Mating disruption of Lasioderma serricorne (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) in stored product habitats using the synthetic pheromone serricornin

Citation: Mahroof, R. M., & Phillips, T. W. (2014). Mating disruption of Lasioderma serricorne (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) in stored product habitats using the synthetic pheromone serricornin. Retrieved from http://krex.ksu.eduCigarette beetles, Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), cause significant damage to the multi-billion dollar food and tobacco industries worldwide each year. A non-insecticidal alternative to manage L. serricorne is the application of mating disruption, in which high levels of synthetic sex pheromone are released to create an atmosphere that results in males failing to mate females thereby causing population suppression or extinction. The reported work used synthetic serricornin, the predominant sex pheromone of L. serricorne, in mating disruption trials conducted in selected food and feed processing facilities in South Carolina during 2010 and 2011. Mills subjected to mating disruption trials were monitored using oviposition cups filled with larval food and pheromone traps for males that contained monitoring lures. Immediately after deployment of mating disruption dispensers, trap captures declined significantly and indicated a reduction in population levels, i.e. there was “trap shut down”. A significant reduction was observed in numbers of adult beetles caught in the traps eight weeks before and eight weeks after treatment in both years. Beetle numbers from pheromone traps in untreated buildings remained at similar levels or increased after the time of mating disruption deployment in treated buildings. The numbers of adults that emerged from oviposition food cups were generally low and varied irregularly in treated and untreated buildings, and were determined to be of little value for assessing treatment effects on reproduction. These initial field studies in the U.S. suggest that release of the synthetic sex pheromone of L. serricorne for mating disruption can significantly inhibit proper orientation behavior of male L. serricorne to females and may lead to pest population decline from mating disruption

Medicinal Plants of Sewa River Catchment Area in the Northwest Himalaya and its Implication for Conservation

Himalaya is known as an abode of medicinal plants. Climate and topographic diversity of the Sewa catchment area provides a variety of habitats for the luxuriant growth of potential medicinal plant species. Many of these are used by locals in remote and inaccessible areas. Continuous overexploitation, revival of the use of herbal drugs and degradation of the habitats has brought medicinal plants on priority for conservation. Keeping in view these aspects, the medicinal plant wealth of Sewa catchment has been explored and assessed by interaction with the local inhabitants and after surveying the literature. The results have been compiled in 182 plant species along with the families, common and local names, altitudinal range and their medicinal use

Using elemental profiling to determine intrinsic markers to track the dispersal of Prostephanus truncatus, a pest of stored grain with alternative natural hosts

"Detecting sources of insects attacking grain stores can help to develop more effective pest management models. This study considers combinations of chemical elements as intrinsic markers for tracing resource-use by Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) a pest of stored maize which occurs in natural environments where alternative hosts may support reservoirs of infestation. P. truncatus were lab-reared on maize or field-caught in pheromone-baited flight-traps. Beetles and hosts were screened for multiple elements using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). For elements above detection limits we tested relationships between determinations for different host plants, and for beetles according to environment where captured. An alternative host Spondias purpurea (Linnaeus) (Anacardaceae) contained more Al, B, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Si and Sr, and less P and Zn than maize. Trends for P were consistent between maize and beetles infesting maize, but reversed for Ca and Mg. Elemental profiles of beetles were associated with environment, with significantly lower Al, Ca, Cu, Cr, Fe, P, S, Si, Sr, Ti and Zn determinations in maize-reared beetles than those captured in agricultural or natural environments. Additionally, Al, Ba, K, P, Sr and Ti determinations of field beetles captured in agricultural vs natural environments were significantly different. This suggests Al, Sr and Ti as candidate markers for environment, plus other possibilities likely since elemental concentrations (except B, Ba, Ni, and P) were significantly different in comparisons of all field beetles vs maize-reared beetles. We present a robust practical solution which successfully identified combinations of elemental markers for remotely tracing resource-use and dispersal by P. truncatus. We discuss the application of chemical characterisation for identifying intrinsic markers of pests, particularly species with alternative hosts. We discuss how to manage the low replication and unbalanced sample sizes inherent in insect elemental screening, particularly when rarer elements are potential markers.

