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Insecticidal and vertebrate toxicity associated with ethnobotanicals used as post-harvest protectants in Ghana.

Six plant species (Cassia sophera, Chamaecrista nigricans, Mitragyna inermis, Ocimum americanum, Securidaca longepedunculata and Synedrella nodiflora) traditionally used in Ghana to control insect pests of stored grain and legumes were screened in the laboratory at three concentrations (0.5, 1 and 5%, w/w) against four common storage pests (Rhyzopertha dominica, Callosobruchus maculatus, Sitophilus zeamais and Prostephanus truncatus). All the plants showed some ability to control all or some of the test insect species. Levels of efficacy varied according to test concentration with the highest concentration tested providing the best control. The S. longepedunculata plant induced the highest percent mortality and was the best at reducing emergence of the F(1) generation. The six plants were also incorporated into standard rat diet at two concentrations (1 and 5%, w/w) and fed to rats over a 6-week period to assess potential deleterious effects against vertebrates. None of the plants demonstrated any neurotoxicological or neurobehavioural effects to the rats over the course of the trial. However, S. longepedunculata and C. nigricans caused a significant reduction in rat growth rate when incorporated at 5% in the diet, induced cell hyperplasia in the liver, and reduced the mean weight of the liver and kidneys, compared to the control group of rats. Kidney pathology was affected only by the 5% concentration of S. longepedunculata which caused a reduced accumulation of alpha2mu-globulin. The implications of these results are discussed in the context of farmer usage of insecticidal plants for stored product protection.

Animals↗

Mean generation analysis of the damage caused by Sesamia nonagrioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in sweet corn ears.

Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefebvre) and Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) are the main maize (Zea mays L.) pests in Mediterranean countries. To develop insect-resistant cultivars, it is helpful to know the genetic control of the resistance. Our objective was to determine the genetic control of the resistance to both borers. For each of two crosses (EP59 x P51 and 15125 x EP61), six generations were evaluated (P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1, and BC2). Genetic effects x environment interactions were not significant. For the O. nubilalis resistance traits; both crosses fitted an additive-dominance model. EP59 x P51 had important dominance and additive effects, whereas for 15125 x EP61 we did not detect significant genetic effects, but significant year effects were detected. For S. nonagrioides infestation, both crosses fitted to an additive-dominance model. There were additive effects for most traits in EP59 x P51. The cross I5125 x EP61 showed significant dominance effects for several traits. Resistance to both corn borers fit an additive-dominance model, but genetic effects depend on the cross evaluated. In the resistance to S. nonagrioides, additive effects were important for shank resistance, which is a useful trait for avoiding S. nonagrioides damage on the ear. Early sowings are recommended to make good use of the resistance to both corn borers. In the late sowings, damage is so high that resistant plants are not able to control the pest.

Animals↗

Transformation of Enterobacter gergoviae isolated from pink bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) gut with Bacillus thuringiensis toxin.

Production of molecules with toxic activity by genetically transformed symbiotic bacteria of pest insects may serve as a powerful approach to biological control. The symbiont, Enterobacter gergoviae, isolated from the gut of the pink bollworm (PBW), has been transformed to express Cyt1A, a cytolytic protein toxin lethal to mosquito and black fly larvae, as a model system. These transgenic bacteria might be used to spread genes encoding insecticidal proteins to populations of agricultural insects or as replacement for chemical insecticides such as malathion used in bait formulation to control specific insect pests, because of extreme public pressure against organophosphate pesticide spraying.

Animals↗

Farm-scale evaluation of the impacts of transgenic cotton on biodiversity, pesticide use, and yield.

Higher yields and reduced pesticide impacts are needed to mitigate the effects of agricultural intensification. A 2-year farm-scale evaluation of 81 commercial fields in Arizona show that use of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton reduced insecticide use, whereas transgenic cotton with Bt protein and herbicide resistance (BtHr) did not affect herbicide use. Transgenic cotton had higher yield than nontransgenic cotton for any given number of insecticide applications. However, nontransgenic, Bt and BtHr cotton had similar yields overall, largely because higher insecticide use with nontransgenic cotton improved control of key pests. Unlike Bt and BtHr cotton, insecticides reduced the diversity of nontarget insects. Several other agronomic and ecological factors also affected biodiversity. Nevertheless, pairwise comparisons of diversity of nontarget insects in cotton fields with diversity in adjacent noncultivated sites revealed similar effects of cultivation of transgenic and nontransgenic cotton on biodiversity. The results indicate that impacts of agricultural intensification can be reduced when replacement of broad-spectrum insecticides by narrow-spectrum Bt crops does not reduce control of pests not affected by Bt crops.

