Growing hot pepper for cabbage looper, Trichopulsia ni (Hübner) and spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Koch) control

With the public perception that synthetic pesticides leave harmful residues in crop produce for human consumption, there has been increased interest in using natural products for pest control. The potential of using fruit extracts of hot pepper for controlling the cabbage looper, Trichopulsia ni (Hübner) and spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch is explored in this investigation. Crude extracts from fruits of Capsicum chinense, C. frutescens, C. baccatum, and C. annuum, were prepared and tested under laboratory conditions for their insecticidal and acaricidal performance. Mortality was greatest (94%) when fruit extract of accession PI-593566 (C. annuum) was sprayed on larvae of the cabbage looper, while crude extracts of accessions PI-241675 (C. frutescens) and PI-310488 (C. annuum) were repellent to the spider mite. We investigated differences in chemical composition of the crude fruit extracts that may explain the observed differences in mortality and repellency between accessions. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry spectrometric analysis revealed that capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, the pungent components of pepper fruit, were not correlated with toxicity or repellency, indicating that the two capsaicinoids are not likely related to the efficacy of pepper fruit extracts. Major compounds in hot pepper fruit extracts were detected and identified as pentadecanoic acid methyl ester, hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, and octadecanoic acid methyl ester. Spectrometric analysis and toxicity to cabbage looper larvae revealed that pentadecanoic acid methyl ester is likely related to cabbage looper mortality. However, the concentration of pentadecanoic acid methyl ester in some accessions was insufficient to explain the observed mortality of cabbage looper and repellency of spider mite. Fruit extracts of accessions PI-593566 (C. annuum) and PI-241675 (C. frutescens) could be useful for managing populations of cabbage loopers and spider mites, which could reduce reliance on synthetic pesticides. Further study is needed to investigate performance of hot pepper extracts under ultra-violet light and field conditions.     

Thermal terrain modeling of spatial objects, a tool for environmental and climatic change assessment

The aim of the current research effort is to include biophysical multi-temporal data and more specifically land surface temperature (LST) in the terrain modeling process that traditionally was based only on digital elevation data processing. The terrain partition framework (spatial objects) is defined by the borderlines of prefecture authorities of Greece. Each object is represented by a set of attributes derived from the digital elevation data, and objects are organized into clusters on the basis of their terrain dependent representation. Finally, the terrain is segmented to regions on the basis of the multi-temporal LST data, each region presenting a different thermal signature. The thermal regions are used in the spatial objects parametric representation and a new index is devised (LST climatic index) expressing the biophysical suitability of spatial objects at moderate resolution scale.     

Trace metal dynamics in fishes from the southwest coast of India

The concentration of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in the muscle tissue of marine fishes like Lates calcarifer, Nemipterus japonicus, Caranx melampygus, Rastrelliger kanagurta, and Cyanoglossus macrostomus was estimated from samples collected in the continental shelf waters off Kochi and Mangalore on southwest coast of India. Species-specific and spatially heterogeneous patterns of tissue metals loads were apparent within the pelagic and demersal fish species for the two regions. The concentration ranges of Fe (541.60 to 649.60 ppm), Ni (12.12 to 13.92 ppm), and Cu (3.09 to 3.62 ppm) were higher in the demersal species C. melampygus, whereas Co (9.10 to 11.80 ppm) and Zn (79.30 to 84.30 ppm) were higher in the pelagic species L. calcarifer and Cd (4.35 to 6.38 ppm) were higher in the demersal species N. japonicus, possibly due to enhanced bioavailability of these metals from ecological processes associated with upwelling during the summer monsoon. The fish species showed a great capacity to accumulate metals, with highest bioaccumulation for the essential element iron and lowest bioaccumulation for the non-essential element lead. Among the demersal species, C. melampygus and N. japonicus had high concentration factors for the metals Fe (280,268 to 322,808), Ni (88,252 to 96,891), Cu (2,351 to 2,600), and Cd (29,637 to 32,404). In contrast, the pelagic species L. calcarifer and R. kanagurta had high concentration factors for the metals Zn (40,812 to 46,892), Co (280,285 to 423,037), and Pb (854 to 1,404).     

