Nematicidal activity of terpenoids

Thirty four phytoterpenoids were evaluated for their nematicidal effect using the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Nematicidal activities of the tested compounds at concentrations of 50 μg/mL showed wide variation in their effects ranging from no effect, weak, moderate and strong effects. Terpenoids exerting 50% or higher mortality at 50 μg/mL were further tested at five different concentrations to calculate the concentration that will kill 50% of the nematode population (LC₅₀). Among the most effective terpenoids were carvacrol, thymol, nerolidol, α-terpinene, geraniol, citronellol, farnesol, limonene, pseudoionone and eugenol in a descending order. These compounds exhibited a dose-dependent effect. The results suggest that the selected monoterpenoids and essential oils with a high concentration of these compounds mayprovide potential natural nematicides and merit further study as botanical nematicides for the control of both plant and animal parasitic nematodes. In general, oxygenated terpenoids and phenolic terpenoids exhibited higher nematicidal activity than hydrocarbons terpenoids.     

House fly (Musca domestica): A review of control strategies for a challenging pest

Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), commonly called the house fly, is a major domestic, medical and veterinary pest that causes irritation, spoils food and acts as a vector for many pathogenic organisms. In this paper, the social and health problems related to housefly are introduced with the associated need to control its population. Physical and chemical methods of house fly control are briefly discussed. The main focus of this review is on the biological control methods for house fly control, that comprise botanical, fungal, bacterial and parasitoid agents. Although several biocontrol agents are still in the nascent stage, some of them (especially fungal and parasitoid agents) have shown reliable field performance and seem to be suitable candidates for commercialization. However, the majority of these laboratory and field studies have been conducted in the temperate region. It remains to be seen whether the application of biocontrol agents would be feasible in tropical environments. The integrated pest management practices, which can provide more reliable field performance, have also been discussed. A multi-dimensional approach that exerts control on all the life stages of house fly, but simultaneously preserves the fly's natural enemies could be an ecologically sustainable way of maintaining the fly populations below maximally acceptable limits.     

Effects of Spatially Extensive Control of Invasive Rats on Abundance of Native Invertebrates in Mainland New Zealand Forests

Predation on native fauna by non‐native invasive mammals is widely documented, but effects of predation at the population level are rarely measured. Eradication of invasive mammals from islands has led to recovery of native biota, but the benefits of controlling invasive mammal populations in settings where eradication is not feasible are less understood. We used various combinations of aerially delivered toxic bait and control measures on the ground to reduce abundances of invasive rats (Rattus rattus) to low levels over large areas on mainland New Zealand and then monitored the abundance of invertebrates on replicated treatment sites to compare with abundances on similar nontreatment sites. We also assessed rat diet by examining stomach contents. Abundance of the rats’ most‐consumed invertebrate prey item, the large‐bodied Auckland tree weta (Hemideina thoracica), increased 3‐fold on treatment sites where we maintained rats at <4/ha for approximately 3 years, compared with the nontreatment sites. Auckland tree weta also increased in abundance on sites where rats were controlled with a single aerial‐poisoning operation, but rat abundance subsequently increased on these sites and tree weta abundance then declined. Nevertheless, our data suggest that biennial reduction of rat abundances may be sufficient to allow increases in tree weta populations. Other invertebrates that were consumed less often (cave weta [Rhaphidophoridae], spiders [Araneae], and cockroaches [Blattodea]) showed no systematic changes in abundance following rat control. Our results suggest that the significant threat to recruitment and individual survival that predation by rats poses for tree weta can be mitigated by wide‐scale aerial pest control. Efectos del Control Extensivo Espacial de Ratas Invasoras sobre la Abundancia de Invertebrados Nativos en Bosques de Nueva Zelanda     

人─—化学农药──作物病虫害循环灾害与控制途径

立足于目前农业生产上化学农药使用的现状，从“人—化学农药—作物病虫害”系统阐述了化学农药滥用所造成的危害和灾难，并剖析了发生灾难的主要原因．用事实说明了化学农药的利弊；指出使用者的素质是能否科学用药的关键．最后，提出了克服灾害的主要途径。     

农业结构调整与农作物病虫害减灾对策

农业产业结构调整是我国农业生产发展的战略决策,论述了农业产业结构调整的必然性和在农业结构调整期农作物病虫灾害可持续治理的对策。     

Environmental Risks of Pesticides Versus Genetic Engineering for Agricultural Pest Control