Agriculture↗

[Effect of organophosphorous insecticides on Chinese chive insect pests and their degradation by pesticide-degrading bacterium].

3.00 kg(a. i) x hm(-2) phoxin and 2.63 kg(a. i) x hm(-2) methyl parathion were respectively applied to control the Taeniothrips alliorum on Chinese chive. Compared to no pesticide treatment, the decline rate of the insect density was 98.28% and 98.39% at the 3rd day after spraying pesticides, and 89.94% and 94.04% at the 20th day after spraying pesticides, respectively. At the 3rd day after spraying 15.00, 18.00 and 21.00 kg(a. i) x hm(-2) phoxin, the insect density of Bradysia odoriphaga decreased 80.77%, 93.10% and 96.98%, and at the 35th day after spraying, it decreased 92.44%, 95.05% and 96.81%, respectively. The application of pesticide-degrading bacterium had not any effect on controlling insect pests, but could markedly degrade pesticide. At the 3rd day after spraying 45.00 L x hm(-2) pesticide-degrading bacterium to control Taeniothrips alliorum, the degradion rate of phoxin and methyl parathion was 99.52% and 98.83%, and at the 3rd after spraying 75.00 L x hm(-2) pesticide-degrading bacterium to control Bradysia odoriphaga, the degradation rate of three concentrations of phoxin was 100%, 100% and 99.69%, respectively.

Animals↗

Molecular ecology and biological control: the mating system of a marsupial pest.

Many studies in molecular ecology have focused on the use of repeat DNA markers to determine the nature of mating systems in a wide variety of animal species. Whilst these studies typically have focused on important issues such as the evolutionary consequences of fitness variation among males, genetic studies of mating systems are potentially also important because they can generate information of significance to wider issues in wildlife management. For example, genetically modified, sexually transmitted viral diseases have been suggested as potential agents for the control of vertebrate pest species. An understanding of the epidemiology of such agents requires an intimate knowledge of the sexual contact rates between individuals of the target species. Here, we report the use of minisatellite DNA profiling to reveal the mating system in two New Zealand populations of the introduced Australian brushtail possum. The brushtail possum is New Zealand's most important mammalian pest and a species for which control by a sexually transmitted immunocontraceptive has been proposed. Encouragingly, we report considerable variation in the reproductive success of males at both study sites, with one male siring offspring from four females in one year (mean no. of offspring/reproductively successful male/year at the two sites is 1.95-2.15), while many sired none. This bias in the pattern of reproductive success among males will probably facilitate the spread of an immunocontraceptive agent and thereby increase the power of this approach to biological control.

Animals↗

Selectivity assessment of chlorfenvinphos reevaluated by including physiological and behavioral effects on an important beneficial insect.

Selectivity is an important factor in identifying candidate pesticides to be used in crop protection since it characterizes chemicals that, while being effective against target pests, exert an acceptable impact on the other components of the environment. Extrapolated to an integrated pest management (IPM) context, selectivity implies that candidate pesticides may preserve the ability of beneficial insects to significantly control target pest populations. In the present study, we assess the physiological selectivity of the organophosphate chlorfenvinphos, used to protect cruciferous crops against the cabbage root fly, Delia radicum (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), by investigating both the lethal and sublethal effects exerted on its main parasitoid Trybliographa rapae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae). The comparison of the median lethal doses showed that T. rapae was at least seven times less sensitive than D. radicum to chlorfenvinphos. However, longevity of parasitoids surviving a sublethal dose was reduced by half. The potential fecundity of females was decreased by 9.6 to 22.8%. Chlorfenvinphos also induced important behavioral changes in both sexes and reduced the chances for parasitoids to mate by more than 70%. While most behavioral changes were reversible, effects on mating and on fecundity were not, thereby suggesting long-term effects on the reproduction of the parasitoid. These cumulative effects of chlorfenvinphos would have dramatic consequences on the efficacy of parasitoids contacting such doses of chlorfenvinphos in the field and therefore there is question about the intrinsic selectivity of this insecticide.

Animals↗

Mechanisms of resistance to chemicals in arthropod parasites of veterinary importance.

This review evaluates the significance, for ectoparasites, of the four resistance mechanisms that have emerged in arthropods as defence against chemicals used for their control. In particular the contrast of the relative importance of each mechanism in each of the major ectoparasitic pests of economic importance (sheep blowflies, mosquitoes and ticks) is discussed. Use is made of the experience gained in attempting to overcome these mechanisms to assess the consequences of resistance, and the chances for prolonging the useful life of pesticides, by suppressing the mechanisms, as an alternative to seeking replacement compounds.

Animals↗