Background and Objective: Microtermes obesi is a termite species extensively present throughout Pakistan and causes detrimental effects on standing trees, crops and timbers.In this study, the feeding preferences of M. obesi for 16 different wood species were determined through choice trials under natural field conditions.Materials and Methods: In choice field trials, different combinations of wooden blocks were used to determine wood consumption by M. obesi.Wood weight loss, consumption and rate of survival of different wooden species were calculated.Results: Cordia myxa was found to be the most susceptible wood species and Cassia fistula the most resistant one.Sixteen different wood combinations were used under choice field conditions, maximum feeding was recorded in Cordia myxa and Moringa oleifera (39.15-33.00g).Though, minimum feeding was noted in C. fistula (1.41 g) and Heterophragma adenophyllum (24.38 g).Under choice natural field conditions, minimum feeding was recorded in C. fistula (1.41 g) and maximum feeding in Cordia myxa (39.15 g).Feeding preference in descending order were as follows: Cordia myxa moringa oleifera, Bombax ceiba, Bambusa bamboo, Syzygium cumini, Albizia lebbeck, Dalbergia sissoo,
Background and Objective: Chlorophyllin derivatives, mammal-safe pesticides, are using recently to control many agricultural and medical pests such as lepidopteran and mosquitoes population.The objective of this work was to assess the possible environmental risks for the chlorophyllin derivatives field application, particularly related to pollinating insect, Apis mellifera.Materials and Methods: In this study, the foraging worker honey bees fed on tri-sodium copper and magnesium chlorophyllin LC 50 (10G 5 and 3×10G 3 M LG 1 , respectively) were used to measure the total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase.Also, midgut cells were papered for the comet assay.Results: The tri-sodium Cu-chlorophyllin increased the TAC, SOD and GST activities in the body homogenate of honey bees in response to the oxidative stress of both chlorophyll and Cu elements.Conclusion: Furthermore, the results of the genotoxicity experiment revealed that Cu-chlorophyllin caused DNA damage in the gut cells more than Mg-chlorophyllin and its effect might be due to copper elements.
Background and Objective: Millipedes have a crucial role in the environment especially in the forest ecosystem, unfortunately, we have very poor knowledge about it and we think itʼs harmful invertebrate and venomous but itʼs not, it is important to understand about these are eco-friendly and best decomposer in the forest ecosystem.The main objective of this work is to update species descriptions and morphological features of identified millipede species from the study area.Materials and Methods: Samples were collected from various locations (forest region) of Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, India.Species are identified based on literature and morphological keys and listed out.Results: This report was exploring the 6 millipedesʼ morphological features and their distribution from a particular study area.A total of 6 millipede species Gyrodrepanum lamprum (Chamberlin, 1920), Anoplodesmus saussurii (Humbert, 1865), Xenobolus carnifex (Fabricius, 1775), Eucentrobolus maindroni (Bouvier, 1903), Aulacobolus gravelyi (Silvestri, 1916) and Trigoniulus corallinus (Gervais, 1847) belonging to the order Polydesmida, Spirobolida 2 families Paradoxosomatidae, Pachybolidae also of 6 genera were annotated from the tropical or agricultural scapes of Southern Western Ghats.Conclusion: This present research was carried out to explore the list of millipedes in part of Southern Western Ghats of Tirunelveli, India.Simultaneously we need to conserve this, It is recommended to develop a policy on the millipede species management conservation and regeneration to the diversity rates of millipedes and develop the updated documents of millipedes.A typical report will help researchers to the identification of millipedes and know their distributions.
