Creating an agricultural world order: regional plant protection problems and international phytopathology, 1878-1939.

PubMed

Castonguay, Stéphane

2010-01-01

Beginning in 1878 with the International Phylloxera Convention of Berne, international conventions have sought to relieve national agricultural industries from two specific burdens. First, by defining phytosanitary practices to be enforced by national plant protection services, these conventions attempted to prevent the introduction of plant diseases and pests into national territories from which they were previously absent. Second, by standardizing these practices - especially through the design of a unique certificate of inspection - the conventions attempted to eliminate barriers such as quarantines affection international agricultural trade. The succession of phytopathological conventions seemed to epitomize the coalescence of an international community against agricultural pests. What actually coalesced was bio-geopolitics wherein plant pathologists and economic entomologists from North America and the British Empire questioned the so-called internationality of the environmental and economic specificities of continental European agriculture, embodied in "international" conventions. Although an international phenomenon, the dissemination of agricultural pests provided opportunities for cooperation on a strictly regional albeit transnational basis that pitted bio-geopolitical spaces against each other. This article retraces the formation of these spaces by analyzing the deliberations of committees and congresses that gathered to define an international agricultural order based on the means to prevent the spread of plant diseases and pests.

Invasive species research in the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service.

PubMed

Carruthers, Raymond I

2003-01-01

Invasive pests cause huge losses both to agricultural production systems and to the natural environment through displacing native species and decreasing biodiversity. It is now estimated that many thousand exotic insect, weed and pathogen species have been established in the USA and that these invasive species are responsible for a large portion of the $130 billion losses estimated to be caused by pests each year. The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has responded with extensive research and action programs aimed at understanding these problems and developing new management approaches for their control. This paper provides an overview of some of the ARS research that has been conducted on invasive species over the past few years and addresses both different categories of research and some specific pest systems of high interest to the US Department of Agriculture.

Classical Biological Control of Invasive Legacy Crop Pests: New Technologies Offer Opportunities to Revisit Old Pest Problems in Perennial Tree Crops

PubMed Central

Hoddle, Mark S.; Warner, Keith; Steggall, John; Jetter, Karen M.

2014-01-01

Advances in scientific disciplines that support classical biological control have provided “new tools” that could have important applications for biocontrol programs for some long-established invasive arthropod pests. We suggest that these previously unavailable tools should be used in biological control programs targeting “legacy pests”, even if they have been targets of previously unsuccessful biocontrol projects. Examples of “new tools” include molecular analyses to verify species identities and likely geographic area of origin, climate matching and ecological niche modeling, preservation of natural enemy genetic diversity in quarantine, the use of theory from invasion biology to maximize establishment likelihoods for natural enemies, and improved understanding of the interactions between natural enemy and target pest microbiomes. This review suggests that opportunities exist for revisiting old pest problems and funding research programs using “new tools” for developing biological control programs for “legacy pests” could provide permanent suppression of some seemingly intractable pest problems. As a case study, we use citricola scale, Coccus pseudomagnoliarum, an invasive legacy pest of California citrus, to demonstrate the potential of new tools to support a new classical biological control program targeting this insect. PMID:26463063

How to Identify Your Pest

Science.gov Websites

Pest Pest-specific Information (by name) Pest Control Tips Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Fact Sheets National Pesticide Information Center 1.800.858.7378 npic@ace.orst.edu We're open from 8:00AM to 12 Plants Pest Control Identify Your Pest Learn About Your Pest Control Your Pest Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Management of Structural Pests in Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Dept. of Public Health, Springfield.

The state of Illinois is encouraging schools to better inspect and evaluate the causes of their pest infestation problems through use of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) guidelines developed by the Illinois Department of Public Health. This guide reviews the philosophy and organization of an IPM program for structural pests in schools,…

Insecticide-induced hormesis and arthropod pest management.

PubMed

Guedes, Raul Narciso C; Cutler, G Christopher

2014-05-01

Ecological backlashes such as insecticide resistance, resurgence and secondary pest outbreaks are frequent problems associated with insecticide use against arthropod pest species. The last two have been particularly important in sparking interest in the phenomenon of insecticide-induced hormesis within entomology and acarology. Hormesis describes a biphasic dose-response relationship that is characterized by a reversal of response between low and high doses of a stressor (e.g. insecticides). Although the concept of insecticide-induced hormesis often does not receive sufficient attention, or has been subject to semantic confusion, it has been reported in many arthropod pest species and natural enemies, and has been linked to pest outbreaks and potential problems with insecticide resistance. The study of hormesis remains largely neglected in entomology and acarology. Here, we examined the concept of insecticide-induced hormesis in arthropods, its functional basis and potential fitness consequences, and its importance in arthropod pest management and other areas. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Budding trends in integrated pest management using advanced micro- and nano-materials: Challenges and perspectives.

PubMed

Khandelwal, Neha; Barbole, Ranjit S; Banerjee, Shashwat S; Chate, Govind P; Biradar, Ankush V; Khandare, Jayant J; Giri, Ashok P

2016-12-15

One of the most vital supports to sustain human life on the planet earth is the agriculture system that has been constantly challenged in terms of yield. Crop losses due to insect pest attack even after excessive use of chemical pesticides, are major concerns for humanity and environment protection. By the virtue of unique properties possessed by micro and nano-structures, their implementation in Agri-biotechnology is largely anticipated. Hence, traditional pest management strategies are now forestalling the potential of micro and nanotechnology as an effective and viable approach to alleviate problems pertaining to pest control. These technological innovations hold promise to contribute enhanced productivity by providing novel agrochemical agents and delivery systems. Application of these systems engages to achieve: i) control release of agrochemicals, ii) site-targeted delivery of active ingredients to manage specific pests, iii) reduced pesticide use, iv) detection of chemical residues, v) pesticide degradation, vi) nucleic acid delivery and vii) to mitigate post-harvest damage. Applications of micro and nano-technology are still marginal owing to the perception of low economic returns, stringent regulatory issues involving safety assessment and public awareness over their uses. In this review, we highlight the potential application of micro and nano-materials with a major focus on effective pest management strategies including safe handling of pesticides. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trading biodiversity for pest problems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent shifts in agricultural practices have resulted in increased pesticide use, land use intensification, and landscape simplification, all of which threaten biodiversity in and near farms. Pests are major challenges to food security, and responses to pests can represent unintended socioeconomic a...

Forest pest management in a changing world

Treesearch

Andrew M. Liebhold

2012-01-01

The scope, context and science guiding forest pest management have evolved and are likely to continue changing into the future. Here, I present six areas of advice to guide practitioners in the implementation of forest pest management. First, human dimensions will continue to play a key role in most pest problems and should always be a primary consideration in...

Application of an automatic approach to calibrate the NEMURO nutrient-phytoplankton-zooplankton food web model in the Oyashio region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Shin-ichi; Yoshie, Naoki; Okunishi, Takeshi; Ono, Tsuneo; Okazaki, Yuji; Kuwata, Akira; Hashioka, Taketo; Rose, Kenneth A.; Megrey, Bernard A.; Kishi, Michio J.; Nakamachi, Miwa; Shimizu, Yugo; Kakehi, Shigeho; Saito, Hiroaki; Takahashi, Kazutaka; Tadokoro, Kazuaki; Kusaka, Akira; Kasai, Hiromi

2010-10-01

The Oyashio region in the western North Pacific supports high biological productivity and has been well monitored. We applied the NEMURO (North Pacific Ecosystem Model for Understanding Regional Oceanography) model to simulate the nutrients, phytoplankton, and zooplankton dynamics. Determination of parameters values is very important, yet ad hoc calibration methods are often used. We used the automatic calibration software PEST (model-independent Parameter ESTimation), which has been used previously with NEMURO but in a system without ontogenetic vertical migration of the large zooplankton functional group. Determining the performance of PEST with vertical migration, and obtaining a set of realistic parameter values for the Oyashio, will likely be useful in future applications of NEMURO. Five identical twin simulation experiments were performed with the one-box version of NEMURO. The experiments differed in whether monthly snapshot or averaged state variables were used, in whether state variables were model functional groups or were aggregated (total phytoplankton, small plus large zooplankton), and in whether vertical migration of large zooplankton was included or not. We then applied NEMURO to monthly climatological field data covering 1 year for the Oyashio, and compared model fits and parameter values between PEST-determined estimates and values used in previous applications to the Oyashio region that relied on ad hoc calibration. We substituted the PEST and ad hoc calibrated parameter values into a 3-D version of NEMURO for the western North Pacific, and compared the two sets of spatial maps of chlorophyll- a with satellite-derived data. The identical twin experiments demonstrated that PEST could recover the known model parameter values when vertical migration was included, and that over-fitting can occur as a result of slight differences in the values of the state variables. PEST recovered known parameter values when using monthly snapshots of aggregated state variables, but estimated a different set of parameters with monthly averaged values. Both sets of parameters resulted in good fits of the model to the simulated data. Disaggregating the variables provided to PEST into functional groups did not solve the over-fitting problem, and including vertical migration seemed to amplify the problem. When we used the climatological field data, simulated values with PEST-estimated parameters were closer to these field data than with the previously determined ad hoc set of parameter values. When these same PEST and ad hoc sets of parameter values were substituted into 3-D-NEMURO (without vertical migration), the PEST-estimated parameter values generated spatial maps that were similar to the satellite data for the Kuroshio Extension during January and March and for the subarctic ocean from May to November. With non-linear problems, such as vertical migration, PEST should be used with caution because parameter estimates can be sensitive to how the data are prepared and to the values used for the searching parameters of PEST. We recommend the usage of PEST, or other parameter optimization methods, to generate first-order parameter estimates for simulating specific systems and for insertion into 2-D and 3-D models. The parameter estimates that are generated are useful, and the inconsistencies between simulated values and the available field data provide valuable information on model behavior and the dynamics of the ecosystem.

Possible impact of radar on pest management operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rainey, R. C.

1979-01-01

Radar in making and maintaining contact with the most important populations of major pests in different stages of flight is presented. The desert locust and the African armyworm are discussed in understanding problems and developing a more effective control of pests.

International Entomology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pests and diseases of plants in agriculture are a shared international problem. Yet some of the very places that pest invaders come from often lack the institutional structure and organization necessary to help in understanding the biology of the pest or disease. Strengthening entomology by stimulat...

Theoretical study and control optimization of an integrated pest management predator-prey model with power growth rate.

PubMed

Sun, Kaibiao; Zhang, Tonghua; Tian, Yuan

2016-09-01

This work presents a pest control predator-prey model, where rate of change in prey density follows a scaling law with exponent less than one and the control is by an integrated management strategy. The aim is to investigate the change in system dynamics and determine a pest control level with minimum control price. First, the dynamics of the proposed model without control is investigated by taking the exponent as an index parameter. And then, to determine the frequency of spraying chemical pesticide and yield releases of the predator, the existence of the order-1 periodic orbit of the control system is discussed in cases. Furthermore, to ensure a certain robustness of the adopted control, i.e., for an inaccurately detected species density or a deviation, the control system could be stabilized at the order-1 periodic orbit, the stability of the order-1 periodic orbit is verified by an stability criterion for a general semi-continuous dynamical system. In addition, to minimize the total cost input in pest control, an optimization problem is formulated and the optimum pest control level is obtained. At last, the numerical simulations with a specific model are carried out to complement the theoretical results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Dynamical Analysis of a Piecewise Smooth Pest Control SI Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bing; Liu, Wanbo; Tao, Fennmei; Kang, Baolin; Cong, Jiguang

In this paper, we propose a piecewise smooth SI pest control system to model the process of spraying pesticides and releasing infectious pests. We assume that the pest population consists of susceptible pests and infectious pests, and that the disease spreads horizontally between pests. We take the susceptible pest as the control index on whether to implement chemical control and biological control strategies. Based on the theory of Filippov system, the sliding-mode domain and conditions for the existence of real equilibria, virtual equilibria, pseudo-equilibrium and boundary equilibria are given. Further, we show the global stability of real equilibria (or boundary equilibria) and pseudo-equilibrium. Our results can provide theoretical guidance for the problem of pest control.

Who Wants To Be an IPM Super Sleuth? Integrated Pest Management Educational Activities & Resources for Kids of All Ages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walejko, Gina K.; Colon, Joseph L.

This guide presents games and activities on integrated pest management (IPM) for home targeting grades 1-7. The activities and games use a problem-solving approach based on pest knowledge to develop an understanding of pest management. Three cases are presented: (1) "Inspection is the Key to IPM Success" includes two…

A Guide to Major Insects, Diseases, Air Pollution, Injury, and Chemical Injury of Sycamore

Treesearch

J.D. Solomon; A. Dan Wilson; N.M. Schiff

1999-01-01

This booklet will help nurserymen, forest woodland managers, pest control operators, and homeowners to identify and control pest problems on sycamore trees. The major insect and disease pests of sycamores in the Eastern United Stats are emphasized. Descriptions and illustrations of the pests and the damage they cause are provided to aid in identification. Brief notes...

Forest Insect Pest Management and Forest Management in China: An Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Lanzhu; Wang, Zhen; Wang, Xiaowei; An, Linli

2011-12-01

According to the Seventh National Forest Inventory (2004-2008), China's forests cover an area of 195.45 million ha, or 20.36% of the total land area. China has the most rapidly increasing forest resources in the world. However, China is also a country with serious forest pest problems. There are more than 8,000 species of potential forest pests in China, including insects, plant diseases, rodents and lagomorphs, and hazardous plants. Among them, 300 species are considered as economically or ecologically important, and half of these are serious pests, including 86 species of insects. Forest management and utilization have a considerable influence on the stability and sustainability of forest ecosystems. At the national level, forestry policies always play a major role in forest resource management and forest health protection. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of both achievements and challenges in forest management and insect pest control in China. First, we summarize the current status of forest resources and their pests in China. Second, we address the theories, policies, practices and major national actions on forestry and forest insect pest management, including the Engineering Pest Management of China, the National Key Forestry Programs, the Classified Forest Management system, and the Collective Forest Tenure Reform. We analyze and discuss three representative plantations— Eucalyptus, poplar and Masson pine plantations—with respect to their insect diversity, pest problems and pest management measures.

Forest insect pest management and forest management in China: an overview.

PubMed

Ji, Lanzhu; Wang, Zhen; Wang, Xiaowei; An, Linli

2011-12-01

According to the Seventh National Forest Inventory (2004-2008), China's forests cover an area of 195.45 million ha, or 20.36% of the total land area. China has the most rapidly increasing forest resources in the world. However, China is also a country with serious forest pest problems. There are more than 8,000 species of potential forest pests in China, including insects, plant diseases, rodents and lagomorphs, and hazardous plants. Among them, 300 species are considered as economically or ecologically important, and half of these are serious pests, including 86 species of insects. Forest management and utilization have a considerable influence on the stability and sustainability of forest ecosystems. At the national level, forestry policies always play a major role in forest resource management and forest health protection. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of both achievements and challenges in forest management and insect pest control in China. First, we summarize the current status of forest resources and their pests in China. Second, we address the theories, policies, practices and major national actions on forestry and forest insect pest management, including the Engineering Pest Management of China, the National Key Forestry Programs, the Classified Forest Management system, and the Collective Forest Tenure Reform. We analyze and discuss three representative plantations-Eucalyptus, poplar and Masson pine plantations-with respect to their insect diversity, pest problems and pest management measures.

Iowa Commercial Pesticide Applicator Manual, Category 6: Right-of-Way Pest Control. CS-18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennings, Vivan M.; Ryan, Stephan O.

This manual provides information needed to meet specific standards for certification as a pesticide applicator. The text discusses important right-of-way weeds and unwanted woody plants and provides suggestions for both long- and short-term control. Attention is also given to special problems associated with application of right-of-way herbicides.…

Ascochyta blight and insect pests of chickpeas in the Palouse

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This newsletter article informs chickpea growers in the Palouse region about current disease and insect pest problems. Ascochyta blight appeared in many chickpea fields and was severe in some fields. Insect pests including loopers and armyworms were rampant. Appropriate management practices for t...

Defining terms for proactive management of resistance to Bt crops and pesticides.

PubMed

Tabashnik, Bruce E; Mota-Sanchez, David; Whalon, Mark E; Hollingworth, Robert M; Carrière, Yves

2014-04-01

Evolution of pest resistance to pesticides is an urgent global problem with resistance recorded in at least 954 species of pests, including 546 arthropods, 218 weeds, and 190 plant pathogens. To facilitate understanding and management of resistance, we provide definitions of 50 key terms related to resistance. We confirm the broad, long-standing definition of resistance, which is a genetically based decrease in susceptibility to a pesticide, and the definition of "field-evolved resistance," which is a genetically based decrease in susceptibility to a pesticide in a population caused by exposure to the pesticide in the field. The impact of field-evolved resistance on pest control can vary from none to severe. We define "practical resistance" as field-evolved resistance that reduces pesticide efficacy and has practical consequences for pest control. Recognizing that resistance is not "all or none" and that intermediate levels of resistance can have a continuum of effects on pest control, we describe five categories of field-evolved resistance and use them to classify 13 cases of field-evolved resistance to five Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins in transgenic corn and cotton based on monitoring data from five continents for nine major pest species. We urge researchers to publish and analyze their resistance monitoring data in conjunction with data on management practices to accelerate progress in determining which actions will be most useful in response to specific data on the magnitude, distribution, and impact of resistance.

Insecticide seed treatments for sugarbeet

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pest feeding and vectoring of viruses cause serious problems in sugarbeet production worldwide. In order to ameliorate pest and disease problems on sugarbeet, two seed treatments, Poncho Beta (60 g a.i. clothianidin + 8 g a.i. beta-cyfluthrin/100,000 seed) and Cruiser Tef (60 g a.i. thiamethoxam + 8...

The Pesticide Problem: Is Any Amount Safe?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Susan

1991-01-01

Discusses the use of integrated pest management to foster a safe school environment free from pesticides. This effective, environmentally sound system minimizes human exposure and reduces the toxicity of materials used to control pests. Parents, teachers, and students can educate themselves to improve school pest control practices. (SM)

Development of Semiochemical Based Control Programs for Arthropod Pests of Honeybees

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In recent years the apiculture industry has experienced serious problems from serious invasions by exotic pests including Varroa destructor and the Small hive beetle, Aethina tumida. Control of these pests is difficult and problematic because Honey bees are extremely sensitive to pesticides and the...

lnvasive pests ('biological pollutants') and US forests: whose problem, who pays?

Treesearch

W.E. Wallner

1996-01-01

Invasive pests, or 'biological pollutants' are among the most serious threats to biological diversity in the forest ecosystems of the USA. Additionally, they can disrupt forest management practices and cause enormous financial losses. In the USA, as elsewhere, the receiving country inherits the problem and, along with its citizenry, bears the permanent...

GEODATA: Information System Based on Geospatial for Early Warning Tracking and Analysis Agricultural Plant Diseases in Central Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasetyo, S. Y. J.; Agus, Y. H.; Dewi, C.; Simanjuntak, B. H.; Hartomo, K. D.

2017-03-01

The Government of Indonesia is currently faced with the problems of food, especially rice. It needs in large numbers that have to import from neighboring countries. Actually, the Indonesian government has the ability to produce rice to meet national needs but is still faced with the problem of pest attack rice annually increasing extent. One of the factors is that geographically Indonesia located on the migration path of world rice insect pests (called BPH or Brown Planthoppers) (Nilaparvata lugens Stal.) It leads endemic status annually. One proposed strategy to be applied is to use an early warning system based on a specific region of the main pest population. The proposed information system called GEODATA. GEODATA is Geospatial Outbreak of Disease Tracking and Analysis. The system works using a library ESSA (Exponential Smoothing - Spatial Autocorrelation) developed in previous studies in Satya Wacana Christian University. GEODATA built to meet the qualifications required surveillance device by BMKG (Indonesian Agency of Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics’ Central Java Provinces), BPTPH (Indonesian Agency of Plant Protection and Horticulture) Central Java Provinces, BKP-KP District Boyolali, Central Java, (Indonesian Agency of Food Security and Agriculture Field Supervisor, District Boyolali, Central Java Provinces) and farmer groups. GIS GEODATA meets the needs of surveillance devices that include: (1) mapping of the disease, (2) analysis of the dynamics of the disease, and (3) prediction of attacks / disease outbreaks in a particular region. GIS GEODATA is currently under implementation in the laboratory field observations of plant pest in Central Java province, Indonesia.

Study on Integrated Pest Management for Libraries and Archives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Thomas A.

This study addresses the problems caused by the major insect and rodent pests and molds and mildews in libraries and archives; the damage they do to collections; and techniques for their prevention and control. Guidelines are also provided for the development and initiation of an Integrated Pest Management program for facilities housing library…

Integrated Pest Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council on Environmental Quality, Washington, DC.

After a brief discussion of the problems of pesticide use and the status of current pest control practices, a definition of integrated pest management is given along with some examples of its successful application, and a description of some of the reasons why the concept has not been applied more widely. The major techniques which can be used as…

The Effect of Farmers' Decisions on Pest Control with Bt Crops: A Billion Dollar Game of Strategy.

PubMed

Milne, Alice E; Bell, James R; Hutchison, William D; van den Bosch, Frank; Mitchell, Paul D; Crowder, David; Parnell, Stephen; Whitmore, Andrew P

2015-12-01

A farmer's decision on whether to control a pest is usually based on the perceived threat of the pest locally and the guidance of commercial advisors. Therefore, farmers in a region are often influenced by similar circumstances, and this can create a coordinated response for pest control that is effective at a landscape scale. This coordinated response is not intentional, but is an emergent property of the system. We propose a framework for understanding the intrinsic feedback mechanisms between the actions of humans and the dynamics of pest populations and demonstrate this framework using the European corn borer, a serious pest in maize crops. We link a model of the European corn borer and a parasite in a landscape with a model that simulates the decisions of individual farmers on what type of maize to grow. Farmers chose whether to grow Bt-maize, which is toxic to the corn borer, or conventional maize for which the seed is cheaper. The problem is akin to the snow-drift problem in game theory; that is to say, if enough farmers choose to grow Bt maize then because the pest is suppressed an individual may benefit from growing conventional maize. We show that the communication network between farmers' and their perceptions of profit and loss affects landscape scale patterns in pest dynamics. We found that although adoption of Bt maize often brings increased financial returns, these rewards oscillate in response to the prevalence of pests.

The Effect of Farmers’ Decisions on Pest Control with Bt Crops: A Billion Dollar Game of Strategy

PubMed Central

Hutchison, William D.; van den Bosch, Frank; Mitchell, Paul D.; Crowder, David; Parnell, Stephen; Whitmore, Andrew P.

2015-01-01

A farmer’s decision on whether to control a pest is usually based on the perceived threat of the pest locally and the guidance of commercial advisors. Therefore, farmers in a region are often influenced by similar circumstances, and this can create a coordinated response for pest control that is effective at a landscape scale. This coordinated response is not intentional, but is an emergent property of the system. We propose a framework for understanding the intrinsic feedback mechanisms between the actions of humans and the dynamics of pest populations and demonstrate this framework using the European corn borer, a serious pest in maize crops. We link a model of the European corn borer and a parasite in a landscape with a model that simulates the decisions of individual farmers on what type of maize to grow. Farmers chose whether to grow Bt-maize, which is toxic to the corn borer, or conventional maize for which the seed is cheaper. The problem is akin to the snow-drift problem in game theory; that is to say, if enough farmers choose to grow Bt maize then because the pest is suppressed an individual may benefit from growing conventional maize. We show that the communication network between farmers’ and their perceptions of profit and loss affects landscape scale patterns in pest dynamics. We found that although adoption of Bt maize often brings increased financial returns, these rewards oscillate in response to the prevalence of pests. PMID:26720851

Seedling production and pest problems at a South Georgia nursery

Treesearch

Stephen W. Fraedrich; L. David Dwinell; Michelle M. Cram

2002-01-01

Pine seedling production and pest problems were evaluated in methyl bromide-fumigated and nonfumigated plots in two fields at a South Georgia nursery. In one field, fumigation increased loblolly pine seedling bed density in only 1 of 4 years. Seedlings were often significantly larger in fumigated than nonfumigated plots. In the other field, no differences were observed...

7 CFR 319.56-5 - Pest-free areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Pest-free areas. 319.56-5 Section 319.56-5 Agriculture..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREIGN QUARANTINE NOTICES Fruits and Vegetables § 319.56-5 Pest-free areas. As... provided that the fruits or vegetables originate from an area that is free of a specific pest or pests. In...

Pesticide Applicator Training Manual, Category 2 - Forest Pest Control. A Training Program for the Certification of Commercial Pesticide Applicators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinclair, W. A., Comp.

This manual provides information needed to meet specific standards for certification as a pesticide applicator. Each of the eight chapters deals with a different aspect of pesticide use. Chapter one discusses the problems of use as it relates to safety of humans and the environment. Chapter two is concerned with the identification and diagnosis of…

Safe, Effective Use of Pesticides, A Manual for Commercial Applicators: Ornamental and Turf Pest Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Extension Service (USDA), Washington, DC.

This manual is intended to assist pesticide applicators in the area of ornamental and turf pest control prepare for certification under the Michigan Pesticide Control Act of 1976. The three sections presented describe: (1) Ornamentals; (2) Turfgrass; and (3) Pest Control. Section one discusses the diagnostic chart for plant problems, non-pest…

Review of major sweetpotato pests in Japan, with information on resistance breeding programs.

PubMed

Okada, Yoshihiro; Kobayashi, Akira; Tabuchi, Hiroaki; Kuranouchi, Toshikazu

2017-01-01

Sweetpotato ( Ipomoeae batatas (L.) Lam.) is an important food crop affected by several pests throughout the world, especially in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions. Although Japan is relatively free from many serious sweetpotato pests, some pests, especially soil-borne pathogens, viruses, and insects such as plant-parasitic nematodes and weevils, cause severe damage in Japan. In this review, we describe the current status and management options for sweetpotato pests and diseases in Japan and review research related to sweetpotato breeding that can promote resistance to these problems. Furthermore, we describe methods to evaluate resistance to pests and disease used in sweetpotato breeding at the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO).

Quantitative detection of the potato cyst nematode, Globodera pallida, and the beet cyst nematode, Heterodera schachtii, using Real-Time PCR with SYBR green I dye.

PubMed

Madani, Mehrdad; Subbotin, Sergei A; Moens, Maurice

2005-04-01

The potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida and the beet cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii are major nematode pests in world agriculture. Precise identification and knowledge about the number of nematodes in field soil are necessary to develop effective integrated pest control. Here we report the results of the Real-Time PCR assay for the rapid detection and quantification of G. pallida and H. schachtii. Using species specific primers and SYBR green I dye, we were able to detect a single second stage juvenile of cyst forming nematodes in samples. The specificity of the reaction was confirmed by the lack of amplification of DNAs from other Heterodera or Globodera species. Validation tests showed a rather high correlation between real numbers of second stage juveniles in a sample and expected numbers detected by Real-Time PCR. Reasons for observed differences in sensitivity and reliability of quantification detection for two species as well as other problems of Real-Time PCR are discussed. The Real-Time PCR assay with SYBR green I dye targeting fragments of the ITS-rDNA provided a sensitive means for the rapid and simultaneous detection and quantification of juveniles of these pests.

Hygiene pests as vectors for parasitic and bacterial diseases in humans

PubMed

Cholewiński, Marcin; Derda, Monika; Hadaś, Edward

Diseases transmitted by hygiene pests remain a very serious problem in spite of fast developments in science and medicine. The present study focuses on pests carrying germs that pose a threat to human health and life. The quick pace of life, the need to satisfy human needs and mass production of food sometimes result in flagrant sanitary, hygienic and epidemiological deficiencies. These irregularities are conducive to hygiene pests, which, when not held in check by proper control measures, may act more efficiently and quickly.

FRAMES-2.0 Software System: Frames 2.0 Pest Integration (F2PEST)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Castleton, Karl J.; Meyer, Philip D.

2009-06-17

The implementation of the FRAMES 2.0 F2PEST module is described, including requirements, design, and specifications of the software. This module integrates the PEST parameter estimation software within the FRAMES 2.0 environmental modeling framework. A test case is presented.

Make your trappings count: The mathematics of pest insect monitoring. Comment on “Multiscale approach to pest insect monitoring: Random walks, pattern formation, synchronization, and networks” by Petrovskii et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blasius, Bernd

2014-09-01

Since the beginnings of agriculture the production of crops is characterized by an ongoing battle between farmers and pests [1]. Already during biblical times swarms of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, were known as major pest that can devour a field of corn within an hour. Even today, harmful organisms have the potential to threaten food production worldwide. It is estimated that about 37% of all potential crops are destroyed by pests. Harmful insects alone destroy 13%, causing financial losses in the agricultural industry of millions of dollars each year [2-4]. These numbers emphasize the importance of pest insect monitoring as a crucial step of integrated pest management [1]. The main approach to gain information about infestation levels is based on trapping, which leads to the question of how to extrapolate the sparse population counts at singularly disposed traps to a spatial representation of the pest species distribution. In their review Petrovskii et al. provide a mathematical framework to tackle this problem [5]. Their analysis reveals that this seemingly inconspicuous problem gives rise to surprisingly deep mathematical challenges that touch several modern contemporary concepts of statistical physics and complex systems theory. The review does not aim for a collection of numerical recipes to support crop growers in the analysis of their trapping data. Instead the review identifies the relevant biological and physical processes that are involved in pest insect monitoring and it presents the mathematical techniques that are required to capture these processes.

Insect management in deciduous orchard ecosystems: Habitat manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tedders, W. L.

1983-01-01

Current literature pertaining to habitat manipulation of deciduous fruit and nut orchards for pest control is reviewed. The hypothesis of pesticide-induced pest problems in deciduous orchards as well as the changing pest population dynamics of deciduous orchards is discussed An experimental habitat manipulation program for pecans, utilizing vetch cover crops to enhance lady beetle populations for pecan aphid control is presented

Sycamore Pests: A Guide to Major Insects, Diseases, and Air Pollution

Treesearch

T. H. Filer; J. D. Solomon; F. I. McCracken; F. L. Oliveria; R. Lewis; M. J. Weiss; T. J. Rogers

1977-01-01

This booklet will help nurserymen, forest woodland managers and homeowners to identify and control pest problems. Major insects and diseases are illustrated. Brief mention is made of other pests of local or sporadic concern. A list of registered chemical controls is included. This list is subject to change as new chemicals are approved. Revisions will be made available...

Iowa Commercial Pesticide Applicator Manual, Category 7A: General and Household Pest Control. CS-19. Category 7B: Termite Control, CS-20. Category 7C: Food Industry Pest Control, CS-21. Category 7D: Community Insect Control, CS-22.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockdale, Harold J., Ed.; And Others

This manual provides information needed to meet specific standards for certification as a pesticide applicator. The first section discusses general and household pest control and is concerned with parasitic pests and man, stored product pests, and irritating vertebrates. Section two is devoted to identifying and controlling structural pests such…

Solving iTOUGH2 simulation and optimization problems using the PEST protocol

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finsterle, S.A.; Zhang, Y.

2011-02-01

The PEST protocol has been implemented into the iTOUGH2 code, allowing the user to link any simulation program (with ASCII-based inputs and outputs) to iTOUGH2's sensitivity analysis, inverse modeling, and uncertainty quantification capabilities. These application models can be pre- or post-processors of the TOUGH2 non-isothermal multiphase flow and transport simulator, or programs that are unrelated to the TOUGH suite of codes. PEST-style template and instruction files are used, respectively, to pass input parameters updated by the iTOUGH2 optimization routines to the model, and to retrieve the model-calculated values that correspond to observable variables. We summarize the iTOUGH2 capabilities and demonstratemore » the flexibility added by the PEST protocol for the solution of a variety of simulation-optimization problems. In particular, the combination of loosely coupled and tightly integrated simulation and optimization routines provides both the flexibility and control needed to solve challenging inversion problems for the analysis of multiphase subsurface flow and transport systems.« less

Pest Control and Related Orchard Practices in Commercial Fruit Plantings. Circular 1151.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ries, S. M.; And Others

This circular brings together suggestions from the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station and the Illinois State Natural History Survey relating to orchard practices and pest control. It provides some basic steps in pest control and discusses some specific orchard pests such as grasshoppers, mites, mice, and rabbits. In addition, it gives some…

Phytosanitary irradiation of fresh tropical commodities in Hawaii: Generic treatments, commercial adoption, and current issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Follett, Peter A.; Weinert, Eric D.

2012-08-01

Hawaii is a pioneer in the use of phytosanitary irradiation. The commercial X-ray irradiation facility, Hawaii Pride LLC, has been shipping papaya and other tropical fruits and vegetables to the United States mainland using irradiation for 11 years. Irradiation is an approved treatment to control quarantine pests in 17 fruits and 7 vegetables for export from Hawaii to the US mainland. Hawaiian purple sweet potato is the highest volume product with annual exports of more than 12 million lbs (5500 t). The advent of generic radiation treatments for tephritid fruit flies (150 Gy) and other insects (400 Gy) will accelerate commodity export approvals and facilitate worldwide adoption. Lowering doses for specific pests and commodities can lower treatment costs and increase capacity owing to shorter treatment times, and will minimize any quality problems. Current impediments to wider adoption include the 1 kGy limit for fresh horticultural products, the labeling requirement, and non-acceptance of phytosanitary irradiation in Japan, the European Union, and elsewhere. Irradiation has potential as a treatment for unregulated imports to prevent new pest incursions.

Some analytical and numerical approaches to understanding trap counts resulting from pest insect immigration.

PubMed

Bearup, Daniel; Petrovskaya, Natalia; Petrovskii, Sergei

2015-05-01

Monitoring of pest insects is an important part of the integrated pest management. It aims to provide information about pest insect abundance at a given location. This includes data collection, usually using traps, and their subsequent analysis and/or interpretation. However, interpretation of trap count (number of insects caught over a fixed time) remains a challenging problem. First, an increase in either the population density or insects activity can result in a similar increase in the number of insects trapped (the so called "activity-density" problem). Second, a genuine increase of the local population density can be attributed to qualitatively different ecological mechanisms such as multiplication or immigration. Identification of the true factor causing an increase in trap count is important as different mechanisms require different control strategies. In this paper, we consider a mean-field mathematical model of insect trapping based on the diffusion equation. Although the diffusion equation is a well-studied model, its analytical solution in closed form is actually available only for a few special cases, whilst in a more general case the problem has to be solved numerically. We choose finite differences as the baseline numerical method and show that numerical solution of the problem, especially in the realistic 2D case, is not at all straightforward as it requires a sufficiently accurate approximation of the diffusion fluxes. Once the numerical method is justified and tested, we apply it to the corresponding boundary problem where different types of boundary forcing describe different scenarios of pest insect immigration and reveal the corresponding patterns in the trap count growth. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Choosing a Pest Control Company

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

If you have a pest control problem that you do not want to handle on your own, you may decide to turn to a professional applicator. Before you choose a company, get answers to the questions in this fact sheet.

Forest Pest Control. Manual 94.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Agricultural Experiment Station.

This training manual provides information needed to meet the minimum EPA standards for certification as a commercial applicator of pesticides in forest pest control. The text discusses disease problems, insects, and herbicide use in both established forests and nurseries. (CS)

Insect pests of sweetpotato in Uganda: farmers' perceptions of their importance and control practices.

PubMed

Okonya, Joshua Sikhu; Mwanga, Robert Om; Syndikus, Katja; Kroschel, Jürgen

2014-01-01

Insect pests are among the most important constraints limiting sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) production in Africa. However, there is inadequate information about farmers' knowledge, perceptions and practices in the management of key insect pests. This has hindered development of effective pest management approaches for smallholder farmers. A standard questionnaire was used to interview individual sweetpotato farmers (n = 192) about their perception and management practices regarding insect pests in six major sweetpotato producing districts of Uganda. The majority (93%) of farmers perceived insect pests to be a very serious problem. With the exception of Masindi and Wakiso districts where the sweetpotato butterfly (Acraea acerata) was the number one constraint, sweetpotato weevils (Cylas puncticollis and C. brunneus) were ranked as the most important insect pests. Insecticide use in sweetpotato fields was very low being highest (28-38% of households) in districts where A. acerata infestation is the biggest problem. On average, 65% and 87% of the farmers took no action to control A. acerata and Cylas spp., respectively. Farmers were more conversant with the presence of and damage by A. acerata than of Cylas spp. as they thought that Cylas spp. root damage was brought about by a prolonged dry season. Different levels of field resistance (ability of a variety to tolerate damage) of sweetpotato landraces to A. acerata (eight landraces) and Cylas spp. (six landraces) were reported by farmers in all the six districts. This perceived level of resistance to insect damage by landraces needs to be investigated. To improve farmers' capabilities for sweetpotato insect pest management, it is crucial to train them in the basic knowledge of insect pest biology and control.

Knowledge and beliefs regarding agricultural pesticides in rural Guatemala

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popper, Roger; Andino, Karla; Bustamante, Mario; Hernandez, Beatriz; Rodas, Luis

1996-03-01

Throughout Central America, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School support a Safe Pesticide Use program. In 1993, a study of results was carried out among farmers and housewives in eastern Guatemala. Aspects of the methodology included: (1) participation of extension workers in all aspects of the study; (2) small, region-focused samples (eight cells, 30 interviews per cell); (3) comparison to control groups of untrained farmers and housewives; (4) a traditional questionnaire for studying acquisition of specific knowledge; and (5) a flexible instrument for building a cognitive map of knowledge and beliefs regarding pesticides. The cognitive map is a step toward applying modern psychocultural scaling, an approach already well developed for medicine and public health, to environmental problems. Positive results detected include progress at learning the meaning of colors on containers that denote toxicity and where to store pesticides. Pesticide application problems detected were mention by farmers of highly toxic, restricted pesticides as appropriate for most pest problems and of insecticides as the correct solution to fungus problems, and the widespread belief that correct pesticide dosage depends on number of pests seen rather than on land or foliage surface. Health-related problems detected were admission by a vast majority of housewives that they apply highly toxic pesticides to combat children's head-lice; low awareness that pesticides cause health problems more serious than nausea, dizziness, and headaches; and a common belief that lemonade and coffee are effective medicines for pesticide poisoning.

Ecosystems: Issues and problems. (Latest citations from the ABI/Inform database). Published Search

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The bibliography contains citations concerning issues and problems relating to ecosystems in different parts of the world. Preservation of resources, environmental protection, industrial impacts on ecosystems, ecological economics, biodiversity of specific ecosystems, and effects of deforestation and erosion are examined. Citations review impacts of human inhabitants, eco-tourism, and alien species on an ecosystem. The relationship to an ecosystem of pests and microbial infections is covered, and long-range planning for ecosystems is cited. (Contains 50-250 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.) (Copyright NERAC, Inc. 1995)

Asian corn borer (ACB) and non-ACB pests in GM corn (Zea mays L.) in the Philippines.

PubMed

Afidchao, Miladis M; Musters, C J M; de Snoo, Geert R

2013-07-01

The Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée), has become the most damaging pest in corn in south-east Asia. Corn farmers in the Philippines have incurred great yield losses in the past decades because of ACB infestation. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and Bt herbicide-tolerant (BtHT) corns have been developed to reduce borer attacks worldwide. This study assessed the extent of ACB and non-ACB pest infestations in both GM and non-GM corn in Isabela Province, the Philippines. Specific aims were to reinvestigate the efficacy of Bt corn in controlling ACB, to evaluate what parts of Bt corn plants are susceptible to ACB, to monitor the potential development of ACB resistance and to evaluate whether secondary pests dominate in an ACB-free Bt corn environment. The study involved preparatory interviews with farmers, site selection, field scouting and visual inspection of 200 plants along 200 m transect lines through 198 cornfields. Bt corn can efficiently reduce the ACB pest problem and reduce borer damage by 44%, to damage levels in Bt and BtHT corn of 6.8 and 7% respectively. The leaves of Bt corn were more susceptible, while cobs of Bt corn were less affected by ACB. Non-ACB pests were common in Bt toxin-free cornfields and reduced in non-GM cornfields where ACB was abundant. No secondary pest outbreaks were found in ACB-free Bt cornfields. Bt and BtHT corn hybrids containing the Cry1Ab protein performed well in Isabela Province. Reduced cob damage by ACB on Bt fields could mean smaller economic losses even with ACB infestation. The occurrence of ACB in Bt and BtHT cornfields, although at a moderate and insignificant level, could imply the potential development of resistance to Bt toxin. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Keeping NCI at Frederick Pest-Free—Doug Vaughn | Poster

Cancer.gov

Nuisance critters and creepy crawlers aren’t a problem at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Frederick, and that’s largely thanks to the efforts of Douglas Vaughn, the institution’s pest controller. Endearingly known to some staff as “Doug the Bug Guy,” Vaughn has been doing pest control for 39 years, 22 of which have been at NCI at Frederick. However, he doesn’t just

Approaches in highly parameterized inversion - PEST++, a Parameter ESTimation code optimized for large environmental models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welter, David E.; Doherty, John E.; Hunt, Randall J.; Muffels, Christopher T.; Tonkin, Matthew J.; Schreuder, Willem A.

2012-01-01

An object-oriented parameter estimation code was developed to incorporate benefits of object-oriented programming techniques for solving large parameter estimation modeling problems. The code is written in C++ and is a formulation and expansion of the algorithms included in PEST, a widely used parameter estimation code written in Fortran. The new code is called PEST++ and is designed to lower the barriers of entry for users and developers while providing efficient algorithms that can accommodate large, highly parameterized problems. This effort has focused on (1) implementing the most popular features of PEST in a fashion that is easy for novice or experienced modelers to use and (2) creating a software design that is easy to extend; that is, this effort provides a documented object-oriented framework designed from the ground up to be modular and extensible. In addition, all PEST++ source code and its associated libraries, as well as the general run manager source code, have been integrated in the Microsoft Visual Studio® 2010 integrated development environment. The PEST++ code is designed to provide a foundation for an open-source development environment capable of producing robust and efficient parameter estimation tools for the environmental modeling community into the future.

Pests in ornamental grasses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ornamental perennial grasses are becoming increasingly popular in the landscape due to their beauty and ease of care. Although few pest problems are encountered in ornamental grasses, they are not immune to insects and disease. Two lined spittlebugs (Prosapia bicincta) can cause damage to ornament...

Legacy of a Pest. A Science, Technology, and Society Curriculum Guide for Understanding and Dealing with Biological Problems. Illinois Natural History Survey Special Publication 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Case, Laurie J.; And Others

The gypsy moth, an insect brought from Europe to the United States over a century ago, has become the most serious leaf-feeding forest pest in the eastern United States. This packet of instructional materials tells the teacher how to encourage students to explore a biological problem and its impact on society and the environment. It introduces the…

Strategic and tactical use of movement information in pest management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knipling, E. F.

1979-01-01

Several insect movement problems are discussed. Much more information is needed to make a better appraisal of the practical significance of the insect dispersal problem. Data on the time, rate, and extent of movement of insects are provided. Better techniques for measuring insect movement are developed. A better understanding of the importance of insect movement in the development and implementation of more effective and ecologically acceptable pest management strategies and tactics was proved.

2009 Sunflower Insect Pest Problems and Insecticide Update

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) are native to North America and a number of insect pests cause economic losses to sunflower production. Head-infesting insects include the red sunflower seed weevil, Smicronyx fulvus LeConte, banded sunflower moth, Cochylis hospes Walsingham, sunflower moth, Homoeos...

Booklice (Liposcelis spp.), Grain Mites (Acarus siro), and Flour Beetles (Tribolium spp.): 'Other Pests' Occasionally Found in Laboratory Animal Facilities.

PubMed

Clemmons, Elizabeth A; Taylor, Douglas K

2016-11-01

Pests that infest stored food products are an important problem worldwide. In addition to causing loss and consumer rejection of products, these pests can elicit allergic reactions and perhaps spread disease-causing microorganisms. Booklice (Liposcelis spp.), grain mites (Acarus siro), and flour beetles (Tribolium spp.) are common stored-product pests that have previously been identified in our laboratory animal facility. These pests traditionally are described as harmless to our animals, but their presence can be cause for concern in some cases. Here we discuss the biology of these species and their potential effects on human and animal health. Occupational health risks are covered, and common monitoring and control methods are summarized.

Pest measurement and management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pest scouting, whether it is done only with ground scouting methods or using remote sensing with some ground-truthing, is an important tool to aid site-specific crop management. Different pests may be monitored at different times and using different methods. Remote sensing has the potential to provi...

Keeping NCI at Frederick Pest-Free—Doug Vaughn | Poster

Cancer.gov

Nuisance critters and creepy crawlers aren’t a problem at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Frederick, and that’s largely thanks to the efforts of Douglas Vaughn, the institution’s pest controller. Endearingly known to some staff as “Doug the Bug Guy,” Vaughn has been doing pest control for 39 years, 22 of which have been at NCI at Frederick. However, he doesn’t just handle bugs, and he isn’t the average exterminator.

World Epidemiology Review, Number 110.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-10-18

Campaign Against Rhinoceros Beetle (DAILY NATION, 26 Sep 78) 43 LAOS Briefs Nong Bok Pest Eradication 44 Meuang Chanthabouli Pest Eradication...CAMPAIGN AGAINST RHINOCEROS BEETLE Nairobi DAILY NATION in English 26 Sep 78 p 5 [Text] A TINY pest hos become a big problem at the Coast. The... Rhinoceros Beetle (that’s it pictured on the right) is, in its own small way, trying to cause as much damage as the monster it’s named after is sometimes

Non-stationary time series modeling on caterpillars pest of palm oil for early warning system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiyowati, Susi; Nugraha, Rida F.; Mukhaiyar, Utriweni

2015-12-01

The oil palm production has an important role for the plantation and economic sector in Indonesia. One of the important problems in the cultivation of oil palm plantation is pests which causes damage to the quality of fruits. The caterpillar pest which feed palm tree's leaves will cause decline in quality of palm oil production. Early warning system is needed to minimize losses due to this pest. Here, we applied non-stationary time series modeling, especially the family of autoregressive models to predict the number of pests based on its historical data. We realized that there is some uniqueness of these pests data, i.e. the spike value that occur almost periodically. Through some simulations and case study, we obtain that the selection of constant factor has a significance influence to the model so that it can shoot the spikes value precisely.

Apply Pesticides Correctly, A Guide for Commercial Applicators: Agricultural Pest Control -- Animal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wamsley, Mary Ann, Ed.; Vermeire, Donna M., Ed.

This guide contains basic information to meet specific standards for pesticide applicators. The text is concerned with the common pests of agricultural animals such as flies, ticks, bots, lice and mites. Methods for controlling these pests and appropriate pesticides are discussed. (CS)

Control of Vertebrate Pests of Forest Trees, Ornamentals, and Turf. Revised Copy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wingard, Robert G.; Studholme, Clinton R.

This agriculture extension service publication from Pennsylvania State University discusses the control of vertebrate pests of urban and suburban ornamentals and turf. Specific pests described are blackbirds, chipmunks, moles, rabbits, and European starlings. Identification, habits, economic importance, and control methods ranging from poisoning…

40 CFR 171.5 - Standards for certification of private applicators.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standards for certification of private applicators. 171.5 Section 171.5 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... practical knowledge of the pest problems and pest control practices associated with his agricultural...

The threats for human health induced by food pests of Plodia interpunctella as reservoirs of infectious microbiota

PubMed

Zawadzki, Paweł J.; Starościak, Bohdan; Baltaza, Wanda; Dybicz, Monika; Pionkowski, Krzysztof; Pawłowski, Witold; Kłyś, Małgorzata; Chomicz, Lidia

World-wide distributed pests of Plodia interpunctella occur with increasing frequency also in Poland, in areas where food is prepared and stored, in dwellings, buildings of public use, hospitals. Larvae damage various products causing economic losses. There were no data about microbiota transmission by pests. The aim of our systematic studies firstly conducted in Poland was to explain a role of pests as reservoirs of microbiota and assess health risk induced by them in human environments. 300 adults and 200 larvae, collected in households and health facilities by traps and directly from products, were examined by light microscopy, in vitro cultivations, molecular techniques; the susceptibility /resistance of microbiota to chemicals was also assessed. Gram+ bacteriae of genera Enterococcus, Micrococcus, Bacillus, Gram-: Klebsiella, Escherichia, mold fungi: Aspergillus, Penicillium and yeast-like fungi were identified, including strains potentially pathogenic for humans. In the European Union countries, the food circulation is audited by the law; chemicals are applied to eliminate P.interpunctella pests causing economic losses. Our successive studies showed that pyralids may generate health problems as food pests and as reservoirs of microbiota. Sources of the pathogenic, drug-resistant strains revealed by us, not identified earlier, may be particularly dangerous for elder persons, with weakened immune system, persons from groups of high risk of infections. The increased awareness of the problem is necessary for more efficacy of preventive measures. A monitoring of consequences of the health risk induced by the pests may supply data useful for adequate practical approach.

Apply Pesticides Correctly, A Guide for Commercial Applicators: Food Processing Pest Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wamsley, Mary Ann, Ed.; Vermeire, Donna M., Ed.

This guide contains basic information to meet specific standards for pesticide applicators. Characteristics, life cycles and habits of pests such as roaches, beetles, flies, ants and rodents are discussed. Additionally, pest control measures, especially by application of aerosols, dusts, baits, fumigants or vapors, is presented. (CS)

COI barcode based species-specific primers for identification of five species of stored-product pests from genus Cryptolestes (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae).

PubMed

Varadínová, Z; Wang, Y J; Kučerová, Z; Stejskal, V; Opit, G; Cao, Y; Li, F J; Li, Z H

2015-04-01

Flat grain beetles of the genus Cryptolestes (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) are one of the economically most important stored-product pests which feed on many kinds of agricultural products, especially grains. Nine of more than 40 described Cryptolestes species are recognized as stored-product pests and two of the pest species have a cosmopolitan distribution. Given the rapid growth in global trade of food products, ecological barriers to the spread of pests are easily overcome. Therefore, development of reliable systems for routine quarantine inspection and early infestation detection is vital. In the present study, we established a new rapid and accurate cytochrome c oxidase subunit I-based system for molecular identification of five common stored-product Cryptolestes species, namely, Cryptolestes capensis, Cryptolestes ferrugineus, Cryptolestes pusilloides, Cryptolestes pusillus and Cryptolestes turcicus. Five species-specific primer pairs for traditional uniplex polymerase chain reaction assay are described and their specificity and sensitivity for the identification process is evaluated using larval samples of 12 different populations from three continents (Asia, Europe and North America).

Spatial Distribution and Site-Specific Spraying of Main Sucking Pests of Elm Trees.

PubMed

Karimzadeh, R; Iranipour, S

2017-06-01

Elm trees are important landscape trees and sucking insects weaken the elm trees and produce large amounts of honeydew. The main objectives of this study were to identify main honeydew-producing pests of elm trees and do site-specific spraying against these pests. To map the spatial distribution of the sucking pests in the large scale, the study area was divided into 40 × 40 m grids and one tree was chosen randomly from each grid (a total of 55 trees). These trees were sampled twice a year in 2011 and 2012. Each sample was a 30-cm branch terminal. Eight samples were taken from each tree in four cardinal directions and two canopy levels. The number of sucking insects and leaves of each sample were counted and recorded. Spatial analysis of the data was carried out using geostatistics. Kriging was used for producing prediction maps. Insecticide application was restricted to the regions with populations higher than threshold. To identify within-tree distribution of the honeydew-producing pests, six and four elm trees were chosen in 2011 and 2012 respectively, and sampled weekly. These trees were sampled as described previously. European elm scale (EES), Gossyparia spuria (Modeer) and two species of aphids were the dominant honeydew-producing pests. The results revealed that the effects of direction, canopy level and their interactions on insect populations were not statistically significant (P < 0.05). Site-specific spraying decreased the amount of insecticides used by ca. 20%, while satisfactory control of the sucking pests and honeydew excretion was obtained. Considering the environmental and economic benefits of site-specific spraying, it is worth doing more complementary works in this area.

Sugarbush management: a guide to maintaining tree health

Treesearch

David R. Houston; Douglas C. Allen; Denis Lachance

1990-01-01

Many pests and other stresses affect maple trees growing in a sugarbush. Some pests can markedly reduce sap quantity; others, although conspicuous, are not important. Stresses can result from activities by people and from natural phenomena. Recognizing problems and understanding the factors that contribute to their occurrence, development, and significance are...

Western flower thrips, a serious pest of floricultural crops

Treesearch

Karen L. Robb; Michael P. Perella

1991-01-01

The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), has recently become one of the most serious pest problems facing the ornamental industry (Robb & Parrella 1988). It is polyphagous and has been collected from plants of almost every order of the Spermatophyta in California (Watson 1923, Bailey 1933, Bryan & Smith 1956). However...

Temperature influences on diapause induction and survival in the boll weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), has been the most important pest of cotton (Gossypium spp.) wherever it occurs. Although eradication programs in the U.S. have reduced the range of this pest, the weevil remains an intractable problem in subtropical Tex...

Gathering and Gardening in Alaska: Why IPM cannot be overlooked even at Latitude 64° North

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Because of its geographical isolation and climatic constraints, Alaska agriculture is considered relatively free of diseases and insect pests. Early colonizers into the state did not encounter the pest problems of modern farmers. However, since 1973, the winter temperatures in Alaska have increased ...

Annotated ESTs from various tissues of the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens: a genomic resource for studying agricultural pests.

PubMed

Noda, Hiroaki; Kawai, Sawako; Koizumi, Yoko; Matsui, Kageaki; Zhang, Qiang; Furukawa, Shigetoyo; Shimomura, Michihiko; Mita, Kazuei

2008-03-03

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera, Delphacidae), is a serious insect pests of rice plants. Major means of BPH control are application of agricultural chemicals and cultivation of BPH resistant rice varieties. Nevertheless, BPH strains that are resistant to agricultural chemicals have developed, and BPH strains have appeared that are virulent against the resistant rice varieties. Expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis and related applications are useful to elucidate the mechanisms of resistance and virulence and to reveal physiological aspects of this non-model insect, with its poorly understood genetic background. More than 37,000 high-quality ESTs, excluding sequences of mitochondrial genome, microbial genomes, and rDNA, have been produced from 18 libraries of various BPH tissues and stages. About 10,200 clusters have been made from whole EST sequences, with average EST size of 627 bp. Among the top ten most abundantly expressed genes, three are unique and show no homology in BLAST searches. The actin gene was highly expressed in BPH, especially in the thorax. Tissue-specifically expressed genes were extracted based on the expression frequency among the libraries. An EST database is available at our web site. The EST library will provide useful information for transcriptional analyses, proteomic analyses, and gene functional analyses of BPH. Moreover, specific genes for hemimetabolous insects will be identified. The microarray fabricated based on the EST information will be useful for finding genes related to agricultural and biological problems related to this pest.

Present and future potential of plant-derived products to control arthropods of veterinary and medical significance

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The use of synthetic pesticides and repellents to target pests of veterinary and medical significance is becoming increasingly problematic. One alternative approach employs the bioactive attributes of plant-derived products (PDPs). These are particularly attractive on the grounds of low mammalian toxicity, short environmental persistence and complex chemistries that should limit development of pest resistance against them. Several pesticides and repellents based on PDPs are already available, and in some cases widely utilised, in modern pest management. Many more have a long history of traditional use in poorer areas of the globe where access to synthetic pesticides is often limited. Preliminary studies support that PDPs could be more widely used to target numerous medical and veterinary pests, with modes of action often specific to invertebrates. Though their current and future potential appears significant, development and deployment of PDPs to target veterinary and medical pests is not without issue. Variable efficacy is widely recognised as a restraint to PDPs for pest control. Identifying and developing natural bioactive PDP components in place of chemically less-stable raw or 'whole’ products seems to be the most popular solution to this problem. A limited residual activity, often due to photosensitivity or high volatility, is a further drawback in some cases (though potentially advantageous in others). Nevertheless, encapsulation technologies and other slow-release mechanisms offer strong potential to improve residual activity where needed. The current review provides a summary of existing use and future potential of PDPs against ectoparasites of veterinary and medical significance. Four main types of PDP are considered (pyrethrum, neem, essential oils and plant extracts) for their pesticidal, growth regulating and repellent or deterrent properties. An overview of existing use and research for each is provided, with direction to more extensive reviews given in many sections. Sections to highlight potential issues, modes of action and emerging and future potential are also included. PMID:24428899

Multiscale approach to pest insect monitoring: Random walks, pattern formation, synchronization, and networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrovskii, Sergei; Petrovskaya, Natalia; Bearup, Daniel

2014-09-01

Pest insects pose a significant threat to food production worldwide resulting in annual losses worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Pest control attempts to prevent pest outbreaks that could otherwise destroy a sward. It is good practice in integrated pest management to recommend control actions (usually pesticides application) only when the pest density exceeds a certain threshold. Accurate estimation of pest population density in ecosystems, especially in agro-ecosystems, is therefore very important, and this is the overall goal of the pest insect monitoring. However, this is a complex and challenging task; providing accurate information about pest abundance is hardly possible without taking into account the complexity of ecosystems' dynamics, in particular, the existence of multiple scales. In the case of pest insects, monitoring has three different spatial scales, each of them having their own scale-specific goal and their own approaches to data collection and interpretation. In this paper, we review recent progress in mathematical models and methods applied at each of these scales and show how it helps to improve the accuracy and robustness of pest population density estimation.

