The current experiment was conducted in greenhouse conditions to check the effect of silicon application methods (foliar and drenching), silicon sources (silicon dioxide: SiO2 and potassium silicate: K2SiO3), and silicon concentrations (0, 200 and 400 ppm) on the oviposition preference and biology of Bemisia tabaci on cotton plants. Significantly lower oviposition and increased duration of all immature

In this study, we evaluated the pathogenicity of 27 isolates of Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti Species Complex (FIESC) against N. corniger and S. frugiperda: four Fusarium sulawesiense (= FIESC 16), six Fusarium pernambucanum (= FIESC 17) and seventeen Fusarium caatingaense (= FIESC 20). Suspensions of 1 × 107 conidia/mL−1 were used for the pathogenicity tests. Cumulative mortality data on the fifth

Storage pests are a major concern to smallholder farmers in Africa south of the Sahara since their livelihoods heavily depend on subsistence agriculture. These farmers depend mainly on traditional grain storage materials and pest management methods, both of which are generally ineffective against pests. Here we provide insights into stored-grain losses suffered by highland and lowland farmers in northern

The aim of the present study was to assess the potential of synthetic predatory cue containing sulphurous odours as an area repellent to reduce rodent damage. Groups of mature Rattus rattus of both sexes were exposed to 0.5%, 1% and 2% concentrations of 2,4,5-trimethylthiazole (TMTZ), a synthetic predatory cue, applied through cotton swab under laboratory and simulated indoor store conditions. Laboratory

Weed infestation is a major factor attributed for the poor yield of soybean. Field experiments were therefore conducted to evaluate the influence of row spacing and weed control methods on weed dynamics, seed yield and profitability of soybean. The use of 50 cm row spacing reduced the density and biomass of grass weed species including Digitaria horizontalis, Panicum maximum, Cynodon dactylon and Paspalum

Potato is regarded as the future crop for assuring food security in the developing world. Of many diseases which limit the growth and trade value of potatoes, silver scurf is emerging at an alarming rate. Potato silver scurf is a widespread disease in which silvery skin blemishes appear on the periderm of tubers. The causal agent Helminthosporium solani Durieu & Mont is an Ascomycete fungus which attacks

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a major oilseed and cash crop of Asia and Africa. Fungal diseases, grey weevils and termites are consistent major pests in arid region inflicting damage to the groundnut production. It is not feasible to identify all the pests precisely and adopt several management practices simultaneously to protect the crop in curative mode. Therefore, an integrated biointensive

Melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) (Coquillett) is the major pest of cucumber, Cucumis sativus. We investigated the attractiveness of roosting plants with food bait spray to manage melon fly in cucumber under open field conditions. Cucumber was planted over two successive Kharif seasons together with maize (Zea mays), castor bean (Ricinus communis), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and

This research aims to understand ethical attitudes of the U.S. public towards the use of a toxicant to control wild pigs (Sus scrofa), a destructive invasive species whose population growth is proving difficult to control through conventional management methods. Using a nationwide self-administered survey with 2,186 completed and returned questionnaires, we found that among six different lethal control

This study examined smallholder farmers' adaptation strategies in managing fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in rural Ghana. Using mixed methods, 378 smallholder farmers were randomly selected and surveyed, while 41 key informants were interviewed. The majority of smallholder farmers (83.1%) had experienced fall armyworm invasion with widespread and rapid invasion particularly in maize, which often

To improve the accuracy of forecasting the peak period of Dendrolimus punctatus, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, contingency table analysis and BP neural network were used to predict peak period of D. punctatus for the first generation egg from 1983 to 2016 in Qianshan County. The forecasted values for the three methods were in 2017 and 2018 were consistent with the actual results. The historical

Callosobruchus maculatus is the main pest of stored cowpeas in West Africa. To control this pest, chemicals are frequently used during post-harvest storage. In this study we assessed insecticide resistance in C. maculatus populations collected from Burkina Faso, Senegal and Niger. Enzyme analysis was also performed to detect the basic mechanisms underlying insecticide resistance. Burkina Faso western

