Alkaloids with allelopathic activity are not as well-known as other allelochemicals. Our study revealed that total alkaloids from seeds of the medicinal plant Peganum harmala L. possessed significant growth inhibitory effect on four treated plants, with dicot plants (lettuce and amaranth) being more sensitive than the tested monocot plants (wheat and ryegrass). Further investigation led to the isolation of harmaline and harmine as the main active ingredients in the total alkaloids of P. harmala seeds. Harmaline exerted potent inhibitory effects on seedling growth of treated plants, especially dicots, inhibiting root elongation of lettuce and amaranth by 31% and 47% at a very low concentration (5 µg/mL), whereas harmine exhibited much weaker non-selective inhibitory effect on the plants. Considering the high yield and poor utilization of P. harmala in China, we anticipate that this plant could be exploited as an alternative weed management tool in the future.

The allelopathic potential of invasive Xanthium italicum Moretti on seedling growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum Linn) was investigated. Aqueous (0.05 g/ml) and ethanol (1 mg/ml) extracts reduced root elongation of wheat seedlings by 71 and 87%, respectively; chloroform fraction of the ethanol extract exhibited the strongest phytotoxic effect as compared to other fractions, inhibiting root growth of wheat seedlings by 95% at 1 mg/ml. Incorporation of X. italicum plant residues (20, 50 and 100 g/kg soil) into soils affected not only photosynthetic pigment content, but also photosynthetic parameters of wheat seedlings. Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid contents of wheat seedlings decreased significantly when plant residues were applied at 100 g/kg soil. Net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr) and stomatal conductivity (gs) decreased greatly when seedlings were treated with plant residues at 20, 50 and 100 g/kg soil, whereas CO2 concentration (Ci) increased significantly at 50 and 100 g plant residue/kg soil. Shoot length, fresh and dry weight were also significantly affected starting from 20 g plant residue/kg soil treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, our results indicated that soil conductivity, soil pH and soil nutrients were unlikely responsible for the aforementioned changes. Our results suggest that allelopathy might contribute to the invasion success of X. italicum, and its invasion could possibly pose potential threat to wheat production in China. Key words: Allelopathy, phytotoxin, wheat, Xanthium italicum.

In order to determine the suitable dose of mifepristone for use in pest rodent control,female mice were fed with mifepristone at different doses every two weeks by gastric gavage.Reproductive parameters were determined during and after the treatments.There was a dose-dependent relationship between the anti-fertility effect of mifepristone and the doses of mifepristone during the administration.Reproduction was not inhibited significantly when the dose of mifepristone was below 1.25 mg/kg, while the reproductive rate was reduced at 2.5 mg/kg.When the dose of mifepristone was 5 mg/kg, not only was the reproductive rate reduced, but the litter size also decreased significantly.Reproduction was inhibited completely when the dose of mifepristone was more than 10 mg/kg.After cessation of administration, there was a dose-effect relationship between female mices’ reproduction and the doses of mifepristone.After stopping treatment,reproductive capabilities of mice gradually returned to a level that was the same as that of the control group.When considering the costs and benefits of rodent control, the dose of mifepristone used should be based on the dose which just inhibits reproduction completely.

The allelopathic effects of different parts of the plant Xanthium italicum Moretti were evaluated by conducting bioassays against two dicot plants, amaranth (Amaranthus mangostanus L.) and lettuce (Lectuca sativa L.), and two monocot plants, wheat (Triticum aestivum Linn) and ryegrass (Lolium multiforum). Leaf and fruit extract possessed the strongest biological activity, killing all seeds of four test species at 0.05 g/mL concentration. Fruits were chosen for further investigation because of their high biomass. This led to the isolation and identification of a phytotoxin-Xanthinosin-a known sesquiterpene lactone. Xanthinosin significantly affected seedling growth of all test species at 160 µM concentration. Cultivating seeds in 800 μM xanthinosin solution resulted in a great decrease in seedling growth of all test species, especially for the two dicot plants, amaranth and lettuce, whose root length was inhibited by 78% and 89%, respectively. By comparison, the numbers were 69% lower for wheat, and 66% for ryegrass, two monocot plants. When treated with 4 mM xanthinosin solution, seed germination of all test plants was almost completely inhibited. The possibility of utilizing xanthinosin as an eco-friendly herbicide was discussed.