Instar- and stage-specific photoperiodic diapause response of Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The western tarnished plant bug (Lygus hesperus Knight)(Hemiptera:Miridae) is a polyphagous pest of numerous western crops. This pest overwinters in a relatively short duration adult diapause, but many details regarding diapause induction and maintenance remain unstudied. Instar-specific responses t...

RNA interference: a new strategy in the evolutionary arms race between human control strategies and insect pests.

PubMed

Machado, Vilmar; Rodríguez-García, María Juliana; Sánchez-García, Francisco Javier; Galan, Jose

2014-01-01

The relationship between humans and the insect pests of cultivated plants may be considered to be an indirect coevolutionary process, i.e., an arms race. Over time, humans have developed several strategies to minimize the negative impacts of insects on agricultural production. However, insects have made adaptive responses via the evolution of resistance to insecticides, and more recently against Bacillus thuriengiensis. Thus, we need to continuously invest resources in the development of new strategies for crop protection. Recent advances in genomics have demonstrated the possibility of a new weapon or strategy in this war, i.e., gene silencing, which involves blocking the expression of specific genes via mRNA inactivation. In the last decade, several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of this strategy in the control of different species of insects. However, several technical difficulties need to be overcome to transform this potential into reality, such as the selection of target genes, the concentration of dsRNA, the nucleotide sequence of the dsRNA, the length of dsRNA, persistence in the insect body, and the life stage of the target species where gene silencing is most efficient. This study analyzes several aspects related to the use of gene silencing in pest control and it includes an overview of the inactivation process, as well as the problems that need to be resolved to transform gene silencing into an effective pest control method.

Improving detection probabilities for pests in stored grain.

PubMed

Elmouttie, David; Kiermeier, Andreas; Hamilton, Grant

2010-12-01

The presence of insects in stored grain is a significant problem for grain farmers, bulk grain handlers and distributors worldwide. Inspection of bulk grain commodities is essential to detect pests and thereby to reduce the risk of their presence in exported goods. It has been well documented that insect pests cluster in response to factors such as microclimatic conditions within bulk grain. Statistical sampling methodologies for grain, however, have typically considered pests and pathogens to be homogeneously distributed throughout grain commodities. In this paper, a sampling methodology is demonstrated that accounts for the heterogeneous distribution of insects in bulk grain. It is shown that failure to account for the heterogeneous distribution of pests may lead to overestimates of the capacity for a sampling programme to detect insects in bulk grain. The results indicate the importance of the proportion of grain that is infested in addition to the density of pests within the infested grain. It is also demonstrated that the probability of detecting pests in bulk grain increases as the number of subsamples increases, even when the total volume or mass of grain sampled remains constant. This study underlines the importance of considering an appropriate biological model when developing sampling methodologies for insect pests. Accounting for a heterogeneous distribution of pests leads to a considerable improvement in the detection of pests over traditional sampling models. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

Optimal Inspection of Imports to Prevent Invasive Pest Introduction.

PubMed

Chen, Cuicui; Epanchin-Niell, Rebecca S; Haight, Robert G

2018-03-01

The United States imports more than 1 billion live plants annually-an important and growing pathway for introduction of damaging nonnative invertebrates and pathogens. Inspection of imports is one safeguard for reducing pest introductions, but capacity constraints limit inspection effort. We develop an optimal sampling strategy to minimize the costs of pest introductions from trade by posing inspection as an acceptance sampling problem that incorporates key features of the decision context, including (i) simultaneous inspection of many heterogeneous lots, (ii) a lot-specific sampling effort, (iii) a budget constraint that limits total inspection effort, (iv) inspection error, and (v) an objective of minimizing cost from accepted defective units. We derive a formula for expected number of accepted infested units (expected slippage) given lot size, sample size, infestation rate, and detection rate, and we formulate and analyze the inspector's optimization problem of allocating a sampling budget among incoming lots to minimize the cost of slippage. We conduct an empirical analysis of live plant inspection, including estimation of plant infestation rates from historical data, and find that inspections optimally target the largest lots with the highest plant infestation rates, leaving some lots unsampled. We also consider that USDA-APHIS, which administers inspections, may want to continue inspecting all lots at a baseline level; we find that allocating any additional capacity, beyond a comprehensive baseline inspection, to the largest lots with the highest infestation rates allows inspectors to meet the dual goals of minimizing the costs of slippage and maintaining baseline sampling without substantial compromise. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Decision support systems for plant disease and insect management in commercial nurseries in the Midwest: A perspective review

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Decision-support systems (DDSs) are techniques that help decision makers utilize models to solve problems under complex and uncertain conditions. Predicting conditions that warrant intervention is a key tenet of the concept of integrated pest management (IPM) with the use of expert systems and pest ...

Insecticide resistance in house flies from the United States: Resistance levels and frequency of pyrethroid resistance alleles

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although insecticide resistance is a widespread problem for most insect pests, frequently the assessment of resistance occurs over a limited geographic range. Herein we report the first widespread survey of insecticide resistance ever undertaken for the house fly, Musca domestica, a major pest of a...

Harnessing insect-microbe chemical communications to control insect pest of agricultural systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Insect pests have long been known to impose serious yield, economic, and food safety problems to managed crops worldwide, and are known to vector microbes, many of which are pathogenic or toxigenic. At the heart of many of these studies has been the vital understanding of the plant-insect interactio...

Facts or friction: the evolving role of science in phytosanitary issues

Treesearch

Eric Allen

2008-01-01

With the expansion of global trade, problems with invasive alien pests have also grown. In order to reduce the international movement of plant pests and protect valuable plant resources, national plant protection regulations and international standards continue to be developed. Science is critical to the development of effective national and international plant...

Applicator Training Manual for: Seed Treatment Pest Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

TeKrony, Dennis M.

This manual gives general information on seed treatment and type of seeds which can be treated. Also discussed are the problems and pests commonly associated with seed diseases and the fungicides and insecticides used for seed treatment. Information is also given on seed treatment equipment such as dust treaters, slurry treaters, and direct…

Radar, Insect Population Ecology, and Pest Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaughn, C. R. (Editor); Wolf, W. (Editor); Klassen, W. (Editor)

1979-01-01

Discussions included: (1) the potential role of radar in insect ecology studies and pest management; (2) the potential role of radar in correlating atmospheric phenomena with insect movement; (3) the present and future radar systems; (4) program objectives required to adapt radar to insect ecology studies and pest management; and (5) the specific action items to achieve the objectives.

Site-specific temporal and spatial validation of a generic plant pest forecast system with observations of Bactrocera dorsalis (oriental fruit fly).

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study introduces a simple generic model, the Generic Pest Forecast System (GPFS), for simulatingthe relative populations of non-indigenousarthropod pests in space and time. The model was designed to calculate the population index or relative population using hourly weather dataas influenced by...

A categorical, improper probability method for combining NDVI and LiDAR elevation information for potential cotton precision agricultural applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An algorithm is presented to fuse the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) elevation data to produce a map potentially useful for the site-specific scouting and pest management of several insect pests. In cotton, these pests include the Tarnished Pl...

Connecting scales: achieving in-field pest control from areawide and landscape ecology studies.

PubMed

Schellhorn, Nancy A; Parry, Hazel R; Macfadyen, Sarina; Wang, Yongmo; Zalucki, Myron P

2015-02-01

Areawide management has a long history of achieving solutions that target pests, however, there has been little focus on the areawide management of arthropod natural enemies. Landscape ecology studies that show a positive relationship between natural enemy abundance and habitat diversity demonstrate landscape-dependent pest suppression, but have not yet clearly linked their findings to pest management or to the suite of pests associated with crops that require control. Instead the focus has often been on model systems of single pest species and their natural enemies. We suggest that management actions to capture pest control from natural enemies may be forth coming if: (i) the suite of response and predictor variables focus on pest complexes and specific management actions; (ii) the contribution of "the landscape" is identified by assessing the timing and numbers of natural enemies immigrating and emigrating to and from the target crop, as well as pests; and (iii) pest control thresholds aligned with crop development stages are the benchmark to measure impact of natural enemies on pests, in turn allowing for comparison between study regions, and generalizations. To achieve pest control we will need to incorporate what has been learned from an ecological understanding of model pest and natural enemy systems and integrate areawide landscape management with in-field pest management. © 2014 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Multiscale approach to pest insect monitoring: random walks, pattern formation, synchronization, and networks.

PubMed

Petrovskii, Sergei; Petrovskaya, Natalia; Bearup, Daniel

2014-09-01

Pest insects pose a significant threat to food production worldwide resulting in annual losses worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Pest control attempts to prevent pest outbreaks that could otherwise destroy a sward. It is good practice in integrated pest management to recommend control actions (usually pesticides application) only when the pest density exceeds a certain threshold. Accurate estimation of pest population density in ecosystems, especially in agro-ecosystems, is therefore very important, and this is the overall goal of the pest insect monitoring. However, this is a complex and challenging task; providing accurate information about pest abundance is hardly possible without taking into account the complexity of ecosystems' dynamics, in particular, the existence of multiple scales. In the case of pest insects, monitoring has three different spatial scales, each of them having their own scale-specific goal and their own approaches to data collection and interpretation. In this paper, we review recent progress in mathematical models and methods applied at each of these scales and show how it helps to improve the accuracy and robustness of pest population density estimation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of psyllid double-stranded Ribonucleic acid, RNA, off-target effects on a ladybird beetle predator

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Development of Ribonucleic acid interference, RNAi against insect pests needs to show species target specificity so that beneficial insects remain unharmed, as many pest insects are a food source for predatory insects like lady beetles. We evaluated an RNAi product specific to Asian citrus psyllid f...

Vector control activities: Fiscal Year, 1986

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1987-04-01

The program is divided into two major components - operations and support studies. The support studies are designed to improve the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the control program and to identify other vector control problems requiring TVA attention and study. Nonchemical methods of control are emphasized and are supplemented with chemical measures as needed. TVA also cooperates with various concerned municipalities in identifying blood-sucking arthropod pest problems and demonstrating control techniques useful in establishing abatement programs, and provides technical assistance to other TVA programs and organizations. The program also helps Land Between The Lakes (LBL) plan and conduct vectormore » control operations and tick control research. Specific program control activities and support studies are discussed.« less

Status Report of the Pacific Lamprey (Lampetra Trzdentata) in the Columbia River Basin.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Close, David A.; Parker, Blaine; James, gary

1995-07-01

The widespread decline of Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) in the Pacific Northwest, especially in the Columbia River system has led to concerns and questions from a number of regional agencies, Native American tribes, and the public. To address these concerns, new research efforts must focus on specific problems associated with this understudied species. The preservation and restoration of this species is critical for a number of reasons, including its importance to the tribes and its importance as an indicator of ecosystem health. Historically lamprey have been labeled a pest species due to the problems associated with the exotic sea lamprey,more » (Petromyzon marinus), invading the Great Lakes.« less

Booklice (Liposcelis spp.), Grain Mites (Acarus siro), and Flour Beetles (Tribolium spp.): ‘Other Pests’ Occasionally Found in Laboratory Animal Facilities

PubMed Central

Clemmons, Elizabeth A; Taylor, Douglas K

2016-01-01

Pests that infest stored food products are an important problem worldwide. In addition to causing loss and consumer rejection of products, these pests can elicit allergic reactions and perhaps spread disease-causing microorganisms. Booklice (Liposcelis spp.), grain mites (Acarus siro), and flour beetles (Tribolium spp.) are common stored-product pests that have previously been identified in our laboratory animal facility. These pests traditionally are described as harmless to our animals, but their presence can be cause for concern in some cases. Here we discuss the biology of these species and their potential effects on human and animal health. Occupational health risks are covered, and common monitoring and control methods are summarized. PMID:27931310

Plant parasite control and soil fauna diversity.

PubMed

Lavelle, Patrick; Blouin, Manuel; Boyer, Johnny; Cadet, Patrice; Laffray, Daniel; Pham-Thi, Anh-Thu; Reversat, Georges; Settle, William; Zuily, Yasmine

2004-07-01

The use of pesticides to control plant parasites and diseases has generated serious problems of public health and environmental quality, leading to the promotion of alternative Integrated Pest Management strategies that tend to rely more on natural processes and the active participation of farmers as observers and experimenters in their own fields. We present three case studies that point at different options provided by locally available populations of soil organisms, the maintenance of diverse populations of pests or increased resistance of plants to pest attacks by their interactions with earthworms and other useful soil organisms. These examples demonstrate the diversity of options offered by the non-planned agro-ecosystem diversity in pest control and the need to identify management options that maintain this biodiversity.

Optimal allocation of invasive species surveillance with the maximum expected coverage concept

Treesearch

Denys Yemshanov; Robert G. Haight; Frank H. Koch; Bo Lu; Robert Venette; D. Barry Lyons; Taylor Scarr; Krista Ryall; Brian. Leung

2015-01-01

We address the problem of geographically allocating scarce survey resources to detect pests in their pathways of introduction given information about their likelihood of movement between origins and destinations. We introduce a model for selecting destination sites for survey that departs from the aim of reducing propagule pressure (PP) in pest destinations and instead...

The political ecology of forest health in the redwood region

Treesearch

Chris Lee; Yana Valachovic; Dan Stark

2017-01-01

Imported forest pests have changed North American forests and caused staggering monetary losses in the centuries since the country was founded. Since most problem-causing non-native pests are innocuous in their home ranges, where they have coevolved with their host trees, experts cannot predict which pathogens or insects will have lethal effect on other continents....

Biology and Control of Insect and Related Pests of Livestock in Wyoming. MP-23.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, John E.

This document provides information that a potential insecticide applicator can utilize to safely and effectively control insects and related pests of livestock. The first section of the manual discusses the general methods of preparation and application of insecticides. The second section concerns itself with the recognition of insect problems,…

Social Capital and Geography of Learning: Roles in Accelerating the Spread of Integrated Pest Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palis, Florencia G.; Morin, Stephen; Hossain, Mahabub

2005-01-01

This paper aims to show the relevance of spatial proximity and social capital in accelerating the spread of agricultural technologies such as integrated pest management (IPM). The research was done in response to the problem of slow diffusion of agricultural technologies. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in investigating the…

Calibration of hydrological model with programme PEST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brilly, Mitja; Vidmar, Andrej; Kryžanowski, Andrej; Bezak, Nejc; Šraj, Mojca

2016-04-01

PEST is tool based on minimization of an objective function related to the root mean square error between the model output and the measurement. We use "singular value decomposition", section of the PEST control file, and Tikhonov regularization method for successfully estimation of model parameters. The PEST sometimes failed if inverse problems were ill-posed, but (SVD) ensures that PEST maintains numerical stability. The choice of the initial guess for the initial parameter values is an important issue in the PEST and need expert knowledge. The flexible nature of the PEST software and its ability to be applied to whole catchments at once give results of calibration performed extremely well across high number of sub catchments. Use of parallel computing version of PEST called BeoPEST was successfully useful to speed up calibration process. BeoPEST employs smart slaves and point-to-point communications to transfer data between the master and slaves computers. The HBV-light model is a simple multi-tank-type model for simulating precipitation-runoff. It is conceptual balance model of catchment hydrology which simulates discharge using rainfall, temperature and estimates of potential evaporation. Version of HBV-light-CLI allows the user to run HBV-light from the command line. Input and results files are in XML form. This allows to easily connecting it with other applications such as pre and post-processing utilities and PEST itself. The procedure was applied on hydrological model of Savinja catchment (1852 km2) and consists of twenty one sub-catchments. Data are temporary processed on hourly basis.

Description and Biology of Insects and Related Pests Injurious to Vegetable Crops - For Commercial Growers Only.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

This manual is designed by the Massachusetts Cooperative Extension Service as a guide for the control of the most common insects and related pests of vegetable crops grown commercially in Massachusetts. It contains general information on insects and specific descriptions of the major pests, their life cycles, and the damage they cause. The topics…

Contingency Pest and Vector Surveillance

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

Baseline Survey - conducted to determine the types of vectors and pests occurring in the area of operations, their respective breeding sites or...source habitat, and seasonal activity patterns. Operational Survey - data collected in an operational survey are used specifically to aid pest...management personnel in making decisions on when to start or stop control measures. Operational survey data is compared to baseline data and the

Enhancing Integrated Pest Management in GM Cotton Systems Using Host Plant Resistance

PubMed Central

Trapero, Carlos; Wilson, Iain W.; Stiller, Warwick N.; Wilson, Lewis J.

2016-01-01

Cotton has lost many ancestral defensive traits against key invertebrate pests. This is suggested by the levels of resistance to some pests found in wild cotton genotypes as well as in cultivated landraces and is a result of domestication and a long history of targeted breeding for yield and fiber quality, along with the capacity to control pests with pesticides. Genetic modification (GM) allowed integration of toxins from a bacteria into cotton to control key Lepidopteran pests. Since the mid-1990s, use of GM cotton cultivars has greatly reduced the amount of pesticides used in many cotton systems. However, pests not controlled by the GM traits have usually emerged as problems, especially the sucking bug complex. Control of this complex with pesticides often causes a reduction in beneficial invertebrate populations, allowing other secondary pests to increase rapidly and require control. Control of both sucking bug complex and secondary pests is problematic due to the cost of pesticides and/or high risk of selecting for pesticide resistance. Deployment of host plant resistance (HPR) provides an opportunity to manage these issues in GM cotton systems. Cotton cultivars resistant to the sucking bug complex and/or secondary pests would require fewer pesticide applications, reducing costs and risks to beneficial invertebrate populations and pesticide resistance. Incorporation of HPR traits into elite cotton cultivars with high yield and fiber quality offers the potential to further reduce pesticide use and increase the durability of pest management in GM cotton systems. We review the challenges that the identification and use of HPR against invertebrate pests brings to cotton breeding. We explore sources of resistance to the sucking bug complex and secondary pests, the mechanisms that control them and the approaches to incorporate these defense traits to commercial cultivars. PMID:27148323

Annotated ESTs from various tissues of the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens: A genomic resource for studying agricultural pests

PubMed Central

Noda, Hiroaki; Kawai, Sawako; Koizumi, Yoko; Matsui, Kageaki; Zhang, Qiang; Furukawa, Shigetoyo; Shimomura, Michihiko; Mita, Kazuei

2008-01-01

Background The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera, Delphacidae), is a serious insect pests of rice plants. Major means of BPH control are application of agricultural chemicals and cultivation of BPH resistant rice varieties. Nevertheless, BPH strains that are resistant to agricultural chemicals have developed, and BPH strains have appeared that are virulent against the resistant rice varieties. Expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis and related applications are useful to elucidate the mechanisms of resistance and virulence and to reveal physiological aspects of this non-model insect, with its poorly understood genetic background. Results More than 37,000 high-quality ESTs, excluding sequences of mitochondrial genome, microbial genomes, and rDNA, have been produced from 18 libraries of various BPH tissues and stages. About 10,200 clusters have been made from whole EST sequences, with average EST size of 627 bp. Among the top ten most abundantly expressed genes, three are unique and show no homology in BLAST searches. The actin gene was highly expressed in BPH, especially in the thorax. Tissue-specifically expressed genes were extracted based on the expression frequency among the libraries. An EST database is available at our web site. Conclusion The EST library will provide useful information for transcriptional analyses, proteomic analyses, and gene functional analyses of BPH. Moreover, specific genes for hemimetabolous insects will be identified. The microarray fabricated based on the EST information will be useful for finding genes related to agricultural and biological problems related to this pest. PMID:18315884

Recombinant entomopathogenic agents: a review of biotechnological approaches to pest insect control.

PubMed

Karabörklü, Salih; Azizoglu, Ugur; Azizoglu, Zehra Busra

2017-12-18

Although the use of chemical pesticides has decreased in recent years, it is still a common method of pest control. However, chemical use leads to challenging problems. The harm caused by these chemicals and the length of time that they will remain in the environment is of great concern to the future and safety of humans. Therefore, developing new pest control agents that are safer and environmentally compatible, as well as assuring their widespread use is important. Entomopathogenic agents are microorganisms that play an important role in the biological control of pest insects and are eco-friendly alternatives to chemical control. They consist of viruses (non-cellular organisms), bacteria (prokaryotic organisms), fungi and protists (eukaryotic organisms), and nematodes (multicellular organisms). Genetic modification (recombinant technology) provides potential new methods for developing entomopathogens to manage pests. In this review, we focus on the important roles of recombinant entomopathogens in terms of pest insect control, placing them into perspective with other views to discuss, examine and evaluate the use of entomopathogenic agents in biological control.

Recent advances in research of some pest problems of hybrid populus in Michigan and Wisconsin

Treesearch

Lincoln M. Moore; Louis F. Wilson

1983-01-01

Hybrid Populus clones were examined for impact from and resistance to attack from several insects and diseases. Cottonwood leaf beetle, poplar-and-willow borer, and Septoria canker were most injurious. The spotted poplar aphid and poplar-gall saperda, even when abundant, caused only minor impact. The tarnished plant bug, a newly identified pest of...

An old remedy for a new problem? Identification of Ooencyrtus kuvanae (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as egg parasitoids of spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) in North America

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula (White) is a recently introduced pest of Tree-of-Heaven, Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle in North America. Natural enemy surveys for this pest in Pennsylvania in 2016 recovered an encyrtid egg parasitoid from both field collections and laboratory rear...

Pest management through Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in a tea-silkworm ecosystem: status and potential prospects.

PubMed

Dashora, Kavya; Roy, Somnath; Nagpal, Akanksha; Roy, Sudipta Mukhopadhyay; Flood, Julie; Prasad, Anjali Km; Khetarpal, Ravinder; Neave, Suzanne; Muraleedharan, N

2017-03-01

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a soil bacterium that forms spores containing crystals comprising one or more Cry or Cyt proteins having potential and specific insecticidal activity. Different strains of Bt produce different types of toxins, affecting a narrow taxonomic group of insects. Therefore, it is used in non-chemical pest management, including inherent pest resistance through GM crops. The specificity of action of Bt toxins reduces the concern of adverse effects on non-target species, a concern which remains with chemical insecticides as well. To make use of Bt more sustainable, new strains expressing novel toxins are actively being sought globally. Since Bt is successfully used against many pests including the lepidopteran pests in different crop groups, the insecticidal activity against Samia cynthia (Drury) (Eri silkworm) and Antheraea assamensis Helfer (Muga silkworm) becomes a concern in the state of Assam in India which is a predominantly tea- and silk-producing zone. Though Bt can be used as an effective non-chemical approach for pest management for tea pests in the same geographical region, yet, it may potentially affect the silk industry which depends on silkworm. There is a need to identify the potentially lethal impact (through evaluating their mortality potential) of local Bt strains on key silkworm species in North Eastern India. This will allow the use of existing Bt for which the silkworms have natural resistance. Through this review, the authors aim to highlight recent progress in the use of Bt and its insecticidal toxins in tea pest control and the potential sensitivity for tea- and silk-producing zone of Assam in India.

Recent advancement on chemical arsenal of Bt toxin and its application in pest management system in agricultural field.

PubMed

Chattopadhyay, Pritam; Banerjee, Goutam

2018-04-01

Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt ) is a Gram-positive, spore-forming, soil bacterium, which is very popular bio-control agent in agricultural and forestry. In general, B. thuringiensis secretes an array of insecticidal proteins including toxins produced during vegetative growth phase (such as secreted insecticidal protein, Sip; vegetative insecticidal proteins, Vip), parasporal crystalline δ-endotoxins produced during vegetative stationary phase (such as cytolytic toxin, Cyt; and crystal toxin, Cry), and β-exotoxins. Till date, a wide spectrum of Cry proteins has been reported and most of them belong to three-domain-Cry toxins, Bin-like toxin, and Etx_Mtx2-like toxins. To the best of our knowledge, neither Bt insecticidal toxins are exclusive to Bt nor all the strains of Bt are capable of producing insecticidal Bt toxins. The lacuna in their latest classification has also been discussed. In this review, the updated information regarding the insecticidal Bt toxins and their different mode of actions were summarized. Before applying the Bt toxins on agricultural field, the non-specific effects of toxins should be investigated. We also have summarized the problem of insect resistance and the strategies to combat with this problem. We strongly believe that this information will help a lot to the budding researchers in the field of modern pest control biotechnology.

The Pesticide Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosch, Van Den Robert

1979-01-01

Contains a discussion of insects' ability to survive, of the development of pesticides and the introduction of DDT, of the problems of pesticide use and resistance to insecticides, and of the advantages of integrated pest control. (BB)

Site-Specific Cassette Exchange Systems in the Aedes aegypti Mosquito and the Plutella xylostella Moth

PubMed Central

Haghighat-Khah, Roya Elaine; Scaife, Sarah; Martins, Sara; St John, Oliver; Matzen, Kelly Jean; Morrison, Neil; Alphey, Luke

2015-01-01

Genetically engineered insects are being evaluated as potential tools to decrease the economic and public health burden of mosquitoes and agricultural pest insects. Here we describe a new tool for the reliable and targeted genome manipulation of pest insects for research and field release using recombinase mediated cassette exchange (RMCE) mechanisms. We successfully demonstrated the established ΦC31-RMCE method in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, which is the first report of RMCE in mosquitoes. A new variant of this RMCE system, called iRMCE, combines the ΦC31-att integration system and Cre or FLP-mediated excision to remove extraneous sequences introduced as part of the site-specific integration process. Complete iRMCE was achieved in two important insect pests, Aedes aegypti and the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, demonstrating the transferability of the system across a wide phylogenetic range of insect pests. PMID:25830287

The Phorbol Ester Fraction from Jatropha curcas Seed Oil: Potential and Limits for Crop Protection against Insect Pests

PubMed Central

Ratnadass, Alain; Wink, Michael

2012-01-01

The physic nut shrub, Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae), has been considered as a “miracle tree”, particularly as a source of alternate fuel. Various extracts of the plant have been reported to have insecticidal/acaricidal or molluscicidal/anthelminthic activities on vectors of medical or veterinary interest or on agricultural or non-agricultural pests. Among those extracts, the phorbol ester fraction from seed oil has been reported as a promising candidate for use as a plant-derived protectant of a variety of crops, from a range of pre-harvest and post-harvest insect pests. However, such extracts have not been widely used, despite the “boom” in the development of the crop in the tropics during recent years, and societal concerns about overuse of systemic chemical pesticides. There are many potential explanations to such a lack of use of Jatropha insecticidal extracts. On the one hand, the application of extracts potentially harmful to human health on stored food grain, might not be relevant. The problem of decomposition of phorbol esters and other compounds toxic to crop pests in the field needing further evaluation before such extracts can be widely used, may also be a partial explanation. High variability of phorbol ester content and hence of insecticidal activity among physic nut cultivars/ecotypes may be another. Phytotoxicity to crops may be further limitation. Apparent obstacles to a wider application of such extracts are the costs and problems involved with registration and legal approval. On the other hand, more studies should be conducted on molluscicidal activity on slugs and land snails which are major pests of crops, particularly in conservation agriculture systems. Further evaluation of toxicity to natural enemies of insect pests and studies on other beneficial insects such as pollinators are also needed. PMID:23203190

The phorbol ester fraction from Jatropha curcas seed oil: potential and limits for crop protection against insect pests.

PubMed

Ratnadass, Alain; Wink, Michael

2012-11-30

The physic nut shrub, Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae), has been considered as a "miracle tree", particularly as a source of alternate fuel. Various extracts of the plant have been reported to have insecticidal/acaricidal or molluscicidal/anthelminthic activities on vectors of medical or veterinary interest or on agricultural or non-agricultural pests. Among those extracts, the phorbol ester fraction from seed oil has been reported as a promising candidate for use as a plant-derived protectant of a variety of crops, from a range of pre-harvest and post-harvest insect pests. However, such extracts have not been widely used, despite the "boom" in the development of the crop in the tropics during recent years, and societal concerns about overuse of systemic chemical pesticides. There are many potential explanations to such a lack of use of Jatropha insecticidal extracts. On the one hand, the application of extracts potentially harmful to human health on stored food grain, might not be relevant. The problem of decomposition of phorbol esters and other compounds toxic to crop pests in the field needing further evaluation before such extracts can be widely used, may also be a partial explanation. High variability of phorbol ester content and hence of insecticidal activity among physic nut cultivars/ecotypes may be another. Phytotoxicity to crops may be further limitation. Apparent obstacles to a wider application of such extracts are the costs and problems involved with registration and legal approval. On the other hand, more studies should be conducted on molluscicidal activity on slugs and land snails which are major pests of crops, particularly in conservation agriculture systems. Further evaluation of toxicity to natural enemies of insect pests and studies on other beneficial insects such as pollinators are also needed.

New technology for using meteorological information in forest insect pest forecast and warning systems.

PubMed

Qin, Jiang-Lin; Yang, Xiu-Hao; Yang, Zhong-Wu; Luo, Ji-Tong; Lei, Xiu-Feng

2017-12-01

Near surface air temperature and rainfall are major weather factors affecting forest insect dynamics. The recent developments in remote sensing retrieval and geographic information system spatial analysis techniques enable the utilization of weather factors to significantly enhance forest pest forecasting and warning systems. The current study focused on building forest pest digital data structures as a platform of correlation analysis between weather conditions and forest pest dynamics for better pest forecasting and warning systems using the new technologies. The study dataset contained 3 353 425 small polygons with 174 defined attributes covering 95 counties of Guangxi province of China currently registering 292 forest pest species. Field data acquisition and information transfer systems were established with four software licences that provided 15-fold improvement compared to the systems currently used in China. Nine technical specifications were established including codes of forest districts, pest species and host tree species, and standard practices of forest pest monitoring and information management. Attributes can easily be searched using ArcGIS9.3 and/or the free QGIS2.16 software. Small polygons with pest relevant attributes are a new tool of precision farming and detailed forest insect pest management that are technologically advanced. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Alpha-amylase inhibitor-1 gene from Phaseolus vulgaris expressed in Coffea arabica plants inhibits alpha-amylases from the coffee berry borer pest.

PubMed

Barbosa, Aulus E A D; Albuquerque, Erika V S; Silva, Maria C M; Souza, Djair S L; Oliveira-Neto, Osmundo B; Valencia, Arnubio; Rocha, Thales L; Grossi-de-Sa, Maria F

2010-06-17

Coffee is an important crop and is crucial to the economy of many developing countries, generating around US$70 billion per year. There are 115 species in the Coffea genus, but only two, C. arabica and C. canephora, are commercially cultivated. Coffee plants are attacked by many pathogens and insect-pests, which affect not only the production of coffee but also its grain quality, reducing the commercial value of the product. The main insect-pest, the coffee berry borer (Hypotheneumus hampei), is responsible for worldwide annual losses of around US$500 million. The coffee berry borer exclusively damages the coffee berries, and it is mainly controlled by organochlorine insecticides that are both toxic and carcinogenic. Unfortunately, natural resistance in the genus Coffea to H. hampei has not been documented. To overcome these problems, biotechnological strategies can be used to introduce an alpha-amylase inhibitor gene (alpha-AI1), which confers resistance against the coffee berry borer insect-pest, into C. arabica plants. We transformed C. arabica with the alpha-amylase inhibitor-1 gene (alpha-AI1) from the common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, under control of the seed-specific phytohemagglutinin promoter (PHA-L). The presence of the alpha-AI1 gene in six regenerated transgenic T1 coffee plants was identified by PCR and Southern blotting. Immunoblotting and ELISA experiments using antibodies against alpha-AI1 inhibitor showed a maximum alpha-AI1 concentration of 0.29% in crude seed extracts. Inhibitory in vitro assays of the alpha-AI1 protein against H. hampei alpha-amylases in transgenic seed extracts showed up to 88% inhibition of enzyme activity. This is the first report showing the production of transgenic coffee plants with the biotechnological potential to control the coffee berry borer, the most important insect-pest of crop coffee.

α-Amylase inhibitor-1 gene from Phaseolus vulgaris expressed in Coffea arabica plants inhibits α-amylases from the coffee berry borer pest

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Coffee is an important crop and is crucial to the economy of many developing countries, generating around US$70 billion per year. There are 115 species in the Coffea genus, but only two, C. arabica and C. canephora, are commercially cultivated. Coffee plants are attacked by many pathogens and insect-pests, which affect not only the production of coffee but also its grain quality, reducing the commercial value of the product. The main insect-pest, the coffee berry borer (Hypotheneumus hampei), is responsible for worldwide annual losses of around US$500 million. The coffee berry borer exclusively damages the coffee berries, and it is mainly controlled by organochlorine insecticides that are both toxic and carcinogenic. Unfortunately, natural resistance in the genus Coffea to H. hampei has not been documented. To overcome these problems, biotechnological strategies can be used to introduce an α-amylase inhibitor gene (α-AI1), which confers resistance against the coffee berry borer insect-pest, into C. arabica plants. Results We transformed C. arabica with the α-amylase inhibitor-1 gene (α-AI1) from the common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, under control of the seed-specific phytohemagglutinin promoter (PHA-L). The presence of the α-AI1 gene in six regenerated transgenic T1 coffee plants was identified by PCR and Southern blotting. Immunoblotting and ELISA experiments using antibodies against α-AI1 inhibitor showed a maximum α-AI1 concentration of 0.29% in crude seed extracts. Inhibitory in vitro assays of the α-AI1 protein against H. hampei α-amylases in transgenic seed extracts showed up to 88% inhibition of enzyme activity. Conclusions This is the first report showing the production of transgenic coffee plants with the biotechnological potential to control the coffee berry borer, the most important insect-pest of crop coffee. PMID:20565807

How well will stacked transgenic pest/herbicide resistances delay pests from evolving resistance?

PubMed

Gressel, Jonathan; Gassmann, Aaron J; Owen, Micheal Dk

2017-01-01

Resistance has evolved to single transgenic traits engineered into crops for arthropod and herbicide resistances, and can be expected to evolve to the more recently introduced pathogen resistances. Combining transgenes against the same target pest is being promoted as the solution to the problem. This solution will work if used pre-emptively, but where resistance has evolved to one member of a stack, resistance should easily evolve for the second gene in most cases. We propose and elaborate criteria that could be used to evaluate the value of stacked traits for pest resistance management. Stacked partners must: target the same pest species; be in a tandem construct to preclude segregation; be synchronously expressed in the same tissues; have similar tissue persistence; target pest species that are still susceptible to at least two stacked partners. Additionally, transgene products must not be degraded in the same manner, and there should be a lack of cross-resistance to stacked transgenes or to their products. With stacked herbicide resistance transgenes, both herbicides must be used and have the same persistence. If these criteria are followed, and integrated with other pest management practices, resistance may be considerably delayed. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Large scale RNAi screen in Tribolium reveals novel target genes for pest control and the proteasome as prime target.

PubMed

Ulrich, Julia; Dao, Van Anh; Majumdar, Upalparna; Schmitt-Engel, Christian; Schwirz, Jonas; Schultheis, Dorothea; Ströhlein, Nadi; Troelenberg, Nicole; Grossmann, Daniela; Richter, Tobias; Dönitz, Jürgen; Gerischer, Lizzy; Leboulle, Gérard; Vilcinskas, Andreas; Stanke, Mario; Bucher, Gregor

2015-09-03

Insect pest control is challenged by insecticide resistance and negative impact on ecology and health. One promising pest specific alternative is the generation of transgenic plants, which express double stranded RNAs targeting essential genes of a pest species. Upon feeding, the dsRNA induces gene silencing in the pest resulting in its death. However, the identification of efficient RNAi target genes remains a major challenge as genomic tools and breeding capacity is limited in most pest insects impeding whole-animal-high-throughput-screening. We use the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum as a screening platform in order to identify the most efficient RNAi target genes. From about 5,000 randomly screened genes of the iBeetle RNAi screen we identify 11 novel and highly efficient RNAi targets. Our data allowed us to determine GO term combinations that are predictive for efficient RNAi target genes with proteasomal genes being most predictive. Finally, we show that RNAi target genes do not appear to act synergistically and that protein sequence conservation does not correlate with the number of potential off target sites. Our results will aid the identification of RNAi target genes in many pest species by providing a manageable number of excellent candidate genes to be tested and the proteasome as prime target. Further, the identified GO term combinations will help to identify efficient target genes from organ specific transcriptomes. Our off target analysis is relevant for the sequence selection used in transgenic plants.

A century and a half of research on the Stable Fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), 1862-2011: an annotated bibliography

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, is a cosmopolitan pest of livestock, wild animals, pets and humans. It is a primary pest of cattle in the United States, estimated to cause more than $1 billion in economic losses annually. It also causes dissention at the rural-urban interface and is a problem i...

Pissodes castaneus (De Geer, 1775) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), the bark pine weevil: a pest or a biological indicator?

Treesearch

Edson Tadeu Iede; Wilson Reis Filho; Susete Rocio C. Penteado; Scheila Messa Zaleski

2011-01-01

The risk of introduction of exotic forest pests is a global problem, evidenced by records of interceptions even in countries that have a quite effective system of plant protection. The banded pine weevil, Pissodes castaneus, is native to Europe and North Africa and was introduced into Argentina and Uruguay and recently into Brazil where it was first...

Multipath for Agricultural and Rural Information Services in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Ningning; Zang, Zhiyuan; Gao, Lingwang; Shi, Qiang; Li, Jie; Xing, Chunlin; Shen, Zuorui

Internet cannot provide perfect information services for farmers in rural regions in China, because farmers in rural regions can hardly access the internet by now. But the wide coverage of mobile signal, telephone line, and television network, etc. gave us a chance to solve the problem. The integrated pest management platform of Northern fruit trees were developed based on the integrated technology, which can integrate the internet, mobile and fixed-line telephone network, and television network, to provide integrated pest management(IPM) information services for farmers in rural regions in E-mail, telephone-voice, short message, voice mail, videoconference or other format, to users' telephone, cell phone, personal computer, personal digital assistant(PDA), television, etc. alternatively. The architecture and the functions of the system were introduced in the paper. The system can manage the field monitoring data of agricultural pests, deal with enquiries to provide the necessary information to farmers accessing the interactive voice response(IVR) in the system with the experts on-line or off-line, and issue the early warnings about the fruit tree pests when it is necessary according to analysis on the monitoring data about the pests of fruit trees in variety of ways including SMS, fax, voice and intersystem e-mail.The system provides a platform and a new pattern for agricultural technology extension with a high coverage rate of agricultural technology in rural regions, and it can solve the problem of agriculture information service 'last kilometer' in China. The effectiveness of the system was certified.

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

PubMed

Areal, F J; Touza, J; MacLeod, A; Dehnen-Schmutz, K; Perrings, C; Palmieri, M G; Spence, N J

2008-12-01

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.

United States Air Force Guide to Operational Surveillance of Medically Important Vectors and Pests Operational Entomology

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-15

Programs Section 3. Sampling Equipment Sampling Equipment Solid-State Army Miniature (SSAM) trap ABC style trap Encephalitis Vector Survey Trap CDC...Baseline Survey - these are conducted to determine the types of vectors and pests occurring in the area of operations, their respective breeding sites...or source habitat, and seasonal activity patterns. Operational Survey - data collected in an operational survey are used specifically to aid pest

A novel approach to evaluation of pest insect abundance in the presence of noise.

PubMed

Embleton, Nina; Petrovskaya, Natalia

2014-03-01

Evaluation of pest abundance is an important task of integrated pest management. It has recently been shown that evaluation of pest population size from discrete sampling data can be done by using the ideas of numerical integration. Numerical integration of the pest population density function is a computational technique that readily gives us an estimate of the pest population size, where the accuracy of the estimate depends on the number of traps installed in the agricultural field to collect the data. However, in a standard mathematical problem of numerical integration, it is assumed that the data are precise, so that the random error is zero when the data are collected. This assumption does not hold in ecological applications. An inherent random error is often present in field measurements, and therefore it may strongly affect the accuracy of evaluation. In our paper, we offer a novel approach to evaluate the pest insect population size under the assumption that the data about the pest population include a random error. The evaluation is not based on statistical methods but is done using a spatially discrete method of numerical integration where the data obtained by trapping as in pest insect monitoring are converted to values of the population density. It will be discussed in the paper how the accuracy of evaluation differs from the case where the same evaluation method is employed to handle precise data. We also consider how the accuracy of the pest insect abundance evaluation can be affected by noise when the data available from trapping are sparse. In particular, we show that, contrary to intuitive expectations, noise does not have any considerable impact on the accuracy of evaluation when the number of traps is small as is conventional in ecological applications.

Sex-specific mating pheromones in the nematode Panagrellus redivivus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Despite advances in medicine and crop genetics, nematodes remain significant human pathogens and agricultural pests. This warrants investigation of alternative strategies for pest control, such as interference with pheromone-mediated reproduction. Because only two nematode species have had their phe...

Personal Insect Repellents and Minimum Risk Pesticides

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

An exempt pesticide product may not bear claims to control rodent, insect or microbial pests in a way that links the pests with specific disease. We are considering a proposal to remove personal mosquito and tick repellents from the minimum risk exemption.

Thrips advisor: exploiting thrips-induced defences to combat pests on crops.

PubMed

Steenbergen, Merel; Abd-El-Haliem, Ahmed; Bleeker, Petra; Dicke, Marcel; Escobar-Bravo, Rocio; Cheng, Gang; Haring, Michel A; Kant, Merijn R; Kappers, Iris; Klinkhamer, Peter G L; Leiss, Kirsten A; Legarrea, Saioa; Macel, Mirka; Mouden, Sanae; Pieterse, Corné M J; Sarde, Sandeep J; Schuurink, Robert C; De Vos, Martin; Van Wees, Saskia C M; Broekgaarden, Colette

2018-04-09

Plants have developed diverse defence mechanisms to ward off herbivorous pests. However, agriculture still faces estimated crop yield losses ranging from 25% to 40% annually. These losses arise not only because of direct feeding damage, but also because many pests serve as vectors of plant viruses. Herbivorous thrips (Thysanoptera) are important pests of vegetable and ornamental crops worldwide, and encompass virtually all general problems of pests: they are highly polyphagous, hard to control because of their complex lifestyle, and they are vectors of destructive viruses. Currently, control management of thrips mainly relies on the use of chemical pesticides. However, thrips rapidly develop resistance to these pesticides. With the rising demand for more sustainable, safer, and healthier food production systems, we urgently need to pinpoint the gaps in knowledge of plant defences against thrips to enable the future development of novel control methods. In this review, we summarize the current, rather scarce, knowledge of thrips-induced plant responses and the role of phytohormonal signalling and chemical defences in these responses. We describe concrete opportunities for breeding resistance against pests such as thrips as a prototype approach for next-generation resistance breeding.

Functional invertebrate prey groups reflect dietary responses to phenology and farming activity and pest control services in three sympatric species of aerially foraging insectivorous birds.

PubMed

Orłowski, Grzegorz; Karg, Jerzy; Karg, Grzegorz

2014-01-01

Farming activity severely impacts the invertebrate food resources of farmland birds, with direct mortality to populations of above-ground arthropods thorough mechanical damage during crop harvests. In this study we assessed the effects of phenological periods, including the timing of harvest, on the composition and biomass of prey consumed by three species of aerial insectivorous birds. Common Swifts Apus apus, Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica and House Martins Delichon urbica breed sympatrically and most of their diet is obtained from agricultural sources of invertebrate prey, especially from oil-seed rape crops. We categorized invertebrate prey into six functional groups, including oil-seed rape pests; pests of other arable crops; other crop-provisioned taxa; coprophilous taxa; and taxa living in non-crop and mixed crop/non-crop habitats. Seasonality impacted functional groups differently, but the general direction of change (increase/decrease) of all groups was consistent as indexed by prey composition of the three aerial insectivores studied here. After the oil-seed rape crop harvest (mid July), all three species exhibited a dietary shift from oil-seed rape insect pests to other aerial invertebrate prey groups. However, Common Switfts also consumed a relative large quantity of oil-seed rape insect pests in the late summer (August), suggesting that they could reduce pest insect emigration beyond the host plant/crop. Since these aerially foraging insectivorous birds operate in specific conditions and feed on specific pest resources unavailable to foliage/ground foraging avian predators, our results suggest that in some crops like oil-seed rape cultivations, the potential integration of the insectivory of aerial foraging birds into pest management schemes might provide economic benefits. We advise further research into the origin of airborne insects and the role of aerial insectivores as agents of the biological control of crop insect pests, especially the determination of depredation rates and the cascading effects of insectivory on crop damage and yield.

Efficacy of Silk Channel Injections with Insecticides for Management of Lepidoptera Pests of Sweet Corn.

PubMed

Sparks, A N; Gadal, L; Ni, X

2015-08-01

The primary Lepidoptera pests of sweet corn (Zea mays L. convar. saccharata) in Georgia are the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), and the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). Management of these pests typically requires multiple insecticide applications from first silking until harvest, with commercial growers frequently spraying daily. This level of insecticide use presents problems for small growers, particularly for "pick-your-own" operations. Injection of oil into the corn ear silk channel 5-8 days after silking initiation has been used to suppress damage by these insects. Initial work with this technique in Georgia provided poor results. Subsequently, a series of experiments was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of silk channel injections as an application methodology for insecticides. A single application of synthetic insecticide, at greatly reduced per acre rates compared with common foliar applications, provided excellent control of Lepidoptera insects attacking the ear tip and suppressed damage by sap beetles (Nitidulidae). While this methodology is labor-intensive, it requires a single application of insecticide at reduced rates applied ∼2 wk prior to harvest, compared with potential daily applications at full rates up to the day of harvest with foliar insecticide applications. This methodology is not likely to eliminate the need for foliar applications because of other insect pests which do not enter through the silk channel or are not affected by the specific selective insecticide used in the silk channel injection, but would greatly reduce the number of applications required. This methodology may prove particularly useful for small acreage growers. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Australian endemic pest tephritids: genetic, molecular and microbial tools for improved Sterile Insect Technique

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Among Australian endemic tephritid fruit flies, the sibling species Bactrocera tryoni and Bactrocera neohumeralis have been serious horticultural pests since the introduction of horticulture in the nineteenth century. More recently, Bactrocera jarvisi has also been declared a pest in northern Australia. After several decades of genetic research there is now a range of classical and molecular genetic tools that can be used to develop improved Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) strains for control of these pests. Four-way crossing strategies have the potential to overcome the problem of inbreeding in mass-reared strains of B. tryoni. The ability to produce hybrids between B. tryoni and the other two species in the laboratory has proved useful for the development of genetically marked strains. The identification of Y-chromosome markers in B. jarvisi means that male and female embryos can be distinguished in any strain that carries a B. jarvisi Y chromosome. This has enabled the study of homologues of the sex-determination genes during development of B jarvisi and B. tryoni, which is necessary for the generation of genetic-sexing strains. Germ-line transformation has been established and a draft genome sequence for B. tryoni released. Transcriptomes from various species, tissues and developmental stages, to aid in identification of manipulation targets for improving SIT, have been assembled and are in the pipeline. Broad analyses of the microbiome have revealed a metagenome that is highly variable within and across species and defined by the environment. More specific analyses detected Wolbachia at low prevalence in the tropics but absent in temperate regions, suggesting a possible role for this endosymbiont in future control strategies. PMID:25470996

Tamarisk control on public lands in the desert of southern California: two case studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

1994-01-01

As a land manager, the Federal Government faces enormous challenges from exotic pest invasions and associated changes to the structure and stability of native ecosystems (Bureau of Land Management, 1988). On public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) alone, it is estimated that almost three million hectares are occupied by invasive exotic plant species (weeds). Assuming an annual rate of invasion of 14 percent, 930 hectares of BLM-administered land are infested everyday by weeds (Jerry Asher, personal communication). When one considers the fact that BLM administers only about one-third of the public land in the United States (The Keystone Center, 1991), the magnitude of the problem assumes staggering proportions. The scenario described in the quote above portrays only some of the problems associated with the spread of the exotic plant tamarisk, a species on the California Exotic Pest Plant Council’s list of exotic pest plants of greatest concern (California Exotic Pest Plant Council, 1993). In this paper we review the threats posed by tamarisk invasion and proliferation and examine the traits that make the plant such a successful competitor. In addition, we highlight two tamarisk control efforts conducted by the Bureau of Land Management in the southern California desert.

Chirosurveillance: The use of native bats to detect invasive agricultural pests.

PubMed

Maslo, Brooke; Valentin, Rafael; Leu, Karen; Kerwin, Kathleen; Hamilton, George C; Bevan, Amanda; Fefferman, Nina H; Fonseca, Dina M

2017-01-01

Invasive insect pests cost the agricultural industry billions of dollars annually in crop losses. Timely detection of pests is critical for management efficiency. Innovative pest detection strategies, such as environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques, combined with efficient predators, maximize sampling resolution across space and time and may improve surveillance. We tested the hypothesis that temperate insectivorous bats can be important sentinels of agricultural insect pest surveillance. Specifically, we used a new high-sensitivity molecular assay for invasive brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys) to examine the extent to which big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) detect agricultural pests in the landscape. We documented consistent seasonal predation of stink bugs by big brown bats. Importantly, bats detected brown marmorated stink bugs 3-4 weeks earlier than the current standard monitoring tool, blacklight traps, across all sites. We highlight here the previously unrecognized potential ecosystem service of bats as agents of pest surveillance (or chirosurveillance). Additional studies examining interactions between other bat and insect pest species, coupled with comparisons of detectability among various conventional monitoring methods, are needed to verify the patterns extracted from this study. Ultimately, robust economic analyses will be needed to assess the cost-effectiveness of chirosurveillance as a standard strategy for integrated pest management.

Native intra- and inter-specific reactions may cause the paradox of pest control with harvesting.

PubMed

Seno, Hiromi

2010-05-01

We analyse a general time-discrete mathematical model of host-parasite population dynamics with harvesting, in which the host can be regarded as a pest. We harvest a portion of the host population at a moment in each year. Our model involves the density effect on the host population. We investigate the condition in which the harvesting of the host results in a paradoxical increase of its equilibrium population size. Our results imply that for a family of pest-enemy systems, the paradox of pest control could be caused essentially by the interspecific relationship and the intraspecific density effect.

The application of secondary metabolites in the study of sorghum insect resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chunming, Bai; Yifei, Liu; Xiaochun, Lu

2018-03-01

Insect attack is one of the main factors for limiting the production of rice and sorghum. To improve resistance to pests of rice and sorghum will be of great significance for meliorating their production and quality. However, the source and material of anti-pest was scarce. In this study, we will study on the expression patterns of hydrocyanic acid biosynthesis relative genes in sorghum firstly. And we will also genetically transform them into rice and sorghum by specific and constitutive promoters and verify their pest-resistant ability. Finally, high pest-resistant genetically modified new sorghum cultivars will be bred with favorable comprehensive agronomic traits.

Rapid transcriptome sequencing of an invasive pest, the brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys.

PubMed

Ioannidis, Panagiotis; Lu, Yong; Kumar, Nikhil; Creasy, Todd; Daugherty, Sean; Chibucos, Marcus C; Orvis, Joshua; Shetty, Amol; Ott, Sandra; Flowers, Melissa; Sengamalay, Naomi; Tallon, Luke J; Pick, Leslie; Dunning Hotopp, Julie C

2014-08-29

Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Insecta:Hemiptera;Pentatomidae), commonly known as the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB), is an invasive pest of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, causing economically important damage to a wide range of crops. Native to Asia, BMSB was first observed in Allentown, PA, USA, in 1996, and this pest is now well-established throughout the US mid-Atlantic region and beyond. In addition to the serious threat BMSB poses to agriculture, BMSB has become a nuisance to homeowners, invading home gardens and congregating in large numbers in human-made structures, including homes, to overwinter. Despite its significance as an agricultural pest with limited control options, only 100 bp of BMSB sequence data was available in public databases when this project began. Transcriptome sequencing was undertaken to provide a molecular resource to the research community to inform the development of pest control strategies and to provide molecular data for population genetics studies of BMSB. Using normalized, strand-specific libraries, we sequenced pools of all BMSB life stages on the Illumina HiSeq. Trinity was used to assemble 200,000 putative transcripts in >100,000 components. A novel bioinformatic method that analyzed the strand-specificity of the data reduced this to 53,071 putative transcripts from 18,573 components. By integrating multiple other data types, we narrowed this further to 13,211 representative transcripts. Bacterial endosymbiont genes were identified in this dataset, some of which have a copy number consistent with being lateral gene transfers between endosymbiont genomes and Hemiptera, including ankyrin-repeat related proteins, lysozyme, and mannanase. Such genes and endosymbionts may provide novel targets for BMSB-specific biocontrol. This study demonstrates the utility of strand-specific sequencing in generating shotgun transcriptomes and that rapid sequencing shotgun transcriptomes is possible without the need for extensive inbreeding to generate homozygous lines. Such sequencing can provide a rapid response to pest invasions similar to that already described for disease epidemiology.

Enhanced protective efficacy against tuberculosis provided by a recombinant urease deficient BCG expressing heat shock protein 70-major membrane protein-II having PEST sequence.

PubMed

Tsukamoto, Yumiko; Maeda, Yumi; Tamura, Toshiki; Mukai, Tetsu; Mitarai, Satoshi; Yamamoto, Saburo; Makino, Masahiko

2016-12-07

Enhancement of the T cell-stimulating ability of Mycobacterium bovis BCG (BCG) is necessary to develop an effective tuberculosis vaccine. For this purpose, we introduced the PEST-HSP70-major membrane protein-II (MMPII)-PEST fusion gene into ureC-gene depleted recombinant (r) BCG to produce BCG-PEST. The PEST sequence is involved in the proteasomal processing of antigens. BCG-PEST secreted the PEST-HSP70-MMPII-PEST fusion protein and more efficiently activated human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) in terms of phenotypic changes and cytokine productions than an empty-vector-introduced BCG or HSP70-MMPII gene-introduced ureC gene-depleted BCG (BCG-DHTM). Autologous human naïve CD8 + T cells and naïve CD4 + T cells were effectively activated by BCG-PEST and produced IFN-γ in an antigen-specific manner through DCs. These T cell activations were closely associated with phagosomal maturation and intraproteasomal protein degradation in antigen-presenting cells. Furthermore, BCG-PEST produced long-lasting memory-type T cells in C57BL/6 mice more efficiently than control rBCGs. Moreover, a single subcutaneous injection of BCG-PEST more effectively reduced the multiplication of subsequent aerosol-challenged Mycobacterium tuberculosis of the standard H37Rv strain and clinically isolated Beijing strain in the lungs than control rBCGs. The vaccination effect of BCG-PEST lasted for at least 6months. These results indicate that BCG-PEST may be able to efficiently control the spread of tuberculosis in human. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Double strand RNA delivery system for plant-sap-feeding insects

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Saikat Kumar B.; Hunter, Wayne B.; Park, Alexis L.; Gundersen-Rindal, Dawn E.

2017-01-01

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated gene silencing, also known as RNA interference (RNAi), has been a breakthrough technology for functional genomic studies and represents a potential tool for the management of insect pests. Since the inception of RNAi numerous studies documented successful introduction of exogenously synthesized dsRNA or siRNA into an organism triggering highly efficient gene silencing through the degradation of endogenous RNA homologous to the presented siRNA. Managing hemipteran insect pests, especially Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), is critical to food productivity. BMSB was recently introduced into North America where it is both an invasive agricultural pest of high value specialty, row, and staple crops, as well as an indoor nuisance pest. RNAi technology may serve as a viable tool to manage this voracious pest, but delivery of dsRNA to piercing-sucking insects has posed a tremendous challenge. Effective and practical use of RNAi as molecular biopesticides for biocontrol of insects like BMSB in the environment requires that dsRNAs be delivered in vivo through ingestion. Therefore, the key challenge for molecular biologists in developing insect-specific molecular biopesticides is to find effective and reliable methods for practical delivery of stable dsRNAs such as through oral ingestion. Here demonstrated is a reliable delivery system of effective insect-specific dsRNAs through oral feeding through a new delivery system to induce a significant decrease in expression of targeted genes such as JHAMT and Vg. This state-of-the-art delivery method overcomes environmental delivery challenges so that RNAi is induced through insect-specific dsRNAs orally delivered to hemipteran and other insect pests. PMID:28182760

Effect of non-crop vegetation types on conservation biological control of pests in olive groves

PubMed Central

Cayuela, Luis; Gurr, Geoff M.; Campos, Mercedes

2013-01-01

Conservation biological control (CBC) is an environmentally sound potential alternative to the use of chemical insecticides. It involves modifications of the environment to promote natural enemy activity on pests. Despite many CBC studies increasing abundance of natural enemies, there are far fewer demonstrations of reduced pest density and very little work has been conducted in olive crops. In this study we investigated the effects of four forms of non-crop vegetation on the abundance of two important pests: the olive psyllid (Euphyllura olivina) and the olive moth (Prays oleae). Areas of herbaceous vegetation and areas of woody vegetation near olive crops, and smaller patches of woody vegetation within olive groves, decreased pest abundance in the crop. Inter-row ground covers that are known to increase the abundance of some predators and parasitoids had no effect on the pests, possibly as a result of lack of synchrony between pests and natural enemies, lack of specificity or intra-guild predation. This study identifies examples of the right types of diversity for use in conservation biological control in olive production systems. PMID:23904994

Optimizing pyramided transgenic Bt crops for sustainable pest management.