Agricultural pests cause huge loss to agricultural production. Their control using biopesticides is gaining importance. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are most promising biopesticides in agriculture. EPN like other biopesticides has a very specific action on one species or related species as against chemical insecticides. In addition, the median lethal time for EPNs is also lower. Hence there is

The current study extends the faunistic survey of Trichogramma species parasitizing ECB to all agricultural growing regions in Serbia. Specimens of Trichogramma were reared from parasitized egg masses of ECB collected from field-grown corn and pepper crops. The number of egg masses parasitized varied by location. Using sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene, we examined intra and

Junglerice (Echinochloa colona) is one of the most important annual weeds affecting crops in Argentina. A predictive seedling emergence model based on thermal time was developed and validated. Monitoring of seedling emergence was performed weekly during the growing season in a soybean field over four years. Cumulative thermal time, expressed in growing degree days (GDD), was used as the independent

Ceratocystis fimbriata plays a significant role in the initiation of the tree decline disease in mango (Mangifera indica L.), which can kill the plant. The C. fimbriata infection is linked with the presence of the beetle Hypocryphalus mangiferae (Curculionidae: Scolytinae). However, it is unknown how H. mangiferae aids in the transport of the fungus between mango trees. The present study aimed to investigate

Spodoptera littoralis has been recognized as a very destructive polyphagous insect, thus, searching for novel bioagents is the current challenge. Endophytic fungi have been recognized as repertoire for bioactive compounds. Thus, the objective of this work was to isolate endophytic fungi inhabiting Lantana camara and evaluating their insecticidal activity against S. littoralis. Aspergillus nidulans

Nickel-oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) using aqueous Rauvolfia serpentine leaf extract were tested against Callosobruchus maculatus. Synthesis of NiO NPs was confirmed by various physiochemical methods such as UV-visible spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy etc. The sharp and strong reflections (111, 200, 220, 311 and 222 crystal planes) of the monoclinic phase

Dichroplus maculipennis is one of the most damaging grasshoppers of wetlands. We investigated their feeding behavior in relation to the most abundant plants of Patagonian wetlands. Results showed that D. maculipennis was able to select its food resources and displayed a mixed diet. The most consumed plant was Taraxacum officinale, which contains a large amount of protein and water. However, consumption

Here, we review the occurrence and frequency of pollen-mediated interspecific gene flow from genetically improved crops to weedy, wild, or conventional relatives, and summarize the strategies used to control or minimize possible ecological risks associated with the release of transgenic crops. Compatibility is the primary issue, followed by spatio-temporal synchrony of flowering. Scattering distance

Coffee berry disease (CBD), caused by Colletotrichum kahawae, is a major fungal disease of coffee in east Africa, and particularly in Ethiopia. To assess the influence of plot features (elevation and slope) and landscape structure (land use types) on the epidemics of CBD, a study was conducted in 2012 and 2013 in 30 smallholders’ coffee plots in southwest Ethiopia. Elevation was the most determining

Sampling plans are essential components to establish decision-making systems for integrated pest management (IPM) programs. Thus, this study was aimed to develop a conventional sampling plan of Tetranychus mexicanus (McGregor) (Tetranychidae) on the yellow passion fruit Passiflora edulis. The work was conducted in nine passion fruit fields with plants at the reproductive stage. Our results indicated

Understanding the population growth patterns of Spodoptera exigua on alternate host plants can provide valuable information for developing an effective pest management program. In this study, using age-specific lifetable indices, we evaluated the role of alternate crops commonly found in cotton agroecosystem of Pakistan to better understand population dynamics of S. exigua. The longest larval and pupal