The time distribution was one of important behavioral adaptive strategies in animals.The effects of high fibre food on the time distribution of feeding,locomotion,resting and grooming in Rattus losea were determined.The results showed that Rattus losea was a kind of typical nocturnal rodent,and high fibre food would lead to increase in feeding time and decrease in activity time,but it had no effects on time of resting and grooming.It indicated that Rattus losea employ a behavioral strategy including an addition of energy intake and a reducing of energy output to adapt the high fibre food.

An efficient copper-catalyzed method for the synthesis of quinolinones, pyridinones, and heteroannulated pyridinones via cascade reactions of substituted 2-iodo-, 2-bromo-, and 2-chlorobenzocarbonyls with 2-arylacetamides is reported. The protocol works well for the reaction of most of the 2-iodo-, 2-bromo- and 2-chlorobenzocarbonyls with 2-arylacetamides.

Food resources and energy budget affect the behaviors and time budgets of animals. To clarify the effects of a high-fiber diet on greater bandicoot rat (Bandicota indica) behavior, we compared B. indica under a high-fiber diet and a standard rat diet using video monitoring. Our results show that B. indica are mainly active and feed at night, typical of nocturnal animals. A high-fiber diet resulted in a longer time to feed and become active at night and reduced the time spent feeding during the day. These findings suggest that food quality plays an important role in the behavioral timing of B. indica; this helps to understand seasonal changes in behavior demonstrated by B. indica.

The digestive physiological characteristics and strategy of an animal can determine their trophic niche.To examine the digestive response of Rattus losea to high-fiber food,food intake,fecal output,and corresponding energy parameters were measured after 10 days and 20 days of high-fiber food consumption.There was no significant change in food intake,but fecal output significantly increased and apparent digestibility decreased significantly after feeding on high-fiber food for 10 days.On day 20,apparent digestibility was lower still,but digestible energy was similar to controls due to a significant increase in food intake.Body weight on day 10 of rats fed the high-fiber diet decreased significantly from their initial weight,but did not decline further on day 20.The results show that R.losea adapted to a high-fiber diet by increasing food consumption and reducing apparent digestibility,as is observed in strict-herbivorous rodent species.However,R.losea adapted to high-fiber foods more slowly than strict-herbivorous rodents.This response led to a reduction in body weight and hence,overall energy demands,and may be one strategy to used by R.losea to adapt to and survive on low-quality food.

The complexity of the urban environment provides a wide range of suitable spaces for the survival and breeding of rodents, leading to serious rodent infestation and difficulties in rodent control in urban areas. The public health and lives are thereby exposed to great potential hazards. By analyzing the particularities of China’s urban environment and the habitual traits of urban rodents, this paper describes the distribution and characteristics of urban rodent infestation, and discusses the difficulties in the rodent control in China’s cities as well as rodenticide resistance. Finally, it puts forward an integrated and targeted strategy for urban rodent control.

With the drawbacks of population control by traditional methods,fertility control in mammals has been emerging as a potential tool for mammal population management.Fertility control research can be mainly divided into surgical/chemical sterilization,endocrine perturbation sterilization and immunocontraception.The endocrine perturbation sterilization was introduced in four aspects,including the antifertility agents,mechanism of sterility,delivery methods and effects of antifertility agents,and the effects of antifertility agents.The deficiency of endocrine perturbation sterilization was discussed,and reinforcement of the development of ideal antifertility agents and study on mammal territorial behavior affected by antifertility agents was suggested.