PubMed

Carrière, Yves; Crickmore, Neil; Tabashnik, Bruce E

2015-02-01

Transgenic crop pyramids producing two or more Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins that kill the same insect pest have been widely used to delay evolution of pest resistance. To assess the potential of pyramids to achieve this goal, we analyze data from 38 studies that report effects of ten Bt toxins used in transgenic crops against 15 insect pests. We find that compared with optimal low levels of insect survival, survival on currently used pyramids is often higher for both susceptible insects and insects resistant to one of the toxins in the pyramid. Furthermore, we find that cross-resistance and antagonism between toxins used in pyramids are common, and that these problems are associated with the similarity of the amino acid sequences of domains II and III of the toxins, respectively. This analysis should assist in future pyramid design and the development of sustainable resistance management strategies.

The Rise and Demise of Integrated Pest Management in Rice in Indonesia

PubMed Central

Thorburn, Craig

2015-01-01

Indonesia’s 11-year (1989–1999) National Integrated Pest Management Program was a spectacularly successful example of wide-scale adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) principles and practice in a developing country. This program introduced the innovative Farmer Field School model of agro-ecosystem-based experiential learning, subsequently adapted to different crops and agricultural systems in countries throughout the world. Since the termination of the program in 1999, Indonesia has undergone profound changes as the country enters a new era of democratic reform. Government support for the national IPM program has wavered during this period, and pesticide producers and traders have taken advantage of the policy vacuum to mount an aggressive marketing campaign in the countryside. These factors have contributed to a reappearance of the pesticide-induced resurgent pest problems that led to the establishment of the National IPM Program in the first place.

Trading biodiversity for pest problems.

PubMed

Lundgren, Jonathan G; Fausti, Scott W

2015-07-01

Recent shifts in agricultural practices have resulted in altered pesticide use patterns, land use intensification, and landscape simplification, all of which threaten biodiversity in and near farms. Pests are major challenges to food security, and responses to pests can represent unintended socioeconomic and environmental costs. Characteristics of the ecological community influence pest populations, but the nature of these interactions remains poorly understood within realistic community complexities and on operating farms. We examine how species diversity and the topology of linkages in species' abundances affect pest abundance on maize farms across the Northern Great Plains. Our results show that increased species diversity, community evenness, and linkage strength and network centrality within a biological network all correlate with significantly reduced pest populations. This supports the assertion that reduced biological complexity on farms is associated with increased pest populations and provides a further justification for diversification of agroecosystems to improve the profitability, safety, and sustainability of food production systems. Bioinventories as comprehensive as the one conducted here are conspicuously absent for most agroecosystems but provide an important baseline for community and ecosystem ecology and the effects of food production on local biodiversity and ecosystem function. Network analyses of abundance correlations of entire communities (rather than focal interactions, for example, trophic interactions) can reveal key network characteristics, especially the importance and nature of network centrality, which aid in understanding how these communities function.

Trading biodiversity for pest problems

PubMed Central

Lundgren, Jonathan G.; Fausti, Scott W.

2015-01-01

Recent shifts in agricultural practices have resulted in altered pesticide use patterns, land use intensification, and landscape simplification, all of which threaten biodiversity in and near farms. Pests are major challenges to food security, and responses to pests can represent unintended socioeconomic and environmental costs. Characteristics of the ecological community influence pest populations, but the nature of these interactions remains poorly understood within realistic community complexities and on operating farms. We examine how species diversity and the topology of linkages in species’ abundances affect pest abundance on maize farms across the Northern Great Plains. Our results show that increased species diversity, community evenness, and linkage strength and network centrality within a biological network all correlate with significantly reduced pest populations. This supports the assertion that reduced biological complexity on farms is associated with increased pest populations and provides a further justification for diversification of agroecosystems to improve the profitability, safety, and sustainability of food production systems. Bioinventories as comprehensive as the one conducted here are conspicuously absent for most agroecosystems but provide an important baseline for community and ecosystem ecology and the effects of food production on local biodiversity and ecosystem function. Network analyses of abundance correlations of entire communities (rather than focal interactions, for example, trophic interactions) can reveal key network characteristics, especially the importance and nature of network centrality, which aid in understanding how these communities function. PMID:26601223

7 CFR 319.8 - Notice of quarantine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

....), the flag smut disease (Urocystis tritici Koern.), and other injurious plant diseases and insect pests... United States of said plant diseases and insect pests, which are new to or not heretofore widely... specific cases, when the public interests will permit, authorize such importation under conditions...

7 CFR 319.8 - Notice of quarantine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

....), the flag smut disease (Urocystis tritici Koern.), and other injurious plant diseases and insect pests... United States of said plant diseases and insect pests, which are new to or not heretofore widely... specific cases, when the public interests will permit, authorize such importation under conditions...

7 CFR 319.8 - Notice of quarantine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

....), the flag smut disease (Urocystis tritici Koern.), and other injurious plant diseases and insect pests... United States of said plant diseases and insect pests, which are new to or not heretofore widely... specific cases, when the public interests will permit, authorize such importation under conditions...

Genomic approaches for veterinary pest control and eradication

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Arthropod pests of veterinary importance remain a threat to the health of livestock herds in the United States (US) and contribute to global food insecurity because they impact animal agriculture productivity directly through their parasitic habits and indirectly, in specific cases, due to the disea...

Metabolomics of cereals under biotic stress: current knowledge and techniques

PubMed Central

Balmer, Dirk; Flors, Victor; Glauser, Gaetan; Mauch-Mani, Brigitte

2013-01-01

Prone to attacks by pathogens and pests, plants employ intricate chemical defense mechanisms consisting of metabolic adaptations. However, many plant attackers are manipulating the host metabolism to counteract defense responses and to induce favorable nutritional conditions. Advances in analytical chemistry have allowed the generation of extensive metabolic profiles during plant-pathogen and pest interactions. Thereby, metabolic processes were found to be highly specific for given tissues, species, and plant-pathogen/pest interactions. The clusters of identified compounds not only serve as base in the quest of novel defense compounds, but also as markers for the characterization of the plants' defensive state. The latter is especially useful in agronomic applications where meaningful markers are essential for crop protection. Cereals such as maize make use of their metabolic arsenal during both local and systemic defense responses, and the chemical response is highly adapted to specific attackers. Here, we summarize highlights and recent findings of metabolic patterns of cereals under pathogen and pest attack. PMID:23630531

The pEst version 2.1 user's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murray, James E.; Maine, Richard E.

1987-01-01

This report is a user's manual for version 2.1 of pEst, a FORTRAN 77 computer program for interactive parameter estimation in nonlinear dynamic systems. The pEst program allows the user complete generality in definig the nonlinear equations of motion used in the analysis. The equations of motion are specified by a set of FORTRAN subroutines; a set of routines for a general aircraft model is supplied with the program and is described in the report. The report also briefly discusses the scope of the parameter estimation problem the program addresses. The report gives detailed explanations of the purpose and usage of all available program commands and a description of the computational algorithms used in the program.

Domestic cats and dogs create a landscape of fear for pest rodents around rural homesteads.

PubMed

Mahlaba, Themb'alilahlwa A M; Monadjem, Ara; McCleery, Robert; Belmain, Steven R

2017-01-01

Using domestic predators such as cats to control rodent pest problems around farms and homesteads is common across the world. However, practical scientific evidence on the impact of such biological control in agricultural settings is often lacking. We tested whether the presence of domestic cats and/or dogs in rural homesteads would affect the foraging behaviour of pest rodents. We estimated giving up densities (GUDs) from established feeding patches and estimated relative rodent activity using tracking tiles at 40 homesteads across four agricultural communities. We found that the presence of cats and dogs at the same homestead significantly reduced activity and increased GUDs (i.e. increased perception of foraging cost) of pest rodent species. However, if only cats or dogs alone were present at the homestead there was no observed difference in rodent foraging activity in comparison to homesteads with no cats or dogs. Our results suggest that pest rodent activity can be discouraged through the presence of domestic predators. When different types of predator are present together they likely create a heightened landscape of fear for foraging rodents.

Biology and management of insect pests in North American intensively managed hardwood forest systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coyle, David R.; Nebeker, T., E.; Hart, E., R.

2005-01-01

Annu. Rev. Entomol. 50:1-29. Abstract Increasing demand for wood and wood products is putting stress on traditional forest production areas, leading to long-term economic and environmental concerns. Intensively managed hardwood forest systems (IMHFS), grown using conventional agricultural as well as forestry methods, can help alleviate potential problems in natural forest production areas. Although IMHFS can produce more biomass per hectare per year than natural forests, the ecologically simplified, monocultural systems may greatly increase the crops susceptibility to pests. Species in the genera Populus and Salix comprise the greatest acreage in IMHFS in North America, but other species, including Liquidambar styracifuamore » and Platanus occidentalis, are also important. We discuss life histories, realized and potential damage, and management options for the most economically infuential pests that affect these hardwood species. The substantial inherent challenges associated with pest management in the monocultural environments created by IMHFS are reviewed. Finally, we discuss ways to design IMHFS that may reduce their susceptibility to pests, increase their growth and productivity potential, and create a more sustainable environment.« less

Strategies for Enhanced Crop Resistance to Insect Pests.

PubMed

Douglas, Angela E

2018-04-29

Insect pests are responsible for substantial crop losses worldwide through direct damage and transmission of plant diseases, and novel approaches that complement or replace broad-spectrum chemical insecticides will facilitate the sustainable intensification of food production in the coming decades. Multiple strategies for improved crop resistance to insect pests, especially strategies relating to plant secondary metabolism and immunity and microbiome science, are becoming available. Recent advances in metabolic engineering of plant secondary chemistry offer the promise of specific toxicity or deterrence to insect pests; improved understanding of plant immunity against insects provides routes to optimize plant defenses against insects; and the microbiomes of insect pests can be exploited, either as a target or as a vehicle for delivery of insecticidal agents. Implementation of these advances will be facilitated by ongoing advances in plant breeding and genetic technologies.

Control of Vertebrate Pests of Agricultural Crops.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wingard, Robert G.; Studholme, Clinton R.

This agriculture extension service publication of Pennsylvania State University discusses the damage from and control of vertebrate pests. Specific discussions describe the habits, habitat, and various control measures for blackbirds and crows, deer, meadow and pine mice, European starlings, and woodchucks. Where confusion with non-harmful species…

Right Of Way Pest Control. Manual 88.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Agricultural Experiment Station.

This training manual provides information needed to meet the minimum EPA standards for certification as a commercial applicator of pesticides in the right-of-way pest control category. The text discusses types of vegetation, the nature of herbicides, application methods, use for specific situations, and safety precautions. (CS)

78 FR 65523 - Farm Loan Programs; Clarification and Improvement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-01

... experiencing a lack of availability and therefore have problems with both timeliness and the cost of an... an appraisal and timeliness has not been a significant problem. Due to these differences in the..., pest and disease problems, etc. so the CFS filing would have to be amended every year resulting in...

The pear thrips problem

Treesearch

Bruce L. Parker

1991-01-01

As entomologists, we sometimes like to think of an insect pest problem as simply a problem with an insect and its host. Our jobs would be much easier if that were the case, but of course, it is never that simple. There are many other factors besides the insect, and each one must be fully considered to understand the problem and develop effective management solutions....

Economic Thresholds in Soybean-Integrated Pest Management: Old Concepts, Current Adoption, and Adequacy.

PubMed

Bueno, A F; Paula-Moraes, S V; Gazzoni, D L; Pomari, A F

2013-10-01

Increasing global demands for food underline the need for higher crop yields. The relatively low costs of the most commonly used insecticides in combination with increasing soybean market prices led growers and technical advisors to debate the adequacy of recommended economic thresholds (ETs). The adoption of ETs and pest sampling has diminished in Brazil, leading to excessive pesticide use on soybean. The reduced efficacy of natural biological control, faster pest resurgence, and environment contamination are among the side-effects of pesticide abuse. To address these problems and maximize agricultural production, pest control programs must be guided by a proper integrated pest management (IPM) approach, including the ET concept. Therefore, the most appropriate time to initiate insecticide spraying in soybean is indicated by the available ETs which are supported by experiments over the last 40 years in different edapho-climatic conditions and regions with distinct soybean cultivars. Published scientific data indicate that preventive insecticide use is an expensive and harmful use of chemicals that increases the negative impact of pesticides in agroecosystems. However, the established ETs are for a limited number of species (key pests), and they only address the use of chemicals. There is a lack of information regarding secondary pests and other control strategies in addition to insecticides. It is clear then that much progress is still needed to improve ETs for pest management decisions. Nevertheless, using the current ETs provides a basis for reducing the use of chemicals in agriculture without reducing yields and overall production, thereby improving sustainability.

Distribution of the long-horned beetle, Dectes texanus, in soybeans of Missouri, Western Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.

PubMed

Tindall, Kelly V; Stewart, Scott; Musser, Fred; Lorenz, Gus; Bailey, Wayne; House, Jeff; Henry, Robert; Hastings, Don; Wallace, Milus; Fothergill, Kent

2010-01-01

The long-horned beetle, Dectes texanus LeConte (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is a stem-boring pest of soybeans, Glycine max (L.) Merrill (Fabales: Fabaceae). Soybean stems and stubble were collected from 131 counties in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee and dissected to determine D. texanus infestation rates. All states sampled had D. texanus present in soybeans. Data from Tennessee and Arkansas showed sample infestations of D. texanus averaging nearly 40%. Samples from Missouri revealed higher infestation in the twelve southeastern counties compared to the rest of the state. Data from Mississippi suggested that D. texanus is not as problematic there as in Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. Infestation rates from individual fields varied greatly (0-100%) within states. In Tennessee, second crop soybeans (i.e. soybeans planted following winter wheat) had lower infestations than full season soybeans. A map of pest distribution is presented that documents the extent of the problem, provides a baseline from which changes can be measured, contributes data for emergency registration of pesticides for specific geographic regions, and provides useful information for extension personnel, crop scouts, and growers.

Advances in improvement of quality and resistance in a multipurpose crop: sea buckthorn.

PubMed

Ruan, Cheng-Jiang; Rumpunen, Kimmo; Nybom, Hilde

2013-06-01

Sea buckthorn is a berry crop with multiple uses. The berries are highly appreciated for their unique taste but are also very rich in bioactive compounds with powerful nutritional and medicinal values. In addition, the plants grow well under adverse conditions, and are often used to fight soil erosion. Utilization of sea buckthorn has therefore increased around the world but serious problems have, nevertheless, been encountered due to drought, salinity, diseases and insect pests. This review covers important aspects of sea buckthorn research, such as heritable and environmentally induced variation in biochemical compounds, causes and effects of the devastating dried-shrink disease, susceptibility to insect pests, methods for conventional breeding, and the utilization of DNA markers for taxonomical and population genetic analyses, and for investigating the inheritance of quality and resistance traits. We also present possibilities to implement innovative biotechnological breeding methods, especially metabolite profiling and MAS/GRC-based markers, for fast and efficient development of elite genotypes with specific nutritional- and health-related bioactive compounds and strong resistance to biotic and abiotic stress.

Responses of Crop Pests and Natural Enemies to Wildflower Borders Depends on Functional Group.

PubMed

McCabe, Ellie; Loeb, Gregory; Grab, Heather

2017-07-25

Increased homogeneity of agricultural landscapes in the last century has led to a loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, management practices such as wildflower borders offer supplementary resources to many beneficial arthropods. There is evidence that these borders can increase beneficial arthropod abundance, including natural enemies of many pests. However, this increase in local habitat diversity can also have effects on pest populations, and these effects are not well-studied. In this study, we investigated how wildflower borders affect both natural enemies and pests within an adjacent strawberry crop. Significantly more predators were captured in strawberry plantings with wildflower borders versus plantings without wildflowers, but this effect depended on sampling method. Overall, herbivore populations were lower in plots with a wildflower border; however, responses to wildflower borders varied across specific pest groups. Densities of Lygus lineolaris (Tarnished Plant Bug), a generalist pest, increased significantly in plots that had a border, while Stelidota geminata (Strawberry Sap Beetle) decreased in strawberry fields with a wildflower border. These results suggest that wildflower borders may support the control of some pest insects; however, if the pest is a generalist and can utilize the resources of the wildflower patch, their populations may increase within the crop.

Single and fused transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis rice alter the species-specific responses of non-target planthoppers to elevated carbon dioxide and temperature.

PubMed

Wan, Guijun; Dang, Zhihao; Wu, Gang; Parajulee, Megha N; Ge, Feng; Chen, Fajun

2014-05-01

The approval of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) rice by China was momentous for biotech crops, although it has yet to be approved for commercial production. Non-target pest problems in rice paddies, such as the three ecologically similar species of planthoppers Nilaparvata lugens, Laodelphax striatellus and Sogatella furcifera, could become increasingly serious under global climate change. Fused (Cry1Ab/Cry1Ac) and single (Cry1Ab) transgenic Bt rice were evaluated for effects on species-specific responses of planthoppers to elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) and temperature. Transgenic Bt rice lines significantly modified species-specific responses of the planthoppers to elevated CO2 and temperature. High temperature appears to favour outbreaks of S. furcifera relative to N. lugens and L. striatellus when feeding upon fused transgenic Bt rice, especially at elevated CO2 . Elevated CO2 at high temperature appears to be a factor reducing S. furcifera occurrence when feeding upon single transgenic Bt rice. Different types of transgenic Bt rice alter the species-specific responses of non-target planthoppers to elevated CO2 and temperature. Compared with their non-transgenic parental lines, the single transgenic Bt rice shows better performance in controlling the non-target planthopper S. furcifera by comparison with the fused transgenic Bt rice under elevated CO2 and temperature. It is suggested that multitypes of transgenic Bt rice be used in the field simultaneously in order to take advantage of high transgenic diversity for optimal performance against all pests in paddy fields. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Myths, models and mitigation of resistance to pesticides.

PubMed Central

Hoy, M A

1998-01-01

Resistance to pesticides in arthropod pests is a significant economic, ecological and public health problem. Although extensive research has been conducted on diverse aspects of pesticide resistance and we have learned a great deal during the past 50 years, to some degree the discussion about 'resistance management' has been based on 'myths'. One myth involves the belief that we can manage resistance. I will maintain that we can only attempt to mitigate resistance because resistance is a natural evolutionary response to environmental stresses. As such, resistance will remain an ongoing dilemma in pest management and we can only delay the onset of resistance to pesticides. 'Resistance management' models and tactics have been much discussed but have been tested and deployed in practical pest management programmes with only limited success. Yet the myth persists that better models will provide a 'solution' to the problem. The reality is that success in using mitigation models is limited because these models are applied to inappropriate situations in which the critical genetic, ecological, biological or logistic assumptions cannot be met. It is difficult to predict in advance which model is appropriate to a particular situation; if the model assumptions cannot be met, applying the model sometimes can increase the rate of resistance development rather than slow it down. Are there any solutions? I believe we already have one. Unfortunately, it is not a simple or easy one to deploy. It involves employing effective agronomic practices to develop and maintain a healthy crop, monitoring pest densities, evaluating economic injury levels so that pesticides are applied only when necessary, deploying and conserving biological control agents, using host-plant resistance, cultural controls of the pest, biorational pest controls, and genetic control methods. As a part of a truly multi-tactic strategy, it is crucial to evaluate the effect of pesticides on natural enemies in order to preserve them in the cropping system. Sometimes, pesticide-resistant natural enemies are effective components of this resistance mitigation programme. Another name for this resistance mitigation model is integrated pest management (IPM). This complex model was outlined in some detail nearly 40 years ago by V. M. Stern and colleagues. To deploy the IPM resistance mitigation model, we must admit that pest management and resistance mitigation programmes are not sustainable if based on a single-tactic strategy. Delaying resistance, whether to traditional pesticides or to transgenic plants containing toxin genes from Bacillus thuringiensis, will require that we develop multi-tactic pest management programmes that incorporate all appropriate pest management approaches. Because pesticides are limited resources, and their loss can result in significant social and economic costs, they should be reserved for situations where they are truly needed--as tools to subdue an unexpected pest population outbreak. Effective multi-tactic IPM programmes delay resistance (= mitigation) because the number and rates of pesticide applications will be reduced. PMID:10021775

Chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis: A potential threat to cotton production in the USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Several greenhouse studies including host preference, age specific abundance, within plant distribution and seasonal abundance of a newly introduced thrips pest, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, were conducted to evaluate its pest status on cotton. Cotton was found to be the most preferred host among the...

Role of kairomone in biological control of crop pests-A review

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Kairomones are inter-specific semiochemicals which mediate interactions beneficial to organisms that detect them. The use of kairomones for biocontrol of insect pests has been of interest for several decades due to the fundamental importance of host-plant selection by phytophagous insects, as well a...

Virulence of selected entomopathogenic fungi against the olive fruit fly and their potential for biocontrol

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae), is the most serious pest of cultivated olives worldwide. Its recent invasion into North America, specifically California, has initiated renewed interest in management strategies for this pest. Research into classical biological control ha...

[Plant genetic engineering in Monsanto company: from the first laboratory experiments to worldwide practical use].

PubMed

Konov, A L; Velchev, M; Parcel, D

2005-01-01

The history of modern biotechnology of agricultural plants is briefly considered in the article. Methods of genetic transformation and regeneration of transgenic plants as well as the mechanisms of resistance of genetically modified plants to herbicides and pests are discussed. By the example of genetically modified varieties and hybrids there are shown the ways of solving the problem of weeds and pests. The questions of biosafety legislation in different countries are considered.

Plant domestication slows pest evolution.

PubMed

Turcotte, Martin M; Lochab, Amaneet K; Turley, Nash E; Johnson, Marc T J

2015-09-01

Agricultural practices such as breeding resistant varieties and pesticide use can cause rapid evolution of pest species, but it remains unknown how plant domestication itself impacts pest contemporary evolution. Using experimental evolution on a comparative phylogenetic scale, we compared the evolutionary dynamics of a globally important economic pest - the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) - growing on 34 plant taxa, represented by 17 crop species and their wild relatives. Domestication slowed aphid evolution by 13.5%, maintained 10.4% greater aphid genotypic diversity and 5.6% higher genotypic richness. The direction of evolution (i.e. which genotypes increased in frequency) differed among independent domestication events but was correlated with specific plant traits. Individual-based simulation models suggested that domestication affects aphid evolution directly by reducing the strength of selection and indirectly by increasing aphid density and thus weakening genetic drift. Our results suggest that phenotypic changes during domestication can alter pest evolutionary dynamics. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Complementarity among natural enemies enhances pest suppression.

PubMed

Dainese, Matteo; Schneider, Gudrun; Krauss, Jochen; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf

2017-08-15

Natural enemies have been shown to be effective agents for controlling insect pests in crops. However, it remains unclear how different natural enemy guilds contribute to the regulation of pests and how this might be modulated by landscape context. In a field exclusion experiment in oilseed rape (OSR), we found that parasitoids and ground-dwelling predators acted in a complementary way to suppress pollen beetles, suggesting that pest control by multiple enemies attacking a pest during different periods of its occurrence in the field improves biological control efficacy. The density of pollen beetle significantly decreased with an increased proportion of non-crop habitats in the landscape. Parasitism had a strong effect on pollen beetle numbers in landscapes with a low or intermediate proportion of non-crop habitats, but not in complex landscapes. Our results underline the importance of different natural enemy guilds to pest regulation in crops, and demonstrate how biological control can be strengthened by complementarity among natural enemies. The optimization of natural pest control by adoption of specific management practices at local and landscape scales, such as establishing non-crop areas, low-impact tillage, and temporal crop rotation, could significantly reduce dependence on pesticides and foster yield stability through ecological intensification in agriculture.

Induction of the Hajdu-Cheney Syndrome Mutation in CD19 B Cells in Mice Alters B-Cell Allocation but Not Skeletal Homeostasis.

PubMed

Yu, Jungeun; Zanotti, Stefano; Schilling, Lauren; Schoenherr, Chris; Economides, Aris N; Sanjay, Archana; Canalis, Ernesto

2018-06-01

Mice harboring Notch2 mutations replicating Hajdu-Cheney syndrome (Notch2 tm1.1ECan ) have osteopenia and exhibit an increase in splenic marginal zone B cells with a decrease in follicular B cells. Whether the altered B-cell allocation is responsible for the osteopenia of Notch2 tm1.1ECan mutants is unknown. To determine the effect of NOTCH2 activation in B cells on splenic B-cell allocation and skeletal phenotype, a conditional-by-inversion (COIN) Hajdu-Cheney syndrome allele of Notch2 (Notch2 [ΔPEST]COIN ) was used. Cre recombination generates a permanent Notch2 ΔPEST allele expressing a transcript for which sequences coding for the proline, glutamic acid, serine, and threonine-rich (PEST) domain are replaced by a stop codon. CD19-Cre drivers were backcrossed into Notch2 [ΔPEST]COIN/[ΔPEST]COIN to generate CD19-specific Notch2 ΔPEST/ΔPEST mutants and control Notch2 [ΔPEST]COIN/[ΔPEST]COIN littermates. There was an increase in marginal zone B cells and a decrease in follicular B cells in the spleen of CD19 Cre/WT ;Notch2 ΔPEST/ΔPEST mice, recapitulating the splenic phenotype of Notch2 tm1.1ECan mice. The effect was reproduced when the NOTCH1 intracellular domain was induced in CD19-expressing cells (CD19 Cre/WT ;Rosa Notch1/WT mice). However, neither CD19 Cre/WT ;Notch2 ΔPEST/ΔPEST nor CD19 Cre/WT ;Rosa Notch1/WT mice had a skeletal phenotype. Moreover, splenectomies in Notch2 tm1.1ECan mice did not reverse their osteopenic phenotype. In conclusion, Notch2 activation in CD19-expressing cells determines B-cell allocation in the spleen but has no skeletal consequences. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biocontrol in an impulsive predator-prey model.

PubMed

Terry, Alan J

2014-10-01

We study a model for biological pest control (or "biocontrol") in which a pest population is controlled by a program of periodic releases of a fixed yield of predators that prey on the pest. Releases are represented as impulsive increases in the predator population. Between releases, predator-pest dynamics evolve according to a predator-prey model with some fairly general properties: the pest population grows logistically in the absence of predation; the predator functional response is either of Beddington-DeAngelis type or Holling type II; the predator per capita birth rate is bounded above by a constant multiple of the predator functional response; and the predator per capita death rate is allowed to be decreasing in the predator functional response and increasing in the predator population, though the special case in which it is constant is permitted too. We prove that, when the predator functional response is of Beddington-DeAngelis type and the predators are not sufficiently voracious, then the biocontrol program will fail to reduce the pest population below a particular economic threshold, regardless of the frequency or yield of the releases. We prove also that our model possesses a pest-eradication solution, which is both locally and globally stable provided that predators are sufficiently voracious and that releases occur sufficiently often. We establish, curiously, that the pest-eradication solution can be locally stable whilst not being globally stable, the upshot of which is that, if we delay a biocontrol response to a new pest invasion, then this can change the outcome of the response from pest eradication to pest persistence. Finally, we state a number of specific examples for our model, and, for one of these examples, we corroborate parts of our analysis by numerical simulations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

OfftargetFinder: a web tool for species-specific RNAi design.

PubMed

Good, R T; Varghese, T; Golz, J F; Russell, D A; Papanicolaou, A; Edwards, O; Robin, C

2016-04-15

RNA interference (RNAi) technology is being developed as a weapon for pest insect control. To maximize the specificity that such an approach affords we have developed a bioinformatic web tool that searches the ever-growing arthropod transcriptome databases so that pest-specific RNAi sequences can be identified. This will help technology developers finesse the design of RNAi sequences and suggests which non-target species should be assessed in the risk assessment process. http://rnai.specifly.org crobin@unimelb.edu.au. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparing the refuge strategy for managing the evolution of insect resistance under different reproductive strategies.

PubMed

Crowder, David W; Carrière, Yves

2009-12-07

Genetically modified (GM) crops are used extensively worldwide to control diploid agricultural insect pests that reproduce sexually. However, future GM crops will likely soon target haplodiploid and parthenogenetic insects. As rapid pest adaptation could compromise these novel crops, strategies to manage resistance in haplodiploid and parthenogenetic pests are urgently needed. Here, we developed models to characterize factors that could delay or prevent the evolution of resistance to GM crops in diploid, haplodiploid, and parthenogenetic insect pests. The standard strategy for managing resistance in diploid pests relies on refuges of non-GM host plants and GM crops that produce high toxin concentrations. Although the tenets of the standard refuge strategy apply to all pests, this strategy does not greatly delay the evolution of resistance in haplodiploid or parthenogenetic pests. Two additional factors are needed to effectively delay or prevent the evolution of resistance in such pests, large recessive or smaller non-recessive fitness costs must reduce the fitness of resistance individuals in refuges (and ideally also on GM crops), and resistant individuals must have lower fitness on GM compared to non-GM crops (incomplete resistance). Recent research indicates that the magnitude and dominance of fitness costs could be increased by using specific host-plants, natural enemies, or pathogens. Furthermore, incomplete resistance could be enhanced by engineering desirable traits into novel GM crops. Thus, the sustainability of GM crops that target haplodiploid or parthenogenetic pests will require careful consideration of the effects of reproductive mode, fitness costs, and incomplete resistance.

Pest Cockroaches May Overcome Environmental Restriction Due to Anthropization.

PubMed

Schapheer, Constanza; Sandoval, Gino; Villagra, Cristian A

2018-06-08

Our species have altered their surroundings since its early dispersion on Earth. Unfortunately, thanks to human-modified habitats, several pest organisms such as domiciliary insects have expanded their distributions. Moreover, pest-related microorganisms may also be aided by anthropization. Pest cockroaches are globally distributed and capable of carrying several diseases. We explored if urbanization may buffer environmental conditions allowing pest insects to expand their distribution. Specifically, we suggest that human settlements may generate suitable microhabitats for synanthropic cockroaches, helping them to survive and establish with disregard to overall climatic restrictions. To test this idea we studied the distribution of pest cockroaches spanning the length of Chilean territory. Chile, along its 4270 km length north to south extent, is a country offering a formidable sampling of Earth's climatic diversity accompanied by dense urbanizations. We studied entomological collections and spatially analyzed pest cockroach distribution found in Chile and discovered that synanthropic cockroach populations are consistently concentrated near most urban developed zones of the country and not limited by overall temperature. Furthermore, health-concern pest cockroach species were widely distributed in Chilean territory, found even in its most southern urban centers as well as Easter Island. Therefore, these disease vectors could exist even in isolated and extreme climatic zones as long as urbanization provides the adequate microhabitat. We discuss the need for further research in order to assess if these distributions can be extrapolated to the pathogenic strains these pest insects may be carrying as reported in other regions of the planet.

Categorical likelihood method for combining NDVI and elevation information for cotton precision agricultural applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This presentation investigates an algorithm to fuse the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) with LiDAR elevation data to produce a map useful for the site-specific scouting and pest management (Willers et al. 1999; 2005; 2009) of the cotton insect pests, the tarnished plant bug (Lygus lin...

A maize spermine synthase 1 PEST sequence fused to the GUS reporter protein facilitates proteolytic degradation.

PubMed

Maruri-López, Israel; Rodríguez-Kessler, Margarita; Rodríguez-Hernández, Aída Araceli; Becerra-Flora, Alicia; Olivares-Grajales, Juan Elías; Jiménez-Bremont, Juan Francisco

2014-05-01

Polyamines are low molecular weight aliphatic compounds involved in various biochemical, cellular and physiological processes in all organisms. In plants, genes involved in polyamine biosynthesis and catabolism are regulated at transcriptional, translational, and posttranslational level. In this research, we focused on the characterization of a PEST sequence (rich in proline, glutamic acid, serine, and threonine) of the maize spermine synthase 1 (ZmSPMS1). To this aim, 123 bp encoding 40 amino acids of the C-terminal region of the ZmSPMS1 enzyme containing the PEST sequence were fused to the GUS reporter gene. This fusion was evaluated in Arabidopsis thaliana transgenic lines and onion monolayers transient expression system. The ZmSPMS1 PEST sequence leads to specific degradation of the GUS reporter protein. It is suggested that the 26S proteasome may be involved in GUS::PEST fusion degradation in both onion and Arabidopsis. The PEST sequences appear to be present in plant spermine synthases, mainly in monocots. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Botanicals as eco friendly biorational alternatives of synthetic pesticides against Callosobruchus spp. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)-a review.

PubMed

Kedia, Akash; Prakash, Bhanu; Mishra, Prashant Kumar; Singh, Priyanka; Dubey, Nawal Kishore

2015-03-01

The article presents the potential of botanicals in the management of Callosobruchus spp., the primary insect pest causing deterioration to a variety of stored legume grains. Different botanical formulations have been reported time to time showing pronounced insecticidal activity, repellence to pest, oviposition deterrency, adult emergence inhibition, ovicidal, larvicidal, pupaecidal activity and feeding deterrency based on their contact toxicity and fumigation effects. Some of the botanicals have also been practically proved efficacious to protect the stored food commodities from the bruchids during storage conditions. Such botanical formulations have shown their promise in integrated management of the pest as semiochemicals by showing behaviour altering efficacy against the bruchids, thereby, reducing the induced pest resistance problem which is frequently reported with synthetic pesticides. Hence, they may be recommended in food security programmes as eco-friendly and biorational alternatives of synthetic pesticides providing integrated management of the losses of stored food commodities due to infestation of bruchids.

Stochastic Hourly Weather Generator HOWGH: Validation and its Use in Pest Modelling under Present and Future Climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubrovsky, M.; Hirschi, M.; Spirig, C.

2014-12-01

To quantify impact of the climate change on a specific pest (or any weather-dependent process) in a specific site, we may use a site-calibrated pest (or other) model and compare its outputs obtained with site-specific weather data representing present vs. perturbed climates. The input weather data may be produced by the stochastic weather generator. Apart from the quality of the pest model, the reliability of the results obtained in such experiment depend on an ability of the generator to represent the statistical structure of the real world weather series, and on the sensitivity of the pest model to possible imperfections of the generator. This contribution deals with the multivariate HOWGH weather generator, which is based on a combination of parametric and non-parametric statistical methods. Here, HOWGH is used to generate synthetic hourly series of three weather variables (solar radiation, temperature and precipitation) required by a dynamic pest model SOPRA to simulate the development of codling moth. The contribution presents results of the direct and indirect validation of HOWGH. In the direct validation, the synthetic series generated by HOWGH (various settings of its underlying model are assumed) are validated in terms of multiple climatic characteristics, focusing on the subdaily wet/dry and hot/cold spells. In the indirect validation, we assess the generator in terms of characteristics derived from the outputs of SOPRA model fed by the observed vs. synthetic series. The weather generator may be used to produce weather series representing present and future climates. In the latter case, the parameters of the generator may be modified by the climate change scenarios based on Global or Regional Climate Models. To demonstrate this feature, the results of codling moth simulations for future climate will be shown. Acknowledgements: The weather generator is developed and validated within the frame of projects WG4VALUE (project LD12029 sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of CR), and VALUE (COST ES 1102 action).

Expressed sequence tags from Atta laevigata and identification of candidate genes for the control of pest leaf-cutting ants.

PubMed

Rodovalho, Cynara M; Ferro, Milene; Fonseca, Fernando Pp; Antonio, Erik A; Guilherme, Ivan R; Henrique-Silva, Flávio; Bacci, Maurício

2011-06-17

Leafcutters are the highest evolved within Neotropical ants in the tribe Attini and model systems for studying caste formation, labor division and symbiosis with microorganisms. Some species of leafcutters are agricultural pests controlled by chemicals which affect other animals and accumulate in the environment. Aiming to provide genetic basis for the study of leafcutters and for the development of more specific and environmentally friendly methods for the control of pest leafcutters, we generated expressed sequence tag data from Atta laevigata, one of the pest ants with broad geographic distribution in South America. The analysis of the expressed sequence tags allowed us to characterize 2,006 unique sequences in Atta laevigata. Sixteen of these genes had a high number of transcripts and are likely positively selected for high level of gene expression, being responsible for three basic biological functions: energy conservation through redox reactions in mitochondria; cytoskeleton and muscle structuring; regulation of gene expression and metabolism. Based on leafcutters lifestyle and reports of genes involved in key processes of other social insects, we identified 146 sequences potential targets for controlling pest leafcutters. The targets are responsible for antixenobiosis, development and longevity, immunity, resistance to pathogens, pheromone function, cell signaling, behavior, polysaccharide metabolism and arginine kynase activity. The generation and analysis of expressed sequence tags from Atta laevigata have provided important genetic basis for future studies on the biology of leaf-cutting ants and may contribute to the development of a more specific and environmentally friendly method for the control of agricultural pest leafcutters.

Expressed sequence tags from Atta laevigata and identification of candidate genes for the control of pest leaf-cutting ants

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Leafcutters are the highest evolved within Neotropical ants in the tribe Attini and model systems for studying caste formation, labor division and symbiosis with microorganisms. Some species of leafcutters are agricultural pests controlled by chemicals which affect other animals and accumulate in the environment. Aiming to provide genetic basis for the study of leafcutters and for the development of more specific and environmentally friendly methods for the control of pest leafcutters, we generated expressed sequence tag data from Atta laevigata, one of the pest ants with broad geographic distribution in South America. Results The analysis of the expressed sequence tags allowed us to characterize 2,006 unique sequences in Atta laevigata. Sixteen of these genes had a high number of transcripts and are likely positively selected for high level of gene expression, being responsible for three basic biological functions: energy conservation through redox reactions in mitochondria; cytoskeleton and muscle structuring; regulation of gene expression and metabolism. Based on leafcutters lifestyle and reports of genes involved in key processes of other social insects, we identified 146 sequences potential targets for controlling pest leafcutters. The targets are responsible for antixenobiosis, development and longevity, immunity, resistance to pathogens, pheromone function, cell signaling, behavior, polysaccharide metabolism and arginine kynase activity. Conclusion The generation and analysis of expressed sequence tags from Atta laevigata have provided important genetic basis for future studies on the biology of leaf-cutting ants and may contribute to the development of a more specific and environmentally friendly method for the control of agricultural pest leafcutters. PMID:21682882

7 CFR 205.206 - Crop pest, weed, and disease management practice standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... problems may be controlled through mechanical or physical methods including but not limited to: (1... problems may be controlled through: (1) Mulching with fully biodegradable materials; (2) Mowing; (3...) Plastic or other synthetic mulches: Provided, That, they are removed from the field at the end of the...

7 CFR 205.206 - Crop pest, weed, and disease management practice standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... problems may be controlled through mechanical or physical methods including but not limited to: (1... problems may be controlled through: (1) Mulching with fully biodegradable materials; (2) Mowing; (3...) Plastic or other synthetic mulches: Provided, That, they are removed from the field at the end of the...

Oxidative stress reduces levels of dysbindin-1A via its PEST domain.

PubMed

Yap, Mei-Yi Alicia; Lo, Yew-Long; Talbot, Konrad; Ong, Wei-Yi

2014-12-01

Oxidative stress resulting from the generation of reactive oxygen species has been proposed as an etiological factor in schizophrenia. The present study tests the hypothesis that oxidative stress can affect levels of dysbindin-1A, encoded by Dtnbp1, a genetic risk factor for schizophrenia, via its PEST domain. In vitro studies on SH-SY5Y cells indicate that oxidative stress triggers proteasomal degradation of dysbindin-1A, and that this requires interactions with its PEST domain, which may be a TRIM32 target. We specifically found (a) that oxidative stress induced in SH-SY5Y cells by 500 µM hydrogen peroxide reduced levels of full-length dysbindin-1, but did not reduce levels of that protein lacking its PEST domain and (b) that levels of full-length dysbindin-1, but not dysbindin-1 lacking its PEST domain, were higher in cells treated with the proteasome inhibitor MG132. Oxidative stress thus emerges as the first known cellular factor regulating dysbindin-1 isoforms with PEST domains. These findings are consistent with the previously noted fact that phosphorylation of PEST domains often marks proteins for proteasomal degradation, and raises the possibility that treatments reducing oxidative stress in the brain, especially during development, may lower schizophrenia risk. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Insect Pests Occurring on Dacryodes edulis (Burseraceae) in Rural Areas in Gabon.

PubMed

Poligui, R N; Mouaragadja, I; Vandereycken, A; Haubruge, E; Francis, F

2014-08-01

The inventory of pests occurring on Dacryodes edulis (Burseraceae) was carried out in rural areas in Gabon during 2009 and 2010. Yellow traps and visual observations were used to record weekly pests during the tree flowering stage, in five villages. Catches from yellow traps rose to 7,296 and 1,722 insect pests in 2009 and 2010, respectively, whereas records from visual observations corresponded to 1,812 and 171 insect pests in 2009 and 2010, respectively. During both years, abundance from traps and visual monitoring was significantly different between sampling sites (p < 0.05). The difference in pests' diversity between sampling sites was not significant (p > 0.05) according to traps, but significant (p ≤ 0.04) according to visual observations in 2010. Mecocorynus loripes Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Cucurlionidae) attacked the stem of D. edulis, while Oligotrophus sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), Pseudophacopteron serrifer Malenovsky and Burckhardt (Hemiptera: Phacopteronidae), and Selenothrips rubrocinctus Giard (Thysanopera: Thripidae) attacked leaves. Pseudonoorda edulis Maes and Poligui (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and Lobesia aeolopa Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) infested fruits and inflorescences, respectively. These insects are specifically linked to plant patterns, and their identification provided the first basic information for developing suitable strategies to control pests of D. edulis in Gabon, as well as in neighboring central African countries.

Impact of Kairomones on Moth Pest Management: Pear Ester and the Codling Moth

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Codling moth (CM) is the major pest of apples, pears, and walnuts worldwide. Our focus is to develop novel, species-specific monitoring and control systems based on host-plant odors, kairomones. In 1998 ‘pear ester’ (PE), ethyl (2E, 4Z)-2,4-decadienoate, was identified as a powerful kairomonal attra...

Host specificity of Aphelinus species considered for introduction to control Diuraphis noxia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

DIURAPHIS NOXIA has become a major pest of wheat and barley since it was detected in the western USA in 1986. DIURAPHIS NOXIA is seldom a pest in Eurasia, its area of origin. Field surveys and exclosure experiments showed that natural enemies can limit D. NOXIA abundance in Eurasia. Among the most i...

Pest management in Douglas-fir seed orchards: a microcomputer decision method

Treesearch

James B. Hoy; Michael I. Haverty

1988-01-01

The computer program described provides a Douglas-fir seed orchard manager (user) with a quantitative method for making insect pest management decisions on a desk-top computer. The decision system uses site-specific information such as estimates of seed crop size, insect attack rates, insecticide efficacy and application costs, weather, and crop value. At sites where...

Apply Pesticides Correctly, A Guide for Commercial Applicators: Ornamental and Turfgrass Pest Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wamsley, Mary Ann, Ed.; Vermeire, Donna M., Ed.

This guide contains basic information to meet specific standards for pesticide applicators. The text is concerned with recognition and control of ornamental and turfgrass pests such as leaf spot, scab, powdery mildew, galls, grubs and weeds. A section of the text is also devoted to environmental concerns to be considered when undertaking pest…

Insects, Food, and Hunger: The Paradox of Plenty for U.S. Entomology, 1920-1970.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins, John H.

1983-01-01

Explores the relationship between invention/innovation in pest control practices, food supply, and hunger in the United States from 1920-1970. Includes discussions of the nature, development, and use of insecticides, control of specific pests, and public arguments over the safety of residues leading to search for nonchemical methods of control.…

Development of RNAi method for screening candidate genes to control emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Emerald ash borer (EAB), a serious invasive forest pest in the United States, has killed millions of North American ash trees and spread to 29 states since it was first detected in 2002 in southern Michigan. Development of a new control method that specifically targets the pest but has no adverse i...

Screening of broad spectrum natural pesticides against conserved target arginine kinase in cotton pests by molecular modeling.

PubMed

Sakthivel, Seethalakshmi; Habeeb, S K M; Raman, Chandrasekar

2018-03-12

Cotton is an economically important crop and its production is challenged by the diversity of pests and related insecticide resistance. Identification of the conserved target across the cotton pest will help to design broad spectrum insecticide. In this study, we have identified conserved sequences by Expressed Sequence Tag profiling from three cotton pests namely Aphis gossypii, Helicoverpa armigera, and Spodoptera exigua. One target protein arginine kinase having a key role in insect physiology and energy metabolism was studied further using homology modeling, virtual screening, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation to identify potential biopesticide compounds from the Zinc natural database. We have identified four compounds having excellent inhibitor potential against the identified broad spectrum target which are highly specific to invertebrates.

Estimating economic thresholds for pest control: an alternative procedure.

PubMed

Ramirez, O A; Saunders, J L

1999-04-01

An alternative methodology to determine profit maximizing economic thresholds is developed and illustrated. An optimization problem based on the main biological and economic relations involved in determining a profit maximizing economic threshold is first advanced. From it, a more manageable model of 2 nonsimultaneous reduced-from equations is derived, which represents a simpler but conceptually and statistically sound alternative. The model recognizes that yields and pest control costs are a function of the economic threshold used. Higher (less strict) economic thresholds can result in lower yields and, therefore, a lower gross income from the sale of the product, but could also be less costly to maintain. The highest possible profits will be obtained by using the economic threshold that results in a maximum difference between gross income and pest control cost functions.

Bayesian Networks to Compare Pest Control Interventions on Commodities Along Agricultural Production Chains.

PubMed

Holt, J; Leach, A W; Johnson, S; Tu, D M; Nhu, D T; Anh, N T; Quinlan, M M; Whittle, P J L; Mengersen, K; Mumford, J D

2018-02-01

The production of an agricultural commodity involves a sequence of processes: planting/growing, harvesting, sorting/grading, postharvest treatment, packing, and exporting. A Bayesian network has been developed to represent the level of potential infestation of an agricultural commodity by a specified pest along an agricultural production chain. It reflects the dependency of this infestation on the predicted level of pest challenge, the anticipated susceptibility of the commodity to the pest, the level of impact from pest control measures as designed, and any variation from that due to uncertainty in measure efficacy. The objective of this Bayesian network is to facilitate agreement between national governments of the exporters and importers on a set of phytosanitary measures to meet specific phytosanitary measure requirements to achieve target levels of protection against regulated pests. The model can be used to compare the performance of different combinations of measures under different scenarios of pest challenge, making use of available measure performance data. A case study is presented using a model developed for a fruit fly pest on dragon fruit in Vietnam; the model parameters and results are illustrative and do not imply a particular level of fruit fly infestation of these exports; rather, they provide the most likely, alternative, or worst-case scenarios of the impact of measures. As a means to facilitate agreement for trade, the model provides a framework to support communication between exporters and importers about any differences in perceptions of the risk reduction achieved by pest control measures deployed during the commodity production chain. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Macrophage Fusion Is Controlled by the Cytoplasmic Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase PTP-PEST/PTPN12

PubMed Central

Rhee, Inmoo; Davidson, Dominique; Souza, Cleiton Martins; Vacher, Jean

2013-01-01

Macrophages can undergo cell-cell fusion, leading to the formation of multinucleated giant cells and osteoclasts. This process is believed to promote the proteolytic activity of macrophages toward pathogens, foreign bodies, and extracellular matrices. Here, we examined the role of PTP-PEST (PTPN12), a cytoplasmic protein tyrosine phosphatase, in macrophage fusion. Using a macrophage-targeted PTP-PEST-deficient mouse, we determined that PTP-PEST was not needed for macrophage differentiation or cytokine production. However, it was necessary for interleukin-4-induced macrophage fusion into multinucleated giant cells in vitro. It was also needed for macrophage fusion following implantation of a foreign body in vivo. Moreover, in the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line, PTP-PEST was required for receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-triggered macrophage fusion into osteoclasts. PTP-PEST had no impact on expression of fusion mediators such as β-integrins, E-cadherin, and CD47, which enable macrophages to become fusion competent. However, it was needed for polarization of macrophages, migration induced by the chemokine CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), and integrin-induced spreading, three key events in the fusion process. PTP-PEST deficiency resulted in specific hyperphosphorylation of the protein tyrosine kinase Pyk2 and the adaptor paxillin. Moreover, a fusion defect was induced upon treatment of normal macrophages with a Pyk2 inhibitor. Together, these data argue that macrophage fusion is critically dependent on PTP-PEST. This function is seemingly due to the ability of PTP-PEST to control phosphorylation of Pyk2 and paxillin, thereby regulating cell polarization, migration, and spreading. PMID:23589331

Macrophage fusion is controlled by the cytoplasmic protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP-PEST/PTPN12.

PubMed

Rhee, Inmoo; Davidson, Dominique; Souza, Cleiton Martins; Vacher, Jean; Veillette, André

2013-06-01

Macrophages can undergo cell-cell fusion, leading to the formation of multinucleated giant cells and osteoclasts. This process is believed to promote the proteolytic activity of macrophages toward pathogens, foreign bodies, and extracellular matrices. Here, we examined the role of PTP-PEST (PTPN12), a cytoplasmic protein tyrosine phosphatase, in macrophage fusion. Using a macrophage-targeted PTP-PEST-deficient mouse, we determined that PTP-PEST was not needed for macrophage differentiation or cytokine production. However, it was necessary for interleukin-4-induced macrophage fusion into multinucleated giant cells in vitro. It was also needed for macrophage fusion following implantation of a foreign body in vivo. Moreover, in the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line, PTP-PEST was required for receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-triggered macrophage fusion into osteoclasts. PTP-PEST had no impact on expression of fusion mediators such as β-integrins, E-cadherin, and CD47, which enable macrophages to become fusion competent. However, it was needed for polarization of macrophages, migration induced by the chemokine CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), and integrin-induced spreading, three key events in the fusion process. PTP-PEST deficiency resulted in specific hyperphosphorylation of the protein tyrosine kinase Pyk2 and the adaptor paxillin. Moreover, a fusion defect was induced upon treatment of normal macrophages with a Pyk2 inhibitor. Together, these data argue that macrophage fusion is critically dependent on PTP-PEST. This function is seemingly due to the ability of PTP-PEST to control phosphorylation of Pyk2 and paxillin, thereby regulating cell polarization, migration, and spreading.

Single- versus Multiple-Pest Infestation Affects Differently the Biochemistry of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Ailsa Craig').

PubMed

Errard, Audrey; Ulrichs, Christian; Kühne, Stefan; Mewis, Inga; Drungowski, Mario; Schreiner, Monika; Baldermann, Susanne

2015-11-25

Tomato is susceptible to pest infestations by both spider mites and aphids. The effects of each individual pest on plants are known, whereas multiple-pest infestations have received little interest. We studied the effects of single- versus multiple-pest infestation by Tetranychus urticae and Myzus persicae on tomato biochemistry (Solanum lycopersicum) by combining a metabolomic approach and analyses of carotenoids using UHPLC-ToF-MS and volatiles using GC-MS. Plants responded differently to aphids and mites after 3 weeks of infestation, and a multiple infestation induced a specific metabolite composition in plants. In addition, we showed that volatiles emissions differed between the adaxial and abaxial leaf epidermes and identified compounds emitted particularly in response to a multiple infestation (cyclohexadecane, dodecane, aromadendrene, and β-elemene). Finally, the carotenoid concentrations in leaves and stems were more affected by multiple than single infestations. Our study highlights and discusses the interplay of biotic stressors within the terpenoid metabolism.

Proteomic analysis of Metarhizium anisopliae secretion in the presence of the insect pest Callosobruchus maculatus.

PubMed

Murad, André M; Noronha, Eliane F; Miller, Robert N G; Costa, Fabio T; Pereira, Caroline D; Mehta, Angela; Caldas, Ruy A; Franco, Octávio L

2008-12-01

Crop improvement in agriculture generally focuses on yield, seed quality and nutritional characteristics, as opposed to resistance to biotic stresses. Consequently, natural antifeedant toxins are often rare in seed material, with commercial crops being prone to insect pest predation. In the specific case of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), smallholder cropping is affected by insect pests that reproduce inside the stored seeds. Entomopathogenic organisms can offer an alternative to conventional pesticides for pest control, producing hydrolases that degrade insect exoskeleton. In this study, protein secretions of the ascomycete Metarhizium anisopliae, which conferred bioinsecticidal activity against Callosobruchus maculatus, were characterized via 2D electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Proteases, reductases and acetyltransferase enzymes were detected. These may be involved in degradation and nutrient uptake from dehydrated C. maculatus. Proteins identified in this work allowed description of metabolic pathways. Their potential applications in biotechnology include both novel compound development and production of genetically modified plants resistant to insect pests.

Predation of the newly invasive pest Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) in soybean habitats adjacent to cotton by a complex of predators.

PubMed

Greenstone, M H; Tillman, P G; Hu, J S

2014-06-01

The kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria (F.) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae),is a newly invasive exotic insect found primarily on kudzu, but also on soybean, in the southeastern United States. We used molecular gut-content analysis to document predation on this pest by insects and spiders in soybean, and to detect remains of crop-specific alternative prey in predators' guts as markers of predator migration between soybean and adjacent cotton. M. cribraria was found exclusively on soybean. Eight native generalist predators over both crops screened positive by specific PCR for DNA of the pest: Geocoris punctipes (Say), Geocoris uliginosus (Say), Orius insidiosus (Say), Podisus maculicentris (Say), Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville, Zelus renardii (Kolenati), Oxyopes salticus Hentz, and Peucetia viridans (Hentz); a ninth predator, the exotic Solenopsis invicta Buren, also screened positive for M. cribraria DNA. P. viridans was the only arthropod that tested positive for DNA of this invasive pest in only one crop, cotton. Two plant-feeding pentatomid species, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) and Thyanta custator (F.), were found exclusively on soybean, and another, Euschistus tristigmus (Say), was specific to cotton in the context of this study. Detection of predation on a combination of M. cribraria and P. guildinii and T. custator in cotton and M. cribraria and E. tristigmus in soybean demonstrated that these predators dispersed between crops. These results strongly support the use of soybean habitats adjacent to cotton as part of a conservation biological control strategy against M. cribraria. This is the first report documenting predation on this exotic pest in the field via molecular gut-content analysis.

Comparison of screening questionnaires to identify psoriatic arthritis in a primary-care population: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Coates, L C; Savage, L; Waxman, R; Moverley, A R; Worthington, S; Helliwell, P S

2016-09-01

Many questionnaires are available for assessment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but there is little evidence comparing them. To test the proposed CONTEST questionnaire, which was developed to identify patients with psoriasis who have undiagnosed PsA, and compare it with the validated Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool (PEST) questionnaire in a primary-care setting. A random sample of adult patients with psoriasis and no diagnosis of arthritis was identified from five general practice surgeries in Yorkshire, U.K. Consenting patients completed both questionnaires and were assessed by a dermatologist and rheumatologist. Diagnosis of PsA was made by the assessing rheumatologist. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis examined the sensitivity and specificity of potential cut points. In total 932 packs were sent to recruit 191 (20·5%) participants. Of these, 169 (88·5%) were confirmed to have current or previous psoriasis. Using physician diagnosis 17 (10·1%) were found to have previously undiagnosed PsA, while 90 (53·3%) had another musculoskeletal complaint and 62 (36·7%) had no musculoskeletal problems. Using ROC curve analysis, all of the questionnaires showed a significant ability to identify PsA. The area under the curve (AUC) for the CONTEST questionnaires was slightly higher than that of PEST (0·69 and 0·70 vs. 0·65), but there was no significant difference identified. Examining the sensitivities and specificities for the different cut points suggested that a PEST score ≥ 2 would perform better in this dataset, and the optimal scores for CONTEST and CONTEST plus joint manikin were 3 and 4, respectively. The accuracy of the questionnaires to identify PsA appeared similar, with a slightly higher AUC for the CONTEST questionnaires. The optimal cut points in this study appeared lower than in previous studies. © 2016 British Association of Dermatologists.

Plant insects and mites uptake double-stranded RNA upon its exogenous application on tomato leaves.