Nitrogen fertilisation and plant spacing hold potential for the integrated management of rice insect pests. Field experiments were conducted in Kilombero, Tanzania to evaluate the effects of plant spacing and nitrogenous fertiliser on incidences and density of spotted and African pink stem borers. A 3 × 4 × 4 factorial experiment was used in a randomized complete block design with three replications

The emerging incidence of herbicide resistance in weeds is a serious problem for rice production in Korea. Echinochloa oryzicola has been reported as multiple resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors. The objectives of this study were to monitor distribution and genetic diversity of E. oryzicola suspected to have herbicide resistance to ALS and ACCase

Many vector mosquito species have evolved resistance to chemical insecticides and the search for novel biological control strategies warrants further attention. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) (Heterorhabditis and Steinernema spp.) have been developed as biological control agents for use against agricultural pests but whether they could be used to control aquatic mosquito larvae warrants further

We designed a series of semifield experiments and two types of nylon cages to evaluate the control efficacy of Spalangia endius Walker in the field and to verify the possibility of using S. endius for the control of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) pupae. More hosts were killed by S. endius at higher parasitoid–host ratios. The effectiveness of S. endius was highest at a parasitoid–host ratio of

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an integrated pest management intervention for controlling the Mediterranean flour moth Ephestia kuehniella Zeller using gamma radiation and Lavandula angustifolia Moench essential oil as feasible alternatives to synthetic insecticides. The mortality rate of E. kuehniella larvae treated with either gamma radiation or L. angustifolia essential oil separately

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) loaded by Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. were synthesized using the method of high shear homogenization and ultra sound. The lipid phase consisted of percirol ATO5 and campritol 888 (5% w/v). Poloxamer 188 (2.5% w/v) was used as surfactant. Different amount of essential oil (1, 2, 2.5% w/v) were added to SLN. Particle size of solid lipid nanoparticle loaded by essential

Several products are widely used to control gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) populations. The main purpose of the present study is to evaluate the aerial application effects of B. thuringiensis and diflubenzuron on non-target arthropods in a Mediterranean holm-oak forest. The density of gypsy moth population at the time of application of treatments was the same in the three forests and the defoliation

Plants are often subject to attack by fungi, nematodes and insects, which generate immense yield losses. Hence, the quest for crop protection solutions is ongoing, concurrent with greater awareness towards the use of synthetic chemicals in agricultural practice. Scientific research has shifted towards the use of natural products, which possess good efficacy and are environment friendly. This review

Non-target adults of Cydia pomonella are exposed to insecticide concentrations that may not result in mortality. The present study evaluates the response of biotransformation and antioxidant parameters to acetamiprid-sublethal exposure of surviving adults from both a laboratory-susceptible strain (LSS) and a field population (FP). Activities of 7-ethoxycoumarine O-deethylase (ECOD), glutathione S-transferases

Citrus which belong to family Rutaceae is one of the most important commercial crops with a growing demand. Outer peel of Citrus fruits of several species is known to possess oil with some insecticidal properties. The one year study was thus carried out to evaluate the repellent and toxic effects of the fruit peel powder of Citrus nobilis and Citrus medica against pulse beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus

Parthenium hysterophorus is an alien invasive weed infesting grasslands in many countries around the world, including Australia. Previous studies have identified several native and introduced fodder species that can suppress biomass production of parthenium weed. In the present study, a total of 11 fodder species were tested for their ability to suppress growth of parthenium weed, of which, seven were

Male Sirex noctilio Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) form leks in the upper canopy where mating occurs and have an orange abdominal segment not present in females. This study used field trapping studies in South Africa to examine the impact of stimuli (primarily visual) associated with male S. noctilio on the capture of conspecific females. Although we observed that traps baited with dead males (simulated

A slow release, solid formulation of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti)-Mosquito Dunks® was evaluated for its effectiveness in controlling of dengue vectors in Sri Lanka. A small-scale simulation field study showed a high effectiveness of 98–100% mortality at 15 days post-treatment and the mortality rate started to drop down by 30 days post-treatment. The larval density in the large-scale field