Background and Objective: Okra is an important vegetable crop in Côte d'Ivoire.In the okra crop, there are species of Reduviidae that are predators of insect pests.These Reduviidae occupy a very important place in biological control because of their biocontrol potential.The objective of the study was to investigate the dynamics of the Reduviidae species, predators of Podagrica decolorata. Materials and Methods:This study was conducted during the dry and rainy seasons of 2019 in the city of man located in the west of Côte d'Ivoire.Colour traps and mowing nets were used to capture the different species of Reduviidae to determine the influence of abiotic factors and the populations of the species Podagrica decolorata on the dynamics of Reduviidae species.Results: A study on the frequency of occurrence revealed two constant species which are Rhynocoris rapax and Rhynocoris albopilosus with frequencies of occurrence of 63.46 and 75%, respectively.In dry and rainy seasons, Rhynocoris albopilosus was higher numbers at each phenological stage.The study revealed the influence of abiotic factors (temperature, rainfall and humidity) on the population of Reduviidae species.The study also showed highly significant positive correlations between the population of Reduviidae and that of the pest, P. decolorata in the dry season (r = +0.76 and p<0.001) and in the rainy season (r = +0.47 and p<0.001).Conclusion: The study revealed a total of six Reduviidae species whose numbers varied during the two seasons as potential predators of Podagrica decolorata.
Background and Objective: Termites have been classified into morphology-physiologically distinct castes that have a broad range of diets.In this study, the candidate of wood-feeding and fungus-growing termites was chosen to examine the relation between gut morphology, the density of microorganisms and starch hydrolyzing enzyme.Materials and Methods: The gut morphologies of the soldiers of wood-feeding (Globitermes sulphureus (Haviland, 1898), Microcerotermes crassus (Snyder, 1934) and fungus-growing (Macrotermes annandalei (Silvestri, 1914) and Odontotermes feae (Wassman, 1896) termites were determined and compared with those of the workers.Results: No significant differences were observed in the morphological structures between the soldiers and workers in different species.However, the microbial cell counts in the guts of the fungus-growing termites were 3-fold higher than those in the wood-feeding termites, with the hindgut having the highest number of microbes.In the wood-feeding termites, the workers and soldiers harboured a similar number of microorganisms, whereas, the workers of the fungus-feeding termites had 3-fold higher levels of microbes than the soldiers.The enzymatic activity of "-amylase in the fungus-growing termites was dramatically higher than that in the wood-feeding termites.However, there were no differences in enzyme activity in the gut segments of the wood-feeding group and the fungus-growing group.Conclusion: Taken together, the different feeding behaviour and castes of the termites affected the density of symbionts in their gut and "-amylase enzymatic activity was modified according to the amount of nutrition in their diets.This study provided additional information on the hidden role of microorganisms in starch metabolism in the termiteʼs gut.
Background and Objective: The Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a novel invasive pest in Africa but has established as a major pest of maize.Maize fields across six ecozones were surveyed for indigenous natural enemies of S. frugiperda in Ghana.Materials and Methods: Fifty maize plants showing signs of S. frugiperda infestation were sampled from three farms in each of the forty-eight districts blocked within all the six agro-ecological zones of Ghana.Collected S. frugiperda eggs and larvae were cultured in a laboratory for parasitoid emergence and percent parasitism determined.Results: Five species of egg and larval natural parasitoids comprising three Braconidae Coccygidium luteum Brullé, Chelonus sp. and Cotesia sp., one Ichneumonidae Campoletis sonorensis (Cameron) and one Tachinidae Exorista sp were identified.Among the predators recorded were coccinellids (Harmonia octomaculata [F.] and Coccinella transversalis [F.]) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), earwigs and spiders.C. luteum was the dominant natural parasitoid and also exhibited the highest field parasitism level, 6.38-10.71%.Parasitism levels of the other parasitoids ranged between 2.56-3.45%.The seemingly low field parasitism observed could be attributed to the high application of broad-spectrum insecticides which inadvertently is inimical to their development.Conclusion: Some indigenous parasitoids are adapting to S. frugiperda.Further exploration and protection of natural enemies through ecofriendly practices in a comprehensive IPM program is imperative for sustainable management of S. frugiperda.