PubMed

Gogoi, Anupam; Sarmah, Nomi; Kaldis, Athanasios; Perdikis, Dionysios; Voloudakis, Andreas

2017-12-01

Exogenously applied double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules onto tomato leaves, moved rapidly from local to systemic leaves and were uptaken by agricultural pests namely aphids, whiteflies and mites. Four small interfering RNAs, deriving from the applied dsRNA, were molecularly detected in plants, aphids and mites but not in whiteflies. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) acts as the elicitor molecule of the RNA silencing (RNA interference, RNAi), the endogenous and evolutionary conserved surveillance system present in all eukaryotes. DsRNAs and their subsequent degradation products, namely the small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), act in a sequence-specific manner to control gene expression. Exogenous application of dsRNAs onto plants elicits resistance against plant viruses. In the present work, exogenously applied dsRNA molecules, derived from Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) HC-Pro region, onto tomato plants were detected in aphids (Myzus persicae), whiteflies (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and mites (Tetranychus urticae) that were fed on treated as well as systemic tomato leaves. Furthermore, four siRNAs, deriving from the dsRNA applied, were detected in tomato and the agricultural pests fed on treated tomato plants. More specifically, dsRNA was detected in agricultural pests at 3 and 10 dpt (days post treatment) in dsRNA-treated leaves and at 14 dpt in systemic leaves. In addition, using stem-loop RT-PCR, siRNAs were detected in agricultural pests at 3 and 10 dpt in aphids and mites. Surprisingly, in whiteflies carrying the applied dsRNA, siRNAs were not molecularly detected. Our results showed that, upon exogenous application of dsRNAs molecules, these moved rapidly within tomato and were uptaken by agricultural pests fed on treated tomato. As a result, this non-transgenic method has the potential to control important crop pests via RNA silencing of vital genes of the respective pests.

Oral delivery of dsRNA by microbes: Beyond pest control.

PubMed

Abrieux, Antoine; Chiu, Joanna C

2016-01-01

RNA interference (RNAi) by oral delivery of dsRNA in insects has great potential as a tool for integrated pest management (IPM), especially with respect to addressing the need to reduce off-target effect and slow down resistance development to chemical insecticides. Employing the natural association existing between insect and yeast, we developed a novel method to enable the knock down of vital genes in the pest insect Drosophila suzukii through oral delivery of species-specific dsRNA using genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisae. D. suzukii that were fed with our "yeast biopesticide" showed a significant decrease in fitness. In this perspective article, we postulate that this approach could be adapted to a large number of species, given the great diversity of symbiotic interactions involving microorganisms and host species. Furthermore, we speculate that beyond its application as biopesticide, dsRNA delivery by genetically modified microbes can also serve to facilitate reverse genetic applications, specifically in non-model organisms.

The integrated control concept and its relevance to current integrated pest management in California fresh market grapes.

PubMed

Bentley, Walter J

2009-12-01

The foundation of an integrated pest management program involves valid treatment thresholds, accurate and simple monitoring methods, effective natural controls, selective pesticides and trained individuals who can implement the concept. The Integrated Control Concept written by Stern, Smith, van den Bosch and Hagen elucidated each of these points in an alfalfa ecosystem. Alfalfa hay (Medicago sativa L.) has a low per acre value, requires little hand labor and is primarily marketed in the USA. In contrast, fresh market table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) has a high per acre value, requires frequent hand labor operations, suffers unacceptable cosmetic damage and is marketed throughout both the USA and the world. Each of the components of a working IPM program is present in table grape production. Marketing grapes to foreign countries presents special problems with pests considered invasive and where residue tolerances for some selective insecticides are lacking. However, fresh market grape farmers are still able to deal with these special problems and utilize an IPM program that has resulted in a 42% reduction in broad-spectrum insecticide use from 1995 to 2007. (c) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry.

A taxonomic review of white grubs and leaf chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) recorded from forestry and agricultural crops in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Harrison, J du G; Wingfield, M J

2016-04-01

Integrated pest management (IPM) is difficult to implement when one knows little about the pest complex or species causing the damage in an agricultural system. To implement IPM on Sub-Saharan African melolonthine pests access to taxon specific knowledge (their identity) and what is known (their biology) of potential pest species is a crucial step. What is known about Sub-Saharan African melolonthine white grubs and chafers has not yet been amalgamated, and this review thus synthesizes all available literature for the Region. The comprehensive nature of the review highlights pest taxon trends within African melolonthines. To facilitate the retrieval of this information for IPM purposes, all relevant taxonomic and biological information is provided for the taxa covered including an on-line supplementary annotated-checklist of taxon, crop, locality and reference(s). Based on the literature reviewed, recommendations are made to promote effective and efficient management of African melolonthine scarab pests. An on-line supplementary appendix provides a list of specialists, useful internet resources, keys, catalogues and sampling methods for the larvae and adults of melolonthine scarab beetles for subsequent morphological or molecular work.

Floods and Mold Growth

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Mold growth may be a problem after flooding. Excess moisture in the home is cause for concern about indoor air quality primarily because it provides breeding conditions for pests, molds and other microorganisms.

Multistate comparison of attractants and the impact of fruit development stage on trapping Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in raspberry and blueberry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, is an invasive pest of maturing and ripe soft-skinned fruits in the United States. D. suzukii monitoring is a necessary component of an effective integrated pest management program, but require a lure that is highly attractive and as specific to D. suzuki...

Comparison of trapping for eggs, females, and males of the navel orangeworm Amyelois transitella (Walker) in almonds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The navel orangeworm is the primary insect pest of almonds in California, and egg traps are the primary means of monitoring this pest. A previous study found that the current use of 2-4 traps per block usually is not sufficient to provide management information specifically for that block. In this s...

Apply Pesticides Correctly, A Guide for Commercial Applicators: Industrial, Institutional, Structural and Health Related Pest Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wamsley, Mary Ann, Ed.; Vermeire, Donna M., Ed.

This guide contains basic information to meet the specific standards for pesticide applicators. The thrust of this document is the recognition and control of common pests. Included are those which directly affect man such as bees, roaches, mites, and mosquitoes; and those which destroy food products and wooden structures. Both mechanical and…

Public Intellectuals vs. New Public Management: The Defeat of Public Engagement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watermeyer, Richard

2016-01-01

Much is written apropos a rationalization for public engagement in science and technology (PEST). Less copious is a literature that considers PEST in a broader form and operationalized in the specific environment of higher education and the impact of its undertaking on the working lives of academics. This paper considers the status of public…

Temporal patterns in the abundance and species composition of spiders on host plants of the invasive moth Epiphyas postvittana

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Generalist predators such as spiders may help mitigate the spread and impact of exotic herbivores. The lack of prey specificity and long generation times of spiders may allow them to persist when pests are scarce, and to limit the growth of pest populations before they reach damaging levels. We exam...

Climate Change and Insect Pests: Resistance Is Not Futile?

PubMed

Johnson, Scott N; Züst, Tobias

2018-05-01

Chemical signals produced by plants when attacked by herbivores play a crucial role in efficient plant defence. A recent study suggests that herbivore-specific R-gene resistance may be enhanced by elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations. Understanding how climate change affects plant resistance to herbivorous pests could be essential for future food security. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Action of amorphous diatomaceous earth against different stages of the stored product pests Tribolium confusum, Tenebrio molitor, Sitophilus granarius and Plodia interpunctella.

PubMed

Mewis; Ulrichs

2001-04-01

Environmental and human health problems associated with the use of synthetic pesticides have prompted the demand for non-polluting, biologically specific insecticides. The current study tested the use and action of diatomaceous earth against several stored product pests. Fossil Shield(R) applied to wooden plates was lethal to adult Tenebrio molitor and Tribolium confusum, but larvae of the mealworm were unaffected. Beetles died within 14 days exposure in the absence of food to a dose of 2 and 4 g/m(2), but mortality was reduced in those fed grain bran. Fossil Shield(R) was lethal to first instar larvae of Plodia interpunctella, but not lethal to older larval stages. Two-week old larvae of T. confusum were more sensitive to diatomaceous earth than P. interpunctella at the same age. Contact with diatomaceous earth caused adult Sitophilus granarius, T. molitor and T. confusum to lose weight and reduced their water content, suggesting disruption of "the water barrier". Death of stored product insects treated with diatomaceous earth decreased with increased r.h., due to reduced transpiration through the cuticle. High r.h. delays, or above 60% can prevent, the drying action of diatomaceous earth.

Distribution of the Long-Horned Beetle, Dectes texanus, in Soybeans of Missouri, Western Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas

PubMed Central

Tindall, Kelly V.; Stewart, Scott; Musser, Fred; Lorenz, Gus; Bailey, Wayne; House, Jeff; Henry, Robert; Hastings, Don; Wallace, Milus; Fothergill, Kent

2010-01-01

The long-horned beetle, Dectes texanus LeConte (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is a stem-boring pest of soybeans, Glycine max (L.) Merrill (Fabales: Fabaceae). Soybean stems and stubble were collected from 131 counties in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee and dissected to determine D. texanus infestation rates. All states sampled had D. texanus present in soybeans. Data from Tennessee and Arkansas showed sample infestations of D. texanus averaging nearly 40%. Samples from Missouri revealed higher infestation in the twelve southeastern counties compared to the rest of the state. Data from Mississippi suggested that D. texanus is not as problematic there as in Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. Infestation rates from individual fields varied greatly (0–100%) within states. In Tennessee, second crop soybeans (i.e. soybeans planted following winter wheat) had lower infestations than full season soybeans. A map of pest distribution is presented that documents the extent of the problem, provides a baseline from which changes can be measured, contributes data for emergency registration of pesticides for specific geographic regions, and provides useful information for extension personnel, crop scouts, and growers. PMID:21062147

Perspectives on why digital ecologies matter: combining population genetics and ecologically informed agent-based models with GIS for managing dipteran livestock pests.

PubMed

Peck, Steven L

2014-10-01

It is becoming clear that handling the inherent complexity found in ecological systems is an essential task for finding ways to control insect pests of tropical livestock such as tsetse flies, and old and new world screwworms. In particular, challenging multivalent management programs, such as Area Wide Integrated Pest Management (AW-IPM), face daunting problems of complexity at multiple spatial scales, ranging from landscape level processes to those of smaller scales such as the parasite loads of individual animals. Daunting temporal challenges also await resolution, such as matching management time frames to those found on ecological and even evolutionary temporal scales. How does one deal with representing processes with models that involve multiple spatial and temporal scales? Agent-based models (ABM), combined with geographic information systems (GIS), may allow for understanding, predicting and managing pest control efforts in livestock pests. This paper argues that by incorporating digital ecologies in our management efforts clearer and more informed decisions can be made. I also point out the power of these models in making better predictions in order to anticipate the range of outcomes possible or likely. Copyright © 2014 International Atomic Energy Agency 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flight Synchrony among the Major Moth Pests of Cranberries in the Upper Midwest, USA.

PubMed

Steffan, Shawn A; Singleton, Merritt E; Sojka, Jayne; Chasen, Elissa M; Deutsch, Annie E; Zalapa, Juan E; Guédot, Christelle

2017-02-26

The cranberry fruitworm ( Acrobasis vaccinii Riley), sparganothis fruitworm ( Sparganothis sulfureana Clemens), and blackheaded fireworm ( Rhopobota naevana Hübner) are historically significant pests of cranberries ( Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) in the Upper Midwest (Wisconsin), USA. Their respective natural histories are well documented but correlations between developmental benchmarks (e.g., larval eclosion) and degree-day accruals are not yet known. Treatment timings are critical to the optimization of any given control tactic, and degree-day accrual facilitates optimization by quantifying the developmental status of pest populations. When key developmental benchmarks in the pest life cycle are linked to degree-days, real-time weather data can be used to predict precise treatment timings. Here, we provide the degree-day accumulations associated with discrete biological events (i.e., initiation of flight and peak flight) for the three most consistent moth pests of cranberries in Wisconsin. Moths were trapped each spring and summer from 2003 to 2011. To characterize flight dynamics and average timing of flight initiation, pheromone-baited trap-catch data were tallied for all three pest species within each of seven growing seasons. These flight dynamics were then associated with the corresponding degree-day accumulations generated using the cranberry plant's developmental thresholds. Finally, models were fit to the data in order to determine the peak flight of each species. The initiation of the spring flight among all three moth species was highly synchronous, aiding in the timing of control tactics; however, there were substantial differences in the timing of peak flight among the moth species. Characterization of the relationship between temperature and pest development allows pest management professionals to target specific life stages, improving the efficacy of any given pest control tactic.

A Novel Assay for the Identification of NOTCH1 PEST Domain Mutations in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

PubMed Central

Petroni, Roberta Cardoso; Muto, Nair Hideko; Sitnik, Roberta; de Carvalho, Flavia Pereira; Bacal, Nydia Strachman; Velloso, Elvira Deolinda Rodrigues Pereira; Oliveira, Gislaine Borba; Pinho, João Renato Rebello; Torres, Davi Coe; Mansur, Marcela Braga; Hassan, Rocio; Lorand-Metze, Irene Gyongyvér Heidemarie; Chiattone, Carlos Sérgio; Hamerschlak, Nelson; Mangueira, Cristovão Luis Pitangueira

2016-01-01

Aims. To develop a fast and robust DNA-based assay to detect insertions and deletions mutations in exon 34 that encodes the PEST domain of NOTCH1 in order to evaluate patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Methods. We designed a multiplexed allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with a fragment analysis assay to detect specifically the mutation c.7544_7545delCT and possibly other insertions and deletions in exon 34 of NOTCH1. Results. We evaluated our assay in peripheral blood samples from two cohorts of patients with CLL. The frequency of NOTCH1 mutations was 8.4% in the first cohort of 71 unselected CLL patients. We then evaluated a second cohort of 26 CLL patients with known cytogenetic abnormalities that were enriched for patients with trisomy 12. NOTCH1 mutations were detected in 43.7% of the patients with trisomy 12. Conclusions. We have developed a fast and robust assay combining allele-specific PCR and fragment analysis able to detect NOTCH1 PEST domain insertions and deletions. PMID:28074183

A decade of a thrips invasion in China: lessons learned.

PubMed

Wu, Shengyong; Tang, Liangde; Zhang, Xingrui; Xing, Zhenlong; Lei, Zhongren; Gao, Yulin

2017-10-11

The Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is an invasive polyphagous pest with an expanding global range that damages a wide variety of crops. F. occidentalis was first reported in China from Yunnan province during 2000, and has rapidly expanded its range since then. It is currently distributed across at least 10 provinces in China and has become a particularly devastating pest, causing substantial damage and economic losses. At present, the still heavy reliance on frequent use of insecticides for control of F. occidentalis, has lead to a series of ecological problems stemming from insecticide resistance, interspecific displacement and non-target effects. Thus, integrated pest management (IPM) programmes, multiple complementary tactics, including preventive tactics, biological controls, and judicious use of insecticides will likely provide a viable IPM strategy for control of F. occidentalis in the near future. This review provides an overview for information gained during the 10+ years since the invasion of F. occidentalis into China, reviews lessons that have been learned enhancing our overall understanding of the biology and ecology of F. occidentalis and discusses IPM practices relative to this widespread invasive insect pest.

Analysis and prediction of agricultural pest dynamics with Tiko'n, a generic tool to develop agroecological food web models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malard, J. J.; Rojas, M.; Adamowski, J. F.; Anandaraja, N.; Tuy, H.; Melgar-Quiñonez, H.

2016-12-01

While several well-validated crop growth models are currently widely used, very few crop pest models of the same caliber have been developed or applied, and pest models that take trophic interactions into account are even rarer. This may be due to several factors, including 1) the difficulty of representing complex agroecological food webs in a quantifiable model, and 2) the general belief that pesticides effectively remove insect pests from immediate concern. However, pests currently claim a substantial amount of harvests every year (and account for additional control costs), and the impact of insects and of their trophic interactions on agricultural crops cannot be ignored, especially in the context of changing climates and increasing pressures on crops across the globe. Unfortunately, most integrated pest management frameworks rely on very simple models (if at all), and most examples of successful agroecological management remain more anecdotal than scientifically replicable. In light of this, there is a need for validated and robust agroecological food web models that allow users to predict the response of these webs to changes in management, crops or climate, both in order to predict future pest problems under a changing climate as well as to develop effective integrated management plans. Here we present Tiko'n, a Python-based software whose API allows users to rapidly build and validate trophic web agroecological models that predict pest dynamics in the field. The programme uses a Bayesian inference approach to calibrate the models according to field data, allowing for the reuse of literature data from various sources and reducing the need for extensive field data collection. We apply the model to the cononut black-headed caterpillar (Opisina arenosella) and associated parasitoid data from Sri Lanka, showing how the modeling framework can be used to rapidly develop, calibrate and validate models that elucidate how the internal structures of food webs determine their behaviour and allow users to evaluate different integrated management options.

Inversion of Attributes and Full Waveforms of Ground Penetrating Radar Data Using PEST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jazayeri, S.; Kruse, S.; Esmaeili, S.

2015-12-01

We seek to establish a method, based on freely available software, for inverting GPR signals for the underlying physical properties (electrical permittivity, magnetic permeability, target geometries). Such a procedure should be useful for classroom instruction and for analyzing surface GPR surveys over simple targets. We explore the applicability of the PEST parameter estimation software package for GPR inversion (www.pesthomepage.org). PEST is designed to invert data sets with large numbers of parameters, and offers a variety of inversion methods. Although primarily used in hydrogeology, the code has been applied to a wide variety of physical problems. The PEST code requires forward model input; the forward model of the GPR signal is done with the GPRMax package (www.gprmax.com). The problem of extracting the physical characteristics of a subsurface anomaly from the GPR data is highly nonlinear. For synthetic models of simple targets in homogeneous backgrounds, we find PEST's nonlinear Gauss-Marquardt-Levenberg algorithm is preferred. This method requires an initial model, for which the weighted differences between model-generated data and those of the "true" synthetic model (the objective function) are calculated. In order to do this, the Jacobian matrix and the derivatives of the observation data in respect to the model parameters are computed using a finite differences method. Next, the iterative process of building new models by updating the initial values starts in order to minimize the objective function. Another measure of the goodness of the final acceptable model is the correlation coefficient which is calculated based on the method of Cooley and Naff. An accepted final model satisfies both of these conditions. Models to date show that physical properties of simple isolated targets against homogeneous backgrounds can be obtained from multiple traces from common-offset surface surveys. Ongoing work examines the inversion capabilities with more complex target geometries and heterogeneous soils.

Iowa Commercial Pesticide Applicator Manual, Category 1D: Fruit and Vegetable Pest Control and Supplement. CS-12 and CS-12a.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Abraham H.; And Others

This manual provides information needed to meet specific standards for certification as a pesticide applicator. The major weed and insect pests of fruits and vegetables are pictured and discussed. Suggested methods for control by utilizing herbicides and pesticides are presented with attention given to safety considerations for both humans and the…

78 FR 68836 - FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel; Notice of Rescheduled Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-15

... Technology as a Pesticide: Problem Formulation for Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment. The meeting...) (FRL-9393-3) remains unchanged. List of Subjects Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests. Dated...

Pesticide Emergency Exemptions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A state or federal agency can request an emergency exemptions when a serious pest problem jeopardizes production of agricultural goods or public health but no pesticides are currently registered for that situation. Learn how to request emergency exemption.

76 FR 31171 - Importation of Plants for Planting; Establishing a Category of Plants for Planting Not Authorized...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-27

...We are amending the regulations to establish a new category of regulated articles in the regulations governing the importation of nursery stock, also known as plants for planting. This category will list taxa of plants for planting whose importation is not authorized pending pest risk analysis. If scientific evidence indicates that a taxon of plants for planting is a quarantine pest or a host of a quarantine pest, we will publish a notice that will announce our determination that the taxon is a quarantine pest or a host of a quarantine pest, cite the scientific evidence we considered in making this determination, and give the public an opportunity to comment on our determination. If we receive no comments that change our determination, the taxon will subsequently be added to the new category. We will allow any person to petition for a pest risk analysis to be conducted to consider whether to remove a taxon that has been added to the new category. After the pest risk analysis is completed, we will remove the taxon from the category and allow its importation subject to general requirements, allow its importation subject to specific restrictions, or prohibit its importation. We will consider applications for permits to import small quantities of germplasm from taxa whose importation is not authorized pending pest risk analysis, for experimental or scientific purposes under controlled conditions. This new category will allow us to take prompt action on evidence that the importation of a taxon of plants for planting poses a risk while continuing to allow for public participation in the process.

Contrasting effects of landscape composition on crop yield mediated by specialist herbivores.

PubMed

Perez-Alvarez, Ricardo; Nault, Brian A; Poveda, Katja

2018-04-01

Landscape composition not only affects a variety of arthropod-mediated ecosystem services, but also disservices, such as herbivory by insect pests that may have negative effects on crop yield. Yet, little is known about how different habitats influence the dynamics of multiple herbivore species, and ultimately their collective impact on crop production. Using cabbage as a model system, we examined how landscape composition influenced the incidence of three specialist cruciferous pests (aphids, flea beetles, and leaf-feeding Lepidoptera), lepidopteran parasitoids, and crop yield across a gradient of landscape composition in New York, USA. We expected that landscapes with a higher proportion of cropland and lower habitat diversity would lead to an increase in pest pressure of the specialist herbivores and a reduction in crop yield. However, results indicated that neither greater cropland area nor lower landscape diversity influenced pest pressure or yield. Rather, pest pressure and yield were best explained by the presence of non-crop habitats (i.e., meadows) in the landscape. Specifically, cabbage was infested with fewer Lepidoptera in landscapes with a higher proportion of meadows likely resulting from increased parasitism. Conversely, cabbage was infested with more flea beetles and aphids as the proportion of meadows in the landscape increased, suggesting that these pests benefit from non-crop habitats. Furthermore, path analysis confirmed that these landscape-mediated effects on pest populations can have either positive or negative cascading effects on crop yield. Our findings illustrate how different pest species within the same cropping system show contrasting responses to landscape composition with respect to both the direction and spatial scale of the relationship. Such tradeoffs resulting from the complex interaction between multiple-pests, natural enemies, and landscape composition must be considered, if we are to manage landscapes for pest suppression benefits. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Use of plant extracts for tea pest management in India.

PubMed

Roy, Somnath; Handique, Gautam; Muraleedharan, Narayanannair; Dashora, Kavya; Roy, Sudipta Mukhopadhyay; Mukhopadhyay, Ananda; Babu, Azariah

2016-06-01

India is the second largest producer of black tea in the world. The biggest challenge for tea growers of India nowadays is to combat pests and diseases. Tea crop in India is infested by not less than 720 insect and mite species. At least four sucking pests and six chewing pests have well established themselves as regular pests causing substantial damage to this foliage crop. Various synthetic pesticides are widely used for the management of tea pests in India. Applications of such large quantity of pesticides could cause various problems such as development of resistance, deleterious effects on non-target organisms such as insect predators and parasitoids, upsetting the ecological balance, and accumulation of pesticide residues on tea leaves. There is a growing demand for organic tea or at least pesticide residue free tea in the international market which affects the export price. There is also a higher emphasis of implementation of new regulations on internationally traded foods and implementation of Plant Protection Code (PPC) for tea by the Government of India. This necessitates a relook into the usage pattern of synthetic pesticides on this crop. There are various non-chemical interventions which are being worked out for their sustainability, compatibility, and eco-friendly properties which can gradually replace the use of toxic chemicals. The application of plant extracts with insecticidal properties provides an alternative to the synthetic pesticides. Botanical products, especially neem-based products, have made a relatively moderate impact in tea pest control. Research has also demonstrated the potential of 67 plant species as botanical insecticides against tea pests. The majority of plant products used in pest management of tea in India are in the form of crude extracts prepared locally in tea garden itself, and commercial standardized formulations are not available for most of the plants due to lack of scientific research in the area. Apart from systematic research in this area, to facilitate the simplified and trade friendly registration procedures with quality assurance of the products, there is an increasing need of regulatory authority and national norms in India.

USDA Forest Service national protocols for sampling air pollution-sensitive waters

Treesearch

T. J. Sullivan

2012-01-01

The first step in designing a surface water sampling program is identifying one or more problems or questions that require information on water quality. Common water quality problems include nutrient enrichment (from a variety of causes), effects of atmospheric deposition (acidification, eutrophication, toxicity), and effects of major disturbances such as fire or pest...

Agamermis (Nematoda: Mermithidae) Infection in South Carolina Agricultural Pests

PubMed Central

Stubbins, Francesca L.; Agudelo, Paula; Reay-Jones, Francis P. F.; Greene, Jeremy K.

2016-01-01

Native and invasive stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and the closely related invasive Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) are agricultural pests in the southeastern United States. Natural enemies, from various phyla, parasitize these pests and contribute to population regulation. We specifically investigated Nematoda infections in pentatomid and plataspid pests in one soybean field in South Carolina in 2015. Nematodes were identified through molecular and morphological methods and assigned to family Mermithidae, genus Agamermis. This study reports mermithid nematode infection in immature M. cribraria for the first time and provides the first mermithid host record for the stink bugs Chinavia hilaris, Euschistus servus, and another Euschistus species, and a grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in South Carolina. The same Agamermis species infected all hosts. The broad host range and prevalence suggests that Agamermis may be an important contributor to natural mortality of pentatomid and plataspid pests. Previous mermithid host records for the Pentatomidae and Plataspidae worldwide are summarized. Further work is needed to assess the impact of infection on populations over a broader range of agricultural fields and geographic localities. PMID:28154435

Agamermis (Nematoda: Mermithidae) Infection in South Carolina Agricultural Pests.

PubMed

Stubbins, Francesca L; Agudelo, Paula; Reay-Jones, Francis P F; Greene, Jeremy K

2016-12-01

Native and invasive stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and the closely related invasive Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) are agricultural pests in the southeastern United States. Natural enemies, from various phyla, parasitize these pests and contribute to population regulation. We specifically investigated Nematoda infections in pentatomid and plataspid pests in one soybean field in South Carolina in 2015. Nematodes were identified through molecular and morphological methods and assigned to family Mermithidae, genus Agamermis . This study reports mermithid nematode infection in immature M. cribraria for the first time and provides the first mermithid host record for the stink bugs Chinavia hilaris , Euschistus servus , and another Euschistus species, and a grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in South Carolina. The same Agamermis species infected all hosts. The broad host range and prevalence suggests that Agamermis may be an important contributor to natural mortality of pentatomid and plataspid pests. Previous mermithid host records for the Pentatomidae and Plataspidae worldwide are summarized. Further work is needed to assess the impact of infection on populations over a broader range of agricultural fields and geographic localities.

Complex Dynamics of an Impulsive Control System in which Predator Species Share a Common Prey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pei, Yongzhen; Liu, Shaoying; Li, Changguo

2009-06-01

In an ecosystem, multiple predator species often share a common prey and the interactions between the predators are neutral. In view of this fact, we propose a three-species prey-predator system with the functional responses and impulsive controls to model the process of pest management. It is proved that the system has a locally stable pest-eradication periodic solution under the assumption that the impulsive period is less than some critical value. In particular, two single control strategies (biological control alone or chemical control alone) are proposed. Finally, we compare three pest control strategies and find that if we choose narrow-spectrum pesticides that are targeted to a specific pest’s life cycle to kill the pest, then the combined strategy is preferable. Numerical results show that our system has complex dynamics including period-doubling bifurcation, quasi-periodic oscillation, chaos, intermittency and crises.

Genetic variation in Indian populations of Scirpophaga incertulas as revealed by RAPD-PCR analysis.

PubMed

Kumar, L S; Sawant, A S; Gupta, V S; Ranjekar, P K

2001-02-01

Scirpophaga incertulas, commonly referred to as yellow stem borer, is a predominant pest of rice causing serious losses in its yield. Genetic variation among populations of Scirpophaga incertulas collected from 28 hotspot locations in India was examined using the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). In all, 32 primers were used and 354 amplification products were observed. No RAPD-PCR bands diagnostic to the pest population from any specific region were identified. Cluster analysis using UPGMA showed that, with the exception of the pest population from Pattambi, all the populations cluster as one group with GD values in the range of 6-22%, suggesting that gene flow between populations is independent of geographic distance and appears to be unrestricted. The relatively high GD value of 48% exhibited by the pest population from Pattambi was the only exception.

Seroprevalence of Sheep and Goat Pox, Peste Des Petits Ruminants and Rift Valley Fever in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Boshra, Hani; Truong, Thang; Babiuk, Shawn; Hemida, Maged Gomaa

2015-01-01

Sheep and goat pox, peste des petits ruminants and Rift Valley fever are important diseases of small ruminant livestock. Sheep and goat pox, along with peste des petits ruminants, are endemic throughout most of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Whereas Rift Valley fever is endemic in Africa, outbreaks in the Middle East have been reported over the past decade, including the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia is a major importer of livestock, and understanding the prevalence of these viral infections would be useful for disease control. In this study, sera from sheep and goats were collected from 3 regions in Saudi Arabia. They were evaluated for antibodies specific to sheep and goat pox, peste des petits ruminants and Rift Valley fever by virus neutralization assays. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the seroprevalence of these viruses in sheep and goats.

The Trojan Female Technique for pest control: a candidate mitochondrial mutation confers low male fertility across diverse nuclear backgrounds in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Dowling, Damian K; Tompkins, Daniel M; Gemmell, Neil J

2015-10-01

Pest species represent a major ongoing threat to global biodiversity. Effective management approaches are required that regulate pest numbers, while minimizing collateral damage to nontarget species. The Trojan Female Technique (TFT) was recently proposed as a prospective approach to biological pest control. The TFT draws on the evolutionary hypothesis that maternally inherited mitochondrial genomes are prone to the accumulation of male, but not female, harming mutations. These mutations could be harnessed to provide trans-generational fertility-based control of pest species. A candidate TFT mutation was recently described in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, which confers male-only sterility in the specific isogenic nuclear background in which it is maintained. However, applicability of the TFT relies on mitochondrial mutations whose male-sterilizing effects are general across nuclear genomic contexts. We test this assumption, expressing the candidate TFT-mutation bearing haplotype alongside a range of nuclear backgrounds and comparing its fertility in males, relative to that of control haplotypes. We document consistently lower fertility for males harbouring the TFT mutation, in both competitive and noncompetitive mating contexts, across all nuclear backgrounds screened. This indicates that TFT mutations conferring reduced male fertility can segregate within populations and could be harnessed to facilitate this novel form of pest control.

The Trojan Female Technique for pest control: a candidate mitochondrial mutation confers low male fertility across diverse nuclear backgrounds in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Dowling, Damian K; Tompkins, Daniel M; Gemmell, Neil J

2015-01-01

Pest species represent a major ongoing threat to global biodiversity. Effective management approaches are required that regulate pest numbers, while minimizing collateral damage to nontarget species. The Trojan Female Technique (TFT) was recently proposed as a prospective approach to biological pest control. The TFT draws on the evolutionary hypothesis that maternally inherited mitochondrial genomes are prone to the accumulation of male, but not female, harming mutations. These mutations could be harnessed to provide trans-generational fertility-based control of pest species. A candidate TFT mutation was recently described in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, which confers male-only sterility in the specific isogenic nuclear background in which it is maintained. However, applicability of the TFT relies on mitochondrial mutations whose male-sterilizing effects are general across nuclear genomic contexts. We test this assumption, expressing the candidate TFT-mutation bearing haplotype alongside a range of nuclear backgrounds and comparing its fertility in males, relative to that of control haplotypes. We document consistently lower fertility for males harbouring the TFT mutation, in both competitive and noncompetitive mating contexts, across all nuclear backgrounds screened. This indicates that TFT mutations conferring reduced male fertility can segregate within populations and could be harnessed to facilitate this novel form of pest control. PMID:26495040

An Ecoinformatics Approach to Field-Scale Evaluation of Insecticide Effects in California Citrus: Are Citrus Thrips and Citrus Red Mite Induced Pests?

PubMed

Livingston, George; Hack, Lindsey; Steinmann, Kimberly P; Grafton-Cardwell, Elizabeth E; Rosenheim, Jay A

2018-05-28

Experimental approaches to studying the consequences of pesticide use, including impacts on beneficial insects, are vital; however, they can be limited in scale and realism. We show that an ecoinformatics approach that leverages existing data on pesticides, pests, and beneficials across multiple fields can provide complementary insights. We do this using a multi-year dataset (2002-2013) on pesticide applications and density estimates of two pests, citrus thrips (Scirtothrips citri (Moulton [Thysanoptera: Thripidae])) and citrus red mites (Panonychus citri McGregor [Acari: Tetranychidae]), and a natural enemy (Euseius spp. predatory mites) collected from citrus groves in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Using correlative analyses, we investigated the long-term consequences of pesticide use on S. citri and P. citri population densities to evaluate the hypothesis that the pest status of these species is largely due to the disruption of natural biological control-i.e., these are induced pests. We also evaluated short-term pesticide efficacy (suppression of citrus thrips and citrus red mite populations immediately post-application) and asked if it was correlated with the suppression of Euseius predator populations. Although the short-term efficacy of different pesticides varied significantly, our dataset does not suggest that the use of citrus pesticides suppressed Euseius densities or worsened pest problems. We also find that there is no general trade-off between pesticide efficacy and pesticide risk to Eusieus, such that highly effective and minimally disruptive compounds were available to citrus growers during the studied time period.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) pesticide policy and integrated pest management in certified tropical plantations.

PubMed

Lemes, Pedro Guilherme; Zanuncio, José Cola; Serrão, José Eduardo; Lawson, Simon A

2017-01-01

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was the first non-governmental organization composed of multi-stakeholders to ensure the social, environmental, and economic sustainability of forest resources. FSC prohibits certain chemicals and active ingredients in certified forest plantations. A company seeking certification must discontinue use of products so listed and many face problems to comply with these constraints. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of certification on pest management from the perspective of Brazilian private forestry sector. Ninety-three percent of Brazilian FSC-certified forest companies rated leaf-cutting ants as "very important" pests. Chemical control was the most important management technique used and considered very important by 82 % of respondents. The main chemical used to control leaf-cutting ants, sulfluramid, is in the derogation process and was classified as very important by 96.5 % of the certified companies. Certified companies were generally satisfied in relation to FSC certification and the integrated management of forest pests, but 27.6 % agreed that the prohibitions of pesticides for leaf-cutting ant and termite control could be considered as a non-tariff barrier on high-productivity Brazilian forest plantations. FSC forest certification has encouraged the implementation of more sustainable techniques and decisions in pest management in forest plantations in Brazil. The prohibition on pesticides like sulfluramid and the use of alternatives without the same efficiency will result in pest mismanagement, production losses, and higher costs. This work has shown that the application of global rules for sustainable forest management needs to adapt to each local reality.

Pulpwood, pesticides, and people. Controlling spruce budworm in northeastern North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irland, Lloyd C.

1980-09-01

The eastern spruce budworm is a major forest pest over the continental range of the spruce-fir forest ecosystem and its southern ecotonal fringes in Canada and the northeastern United States. The current budworm outbreak illustrates the difficulty of arriving at economically sound and publicly acceptable forest pest control policies. Policies ranging from no use of chemical control to annual widespread crop protection have been adopted. There is no single all-around “best” policy for spruce budworm control. Chemical spray programs have demonstrably slowed the normal progress of mortality due to budworm, but have not eradicated the pest. Where industry remains heavily dependent on a fully utilized spruce-fir forest, no easy, low-cost solutions to the budworm problem exist. Reliance on spraying will have to be reduced and plans made to utilize higher levels of tree mortality and to manage the forest for lower future vulnerability.

Pathogens, pests, and economics: drivers of honey bee colony declines and losses.

PubMed

Smith, Kristine M; Loh, Elizabeth H; Rostal, Melinda K; Zambrana-Torrelio, Carlos M; Mendiola, Luciana; Daszak, Peter

2013-12-01

The Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is responsible for ecosystem services (pollination) worth US$215 billion annually worldwide and the number of managed colonies has increased 45% since 1961. However, in Europe and the U.S., two distinct phenomena; long-term declines in colony numbers and increasing annual colony losses, have led to significant interest in their causes and environmental implications. The most important drivers of a long-term decline in colony numbers appear to be socioeconomic and political pressure on honey production. In contrast, annual colony losses seem to be driven mainly by the spread of introduced pathogens and pests, and management problems due to a long-term intensification of production and the transition from large numbers of small apiaries to fewer, larger operations. We conclude that, while other causal hypotheses have received substantial interest, the role of pests, pathogens, and management issues requires increased attention.

Reduce pests, enhance production: benefits of intercropping at high densities for okra farmers in Cameroon.

PubMed

Singh, Akanksha; Weisser, Wolfgang W; Hanna, Rachid; Houmgny, Raissa; Zytynska, Sharon E

2017-10-01

Intercropping can help reduce insect pest populations. However, the results of intercropping can be pest- and crop-species specific, with varying effects on crop yield, and pest suppression success. In Cameroon, okra vegetable is often grown in intercropped fields and sown with large distances between planting rows (∼ 2 m). Dominant okra pests include cotton aphids, leaf beetles and whiteflies. In a field experiment, we intercropped okra with maize and bean in different combinations (okra monoculture, okra-bean, okra-maize and okra-bean-maize) and altered plant densities (high and low) to test for the effects of diversity, crop identity and planting distances on okra pests, their predators and yield. We found crop identity and plant density, but not crop diversity to influence okra pests, their predators and okra yield. Only leaf beetles decreased okra yield and their abundance reduced at high plant density. Overall, okra grown with bean at high density was the most economically profitable combination. We suggest that when okra is grown at higher densities, legumes (e.g. beans) should be included as an additional crop. Intercropping with a leguminous crop can enhance nitrogen in the soil, benefiting other crops, while also being harvested and sold at market for additional profit. Manipulating planting distances and selecting plants based on their beneficial traits may thus help to eliminate yield gaps in sustainable agriculture. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

A total system approach to sustainable pest management

PubMed Central

Lewis, W. J.; van Lenteren, J. C.; Phatak, Sharad C.; Tumlinson, J. H.

1997-01-01

A fundamental shift to a total system approach for crop protection is urgently needed to resolve escalating economic and environmental consequences of combating agricultural pests. Pest management strategies have long been dominated by quests for “silver bullet” products to control pest outbreaks. However, managing undesired variables in ecosystems is similar to that for other systems, including the human body and social orders. Experience in these fields substantiates the fact that therapeutic interventions into any system are effective only for short term relief because these externalities are soon “neutralized” by countermoves within the system. Long term resolutions can be achieved only by restructuring and managing these systems in ways that maximize the array of “built-in” preventive strengths, with therapeutic tactics serving strictly as backups to these natural regulators. To date, we have failed to incorporate this basic principle into the mainstream of pest management science and continue to regress into a foot race with nature. In this report, we establish why a total system approach is essential as the guiding premise of pest management and provide arguments as to how earlier attempts for change and current mainstream initiatives generally fail to follow this principle. We then draw on emerging knowledge about multitrophic level interactions and other specific findings about management of ecosystems to propose a pivotal redirection of pest management strategies that would honor this principle and, thus, be sustainable. Finally, we discuss the potential immense benefits of such a central shift in pest management philosophy. PMID:9356432

Effects of weed cover composition on insect pest and natural enemy abundance in a field of Dracaena marginata (Asparagales: Asparagaceae) in Costa Rica.

PubMed

Sadof, Clifford S; Linkimer, Mildred; Hidalgo, Eduardo; Casanoves, Fernando; Gibson, Kevin; Benjamin, Tamara J

2014-04-01

Weeds and their influence on pest and natural enemy populations were studied on a commercial ornamental farm during 2009 in the Atlantic Zone of Costa Rica. A baseline survey of the entire production plot was conducted in February, along a 5 by 5 m grid to characterize and map initial weed communities of plants, cicadellids, katydids, and armored scales. In total, 50 plant species from 21 families were found. Seven weed treatments were established to determine how weed manipulations would affect communities of our targeted pests and natural enemies. These treatments were selected based on reported effects of specific weed cover on herbivorous insects and natural enemies, or by their use by growers as a cover crop. Treatments ranged from weed-free to being completely covered with endemic species of weeds. Although some weed treatments changed pest abundances, responses differed among arthropod pests, with the strongest effects observed for Caldwelliola and Empoasca leafhoppers. Removal of all weeds increased the abundance of Empoasca, whereas leaving mostly cyperacaeous weeds increased the abundance of Caldwelliola. Weed manipulations had no effect on the abundance of katydid and scale populations. No weed treatment reduced the abundance of all three of the target pests. Differential responses of the two leafhopper species to the same weed treatments support hypotheses, suggesting that noncrop plants can alter the abundance of pests through their effects on arthropod host finding and acceptance, as well as their impacts on natural enemies.

A review of recent patents on macroorganisms as biological control agents.

PubMed

Sáenz-de-Cabezón, Francisco Javier; Zalom, Frank G; López-Olguín, Jesús Francisco

2010-01-01

The indiscriminate use of synthetic pesticides has brought undesired problems to human health, agriculture, and the environment. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Biological Control (BC) programs, which are based on minimum use of pesticides, are seen as alternative, more ecological solutions to the unintended problems associated with pesticide use. These programs combine the introduction, augmentation, and/or conservation of pest natural enemies, with other protection tools. Although patents and the process of commercialization of microorganisms has been the subject of various reviews, macroorganisms used for pest and disease control have stimulated less comprehensive analyses. From our review of patents, there has been an enormous increase in the number of macroorganism-related patents registered in the last two decades. Private companies own 65% of all these patents. Rearing methods and crop protection strategies are the main intellectual property patented, with parasitoid wasps and predatory mites being the primary Biological Control Agent (BCA) focus of patents. Among countries, Japan was the first country with these types of patents, followed by the United States, Canada and China. Increasing concern for pesticide risks by governments and the public is seen as the main impetus for change in "traditional" crop protection practices and for investment in other more ecological products like BCAs.

Environmental impact of pesticides in Egypt.

PubMed

Mansour, Sameeh A

2008-01-01

The first use of petroleum-derived pesticides in Egyptian agriculture was initiated in 1950. Early applications consisted of distributing insecticidal dusts containing DDT/BHC/S onto cotton fields. This practice was followed by use of toxaphene until 1961. Carbamates, organophosphates, and synthetic pyrethroids were subsequently used, mainly for applications to cotton. In addition to the use of about 1 million metric tons (t) of pesticides in the agricultural sector over a 50-yr period, specific health and environmental problems are documented in this review. Major problems represented and discussed in this review are human poisoning, incidental toxicity to farm animals, insect pest resistance, destruction of beneficial parasites and predators, contamination of food by pesticide residues, and pollution of environmental ecosystems. Several reports reveal that chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide residues are still detectable in several environmental compartments; however, these residues are in decline. Since 1990, there is a growing movement toward reduced consumption of traditional pesticides and a tendency to expand use of biopesticides, including "Bt," and plant incorporated protectants (PIPs). On the other hand, DDT and lindane were used for indoor and hygienic purposes as early as 1952. Presently, indoor use of pesticides for pest control is widespread in Egypt. Accurate information concerning the types and amounts of Egyptian household pesticide use, or numbers of poisoning or contamination incidents, is unavailable. Generally, use of indoor pesticides is inadequately managed. The results of a survey of Egyptian farmers' attitudes toward pesticides and their behavior in using them garnered new insights as to how pesticides should be better controlled and regulated in Egypt.

Metabolite Profiling Reveals a Specific Response in Tomato to Predaceous Chrysoperla carnea Larvae and Herbivore(s)-Predator Interactions with the Generalist Pests Tetranychus urticae and Myzus persicae.

PubMed

Errard, Audrey; Ulrichs, Christian; Kühne, Stefan; Mewis, Inga; Mishig, Narantuya; Maul, Ronald; Drungowski, Mario; Parolin, Pia; Schreiner, Monika; Baldermann, Susanne

2016-01-01

The spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch and the aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) both infest a number of economically significant crops, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Although used for decades to control pests, the impact of green lacewing larvae Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) on plant biochemistry was not investigated. Here, we used profiling methods and targeted analyses to explore the impact of the predator and herbivore(s)-predator interactions on tomato biochemistry. Each pest and pest-predator combination induced a characteristic metabolite signature in the leaf and the fruit thus, the plant exhibited a systemic response. The treatments had a stronger impact on non-volatile metabolites including abscisic acid and amino acids in the leaves in comparison with the fruits. In contrast, the various biotic factors had a greater impact on the carotenoids in the fruits. We identified volatiles such as myrcene and α-terpinene which were induced by pest-predator interactions but not by single species, and we demonstrated the involvement of the phytohormone abscisic acid in tritrophic interactions for the first time. More importantly, C. carnea larvae alone impacted the plant metabolome, but the predator did not appear to elicit particular defense pathways on its own. Since the presence of both C. carnea larvae and pest individuals elicited volatiles which were shown to contribute to plant defense, C. carnea larvae could therefore contribute to the reduction of pest infestation, not only by its preying activity, but also by priming responses to generalist herbivores such as T. urticae and M. persicae. On the other hand, the use of C. carnea larvae alone did not impact carotenoids thus, was not prejudicial to the fruit quality. The present piece of research highlights the specific impact of predator and tritrophic interactions with green lacewing larvae, spider mites, and aphids on different components of the tomato primary and secondary metabolism for the first time, and provides cues for further in-depth studies aiming to integrate entomological approaches and plant biochemistry.

Metabolite Profiling Reveals a Specific Response in Tomato to Predaceous Chrysoperla carnea Larvae and Herbivore(s)-Predator Interactions with the Generalist Pests Tetranychus urticae and Myzus persicae

PubMed Central

Errard, Audrey; Ulrichs, Christian; Kühne, Stefan; Mewis, Inga; Mishig, Narantuya; Maul, Ronald; Drungowski, Mario; Parolin, Pia; Schreiner, Monika; Baldermann, Susanne

2016-01-01

The spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch and the aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) both infest a number of economically significant crops, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Although used for decades to control pests, the impact of green lacewing larvae Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) on plant biochemistry was not investigated. Here, we used profiling methods and targeted analyses to explore the impact of the predator and herbivore(s)-predator interactions on tomato biochemistry. Each pest and pest-predator combination induced a characteristic metabolite signature in the leaf and the fruit thus, the plant exhibited a systemic response. The treatments had a stronger impact on non-volatile metabolites including abscisic acid and amino acids in the leaves in comparison with the fruits. In contrast, the various biotic factors had a greater impact on the carotenoids in the fruits. We identified volatiles such as myrcene and α-terpinene which were induced by pest-predator interactions but not by single species, and we demonstrated the involvement of the phytohormone abscisic acid in tritrophic interactions for the first time. More importantly, C. carnea larvae alone impacted the plant metabolome, but the predator did not appear to elicit particular defense pathways on its own. Since the presence of both C. carnea larvae and pest individuals elicited volatiles which were shown to contribute to plant defense, C. carnea larvae could therefore contribute to the reduction of pest infestation, not only by its preying activity, but also by priming responses to generalist herbivores such as T. urticae and M. persicae. On the other hand, the use of C. carnea larvae alone did not impact carotenoids thus, was not prejudicial to the fruit quality. The present piece of research highlights the specific impact of predator and tritrophic interactions with green lacewing larvae, spider mites, and aphids on different components of the tomato primary and secondary metabolism for the first time, and provides cues for further in-depth studies aiming to integrate entomological approaches and plant biochemistry. PMID:27610113

Two sides of the same coin? Rare and pest plants native to the United States and Canada.

PubMed

Schmidt, John Paul; Stephens, Patrick R; Drake, John M

2012-07-01

Plant biodiversity is at risk, with as many as 10% of native species in the United States being threatened with extinction. Habitat loss has led a growing number of plant species to become rare or threatened, while the introduction or expansion of pest species has led some habitats to be dominated by relatively few, mostly nonindigenous, species. As humans continue to alter many landscapes and vegetation types, understanding how biological traits determine the location of species along a spectrum from vulnerability to pest status is critical to designing risk assessment protocols, setting conservation priorities, and developing monitoring programs. We used boosted regression trees to predict rarity (based on The Nature Conservancy global rankings) and pest status (defined as legal pest status) from data on traits for the native vascular flora of the United States and Canada including Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands (n approximately = 15,000). Categories were moderately to highly predictable (AUCpest = 0.87 on 25% holdout test set, AUCrarity = 0.80 on 25% holdout test set). Key predictors were chromosome number, ploidy, seed mass, and a suite of traits suggestive of specialist vs. generalist adaptations (e.g., facultative wetland habitat association and phenotypic variability in growth form and life history). Specifically, pests were associated with high chromosome numbers, polyploidy, and seed masses ranging from 0.1 to 100 mg, whereas rare species were associated with low chromosome numbers, low ploidy, and large (>1000 mg) seed masses. In addition, pest species were disproportionately likely to be facultatively associated with wetlands, and variable in growth form and life history, whereas rare species exhibited an opposite pattern. These results suggest that rare and pest species contrast along trait axes related to dispersal and performance in disturbed or novel habitats.

Status of exotic woody species in big cypress national preserve. Technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gunderson, L.H.

The current status of exotic woody plants in Big Cypress National Preserve is documented. A map of the distribution of principal pest species, Melaleuca quinquenervia, Schinus terebinthifolius, and Casuarina sp., is presented. Prognoses of population increases of these problem species are determined utilizing the current distributions and assessing environmental conditions. Some potential problem species are also identified.

Control of black walnut root rot diseases in nurseries.

Treesearch

Kenneth J. Jr. Kessler

1982-01-01

Current nursery methods used to control black walnut root rot diseases are considered in terms of integrated pest management. Suggestions for future root rot control research studies and procedures to minimize root rot problems are provided.

Ancient medical texts, modern reading problems.

PubMed

Rosa, Maria Carlota

2006-12-05

The word tradition has a very specific meaning in linguistics: the passing down of a text, which may have been completed or corrected by different copyists at different times, when the concept of authorship was not the same as it is today. When reading an ancient text the word tradition must be in the reader's mind. To discuss one of the problems an ancient text poses to its modern readers, this work deals with one of the first printed medical texts in Portuguese, the Regimento proueytoso contra ha pestenença, and draws a parallel between it and two related texts, A moche profitable treatise against the pestilence, and the Recopilaçam das cousas que conuem guardar se no modo de preseruar à Cidade de Lixboa E os sãos, & curar os que esteuerem enfermos de Peste. The problems which arise out of the textual structure of those books show how difficult is to establish a tradition of another type, the medical tradition. The linguistic study of the innumerable medieval plague treatises may throw light on the continuities and on the disruptions of the so-called hippocratic-galenical medical tradition.

Pesticides use by smallholder farmers in vegetable production in Northern Tanzania.

PubMed Central

Ngowi, A.V.F.; Mbise, T.J.; Ijani, A.S.M.; London, L.; Ajayi, O. C.

2007-01-01

Small-scale farmers in Northern Tanzania grow vegetables that include tomatoes, cabbages and onions and use many types of pesticides to control pests and diseases that attack these crops. Based on the use of questionnaires and interviews that were conducted in Arumeru, Monduli, Karatu, and Moshi rural districts, this study investigates farmers’ practices on vegetable pest management using pesticides and related cost and health effects. The types of pesticides used by the farmers in the study areas were insecticides (59%), fungicides (29%) and herbicides (10%) with the remaining 2% being rodenticides. About a third of the farmers applied pesticides in mixtures. Up to 90% had a maximum of 3 pesticides in a mixture. In all cases there were no specific instructions either from the labels or extension workers regarding these tank mixtures. Fifty three percent of the farmers reported that the trend of pesticide use was increasing, while 33% was constant and 14% was decreasing. More than 50 percent of the respondents applied pesticides up to 5 times or more per cropping season depending on the crop. Insecticides and fungicides were routinely applied by 77% and 7%, respectively by these farmers. Sixty eight percent of farmers reported having felt sick after routine application of pesticides. Pesticide-related health symptoms that were associated with pesticides use included skin problems and neurological system disturbances (dizziness, headache). Sixty one percent of farmers reported spending no money on health due to pesticides. These results can be used to develop a tool to quantify the cost of pesticide use in pest management by small-scale vegetable farmers in Northern Tanzania and contribute to the reformation of pesticide policy for safe and effective use of pesticides. PMID:18528532

Investigation on effect of Populus alba stands distance on density of pests and their natural enemies population under poplar/alfalfa agroforestry system.

PubMed

Khabir, Z H; Sadeghi, S E; Hanifeh, S; Eivazi, A

2009-01-15

This study was carried out in order to distinguish the effect of agroforestry system (combination of agriculture and forestry) on pests and natural enemy's population in poplar research station. Wood is one of the first substances that naturally was used for a long period of time. Forage is an important production of natural resources too. Some factors such as proper lands deficit, lack of economy, pest and disease attacks and faced production of these materials with serious challenges. Agroforestry is a method for decrease of the mentioned problems. The stands of poplar had have planted by complete randomized design with 4 treatments (stand distance) of poplar/alfalfa include 3x4, 3x6.7, 3x8, 3x10 m and 2 control treatments, alfalfa and poplar. The results showed that Chaitophorus populeti had the highest density in poplar and 3x10 m treatments. Monosteira unicostata is another insect pest that had most density in 3x10 m treatment. And alfalfa had high density of Chrysoperla carnea. The density of Coccinella septempunctata, were almost equal in all treatments.

Inhibition of a ubiquitously expressed pectin methyl esterase in Solanum tuberosum L. affects plant growth, leaf growth polarity, and ion partitioning.

PubMed

Pilling, J; Willmitzer, L; Bücking, H; Fisahn, J

2004-05-01

Two pectin methyl esterases (PMEs; EC 3.1.1.11) from Solanum tuberosum were isolated and their expression characterised. One partial clone ( pest1) was expressed in leaves and fruit tissue, while pest2 was a functional full-length clone and was expressed ubiquitously, with a preference for aerial organs. Potato plants were transformed with a chimeric antisense construct that was designed to simultaneously inhibit pest1 and pest2 transcript accumulation; however, reduction of mRNA levels was confined to pest2. The decrease in pest2 transcript was accompanied by up to 50% inhibition of total PME activity, which was probably due to the reduction of only one PME isoform. PME inhibition affected plant development as reflected by smaller stem elongation rates of selected transformants when compared with control plants, leading to a reduction in height throughout the entire course of development. Expansion rates of young developing leaves were measured simultaneously by two displacement transducers in the direction of the leaf tip (proximal-distal axis) and in the perpendicular direction (medial-lateral axis). Significant differences in leaf growth patterns were detected between wild-type and transgenic plants. We suggest that these visual phenotypes could be correlated with modifications of ion accumulation and partitioning within the transgenic plants. The ion-binding capacities of cell walls from PME-inhibited plants were specifically modified as they preferentially bound more sodium, but less potassium and calcium. X-ray microanalysis also indicated an increase in the concentration of several ions within the leaf apoplast of transgenic plants. Moreover, quantification of the total content of major cations revealed differences specific for a given element between the leaves of PME-inhibited and wild-type plants. Reduced growth rates might also be due to effects of PME inhibition on pectin metabolism, predominantly illustrated by an accumulation of galacturonic acid over other cell wall components.

A suite of models to support the quantitative assessment of spread in pest risk analysis.

PubMed

Robinet, Christelle; Kehlenbeck, Hella; Kriticos, Darren J; Baker, Richard H A; Battisti, Andrea; Brunel, Sarah; Dupin, Maxime; Eyre, Dominic; Faccoli, Massimo; Ilieva, Zhenya; Kenis, Marc; Knight, Jon; Reynaud, Philippe; Yart, Annie; van der Werf, Wopke

2012-01-01

Pest Risk Analyses (PRAs) are conducted worldwide to decide whether and how exotic plant pests should be regulated to prevent invasion. There is an increasing demand for science-based risk mapping in PRA. Spread plays a key role in determining the potential distribution of pests, but there is no suitable spread modelling tool available for pest risk analysts. Existing models are species specific, biologically and technically complex, and data hungry. Here we present a set of four simple and generic spread models that can be parameterised with limited data. Simulations with these models generate maps of the potential expansion of an invasive species at continental scale. The models have one to three biological parameters. They differ in whether they treat spatial processes implicitly or explicitly, and in whether they consider pest density or pest presence/absence only. The four models represent four complementary perspectives on the process of invasion and, because they have different initial conditions, they can be considered as alternative scenarios. All models take into account habitat distribution and climate. We present an application of each of the four models to the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, using historic data on its spread in Europe. Further tests as proof of concept were conducted with a broad range of taxa (insects, nematodes, plants, and plant pathogens). Pest risk analysts, the intended model users, found the model outputs to be generally credible and useful. The estimation of parameters from data requires insights into population dynamics theory, and this requires guidance. If used appropriately, these generic spread models provide a transparent and objective tool for evaluating the potential spread of pests in PRAs. Further work is needed to validate models, build familiarity in the user community and create a database of species parameters to help realize their potential in PRA practice.