The aim of this study was to investigate how the exposure of the western corn rootworm beetle (WCR) to dimethoate might affect their ability to detoxify and Hsps response. The activity of the esterases: acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and carboxylesterase (CbE) and the level of Hsp90, Hsp70 and Hsp40 was assayed in adult individuals 1 h and 24 h after a topical pesticide application. A slight increase

Little research on the effect of low nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) treatments, especially low P, on the resistance to brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens Stål) in Oryza sativa. Here, significantly fewer BPHs hatched on plants treated with low N or P. Furthermore, the treatments reduced BPH weight gain, survival rate, and honeydew excretion as well as the number of BPHs that settled on the

During sowing of pesticide-treated seeds, pesticide-laden dust and abraded seed particles may be emitted to the environment, possibly leading to environmental contamination and posing health risks. In many countries there is currently no legislation concerning the acceptable amount of dust of treated seeds. This study aimed to gain insight in the abrasion potential of available pesticide-treated seeds

Botanical pyrethrins and synthetic pyrethroids are highly potent and environmentally safe insecticides that are used to control a wide range of disease vector and pest arthropods. Unfortunately, resistance to these insecticides has been demonstrated in numerous medically important mosquito species. In this study adult Culex pipiens sensu lato were captured in agricultural and urban locations in Fresno

Rodents pose serious threats to human health and economics, particularly in developing countries where the animals play a dual role as pests: they are reservoirs of human pathogens, and they inflict damage levels to stored products sufficient to cause food shortages. To assess the magnitude of the damage caused by rodents to crops, their level of contact with humans, and to better understand current

Sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehtner), recently emerged as a severe economic pest of sorghum in the USA. This insect was first discovered in the USA feeding on grain sorghum in Texas in 2013 and then rapidly spread across 19 additional states. In order to develop management practices to prevent yield loss, the objective of this study was to assess the value of host plant resistance and foliar

Biopesticides have proven to be suitable for the control of agricultural diseases and insects. Natural products and micro-organisms have been used as biopesticides worldwide as they can be sourced from the environment, they are generally safe to non-target organisms including humans, they have reduced persistence in the environment, and they are potentially acceptable for use in organic agriculture

In the present study, resistance to Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) was induced in tomato plants using foliar and root application of jasmonic acid (JA) and abscisic acid (ABA) alone or in combination with infection with Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter). This induced resistance significantly prolonged development and reduced the survival of immature stages of T. vaporariorum, and reduced the longevity

Pesticide markets have grown far faster than regulatory monitoring capacity in West Africa. As a result, fraudulent pesticides (unregistered and counterfeit) have become widely available. This paper focuses on glyphosate, the region’s most widely used pesticide. Purchase of 100 glyphosate samples from 50 different retailers across Mali found that 45% were fraudulent. Laboratory testing revealed that

Sorghum is an important stable food crop in Ethiopia. However, production of the crop is adversely affected by biotic and abiotic constraints among which sorghum anthracnose (Colletotrichum sublineolum) is the major one. A field survey was conducted to determine the distribution and association of sorghum anthracnose with biophysical factors in eastern Ethiopia. A total of 125 fields were assessed

The present article reviews the literature on the biology, pest status and management of Nysius cymoides (Spinola) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), an agricultural pest that causes damage to multiple crop species in the Middle East and in Europe, where it may become an emerging pest. The polyphagy of the species and its capability to give rise to outbreaks, mainly during warm and dry periods, make the insect

Muscidifurax raptorellus is a parasitoid wasp which is commonly used in the biological control of harmful dipterans in stables. In this study, the adaptation of M. raptorellus to different species of dipteran hosts—detrimental to both agriculture (Diptera: Tephritidae) and livestock (Diptera: Muscidae)—as well as several quality parameters of this commercial parasitoid was assessed under laboratory