Despite the application of 2.5 million tons ofpesticides worldwide, more than 40% of all potentialfood production is lost to insect, weed, and plantpathogen pests prior to harvest. After harvest, anadditional 20% of food is lost to another group ofpests. The use of pesticides for pest control resultsin an estimated 26 million human poisonings, with220,000 fatalities, annually worldwide. In the UnitedStates, the environmental and public health costs forthe recommended use of pesticides total approximately$9 billion/yr. Thus, there is a need for alternativenon-chemical pest controls, and genetic engineering(biotechnology) might help with this need. Diseaseand insect pest resistance to various pests has beenslowly bred into crops for the past 12,000 years;current techniques in biotechnology now offeropportunities to further and more rapidly improve thenon-chemical control of disease and insect pests ofcrops. However, relying on a single factor, like theBacillus thuringiensis toxin that has beeninserted into corn and a few other crops for insectcontrol, leads to various environmental problems,including insect resistance and, in some cases, athreat to beneficial biological control insects andendangered insect species. A major environmental andeconomic cost associated with genetic engineeringapplications in agriculture relates to the use ofherbicide resistant crops (HRC). In general, HRCtechnology results in increased herbicide use but noincrease in crop yields. The heavy use of herbicidesin HRC technology pollutes the environment and canlead to weed control costs for farmers that may be2-fold greater than standard weed control costs. Therefore, pest control with both pesticides andbiotechnology can be improved for effective, safe,economical pest control.     

常宁市林业有害生物发生现状和防控对策

结合常宁市林业有害生物普查工作,在实地调查全市林业有害生物发生种类和发生现状的基础上,通过分析常宁市林业有害生物发生特点和成灾原因,结合林业工作实际,提出了常宁市林业有害生物防控对策．参7．     

新疆草原蝗、鼠灾害与控制策略

以最近14年新疆治蝗灭鼠现状为依据,分析了草原蝗虫害鼠的为害与防治现状,指出牧业防治和生物防治是今后的方向,健全测报是做好防治的根本,认为加强研究,开放思维、引资合作,共图效益是较为理想的有害生物控制途径。     

林业生物灾害预警的内涵

林业生物灾害预警是我国林业有害生物预防体系的主要内容,但一直以来对林业生物灾害这一概念没有一个统一的定义,处于“各自表述”的状态.在参考国内外林业生物灾害预警研究的基础上,对一些相关概念做了厘清,提出了一个林业生物灾害预警系统的框架.该系统由4部分构成:分析潜在威胁、检定真实威胁、警情发布和响应威胁.通过有害生物风险分析和发生预测来判断潜在的威胁;通过威胁勘察、监测和检疫措施来检定真实的威胁;然后评估威胁大小.提出了一个度量威胁大小的指标——发生指数,它既考虑了有害生物的种群密度(或病情指数),又考虑了发生面积.发生指数可在当年有害生物发生结束后根据实际发生情况计算,但在预警时必须根据预警指标(立地指数、林分指数、气象指数等)来推算.根据推算的发生指数,将警情分级,向经营者和公众发布警报.同时,相关部门根据相应的预案进行威胁响应.对预案执行情况应进行评估,必要时进行预案修订.     

Integrating drivers influencing the detection of plant pests carried in the international cut flower trade

This paper analyses the cut flower market as an example of an invasion pathway along which species of non-indigenous plant pests can travel to reach new areas. The paper examines the probability of pest detection by assessing information on pest detection and detection effort associated with the import of cut flowers. We test the link between the probability of plant pest arrivals, as a precursor to potential invasion, and volume of traded flowers using count data regression models. The analysis is applied to the UK import of specific genera of cut flowers from Kenya between 1996 and 2004.There is a link between pest detection and the Genus of cut flower imported. Hence, pest detection efforts should focus on identifying and targeting those imported plants with a high risk of carrying pest species. For most of the plants studied, efforts allocated to inspection have a significant influence on the probability of pest detection. However, by better targeting inspection efforts, it is shown that plant inspection effort could be reduced without increasing the risk of pest entry. Similarly, for most of the plants analysed, an increase in volume traded will not necessarily lead to an increase in the number of pests entering the UK. For some species, such as Carthamus and Veronica, the volume of flowers traded has a significant and positive impact on the likelihood of pest detection. We conclude that analysis at the rank of plant Genus is important both to understand the effectiveness of plant pest detection efforts and consequently to manage the risk of introduction of non-indigenous species.