A Suite of Models to Support the Quantitative Assessment of Spread in Pest Risk Analysis

PubMed Central

Robinet, Christelle; Kehlenbeck, Hella; Kriticos, Darren J.; Baker, Richard H. A.; Battisti, Andrea; Brunel, Sarah; Dupin, Maxime; Eyre, Dominic; Faccoli, Massimo; Ilieva, Zhenya; Kenis, Marc; Knight, Jon; Reynaud, Philippe; Yart, Annie; van der Werf, Wopke

2012-01-01

Pest Risk Analyses (PRAs) are conducted worldwide to decide whether and how exotic plant pests should be regulated to prevent invasion. There is an increasing demand for science-based risk mapping in PRA. Spread plays a key role in determining the potential distribution of pests, but there is no suitable spread modelling tool available for pest risk analysts. Existing models are species specific, biologically and technically complex, and data hungry. Here we present a set of four simple and generic spread models that can be parameterised with limited data. Simulations with these models generate maps of the potential expansion of an invasive species at continental scale. The models have one to three biological parameters. They differ in whether they treat spatial processes implicitly or explicitly, and in whether they consider pest density or pest presence/absence only. The four models represent four complementary perspectives on the process of invasion and, because they have different initial conditions, they can be considered as alternative scenarios. All models take into account habitat distribution and climate. We present an application of each of the four models to the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, using historic data on its spread in Europe. Further tests as proof of concept were conducted with a broad range of taxa (insects, nematodes, plants, and plant pathogens). Pest risk analysts, the intended model users, found the model outputs to be generally credible and useful. The estimation of parameters from data requires insights into population dynamics theory, and this requires guidance. If used appropriately, these generic spread models provide a transparent and objective tool for evaluating the potential spread of pests in PRAs. Further work is needed to validate models, build familiarity in the user community and create a database of species parameters to help realize their potential in PRA practice. PMID:23056174

Toxicity and Binding Studies of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac, Cry1F, Cry1C, and Cry2A Proteins in the Soybean Pests Anticarsia gemmatalis and Chrysodeixis (Pseudoplusia) includens.

PubMed

Bel, Yolanda; Sheets, Joel J; Tan, Sek Yee; Narva, Kenneth E; Escriche, Baltasar

2017-06-01

Anticarsia gemmatalis (velvetbean caterpillar) and Chrysodeixis includens (soybean looper, formerly named Pseudoplusia includens ) are two important defoliating insects of soybeans. Both lepidopteran pests are controlled mainly with synthetic insecticides. Alternative control strategies, such as biopesticides based on the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins or transgenic plants expressing Bt toxins, can be used and are increasingly being adopted. Studies on the insect susceptibilities and modes of action of the different Bt toxins are crucial to determine management strategies to control the pests and to delay outbreaks of insect resistance. In the present study, the susceptibilities of both soybean pests to the Bt toxins Cry1Ac, Cry1Fa, Cry1Ca, and Cry2Aa have been investigated. Bioassays performed in first-instar larvae showed that both insects are susceptible to all these toxins. Competition-binding studies carried out with Cry1Ac and Cry1Fa 125 -iodine labeled proteins demonstrated the presence of specific binding sites for both of them on the midgut brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) of both A. gemmatalis and C. includens Competition-binding experiments and specific-binding inhibition studies performed with selected sugars and lectins indicated that Cry1Ac and Cry1Fa share some, but not all, binding sites in the midguts of both insects. Also, the Cry1Ac- or Cry1Fa-binding sites were not shared with Cry1Ca or Cry2Aa in either soybean pest. This study contributes to the knowledge of Bt toxicity and midgut toxin binding sites in A. gemmatalis and C. includens and sheds light on the cross-resistance potential of Cry1Ac, Cry1Fa, Cry1Ca, and Cry2Aa Bt proteins as candidate proteins for Bt-pyramided crops. IMPORTANCE In the present study, the toxicity and the mode of action of the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins Cry1Ac, Cry1Fa, Cry1Ca, and Cry2Aa in Anticarsia gemmatalis and Chrysodeixis includens (important defoliating pests of soybeans) have been investigated. These studies are crucial for determining management strategies for pest control. Bioassays showed that both insects were susceptible to the toxins. Competition-binding studies demonstrated the presence of Cry1Fa- and Cry1Ac-specific binding sites in the midguts of both pests. These results, together with the results from binding inhibition studies performed with sugars and lectins, indicated that Cry1Ac and Cry1Fa share some, but not all, binding sites, and that they were not shared with Cry1Ca or Cry2Aa in either soybean pest. This study contributes to the knowledge of Bt toxicity in A. gemmatalis and C. includens and sheds light on the cross-resistance potential of Cry1Ac, Cry1Fa, Cry1Ca, and Cry2Aa Bt proteins as candidate proteins for Bt-pyramided crops. Copyright © 2017 Bel et al.

Impact of pest control strategies on the arthropodofauna living in bird nests built in nestboxes in pear and apple orchards.

PubMed

Roy, Lise; Bouvier, Jean-Charles; Lavigne, Claire; Galès, Mathieu; Buronfosse, Thierry

2013-08-01

Pesticide applications have a strong impact on biodiversity in agroecosystems. The present study aimed to assess the impact of pest control strategies on the arthropodofauna of Parus major nests built within nestboxes installed in orchards. Unlike many studied groups, these arthropod communities are not in direct contact with pesticide sprays (on account of their being sheltered by nestboxes) and are also unable to move away from the treated area. In this pilot study, we estimated the prevalence and the taxonomic and ecological diversities of arthropodofauna sampled in the nests and assessed the extent to which the whole and nest-specific arthropodofauna were affected by pest control strategies. Sixteen different insect and arachnid Primary Taxonomic Groups (PTGs, order level or below) were found in nests. The best represented PTGs (≥10% occurrence in years 2007 and 2008) were Psocoptera (Insecta, detritivorous/saprophagous), detritivorous/saprophagous Astigmata (Acari) and hematophagous Mesostigmata (Acari). Pest control strategies had a large impact on the prevalence of arthropods in nests, with higher proportions of nests hosting arthropods in organic orchards than in conventional orchards and with intermediate proportions in nests in Integrated Pest Management orchards. In contrast, pest control strategies had no significant effect on the composition of the arthropod communities when only nests hosting nidicolous arthropods were considered.

Microbial management of arthropod pests of tea: current state and prospects.

PubMed

Roy, Somnath; Muraleedharan, Narayanannair

2014-06-01

Sustainable tea cultivation will rely increasingly on alternatives to conventional chemical insecticides for pest management that are environment-friendly and reduce the amount of pesticide residues in made tea. Entomopathogens can provide effective control, conserve biodiversity, and serve as alternatives to chemical insecticides under several conditions. Due to their specificity for insects, these pathogens including viruses, bacteria, and fungi are ideal candidates for incorporation in the integrated pest management strategies for tea where their effects on other natural enemies will be minimal. Biological and ecological characteristics of several dominant natural entomopathogenic microorganisms have been well documented throughout the tea-growing countries particularly China, Japan, and India. But research to convert them to microbial insecticide formulations for tea pest control by evolving suitable techniques for production, standardization, formulation, and application has not progressed well except in Japan and China to some extent. Increased use of microbial control will depend on a variety of factors including improvements in the pathogens' virulence, formulation, delivery, etc. and an increased awareness of their attributes by growers and the general public. In this review, we provide an overview of microbial control of the key insect pests of tea and also the scope for future studies for their better utilization.

Effect of different forms of fungal biopreparation for increasing quality of Picea obovata seedlings

Treesearch

T. I. Gromovykh; A. L. Malinovsky; T. A. Koryanova

2002-01-01

The current stage of societal development is characterized by ecological deterioration, with the application of chemicals for the prevention of pests and plant diseases giving rise to new problems in environmental protection.

Current situation of pests targeted by Bt crops in Latin America.

PubMed

Blanco, C A; Chiaravalle, W; Dalla-Rizza, M; Farias, J R; García-Degano, M F; Gastaminza, G; Mota-Sánchez, D; Murúa, M G; Omoto, C; Pieralisi, B K; Rodríguez, J; Rodríguez-Maciel, J C; Terán-Santofimio, H; Terán-Vargas, A P; Valencia, S J; Willink, E

2016-06-01

Transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis- (Bt) insecticidal proteins (Bt crops) have provided useful pest management tools to growers for the past 20 years. Planting Bt crops has reduced the use of synthetic insecticides on cotton, maize and soybean fields in 11 countries throughout Latin America. One of the threats that could jeopardize the sustainability of Bt crops is the development of resistance by targeted pests. Governments of many countries require vigilance in measuring changes in Bt-susceptibility in order to proactively implement corrective measures before Bt-resistance is widespread, thus prolonging the usefulness of Bt crops. A pragmatic approach to obtain information on the effectiveness of Bt-crops is directly asking growers, crop consultants and academics about Bt-resistance problems in agricultural fields, first-hand information that not necessarily relies on susceptibility screens performed in laboratories. This type of information is presented in this report. Problematic pests of cotton and soybeans in five Latin American countries currently are effectively controlled by Bt crops. Growers that plant conventional (non-Bt) cotton or soybeans have to spray synthetic insecticides against multiple pests that otherwise are controlled by these Bt crops. A similar situation has been observed in six Latin American countries where Bt maize is planted. No synthetic insecticide applications are used to control corn pests because they are controlled by Bt maize, with the exception of Spodoptera frugiperda. While this insect in some countries is still effectively controlled by Bt maize, in others resistance has evolved and necessitates supplemental insecticide applications and/or the use of Bt maize cultivars that express multiple Bt proteins. Partial control of S. frugiperda in certain countries is due to its natural tolerance to the Bt bacterium. Of the 31 pests targeted and controlled by Bt crops in Latin America, only S. frugiperda has shown tolerance to certain Bt proteins in growers' fields, the most reliable indication of the status of Bt-susceptibility in most of the American continent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-pest prey do not disrupt aphid predation by a web-building spider.

PubMed

Welch, K D; Whitney, T D; Harwood, J D

2016-02-01

A generalist predator's ability to contribute to biological control is influenced by the decisions it makes during foraging. Predators often use flexible foraging tactics, which allows them to pursue specific types of prey at the cost of reducing the likelihood of capturing other types of prey. When a pest insect has low nutritional quality or palatability for a predator, the predator is likely to reject that prey in favour of pursuing alternative, non-pest prey. This is often thought to limit the effectiveness of generalist predators in consuming aphids, which are of low nutritional quality for many generalist predators. Here, we report behavioural assays that test the hypothesis that the generalist predator, Grammonota inornata (Araneae: Linyphiidae), preferentially forages for a non-pest prey with high nutritional quality (springtails), and rejects a pest prey with low nutritional quality (aphids). In no-choice assays, molecular gut-content analysis revealed that spiders continued to feed on the low-quality aphids at high rates, even when high-quality springtails were readily available. When provided a choice between aphids and springtails in two-way choice tests, spiders did not show the expected preference for springtails. Decision-making by spiders during foraging therefore appears to be sub-optimal, possibly because of attraction to the less frequently encountered of two preys as part of a dietary diversification strategy. These results indicate that behavioural preferences alone do not necessarily compromise the pest-suppression capacity of natural enemies: even nutritionally sub-optimal pest prey can potentially be subject to predation and suppression by natural enemies.

A systematic review of the literature reveals trends and gaps in integrated pest management studies conducted in the United States.

PubMed

Young, Stephen L

2017-08-01

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a broad-based approach for addressing pests that negatively affect human and environmental health and economic profitability. Weeds, insects and disease-causing pathogens (diseases) are the pests most often associated with IPM. A systematic review, widely used in other scientific disciplines, was employed to determine the most commonly studied IPM topics and summarize the reasons for these trends and the gaps. In a field synopsis of the literature, 1679 relevant published papers were identified and categorized into one of the following five broad areas: IPM and organic (organic), climate change and pests (climate), rural and urban IPM (rural and urban), next-generation education (education) and advanced production systems (technology). Papers were examined in greater detail for at least one of the three main pests in a systematic review. A majority (85%) of IPM papers have been in the area of rural and urban IPM, primarily addressing agriculture (78%). Professionals, landowners and the general public were the focus of a majority (95%) of IPM papers on education. Technology is an increasing area of focus in the literature. Over the past 40 years, IPM papers have primarily (75%) addressed insects and been limited mostly to rural and urban settings. Climate change, technology and education specific to pest management studies are increasingly being published and will help broaden the focus that could result in increased adoption and development of IPM. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Potential shortfall of pyramided transgenic cotton for insect resistance management

PubMed Central

Brévault, Thierry; Heuberger, Shannon; Zhang, Min; Ellers-Kirk, Christa; Ni, Xinzhi; Masson, Luke; Li, Xianchiun; Tabashnik, Bruce E.; Carrière, Yves

2013-01-01

To delay evolution of pest resistance to transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), the “pyramid” strategy uses plants that produce two or more toxins that kill the same pest. In the United States, this strategy has been adopted widely, with two-toxin Bt cotton replacing one-toxin Bt cotton. Although two-toxin plants are likely to be more durable than one-toxin plants, the extent of this advantage depends on several conditions. One key assumption favoring success of two-toxin plants is that they kill insects selected for resistance to one toxin, which is called “redundant killing.” Here we tested this assumption for a major pest, Helicoverpa zea, on transgenic cotton producing Bt toxins Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab. Selection with Cry1Ac increased survival on two-toxin cotton, which contradicts the assumption. The concentration of Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab declined during the growing season, which would tend to exacerbate this problem. Furthermore, analysis of results from 21 selection experiments with eight species of lepidopteran pests indicates that some cross-resistance typically occurs between Cry1A and Cry2A toxins. Incorporation of empirical data into simulation models shows that the observed deviations from ideal conditions could greatly reduce the benefits of the pyramid strategy for pests like H. zea, which have inherently low susceptibility to Bt toxins and have been exposed extensively to one of the toxins in the pyramid before two-toxin plants are adopted. For such pests, the pyramid strategy could be improved by incorporating empirical data on deviations from ideal assumptions about redundant killing and cross-resistance. PMID:23530245

Identification of three internal feeders from Korla fragrant pears by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

PubMed

Wang, Fengjun; Feng, Junli; Ye, Sudan; Li, Xin; Huang, Hannian; Hua, Peng

2018-04-01

Cydia pomonella, Euzophera pyriella Yang, and Grapholitha molesta are destructive pest species of Korla fragrant pears in Xinjiang. They are also quarantine pests of concern in a number of countries. Identification of these small pest larvae by morphological characters is difficult, and misidentifications will influence appropriate quarantine decisions. Here, a 520 bp fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) was first amplified and sequenced from each species, and a diagnostic region was observed. Subsequently, the species-specific primer and probe sets of quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) were designed, which amplified a 114-116 bp fragment of COI genes. This method was validated by amplification DNA extracted from single, multiple, and mixed pest samples. Results indicated that this method allows rapid discrimination and reliable identification of larvae, pupae, and adult specimens of all three species, which could help the international export trading of Korla fragrant pears and related products.

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service: advances in the molecular genetic analysis of insects and their application to pest management.

PubMed

Handler, Alfred M; Beeman, Richard W

2003-01-01

USDA-ARS scientists have made important contributions to the molecular genetic analysis of agriculturally important insects, and have been in the forefront of using this information for the development of new pest management strategies. Advances have been made in the identification and analysis of genetic systems involved in insect development, reproduction and behavior which enable the identification of new targets for control, as well as the development of highly specific insecticidal products. Other studies have been on the leading edge of developing gene transfer technology to better elucidate these biological processes though functional genomics and to develop new transgenic strains for biological control. Important contributions have also been made to the development and use of molecular markers and methodologies to identify and track insect populations. The use of molecular genetic technology and strategies will become increasingly important to pest management as genomic sequencing information becomes available from important pest insects, their targets and other associated organisms.

Cross Reference Index for Bioenvironmental Engineer and Military Public Health Offices

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

Food Recall AFR 161-42 DOD Hazardous Food and Nonprescription Drug Recall System Insects and Mite Pests in Food AGR-HB-655 Insects and Mite Pests in Food...Solution, 11 Hazard Communication, 12 Hazardous Energy Control, 21, 22 Hazardous Food Recall Program, 9 Hazardous Waste, 11, 26 Hazardous Materials...34Institutional Meat Purchase Specification" NAMPS "National Association of Meat Purveyor’s" DPSC Support DOD 4155.6 Subsistence Inspection Manual Hazardous

Modulation of procaspase-7 self-activation by PEST amino acid residues of the N-terminal prodomain and intersubunit linker.

PubMed

Alves, Juliano; Garay-Malpartida, Miguel; Occhiucci, João M; Belizário, José E

2017-12-01

Procaspase-7 zymogen polypeptide is composed of a short prodomain, a large subunit (p20), and a small subunit (p10) connected to an intersubunit linker. Caspase-7 is activated by an initiator caspase-8 and -9, or by autocatalysis after specific cleavage at IQAD 198 ↓S located at the intersubunit linker. Previously, we identified that PEST regions made of amino acid residues Pro (P), Glu (E), Asp (D), Ser (S), Thr (T), Asn (N), and Gln (Q) are conserved flanking amino acid residues in the cleavage sites within a prodomain and intersubunit linker of all caspase family members. Here we tested the impact of alanine substitution of PEST amino acid residues on procaspase-7 proteolytic self-activation directly in Escherichia coli. The p20 and p10 subunit cleavage were significantly delayed in double caspase-7 mutants in the prodomain (N18A/P26A) and intersubunit linker (S199A/P201A), compared with the wild-type caspase-7. The S199A/P201A mutants effectively inhibited the p10 small subunit cleavage. However, the mutations did not change the kinetic parameters (k cat /K M ) and optimal tetrapeptide specificity (DEVD) of the purified mutant enzymes. The results suggest a role of PEST-amino acid residues in the molecular mechanism for prodomain and intersubunit cleavage and caspase-7 self-activation.

Developing the Thai Siriraj Psoriatic Arthritis Screening Tool and validating the Thai Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool and the Early Arthritis for Psoriatic Patients questionnaire.

PubMed

Chiowchanwisawakit, Praveena; Wattanamongkolsil, Luksame; Srinonprasert, Varalak; Petcharat, Chonachan; Siriwanarangsun, Palanan; Katchamart, Wanruchada

2016-10-01

To validate the Thai language version of the Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool (PEST) and the Early Arthritis for Psoriatic Patients Questionnaire (EARP), as well as also to develop a new tool for screening psoriatic arthritis (PsA) among psoriasis (Ps) patients. This was a cross-sectional study. Ps patients visiting the psoriasis clinic at Siriraj Hospital were recruited. They completed the EARP and PEST. Full musculoskeletal history, examination, and radiography were evaluated. PsA was diagnosed by a rheumatologist's evaluation and fulfillment of the classification criteria for psoriatic arthritis. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, sensitivity, and specificity were used to evaluate the performances of the tools. The Siriraj Psoriatic Arthritis Screening Tool (SiPAT) contained questions most relevant to peripheral arthritis, axial inflammation, and enthesitis, selected from multivariate analysis. Of a total of 159 patients, the prevalence of PsA was 78.6 %. The ROC curve analyses of Thai EARP, PEST, and SiPAT were 0.90 (95 % CI 0.84, 0.96), 0.85 (0.78, 0.92), and 0.89 (0.83, 0.95), respectively. The sensitivities of SiPAT, Thai EARP, and PEST were 91.0, 83.0, and 72.0 %, respectively, while the specificities were 69.0, 79.3, and 89.7 %, respectively. All screening questionnaires showed good diagnostic performances. SiPAT could be considered as a screening tool with its desirable properties: higher sensitivity and taking less time. Thai PEST and EARP could possibly be sequentially administered for people with a positive test from SiPAT to reduce the number of false positives.

Identification and expression profiling of novel plant cell wall degrading enzymes from a destructive pest of palm trees, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.

PubMed

Antony, B; Johny, J; Aldosari, S A; Abdelazim, M M

2017-08-01

Plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) from insects were recently identified as a multigene family of proteins that consist primarily of glycoside hydrolases (GHs) and carbohydrate esterases (CEs) and play essential roles in the degradation of the cellulose/hemicellulose/pectin network in the invaded host plant. Here we applied transcriptomic and degenerate PCR approaches to identify the PCWDEs from a destructive pest of palm trees, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, followed by a gut-specific and stage-specific differential expression analysis. We identified a total of 27 transcripts encoding GH family members and three transcripts of the CE family with cellulase, hemicellulase and pectinase activities. We also identified two GH9 candidates, which have not previously been reported from Curculionidae. The gut-specific quantitative expression analysis identified key cellulases, hemicellulases and pectinases from R. ferrugineus. The expression analysis revealed a pectin methylesterase, RferCE8u02, and a cellulase, GH45c34485, which showed the highest gut enriched expression. Comparison of PCWDE expression patterns revealed that cellulases and pectinases are significantly upregulated in the adult stages, and we observed specific high expression of the hemicellulase RferGH16c4170. Overall, our study revealed the potential of PCWDEs from R. ferrugineus, which may be useful in biotechnological applications and may represent new tools in R. ferrugineus pest management strategies. © 2017 The Royal Entomological Society.

Trophic hierarchies illuminated via amino acid isotopic analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This research addresses the problem of discerning whether natural enemies in agricultural systems are actually suppressing pest populations (or simply eating other predators). Knowing the ecological function of natural enemies (particularly arthropods) is an integral part of biological control progr...

Sprayer technology: reduce spray drift

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Enhancing environmental quality and sustaining the economic viability of food production are keys to sustainable agriculture. Modern vegetable production uses a variety of materials to manage pest problems. Selecting the proper spray nozzle for the application of liquid products is critical to red...

Pest controllers: a high-risk group for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)?

PubMed

Bornschein, Susanne; Hausteiner, Constanze; Pohl, Corina; Jahn, Thomas; Angerer, Jürgen; Foerstl, Hans; Zilker, Thomas

2008-03-01

Based on the assumption that professional groups with frequent chemical exposure are at an increased risk for developing Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), a sample of 45 professional pest controllers was investigated. The examination of the pest controllers consisted of a physical and laboratory examination with urine screening for pyrethroid metabolites, a psychiatric interview, a neuropsychological test battery, and a chemical sensitivity questionnaire. Persistent or serious work related health problems and chemical sensitivity were not reported. In urine, cis-3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (Br(2)CA) was detected in 11%, 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (F-PBA) in 7%. 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) exceeded the reference range in 9%, cis- and trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethyl-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (Cl(2)CA) in 20%. Increased liver enzymes and blood count deviations were rather common. 38% had psychiatric disorders. With few exceptions, neuropsychological testing results were normal. The results do not support the hypothesis that work-related insecticide exposure promotes chemical sensitivity.

Equilibrium control of nonlinear verticum-type systems, applied to integrated pest control.

PubMed

Molnár, S; Gámez, M; López, I; Cabello, T

2013-08-01

Linear verticum-type control and observation systems have been introduced for modelling certain industrial systems, consisting of subsystems, vertically connected by certain state variables. Recently the concept of verticum-type observation systems and the corresponding observability condition have been extended by the authors to the nonlinear case. In the present paper the general concept of a nonlinear verticum-type control system is introduced, and a sufficient condition for local controllability to equilibrium is obtained. In addition to a usual linearization, the basic idea is a decomposition of the control of the whole system into the control of the subsystems. Starting from the integrated pest control model of Rafikov and Limeira (2012) and Rafikov et al. (2012), a nonlinear verticum-type model has been set up an equilibrium control is obtained. Furthermore, a corresponding bioeconomical problem is solved minimizing the total cost of integrated pest control (combining chemical control with a biological one). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Irradiating insect pests

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This is a non-technical article focusing on phytosanitary uses of irradiation. In a series of interview questions, I present information on the scope of the invasive species problem and the contribution of international trade in agricultural products to the movement of invasive insects. This is foll...

Analysis on the arcelin expression in bruchid pest resistant wild pulses using real time RT-qPCR.

PubMed

Sakthivelkumar, Shanmugavel; Veeramani, Velayutham; Hilda, Karuppiah; Arumugam, Munusamy; Janarthanan, Sundaram

2014-12-01

Arcelin, the antimetabolic protein from wild pulses is a known natural insecticidal molecule. Wild pulses with high arcelin content could serve as potential source to. increase the levels of insect resistance in cultivated pulse crops. In this study, arcelin (Arl) gene expression was screened in seven stored product insect pest resistant wild pulse varieties using real time RT-qPCR. Arcelin gene specific real time PCR primers were synthesized from arcelin mRNA sequence of the wild pulse variety, Lablab purpureus. The results revealed different levels of arcelin gene expression in the tested varieties. Canavalia virosa registered significantly high content indicating its suitability for utilization of arcelin gene in developing stored product insect pest resistance with other cultivated pulses.

Safeguarding production agriculture and natural ecosystems against biological terrorism. A U.S. Department of Agriculture emergency response framework.

PubMed

Sequeira, R

1999-01-01

Foreign pest introductions and outbreaks represent threats to agricultural productivity and ecosystems, and, thus, to the health and national security of the United States. It is advisable to identify relevant techniques and bring all appropriate strategies to bear on the problem of controlling accidentally and intentionally introduced pest outbreaks. Recent political shifts indicate that the U.S. may be at increased risk for biological terrorism. The existing emergency-response strategies of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) will evolve to expand activities in coordination with other emergency management agencies. APHIS will evolve its information superstructure to include extensive application of simulation models for forecasting, meteorological databases and analysis, systems analysis, geographic information systems, satellite image analysis, remote sensing, and the training of specialized cadres within the emergency-response framework capable of managing the necessary information processing and analysis. Finally, the threat of key pests ranked according to perceived risk will be assessed with mathematical models and "what-if" scenarios analyzed to determine impact and mitigation practices. An infrastructure will be maintained that periodically surveys ports and inland regions for the presence of exotic pest threats and will identify trend abnormalities. This survey and monitoring effort will include cooperation from industry groups, federal and state organizations, and academic institutions.

RNA interference: Applications and advances in insect toxicology and insect pest management.

PubMed

Kim, Young Ho; Soumaila Issa, Moustapha; Cooper, Anastasia M W; Zhu, Kun Yan

2015-05-01

Since its discovery, RNA interference (RNAi) has revolutionized functional genomic studies due to its sequence-specific nature of post-transcriptional gene silencing. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the recent literature and summarize the current knowledge and advances in the applications of RNAi technologies in the field of insect toxicology and insect pest management. Many recent studies have focused on identification and validation of the genes encoding insecticide target proteins, such as acetylcholinesterases, ion channels, Bacillus thuringiensis receptors, and other receptors in the nervous system. RNAi technologies have also been widely applied to reveal the role of genes encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, carboxylesterases, and glutathione S-transferases in insecticide detoxification and resistance. More recently, studies have focused on understanding the mechanism of insecticide-mediated up-regulation of detoxification genes in insects. As RNAi has already shown great potentials for insect pest management, many recent studies have also focused on host-induced gene silencing, in which several RNAi-based transgenic plants have been developed and tested as proof of concept for insect pest management. These studies indicate that RNAi is a valuable tool to address various fundamental questions in insect toxicology and may soon become an effective strategy for insect pest management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Climate variability, perceptions and political ecology: Factors influencing changes in pesticide use over 30 years by Zimbabwean smallholder cotton producers.

PubMed

Zinyemba, Cliff; Archer, Emma; Rother, Hanna-Andrea

2018-01-01

Pesticides represent a potential public health hazard of note in farming communities. Accumulating evidence indicates that some pesticides used in agriculture act as hormone disrupters, with the potential to result in chronic health effects. Despite such a growing evidence base, pesticides remain the preferred method of pest control in agriculture worldwide. In many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, usage is on the increase. This qualitative study assessed changes in the usage of pesticides by Zimbabwean smallholder cotton farmers in the past 30 years. Farmers reported an increase in the usage of pesticides, specifically insecticides, since the early 1980s. An increase in pest populations was also reported. The findings suggested a bi-directional causal relationship between the increase in pest population and the increase in pesticide use. Factors which emerged to have collectively impacted on the changes include climate variability, limited agency on the part of farmers, power dynamics involving the government and private cotton companies and farmers' perceptions and practices. An Integrated Pest Management Policy for Zimbabwe is recommended to facilitate integration of chemical controls with a broad range of other pest control tactics. Continuous farmer education and awareness raising is further recommended, since farmers' perceptions can influence their practices.

Climate variability, perceptions and political ecology: Factors influencing changes in pesticide use over 30 years by Zimbabwean smallholder cotton producers

PubMed Central

Archer, Emma; Rother, Hanna-Andrea

2018-01-01

Pesticides represent a potential public health hazard of note in farming communities. Accumulating evidence indicates that some pesticides used in agriculture act as hormone disrupters, with the potential to result in chronic health effects. Despite such a growing evidence base, pesticides remain the preferred method of pest control in agriculture worldwide. In many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, usage is on the increase. This qualitative study assessed changes in the usage of pesticides by Zimbabwean smallholder cotton farmers in the past 30 years. Farmers reported an increase in the usage of pesticides, specifically insecticides, since the early 1980s. An increase in pest populations was also reported. The findings suggested a bi-directional causal relationship between the increase in pest population and the increase in pesticide use. Factors which emerged to have collectively impacted on the changes include climate variability, limited agency on the part of farmers, power dynamics involving the government and private cotton companies and farmers’ perceptions and practices. An Integrated Pest Management Policy for Zimbabwe is recommended to facilitate integration of chemical controls with a broad range of other pest control tactics. Continuous farmer education and awareness raising is further recommended, since farmers’ perceptions can influence their practices. PMID:29746510

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service research on managing insect resistance to insecticides.

PubMed

Elzen, Gary W; Hardee, Dick D

2003-01-01

Insecticide resistance has developed within many classes of pesticide, and over 500 species of insects and mites are resistant to one or more insecticides. Insecticide resistance and the consequent losses of food and fiber caused by failure to control insect and mite pests causes economic losses of several billion dollars worldwide each year. It is the goal of insect resistance management (IRM) to preserve useful pesticides by slowing, preventing or reversing development of resistance in pests. Important aspects of this goal are understanding the development of resistance and monitoring to determine ways to prevent its development. We describe programs specific to missions of the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, which are designed to characterize insecticide resistance in insects and mites with the goal of managing pests in an ecologically acceptable manner. Resistance management of cotton, potatoes, vegetables, melons, ornamentals, greenhouse crops, corn, stored grains, livestock, honeybees and mites, as well as management of transgenic crops are evaluated. We conclude that IRM is a vital part of stewardship of any pest management product and must be a combined effort of manufacturers, growers, consultants, extension services and grower organizations, working closely with regulators, to achieve logistically and economically feasible systems that prolong the effectiveness of all pest-control products.

Pest control and resistance management through release of insects carrying a male-selecting transgene.

PubMed

Harvey-Samuel, Tim; Morrison, Neil I; Walker, Adam S; Marubbi, Thea; Yao, Ju; Collins, Hilda L; Gorman, Kevin; Davies, T G Emyr; Alphey, Nina; Warner, Simon; Shelton, Anthony M; Alphey, Luke

2015-07-16

Development and evaluation of new insect pest management tools is critical for overcoming over-reliance upon, and growing resistance to, synthetic, biological and plant-expressed insecticides. For transgenic crops expressing insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis ('Bt crops') emergence of resistance is slowed by maintaining a proportion of the crop as non-Bt varieties, which produce pest insects unselected for resistance. While this strategy has been largely successful, multiple cases of Bt resistance have now been reported. One new approach to pest management is the use of genetically engineered insects to suppress populations of their own species. Models suggest that released insects carrying male-selecting (MS) transgenes would be effective agents of direct, species-specific pest management by preventing survival of female progeny, and simultaneously provide an alternative insecticide resistance management strategy by introgression of susceptibility alleles into target populations. We developed a MS strain of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, a serious global pest of crucifers. MS-strain larvae are reared as normal with dietary tetracycline, but, when reared without tetracycline or on host plants, only males will survive to adulthood. We used this strain in glasshouse-cages to study the effect of MS male P. xylostella releases on target pest population size and spread of Bt resistance in these populations. Introductions of MS-engineered P. xylostella males into wild-type populations led to rapid pest population decline, and then elimination. In separate experiments on broccoli plants, relatively low-level releases of MS males in combination with broccoli expressing Cry1Ac (Bt broccoli) suppressed population growth and delayed the spread of Bt resistance. Higher rates of MS male releases in the absence of Bt broccoli were also able to suppress P. xylostella populations, whereas either low-level MS male releases or Bt broccoli alone did not. These results support theoretical modeling, indicating that MS-engineered insects can provide a powerful pest population suppressing effect, and could effectively augment current Bt resistance management strategies. We conclude that, subject to field confirmation, MS insects offer an effective and versatile control option against P. xylostella and potentially other pests, and may reduce reliance on and protect insecticide-based approaches, including Bt crops.

The Ants Go Marching Millions by Millions: Invasive Ant Research

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Invasive ants are a worldwide problem that is expanding both geographically and in intensity. Population explosions of invasive ants can overrun landscapes and inundate structures. Pest management professionals are often the first responders to complaints about invading ants. This session will fo...

The ants go marching millions by millions: invasive ant research

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Invasive ants are a worldwide problem that is expanding both geographically and in intensity. Population explosions of invasive ants can overrun landscapes and inundate structures. Pest management professionals are often the first responders to complaints about invading ants. This session will fo...

Preservation Using Pesticides: Some Words of Caution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Mary

1985-01-01

Addresses problem of insects and other pests in library facility and material maintenance. Highlights include dangers of chemical pesticides; alternative methods for treatment of book infestations (light and temperature regulation, freezing, establishment of low oxygen atmosphere, microwaves and radiation, boric acid); and state and federal laws…

Challenges for developing biopesticides against Varroa destructor (Mesostigamata: Varroidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Control of the major pest of apiculture, the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor, using biopesticides would resolve many of the problems experienced with other forms of control, such as chemical control, hive manipulation or selection of resistant strains. Several research groups have developed and...

Before and after Silent Spring: from chemical pesticides to biological control and integrated pest management--Britain, 1945-1980.

PubMed

Gay, Hannah

2012-07-01

The use of chemical pesticides increased considerably after World War II, and ecological damage was noticeable by the late 1940s. This paper outlines some ecological problems experienced during the post-war period in the UK, and in parts of what is now Malaysia. Also discussed is the government's response. Although Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring (1962), was important in bringing the problems to a wider public, she was not alone in sounding the alarm. Pressure from the public and from British scientists led, among other things, to the founding of the Natural Environment Research Council in 1965. By the 1970s, environmentalism was an important movement, and funding for ecological and environmental research was forthcoming even during the economic recession. Some of the recipients were ecologists working at Imperial College London. Moved by the political climate, and by the evidence of ecological damage, they carried out research on the biological control of insect pests.

[Pesticides in the tropical agricultural economy systems: Evaluation of present knowledge of the problem].

PubMed

García, A R

1976-06-01

Man is an integral part of the ecosystem and any action of his against the environment has an effect against man himself. An Agro-ecosystem is a unit composed of the total complex of organisms in an area under cultivation, plus the totality of the physical environmental conditions and the modifications introduced by man, who manages the agro-ecosystem for his own benefit. The use of pesticides has been necessary for the agricultural development of some tropical areas. Unfortunately, the inadequate use of this input has caused many problems for himself. These include destruction of natural resources; intoxications; pesticide residues in water and foods; secondary pest outbreaks; increase in illnesses transmitted by certain arthropods; loss of foreign exchange; unemployment; malnutrition; disability; high infant mortality and poverty. A better use of agro-ecosystem management techniques can lead to a rational sustained utilization of land resources. Chemical pesticides can be considered as one of the factors in pest management, and not necessarily the only one available.

Delivering sustainable crop protection systems via the seed: exploiting natural constitutive and inducible defence pathways

PubMed Central

Pickett, John A.; Aradottír, Gudbjorg I.; Birkett, Michael A.; Bruce, Toby J. A.; Hooper, Antony M.; Midega, Charles A. O.; Jones, Huw D.; Matthes, Michaela C.; Napier, Johnathan A.; Pittchar, Jimmy O.; Smart, Lesley E.; Woodcock, Christine M.; Khan, Zeyaur R.

2014-01-01

To reduce the need for seasonal inputs, crop protection will have to be delivered via the seed and other planting material. Plant secondary metabolism can be harnessed for this purpose by new breeding technologies, genetic modification and companion cropping, the latter already on-farm in sub-Saharan Africa. Secondary metabolites offer the prospect of pest management as robust as that provided by current pesticides, for which many lead compounds were, or are currently deployed as, natural products. Evidence of success and promise is given for pest management in industrial and developing agriculture. Additionally, opportunities for solving wider problems of sustainable crop protection, and also production, are discussed. PMID:24535389

Model development for health promotion and control of agricultural occupational health hazards and accidents in Pathumthani, Thailand.

PubMed

Buranatrevedh, Surasak; Sweatsriskul, Peeungjun

2005-10-01

In Thailand, agriculture is one of the major occupations; however, there is no comprehensive agricultural occupational health promotion and disease prevention model available. Objectives of this study were to empower farmers to study occupational health and safety situation in rice farming and to develop model to promote their health and prevent occupational health hazards among them. This participatory action research was performed in Tambol Klong 7, Klongluang district, Pathumthani, Thailand. The 24 rice farmers from 9 villages were voluntarily recruited as members of research team called farmer-leader research group. This group had a monthly meeting to discuss issues of agricultural occupational health and safety during 3 yr study period. At first stage, farmer-leader research group analyzed occupational health and safety during rice farming process. After we had results from situation analysis, farmer-leader research group decided which problems would be solved first. We developed model to solve those problems during the second stage. Finally, model was implemented to farmers in the study area. During first stage, results of questionnaires showed that there were 3 major occupational health and safety problems among these farmers; symptoms from pesticide exposure (65% of respondents), musculoskeletal problems during various process (16.6%-75.9%), and injuries during various process (1.1%-83.2%). From these results, farmer-leader research group decided to deal with pesticide problem. There was an experiment comparing using biofertilizers and bio pest-control with using chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the rice paddy. Results showed that the biological field produced the same amount of rice as the chemical field but cost less money than the chemical one. Benefits from using biofertilizers and bio pest-control were having higher profit, less exposure to chemicals, and good mental health from higher profit. After this experiment, biofertilizers and bio pest-control were disseminated to rice-farmers and students and teachers in local schools. At the end of study, we found that there were networks of farmers and networks of students-teachers using biological methods. This study showed that participation with farmers could create a real sustainable model to promote farmers' health and prevent them from occupational health hazards.

Structural features, substrate specificity, kinetic properties of insect α-amylase and specificity of plant α-amylase inhibitors.

PubMed

Kaur, Rimaljeet; Kaur, Narinder; Gupta, Anil Kumar

2014-11-01

α-Amylase is an important digestive enzyme required for the optimal growth and development of insects. Several insect α-amylases had been purified and their physical and chemical properties were characterized. Insect α-amylases of different orders display variability in structure, properties and substrate specificity. Such diverse properties of amylases could be due to different feeding habits and gut environment of insects. In this review, structural features and properties of several insect α-amylases were compared. This could be helpful in exploring the diversity in characteristics of α-amylase between the members of the same class (insecta). Properties like pH optima are reflected in enzyme structural features. In plants, α-amylase inhibitors (α-AIs) occur as part of natural defense mechanisms against pests by interfering in their digestion process and thus could also provide access to new pest management strategies. AIs are quite specific in their action; therefore, these could be employed according to their effectiveness against target amylases. Potential of transgenics with α-AIs has also been discussed for insect resistance and controlling infestation. The differences in structural features of insect α-amylases provided reasons for their efficient functioning at different pH and the specificity towards various substrates. Various proteinaceous and non-proteinaceous inhibitors discussed could be helpful in controlling pest infestation. In depth detailed studies are required on proteinaceous α-AI-α-amylase interaction at different pH's as well as the insect proteinase action on these inhibitors before selecting the α-AI for making transgenics resistant to particular insect. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Public Health Pest Control. Bulletin 755.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Burton R.

This manual gives general control principles and specific information on control of mosquitoes, flies, bedbugs, fleas, lice, cockroaches, venomous arthropods, ticks and chiggers, and rodents. The specific information includes life-cycles and habitats, public health importance, non-chemical control, and control with pesticides. (BB)

INSTAR: simulating the biological cycle of a forest pest in Mediterranean pine stands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suárez-Muñoz, María; Bonet García, Francisco J.; Hódar, José A.

2017-04-01

The pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) is a typically Mediterranean forest pest feeding on pine needles during its larval stages. The outbreaks of this pest cause important landscape impacts and public health problems (i.e. larvae are very urticant). Larvae feed during winter months and cold temperature is the main limiting factor in their development. Therefore, rising temperatures are thought to benefit this species. Indeed, observations suggest that outbreaks are becoming more frequent and populations are shifting uphill. The objective of this work is to simulate the biological cycle of T. pityocampa to make predictions about where and when outbreaks will occur. Thus, we have created a model called INSTAR that will help to identify hotspots and foresee massive defoliation episodes. This will enhance the information available for the control of this pest. INSTAR is an Agent-Based Model, which allows the inclusion of important characteristics of the system: emergence, feedback (i.e. interaction between agents and their environment), adaptation (i.e. decision based on the mentioned interactions) and path dependence (i.e. possibilities at one time point are determined by past conditions). These characteristics arise from a set of functions simulating pine growth, processionary development, mortality and movement. These functions are easily extrapolable to other similar biological processes and therefore INSTAR aims at serving of example for other forest pest models. INSTAR is the first comprehensive approach to simulate the biological cycle of T pityocampa. It simulates the pest development in a given area, from which elevation and pine trees are considered. Moreover, it is also a good example of integrating environmental information into a population dynamic model: meteorological variables and soil moisture are obtained from a hydrological model (WiMMed, Herrero et al. 2009) executed for the area of interest. These variables are the inputs of the model, which feed the functions that simulate the processionary life cycle. Model's executions in two different areas and for relatively long time frames (1993-2014 and 2000-2014) yield relevant information about the biological cycle of the forest pest: the simulated peaks of larvae are followed by minimal values of pine biomass and pine infections are more abundant at the edge of the stands. Moreover, emerging patterns such as denso-dependency can be observed. To sum up, INSTAR is a promising tool for modeling T. pityocampa population dynamics. The obtained model will help to improve the decision making process regarding the control of the forest pest. Moreover, its simple structure of functions will facilitate the design of new models simulating other forest pests.

Resource management plan for the Oak Ridge Reservation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parr, P.D.; Evans, J.W.

1992-06-01

A plan for management of the wildlife resources on the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation is outlined in this document. Management includes wildlife population control (hunts, trapping, and removal), handling specific problems with wildlife, restoration of species, coordination with researchers on wildlife studies, preservation and management of habitats, and law enforcement. Wildlife resources are divided into five categories, each with a specific set of objectives and procedures for obtaining these objectives. These categories are (1) species-richness management to ensure that all resident wildlife species exist on the Reservation in viable numbers; (2) featured species management to produce selectedmore » species in desired numbers on designated land units; (3) management of game species for research, education, recreation, and public safety, (4) endangered species management designed to preserve and protect both the species and habitats critical to the survival of those species; and (5) pest management. Achievement of the objectives is a joint effort between the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Environmental Sciences Division.« less

Approaches in highly parameterized inversion-PESTCommander, a graphical user interface for file and run management across networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Karanovic, Marinko; Muffels, Christopher T.; Tonkin, Matthew J.; Hunt, Randall J.

2012-01-01

Models of environmental systems have become increasingly complex, incorporating increasingly large numbers of parameters in an effort to represent physical processes on a scale approaching that at which they occur in nature. Consequently, the inverse problem of parameter estimation (specifically, model calibration) and subsequent uncertainty analysis have become increasingly computation-intensive endeavors. Fortunately, advances in computing have made computational power equivalent to that of dozens to hundreds of desktop computers accessible through a variety of alternate means: modelers have various possibilities, ranging from traditional Local Area Networks (LANs) to cloud computing. Commonly used parameter estimation software is well suited to take advantage of the availability of such increased computing power. Unfortunately, logistical issues become increasingly important as an increasing number and variety of computers are brought to bear on the inverse problem. To facilitate efficient access to disparate computer resources, the PESTCommander program documented herein has been developed to provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that facilitates the management of model files ("file management") and remote launching and termination of "slave" computers across a distributed network of computers ("run management"). In version 1.0 described here, PESTCommander can access and ascertain resources across traditional Windows LANs: however, the architecture of PESTCommander has been developed with the intent that future releases will be able to access computing resources (1) via trusted domains established in Wide Area Networks (WANs) in multiple remote locations and (2) via heterogeneous networks of Windows- and Unix-based operating systems. The design of PESTCommander also makes it suitable for extension to other computational resources, such as those that are available via cloud computing. Version 1.0 of PESTCommander was developed primarily to work with the parameter estimation software PEST; the discussion presented in this report focuses on the use of the PESTCommander together with Parallel PEST. However, PESTCommander can be used with a wide variety of programs and models that require management, distribution, and cleanup of files before or after model execution. In addition to its use with the Parallel PEST program suite, discussion is also included in this report regarding the use of PESTCommander with the Global Run Manager GENIE, which was developed simultaneously with PESTCommander.

Quantifying impact of mosquitoes on quality of life

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

New Jersey, like many eastern states, has a persistent problem of the Asian tiger mosquito. This and other mosquitoes reduce residents’ quality of life from discomfort and possible risk of disease. To guide a comprehensive area-wide pest management project to control Aedes albopictus in two counties...

Conservation, Preservation and Restoration in Nigerian Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ojo-Igbinoba, M. E.

1991-01-01

Addresses problems involved with the conservation, preservation, and restoration of library materials in Nigeria. Topics discussed include insect pests; light, heat, and humidity; atmospheric pollution and dust; natural disasters including fire and floods; theft and vandalism; acidity of paper; binding and mending; and trained personnel. (15…

Mating Disruption as a Suppression Tactic in Programs Targeting Regulated Lepidopteran Pests in US.

PubMed

Lance, David R; Leonard, Donna S; Mastro, Victor C; Walters, Michelle L

2016-07-01

Mating disruption, the broadcast application of sex-attractant pheromone to reduce the ability of insects to locate mates, has proven to be an effective method for suppressing populations of numerous moth pests. Since the conception of mating disruption, the species-specificity and low toxicity of pheromone applications has led to their consideration for use in area-wide programs to manage invasive moths. Case histories are presented for four such programs where the tactic was used in the United States: Pectinophora gossypiella (pink bollworm), Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth), Epiphyas postvittana (light brown apple moth), and Lobesia botrana (European grapevine moth). Use of mating disruption against P. gossypiella and L. botrana was restricted primarily to agricultural areas and relied in part (P. gossypiella) or wholly (L. botrana) on hand-applied dispensers. In those programs, mating disruption was integrated with other suppression tactics and considered an important component of overall efforts that are leading toward eradication of the invasive pests from North America. By contrast, L. dispar and E. postvittana are polyphagous pests, where pheromone formulations have been applied aerially as stand-alone treatments across broad areas, including residential neighborhoods. For L. dispar, mating disruption has been a key component in the program to slow the spread of the infestation of this pest, and the applications generally have been well tolerated by the public. For E. postvittana, public outcry halted the use of aerially applied mating disruption after an initial series of treatments, effectively thwarting an attempt to eradicate this pest from California. Reasons for the discrepancies between these two programs are not entirely clear.

iTOUGH2 V6.5

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finsterle, Stefan A.

2010-11-01

iTOUGH2 (inverse TOUGH2) provides inverse modeling capabilities for TOUGH2, a simulator for multi-dimensional , multi-phase, multi-component, non-isothermal flow and transport in fractured porous media. It performs sensitivity analysis, parameter estimation, and uncertainty propagation, analysis in geosciences and reservoir engineering and other application areas. It supports a number of different combination of fluids and components [equation-of-state (EOS) modules]. In addition, the optimization routines implemented in iTOUGH2 can also be used or sensitivity analysis, automatic model calibration, and uncertainty quantification of any external code that uses text-based input and output files. This link is achieved by means of the PEST application programmingmore » interface. iTOUGH2 solves the inverse problem by minimizing a non-linear objective function of the weighted differences between model output and the corresponding observations. Multiple minimization algorithms (derivative fee, gradient-based and second-order; local and global) are available. iTOUGH2 also performs Latin Hypercube Monte Carlos simulation for uncertainty propagation analysis. A detailed residual and error analysis is provided. This upgrade includes new EOS modules (specifically EOS7c, ECO2N and TMVOC), hysteretic relative permeability and capillary pressure functions and the PEST API. More details can be found at http://esd.lbl.gov/iTOUGH2 and the publications cited there. Hardware Req.: Multi-platform; Related/auxiliary software PVM (if running in parallel).« less

Evolution in agriculture: the application of evolutionary approaches to the management of biotic interactions in agro-ecosystems

PubMed Central

Thrall, Peter H; Oakeshott, John G; Fitt, Gary; Southerton, Simon; Burdon, Jeremy J; Sheppard, Andy; Russell, Robyn J; Zalucki, Myron; Heino, Mikko; Ford Denison, R

2011-01-01

Anthropogenic impacts increasingly drive ecological and evolutionary processes at many spatio-temporal scales, demanding greater capacity to predict and manage their consequences. This is particularly true for agro-ecosystems, which not only comprise a significant proportion of land use, but which also involve conflicting imperatives to expand or intensify production while simultaneously reducing environmental impacts. These imperatives reinforce the likelihood of further major changes in agriculture over the next 30–40 years. Key transformations include genetic technologies as well as changes in land use. The use of evolutionary principles is not new in agriculture (e.g. crop breeding, domestication of animals, management of selection for pest resistance), but given land-use trends and other transformative processes in production landscapes, ecological and evolutionary research in agro-ecosystems must consider such issues in a broader systems context. Here, we focus on biotic interactions involving pests and pathogens as exemplars of situations where integration of agronomic, ecological and evolutionary perspectives has practical value. Although their presence in agro-ecosystems may be new, many traits involved in these associations evolved in natural settings. We advocate the use of predictive frameworks based on evolutionary models as pre-emptive management tools and identify some specific research opportunities to facilitate this. We conclude with a brief discussion of multidisciplinary approaches in applied evolutionary problems. PMID:25567968

A Wireless Sensor Network for Vineyard Monitoring That Uses Image Processing

PubMed Central

Lloret, Jaime; Bosch, Ignacio; Sendra, Sandra; Serrano, Arturo

2011-01-01

The first step to detect when a vineyard has any type of deficiency, pest or disease is to observe its stems, its grapes and/or its leaves. To place a sensor in each leaf of every vineyard is obviously not feasible in terms of cost and deployment. We should thus look for new methods to detect these symptoms precisely and economically. In this paper, we present a wireless sensor network where each sensor node takes images from the field and internally uses image processing techniques to detect any unusual status in the leaves. This symptom could be caused by a deficiency, pest, disease or other harmful agent. When it is detected, the sensor node sends a message to a sink node through the wireless sensor network in order to notify the problem to the farmer. The wireless sensor uses the IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n standard, which allows connections from large distances in open air. This paper describes the wireless sensor network design, the wireless sensor deployment, how the node processes the images in order to monitor the vineyard, and the sensor network traffic obtained from a test bed performed in a flat vineyard in Spain. Although the system is not able to distinguish between deficiency, pest, disease or other harmful agents, a symptoms image database and a neuronal network could be added in order learn from the experience and provide an accurate problem diagnosis. PMID:22163948

A wireless sensor network for vineyard monitoring that uses image processing.

PubMed

Lloret, Jaime; Bosch, Ignacio; Sendra, Sandra; Serrano, Arturo

2011-01-01

The first step to detect when a vineyard has any type of deficiency, pest or disease is to observe its stems, its grapes and/or its leaves. To place a sensor in each leaf of every vineyard is obviously not feasible in terms of cost and deployment. We should thus look for new methods to detect these symptoms precisely and economically. In this paper, we present a wireless sensor network where each sensor node takes images from the field and internally uses image processing techniques to detect any unusual status in the leaves. This symptom could be caused by a deficiency, pest, disease or other harmful agent. When it is detected, the sensor node sends a message to a sink node through the wireless sensor network in order to notify the problem to the farmer. The wireless sensor uses the IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n standard, which allows connections from large distances in open air. This paper describes the wireless sensor network design, the wireless sensor deployment, how the node processes the images in order to monitor the vineyard, and the sensor network traffic obtained from a test bed performed in a flat vineyard in Spain. Although the system is not able to distinguish between deficiency, pest, disease or other harmful agents, a symptoms image database and a neuronal network could be added in order learn from the experience and provide an accurate problem diagnosis.

Using SPOT-5 images in rice farming for detecting BPH (Brown Plant Hopper)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghobadifar, F.; Wayayok, A.; Shattri, M.; Shafri, H.

2014-06-01

Infestation of rice plant-hopper such as Brown Plant Hopper (BPH) (Nilaparvata lugens) is one of the most notable risk in rice yield in tropical areas especially in Asia. In order to use visible and infrared images to detect stress in rice production caused by BPH infestation, several remote sensing techniques have been developed. Initial recognition of pest infestation by means of remote sensing will spreads, for precision farming practice. To address this issue, detection of sheath blight in rice farming was examined by using SPOT-5 images. Specific image indices such as Normalized decrease food production costs, limit environmental hazards, and enhance natural pest control before the problem Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Standard difference indices (SDI) and Ratio Vegetation Index (RVI) were used for analyses using ENVI 4.8 and SPSS software. Results showed that all the indices to recognize infected plants are significant at α = 0.01. Examination of the association between the disease indices indicated that band 3 (near infrared) and band 4 (mid infrared) have a relatively high correlation. The selected indices declared better association for detecting healthy plants from diseased ones. Consequently, these sorts of indices especially NDVI could be valued as indicators for developing techniques for detecting the sheath blight of rice by using remote sensing. This infers that they are useful for crop disease detection but the spectral resolution is probably not sufficient to distinguish plants with light infections (low severity level). Using the index as an indicator can clarify the threshold for zoning the outbreaks. Quick assessment information is very useful in precision farming to practice site specific management such as pesticide application.

Molecular Characterization and Development of Real-Time PCR Assay for Pine-Wood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchidae)

PubMed Central

Ye, Weimin; Giblin-Davis, Robin M.

2013-01-01

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pine-wood nematode (PWN), is the causal agent of pine wilt disease, one of the most damaging emerging pest problems to forests around the world. It is native to North America where it causes relatively minor damage to native conifers but is labeled an EPPO-A-2 pest and a quarantine nematode for many countries outside of the United States because of its potential for destruction to their native conifers. Exports of wood logs and commodities involving softwood packaging materials now require a lab test for the presence/absence of this regulated nematode species. We characterized the DNA sequences on the ribosomal DNA small subunit, large subunit D2/D3, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit one on the aphelenchid species and described the development of a real-time-PCR method for rapid and accurate identification of PWN targeting the ITS-1. A total of 97 nematode populations were used to evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of this assay, including 45 populations of B. xylophilus and 36 populations of 21 other species of Bursaphelenchus which belong to the abietinus, cocophilus, eggersi, fungivorus, hofmanni, kevini, leoni, sexdentati, and xylophilus groups and one unassigned group from a total of 13 groups in the genus Bursaphelenchus; 15 populations of Aphelenchoides besseyi, A. fragariae, Aphelenchoides species and Aphelenchus avenae; and one population of mixed nematode species from a soil sample. This assay proved to be specific to B. xylophilus only and was sensitive to a single nematode specimen regardless of the life stages present. This approach provides rapid species identification necessary to comply with the zero-tolerance export regulations. PMID:24244367

Specificity and putative mode of action of a mosquito larvicidal toxin from the bacterium Xenorhabdus innexi.

PubMed

Kim, Il-Hwan; Ensign, Jerald; Kim, Do-Young; Jung, Hoe-Yune; Kim, Na-Ri; Choi, Bo-Hwa; Park, Sun-Min; Lan, Que; Goodman, Walter G

2017-10-01

Reduction of mosquito-borne diseases relies, in part, on the use of synthetic pesticides to control pest mosquitoes. This reliance has led to genetic resistance, environmental contamination and the nondiscriminatory elimination of both pest and non-pest species. To expand our options for control, we screened entomopathogenic bacteria for potential larvicidal activity. A lipopeptide from the bacterium, Xenorhabdus innexi, was discovered that displayed potent larvicidal activity. The LC 50 s of the lipopeptide towards Aedes aegypti, Culex pipiens and Anopheles gambiae larvae were 1.81, 1.25 and 1.86 parts-per-million, respectively. No mortality was observed in other insect species tested. The putative mode of action of the lipopeptide suggested that after orally ingestion, it bound to the apical membrane of anterior midgut cells and created pores in the cellular membranes. The rapid neutralization of midgut pH suggested the pores disabled the H + -V-ATPase on the basal membrane and led to epithelial cell death. Specificity and toxicity towards mosquito larvae and the unique mode of action makes this lipopeptide a potentially attractive bacterial insecticide for control of mosquitoes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Malathion

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This organophosphate (OP) insecticide is used in agriculture, residential gardens, public recreation areas, and public health pest control programs. Applied according to label specifications, it can be used to kill mosquitoes without unreasonable risks.