Leaf-cutting ants are insects of great economic importance which cause economic losses in numerous crops. Compounds that modulate behaviour, and among these natural repellents, show promise in integrated pest management strategies. Tea tree oil has been found to be repellent to certain insect pests, so this study aimed at identifying the effect of tea tree on foraging behaviour in Acromyrmex spp. ants

The effect of different rice-based crop rotation sequences on the population densities of Meloidogyne graminicola and on the yield of rice was evaluated in a microplot experiment under lowland rice field conditions. Ten treatments of cropping sequences were grown in four successive growing seasons: continuous growing of the susceptible rice cultivar Thihtatyin (rice-rice-rice-rice), four treatments

Abstract Since its emergence in Africa in 2016, fall armyworm (FAW) has spread rapidly and poses a severe threat to the food security and livelihood of millions of smallholder farmers in the continent. Using survey data from Ghana and Zambia, we examined FAW prevention and control methods implemented by farm households and their impacts on maize output and household consumption of self-produced maize

Successful fruit fly control requires effective monitoring to make pest management decisions. Ceratitis capitata (Medfly) is typically monitored in Tunisia with parapheromone commercialised as trimedlure (TM). Chemical treatment is applied when the economic threshold (3 flies/trap/day) is reached. In this study, C. capitata populations in a commercial citrus orchard captured in McPhail traps baited

The life history and fitness of Nilaparvata lugens being reared under ambient level (current CO2 concentration), medially elevated (550 µL/L) and highly elevated (750 µL/L) CO2 concentration for long-term generation were compared using two-sex life table instead of traditional age-specific life table. The results showed that significantly longer larval duration and lower fecundity of N. lugens were

Fruit flies are a biosecurity threat to international trade of horticultural produce around the world. Area-wide management (AWM) of fruit flies offers a promising solution to coordinate farmers’ activities to fight against the spread of this pest. The incorporation of the sterile insect technique (SIT) may increase the effectiveness of AWM and lead to greater suppression and possible eradication of

This article discusses the present status and future scope of biodiesel as a carrier/diluents and alternative source to hazardous volatile organic compounds for liquid pesticide formulations. Development of user and environment-friendly liquid pesticide formulations for sustainable agriculture is the key focus of today’s agrochemical industries. Organic solvents play an important role in ensuring the

The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii, is a major sap sucking insect of cultivated cotton, Gossypium sp. We investigated the effects of temperature on the biological parameters of A. gossypii by fitting different non-linear models to the data obtained from constant temperature experiments carried out between 12 and 32 °C. The pest risk in different geographical areas was simulated using GIS tools and represented

Bactrocera cucurbitae is a major pest of fruit and its reproductive capacity is greatly affected by high temperature. Utilizing ovarian dissection and transcriptome to examine the reproductive biology, we determined that the reproductive capacity of this species is enhanced after exposure for 1 h to 45 °C. The total number of eggs, daily number of eggs, preoviposition period and egg-hatching rate of

The mixture of herbicides is routinely used as part of modern weed management practices in intensive agriculture due to the reduction in herbicide application and the risk of side effects. Therefore, to detect the joint action of binary mixtures of the photosystem II, lipid biosynthesis and auxin inhibitor herbicides, additive dose model (ADM) was used as a reference model. Four species of Portulaca

The German cockroach, Blattella germanica L. (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae), an invasive pest of human habitats, is distributed throughout the world, except in Antarctica. They have developed resistance against chemical pesticides used for the management of their populations. Numerous essential oils and their constituents have been tested; however, the insecticidal activities of clove bud powder, oil

Field surveys were conducted in 2012 and 2013 to evaluate the distribution and virulence of fungal isolates associated with tuber rot disease among yam (Dioscorea spp.) producing agroecological zones (AEZs) of Nigeria. A total of 70 and 66 farmers’ fields were surveyed in 2012 and 2013, respectively among three yam species, Dioscorea rotundata, D. alata and D. cayenensis. Fifteen rotted samples were