Dissipation,half-lives,and mass spectrometric identification of chlorpyrifos and its two metabolites on field-grown collard and kale

The persistence and fate of chlorpyrifos and its two metabolites, chlorpyrifos-oxon and the 3, 5, 6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP) break-down product were investigated on kale and collard leaves under field conditions. A simultaneous extraction and quantification procedure was developed for chrorpyrifos and its two main metabolites. Residues of chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos oxon, and TCP were determined using a gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with an electron capture detector (GC/ECD). Chlorpyrifos metabolites were detectable up to 23 days following application. Residues were confirmed using a GC equipped with a mass selective detector (GC/MSD) in total ion mode. Initial residues of chlorpyrifos were greater on collard (14.5 µg g^?1) than kale (8.2 µg g^?1) corresponding to half-lives (T_1/2) values of 7.4 and 2.2 days, respectively. TCP, the hydrolysis product, was more persistent on collards with an estimated T_1/2 of 6.5 days compared to kale (T_1/2 of 1.9 days).     

Revealing inadvertent elitism in stakeholder models of environmental governance: assessing procedural justice in sustainability organizations

Consensus-based multi-stakeholder forms of environmental governance involving government, private and civil society actors, have become popular for advancing sustainability, but have been criticized for failing to achieve procedural justice objectives including recognition, participation and strengthening capabilities. Yet, how such models have functioned within non-governmental organizations dedicated to advancing sustainability has been underexplored. This paper assesses the procedural elements of consensus-based multi-stakeholder models used within Canadian biosphere reserves and model forests, two organizations working to address environment and sustainability issues. We draw on strategic documents and semi-structured interviews from five organizations in Canada to analyze their governance structures and processes against a framework for procedural justice. We find the organizational structure reproduces elitism and professionalism associated with stakeholder models more generally and reproduces challenges associated with recognition, participation and building capabilities found in other stakeholder approaches. Meeting broader sustainability challenges requires organizations to address procedural justice issues in addition to their traditional environmental concerns.     

A new device for formaldehyde and total aldehydes real-time monitoring

A new sensitive technique for the quantification of formaldehyde (HCHO) and total aldehydes has been developed in order to monitor these compounds, which are known to be involved in air quality issues and to have health impacts. Our approach is based on a colorimetric method where aldehydes are initially stripped from the air into a scrubbing solution by means of a turning coil sampler tube and then derivatised with 3-methylbenzothiazolinone-2-hydrazone in acid media (pH?=??0.5). Hence, colourless aldehydes are transformed into blue dyes that are detected by UV–visible spectroscopy at 630 nm. Liquid core waveguide LCW Teflon® AF-2400 tube was used as innovative optical cells providing a HCHO detection limit of 4 pptv for 100 cm optical path with a time resolution of 15 min. This instrument showed good correlation with commonly used techniques for aldehydes analysis such as DNPH derivatisation chromatographic techniques with off-line and on-line samplers, and DOAS techniques (with deviation below 6 %) for both indoor and outdoor conditions. This instrument is associated with simplicity and low cost, which is a prerequisite for indoor monitoring.     

Dissipation, half-lives, and mass spectrometric identification of endosulfan isomers and the sulfate metabolite on three field-grown vegetables

Endosulfan 3 EC, a mixture of α- and β-stereo isomers, was sprayed on field-grown pepper, melon, and sweet potato plants at the recommended rate of 0.44 kg A.I. acre(-1). Plant tissue samples (leaves, fruits, or edible roots) were collected 1 h to 30 days following spraying and analyzed for endosulfan isomers (α- and β-isomers). Analysis of samples was accomplished using a gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with a mass detector in total ion mode. The results indicated the formation of endosulfan sulfate as the major metabolite of endosulfan sulfite and the relatively higher persistence of the β-isomers as compared to the α-isomer. The initial total residues (α- and β-isomers plus endosulfan sulfate) were higher on leaves than on fruits. On pepper and melon fruits, the α-isomer, which is the more toxic to mammals, dissipated faster (T(1/2) = 1.22 and 0.95 d, respectively) than the less toxic β-isomer (T(1/2) = 3.0 and 2.5 d, respectively). These results confirm the greater loss of the α-isomer compared to the β-isomer, which can ultimately impact endosulfan dissipation in the environment. Additionally, the higher initial residues of endosulfan on pepper and sweet potato leaves should be considered of great importance for timing field operations and the safe entry of harvesters due to the high mammalian toxicity of endosulfan.