Screening ornamental cherry (Prunus) taxa for resistance to infection by Blumeriella jaapii

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ornamental flowering cherry trees are important landscape plants in the U.S., but are susceptible to a number of serious pests and disease problems. Cherry leaf spot, caused by the fungus Blumeriella jaapii, is characterized by defoliating susceptible trees in late summer, leading to weakening or ev...

Therapeutic chemical treatment of grape vines for root diseases

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There is a need to develop post-plant treatment of soil pests for perennial vine and tree crops. Field trials were performed to evaluate post-plant treatment of established grape vines (Vitis vinifera var. Thompson Seedless) with known problems of soilborne plant-parasitic nematodes and pathogens us...

Parasitic Weeds, a Scientific Challenge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A recent issue of the SCI journal Pest Management Science (May, 2009) was devoted to an overview of the problem of parasitic weeds and to the research that is being done to alleviate it. These papers are from an OECD-sponsored conference entitled Managing Parasitic Weeds that recently brought the b...

The plant-parasitic nematode collections of RRIP: The realization of an ISTC project

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plant-parasitic nematodes are important pests of agricultural and wild plants throughout Russia and the world. The best strategy for management of nematode damage is an integrated approach to the problem: i.e., the use of agrotechnological approaches (crop rotation, soil amendments, etc.), reasonabl...

Soils under conservation agriculture with vegetables in Siem Reap, Cambodia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Smallholder vegetable farmers in Siem Reap, Cambodia experienced declining crop productivity. It could be a result of a mixture of factors such as nutrient and pest problems and extreme weather events such as droughts and/or heavy rains. The no-till, continuous mulch and diverse species principles o...

Get to Know Your Neighborhood Pest: An Interdisciplinary Project for Middle School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zipko, Stephen J.

1982-01-01

Describes an interdisciplinary, month-long minicourse project focusing on the gypsy moth. The project provided students with opportunities to develop analytical and problem-solving skills while studying content from entomology, botany, chemistry, toxicology, ecology, math, art, law, political science, history, English, consumer studies, and…

Identification of stable fly attractant compounds in vinasse, a byproduct of sugarcane-ethanol distillation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae), is a worldwide pest of livestock. Recent outbreaks of stable flies in sugarcane fields in Brazil have become a serious problem for livestock producers. Larvae and pupae found inside sugarcane stems after harvesting may indicate that stable fli...

Grow them and we will come for the feast

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Perennial grasses such as switchgrass are likely to become dedicated biomass crops. However, there is limited knowledge on the types of insect pests that could pose a problem if these grasses are cultivated on a large-scale. Recent reports suggest that different classes of insect have the ability ...

Are herbicides a once in a century method of weed control?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Economists have long viewed pesticide resistance as a natural resource problem, in which the stock of pest susceptibility to pesticides is finite, and subject to user costs. Many of the economic approaches to encouraging pesticide stewardship are built on this assumption. Our analysis of public data...

New greenbug resistant sources in winter barley, Hordeum vulgare (L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondonai), is a chronic problem for small grains in the Southern Plains causing significant economic losses in outbreak years. Central to the pest status of greenbug is the occurrence of resistance-breaking biotypes. Rsg1 and Rsg2 are the only 2 genes for greenbug re...

Agricultural nematology in East and Southern Africa: problems, management strategies and stakeholder linkages.

PubMed

Talwana, Herbert; Sibanda, Zibusiso; Wanjohi, Waceke; Kimenju, Wangai; Luambano-Nyoni, Nessie; Massawe, Cornel; Manzanilla-López, Rosa H; Davies, Keith G; Hunt, David J; Sikora, Richard A; Coyne, Danny L; Gowen, Simon R; Kerry, Brian R

2016-02-01

By 2050, Africa's population is projected to exceed 2 billion. Africa will have to increase food production more than 50% in the coming 50 years to meet the nutritional requirements of its growing population. Nowhere is the need to increase agricultural productivity more pertinent than in much of Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is currently static or declining. Optimal pest management will be essential, because intensification of any system creates heightened selection pressures for pests. Plant-parasitic nematodes and their damage potential are intertwined with intensified systems and can be an indicator of unsustainable practices. As soil pests, nematodes are commonly overlooked or misdiagnosed, particularly where appropriate expertise and knowledge transfer systems are meager or inadequately funded. Nematode damage to roots results in less efficient root systems that are less able to access nutrients and water, which can produce symptoms typical of water or nutrient deficiency, leading to misdiagnosis of the underlying cause. Damage in subsistence agriculture is exacerbated by growing crops on degraded soils and in areas of low water retention where strong root growth is vital. This review focuses on the current knowledge of economically important nematode pests affecting key crops, nematode control methods and the research and development needs for sustainable management, stakeholder involvement and capacity building in the context of crop security in East and Southern Africa, especially Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Subtractive and differential hybridization molecular analyses of Ceratitis capitata XX/XY versus XX embryos to search for male-specific early transcribed genes.

PubMed

Salvemini, Marco; D'Amato, Rocco; Petrella, Valeria; Ippolito, Domenica; Ventre, Giuseppe; Zhang, Ying; Saccone, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

The agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata, also known as the Mediterranean fruit fly or Medfly, is a fruit crop pest of very high economic relevance in different continents. The strategy to separate Ceratitis males from females (sexing) in mass rearing facilities is a useful step before the sterilization and release of male-only flies in Sterile Insect Technique control programs (SIT). The identification of genes having early embryonic male-specific expression, including Y-linked genes, such as the Maleness factor, could help to design novel and improved methods of sexing in combination with transgenesis, aiming to confer conditional female-specific lethality or female-to-male sexual reversal. We used a combination of Suppression Subtractive Hybrydization (SSH), Mirror Orientation Selection (MOS) anddifferential screening hybridization (DSH) techniques to approach the problem of isolating corresponding mRNAs expressed in XX/XY embryos versus XX-only embryos during a narrow developmental window (8-10 hours after egg laying, AEL ). Here we describe a novel strategy we have conceived to obtain relatively large amounts of XX-only embryos staged at 8-10 h AEL and so to extract few micrograms of polyA+ required to apply the complex technical procedure. The combination of these 3 techniques led to the identification of a Y-linked putative gene, CcGm2, sharing high sequence identity to a paralogous gene, CcGm1, localized either on an autosome or on the X chromosome. We propose that CcGm2 is a first interesting putative Y-linked gene which could play a role in sex determination. The function exterted by this gene should be investigated by novel genetic tools, such as CRISPR-CAS9, which will permit to target only the Y-linked paralogue, avoiding to interfere with the autosomal or X-linked paralogue function.

Subtractive and differential hybridization molecular analyses of Ceratitis capitata XX/XY versus XX embryos to search for male-specific early transcribed genes

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata, also known as the Mediterranean fruit fly or Medfly, is a fruit crop pest of very high economic relevance in different continents. The strategy to separate Ceratitis males from females (sexing) in mass rearing facilities is a useful step before the sterilization and release of male-only flies in Sterile Insect Technique control programs (SIT). The identification of genes having early embryonic male-specific expression, including Y-linked genes, such as the Maleness factor, could help to design novel and improved methods of sexing in combination with transgenesis, aiming to confer conditional female-specific lethality or female-to-male sexual reversal. We used a combination of Suppression Subtractive Hybrydization (SSH), Mirror Orientation Selection (MOS) and differential screening hybridization (DSH) techniques to approach the problem of isolating corresponding mRNAs expressed in XX/XY embryos versus XX-only embryos during a narrow developmental window (8-10 hours after egg laying, AEL ). Here we describe a novel strategy we have conceived to obtain relatively large amounts of XX-only embryos staged at 8-10 h AEL and so to extract few micrograms of polyA+ required to apply the complex technical procedure. The combination of these 3 techniques led to the identification of a Y-linked putative gene, CcGm2, sharing high sequence identity to a paralogous gene, CcGm1, localized either on an autosome or on the X chromosome. We propose that CcGm2 is a first interesting putative Y-linked gene which could play a role in sex determination. The function exterted by this gene should be investigated by novel genetic tools, such as CRISPR-CAS9, which will permit to target only the Y-linked paralogue, avoiding to interfere with the autosomal or X-linked paralogue function. PMID:25472628

Wildlife as valuable natural resources vs. intolerable pests: A suburban wildlife management model

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeStefano, S.; Deblinger, R.D.

2005-01-01

Management of wildlife in suburban environments involves a complex set of interactions between both human and wildlife populations. Managers need additional tools, such as models, that can help them assess the status of wildlife populations, devise and apply management programs, and convey this information to other professionals and the public. We present a model that conceptualizes how some wildlife populations can fluctuate between extremely low (rare, threatened, or endangered status) and extremely high (overabundant) numbers over time. Changes in wildlife abundance can induce changes in human perceptions, which continually redefine species as a valuable resource to be protected versus a pest to be controlled. Management programs thatincorporate a number of approaches and promote more stable populations of wildlife avoid the problems of the resource versus pest transformation, are less costly to society, and encourage more positive and less negative interactions between humans and wildlife. We presenta case example of the beaver Castor canadensis in Massachusetts to illustrate how this model functions and can be applied. ?? 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.

Successes and challenges of managing resistance in Helicoverpa armigera to Bt cotton in Australia.

PubMed

Downes, Sharon; Mahon, Rod

2012-01-01

Bt cotton has been gradually released and adopted by Australian growers since 1996. It was initially deployed in Australia primarily to control the polyphagous pest Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), which in the 1990s became increasingly difficult to control due to widespread resistance to synthetic chemical insecticides. Bt-cotton has become a key tool in a program of integrated pest management for the production system that reduces pesticide dependence and the problems associated with its use. Herein we overview the deployment of Bt cotton in Australia including its performance and the approaches used to prolong the evolution of resistance to it by H. armigera. An integral component of this approach is monitoring resistance in this pest. We outline resistance screening methods, as well as the characteristics of resistant strains of H. armigera that have been isolated from field populations, or selected in the laboratory. We then highlight the successes and challenges for Bt cotton in Australia by way of discussing adaptive resistance management in light of potential changes in resistance.

Monthly forecasting of agricultural pests in Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirschi, M.; Dubrovsky, M.; Spirig, C.; Samietz, J.; Calanca, P.; Weigel, A. P.; Fischer, A. M.; Rotach, M. W.

2012-04-01

Given the repercussions of pests and diseases on agricultural production, detailed forecasting tools have been developed to simulate the degree of infestation depending on actual weather conditions. The life cycle of pests is most successfully predicted if the micro-climate of the immediate environment (habitat) of the causative organisms can be simulated. Sub-seasonal pest forecasts therefore require weather information for the relevant habitats and the appropriate time scale. The pest forecasting system SOPRA (www.sopra.info) currently in operation in Switzerland relies on such detailed weather information, using hourly weather observations up to the day the forecast is issued, but only a climatology for the forecasting period. Here, we aim at improving the skill of SOPRA forecasts by transforming the weekly information provided by ECMWF monthly forecasts (MOFCs) into hourly weather series as required for the prediction of upcoming life phases of the codling moth, the major insect pest in apple orchards worldwide. Due to the probabilistic nature of operational monthly forecasts and the limited spatial and temporal resolution, their information needs to be post-processed for use in a pest model. In this study, we developed a statistical downscaling approach for MOFCs that includes the following steps: (i) application of a stochastic weather generator to generate a large pool of daily weather series consistent with the climate at a specific location, (ii) a subsequent re-sampling of weather series from this pool to optimally represent the evolution of the weekly MOFC anomalies, and (iii) a final extension to hourly weather series suitable for the pest forecasting model. Results show a clear improvement in the forecast skill of occurrences of upcoming codling moth life phases when incorporating MOFCs as compared to the operational pest forecasting system. This is true both in terms of root mean squared errors and of the continuous rank probability scores of the probabilistic forecasts vs. the mean absolute errors of the deterministic system. Also, the application of the climate conserving recalibration (CCR, Weigel et al. 2009) technique allows for successful correction of the under-confidence in the forecasted occurrences of codling moth life phases. Reference: Weigel, A. P.; Liniger, M. A. & Appenzeller, C. (2009). Seasonal Ensemble Forecasts: Are Recalibrated Single Models Better than Multimodels? Mon. Wea. Rev., 137, 1460-1479.

Cry64Ba and Cry64Ca, Two ETX/MTX2-Type Bacillus thuringiensis Insecticidal Proteins Active against Hemipteran Pests.

PubMed

Liu, Yonglei; Wang, Yinglong; Shu, Changlong; Lin, Kejian; Song, Fuping; Bravo, Alejandra; Soberón, Mario; Zhang, Jie

2018-02-01

Genetically modified crops that express insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins have become a primary approach for control of lepidopteran (moth) and coleopteran (beetle) pests that feed by chewing the plants. However, the sap-sucking insects (Hemiptera) are not particularly susceptible to Bt toxins. In this study, we describe two Cry toxins (Cry64Ba and Cry64Ca) from Bt strain 1012 that showed toxicity against two important hemipteran rice pests, Laodelphax striatellus and Sogatella furcifera Both of these proteins contain an ETX/MTX2 domain and share common sequence features with the β-pore-forming toxins. Coexpression of cry64Ba and cry64Ca genes in the acrystalliferous Bt strain HD73 - resulted in high insecticidal activity against both hemipteran pests. No toxicity was observed on other pests such as Ostrinia furnacalis , Plutella xylostella , or Colaphellus bowringi Also, no hemolytic activity or toxicity against cancer cells was detected. Binding assays showed specific binding of the Cry64Ba/Cry64Ca toxin complex to brush border membrane vesicles isolated from L. striatellus Cry64Ba and Cry64Ca are Bt Cry toxins highly effective against hemipteran pests and could provide a novel strategy for the environmentally friendly biological control of rice planthoppers in transgenic plants. IMPORTANCE In Asia, rice is an important staple food, whose production is threatened by rice planthoppers. To date, no effective Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) protein has been shown to have activity against rice planthoppers. We cloned two Bt toxin genes from Bt strain 1012 that showed toxicity against small brown planthoppers ( Laodelphax striatellus ) and white-backed planthoppers ( Sogatella furcifera ). To our knowledge, the proteins encoded by the cry64Ba and cry64Ca genes are the most efficient insecticidal Bt Cry proteins with activity against hemipteran insects reported so far. Cry64Ba and Cry64Ca showed no toxicity against some lepidopteran or coleopteran pests. These two proteins should be able to be used for integrated hemipteran pest management. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Microbial Pest Control Agents: Are they a Specific And Safe Tool for Insect Pest Management?

PubMed

Deshayes, Caroline; Siegwart, Myriam; Pauron, David; Froger, Josy-Anne; Lapied, Bruno; Apaire-Marchais, Véronique

2017-01-01

Microorganisms (viruses, bacteria and fungi) or their bioactive agents can be used as active substances and therefore are referred as Microbial Pest Control Agents (MPCA). They are used as alternative strategies to chemical insecticides to counteract the development of resistances and to reduce adverse effects on both environment and human health. These natural entomopathogenic agents, which have specific modes of action, are generally considered safer as compared to conventional chemical insecticides. Baculoviruses are the only viruses being used as the safest biological control agents. They infect insects and have narrow host ranges. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is the most widely and successfully used bioinsecticide in the integrated pest management programs in the world. Bt mainly produces crystal delta-endotoxins and secreted toxins. However, the Bt toxins are not stable for a very long time and are highly sensitive to solar UV. So genetically modified plants that express toxins have been developed and represent a large part of the phytosanitary biological products. Finally, entomopathogenic fungi and particularly, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, are also used for their insecticidal properties. Most studies on various aspects of the safety of MPCA to human, non-target organisms and environment have only reported acute but not chronic toxicity. This paper reviews the modes of action of MPCA, their toxicological risks to human health and ecotoxicological profiles together with their environmental persistence. This review is part of the special issue "Insecticide Mode of Action: From Insect to Mammalian Toxicity". Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Double-stranded RNA Oral Delivery Methods to Induce RNA Interference in Phloem and Plant-sap-feeding Hemipteran Insects.

PubMed

Ghosh, Saikat Kumar B; Hunter, Wayne B; Park, Alexis L; Gundersen-Rindal, Dawn E

2018-05-04

Phloem and plant sap feeding insects invade the integrity of crops and fruits to retrieve nutrients, in the process damaging food crops. Hemipteran insects account for a number of economically substantial pests of plants that cause damage to crops by feeding on phloem sap. The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) and the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) are hemipteran insect pests introduced in North America, where they are an invasive agricultural pest of high-value specialty, row, and staple crops and citrus fruits, as well as a nuisance pest when they aggregate indoors. Insecticide resistance in many species has led to the development of alternate methods of pest management strategies. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene silencing mechanism for functional genomic studies that has potential applications as a tool for the management of insect pests. Exogenously synthesized dsRNA or small interfering RNA (siRNA) can trigger highly efficient gene silencing through the degradation of endogenous RNA, which is homologous to that presented. Effective and environmental use of RNAi as molecular biopesticides for biocontrol of hemipteran insects requires the in vivo delivery of dsRNAs through feeding. Here we demonstrate methods for delivery of dsRNA to insects: loading of dsRNA into green beans by immersion, and absorbing of gene-specific dsRNA with oral delivery through ingestion. We have also outlined non-transgenic plant delivery approaches using foliar sprays, root drench, trunk injections as well as clay granules, all of which may be essential for sustained release of dsRNA. Efficient delivery by orally ingested dsRNA was confirmed as an effective dosage to induce a significant decrease in expression of targeted genes, such as juvenile hormone acid O-methyltransferase (JHAMT) and vitellogenin (Vg). These innovative methods represent strategies for delivery of dsRNA to use in crop protection and overcome environmental challenges for pest management.

An Individual-Based Model of the Evolution of Pesticide Resistance in Heterogeneous Environments: Control of Meligethes aeneus Population in Oilseed Rape Crops

PubMed Central

Stratonovitch, Pierre; Elias, Jan; Denholm, Ian; Slater, Russell; Semenov, Mikhail A.

2014-01-01

Preventing a pest population from damaging an agricultural crop and, at the same time, preventing the development of pesticide resistance is a major challenge in crop protection. Understanding how farming practices and environmental factors interact with pest characteristics to influence the spread of resistance is a difficult and complex task. It is extremely challenging to investigate such interactions experimentally at realistic spatial and temporal scales. Mathematical modelling and computer simulation have, therefore, been used to analyse resistance evolution and to evaluate potential resistance management tactics. Of the many modelling approaches available, individual-based modelling of a pest population offers most flexibility to include and analyse numerous factors and their interactions. Here, a pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus) population was modelled as an aggregate of individual insects inhabiting a spatially heterogeneous landscape. The development of the pest and host crop (oilseed rape) was driven by climatic variables. The agricultural land of the landscape was managed by farmers applying a specific rotation and crop protection strategy. The evolution of a single resistance allele to the pyrethroid lambda cyhalothrin was analysed for different combinations of crop management practices and for a recessive, intermediate and dominant resistance allele. While the spread of a recessive resistance allele was severely constrained, intermediate or dominant resistance alleles showed a similar response to the management regime imposed. Calendar treatments applied irrespective of pest density accelerated the development of resistance compared to ones applied in response to prescribed pest density thresholds. A greater proportion of spring-sown oilseed rape was also found to increase the speed of resistance as it increased the period of insecticide exposure. Our study demonstrates the flexibility and power of an individual-based model to simulate how farming practices affect pest population dynamics, and the consequent impact of different control strategies on the risk and speed of resistance development. PMID:25531104

An individual-based model of the evolution of pesticide resistance in heterogeneous environments: control of Meligethes aeneus population in oilseed rape crops.

PubMed

Stratonovitch, Pierre; Elias, Jan; Denholm, Ian; Slater, Russell; Semenov, Mikhail A

2014-01-01

Preventing a pest population from damaging an agricultural crop and, at the same time, preventing the development of pesticide resistance is a major challenge in crop protection. Understanding how farming practices and environmental factors interact with pest characteristics to influence the spread of resistance is a difficult and complex task. It is extremely challenging to investigate such interactions experimentally at realistic spatial and temporal scales. Mathematical modelling and computer simulation have, therefore, been used to analyse resistance evolution and to evaluate potential resistance management tactics. Of the many modelling approaches available, individual-based modelling of a pest population offers most flexibility to include and analyse numerous factors and their interactions. Here, a pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus) population was modelled as an aggregate of individual insects inhabiting a spatially heterogeneous landscape. The development of the pest and host crop (oilseed rape) was driven by climatic variables. The agricultural land of the landscape was managed by farmers applying a specific rotation and crop protection strategy. The evolution of a single resistance allele to the pyrethroid lambda cyhalothrin was analysed for different combinations of crop management practices and for a recessive, intermediate and dominant resistance allele. While the spread of a recessive resistance allele was severely constrained, intermediate or dominant resistance alleles showed a similar response to the management regime imposed. Calendar treatments applied irrespective of pest density accelerated the development of resistance compared to ones applied in response to prescribed pest density thresholds. A greater proportion of spring-sown oilseed rape was also found to increase the speed of resistance as it increased the period of insecticide exposure. Our study demonstrates the flexibility and power of an individual-based model to simulate how farming practices affect pest population dynamics, and the consequent impact of different control strategies on the risk and speed of resistance development.

Plant Perception and Short-Term Responses to Phytophagous Insects and Mites.

PubMed

Santamaria, M Estrella; Arnaiz, Ana; Gonzalez-Melendi, Pablo; Martinez, Manuel; Diaz, Isabel

2018-05-03

Plant⁻pest relationships involve complex processes encompassing a network of molecules, signals, and regulators for overcoming defenses they develop against each other. Phytophagous arthropods identify plants mainly as a source of food. In turn, plants develop a variety of strategies to avoid damage and survive. The success of plant defenses depends on rapid and specific recognition of the phytophagous threat. Subsequently, plants trigger a cascade of short-term responses that eventually result in the production of a wide range of compounds with defense properties. This review deals with the main features involved in the interaction between plants and phytophagous insects and acari, focusing on early responses from the plant side. A general landscape of the diverse strategies employed by plants within the first hours after pest perception to block the capability of phytophagous insects to develop mechanisms of resistance is presented, with the potential of providing alternatives for pest control.

Impact of Cell Wall Composition on Maize Resistance to Pests and Diseases

PubMed Central

Santiago, Rogelio; Barros-Rios, Jaime; Malvar, Rosa A.

2013-01-01

In cereals, the primary cell wall is built of a skeleton of cellulosic microfibrils embedded in a matrix of hemicelluloses and smaller amounts of pectins, glycoproteins and hydroxycinnamates. Later, during secondary wall development, p-coumaryl, coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols are copolymerized to form mixed lignins. Several of these cell wall components show a determinative role in maize resistance to pest and diseases. However, defense mechanisms are very complex and vary among the same plant species, different tissues or even the same tissue at different developmental stages. Thus, it is important to highlight that the role of the cell wall components needs to be tested in diverse genotypes and specific tissues where the feeding or attacking by the pathogen takes place. Understanding the role of cell wall constituents as defense mechanisms may allow modifications of crops to withstand pests and diseases. PMID:23535334

Alternatives to petroleum-based biocides for protecting hardwood lumber and manufactured products. Transferring technologies for industry No. 4. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murdoch, C.W.

1993-03-30

The report addresses the current and prospective mechanisms for developing environmentally responsible treatments for wood products that prevent stain, decay, and insect damage. The author examines various aspects of the problem and current prevention techniques, including an extended discussion of the attributes and shortcomings of six treatments reviewed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, in An Efficacy Review of Control Measures for Potential Pests of Imported Soviet Timber. The portion of the report labeled Uncommercialized Technologies presents the new, uncommercialized technologies discovered through this project. They include: guayule shrub-derived wood preservative; biological control strategies;more » tannins derived from tree bark; insect-specific toxins from arthropod and vertebrate venoms; and natural biocidal repellents.« less

Soybean Aphid Population Dynamics, Soybean Yield Loss and Development of Stage-Specific Economic Injury Levels

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Stage-specific economic injury levels form the basis of an integrated pest management approach for soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) population management in soybeans (Glycine max L.). Experimental objectives were to develop a procedure for calculating economic injury levels of the soybean a...

7 CFR 305.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... specified temperature for a specific time period to kill targeted pests. Vapor heat. Heated air saturated with water vapor and used to raise the temperature of a commodity to a required point for a specific... products. Hot water immersion dip. Complete immersion of a commodity in heated water to raise the...

Evolutionary decay and the prospects for long-term disease intervention using engineered insect vectors

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

After a long history of applying the sterile insect technique to suppress populations of disease vectors and agricultural pests, there is growing interest in using genetic engineering both to improve old methods and to enable new methods. The two goals of interventions are to suppress populations, possibly eradicating a species altogether, or to abolish the vector’s competence to transmit a parasite. New methods enabled by genetic engineering include the use of selfish genes toward either goal as well as a variety of killer-rescue systems that could be used for vector competence reduction. This article reviews old and new methods with an emphasis on the potential for evolution of resistance to these strategies. Established methods of population suppression did not obviously face a problem from resistance evolution, but newer technologies might. Resistance to these newer interventions will often be mechanism-specific, and while it is too early to know where resistance evolution will become a problem, it is at least possible to propose properties of interventions that will be more or less effective in blocking resistance evolution. PMID:26160736

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Science.gov Websites

National Pesticide Information Center 1.800.858.7378 npic@ace.orst.edu We're open from 8:00AM to 12 Plants Pest Control Identify Your Pest Learn About Your Pest Control Your Pest Integrated Pest Management Home Page Pest Control Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Related Topics: Using Pesticides Around Pets

[Effects of different amendments on contents of phenolic acids and specific microbes in rhizosphere of Pseudostellaria heterophylla.

PubMed

Wu, Lin Kun; Wu, Hong Miao; Zhu, Quan; Chen, Jun; Wang, Juan Ying; Wu, Yan Hong; Lin, Sheng; Lin, Wen Xiong

2016-11-18

Pseudostellaria heterophylla is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. The tuberous roots of P. heterophylla are highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine and have a high market demand. However, extended monoculture of P. heterophylla results in a significant decline in the biomass and quality, and escalates disease and pest problems. Therefore, it is important to understand the underlying mechanism and biocontrol methods for consecutive monoculture problems. With "Zheshen 2" as an experimental material, the changes in the contents of main nutrients in soil, phenolic acids and specific microbes under monoculture and different amendments were analyzed by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and qPCR. The results showed that consecutive monoculture of P. heterophylla led to a decrease in yield by 43.5% while the microbial fertilizer treatment and the paddy-upland rotation could relieve the consecutive monoculture problems. Available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium and total potassium were significantly higher in the consecutively monocultured soils than in the newly planted soils. But consecutive monoculture resulted in soil acidification. HPLC analysis showed that conse-cutive monoculture of this plant did not lead to a consistent accumulation of soil phenolic acids. At middle stage of root expansion and at harvest stage, most of phenolic acids were even higher in the newly planted soils than in the consecutively monocultured soils. Furthermore, qPCR analysis showed that the amounts of three specific pathogens identified previously (i.e. Fusarium oxysporum, Talaromyces helicus, Kosakonia sacchari) were significantly higher in the consecutively monocultured soils than in the newly planted soils. However, the microbial fertilizer treatment and the paddy-upland rotation resulted in a significant decline in the population of these specific pathogens and improved the soil environment. In conclusion, the consecutive monoculture problems of P. heterophylla may be due to the rapid proliferation of host-specific pathogens, rather than the deficiency of soil nutrients and the autotoxicity of allelochemicals in root exudates. The results in this study could provide the theoretical basis to explore the underlying mechanism of replanting disease of P. heterophylla and its biocontrol strategies.

PsOr1, a potential target for RNA interference-based pest management.

PubMed

Zhao, Y Y; Liu, F; Yang, G; You, M S

2011-02-01

Insect pests cause billions of dollars in agricultural losses, and attempts to kill them have resulted in growing threats from insecticide resistance, dietary pesticide pollution and environmental destruction. New approaches to control refractory insect pests are therefore needed. The host-plant preferences of insect pests rely on olfaction and are mediated via a seven transmembrane-domain odorant receptor (Or) family. The present study reports the cloning and characterization of PsOr1, the first candidate member of the Or gene family from Phyllotreta striolata, a devastating beetle pest that causes damage worldwide. PsOr1 is remarkably well conserved with respect to other insect orthologues, including DmOr83b from Drosophila melanogaster. These insect orthologues form an essential non-conventional Or sub-family and may play an important and generalized role in insect olfaction. We designed double-stranded (ds) RNA directly against the PsOr1 gene and exploited RNA interference (RNAi) to control P. striolata. The chemotactic behavioural measurements showed that adult beetles were unable to sense the attractant or repellent odour stimulus after microinjection of dsRNA against PsOr1. Reverse Transcription (RT)-PCR analysis showed specific down-regulation of mRNA transcript levels for this gene. Furthermore, host-plant preference experiments confirmed that silencing PsOr1 by RNAi treatment impaired the host-plant preferences of P. striolata for cruciferous vegetables. These results demonstrate that this insect control approach of using RNAi to target PsOr1 and its orthologues might be effective in blocking host-plant-seeking behaviours in diverse insect pests. The results also support the theory that this unique receptor type plays an essential general role in insect olfaction. © 2010 Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University. Insect Molecular Biology © 2010 The Royal Entomological Society.

Menadione Sodium Bisulphite (MSB) enhances the resistance response of tomato, leading to repel mollusc pests.

PubMed

Carrillo-Perdomo, Estefanía; Jiménez-Arias, David; Aller, Ángel; Borges, Andrés A

2016-05-01

Snails and slugs are terrestrial gastropods representing an important biotic stress that adversely affects crop yields. These pests are typically controlled with molluscicides, which produce pollution and toxicity and further induce the evolution of resistance mechanisms, making pest management even more challenging. In our work, we have assessed the efficacy of two different plant defence activators, menadione sodium bisulphite (MSB) and 1,2,3-benzothiadiazole-7-thiocarboxylic acid S-methyl ester (BTH), as inducers of resistance mechanisms of the model plant for defence, Solanum lycopersicum, against the generalist mollusc Theba grasseti (Helicidae). The study was designed to test the feeding behaviour and choice of snails, and also to analyse the expression profile of different genes specifically involved in defence against herbivores and wounds. Our data suggest that, through the downregulation of the terpene volatile genes and the production of proteinase inhibitors, treated MSB plants may be less apparent to herbivores that use herbivore-induced plant volatiles for host location. By contrast, BTH was not effective in the treatment of the pest, probably owing to an antagonistic effect derived from the induction of both salicylic-acid-dependent and jasmonic-acid-dependent pathways. This information is crucial to determine the genetic basis of the choice of terrestrial gastropod herbivores in tomato, providing valuable insight into how the plant defence activators could control herbivore pests in plants. Our work not only reports for the first time the interaction between tomato and a mollusc pest but also presents the action of two plant defence inductors that seems to produce opposed responses by inducing resistance mechanisms through different defence pathways. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

How agro-ecological research helps to address food security issues under new IPM and pesticide reduction policies for global crop production systems.

PubMed

E Birch, A Nicholas; Begg, Graham S; Squire, Geoffrey R

2011-06-01

Drivers behind food security and crop protection issues are discussed in relation to food losses caused by pests. Pests globally consume food estimated to feed an additional one billion people. Key drivers include rapid human population increase, climate change, loss of beneficial on-farm biodiversity, reduction in per capita cropped land, water shortages, and EU pesticide withdrawals under policies relating to 91/414 EEC. IPM (Integrated Pest Management) will be compulsory for all EU agriculture by 2014 and is also being widely adopted globally. IPM offers a 'toolbox' of complementary crop- and region-specific crop protection solutions to address these rising pressures. IPM aims for more sustainable solutions by using complementary technologies. The applied research challenge now is to reduce selection pressure on single solution strategies, by creating additive/synergistic interactions between IPM components. IPM is compatible with organic, conventional, and GM cropping systems and is flexible, allowing regional fine-tuning. It reduces pests below economic thresholds utilizing key 'ecological services', particularly biocontrol. A recent global review demonstrates that IPM can reduce pesticide use and increase yields of most of the major crops studied. Landscape scale 'ecological engineering', together with genetic improvement of new crop varieties, will enhance the durability of pest-resistant cultivars (conventional and GM). IPM will also promote compatibility with semiochemicals, biopesticides, precision pest monitoring tools, and rapid diagnostics. These combined strategies are urgently needed and are best achieved via multi-disciplinary research, including complex spatio-temporal modelling at farm and landscape scales. Integrative and synergistic use of existing and new IPM technologies will help meet future food production needs more sustainably in developed and developing countries, in an era of reduced pesticide availability. Current IPM research gaps are identified and discussed.

Microsatellite analysis of medfly bioinfestations in California.

PubMed

Bonizzoni, M; Zheng, L; Guglielmino, C R; Haymer, D S; Gasperi, G; Gomulski, L M; Malacrida, A R

2001-10-01

The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, is a destructive agricultural pest with a long history of invasion success. This pest has been affecting different regions of the United States for the past 30 years, but a number of studies of medfly bioinfestations has focused on the situation in California. Although some progress has been made in terms of establishing the origin of infestations, the overall status of this pest in this area remains controversial. Specifically, do flies captured over the years represent independent infestations or the persistence of a resident population? We present an effort to answer this question based on the use of multilocus genotyping. Ten microsatellite loci were used to analyse 109 medflies captured in several infestations within California between 1992 and 1998. Using these same markers, 242 medflies from regions of the world having 'established' populations of this pest including Hawaii, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina and Peru, were also analysed. Although phylogenetic analysis, amova analysis, the IMMANC assignment test and geneclass exclusion test analysis suggest that some of the medflies captured in California are derived from independent invasion events, analysis of specimens from the Los Angeles basin provides support for the hypothesis that an endemic population, probably derived from Guatemala, has been established.

A new threat to bees? Entomopathogenic nematodes used in biological pest control cause rapid mortality in Bombus terrestris.

PubMed

Dutka, Alexandrea; McNulty, Alison; Williamson, Sally M

2015-01-01

There is currently a great deal of concern about population declines in pollinating insects. Many potential threats have been identified which may adversely affect the behaviour and health of both honey bees and bumble bees: these include pesticide exposure, and parasites and pathogens. Whether biological pest control agents adversely affect bees has been much less well studied: it is generally assumed that biological agents are safer for wildlife than chemical pesticides. The aim of this study was to test whether entomopathogenic nematodes sold as biological pest control products could potentially have adverse effects on the bumble bee Bombus terrestris. One product was a broad spectrum pest control agent containing both Heterorhabditis sp. and Steinernema sp., the other product was specifically for weevil control and contained only Steinernema kraussei. Both nematode products caused ≥80% mortality within the 96 h test period when bees were exposed to soil containing entomopathogenic nematodes at the recommended field concentration of 50 nematodes per cm(2) soil. Of particular concern is the fact that nematodes from the broad spectrum product could proliferate in the carcasses of dead bees, and therefore potentially infect a whole bee colony or spread to the wider environment.

Beyond insects: current status, achievements and future perspectives of RNAi in mite pests.

PubMed

Niu, Jinzhi; Shen, Guangmao; Christiaens, Olivier; Smagghe, Guy; He, Lin; Wang, Jinjun

2018-05-11

Mites comprise a group of key agricultural pests on a wide range of crops. They cause harm through feeding on the plant and transferring dangerous pathogens, and the rapid evolution of pesticide resistance in mites highlights the need for novel control methods. Currently, RNA interference (RNAi) shows a great potential for insect pest control. Here, we review the literature associated with RNAi in mite pests. We discuss different target genes and RNAi efficiency in various mite species, a promising Varroa control program through RNAi, the synergy of RNAi with plant defense mechanisms and microorganisms, and the current understandings of systemic movement of dsRNA. Based on this, we can conclude that there is a clear potential for an RNAi-based mite control application but further research on several aspects is needed, including: (i) the factors influencing the RNAi efficiency, (ii) the mechanism of environmental RNAi and cross-kingdom dsRNA trafficking, (iii) the mechanism of possible systemic and parental RNAi, and (iv) non-target effects, specifically in predatory mites, should be considered during the RNAi target selection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A comparative study of integrated pest management strategies based on impulsive control.

PubMed

Páez Chávez, Joseph; Jungmann, Dirk; Siegmund, Stefan

2018-12-01

The paper presents a comprehensive numerical study of mathematical models used to describe complex biological systems in the framework of integrated pest management. Our study considers two specific ecosystems that describe the application of control mechanisms based on pesticides and natural enemies, implemented in an impulsive and periodic manner, due to which the considered models belong to the class of impulsive differential equations. The present work proposes a numerical approach to study such type of models in detail, via the application of path-following (continuation) techniques for nonsmooth dynamical systems, via the novel continuation platform COCO (Dankowicz and Schilder). In this way, a detailed study focusing on the influence of selected system parameters on the effectiveness of the pest control scheme is carried out for both ecological scenarios. Furthermore, a comparative study is presented, with special emphasis on the mechanisms upon which a pest outbreak can occur in the considered ecosystems. Our study reveals that such outbreaks are determined by the presence of a branching point found during the continuation analysis. The numerical investigation concludes with an in-depth study of the state-dependent pesticide mortality considered in one of the ecological scenarios.

Model-specification uncertainty in future forest pest outbreak.

PubMed

Boulanger, Yan; Gray, David R; Cooke, Barry J; De Grandpré, Louis

2016-04-01

Climate change will modify forest pest outbreak characteristics, although there are disagreements regarding the specifics of these changes. A large part of this variability may be attributed to model specifications. As a case study, we developed a consensus model predicting spruce budworm (SBW, Choristoneura fumiferana [Clem.]) outbreak duration using two different predictor data sets and six different correlative methods. The model was used to project outbreak duration and the uncertainty associated with using different data sets and correlative methods (=model-specification uncertainty) for 2011-2040, 2041-2070 and 2071-2100, according to three forcing scenarios (RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5). The consensus model showed very high explanatory power and low bias. The model projected a more important northward shift and decrease in outbreak duration under the RCP 8.5 scenario. However, variation in single-model projections increases with time, making future projections highly uncertain. Notably, the magnitude of the shifts in northward expansion, overall outbreak duration and the patterns of outbreaks duration at the southern edge were highly variable according to the predictor data set and correlative method used. We also demonstrated that variation in forcing scenarios contributed only slightly to the uncertainty of model projections compared with the two sources of model-specification uncertainty. Our approach helped to quantify model-specification uncertainty in future forest pest outbreak characteristics. It may contribute to sounder decision-making by acknowledging the limits of the projections and help to identify areas where model-specification uncertainty is high. As such, we further stress that this uncertainty should be strongly considered when making forest management plans, notably by adopting adaptive management strategies so as to reduce future risks. © 2015 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Global Change Biology © 2015 Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Natural Resources Canada.

Environmental Conditions in Low-Income Urban Housing: Clustering and Associations With Self-Reported Health

PubMed Central

Spengler, John D.; Harley, Amy E.; Stoddard, Anne; Yang, May; Alvarez-Reeves, Marty; Sorensen, Glorian

2014-01-01

Objectives. We explored prevalence and clustering of key environmental conditions in low-income housing and associations with self-reported health. Methods. The Health in Common Study, conducted between 2005 and 2009, recruited participants (n = 828) from 20 low-income housing developments in the Boston area. We interviewed 1 participant per household and conducted a brief inspection of the unit (apartment). We created binary indexes and a summed index for household exposures: mold, combustion by-products, secondhand smoke, chemicals, pests, and inadequate ventilation. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the associations between each index and household characteristics and between each index and self-reported health. Results. Environmental problems were common; more than half of homes had 3 or more exposure-related problems (median summed index = 3). After adjustment for household-level demographics, we found clustering of problems in site (P < .01) for pests, combustion byproducts, mold, and ventilation. Higher summed index values were associated with higher adjusted odds of reporting fair–poor health (odds ratio = 2.7 for highest category; P < .008 for trend). Conclusions. We found evidence that indoor environmental conditions in multifamily housing cluster by site and that cumulative exposures may be associated with poor health. PMID:24028244

The implications of fall armyworm strains for insect resistance management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fall armyworm is a long-time agricultural pest in the Western Hemisphere and has recently become a major problem in many areas of Africa. Adding to the concern is the development of resistance to a subset of Bt-toxins in some fall armyworm populations that could compromise one of the more effective...

Airborne Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

NASA imaging technology has provided the basis for a commercial agricultural reconnaissance service. AG-RECON furnishes information from airborne sensors, aerial photographs and satellite and ground databases to farmers, foresters, geologists, etc. This service produces color "maps" of Earth conditions, which enable clients to detect crop color changes or temperature changes that may indicate fire damage or pest stress problems.

Comprehensive methods for earlier detection and monitoring of forest decline

Treesearch

Jennifer Pontius; Richard Hallett

2014-01-01

Forested ecosystems are threatened by invasive pests, pathogens, and unusual climatic events brought about by climate change. Earlier detection of incipient forest health problems and a quantitatively rigorous assessment method is increasingly important. Here, we describe a method that is adaptable across tree species and stress agents and practical for use in the...

Predation of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) from web-building spiders associated with anthropogenic dwellings

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The brown marmorated stink bug or Halyomorpha halys is an invasive pest from Asia that causes severe agricultural damage and nuisance problems for homeowners. While the natural enemy community of H. halys has been evaluated in several agroecosystems, it has not been quantified where H. halys overwi...

Vector ecology and integrated control procedures

PubMed Central

Laird, Marshall

1963-01-01

The elucidation of population regulatory mechanisms calls for exhaustive biological and ecological studies of whole ecosystems. Until lately, little effort was made to relate insect control activities to such a background, and the use of non-selective pesticides has often resulted in biotic equilibria being disrupted to the ultimate advantage of the organism under attack or of some other undesirable species. However, there is a growing realization in the field of economic entomology at large that biotic control agents usually constitute the major portion of the environmental resistance to increases in pest numbers and that insecticides should be fitted into the ecosystem, and not imposed upon it—in fact, that integrated control procedures are called for. The author considers such integrated procedures from the standpoint of vector control. His paper points out their potentialities in helping to solve resistance problems and in increasing the selectivity of control operations. It further suggests that they offer the means of achieving economical and lasting reductions of vector populations to levels at which human disease transmission is interrupted and pest problems lose much of their importance. PMID:20604165

Occupational exposure to pesticides and resultant health problems among cotton farmers of Punjab, Pakistan.

PubMed

Khan, Muhammad; Damalas, Christos A

2015-01-01

Occupational exposure to pesticides and resultant health problems were assessed among 318 randomly selected cotton farmers from the two districts of Punjab, Pakistan. Heavy dependence of farmers on pesticides for pest control was reported. A large part (23.3%) of the pesticides belonged to the category highly hazardous, whereas the largest part (54.7%) belonged to the category moderately hazardous. Some of them (8%) were reported to be used on vegetables. Common working practices of high exposure risk were: the confrontation of pesticide spills in the stage of spray solution preparation (76.4%), the use of low-technology and faulty sprayers (67.9%), and spraying under inappropriate weather (46.5%). A large proportion (34%) of the farmers reported multiple intoxication symptoms by pesticide use; the most common were irritation of skin and eyes, headache, and dizziness. Nevertheless, most farmers thought these symptoms were usual; only few reported visiting the doctor. Findings clearly indicated a high level of risk exposure to pesticides among farmers of the study area, calling upon immediate interventions toward increasing awareness about alternative pest control practices with less pesticide use.

Identification of pests and diseases of Dalbergia hainanensis based on EVI time series and classification of decision tree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Qiu; Xin, Wu; Qiming, Xiong

2017-06-01

In the process of vegetation remote sensing information extraction, the problem of phenological features and low performance of remote sensing analysis algorithm is not considered. To solve this problem, the method of remote sensing vegetation information based on EVI time-series and the classification of decision-tree of multi-source branch similarity is promoted. Firstly, to improve the time-series stability of recognition accuracy, the seasonal feature of vegetation is extracted based on the fitting span range of time-series. Secondly, the decision-tree similarity is distinguished by adaptive selection path or probability parameter of component prediction. As an index, it is to evaluate the degree of task association, decide whether to perform migration of multi-source decision tree, and ensure the speed of migration. Finally, the accuracy of classification and recognition of pests and diseases can reach 87%--98% of commercial forest in Dalbergia hainanensis, which is significantly better than that of MODIS coverage accuracy of 80%--96% in this area. Therefore, the validity of the proposed method can be verified.

Important Insect Pests of Fruit - Important Insect Pests of Nuts - Field Crop Insect Pests - Insect Pests of Vegetable Crops.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gesell, Stanley G.; And Others

This document consists of four agriculture extension service publications from Pennsylvania State University. The titles are: (1) Important Insect Pests of Fruit; (2) Important Insect Pests of Nuts; (3) Field Crop Insect Pests; and (4) Insect Pests of Vegetable Crops. The first publication gives the hosts, injury, and description of 22 insect…

Molecular analysis of faecal samples from birds to identify potential crop pests and useful biocontrol agents in natural areas.

PubMed

King, R A; Symondson, W O C; Thomas, R J

2015-06-01

Wild habitats adjoining farmland are potentially valuable sources of natural enemies, but also of pests. Here we tested the utility of birds as 'sampling devices', to identify the diversity of prey available to predators and particularly to screen for pests and natural enemies using natural ecosystems as refugia. Here we used PCR to amplify prey DNA from three sympatric songbirds foraging on small invertebrates in Phragmites reedbed ecosystems, namely the Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) and Cetti's Warbler (Cettia cetti). A recently described general invertebrate primer pair was used for the first time to analyse diets. Amplicons were cloned and sequenced, then identified by reference to the Barcoding of Life Database and to our own sequences obtained from fresh invertebrates. Forty-five distinct prey DNA sequences were obtained from 11 faecal samples, of which 39 could be identified to species or genus. Targeting three warbler species ensured that species-specific differences in prey choice broadened the range of prey taken. Amongst the prey found in reedbeds were major pests (including the tomato moth Lacanobia oleracea) as well as many potentially valuable natural enemies including aphidophagous hoverflies and braconid wasps. Given the mobility of birds, this approach provides a practical way of sampling a whole habitat at once, providing growers with information on possible invasion by locally resident pests and the colonization potential of natural enemies from local natural habitats.

40 CFR 180.215 - Naled; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... otherwise listed in this section, from use of the pesticide for area pest (mosquito and fly) control. (b... PROGRAMS TOLERANCES AND EXEMPTIONS FOR PESTICIDE CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD Specific Tolerances § 180.215...

40 CFR 180.215 - Naled; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... otherwise listed in this section, from use of the pesticide for area pest (mosquito and fly) control. (b... PROGRAMS TOLERANCES AND EXEMPTIONS FOR PESTICIDE CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD Specific Tolerances § 180.215...

Application of Differential Evolutionary Optimization Methodology for Parameter Structure Identification in Groundwater Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, Y.; Nishikawa, T.

2013-12-01

With the increasing complexity of parameter-structure identification (PSI) in groundwater modeling, there is a need for robust, fast, and accurate optimizers in the groundwater-hydrology field. For this work, PSI is defined as identifying parameter dimension, structure, and value. In this study, Voronoi tessellation and differential evolution (DE) are used to solve the optimal PSI problem. Voronoi tessellation is used for automatic parameterization, whereby stepwise regression and the error covariance matrix are used to determine the optimal parameter dimension. DE is a novel global optimizer that can be used to solve nonlinear, nondifferentiable, and multimodal optimization problems. It can be viewed as an improved version of genetic algorithms and employs a simple cycle of mutation, crossover, and selection operations. DE is used to estimate the optimal parameter structure and its associated values. A synthetic numerical experiment of continuous hydraulic conductivity distribution was conducted to demonstrate the proposed methodology. The results indicate that DE can identify the global optimum effectively and efficiently. A sensitivity analysis of the control parameters (i.e., the population size, mutation scaling factor, crossover rate, and mutation schemes) was performed to examine their influence on the objective function. The proposed DE was then applied to solve a complex parameter-estimation problem for a small desert groundwater basin in Southern California. Hydraulic conductivity, specific yield, specific storage, fault conductance, and recharge components were estimated simultaneously. Comparison of DE and a traditional gradient-based approach (PEST) shows DE to be more robust and efficient. The results of this work not only provide an alternative for PSI in groundwater models, but also extend DE applications towards solving complex, regional-scale water management optimization problems.

Evolution of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry toxins insecticidal activity.

PubMed

Bravo, Alejandra; Gómez, Isabel; Porta, Helena; García-Gómez, Blanca Ines; Rodriguez-Almazan, Claudia; Pardo, Liliana; Soberón, Mario

2013-01-01

Insecticidal Cry proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis are use worldwide in transgenic crops for efficient pest control. Among the family of Cry toxins, the three domain Cry family is the better characterized regarding their natural evolution leading to a large number of Cry proteins with similar structure, mode of action but different insect specificity. Also, this group is the better characterized regarding the study of their mode of action and the molecular basis of insect specificity. In this review we discuss how Cry toxins have evolved insect specificity in nature and analyse several cases of improvement of Cry toxin action by genetic engineering, some of these examples are currently used in transgenic crops. We believe that the success in the improvement of insecticidal activity by genetic evolution of Cry toxins will depend on the knowledge of the rate-limiting steps of Cry toxicity in different insect pests, the mapping of the specificity binding regions in the Cry toxins, as well as the improvement of mutagenesis strategies and selection procedures. © 2012 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

A transgenic approach to control hemipteran insects by expressing insecticidal genes under phloem-specific promoters.

PubMed

Javaid, Shaista; Amin, Imran; Jander, Georg; Mukhtar, Zahid; Saeed, Nasir A; Mansoor, Shahid

2016-10-06

The first generation transgenic crops used strong constitutive promoters for transgene expression. However, tissue-specific expression is desirable for more precise targeting of transgenes. Moreover, piercing/sucking insects, which are generally resistant to insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins, have emerged as a major pests since the introduction of transgenic crops expressing these toxins. Phloem-specific promoters isolated from Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) were used for the expression of two insecticidal proteins, Hadronyche versuta (Blue Mountains funnel-web spider) neurotoxin (Hvt) and onion leaf lectin, in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Here we demonstrate that transgenic plants expressing Hvt alone or in combination with onion leaf lectin are resistant to Phenacoccus solenopsis (cotton mealybug), Myzus persicae (green peach aphids) and Bemisia tabaci (silver leaf whitefly). The expression of both proteins under different phloem-specific promoters resulted in close to 100% mortality and provided more rapid protection than Hvt alone. Our results suggest the employment of the Hvt and onion leaf lectin transgenic constructs at the commercial level will reduce the use of chemical pesticides for control of hemipteran insect pests.

Bleeding problems associated with occupational exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides.

PubMed

Svendsen, Susanne Wulff; Kolstad, Henrik A; Steesby, Erik

2002-09-01

Sporadic reports have occurred on adverse health effects due to occupational exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides. We report a case of coagulation derangement in a pest-control officer and present the results of a survey of his colleagues. A 48-year-old man worked as a part-time pest-control officer applying rodenticides 3 h a week using gloves, but no mask, and without washing his hands between applications. He developed a symptomatic coagulation disturbance, probably caused by absorption of the poisons during work. No signs of coagulopathy were found in the patient's colleagues ( n=16), although basic hygiene measures were not always taken. Occupational exposure to anticoagulants should be considered in cases of unexplained bleeding. We recommend that measures be taken to minimize the risk of occupational intoxication.

Pesticides in vegetable and food commodities: environment and public health concern.

PubMed

Thapa, K; Pant, B R

2014-01-01

Haphazard use of pesticides in the field and stored food commodities for the control of insect and pest has been a serious problem from view of environment and public health. The nutritional value of these is suppressed due to addition of toxins. The increased trend of Non communicable disease and communicable diseases may have close relation with the nutritious value and life styles associated with. The impacts on health should be considered as important issues from the view of public health. The article gives emphasis on organic farming & Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to minimize the harm of chemicals. It is deemed essential to think again about the current trend of malnutrition & obesity overweight among the Nepalese people and relationship with pesticides on the foods and vegetables.

Symbiont-mediated RNA interference in insects

PubMed Central

Whitten, Miranda M. A.; Facey, Paul D.; Del Sol, Ricardo; Fernández-Martínez, Lorena T.; Evans, Meirwyn C.; Mitchell, Jacob J.; Bodger, Owen G.

2016-01-01

RNA interference (RNAi) methods for insects are often limited by problems with double-stranded (ds) RNA delivery, which restricts reverse genetics studies and the development of RNAi-based biocides. We therefore delegated to insect symbiotic bacteria the task of: (i) constitutive dsRNA synthesis and (ii) trauma-free delivery. RNaseIII-deficient, dsRNA-expressing bacterial strains were created from the symbionts of two very diverse pest species: a long-lived blood-sucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus, and a short-lived globally invasive polyphagous agricultural pest, western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis). When ingested, the manipulated bacteria colonized the insects, successfully competed with the wild-type microflora, and sustainably mediated systemic knockdown phenotypes that were horizontally transmissible. This represents a significant advance in the ability to deliver RNAi, potentially to a large range of non-model insects. PMID:26911963

The Effects of Salinity on the Herbivorous Crop Pest Tetranychus urticae (Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae) on Soybean and Corn.

PubMed

Eichele-Nelson, Jaclyn L; Wick, Abbey F; DeSutter, Thomas M; Harmon, Jason P

2017-08-01

Many environmental factors, including soil characteristics, are critical for plants, herbivorous arthropods, and their interactions. Despite increasing evidence that soil salinity drastically impacts plants, little is known about how salinity affects the herbivorous arthropod pests feeding on those plants. We investigated how soil salinity affects the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) feeding on corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.). We performed two greenhouse studies, one focusing on the impact of salinity on individual mite fecundity over a period of 3 d and the other focusing on population growth of T. urticae over 7 d. Both experiments were performed across varying salinity levels; electrical conductivity values ranged from 0.84 to 8.07 dS m-1. We also performed the 3-d fecundity experiment in the field, across naturally varying saline conditions. Overall, the twospotted spider mite performed better as salinity increased; both fecundity and population growth tended to have a positive linear correlation with salinity. These studies suggest that salinity can be important for herbivores, just as it is for plants. Moreover, the negative effects of soil salinity on crop plants in agroecosystems may be further compounded by a greater risk of pest problems. Salinity may be another important environmental stressor that can directly influence crop production while also indirectly influencing herbivorous pests. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Spatial variability in ecosystem services: simple rules for predator-mediated pest suppression.

PubMed

Bianchi, F J J A; Schellhorn, N A; Buckley, Y M; Possingham, H P

2010-12-01

Agricultural pest control often relies on the ecosystem services provided by the predators of pests. Appropriate landscape and habitat management for pest control services requires an understanding of insect dispersal abilities and the spatial arrangement of source habitats for pests and their predators. Here we explore how dispersal and habitat configuration determine the locations where management actions are likely to have the biggest impact on natural pest control. The study focuses on the early colonization phase before predator reproduction takes place and when pest populations in crops are still relatively low. We developed a spatially explicit simulation model in which pest populations grow exponentially in pest patches and predators disperse across the landscape from predator patches. We generated 1000 computer-simulated landscapes in which the performance of four typical but different predator groups as biological control agents was evaluated. Predator groups represented trait combinations of poor and good dispersal ability and density-independent and density-dependent aggregation responses toward pests. Case studies from the literature were used to inform the parameterization of predator groups. Landscapes with a small nearest-neighbor distance between pest and predator patches had the lowest mean pest density at the landscape scale for all predator groups, but there can be high variation in pest density between the patches within these landscapes. Mobile and strongly aggregating predators provide the best pest suppression in the majority of landscape types. Ironically, this result is true except in landscapes with small nearest-neighbor distances between pest and predator patches. The pest control potential of mobile predators can best be explained by the mean distance between a pest patch and all predator patches in the landscape, whereas for poorly dispersing predators the distance between a pest patch and the nearest predator patch is the best explanatory variable. In conclusion, the spatial arrangement of source habitats for natural enemies of agricultural pest species can have profound effects on their potential to colonize crops and suppress pest populations.

Protection of Grain Products from Sitophilus oryzae (L.) Contamination by Anti-Insect Pest Repellent Sachet Containing Allyl Mercaptan Microcapsule.