Diversity, Distribution and Utilization Pattern of Economically Important Woody Plants Associated with Agro-Forestry in District Rajouri, J & K (Northwest Himalaya)

The extensive explorations carried out in the study area enabled us to identify 60 woody plant species (47 trees and 13 shrubs) associated with the agroforstry system. These species belonged to 48 genera and were distributed among 30 families. Rosaceae (11 spp.), Rutaceae (5spp.), Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Mimosaceae, Moraceae and Pinaceae (3spp. each) were the species rich. Maximum species were found between the altitudes 1000-1800m. Forty seven species were used as fuel, 30 as medicine, 22 as edibles, 13 as fodder, 7 as timber, where as 4 species were used for making agriculture implements. Only one species was identified as rare, 14 species occasional and remaining were common

Hydrazine compounds inhibit glycation of low-density lipoproteins and prevent the in vitro formation of model foam cells from glycolaldehyde-modified low-density lipoproteins

Aims/hypothesis: Previous studies have shown that glycation of LDL by methylglyoxal and glycolaldehyde, in the absence of significant oxidation, results in lipid accumulation in macrophage cells. Such 'foam cells' are a hallmark of atherosclerosis. In this study we examined whether LDL glycation by methylglyoxal or glycolaldehyde, and subsequent lipid loading of cells, can be inhibited by agents that scavenge reactive carbonyls. Such compounds may have therapeutic potential in diabetes-associated atherosclerosis. Materials and methods: LDL was glycated with methylglyoxal or glycolaldehyde in the absence or presence of metformin, aminoguanidine, Girard's reagents P and T, or hydralazine. LDL modification was characterised by changes in mobility (agarose gel electrophoresis), cross-linking (SDS-PAGE) and loss of amino acid residues (HPLC). Accumulation of cholesterol and cholesteryl esters in murine macrophages was assessed by HPLC. Results: Inhibition of LDL glycation was detected with equimolar or greater concentrations of the scavengers over the reactive carbonyl. This inhibition was structure-dependent and accompanied by a modulation of cholesterol and cholesteryl ester accumulation. With aminoguanidine, Girard's reagent P and hydralazine, cellular sterol levels returned to control levels despite incomplete inhibition of LDL modification. Conclusions/ interpretation: Inhibition of LDL glycation by interception of the reactive aldehydes that induce LDL modification prevents lipid loading and model foam cell formation in murine macrophage cells. Carbonyl-scavenging reagents, such as hydrazines, may therefore help inhibit LDL glycation in vivo and prevent diabetes-induced atherosclerosis. © Springer-Verlag 2006

Advances in Smart Materials and Applications

This is one of a series of special issues published in Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, focusing on the latest advances of smart materials and their applications. Evolution of engineering materials is strongly depending on the growing transformation of complexity in engineering products. New materials being designed are required to provide specific properties and demonstrate certain functional characteristics by manipulating their dimension, chemistry, and structure through various advanced technologies.Therefore, “smartness” of a material has become the topic of interest. Properties of smart materials may change accordingly to the applied external stimuli. Under the direction of the editorial team, we showcase advances of organic and inorganic based smart materials and their applications in areas of specific interest such as energy, environment, and health. A total of 9 articles are published in this special issue. Six articles are focused on production, synthesis, and optimization of smart materials; and the remaining are dedicated to application of smart materials

Chemical Alternatives for Managing Key Stored Product Insects

In this short review paper, possible alternatives to manage some key stored product insects pests are discussed. With the phase out of methyl bromide and insects developing resistance to phosphine, fumigants available to manage stored product insects are becoming limited. Potential non-chemical alternatives, those are environmentally benign and do not leave harmful residues on treated products are most favoured. Two techniques; sex pheromone based mating disruption and ozone gas, are explored as safer insect management tools in this paper

A human-centric perspective exploring the readiness towards smart warehousing: the case of a large retail distribution warehouse

YesThe explosive rise in technologies has revolutionised the way in which business operate, consumers buy, and the pace at which these activities take place. These advancements continue to have profound impact on business processes across the entire organisation. As such, Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) are also leveraging benefits from digitisation, allowing organisations to increase efficiency and productivity, whilst also providing greater transparency and accuracy in the movement of goods. While the warehouse is a key component within LSCM, warehousing research remains an understudied area within overall supply chain research, accounting for only a fraction of the overall research within this field. However, of the extant warehouse research, attention has largely been placed on warehouse design, performance and technology use, yet overlooking the determinants of Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption within warehouses. Accordingly, through proposing an extension of the Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) framework, this research explores the barriers and opportunities of AI within the warehouse of a major retailer. The findings for this qualitative study reveal AI challenges resulting from a shortage of both skill and mind-set of operational management, while also uncovering the opportunities presented through existing IT infrastructure and pre-existing AI exposure of management