sex pheromone traps, each containing 25 living virgin females. The emergence of adults from infested almonds of the previous year was also monitored in cages in the field, as well as the progress of fruit infestation and egg hatching in the almonds of the Retsou variety. Finally, two chemical control experiments were done against the newly hatched larvae to determine the optimal time for chemical control.During the 4-year study the start of adult captures occurred between April 13 and April 24, and the maximum between April 17 and May 11. In most cases, adult emergence from infested almonds in field cages began with a delay of 2 to 14 days in relation to the start of trap captures, and was affected by factors such as the date of cage installation. In all years most eggs hatched within 12–18 days of oviposition.A treatment with phosphamidon at a concentration of 0.06%, applied to tree branches of the Retsou variety with a hand-sprayer on May 23, 1987, when 54.1% of the eggs had hatched, was very effective (final infestation in July was 4.7% as compared to 89.1% of the untreated control). Three treatments with phosphamidon 0.06%, applied each on different tree branches, on May 14, 20, and 25, 1988, when the percentage of egg hatching was 7.8%, 65.3%, and 93.5%, respectively, were all very effective (final infestation in July was 1.6%, 3.6%, and 4.2% respectively, as compared to 93.6% of the untreated control). However, the presence of mines in the perisperm and outer endosperm, caused by the feeding larvae before they were killed, was more conspicuous in the almonds treated when the percentage of egg hatching was high.Our data suggest that the almond seed wasp can be effectively controlled with a single treatment of a systemic insecticide against the newly hatched larvae, preferably applied when the percentage of egg hatching is low to medium (between 10% and 50%). In the area of Thessaloniki, during 1986–89, 10% and 50% of egg hatching occurred about 21 and 27 days respectively after the beginning of male adult captures in pheromone traps.