PubMed

Chang, Yoonjee; Lee, Soo-Hyun; Na, Ja Hyun; Chang, Pahn-Shick; Han, Jaejoon

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an anti-insect pest repellent sachet to prevent Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) contamination in grain packaging. The anti-insect pest activities of essential oils (EOs) from garlic (Allium Sativum), ginger (Zingiber Officinalis), black pepper (Piper nigrum), onion (Allium cepa), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) as well as major compounds (allyl disulfide, AD; allyl mercaptan, AM) isolated from of garlic and onion (AD and AM) were measured against S. oryzae. The results revealed that garlic EO, onion EO, AD, and AM showed strong fumigant insecticidal activities. Among these, AM showed the highest acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition rate, indicating that the fumigation insecticidal efficacy of AM is related with its AChE inhibition ability. Subsequently, the microcapsules were produced with a high efficiency (80.02%) by using AM as a core material and rice flour as a wall material. Finally, sachet composed of rice flour microcapsule containing 2% AM (RAM) was produced. Repellent assay was performed to measure anti-insect pest ability of the RAM sachet, showed remarkable repelling effect within 48 h both in the presence or absence of attractant. In a release profile of RAM sachet, it was expected to last over 20 mo during the distribution period of brown rice. Moreover, RAM sachet showed no undesirable changes to the sensory properties of the rice both before and after cooking. Taken together, these results suggest that the newly developed RAM sachet could be used as a packaging material to protect grain products from S. oryzae contamination. The rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), causes damages to stored products and its contamination in grain products has become a major problem in cereal market. To preserve brown rice, an anti-insect pest repellent sachet containing 2% allyl mercaptan was newly developed and it showed remarkable repellent abilities against S. oryzae. It could be used as an active food packaging system to protect grain products from insect pest contamination. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Ground-based hyperspectral remote sensing to discriminate biotic stress in cotton crop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nigam, Rahul; Kot, Rajsi; Sandhu, Sandeep S.; Bhattacharya, Bimal K.; Chandi, Ravinder S.; Singh, Manjeet; Singh, Jagdish; Manjunath, K. R.

2016-05-01

A large gap exists between the potential yield and the yield realized at the agricultural field. Among the factors contributing towards this yield gap are the biotic stresses that affect the crops growth and development. Severity of infestation of the pests and diseases differs between agroclimatic region, individual crops and seasons within a region. Information about the timing of start of infestation of these diseases and pests with their gradual progress in advance could enable plan necessary pesticide schedule for the season, region on the particular crop against the specific menace expected. This could be enabled by development of region, crop and pest-specific prediction models to forewarn these menaces. In India most (70%) of the land-holding size of farmers average 0.39 ha (some even 20 m x 20 m) and only 1% crop growers hold< 10 ha (mean: 17.3 ha). Patchiness of disease and pest incidence could pose problems in its proper assessment and management. Thus, such exercise could be highly time-consuming and labour-intensive for the seventh largest country with difficult terrain, 66% gross cropped area under food crops, lacking in number of skilled manpower and shrinking resources. Remote sensing overcomes such limitations with ability to access all parts of the country and can often achieve a high spatial, temporal and spectral resolution and thus leading to an accurate estimation of area affected. Due to pest and disease stress plants showed different behavior in terms of physiological and morphological changes lead to symptoms such as wilting, curling of leaf, stunned growth, reduction in leaf area due to severe defoliation or chlorosis or necrosis of photosynthetically active parts (Prabhakar et al., 2011; Booteet al., 1983; Aggarwal et al., 2006). Damage evaluation of diseases has been largely done by visual inspections and quantification but visual quantification of plant pest and diseases with accuracy and precision is a tough task. Utilization of remote sensing techniques are based on the assumption that plant pest and disease stresses interfere with physical structure and function of plant and influence the absorption of light energy and therefore changes the reflectance spectrum of plants. Moreover, remote sensing provides better means to objectively quantify crop stress than visual methods and it can be used repeatedly to collect sample measurements non-destructively and non-invasively (Nutteret et al., 1990; Nilson, 1995). Recent advances in the field of spectroscopy and other remote sensing techniques offer much needed technology of hyperspectral remote sensing (Prabhakar et al., 2011). Hyperspectral remote sensing for disease detection helps in monitoring the diseases in plants with the help of different plant spectral properties at the visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared regions ranging from 350 - 2500 nm, which develops specific signatures for a specific stress for a given plant (Yang et al., 2009). It has been effectively used in assessment of disease in agricultural crops like wheat, rice, tomato etc across the world. Cotton (Gissypium hirsutum L.) is one of the major commercial crops grown in India, and supports about 60 million people in the country directly or indirectly through the process of production, processing, marketing and trade (Prabhakar et al., 2011). India ranks first in global acreage, occupying about 33% of world cotton area. With regard to production it is ranked second next to China. In recent years, farmers are facing many challenges because of rising incidents of white flies, jassid, leafhoppers, aphids, mealybugs and stainers. Whiteflies are tiny, sap- sucking insects that may become abundant in vegetable and ornamental plantings, especially during warm weather. They excrete sticky honeydew and cause yellowing or death of leaves. Outbreaks often occur when the natural biological control is disrupted. Management is difficult once populations are high. White flies develop rapidly in warm weather, and populations can build up quickly in situations where natural enemies are ineffective and when weather and host plants favor outbreaks. Large colonies often develop on the undersides of leaves. The most common pest species such as greenhouse white fly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and sweet potato white fly (Bemisia tabaci) have a wide host range that includes many weeds and crops. White flies normally lay their tiny oblong eggs on the undersides of leaves. The eggs hatch, and the young white flies gradually increase in size through four nymphal stages called instars. The first nymphal stage (crawler) is barely visible even with a hand lens. The crawlers move around for several hours before settling to begin feeding. Later nymphal stages are immobile, oval, and flattened, with greatly reduced legs and antennae, like small scale insects. The winged adult emerges from the last nymphal stage (sometimes called a pupa, although whiteflies don't have a true complete metamorphosis). All stages feed by sucking plant juices from leaves and excreting excess liquid as drops of honeydew as they feed. White flies use their piercing, needle like mouthparts to suck sap from phloem, the food-conducting tissues in plant stems and leaves. Large populations can cause leaves to turn yellow, appear dry, or fall off plants. Like aphids, white flies excrete sugary liquid called honeydew, so leaves may be sticky or covered with black sooty mold that grows on honeydew. The honeydew attracts ants, which interfere with the activities of natural enemies that may control white flies and other pests. High white fly infestation was reported at several locations in Punjab during year 2015. The application of non-destructive methods to detect vegetation stress at an early stage of its development is very important for pest management in commercially important crops. Earlier few studies have been done to characterize reflectance spectra of nutrient stress nitrogen deficiency and irrigation management for cotton but no literature is available regarding characterization of spectral reflectance to study white fly infestation. Therefore, the primary objectives of this study are: (i) to study changes in chlorophyll content and water content due to white fly infestation. (ii) characterization of spectral signature from cotton crop infested by white fly, (iii) establishment of most sensitive wavebands to white fly infestation.

Bedbugs in Schools? Halting a Possible Epidemic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldorf, Glenn

2012-01-01

Bedbugs are a growing problem in schools today. Bedbugs are often confused with other insects, and their signs are hard to recognize. School officials should work with an experienced pest control company to confirm whether the insects are bed bugs and, if they are not, to identify them so they can be treated effectively. Education and vigilance…

Biology and Management of Insect Pests in North American Intensively Managed Hardwood Forest Systems

Treesearch

David R. Coyle; T. Evan Nebeker; Elwood R. Hart; William J. Mattson

2005-01-01

Increasing demand for wood and wood products is putting stress on traditional forest production areas, leading to long-term economic and environmental concerns. Intensively managed hardwood forest systems (IMHFS), grown using conventional agricultural as well as forestry methods, can help alleviate potential problems in natural forest production areas. Although IMHFS...

The Exotic Plant Problem: Defending Your Lands from an Unfriendly Takeover

Treesearch

James H. Miller

2000-01-01

Exotic pest plants are marching across the southern landscape and occupying our lands. These foreign invaders-often called non-native, alien, or noxious weeds-occur as trees, shrubs, vines, and grasses. Some have been introduced into this country accidentally, but most were brought here intentionally as omamentals or for livestock forage. They arrived without their...

Characterization of whitefly and whitefly-borne virus populations in tomato- and sweet pepper-growing greenhouses in the Cartago province, Costa Rica

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Crop production in greenhouse environments requires special care. Poor management can favor pest related problems which can lead to economic losses. Whiteflies and whitefly-borne viruses are major constraints to the production of tomato and sweet pepper both in field and greenhouses settings. Limit...

Multitrophic interactions between insects, fungi and plants: Using naturally produced chemicals to solve an invasive species problem

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The beekeeping industry is critical to many agricultural crops. Recently, an invasive pest, the Small Hive Beetle, was introduced into North America. Beetles invade hives feed on pollen, bee brood, and ruin honey. Thus, the beetle has had a dramatic effect on the $14 billion/year apiculture and pol...

Resource management plan for the Oak Ridge Reservation. Volume 27, Wildlife Management Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parr, P.D.; Evans, J.W.

1992-06-01

A plan for management of the wildlife resources on the US Department of Energy`s Oak Ridge Reservation is outlined in this document. Management includes wildlife population control (hunts, trapping, and removal), handling specific problems with wildlife, restoration of species, coordination with researchers on wildlife studies, preservation and management of habitats, and law enforcement. Wildlife resources are divided into five categories, each with a specific set of objectives and procedures for obtaining these objectives. These categories are (1) species-richness management to ensure that all resident wildlife species exist on the Reservation in viable numbers; (2) featured species management to produce selectedmore » species in desired numbers on designated land units; (3) management of game species for research, education, recreation, and public safety, (4) endangered species management designed to preserve and protect both the species and habitats critical to the survival of those species; and (5) pest management. Achievement of the objectives is a joint effort between the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s Environmental Sciences Division.« less

A Push-pull Protocol to Reduce Colonization of Bird Nest Boxes by Honey Bees.

PubMed

Efstathion, Caroline A; Kern, William H

2016-09-04

Introduction of the invasive Africanized honey bee (AHB) into the Neotropics is a serious problem for many cavity nesting birds, specifically parrots. These bees select cavities that are suitable nest sites for birds, resulting in competition. The difficulty of removing bees and their defensive behavior makes a prevention protocol necessary. Here, we describe a push-pull integrated pest management protocol to deter bees from inhabiting bird boxes by applying a bird safe insecticide, permethrin, to repel bees from nest boxes, while simultaneously attracting them to pheromone-baited swarm traps. Shown here is an example experiment using Barn Owl nest boxes. This protocol successfully reduced colonization of Barn Owl nest boxes by Africanized honey bees. This protocol is flexible, allowing adjustments to accommodate a wide range of bird species and habitats. This protocol could benefit conservation efforts where AHB are located.

Toxicity of Insecticides on Various Life Stages of Two Tortricid Pests of Cranberries and on a Non-Target Predator.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Saona, Cesar; Wanumen, Andrea Carolina; Salamanca, Jordano; Holdcraft, Robert; Kyryczenko-Roth, Vera

2016-04-15

Laboratory and extended laboratory bioassays were conducted to determine the residual toxicities of various insecticides against two key pests of cranberries, Sparganothis sulfureana and Choristoneura parallela (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), and their non-target effects on the predatory Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae). The effects of nine insecticides with different modes of action on S. sulfureana and Ch. parallela eggs, larvae, and adults were tested in the laboratory, while the efficacy of a post-bloom application on larval mortality and mass of these pests and on adult O. insidiosus was evaluated in extended laboratory experiments. The organophosphate chlorpyrifos and the spinosyn spinetoram provided long-lasting (seven-day) control against all stages of both pests. The growth regulator methoxyfenozide and the diamides chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole had strong (1-7 days) larvicidal, particularly on young larvae, and growth inhibitory activity, but only the diamides were adulticidal. Among neonicotinoids, acetamiprid had stronger ovicidal and adulticidal activity than thiamethoxam, showing within-insecticide class differences in toxicities; however, both were weak on larvae. Lethality of novaluron and indoxacarb was inconsistent, varying depending on species and stage. Chlorpyrifos was most toxic to O. insidiosus. These results show species- and stage-specific toxicities, and greater compatibility with biological control, of the newer reduced-risk classes of insecticides than older chemistries.

Industrial and Institutional Pest Control. Sale Publication 4073.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wamsley, Mary Ann, Ed.; Vermeire, Donna M., Ed.

This guide gives information needed to meet Environmental Protection Agency standards on industrial and institutional pest control, and to help prepare for certification. It gives descriptions and pictures of general insect pests, parasitic pests of man, occasional invaders, wood-destroying pests, stored product pests, vertebrates, and weeds. The…

Towards integrated pest management in red clover seed production.

PubMed

Lundin, Ola; Rundlöf, Maj; Smith, Henrik G; Bommarco, Riccardo

2012-10-01

The development of integrated pest management is hampered by lack of information on how insect pest abundances relate to yield losses, and how pests are affected by control measures. In this study, we develop integrated pest management tactics for Apion spp. weevils (Coleoptera: Brentidae) in seed production of red clover, Trifolium pratense L. We tested a method to forecast pest damage, quantified the relationship between pest abundance and yield, and evaluated chemical and biological pest control in 29 Swedish red clover fields in 2008 and 2011. Pest inflorescence abundance, which had a highly negative effect on yield, could be predicted with pan trap catches of adult pests. In 2008, chemical control with typically one application of pyrethroids was ineffective both in decreasing pest abundances and in increasing yields. In 2011, when chemical control included applications of the neonicotinoid thiacloprid, pest abundances decreased and yields increased considerably in treated field zones. A post hoc analysis indicated that using pyrethroids in addition to thiacloprid was largely redundant. Infestation rates by parasitoids was higher and reached average levels of around 40% in insecticide treated field zones in 2011, which is a level of interest for biological pest control. Based on the data presented, an economic threshold for chemical control is developed, and guidelines are provided on minimum effective chemical pest control.

Introduction of a male-harming mitochondrial haplotype via 'Trojan Females' achieves population suppression in fruit flies.

PubMed

Wolff, Jonci Nikolai; Gemmell, Neil J; Tompkins, Daniel M; Dowling, Damian K

2017-05-03

Pests are a global threat to biodiversity, ecosystem function, and human health. Pest control approaches are thus numerous, but their implementation costly, damaging to non-target species, and ineffective at low population densities. The Trojan Female Technique (TFT) is a prospective self-perpetuating control technique that is species-specific and predicted to be effective at low densities. The goal of the TFT is to harness naturally occurring mutations in the mitochondrial genome that impair male fertility while having no effect on females. Here, we provide proof-of-concept for the TFT, by showing that introduction of a male fertility-impairing mtDNA haplotype into replicated populations of Drosophila melanogaster causes numerical population suppression, with the magnitude of effect positively correlated with its frequency at trial inception. Further development of the TFT could lead to establishing a control strategy that overcomes limitations of conventional approaches, with broad applicability to invertebrate and vertebrate species, to control environmental and economic pests.

Early changes in cytokine expression in peste des petits ruminants disease.

PubMed

Baron, Jana; Bin-Tarif, Abdelghani; Herbert, Rebecca; Frost, Lorraine; Taylor, Geraldine; Baron, Michael D

2014-02-22

Peste des petits ruminants is a viral disease of sheep and goats that has spread through most of Africa as well as the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. Although, the spread of the disease and its economic impact has made it a focus of international concern, relatively little is known about the nature of the disease itself. We have studied the early stages of pathogenesis in goats infected with six different isolates of Peste des petits ruminants virus representing all four known lineages of the virus. No lineage-specific difference in the pathogenicity of the virus isolates was observed, although there was evidence that even small numbers of cell culture passages could affect the degree of pathogenicity of an isolate. A consistent reduction in CD4+ T cells was observed at 4 days post infection (dpi). Measurement of the expression of various cytokines showed elements of a classic inflammatory response but also a relatively early induction of interleukin 10, which may be contributing to the observed disease.

On constraining pilot point calibration with regularization in PEST

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fienen, M.N.; Muffels, C.T.; Hunt, R.J.

2009-01-01

Ground water model calibration has made great advances in recent years with practical tools such as PEST being instrumental for making the latest techniques available to practitioners. As models and calibration tools get more sophisticated, however, the power of these tools can be misapplied, resulting in poor parameter estimates and/or nonoptimally calibrated models that do not suit their intended purpose. Here, we focus on an increasingly common technique for calibrating highly parameterized numerical models - pilot point parameterization with Tikhonov regularization. Pilot points are a popular method for spatially parameterizing complex hydrogeologic systems; however, additional flexibility offered by pilot points can become problematic if not constrained by Tikhonov regularization. The objective of this work is to explain and illustrate the specific roles played by control variables in the PEST software for Tikhonov regularization applied to pilot points. A recent study encountered difficulties implementing this approach, but through examination of that analysis, insight into underlying sources of potential misapplication can be gained and some guidelines for overcoming them developed. ?? 2009 National Ground Water Association.

Real-time PCR assay for distinguishing Frankliniella occidentalis and Thrips palmi Arnika Przybylska, Żaneta Fiedler, Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska.

PubMed

Przybylska, Arnika; Fiedler, Żaneta; Frąckowiak, Patryk; Obrępalska-Stęplowska, Aleksandra

2018-06-01

Thrips palmi and Frankliniella occidentalis (order Thysanoptera) are thrips species that represent major plant pests. They are polyphagous insects capable of adversely affecting crop production. As such, in the European Union, these thrips species should be regulated as quarantine organisms. T. palmi and F. occidentalis can cause considerable damage to susceptible plants by feeding on them and transmitting several viruses responsible for serious plant diseases. Successful pest control strategies are based on an early, fast, and reliable diagnosis, which precedes the selection of appropriate steps to limit the effects of harmful organisms. We herein describe a novel diagnostic approach that enables the sensitive and species-specific detection (and differentiation) of these pests in a duplex polymerase chain reaction assay, which was adapted for both standard and real-time quantitative assays. Our method is based on the amplification of a 5.8S-internal transcribed spacer 2 ribosomal DNA fragment that is conserved between T. palmi and F. occidentalis.

[Public and private in times of the pest].

PubMed

Caponi, S

1999-01-01

The paper explores how Hannah Arendt's oppositions public-private and intimate-social can be used as an analytical tool to better understand a very concrete, extreme situation: the state of emergency triggered when an epidemiological outbreak hits a city, totally altering its inhabitants lives. Studied observation of what specific individuals (be they imagined or real) feel and think during times of epidemic is an underutilized tool that may prove helpful in studying epidemics themselves. Focusing on Camus' "The pest" and events in the city of Oran, the article looks at how victims of the plague felt about their public or private lives and their intimate and social ties.

Beetles, Biofuel, and Coffee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ceja-Navarro, Javier

2015-05-06

Berkeley Lab scientist Javier Ceja-Navarro discusses his research on the microbial populations found the guts of insects, specifically the coffee berry borer, which may lead to better pest management and the passalid beetle, which could lead to improved biofuel production.

Beetles, Biofuel, and Coffee

ScienceCinema

Ceja-Navarro, Javier

2018-01-16

Berkeley Lab scientist Javier Ceja-Navarro discusses his research on the microbial populations found the guts of insects, specifically the coffee berry borer, which may lead to better pest management and the passalid beetle, which could lead to improved biofuel production.

Vertebrate Pest Control. Sale Publication 4077.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stimmann, M. W.; Clark, Dell O.

This guide gives descriptions of common vertebrate pests and guidelines for using some common pesticides. The pests discussed are rats, mice, bats, moles, muskrats, ground squirrels, and gophers. Information is given for each pest on the type of damage the pest can do, the habitat and biology of the pest, and the most effective control methods.…

7 CFR 330.210a - Administrative instructions listing approved packing materials for plant pests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... materials for plant pests. 330.210a Section 330.210a Agriculture Regulations of the Department of... PEST REGULATIONS; GENERAL; PLANT PESTS; SOIL, STONE, AND QUARRY PRODUCTS; GARBAGE Movement of Plant Pests § 330.210a Administrative instructions listing approved packing materials for plant pests. (a) The...

Dynamic complexities in a pest control model with birth pulse and harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goel, A.; Gakkhar, S.

2016-04-01

In this paper, an impulsive model is discussed for an integrated pest management approach comprising of chemical and mechanical controls. The pesticides and harvesting are used to control the stage-structured pest population. The mature pest give birth to immature pest in pulses at regular intervals. The pest is controlled by spraying chemical pesticides affecting immature as well as mature pest. The harvesting of both immature and mature pest further reduce the pest population. The discrete dynamical system obtained from stroboscopic map is analyzed. The threshold conditions for stability of pest-free state as well as non-trivial period-1 solution is obtained. The effect of pesticide spray timing and harvesting on immature as well as mature pest are shown. Finally, by numerical simulation with MATLAB, the dynamical behaviors of the model is found to be complex. Above the threshold level there is a characteristic sequence of bifurcations leading to chaotic dynamics. Route to chaos is found to be period-doubling. Period halving bifurcations are also observed.

Self-reported prevalence of pests in Dutch households and the use of the health belief model to explore householders' intentions to engage in pest control.

PubMed

Lipman, Stefan A; Burt, Sara A

2017-01-01

Pests in the home are a health risk because they can be vectors for infectious disease, contribute to allergies and cause damage to buildings. The aims of this study were to record which categories of pests were reported in homes and to use a social cognition model, the health belief model, to investigate which psychological factors influence householders' intentions to control pests. An online questionnaire was completed by 413 respondents between 11 September and 31 November 2015. A large majority of respondents reported pests in or around their home within the previous year. The prevalences were: flying insects 98%, crawling insects 85%, rodents 62%, birds 58%, and moles 20%. Regression analysis for the health belief model revealed that perceiving greater benefits and fewer barriers to pest control and expecting severe consequences of zoonotic infections predicted higher intention to control pests. Intentions towards pest control were not influenced by perceiving oneself as susceptible to catching a disease from pests or health motivation (striving towards a healthy lifestyle). Intentions to engage in pest control were lower for households reporting bird prevalence. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at improving the effectiveness of domestic pest control should focus on increasing the benefits that individuals associate with effective pest control, lowering barriers, and on underlining the severity of the diseases that pests may carry.

Self-reported prevalence of pests in Dutch households and the use of the health belief model to explore householders’ intentions to engage in pest control

PubMed Central

Lipman, Stefan A.

2017-01-01

Pests in the home are a health risk because they can be vectors for infectious disease, contribute to allergies and cause damage to buildings. The aims of this study were to record which categories of pests were reported in homes and to use a social cognition model, the health belief model, to investigate which psychological factors influence householders’ intentions to control pests. An online questionnaire was completed by 413 respondents between 11 September and 31 November 2015. A large majority of respondents reported pests in or around their home within the previous year. The prevalences were: flying insects 98%, crawling insects 85%, rodents 62%, birds 58%, and moles 20%. Regression analysis for the health belief model revealed that perceiving greater benefits and fewer barriers to pest control and expecting severe consequences of zoonotic infections predicted higher intention to control pests. Intentions towards pest control were not influenced by perceiving oneself as susceptible to catching a disease from pests or health motivation (striving towards a healthy lifestyle). Intentions to engage in pest control were lower for households reporting bird prevalence. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at improving the effectiveness of domestic pest control should focus on increasing the benefits that individuals associate with effective pest control, lowering barriers, and on underlining the severity of the diseases that pests may carry. PMID:29284047

Sexual selection expedites the evolution of pesticide resistance.

PubMed

Jacomb, Frances; Marsh, Jason; Holman, Luke

2016-12-01

The evolution of insecticide resistance by crop pests and disease vectors causes serious problems for agriculture and health. Sexual selection can accelerate or hinder adaptation to abiotic challenges in a variety of ways, but the effect of sexual selection on resistance evolution is little studied. Here, we examine this question using experimental evolution in the pest insect Tribolium castaneum. The experimental removal of sexual selection slowed the evolution of resistance in populations treated with pyrethroid pesticide, and also reduced the rate at which resistance was lost from pesticide-free populations. These results suggest that selection arising from variance in mating and fertilization success can augment natural selection on pesticide resistance, meaning that sexual selection should be considered when designing strategies to limit the evolution of pesticide resistance. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Push-pull farming systems.

PubMed

Pickett, John A; Woodcock, Christine M; Midega, Charles A O; Khan, Zeyaur R

2014-04-01

Farming systems for pest control, based on the stimulo-deterrent diversionary strategy or push-pull system, have become an important target for sustainable intensification of food production. A prominent example is push-pull developed in sub-Saharan Africa using a combination of companion plants delivering semiochemicals, as plant secondary metabolites, for smallholder farming cereal production, initially against lepidopterous stem borers. Opportunities are being developed for other regions and farming ecosystems. New semiochemical tools and delivery systems, including GM, are being incorporated to exploit further opportunities for mainstream arable farming systems. By delivering the push and pull effects as secondary metabolites, for example, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene repelling pests and attracting beneficial insects, problems of high volatility and instability are overcome and compounds are produced when and where required. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service research on biological control of arthropods.

PubMed

Hopper, Keith R

2003-01-01

During 1999-2001, ARS scientists published over 100 papers on more than 30 species of insect pest and 60 species of predator and parasitoid. These papers address issues crucial to the three strategies of biological control: conservation, augmentation and introduction. Conservation biological control includes both conserving extant populations of natural enemies by using relatively non-toxic pesticides and increasing the abundance of natural enemies in crops by providing or improving refuges for population growth and dispersal into crops. ARS scientists have been very active in determining the effects of pesticides on beneficial arthropods and in studying movement of natural enemies from refuges into crops. Augmentation involves repeated releases of natural enemies in the field, which can be inoculative or inundative. Inoculative releases are used to initiate self-propagating populations at times or in places where they would be slow to colonize. ARS scientists have studied augmentative biological control of a variety of pest insects. The targets are mostly pests in annual crops or other ephemeral habitats, where self-reproducing populations of natural enemies are not sufficiently abundant early enough to keep pest populations in check. ARS research in augmentative biological control centers on methods for rearing large numbers of healthy, effective natural enemies and for releasing them where and when they are needed at a cost less than the value of the reduction in damage to the crop. ARS scientists have researched various aspects of introductions of exotic biological control agents against a diversity of pest insects. The major issues in biological control introductions are accurate identification and adequate systematics of both natural enemies and target pests, exploration for natural enemies, predicting the success of candidates for introduction and the likelihood of non-target impacts, quarantine and rearing methods, and post-introduction evaluation of establishment, control and non-target impacts. ARS scientists have published research on several general issues in biological control. Among the most important are the mechanisms affecting mate- and host-finding and host specificity.

Bifunctional Anti-Huntingtin Proteasome-Directed Intrabodies Mediate Efficient Degradation of Mutant Huntingtin Exon 1 Protein Fragments

PubMed Central

Butler, David C.; Messer, Anne

2011-01-01

Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a trinucleotide (CAG)n repeat expansion in the coding sequence of the huntingtin gene, and an expanded polyglutamine (>37Q) tract in the protein. This results in misfolding and accumulation of huntingtin protein (htt), formation of neuronal intranuclear and cytoplasmic inclusions, and neuronal dysfunction/degeneration. Single-chain Fv antibodies (scFvs), expressed as intrabodies that bind htt and prevent aggregation, show promise as immunotherapeutics for HD. Intrastriatal delivery of anti-N-terminal htt scFv-C4 using an adeno-associated virus vector (AAV2/1) significantly reduces the size and number of aggregates in HDR6/1 transgenic mice; however, this protective effect diminishes with age and time after injection. We therefore explored enhancing intrabody efficacy via fusions to heterologous functional domains. Proteins containing a PEST motif are often targeted for proteasomal degradation and generally have a short half life. In ST14A cells, fusion of the C-terminal PEST region of mouse ornithine decarboxylase (mODC) to scFv-C4 reduces htt exon 1 protein fragments with 72 glutamine repeats (httex1-72Q) by ∼80–90% when compared to scFv-C4 alone. Proteasomal targeting was verified by either scrambling the mODC-PEST motif, or via proteasomal inhibition with epoxomicin. For these constructs, the proteasomal degradation of the scFv intrabody proteins themselves was reduced<25% by the addition of the mODC-PEST motif, with or without antigens. The remaining intrabody levels were amply sufficient to target N-terminal httex1-72Q protein fragment turnover. Critically, scFv-C4-PEST prevents aggregation and toxicity of httex1-72Q fragments at significantly lower doses than scFv-C4. Fusion of the mODC-PEST motif to intrabodies is a valuable general approach to specifically target toxic antigens to the proteasome for degradation. PMID:22216210

Investigating effects of surrounding landscape composition and complexity on populations of two polyphagous insect pest groups in Iowa soybean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuntz, Cody Daniel

The composition and complexity of agro-ecosystems are important factors influencing the population dynamics of insect pests. Understanding these interactions may improve our ability to predict the spatial occurrence of pest outbreaks, thereby informing scouting and management decisions. In 2012 and 2013, two concurrent studies were conducted to examine the relationship between landscapes surrounding Iowa soybean, Glycine max [L.] Merrill, fields and two polyphagous pest groups; Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), and stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Population densities were monitored in soybean within simple and complex agricultural landscapes to determine the response of these pests to landscape complexity. Results revealed P. japonica populations were significantly greater in soybean fields within complex landscapes and were positively associated with area of uncultivated land. The specific compositions of surrounding landscapes were also analyzed to determine the landscape features that explain the greatest variation in P. japonica and stink bug population densities. Results suggested that the area of wooded and grass habitat around fields accounted for the greatest variation in P. japonica populations; however, no discernable relationships were observed with stink bug populations. Sampling also sought to survey the community of stink bugs present in Iowa soybean. The community was predominantly comprised of stink bugs in the genus Euschistus, comprising a combined 91.04% of all captures. Additional species included the green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say) (4.48%); spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (2.99%); and red shouldered stink bug, Thyanta custator accerra (McAtee) (1.49%). Future work will be needed to determine if the landscape effects on P. japonica in soybean reported here are representative of other similar polyphagous pests of soybean and if they extend to other host plants as well. Furthermore, additional comprehensive surveys will be needed to better characterize the existing community of stink bug species present in Iowa field crops.

HSP70 induction during baculovirus infection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Baculoviruses are arthropod-specific double-stranded DNA viruses that have been employed as bio-insecticides against crop pests and to produce heterologous proteins in baculovirus expression systems. Although a consensus has emerged on the dominant molecular events driving baculovirus replication i...

Adverse health experiences, environmental attitudes, and pesticide usage behavior of farm operators.

PubMed

Lichtenberg, E; Zimmerman, R

1999-04-01

Water pollution from agricultural pesticides continues to be a public concern. Given that the use of such pesticides on the farm is largely governed by voluntary behavior, it is important to understand what drives farmer behavior. Health belief models in public health and social psychology argue that persons who have adverse health experiences are likely to undertake preventive behavior. An analogous hypothesis set was tested here: farmers who believe they have had adverse health experiences from pesticides are likely to have heightened concerns about pesticides and are more likely to take greater precautions in dealing with pesticides. This work is based on an original survey of a population of 2700 corn and soybean growers in Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania using the U.S. Department of Agriculture data base. It was designed as a mail survey with telephone follow-up, and resulted in a 60 percent response rate. Farm operators report experiencing adverse health problems they believe are associated with pesticides that is equivalent to an incidence rate that is higher than the reported incidence of occupational pesticide poisonings, but similar to the reported incidence of all pesticide poisonings. Farmers who report experiencing such problems have more heightened concerns about water pollution from fertilizers and pesticides, and illness and injury from mixing, loading, and applying pesticides than farmers who have not experienced such problems. Farmers who report experiencing such problems also are more likely to report using alternative pest management practices than farmers who do not report having such problems. This implies that farmers who have had such experiences do care about the effects of application and do engage in alternative means of pest management, which at least involve the reduction in pesticide use.

Arthropod genomics research in the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service: Applications of RNA interference and CRISPR gene editing technologies in pest control

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the intramural research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which addresses basic scientific questions and develops applied solutions to a range of agricultural problems, and in doing so protects national food security and supports ...

Fort Bliss Standards for the Treatment of Historic Buildings

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

visual disparity between the two materials. Typical historical uses for sandstone included • Urban row houses, commercial buildings and churches...migration within walls due to interior condensation and humidity, va- por drive problems caused by furnace, bathroom and kitchen vents, and rising damp...Replacing Deteriorated Woodwork • Historic Exteriors: Preserving Wood • Preservation Brief #31: Mothballing Historic Buildings Pests can be

Integrated pest management and the pear thrips

Treesearch

James C. Space

1991-01-01

Although it is a pleasure to be here, our primary reason for being here is far from pleasant. During the last ten years, we have had serious problems with the gypsy moth, western spruce budworm, southern pine beetle, mountain pine beetle, fusiform rust and root diseases and the worst spruce budworm epidemic ever recorded. Just when these outbreaks have largely subsided...

Datasets for transcriptomic analyses of maize leaves in response to Asian corn borer feeding and/or jasmonic acid

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Corn is one of the most widely grown crops throughout the world. However, many corn fields develop pest problems such as corn borers every year that seriously affect its yield and quality. Corn's response to initial insect damage involves a variety of changes to the levels of defensive enzymes, toxi...

The Exotic Plant Problem: Defending Your Lands from an Unfriendly Takeover Part II

Treesearch

James H. Miller

2000-01-01

Exotic pest plants are marching across the southern landscape and occupying our lands. These foreign invaders-often called non-native, alien, or noxious weeds-occur as trees, shrubs, vines, and grasses. Some have been introduced into this country accidentally, but most were brought here intentionally as omamentals or for livestock forage. They arrived without their...

Metatranscriptomics and Pyrosequencing Facilitate Discovery of Potential Viral Natural Enemies of the Invasive Caribbean Crazy Ant, Nylanderia pubens

PubMed Central

Valles, Steven M.; Oi, David H.; Yu, Fahong; Tan, Xin-Xing; Buss, Eileen A.

2012-01-01

Background Nylanderia pubens (Forel) is an invasive ant species that in recent years has developed into a serious nuisance problem in the Caribbean and United States. A rapidly expanding range, explosive localized population growth, and control difficulties have elevated this ant to pest status. Professional entomologists and the pest control industry in the United States are urgently trying to understand its biology and develop effective control methods. Currently, no known biological-based control agents are available for use in controlling N. pubens. Methodology and Principal Findings Metagenomics and pyrosequencing techniques were employed to examine the transcriptome of field-collected N. pubens colonies in an effort to identify virus infections with potential to serve as control agents against this pest ant. Pyrosequencing (454-platform) of a non-normalized N. pubens expression library generated 1,306,177 raw sequence reads comprising 450 Mbp. Assembly resulted in generation of 59,017 non-redundant sequences, including 27,348 contigs and 31,669 singlets. BLAST analysis of these non-redundant sequences identified 51 of potential viral origin. Additional analyses winnowed this list of potential viruses to three that appear to replicate in N. pubens. Conclusions Pyrosequencing the transcriptome of field-collected samples of N. pubens has identified at least three sequences that are likely of viral origin and, in which, N. pubens serves as host. In addition, the N. pubens transcriptome provides a genetic resource for the scientific community which is especially important at this early stage of developing a knowledgebase for this new pest. PMID:22384082

7 CFR 330.203 - Action on applications for permits to move plant pests; form of and conditions in permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Action on applications for permits to move plant pests... PEST REGULATIONS; GENERAL; PLANT PESTS; SOIL, STONE, AND QUARRY PRODUCTS; GARBAGE Movement of Plant Pests § 330.203 Action on applications for permits to move plant pests; form of and conditions in...

Molecular basis of the remarkable species selectivity of an insecticidal sodium channel toxin from the African spider Augacephalus ezendami

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herzig, Volker; Ikonomopoulou, Maria; Smith, Jennifer J.; Dziemborowicz, Sławomir; Gilchrist, John; Kuhn-Nentwig, Lucia; Rezende, Fernanda Oliveira; Moreira, Luciano Andrade; Nicholson, Graham M.; Bosmans, Frank; King, Glenn F.

2016-07-01

The inexorable decline in the armament of registered chemical insecticides has stimulated research into environmentally-friendly alternatives. Insecticidal spider-venom peptides are promising candidates for bioinsecticide development but it is challenging to find peptides that are specific for targeted pests. In the present study, we isolated an insecticidal peptide (Ae1a) from venom of the African spider Augacephalus ezendami (family Theraphosidae). Injection of Ae1a into sheep blowflies (Lucilia cuprina) induced rapid but reversible paralysis. In striking contrast, Ae1a was lethal to closely related fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) but induced no adverse effects in the recalcitrant lepidopteran pest Helicoverpa armigera. Electrophysiological experiments revealed that Ae1a potently inhibits the voltage-gated sodium channel BgNaV1 from the German cockroach Blattella germanica by shifting the threshold for channel activation to more depolarized potentials. In contrast, Ae1a failed to significantly affect sodium currents in dorsal unpaired median neurons from the American cockroach Periplaneta americana. We show that Ae1a interacts with the domain II voltage sensor and that sensitivity to the toxin is conferred by natural sequence variations in the S1-S2 loop of domain II. The phyletic specificity of Ae1a provides crucial information for development of sodium channel insecticides that target key insect pests without harming beneficial species.

A theoretical approach on controlling agricultural pest by biological controls.

PubMed

Mondal, Prasanta Kumar; Jana, Soovoojeet; Kar, T K

2014-03-01

In this paper we propose and analyze a prey-predator type dynamical system for pest control where prey population is treated as the pest. We consider two classes for the pest namely susceptible pest and infected pest and the predator population is the natural enemy of the pest. We also consider average delay for both the predation rate i.e. predation to the susceptible pest and infected pest. Considering a subsystem of original system in the absence of infection, we analyze the existence of all possible non-negative equilibria and their stability criteria for both the subsystem as well as the original system. We present the conditions for transcritical bifurcation and Hopf bifurcation in the disease free system. The theoretical evaluations are demonstrated through numerical simulations.

Dynamic complexities in a pest control model with birth pulse and harvesting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goel, A., E-mail: goelanju23@gmail.com; Gakkhar, S., E-mail: sungkfma@iitr.ernet.in

In this paper, an impulsive model is discussed for an integrated pest management approach comprising of chemical and mechanical controls. The pesticides and harvesting are used to control the stage-structured pest population. The mature pest give birth to immature pest in pulses at regular intervals. The pest is controlled by spraying chemical pesticides affecting immature as well as mature pest. The harvesting of both immature and mature pest further reduce the pest population. The discrete dynamical system obtained from stroboscopic map is analyzed. The threshold conditions for stability of pest-free state as well as non-trivial period-1 solution is obtained. Themore » effect of pesticide spray timing and harvesting on immature as well as mature pest are shown. Finally, by numerical simulation with MATLAB, the dynamical behaviors of the model is found to be complex. Above the threshold level there is a characteristic sequence of bifurcations leading to chaotic dynamics. Route to chaos is found to be period-doubling. Period halving bifurcations are also observed.« less

Gender- and species-specific characteristics of bacteriomes from three psyllid species (Hemiptera: Psylloidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Psyllids (Hemiptera: Pyslloidea) harbor bacterial symbionts in specialized organs called bacteriomes. Bacteriomes may be subject to manipulation to control psyllid pests including Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) and Cacopsylla pyricola (Forster) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) if the bi...

Economic and physical determinants of the global distributions of crop pests and pathogens

PubMed Central

Bebber, Daniel P; Holmes, Timothy; Smith, David; Gurr, Sarah J

2014-01-01

Crop pests and pathogens pose a significant and growing threat to food security, but their geographical distributions are poorly understood. We present a global analysis of pest and pathogen distributions, to determine the roles of socioeconomic and biophysical factors in determining pest diversity, controlling for variation in observational capacity among countries. Known distributions of 1901 pests and pathogens were obtained from CABI. Linear models were used to partition the variation in pest species per country amongst predictors. Reported pest numbers increased with per capita gross domestic product (GDP), research expenditure and research capacity, and the influence of economics was greater in micro-organisms than in arthropods. Total crop production and crop diversity were the strongest physical predictors of pest numbers per country, but trade and tourism were insignificant once other factors were controlled. Islands reported more pests than mainland countries, but no latitudinal gradient in species richness was evident. Country wealth is likely to be a strong indicator of observational capacity, not just trade flow, as has been interpreted in invasive species studies. If every country had US levels of per capita GDP, then 205 ± 9 additional pests per country would be reported, suggesting that enhanced investment in pest observations will reveal the hidden threat of crop pests and pathogens. PMID:24517626

ANTICHOLINESTERASE INSECTICIDE RETROSPECTIVE

PubMed Central

Casida, John E.; Durkin, Kathleen A.

2012-01-01

The anticholinesterase (antiChE) organophosphorus (OP) and methylcarbamate (MC) insecticides have been used very effectively as contact and systemic plant protectants for seven decades. About 90 of these compounds are still in use – the largest number for any insecticide chemotype or mode of action. In both insects and mammals, AChE inhibition and acetylcholine accumulation leads to excitation and death. The cholinergic system of insects is located centrally (where it is protected from ionized OPs and MCs) but not at the neuromuscular junction. Structural differences between insect and mammalian AChE are also evident in their genomics, amino acid sequences and active site conformations. Species selectivity is determined in part by inhibitor and target site specificity. Pest population selection with OPs and MCs has resulted in a multitude of modified AChEs of altered inhibitor specificity some conferring insecticide resistance and others enhancing sensitivity. Much of the success of antiChE insecticides results from a suitable balance of bioactivation and detoxification by families of CYP450 oxidases, hydrolases, glutathione S-transferases and others. Known inhibitors for these enzymes block detoxification and enhance potency which is particularly important in resistant strains. The current market for OPs and MCs of 19% of worldwide insecticide sales is only half of that of 10 years ago for several reasons: there have been no major new compounds for 30 years; resistance has eroded their effectiveness; human toxicity problems are still encountered; the patents have expired reducing the incentive to update registration packages; alternative chemotypes or control methods have been developed. Despite this decline, they still play a major role in pest control and the increasing knowledge on their target sites and metabolism may make it possible to redesign the inhibitors for insensitive AChEs and to target new sites in the cholinergic system. The OPs and MCs are down but not out. PMID:22926007

Anticholinesterase insecticide retrospective.

PubMed

Casida, John E; Durkin, Kathleen A

2013-03-25

The anticholinesterase (antiChE) organophosphorus (OP) and methylcarbamate (MC) insecticides have been used very effectively as contact and systemic plant protectants for seven decades. About 90 of these compounds are still in use - the largest number for any insecticide chemotype or mode of action. In both insects and mammals, AChE inhibition and acetylcholine accumulation leads to excitation and death. The cholinergic system of insects is located centrally (where it is protected from ionized OPs and MCs) but not at the neuromuscular junction. Structural differences between insect and mammalian AChE are also evident in their genomics, amino acid sequences and active site conformations. Species selectivity is determined in part by inhibitor and target site specificity. Pest population selection with OPs and MCs has resulted in a multitude of modified AChEs of altered inhibitor specificity some conferring insecticide resistance and others enhancing sensitivity. Much of the success of antiChE insecticides results from a suitable balance of bioactivation and detoxification by families of CYP450 oxidases, hydrolases, glutathione S-transferases and others. Known inhibitors for these enzymes block detoxification and enhance potency which is particularly important in resistant strains. The current market for OPs and MCs of 19% of worldwide insecticide sales is only half of that of 10 years ago for several reasons: there have been no major new compounds for 30 years; resistance has eroded their effectiveness; human toxicity problems are still encountered; the patents have expired reducing the incentive to update registration packages; alternative chemotypes or control methods have been developed. Despite this decline, they still play a major role in pest control and the increasing knowledge on their target sites and metabolism may make it possible to redesign the inhibitors for insensitive AChEs and to target new sites in the cholinergic system. The OPs and MCs are down but not out. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The insulin-like androgenic gland hormone in crustaceans: From a single gene silencing to a wide array of sexual manipulation-based biotechnologies.

PubMed

Ventura, Tomer; Sagi, Amir

2012-01-01

Due to the over-harvesting and deterioration of wild populations, the ever-growing crustacean market is increasingly reliant on aquaculture, driving the need for better management techniques. Since most cultured crustacean species exhibit sexually dimorphic growth patterns, the culture of monosex populations (either all-male or all-female) is a preferred approach for gaining higher yields, with the ecological benefit of reducing the risk of invasion by the cultured species. Sexual manipulations may also render sustainable solutions to the environmental problems caused by the presence of invasive crustacean species with detrimental impacts ranging from aggressive competition with native species for food and shelter, to affecting aquaculture facilities and harvests and causing structural damage to river banks. Recent discoveries of androgenic gland (AG)-specific insulin-like peptides (IAGs) in crustaceans and the ability to manipulate them and their encoding transcripts (IAGs) have raised the possibility of sexually manipulating crustacean populations. Sexual manipulation is already a part of sustainable solutions in fish aquaculture and in the bio-control of insect pest species, and attempts are also being made to implement it with crustaceans. As recently exemplified in a commercially important prawn species, IAG silencing, a temporal, non-genetically modifying and non-transmissible intervention, has enabled the production of non-breeding all-male monosex populations that are the progeny of sexually reversed males ('neo-females'). IAG manipulations-based biotechnologies therefore have the potential to radically transform the entire industry. We review here how this proof of concept could be broadened to meet both aquacultural and environmental needs. We include the major cultured decapod crustacean groups and suggest a sustainable solution for the management of invasive and pest crustacean species. We also review the key considerations for devising a biotechnological approach that specifically tailors the molecular technological abilities to the management of each target group. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scale Insects, edition 2, a tool for the identification of potential pest scales at U.S.A. ports-of-entry (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Coccoidea)

PubMed Central

Miller, Douglass R.; Rung, Alessandra; Parikh, Grishma

2014-01-01

Abstract We provide a general overview of features and technical specifications of an online, interactive tool for the identification of scale insects of concern to the U.S.A. ports-of-entry. Full lists of terminal taxa included in the keys (of which there are four), a list of features used in them, and a discussion of the structure of the tool are provided. We also briefly discuss the advantages of interactive keys for the identification of potential scale insect pests. The interactive key is freely accessible on http://idtools.org/id/scales/index.php PMID:25152668

Pest Management Specialist (AFSC 56650).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Air Univ., Gunter AFS, Ala. Extension Course Inst.

This eight-volume student text is designed for use by Air Force personnel enrolled in a self-study extension course for pest management specialists. Covered in the individual volumes are civil engineering; pest management (entomology, pest management planning and coordination, and safety and protective equipment); pest management chemicals and…

Getting More Power from Your Flowers: Multi-Functional Flower Strips Enhance Pollinators and Pest Control Agents in Apple Orchards

PubMed Central

Wilby, Andrew; Sutton, Peter; Wäckers, Felix

2017-01-01

Flower strips are commonly recommended to boost biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services (e.g., pollination and pest control) on farmland. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regards the extent to which they deliver on these aims. Here, we tested the efficacy of flower strips that targeted different subsets of beneficial arthropods (pollinators and natural enemies) and their ecosystem services in cider apple orchards. Treatments included mixes that specifically targeted: (1) pollinators (‘concealed-nectar plants’); (2) natural enemies (‘open-nectar plants’); or (3) both groups concurrently (i.e., ‘multi-functional’ mix). Flower strips were established in alleyways of four orchards and compared to control alleyways (no flowers). Pollinator (e.g., bees) and natural enemy (e.g., parasitoid wasps, predatory flies and beetles) visitation to flower strips, alongside measures of pest control (aphid colony densities, sentinel prey predation), and fruit production, were monitored in orchards over two consecutive growing seasons. Targeted flower strips attracted either pollinators or natural enemies, whereas mixed flower strips attracted both groups in similar abundance to targeted mixes. Natural enemy densities on apple trees were higher in plots containing open-nectar plants compared to other treatments, but effects were stronger for non-aphidophagous taxa. Predation of sentinel prey was enhanced in all flowering plots compared to controls but pest aphid densities and fruit yield were unaffected by flower strips. We conclude that ‘multi-functional’ flower strips that contain flowering plant species with opposing floral traits can provide nectar and pollen for both pollinators and natural enemies, but further work is required to understand their potential for improving pest control services and yield in cider apple orchards. PMID:28930157

MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF CYSTEINE AND TRYPSIN PROTEASE, EFFECT OF DIFFERENT HOSTS ON PROTEASE EXPRESSION, AND RNAI MEDIATED SILENCING OF CYSTEINE PROTEASE GENE IN THE SUNN PEST.

PubMed

Amiri, Azam; Bandani, Ali Reza; Alizadeh, Houshang

2016-04-01

Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps, is a serious pest of cereals in the wide area of the globe from Near and Middle East to East and South Europe and North Africa. This study described for the first time, identification of E. integriceps trypsin serine protease and cathepsin-L cysteine, transcripts involved in digestion, which might serve as targets for pest control management. A total of 478 and 500 base pair long putative trypsin and cysteine gene sequences were characterized and named Tryp and Cys, respectively. In addition, the tissue-specific relative gene expression levels of these genes as well as gluten hydrolase (Gl) were determined under different host kernels feeding conditions. Result showed that mRNA expression of Cys, Tryp, and Gl was significantly affected after feeding on various host plant species. Transcript levels of these genes were most abundant in the wheat-fed E. integriceps larvae compared to other hosts. The Cys transcript was detected exclusively in the gut, whereas the Gl and Tryp transcripts were detectable in both salivary glands and gut. Also possibility of Sunn pest gene silencing was studied by topical application of cysteine double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). The results indicated that topically applied dsRNA on fifth nymphal stage can penetrate the cuticle of the insect and induce RNA interference. The Cys gene mRNA transcript in the gut was reduced to 83.8% 2 days posttreatment. Also, it was found that dsRNA of Cys gene affected fifth nymphal stage development suggesting the involvement of this protease in the insect growth, development, and molting. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Getting More Power from Your Flowers: Multi-Functional Flower Strips Enhance Pollinators and Pest Control Agents in Apple Orchards.

PubMed

Campbell, Alistair John; Wilby, Andrew; Sutton, Peter; Wäckers, Felix

2017-09-20

Flower strips are commonly recommended to boost biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services (e.g., pollination and pest control) on farmland. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regards the extent to which they deliver on these aims. Here, we tested the efficacy of flower strips that targeted different subsets of beneficial arthropods (pollinators and natural enemies) and their ecosystem services in cider apple orchards. Treatments included mixes that specifically targeted: (1) pollinators ('concealed-nectar plants'); (2) natural enemies ('open-nectar plants'); or (3) both groups concurrently (i.e., 'multi-functional' mix). Flower strips were established in alleyways of four orchards and compared to control alleyways (no flowers). Pollinator (e.g., bees) and natural enemy (e.g., parasitoid wasps, predatory flies and beetles) visitation to flower strips, alongside measures of pest control (aphid colony densities, sentinel prey predation), and fruit production, were monitored in orchards over two consecutive growing seasons. Targeted flower strips attracted either pollinators or natural enemies, whereas mixed flower strips attracted both groups in similar abundance to targeted mixes. Natural enemy densities on apple trees were higher in plots containing open-nectar plants compared to other treatments, but effects were stronger for non-aphidophagous taxa. Predation of sentinel prey was enhanced in all flowering plots compared to controls but pest aphid densities and fruit yield were unaffected by flower strips. We conclude that 'multi-functional' flower strips that contain flowering plant species with opposing floral traits can provide nectar and pollen for both pollinators and natural enemies, but further work is required to understand their potential for improving pest control services and yield in cider apple orchards.

Classical biological control of an invasive forest pest: a world perspective of the management of Sirex noctilio using the parasitoid Ibalia leucospoides (Hymenoptera: Ibaliidae).

PubMed

Fischbein, D; Corley, J C

2015-02-01

Classical biological control is a key method for managing populations of pests in long-lived crops such as plantation forestry. The execution of biological control programmes in general, as the evaluation of potential natural enemies remains, to a large extent, an empirical endeavour. Thus, characterizing specific cases to determine patterns that may lead to more accurate predictions of success is an important goal of the much applied ecological research. We review the history of introduction, ecology and behaviour of the parasitoid Ibalia leucospoides. The species is a natural enemy of Sirex noctilio, one of the most important pests of pine afforestation worldwide. We use an invasion ecology perspective given the analogy between the main stages involved in classical biological control and the biological invasion processes. We conclude that success in the establishment, a common reason of failure in biocontrol, is not a limiting factor of success by I. leucospoides. A mismatch between the spread capacity of the parasitoid and that of its host could nevertheless affect control at a regional scale. In addition, we suggest that given its known life history traits, this natural enemy may be a better regulator than suppressor of the host population. Moreover, spatial and temporal refuges of the host population that may favour the local persistence of the interaction probably reduce the degree to which S. noctilio population is suppressed by the parasitoid. We emphasize the fact that some of the biological attributes that promote establishment may negatively affect suppression levels achieved. Studies on established non-native pest-parasitoid interactions may contribute to defining selection criteria for classical biological control which may prove especially useful in integrated pest management IPM programmes of invasive forest insects.

Development of a model forecasting Dermanyssus gallinae's population dynamics for advancing Integrated Pest Management in laying hen facilities.

PubMed

Mul, Monique F; van Riel, Johan W; Roy, Lise; Zoons, Johan; André, Geert; George, David R; Meerburg, Bastiaan G; Dicke, Marcel; van Mourik, Simon; Groot Koerkamp, Peter W G

2017-10-15

The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is the most significant pest of egg laying hens in many parts of the world. Control of D. gallinae could be greatly improved with advanced Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for D. gallinae in laying hen facilities. The development of a model forecasting the pests' population dynamics in laying hen facilities without and post-treatment will contribute to this advanced IPM and could consequently improve implementation of IPM by farmers. The current work describes the development and demonstration of a model which can follow and forecast the population dynamics of D. gallinae in laying hen facilities given the variation of the population growth of D. gallinae within and between flocks. This high variation could partly be explained by house temperature, flock age, treatment, and hen house. The total population growth variation within and between flocks, however, was in part explained by temporal variation. For a substantial part this variation was unexplained. A dynamic adaptive model (DAP) was consequently developed, as models of this type are able to handle such temporal variations. The developed DAP model can forecast the population dynamics of D. gallinae, requiring only current flock population monitoring data, temperature data and information of the dates of any D. gallinae treatment. Importantly, the DAP model forecasted treatment effects, while compensating for location and time specific interactions, handling the variability of these parameters. The characteristics of this DAP model, and its compatibility with different mite monitoring methods, represent progression from existing approaches for forecasting D. gallinae that could contribute to advancing improved Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for D. gallinae in laying hen facilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The catalytic region and PEST domain of PTPN18 distinctly regulate the HER2 phosphorylation and ubiquitination barcodes.

PubMed

Wang, Hong-Mei; Xu, Yun-Fei; Ning, Shang-Lei; Yang, Du-Xiao; Li, Yi; Du, Yu-Jie; Yang, Fan; Zhang, Ya; Liang, Nan; Yao, Wei; Zhang, Ling-Li; Gu, Li-Chuan; Gao, Cheng-Jiang; Pang, Qi; Chen, Yu-Xin; Xiao, Kun-Hong; Ma, Rong; Yu, Xiao; Sun, Jin-Peng

2014-09-01

The tyrosine phosphorylation barcode encoded in C-terminus of HER2 and its ubiquitination regulate diverse HER2 functions. PTPN18 was reported as a HER2 phosphatase; however, the exact mechanism by which it defines HER2 signaling is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that PTPN18 regulates HER2-mediated cellular functions through defining both its phosphorylation and ubiquitination barcodes. Enzymologic characterization and three crystal structures of PTPN18 in complex with HER2 phospho-peptides revealed the molecular basis for the recognition between PTPN18 and specific HER2 phosphorylation sites, which assumes two distinct conformations. Unique structural properties of PTPN18 contribute to the regulation of sub-cellular phosphorylation networks downstream of HER2, which are required for inhibition of HER2-mediated cell growth and migration. Whereas the catalytic domain of PTPN18 blocks lysosomal routing and delays the degradation of HER2 by dephosphorylation of HER2 on pY(1112), the PEST domain of PTPN18 promotes K48-linked HER2 ubiquitination and its rapid destruction via the proteasome pathway and an HER2 negative feedback loop. In agreement with the negative regulatory role of PTPN18 in HER2 signaling, the HER2/PTPN18 ratio was correlated with breast cancer stage. Taken together, our study presents a structural basis for selective HER2 dephosphorylation, a previously uncharacterized mechanism for HER2 degradation and a novel function for the PTPN18 PEST domain. The new regulatory role of the PEST domain in the ubiquitination pathway will broaden our understanding of the functions of other important PEST domain-containing phosphatases, such as LYP and PTPN12.

Expression of Resistance in Amaranthus spp. (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae): Effects of Selected Accessions on the Behaviour and Biology of the Amaranth Leaf-Webber, Spoladea recurvalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

PubMed

Othim, Stephen T O; Ramasamy, Srinivasan; Kahuthia-Gathu, Ruth; Dubois, Thomas; Ekesi, Sunday; Fiaboe, Komi K M

2018-06-08

Spoladea recurvalis F. is a major pest moth of amaranth ( Amaranthus spp.) flowers worldwide, with a potential of causing complete foliage loss under severe outbreaks. Chemical insecticides are uneconomical for resource-poor farmers and pose health and environmental risks. Host plant resistance (HPR) to insects is an effective, economical and environmentally friendly alternative that is poorly understood and largely unexploited among traditional leafy vegetables. A total of 35 amaranth accessions were evaluated for the expression of their antixenotic and antibiotic traits against S. recurvalis , focusing on their effects on the biology of the pest in comparison with a susceptible accession. The accession VI036227 was found to be highly resistant against the pest, exhibiting exemplary antibiosis by causing 100% larval mortality within the first 36 h, despite not being deterrent for oviposition. The accessions VI048076, VI056563 and VI047555-B demonstrated moderate resistance against the pest for specific parameters including low oviposition, moderate early stage larval mortality and reduced adult longevity. Total mortality and weight gain in these three accessions were, however, not significantly different from the susceptible control. Higher numbers of eggs were laid in no-choice compared to choice situations. The implications of these findings in the management of S. recurvalis on amaranths are discussed.

Identifying obstacles and ranking common biological control research priorities for Europe to manage most economically important pests in arable, vegetable and perennial crops.

PubMed

Lamichhane, Jay Ram; Bischoff-Schaefer, Monika; Bluemel, Sylvia; Dachbrodt-Saaydeh, Silke; Dreux, Laure; Jansen, Jean-Pierre; Kiss, Jozsef; Köhl, Jürgen; Kudsk, Per; Malausa, Thibaut; Messéan, Antoine; Nicot, Philippe C; Ricci, Pierre; Thibierge, Jérôme; Villeneuve, François

2017-01-01

EU agriculture is currently in transition from conventional crop protection to integrated pest management (IPM). Because biocontrol is a key component of IPM, many European countries recently have intensified their national efforts on biocontrol research and innovation (R&I), although such initiatives are often fragmented. The operational outputs of national efforts would benefit from closer collaboration among stakeholders via transnationally coordinated approaches, as most economically important pests are similar across Europe. This paper proposes a common European framework on biocontrol R&I. It identifies generic R&I bottlenecks and needs as well as priorities for three crop types (arable, vegetable and perennial crops). The existing gap between the market offers of biocontrol solutions and the demand of growers, the lengthy and expensive registration process for biocontrol solutions and their varying effectiveness due to variable climatic conditions and site-specific factors across Europe are key obstacles hindering the development and adoption of biocontrol solutions in Europe. Considering arable, vegetable and perennial crops, a dozen common target pests are identified for each type of crop and ranked by order of importance at European level. Such a ranked list indicates numerous topics on which future joint transnational efforts would be justified. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Repressed Beauveria bassiana Infections in Delia antiqua due to Associated Microbiota.

PubMed

Zhou, Fangyuan; Wu, Xiaoqing; Xu, Letian; Guo, Shuhai; Chen, Guanhong; Zhang, Xinjian

2018-05-23

Insects form both mutualistic and antagonistic relationships with microbes, and some antagonistic microbes have been used as biocontrol agents (BCAs) in pest management. Contextually, BCAs may be inhibited by beneficial insect symbionts, which can become potential barriers for entomopathogen-dependent pest biocontrol. Thus, by using the symbioses formed by one devastating dipteran pest, Delia antiqua, and its associated microbes as a model system, we sought to determine whether the antagonistic interaction between BCAs and microbial symbionts could affect the outcome of entomopathogen-dependent pest biocontrol. The result showed that in contrast to non-axenic D. antiqua larvae, i.e., onion maggots, axenic larvae lost resistance to the entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana, and the re-inoculation of microbiota increased the resistance of axenic larvae to B. bassiana. Furthermore, bacteria, including Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter ludwigii, Pseudomonas protegens, Serratia plymuthica, Sphingobacterium faecium, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, frequently isolated from larvae suppressed B. bassiana conidia germination and hyphal growth, and the re-inoculation of specific individual bacteria enhanced the resistance of axenic larvae to B. bassiana. Bacteria associated with larvae, including C. freundii, E. ludwigii, P. protegens, S. plymuthica, S. faecium, and S. maltophilia, can inhibit B. bassiana infection. Removing the microbiota can suppress larval resistance to fungal infection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Toxicity of Insecticides on Various Life Stages of Two Tortricid Pests of Cranberries and on a Non-Target Predator

PubMed Central

Rodriguez-Saona, Cesar; Wanumen, Andrea Carolina; Salamanca, Jordano; Holdcraft, Robert; Kyryczenko-Roth, Vera

2016-01-01

Laboratory and extended laboratory bioassays were conducted to determine the residual toxicities of various insecticides against two key pests of cranberries, Sparganothis sulfureana and Choristoneura parallela (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), and their non-target effects on the predatory Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae). The effects of nine insecticides with different modes of action on S. sulfureana and Ch. parallela eggs, larvae, and adults were tested in the laboratory, while the efficacy of a post-bloom application on larval mortality and mass of these pests and on adult O. insidiosus was evaluated in extended laboratory experiments. The organophosphate chlorpyrifos and the spinosyn spinetoram provided long-lasting (seven-day) control against all stages of both pests. The growth regulator methoxyfenozide and the diamides chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole had strong (1–7 days) larvicidal, particularly on young larvae, and growth inhibitory activity, but only the diamides were adulticidal. Among neonicotinoids, acetamiprid had stronger ovicidal and adulticidal activity than thiamethoxam, showing within-insecticide class differences in toxicities; however, both were weak on larvae. Lethality of novaluron and indoxacarb was inconsistent, varying depending on species and stage. Chlorpyrifos was most toxic to O. insidiosus. These results show species- and stage-specific toxicities, and greater compatibility with biological control, of the newer reduced-risk classes of insecticides than older chemistries. PMID:27092527

Calibration process of highly parameterized semi-distributed hydrological model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidmar, Andrej; Brilly, Mitja

2017-04-01

Hydrological phenomena take place in the hydrological system, which is governed by nature, and are essentially stochastic. These phenomena are unique, non-recurring, and changeable across space and time. Since any river basin with its own natural characteristics and any hydrological event therein, are unique, this is a complex process that is not researched enough. Calibration is a procedure of determining the parameters of a model that are not known well enough. Input and output variables and mathematical model expressions are known, while only some parameters are unknown, which are determined by calibrating the model. The software used for hydrological modelling nowadays is equipped with sophisticated algorithms for calibration purposes without possibility to manage process by modeler. The results are not the best. We develop procedure for expert driven process of calibration. We use HBV-light-CLI hydrological model which has command line interface and coupling it with PEST. PEST is parameter estimation tool which is used widely in ground water modeling and can be used also on surface waters. Process of calibration managed by expert directly, and proportionally to the expert knowledge, affects the outcome of the inversion procedure and achieves better results than if the procedure had been left to the selected optimization algorithm. First step is to properly define spatial characteristic and structural design of semi-distributed model including all morphological and hydrological phenomena, like karstic area, alluvial area and forest area. This step includes and requires geological, meteorological, hydraulic and hydrological knowledge of modeler. Second step is to set initial parameter values at their preferred values based on expert knowledge. In this step we also define all parameter and observation groups. Peak data are essential in process of calibration if we are mainly interested in flood events. Each Sub Catchment in the model has own observations group. Third step is to set appropriate bounds to parameters in their range of realistic values. Fourth step is to use of singular value decomposition (SVD) ensures that PEST maintains numerical stability, regardless of how ill-posed is the inverse problem Fifth step is to run PWTADJ1. This creates a new PEST control file in which weights are adjusted such that the contribution made to the total objective function by each observation group is the same. This prevents the information content of any group from being invisible to the inversion process. Sixth step is to add Tikhonov regularization to the PEST control file by running the ADDREG1 utility (Doherty, J, 2013). In adding regularization to the PEST control file ADDREG1 automatically provides a prior information equation for each parameter in which the preferred value of that parameter is equated to its initial value. Last step is to run PEST. We run BeoPEST which a parallel version of PEST and can be run on multiple computers in parallel in same time on TCP communications and this speedup process of calibrations. The case study with results of calibration and validation of the model will be presented.

Pesticide Emergency Resources

Science.gov Websites

National Pesticide Information Center 1.800.858.7378 npic@ace.orst.edu We're open from 8:00AM to 12 Plants Pest Control Identify Your Pest Learn About Your Pest Control Your Pest Integrated Pest Management Home Page Emergency Resources Related Topics: Pesticide Incidents Recognition and Management of

7 CFR 330.200 - Movement of plant pests regulated; permits required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Movement of plant pests regulated; permits required... AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FEDERAL PLANT PEST REGULATIONS; GENERAL; PLANT PESTS; SOIL, STONE, AND QUARRY PRODUCTS; GARBAGE Movement of Plant Pests § 330.200 Movement of...

7 CFR 330.202 - Consideration of applications for permits to move plant pests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... plant pests. 330.202 Section 330.202 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FEDERAL PLANT PEST REGULATIONS; GENERAL; PLANT PESTS; SOIL, STONE, AND QUARRY PRODUCTS; GARBAGE Movement of Plant Pests § 330.202...

Ras-Induced and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1 and 2 Phosphorylation-Dependent Isomerization of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase (PTP)-PEST by PIN1 Promotes FAK Dephosphorylation by PTP-PEST ▿

PubMed Central

Zheng, Yanhua; Yang, Weiwei; Xia, Yan; Hawke, David; Liu, David X.; Lu, Zhimin

2011-01-01

Protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)-PEST is a critical regulator of cell adhesion and migration. However, the mechanism by which PTP-PEST is regulated in response to oncogenic signaling to dephosphorylate its substrates remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that activated Ras induces extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2-dependent phosphorylation of PTP-PEST at S571, which recruits PIN1 to bind to PTP-PEST. Isomerization of the phosphorylated PTP-PEST by PIN1 increases the interaction between PTP-PEST and FAK, which leads to the dephosphorylation of FAK Y397 and the promotion of migration, invasion, and metastasis of v-H-Ras-transformed cells. These findings uncover an important mechanism for the regulation of PTP-PEST in activated Ras-induced tumor progression. PMID:21876001

[Spectral features analysis of Pinus massoniana with pest of Dendrolimus punctatus Walker and levels detection].

PubMed

Xu, Zhang-Hua; Liu, Jian; Yu, Kun-Yong; Gong, Cong-Hong; Xie, Wan-Jun; Tang, Meng-Ya; Lai, Ri-Wen; Li, Zeng-Lu

2013-02-01

Taking 51 field measured hyperspectral data with different pest levels in Yanping, Fujian Province as objects, the spectral reflectance and first derivative features of 4 levels of healthy, mild, moderate and severe insect pest were analyzed. On the basis of 7 detecting parameters construction, the pest level detecting models were built. The results showed that (1) the spectral reflectance of Pinus massoniana with pests were significantly lower than that of healthy state, and the higher the pest level, the lower the reflectance; (2) with the increase in pest level, the spectral reflectance curves' "green peak" and "red valley" of Pinus massoniana gradually disappeared, and the red edge was leveleds (3) the pest led to spectral "green peak" red shift, red edge position blue shift, but the changes in "red valley" and near-infrared position were complicated; (4) CARI, RES, REA and REDVI were highly relevant to pest levels, and the correlations between REP, RERVI, RENDVI and pest level were weak; (5) the multiple linear regression model with the variables of the 7 detection parameters could effectively detect the pest levels of Dendrolimus punctatus Walker, with both the estimation rate and accuracy above 0.85.

Agrochemical fate models applied in agricultural areas from Colombia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Santos, Glenda; Yang, Jing; Andreoli, Romano; Binder, Claudia

2010-05-01

The misuse application of pesticides in mainly agricultural catchments can lead to severe problems for humans and environment. Especially in developing countries where there is often found overuse of agrochemicals and incipient or lack of water quality monitoring at local and regional levels, models are needed for decision making and hot spots identification. However, the complexity of the water cycle contrasts strongly with the scarce data availability, limiting the number of analysis, techniques, and models available to researchers. Therefore there is a strong need for model simplification able to appropriate model complexity and still represent the processes. We have developed a new model so-called Westpa-Pest to improve water quality management of an agricultural catchment located in the highlands of Colombia. Westpa-Pest is based on the fully distributed hydrologic model Wetspa and a fate pesticide module. We have applied a multi-criteria analysis for model selection under the conditions and data availability found in the region and compared with the new developed Westpa-Pest model. Furthermore, both models were empirically calibrated and validated. The following questions were addressed i) what are the strengths and weaknesses of the models?, ii) which are the most sensitive parameters of each model?, iii) what happens with uncertainties in soil parameters?, and iv) how sensitive are the transfer coefficients?

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

PubMed

Malik, Anushree; Singh, Neena; Satya, Santosh

2007-05-01

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.

Variability of the mitochondrial SSU rDNA of entomopathogenic fungi

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hypocrealean arthropod pathogenic fungi have profound impact on the regulation of agricultural and medical pests. However, until now the genetic and phylogenetic relationships among species have not been clarified, such studies could clarify host specificity relationships and define species boundari...

Towards the elements of successful insect Ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi), the sequence-specific suppression of gene expression, offers great opportunities for insect science, especially to analyze gene function, manage pest populations, and reduce disease pathogens. The accumulating body of literature on insect RNAi has revealed that ...

Mating behavior and vibrational mimicry in the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vibrational communication is widespread in insects, particularly in leafhoppers where the pair formation process is mediated by species-specific vibrational signals. One important pest using vibrational communication, glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca vitripennis, is a vector of Xylella...

Interactions of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal crops with spiders (Araneae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Genetically modified crops expressing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have dramatically increased in acreage since their introduction in the mid-1990’s. Although the insecticidal mechanisms of Bt target specific pests, concerns persist regarding direct and indirect effects on...

Forest health in the Blue Mountains: the influence of insects and disease.

Treesearch

B.E. Wickman

1992-01-01

A science perspective of forest health in the Blue Mountains is summarized by using both historical and biological information. Many of the current pest problems are related to human activities that have occurred over the last 90 years. The almost complete loss of periodic low-intensity fires since 1900 plus extensive logging of pine have resulted in many thousands of...

Effects of naturally occurring and synthetic synergists on the toxicity of three insecticides, a phytochemical and a mycotoxin to the navel orangeworm Amyelois transitella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The navel orangeworm is the most destructive lepidopteran pest of almonds and pistachios in California as well as a serious problem in figs and walnuts. Larval feeding leaves nuts vulnerable to infection by Aspergillus spp., fungi that produce toxic aflatoxins. A potentially safe and sustainable app...

Emerging hardwood pest problems and implications for the Central Hardwood region

Treesearch

Bruce D. Moltzan

2003-01-01

Over the last 100 years of human action there has been a correlated increase in the movement of insects and disease to the new world. Chestnut Blight, Dutch Elm Disease, Gypsy Moth, Butternut Canker, and White Pine Blister Rust are stern reminders of historically devastating exotic invasions. Sudden Oak Death, Asian Long-horned Beetle, Oak Wilt, Red Oak Borer, and Oak...

Hazard rating for gypsy moth on a Macintosh computer: a component of the GypsES system

Treesearch

Mark J. Twery; Gregory A. Elmes

1991-01-01

As gypsy moth expands into a new region, the threat of damage from its infestation is increasing greatly. The potential economic damage from the pest is extensive, considerably compounding the already substantial aesthetic damage and urban nuisance problems. One way to help forest managers deal with this threat is by providing them with a computer program which can...

The effects of soil fumigation on pine seedling production, weeds, foliar and soil nutrients, a soilborne microorganisms at a south Georgia (U.S.A.) forest tree nursery

Treesearch

Stephen W. Fraedrich; L. David Dwinell

2003-01-01

Pine seedling production and pest problems were evaluated in plots fumigated with methyl bromide and nonfumigated plots over a 6-year period at a Georgia nursery. Fumigation increased bed densities for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in 1996 and slash pine (Pinus elliotii Engelm. var. elliottii) in 1998;...

Pilot study on agricultural pesticide poisoning in Burkina Faso

PubMed Central

Ouedraogo, Mustapha; Ouedraogo, Richard; Ilboudo, Sylvain; Guissou, Pierre I.

2013-01-01

Epidemiologic data related to agricultural pesticide poisoning cases in Burkina Faso were collected. The study was carried out using retrospective (from January 2002 to June 2010) surveys conducted among farmers and healthcare centers. One hundred and fifty-three (153) pest control products were recorded during the survey and 56 active ingredients were identified. Out of the 153 pest control products, 49 (i.e. 32%) were authorized for sale in Burkina Faso. The main risk factors are socio-demographic characteristics of farmers, their low education level, and some attitudes and practices on using agricultural pesticides. Pesticide poisonings are relatively frequent and their management was not always efficacious. Actions are needed to reduce pesticide poisoning as a global public health problem and to improve management of pesticide poisoning. To this purpose, advanced investigations should be carried out over a longer period of time to complement the present pilot study. PMID:24678256

Pilot study on agricultural pesticide poisoning in Burkina Faso.

PubMed

Toe, Adama M; Ouedraogo, Mustapha; Ouedraogo, Richard; Ilboudo, Sylvain; Guissou, Pierre I

2013-12-01

Epidemiologic data related to agricultural pesticide poisoning cases in Burkina Faso were collected. The study was carried out using retrospective (from January 2002 to June 2010) surveys conducted among farmers and healthcare centers. One hundred and fifty-three (153) pest control products were recorded during the survey and 56 active ingredients were identified. Out of the 153 pest control products, 49 (i.e. 32%) were authorized for sale in Burkina Faso. The main risk factors are socio-demographic characteristics of farmers, their low education level, and some attitudes and practices on using agricultural pesticides. Pesticide poisonings are relatively frequent and their management was not always efficacious. Actions are needed to reduce pesticide poisoning as a global public health problem and to improve management of pesticide poisoning. To this purpose, advanced investigations should be carried out over a longer period of time to complement the present pilot study.

A review of the biology and control of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Scolytidae).

PubMed

Damon, A

2000-12-01

The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari, is a serious problem for the majority of the world's coffee growers and has proved to be one of the most intractable of present day pests. Despite a great deal of research, control still depends largely on the application of the organochlorine insecticide endosulfan, which is damaging to the environment, or a series of cultural and biological control methods which give variable and unpredictable results. This review summarizes the most important aspects of the biology and ecology of H. hampei and its control and identifies weak points in the knowledge about this pest. Emphasis is placed upon an analysis of the non-chemical control methods available and suggestions are offered for novel ecological and environmental factors worthy of further research, in the search for viable and sustainable control methods.

Plant protection and growth stimulation by microorganisms: biotechnological applications of Bacilli in agriculture.

PubMed

Pérez-García, Alejandro; Romero, Diego; de Vicente, Antonio

2011-04-01

The increasing demand for a steady, healthy food supply requires an efficient control of the major pests and plant diseases. Current management practices are based largely on the application of synthetic pesticides. The excessive use of agrochemicals has caused serious environmental and health problems. Therefore, there is a growing demand for new and safer methods to replace or at least supplement the existing control strategies. Biological control, that is, the use of natural antagonists to combat pests or plant diseases has emerged as a promising alternative to chemical pesticides. The Bacilli offer a number of advantages for their application in agricultural biotechnology. Several Bacillus-based products have been marketed as microbial pesticides, fungicides or fertilisers. Bacillus-based biopesticides are widely used in conventional agriculture, by contrast, implementation of Bacillus-based biofungicides and biofertilizers is still a pending issue. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A tool for efficient, model-independent management optimization under uncertainty

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, Jeremy; Fienen, Michael N.; Barlow, Paul M.; Welter, Dave E.

2018-01-01

To fill a need for risk-based environmental management optimization, we have developed PESTPP-OPT, a model-independent tool for resource management optimization under uncertainty. PESTPP-OPT solves a sequential linear programming (SLP) problem and also implements (optional) efficient, “on-the-fly” (without user intervention) first-order, second-moment (FOSM) uncertainty techniques to estimate model-derived constraint uncertainty. Combined with a user-specified risk value, the constraint uncertainty estimates are used to form chance-constraints for the SLP solution process, so that any optimal solution includes contributions from model input and observation uncertainty. In this way, a “single answer” that includes uncertainty is yielded from the modeling analysis. PESTPP-OPT uses the familiar PEST/PEST++ model interface protocols, which makes it widely applicable to many modeling analyses. The use of PESTPP-OPT is demonstrated with a synthetic, integrated surface-water/groundwater model. The function and implications of chance constraints for this synthetic model are discussed.

Economic and physical determinants of the global distributions of crop pests and pathogens.

PubMed

Bebber, Daniel P; Holmes, Timothy; Smith, David; Gurr, Sarah J

2014-05-01

Crop pests and pathogens pose a significant and growing threat to food security, but their geographical distributions are poorly understood. We present a global analysis of pest and pathogen distributions, to determine the roles of socioeconomic and biophysical factors in determining pest diversity, controlling for variation in observational capacity among countries. Known distributions of 1901 pests and pathogens were obtained from CABI. Linear models were used to partition the variation in pest species per country amongst predictors. Reported pest numbers increased with per capita gross domestic product (GDP), research expenditure and research capacity, and the influence of economics was greater in micro-organisms than in arthropods. Total crop production and crop diversity were the strongest physical predictors of pest numbers per country, but trade and tourism were insignificant once other factors were controlled. Islands reported more pests than mainland countries, but no latitudinal gradient in species richness was evident. Country wealth is likely to be a strong indicator of observational capacity, not just trade flow, as has been interpreted in invasive species studies. If every country had US levels of per capita GDP, then 205 ± 9 additional pests per country would be reported, suggesting that enhanced investment in pest observations will reveal the hidden threat of crop pests and pathogens. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

7 CFR 330.206 - Permits for plant pest movement associated with National Defense projects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Permits for plant pest movement associated with... (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FEDERAL PLANT PEST REGULATIONS; GENERAL; PLANT PESTS; SOIL, STONE, AND QUARRY PRODUCTS; GARBAGE Movement of Plant Pests § 330.206...

77 FR 3729 - Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Plant Pest, Noxious...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-25

... Collection; Plant Pest, Noxious Weed, and Garbage Regulations AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection... with plant pest, noxious weed, and garbage regulations. DATES: We will consider all comments that we... pest, noxious weed, and garbage regulations, contact Dr. Shirley Wager- Pag[eacute], Chief, Pest Permit...

7 CFR 330.205 - Disposal of plant pests when permits are canceled.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Disposal of plant pests when permits are canceled. 330... PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FEDERAL PLANT PEST REGULATIONS; GENERAL; PLANT PESTS; SOIL, STONE, AND QUARRY PRODUCTS; GARBAGE Movement of Plant Pests § 330.205 Disposal of...

[Risk assessment and control strategies of pests in Lycium barbarum fields under different managements].

PubMed

Zhao, Zi-Hua; Zhang, Rong; He, Da-Han; Wang, Fang; Zhang, Ting-Ting; Zhang, Zong-Shan

2009-04-01

In the risk assessment of pests, both the community structure and the environmental factors should be considered at the same time, because of their mutual effects on the outbreak of disaster pests. This paper established a comprehensive assessment system, including 2 sub-systems, 5 respects, and 14 indices. In the meanwhile, risk assessment indices and experience formula were used to analyze the risk degree of pests in Lycium barbarum fields under different managements. It was found that using risk assessment indices and experience formula could obtain similar results. In abandoned field, Aceria palida, Aphis sp., and Paratrioza sinica were the frequent disaster pests, Lema decempunctata, Neoceratitis asiatica, Jaapiella sp., and Phthorimaea sp. were the incidental disaster pests, and Psylliodes obscurofaciata and Phthorimaea sp. were general pests. In organic field, the frequent disaster pests were the same species as those in abandoned field, while P. indicus, Jaapiella sp. and Phthorimaea sp. were the incidental disaster pests. In chemical control field, A. palida, Aphis sp., P. sinica, and P. indicus were the frequent disaster pests, while Jaapiella sp. and Phthorimaea sp. were the incidental disaster pests. Optimal 5 separations most fitted the division of pest sub-communities in L. barbarum fields, which were infancy period (from March 28 to April 15), outbreak I period (from April 15 to July 18), dormancy period (from July 18 to September 8), outbreak II period (from September 8 to October 15), and recession period (after October 15). The matrix of correlation coefficient showed that the dynamics of pests in L. barbarum fields under different managements were significantly correlated with each other, suggesting that the dynamics of pest populations was similar in different L. barbarum fields, which had two population establishment stages and one exponential growth stage in every year. The optimal controlling stages were from late infancy period to early and middle outbreak I periods, and from late dormancy period to early outbreak II period, which were very critical for pest control.

Olfactory channels associated with the Drosophila maxillary palp mediate short- and long-range attraction

PubMed Central

Dweck, Hany KM; Ebrahim, Shimaa AM; Khallaf, Mohammed A; Koenig, Christopher; Farhan, Abu; Stieber, Regina; Weißflog, Jerrit; Svatoš, Aleš; Grosse-Wilde, Ewald

2016-01-01

The vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster is equipped with two peripheral olfactory organs, antenna and maxillary palp. The antenna is involved in finding food, oviposition sites and mates. However, the functional significance of the maxillary palp remained unknown. Here, we screened the olfactory sensory neurons of the maxillary palp (MP-OSNs) using a large number of natural odor extracts to identify novel ligands for each MP-OSN type. We found that each type is the sole or the primary detector for a specific compound, and detects these compounds with high sensitivity. We next dissected the contribution of MP-OSNs to behaviors evoked by their key ligands and found that MP-OSNs mediate short- and long-range attraction. Furthermore, the organization, detection and olfactory receptor (Or) genes of MP-OSNs are conserved in the agricultural pest D. suzukii. The novel short and long-range attractants could potentially be used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs of this pest species. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14925.001 PMID:27213519

Impact of natural control agents of the citrus leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella on lemon trees varies among seasons.

PubMed

Goane, L; Casmuz, A; Salas, H; Willink, E; Mangeaud, A; Valladares, G

2015-12-01

Studies on insect natural enemies and their effects on host populations are of immense practical value in pest management. Predation and parasitism on a citrus pest, the leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, were evaluated by sampling over 3 years in four locations within a world leading lemon producing area in Northwest Argentina. Both mortality factors showed seasonal trends consistent across locations, with predation exerting earlier and more sustained pressure than parasitism, which showed wider seasonal variations. The dominant parasitoids, native Cirrospilus neotropicus and introduced Ageniaspis citricola, showed different seasonal trends: C. neotropicus was dominant in spring whereas A. citricola superseded it in autumn and winter. Although parasitism rates were relatively low, the native C. neotropicus revealed favourable features as potential control agent, by showing density-dependence, parasitism rates comparable with those of the specific A. citricola during part of the cycle, and earlier synchronization with the host. The study provides highly relevant information for a sustainable management of this worldwide pest, for which biological control is considered the best long-term option.

Introduction of a male-harming mitochondrial haplotype via ‘Trojan Females’ achieves population suppression in fruit flies

PubMed Central

Wolff, Jonci Nikolai; Gemmell, Neil J; Tompkins, Daniel M; Dowling, Damian K

2017-01-01

Pests are a global threat to biodiversity, ecosystem function, and human health. Pest control approaches are thus numerous, but their implementation costly, damaging to non-target species, and ineffective at low population densities. The Trojan Female Technique (TFT) is a prospective self-perpetuating control technique that is species-specific and predicted to be effective at low densities. The goal of the TFT is to harness naturally occurring mutations in the mitochondrial genome that impair male fertility while having no effect on females. Here, we provide proof-of-concept for the TFT, by showing that introduction of a male fertility-impairing mtDNA haplotype into replicated populations of Drosophila melanogaster causes numerical population suppression, with the magnitude of effect positively correlated with its frequency at trial inception. Further development of the TFT could lead to establishing a control strategy that overcomes limitations of conventional approaches, with broad applicability to invertebrate and vertebrate species, to control environmental and economic pests. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23551.001 PMID:28467301

The genome of the Hi5 germ cell line from Trichoplusia ni, an agricultural pest and novel model for small RNA biology

PubMed Central

Fu, Yu; Yang, Yujing; Zhang, Han; Farley, Gwen; Wang, Junling; Quarles, Kaycee A

2018-01-01

We report a draft assembly of the genome of Hi5 cells from the lepidopteran insect pest, Trichoplusia ni, assigning 90.6% of bases to one of 28 chromosomes and predicting 14,037 protein-coding genes. Chemoreception and detoxification gene families reveal T. ni-specific gene expansions that may explain its widespread distribution and rapid adaptation to insecticides. Transcriptome and small RNA data from thorax, ovary, testis, and the germline-derived Hi5 cell line show distinct expression profiles for 295 microRNA- and >393 piRNA-producing loci, as well as 39 genes encoding small RNA pathway proteins. Nearly all of the W chromosome is devoted to piRNA production, and T. ni siRNAs are not 2´-O-methylated. To enable use of Hi5 cells as a model system, we have established genome editing and single-cell cloning protocols. The T. ni genome provides insights into pest control and allows Hi5 cells to become a new tool for studying small RNAs ex vivo. PMID:29376823

Summary Factsheets for Pesticide Permittees

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Summaries of the 2016 Pesticide General Permit (PGP) requirements and provisions covering mosquito and other flying insect pest control; weed and algae pest control; animal pest control; and forest canopy pest control.

Origin of Pest Lineages of the Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

PubMed

Izzo, Victor M; Chen, Yolanda H; Schoville, Sean D; Wang, Cong; Hawthorne, David J

2018-04-02

Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say [Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae]) is a pest of potato throughout the Northern Hemisphere, but little is known about the beetle's origins as a pest. We sampled the beetle from uncultivated Solanum host plants in Mexico, and from pest and non-pest populations in the United States and used mitochondrial DNA and nuclear loci to examine three hypotheses on the origin of the pest lineages: 1) the pest beetles originated from Mexican populations, 2) they descended from hybridization between previously divergent populations, or 3) they descended from populations that are native to the Plains states in the United States. Mitochondrial haplotypes of non-pest populations from Mexico and Arizona differed substantially from beetles collected from the southern plains and potato fields in the United States, indicating that beetles from Mexico and Arizona did not contribute to founding the pest lineages. Similar results were observed for AFLP and microsatellite data . In contrast, non-pest populations from the states of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas were genetically similar to U.S. pest populations, indicating that they contributed to the founding of the pest lineages. Most of the pest populations do not show a significant reduction in genetic diversity compared to the plains populations in the United States. We conclude that genetically heterogeneous beetle populations expanded onto potato from native Solanum hosts. This mode of host range expansion may have contributed to the abundant genetic diversity of contemporary populations, perhaps contributing to the rapid evolution of climate tolerance, host range, and insecticide resistance.

Alternatives to neonicotinoid insecticides for pest control: case studies in agriculture and forestry.

PubMed

Furlan, Lorenzo; Kreutzweiser, David

2015-01-01

Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely used for control of insect pests around the world and are especially pervasive in agricultural pest management. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that the broad-scale and prophylactic uses of neonicotinoids pose serious risks of harm to beneficial organisms and their ecological function. This provides the impetus for exploring alternatives to neonicotinoid insecticides for controlling insect pests. We draw from examples of alternative pest control options in Italian maize production and Canadian forestry to illustrate the principles of applying alternatives to neonicotinoids under an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. An IPM approach considers all relevant and available information to make informed management decisions, providing pest control options based on actual need. We explore the benefits and challenges of several options for management of three insect pests in maize crops and an invasive insect pest in forests, including diversifying crop rotations, altering the timing of planting, tillage and irrigation, using less sensitive crops in infested areas, applying biological control agents, and turning to alternative reduced risk insecticides. Continued research into alternatives is warranted, but equally pressing is the need for information transfer and training for farmers and pest managers and the need for policies and regulations to encourage the adoption of IPM strategies and their alternative pest control options.

Validating spatiotemporal predictions of an important pest of small grains.

PubMed

Merrill, Scott C; Holtzer, Thomas O; Peairs, Frank B; Lester, Philip J

2015-01-01

Arthropod pests are typically managed using tactics applied uniformly to the whole field. Precision pest management applies tactics under the assumption that within-field pest pressure differences exist. This approach allows for more precise and judicious use of scouting resources and management tactics. For example, a portion of a field delineated as attractive to pests may be selected to receive extra monitoring attention. Likely because of the high variability in pest dynamics, little attention has been given to developing precision pest prediction models. Here, multimodel synthesis was used to develop a spatiotemporal model predicting the density of a key pest of wheat, the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov). Spatially implicit and spatially explicit models were synthesized to generate spatiotemporal pest pressure predictions. Cross-validation and field validation were used to confirm model efficacy. A strong within-field signal depicting aphid density was confirmed with low prediction errors. Results show that the within-field model predictions will provide higher-quality information than would be provided by traditional field scouting. With improvements to the broad-scale model component, the model synthesis approach and resulting tool could improve pest management strategy and provide a template for the development of spatially explicit pest pressure models. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Qualitative Study of Urban and Suburban Elementary Student Understandings of Pest-Related Science and Agricultural Education Benchmarks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trexler, Cary J.

2000-01-01

Clinical interviews with nine fifth graders revealed that experiences play a pivotal role in their understanding of pests. They lack well-developed schema and language to discuss pest management. A foundation of core biological concepts was necessary for understanding pests and pest management. (Conatains 34 references.) (SK)

The Florey lecture, 1983. Biological control, as exemplified by smallpox eradication and myxomatosis.

PubMed

Fenner, F

1983-06-22

Biological control is an important method of dealing with plant and insect pests. The control of rabbits by myxomatosis and the eradication of smallpox by vaccination are unusual examples of biological control, in that they involve a vertebrate and a viral pest respectively. Myxomatosis is a benign disease in Sylvilagus rabbits in South America which is transmitted mechanically by mosquitoes. In the European rabbit, Oryctolagus, which is a pest in Australia and England, the virus from Sylvilagus produces a generalized disease that is almost always lethal. Myxomatosis was deliberately introduced into Australia in 1950 and into Europe in 1952. It was at first spectacularly successful in controlling the rabbit pest, but biological adjustments occurred in the virulence of the virus and the genetic resistances of rabbits. After 30 years of interaction, natural selection has resulted in a balance at a fairly high level of viral virulence. Smallpox has been a major scourge of mankind for over 1500 years. It spread from Asia to Europe in the Middle ages and from Europe to Africa and the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries. Jenner's cowpox vaccine provided a method of control that reduced the severity of the disease during the 19th century but failed to eliminate the disease from many countries before the 1930s. Thereafter it was eradicated from Europe and North America, but remained endemic in South America, Africa and Asia. In 1967 it was still endemic in 33 countries and W.H.O. established a programme for global eradication within 10 years. The goal was achieved in 1977. Problems of the eradication programme and reasons for its success will be described.

A transcriptome survey spanning life stages and sexes of the Harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica (Hahn), is an agricultural pest in the continental United States, particularly in southern states. Reliable gene sequence data are especially useful to the development of species-specific, environmentally friendly molecular biopesticides and effective biolure...

40 CFR 180.215 - Naled; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... PROGRAMS TOLERANCES AND EXEMPTIONS FOR PESTICIDE CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD Specific Tolerances § 180.215... commodities, except those otherwise listed in this section, from use of the pesticide for area pest (mosquito and fly) control. (b) Section 18 emergency exemptions. [Reserved] (c) Tolerances with regional...

40 CFR 180.215 - Naled; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... PROGRAMS TOLERANCES AND EXEMPTIONS FOR PESTICIDE CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD Specific Tolerances § 180.215... commodities, except those otherwise listed in this section, from use of the pesticide for area pest (mosquito and fly) control. (b) Section 18 emergency exemptions. [Reserved] (c) Tolerances with regional...

40 CFR 180.215 - Naled; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROGRAMS TOLERANCES AND EXEMPTIONS FOR PESTICIDE CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD Specific Tolerances § 180.215... commodities, except those otherwise listed in this section, from use of the pesticide for area pest (mosquito and fly) control. (b) Section 18 emergency exemptions. [Reserved] (c) Tolerances with regional...

Christmas Tree Category Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, James S.; Turmel, Jon P.

This manual provides information needed to meet the standards for pesticide applicator certification. Pests and diseases of christmas tree plantations are identified and discussed. Section one deals with weeds and woody plants and the application, formulation and effects of herbicides in controlling them. Section two discusses specific diseases…

The ten years (2004-2014): Progress in peanut genetics and genomics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plant breeding, genetics, and genomics play a critical role in sustainable agriculture specifically in improving crop productivity, quality, and resistance to pests and diseases. The germplasm collections have been treasures of crop genetic resources. Utilization of the collections of wild peanut sp...

Comparative toxicities of newer and conventional insecticides against four generalist predator species

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Generalist insect predators play an essential role at regulating populations of Bemisia tabaci and other pests in agricultural systems, but face depredations due to insecticide applications. Evaluation of insecticide compatibility with specific predator species can provide a basis for making treatme...

Precision phenotyping of epicuticular waxes associated with insect resistance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Accurate phenotyping is imperative for linkage mapping and association genetics. Amounts and types of epicuticular waxes on the leaf surface are important for plant-insect interactions. In onion, specific wax profiles are associated with resistance to the insect pest Thrips tabaci. Epicuticular wax ...

Potentialities of Mermithid Nematodes for the Biocontrol of Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae)--A Review,

DTIC Science & Technology

biocontrol agents of agricultural insect pests and medically important insect vectors. More specifically, mermithid nematodes appear to regulate natural...Mermithids comprise a family of nematodes which invariably kill/sterilize their insect host(s). These nematodes have considerable potential as

Protein tyrosine phosphatase-PEST (PTP-PEST) regulates mast cell-activating signals in PTP activity-dependent and -independent manners.

PubMed

Motohashi, Satoru; Koizumi, Karen; Honda, Reika; Maruyama, Atsuko; Palmer, Helen E F; Mashima, Keisuke

2014-01-01

Aggregation of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) in mast cells leads to degranulation and production of numerous cytokines and lipid mediators that promote allergic inflammation. Tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins in response to FcεRI aggregation has been implicated in mast cell activation. Here, we determined the role of PTP-PEST (encoded by PTPN12) in the regulation of mast cell activation using the RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cell line as a model. PTP-PEST expression was significantly induced upon FcεRI-crosslinking, and aggregation of FcεRI induced the phosphorylation of PTP-PEST at Ser39, thus resulting in the suppression of PTP activity. By overexpressing a phosphatase-dead mutant (PTP-PEST CS) and a constitutively active mutant (PTP-PEST SA) in RBL-2H3 cells, we showed that PTP-PEST decreased degranulation and enhanced IL-4 and IL-13 transcription in FcεRI-crosslinked RBL-2H3 cells, but PTP activity of PTP-PEST was not necessary for this regulation. However, FcεRI-induced TNF-α transcription was increased by the overexpression of PTP-PEST SA and suppressed by the overexpression of PTP-PEST CS. Taken together, these results suggest that PTP-PEST is involved in the regulation of FcεRI-mediated mast cell activation through at least two different processes represented by PTP activity-dependent and -independent pathways. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[A New Pest of Amomum villosum in Xishuangbanna].

PubMed

Peng, Jian-min; Wang, Yan-fang; Zhang, Li-xia; Li, Rong-ying; Ma, Xiao-jun

2015-11-01

To report a new pest of Amomum villosum and its distribution, occurrence regularity and damage situation, in order to provide reference for its control. Reared the pest larvae, observed the morphological characters, and made a preliminary investigation on its distribution, occurrence regularity and damage situation. Through macroscopic examination, the pest was identified as Anisodera rugulosa, which distributed in the main producing areas of Amomum villosum in Xishuangbanna, the pest larvae ate the inside of Amomum villosum fruit, which made the fruit formed holes, more seriously, it made the whole fruit rot black. The pest causes the fruit yield reduction of Amomum villosum. Pest control work needs to be carry out as soon as possible.

Growing vegetables in developing countries for local urban populations and export markets: problems confronting small-scale producers.

PubMed

Dinham, Barbara

2003-05-01

Vegetables attract high applications of pesticides, and farmers in developing countries use many acutely toxic insecticides to control pests on these crops. With the liberalisation of agricultural markets in developing countries, the number of small-scale farmers growing vegetables for both domestic and export markets is increasing. Demand for supplies of year-round and exotic fruit and vegetables has grown in industrialised countries, but with rising quality standards and traceability requirements it is difficult for small-scale farmers to benefit from this lucrative non-traditional agricultural export trade. The demand is high for vegetables in the expanding cities in developing countries, and farmers in peri-urban areas, or rural areas with good access to the cities, are in a position to find a growing market for their produce. Poor storage facilities will often mean that farmers are forced to sell at peak times when prices are low. Farmers rarely have access to training in pesticide use, and have only limited or no access to advice on the complicated management of pesticides. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN is concerned about high levels of poor quality and adulterated pesticides on sale in developing countries. Surveys repeatedly show that without training, farmers are unable to make good crop decisions: recognition of pests and their predators is generally low, leading to decisions to spray to kill any insect; knowledge of product selection, application rates and timing is poor; different products are often combined in the belief that the effect will be greater; re-entry periods after spraying and essential harvest intervals are not known; and without knowledge of alternatives, farmers will often assume that the only solution to pest problems is to spray more frequently. From a consumer's point of view, few developing countries are able to monitor pesticide residues, particularly for produce grown for home consumption: most countries do not have laboratories for even simple residue testing. Changes in European Maximum Residue Limits means that export crops will be rejected if they contain residues at the Limit of Detection of pesticides not registered in Europe. Season-long field level training in Integrated Pest Management can help farmers to become better decision-makers, and to greatly reduce pesticide use while reducing risks to their own health and environment, producing safer products for consumers, maintaining yields, and increasing incomes.

Risk maps for targeting exotic plant pest detection programs in the United States

Treesearch

R.D. Magarey; D.M. Borchert; J.S. Engle; M Garcia-Colunga; Frank H. Koch; et al

2011-01-01

In the United States, pest risk maps are used by the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey for spatial and temporal targeting of exotic plant pest detection programs. Methods are described to create standardized host distribution, climate and pathway risk maps for the top nationally ranked exotic pest targets. Two examples are provided to illustrate the risk mapping...

Cockroach Clean-Up Tour . Urban Pest Management. Teaching Environmental Living Skills to Elementary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowles, Kathleen Letcher

Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a decision-making approach to pest control, is designed to help individuals decide if pest suppression treatments are necessary, when they should be initiated, where they should be applied, and what strategy/mix of tatics to use. IPM combines a variety of approaches with which to manage pests, including human…

The Phosphatase PTP-PEST/PTPN12 Regulates Endothelial Cell Migration and Adhesion, but Not Permeability, and Controls Vascular Development and Embryonic Viability*

PubMed Central

Souza, Cleiton Martins; Davidson, Dominique; Rhee, Inmoo; Gratton, Jean-Philippe; Davis, Elaine C.; Veillette, André

2012-01-01

Protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)-PEST (PTPN12) is ubiquitously expressed. It is essential for normal embryonic development and embryonic viability in mice. Herein we addressed the involvement of PTP-PEST in endothelial cell functions using a combination of genetic and biochemical approaches. By generating primary endothelial cells from an inducible PTP-PEST-deficient mouse, we found that PTP-PEST is not needed for endothelial cell differentiation and proliferation or for the control of endothelial cell permeability. Nevertheless, it is required for integrin-mediated adhesion and migration of endothelial cells. PTP-PEST-deficient endothelial cells displayed increased tyrosine phosphorylation of Cas, paxillin, and Pyk2, which were previously also implicated in integrin functions. By eliminating PTP-PEST in endothelial cells in vivo, we obtained evidence that expression of PTP-PEST in endothelial cells is required for normal vascular development and embryonic viability. Therefore, PTP-PEST is a key regulator of integrin-mediated functions in endothelial cells seemingly through its capacity to control Cas, paxillin, and Pyk2. This function explains at least in part the essential role of PTP-PEST in embryonic development and viability. PMID:23105101

Information for Child Care Providers about Pesticides/Integrated Pest Management

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn about pesticides/integrated pest management, the health effects associated with exposure to pests and pesticides, and the steps that can be taken to use integrated pest management strategies in childcare facilities.

Host range, host ecology, and distribution of more than 11800 fish parasite species

USGS Publications Warehouse

Strona, Giovanni; Palomares, Maria Lourdes D.; Bailly, Nicholas; Galli, Paolo; Lafferty, Kevin D.

2013-01-01

Our data set includes 38 008 fish parasite records (for Acanthocephala, Cestoda, Monogenea, Nematoda, Trematoda) compiled from the scientific literature, Internet databases, and museum collections paired to the corresponding host ecological, biogeographical, and phylogenetic traits (maximum length, growth rate, life span, age at maturity, trophic level, habitat preference, geographical range size, taxonomy). The data focus on host features, because specific parasite traits are not consistently available across records. For this reason, the data set is intended as a flexible resource able to extend the principles of ecological niche modeling to the host–parasite system, providing researchers with the data to model parasite niches based on their distribution in host species and the associated host features. In this sense, the database offers a framework for testing general ecological, biogeographical, and phylogenetic hypotheses based on the identification of hosts as parasite habitat. Potential applications of the data set are, for example, the investigation of species–area relationships or the taxonomic distribution of host-specificity. The provided host–parasite list is that currently used by Fish Parasite Ecology Software Tool (FishPEST, http://purl.oclc.org/fishpest), which is a website that allows researchers to model several aspects of the relationships between fish parasites and their hosts. The database is intended for researchers who wish to have more freedom to analyze the database than currently possible with FishPEST. However, for readers who have not seen FishPEST, we recommend using this as a starting point for interacting with the database.

Expression, purification and characterization of two truncated peste des petits ruminants virus matrix proteins in Escherichia coli, and production of polyclonal antibodies against this protein.

PubMed

Liu, Fuxiao; Wu, Xiaodong; Li, Lin; Liu, Zengshan; Wang, Zhiliang

2013-09-01

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), the etiological agent of peste des petits ruminants, is classified into the genus Morbillivirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. The PPRV matrix (M) gene is composed of 1483 base pairs, encoding a 335 amino acids M protein with a molecular weight of approximately 38kD. We have demonstrated previously that the full-length M protein was expressed at an extremely low level or not even expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). In this study, the M protein was split into two truncated forms to be successfully expressed in E. coli at a high level using the pET30a (+) vector, respectively, by analysis of SDS-PAGE, western blot and MALDI-TOF-MS. The optimization of culture conditions led us to perform the recombinant protein induction with 0.2mM IPTG at 28°C for 12h, whereby both proteins nevertheless were expressed in the insoluble form. Therefore, both His-tagged proteins were purified under the denaturing condition using a commercially available kit. Balb/c mice were immunized with the complex of purified proteins and then effectively produced polyclonal antibodies, which reached to a relatively high titer by the analysis of ELISA. The specificity of the prepared polyclonal antibodies was checked by western blot and immunofluorescence, revealing them with the desirable specificity against both non-denatured and denatured M proteins. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acidic deposition, plant pests, and the fate of forest ecosystems.

PubMed

Gragnani, A; Gatto, M; Rinaldi, S

1998-12-01

We present and analyze a nonlinear dynamical system modelling forest-pests interactions and the way they are affected by acidic deposition. The model includes mechanisms of carbon and nitrogen exchange between soil and vegetation, biomass decomposition and microbial mineralization, and defoliation by pest grazers, which are partially controlled by avian or mammalian predators. Acidic deposition is assumed to directly damage vegetation, to decrease soil pH, which in turn damages roots and inhibits microbial activity, and to predispose trees to increased pest attack. All the model parameters are set to realistic values except the inflow of protons to soil and the predation mortality inflicted to the pest which are allowed to vary inside reasonable ranges. A numerical bifurcation analysis with respect to these two parameters is carried out. Five functioning modes are uncovered: (i) pest-free equilibrium; (ii) pest persisting at endemic equilibrium; (iii) forest-pest permanent oscillations; (iv) bistable behavior with the system converging either to pest-free equilibrium or endemic pest presence in accordance with initial conditions; (v) bistable behavior with convergence to endemic pest presence or permanent oscillations depending on initial conditions. Catastrophic bifurcations between the different behavior modes are possible, provided the abundance of predators is not too small. Numerical simulation shows that increasing acidic load can lead the forest to collapse in a short time period without important warning signals. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

[Cockroaches and co. The role of health pests as allergen source].

PubMed

Raulf, M; Sander, I; Gonnissen, D; Zahradnik, E; Brüning, T

2014-05-01

In most of the cases health pests are carriers of pathogens or parasites which have a negative impact on human health or affect the health of other mammals. What is lesser known is that they can also act as allergens. Most of the health pests in this sense belong to the arthropods, such as cockroaches (Blattaria), mosquitos (Culiciformia), lice (Pediculus humanus corporis), fleas (Siphonaptera) and ticks (Argasidae). In the group of vertebrates rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus), house mice (Mus musculus) and pigeons (Columba livia domestica) are also classified as health pests. Also storage pests which are not carriers of pathogens can induce secondary infestation with hygiene pests or molds and have an underestimated impact on human health. In this article selected examples of health pests and also storage pests as an allergen source are described, taking into account the sensitization prevalence and identified single allergens.

Landscape context and scale differentially impact coffee leaf rust, coffee berry borer, and coffee root-knot nematodes.

PubMed

Avelino, Jacques; Romero-Gurdián, Alí; Cruz-Cuellar, Héctor F; Declerck, Fabrice A J

2012-03-01

Crop pest and disease incidences at plot scale vary as a result of landscape effects. Two main effects can be distinguished. First, landscape context provides habitats of variable quality for pests, pathogens, and beneficial and vector organisms. Second, the movements of these organisms are dependent on the connectivity status of the landscape. Most of the studies focus on indirect effects of landscape context on pest abundance through their predators and parasitoids, and only a few on direct effects on pests and pathogens. Here we studied three coffee pests and pathogens, with limited or no pressure from host-specific natural enemies, and with widely varying life histories, to test their relationships with landscape context: a fungus, Hemileia vastatrix, causal agent of coffee leaf rust; an insect, the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae); and root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp. Their incidence was assessed in 29 coffee plots from Turrialba, Costa Rica. In addition, we characterized the landscape context around these coffee plots in 12 nested circular sectors ranging from 50 to 1500 m in radius. We then performed correlation analysis between proportions of different land uses at different scales and coffee pest and disease incidences. We obtained significant positive correlations, peaking at the 150 m radius, between coffee berry borer abundance and proportion of coffee in the landscape. We also found significant positive correlations between coffee leaf rust incidence and proportion of pasture, peaking at the 200 m radius. Even after accounting for plot level predictors of coffee leaf rust and coffee berry borer through covariance analysis, the significance of landscape structure was maintained. We hypothesized that connected coffee plots favored coffee berry borer movements and improved its survival. We also hypothesized that wind turbulence, produced by low-wind-resistance land uses such as pasture, favored removal of coffee leaf rust spore clusters from host surfaces, resulting in increased epidemics. In contrast, root-knot nematode population density was not correlated to landscape context, possibly because nematodes are almost immobile in the soil. We propose fragmenting coffee plots with forest corridors to control coffee berry borer movements between coffee plots without favoring coffee leaf rust dispersal.

The Case of the Wild House Mouse. Urban Pest Management. Teaching Environmental Living Skills to Elementary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowles, Kathleen Letcher

Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a decision-making approach to pest control, is designed to help individuals decide if pest suppression treatments are necessary, when they should be initiated, where they should be applied, and what strategy and mix of tactics to use. IPM combines a variety of approaches with which to manage pests. These include…

Diet of generalist predators reflects effects of cropping period and farming system on extra- and intraguild prey.

PubMed

Roubinet, Eve; Birkhofer, Klaus; Malsher, Gerard; Staudacher, Karin; Ekbom, Barbara; Traugott, Michael; Jonsson, Mattias

2017-06-01

The suppression of agricultural pests by natural enemies, including generalist arthropod predators, is an economically important regulating ecosystem service. Besides pests, generalist predators may also consume non-pest extraguild and intraguild prey, which can affect their impact on pest populations. This may either reduce the impact of generalist predators on pest populations, because they are diverted from pest predation, or increase it, as it helps them survive periods of low pest availability. However, the availability of pest prey and alternative, non-pest prey can vary over the crop growing season and between farming systems, potentially affecting predator-prey interactions and the levels of biological control. We have limited information about how farming systems and environmental variation over the crop growing season influence predator diets. This limits our ability to predict the importance of generalist predators as natural enemies of agricultural pests. Here we utilize molecular gut content analyses to assess detection frequencies of extra- and intraguild prey DNA in generalist predator communities in replicated organically and conventionally managed cereal fields at two key periods of the cropping season for aphid biological control. This is done in order to understand how farming system, crop season, prey availability and predator community composition determine the composition of predator diets. Aphid pests and decomposers (springtails) were equally important prey for generalist predators early in the growing season. Later in the season, the importance of aphid prey increased with increasing aphid densities while springtail predation rates were positively correlated to abundance of this prey at both early and late crop growth stages. Intraguild predation was unidirectional: carabids fed on spiders, whereas spiders rarely fed on carabids. Carabids had higher detection frequencies for the two most common spider families in organically compared to conventionally managed fields. Our study documents that predation by generalist predator communities on aphid pests increases with pest numbers independently of their generally widespread consumption of alternative, non-pest prey. Therefore, conservation strategies in agricultural fields could promote biological control services by promoting high levels of alternative non-pest prey for generalist predator communities. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Approaches to highly parameterized inversion: A guide to using PEST for model-parameter and predictive-uncertainty analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doherty, John E.; Hunt, Randall J.; Tonkin, Matthew J.

2010-01-01

Analysis of the uncertainty associated with parameters used by a numerical model, and with predictions that depend on those parameters, is fundamental to the use of modeling in support of decisionmaking. Unfortunately, predictive uncertainty analysis with regard to models can be very computationally demanding, due in part to complex constraints on parameters that arise from expert knowledge of system properties on the one hand (knowledge constraints) and from the necessity for the model parameters to assume values that allow the model to reproduce historical system behavior on the other hand (calibration constraints). Enforcement of knowledge and calibration constraints on parameters used by a model does not eliminate the uncertainty in those parameters. In fact, in many cases, enforcement of calibration constraints simply reduces the uncertainties associated with a number of broad-scale combinations of model parameters that collectively describe spatially averaged system properties. The uncertainties associated with other combinations of parameters, especially those that pertain to small-scale parameter heterogeneity, may not be reduced through the calibration process. To the extent that a prediction depends on system-property detail, its postcalibration variability may be reduced very little, if at all, by applying calibration constraints; knowledge constraints remain the only limits on the variability of predictions that depend on such detail. Regrettably, in many common modeling applications, these constraints are weak. Though the PEST software suite was initially developed as a tool for model calibration, recent developments have focused on the evaluation of model-parameter and predictive uncertainty. As a complement to functionality that it provides for highly parameterized inversion (calibration) by means of formal mathematical regularization techniques, the PEST suite provides utilities for linear and nonlinear error-variance and uncertainty analysis in these highly parameterized modeling contexts. Availability of these utilities is particularly important because, in many cases, a significant proportion of the uncertainty associated with model parameters-and the predictions that depend on them-arises from differences between the complex properties of the real world and the simplified representation of those properties that is expressed by the calibrated model. This report is intended to guide intermediate to advanced modelers in the use of capabilities available with the PEST suite of programs for evaluating model predictive error and uncertainty. A brief theoretical background is presented on sources of parameter and predictive uncertainty and on the means for evaluating this uncertainty. Applications of PEST tools are then discussed for overdetermined and underdetermined problems, both linear and nonlinear. PEST tools for calculating contributions to model predictive uncertainty, as well as optimization of data acquisition for reducing parameter and predictive uncertainty, are presented. The appendixes list the relevant PEST variables, files, and utilities required for the analyses described in the document.

Coffee and chocolate in danger.

PubMed

Gross, Michael

2014-06-02

As a rapidly growing global consumer base appreciates the pleasures of coffee and chocolate and health warnings are being replaced by more encouraging sounds from medical experts, their supply is under threat from climate change, pests and financial problems. Coffee farmers in Central America, in particular, are highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change, made worse by financial insecurity. Michael Gross reports. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aquatic Pest Control. Bulletin 754.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, James F.

Four groups of aquatic weeds are described: algae, floating weeds, emersed weeds, and submersed weeds. Specific requirements for pesticide application are given for static water, limited flow, and moving water situations. The secondary effects of improper pesticide application rates are given for static, limited flow, and moving water, and the…

Delineating site-specific irrigation management units for managing soil salinity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Crop yield varies within fields due to nonuniformity of a number of factors including climate, pests, disease, management, topography, and soil. Conventional farming manages a field uniformly; as a result, conventional farming tends to wastes resources and money, and tends to detrimentally impact t...