Acrotomopus atropunctellus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) preference for large sugarcane shoots mitigates damage to sugarcane crop

The sugarcane weevil, Acrotomopus atropunctellus (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an increasingly important sugarcane pest in Argentina. Its emergence period overlaps with early stages of sugarcane phenology. This research assessed the preference of A. atropunctellus for shoot size and the effect of damage on shoot survival. Acrotomopus atropunctellus preferred to feed on large- and mediumsized shoots, regardless of sex. However, older plants were resistant to injury. Also, the number of punctures produced by females was 1.6 times greater than that produced by males. Avoiding late planting or harvest dates could be a useful tactic for mitigating A. atropunctellus incidence in sugarcane crops.El picudo de la caña de azúcar, Acrotomopus atropunctellus (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) es una plaga de la caña de azúcar cada vez más importante en Argentina. El periodo de emergencia de los adultos de A. atropunctellus coincide con estados fenológicos tempranos de la caña de azúcar (macollaje y gran crecimiento). El objetivo de este trabajo fue conocer la preferencia de alimentación de A. atropunctellus según distintos tamaños de brotes de caña de azúcar y el efecto del daño sobre la sobrevivencia de los brotes. Acrotomopus atropunctellus prefirió alimentarse de brotes medianos y grandes y la preferencia no varió según el sexo. Sin embargo, las plantas más viejas fueron resistentes al daño. Además, el número de perforaciones producidas por las hembras fue 1.6 veces mayor que las producidas por los machos. Evitar fechas de siembra y cosechas tardías puede contribuir a la reducción de incidenciade A. Atropunctellus en los cultivos de caña de azúcar.EEA ManfrediFil: Perez, Maria Lucia del Pilar. Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino; Argentina. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Isas, Marcos Gerardo. Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino; Argentina. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Salvatore, Analia Ruth. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres; ArgentinaFil: García, José María. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres; ArgentinaFil: Trumper, Eduardo Victor. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi; Argentin

Optimizing a fixed-precision sequential sampling plan for adult Acrotomopus atropunctellus (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), new pest on sugarcane

Sugarcane weevil borer, Acrotomopus atropunctellus (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has been detected across all sugarcane planting areas in the Argentinian Northwest with increasing population densities. The monitoring for its occurrence and the population density usually is made by visual inspection and consequently demands much effort and time. The objectives of this study were 1) to describe the sampling distribution pattern of A. atropunctellus adults 2) to develop and validate a fixed-precision sequential sampling plan for density estimation, and 3) to find the optimum inspection time for each sampling unit. On-farm data collection was performed at sugarcane fields located in Ranchillos (Tucumán, Argentina) during 2011–2012 to 2013–2014 sugarcane growing seasons. Thirty sampling units consisting on one meter of sugarcane furrow were randomly selected at 1-wk intervals. Within each sampling unit, weevils were counted and recorded independently for five increasing examination time per sampling unit (ETSU) (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 min). For each ETSU, the sampling distribution pattern was assessed by Taylor's power law (TPL). The average sample number (ASN) and sampling stop lines were calculated according to Green's sequential sampling model, based on TPL estimated parameters, for fixed precision levels, C = 0.1 and C = 0.25. The resampling for validation of sample plans (RVSP) program was used to evaluate the performance of the different sampling plans. Parameters a and b from TPL regressions did not vary significantly between different ETSUs. All estimates of b coefficients were significantly >1 which can indicate an aggregated sampling distribution pattern. For each precision level, Green's sequential plans predicted very similar ASN between ETSU. This was confirmed through the validation process, with the five sampling protocols providing very similar mean sample sizes and mean precision levels. Variability of these parameters from validation results did not vary significantly among the different ETSUs. The relative net precision was the only performance parameter that varied with the ETSU, with the shortest ETSU resulting in the most efficient sampling plan. We conclude that A. atropunctellus has an aggregated sampling distribution and that the fixed precision sequential sampling plan developed using Green's model and based on a two-minute inspection of the sampling unit is the most convenient choice for estimating its population density in sugarcane. Our analysis of the ETSU effect on the performance of sugarcane weevil sampling protocols could contribute to develop more efficient monitoring plans for other arthropods.EEA ManfrediFil: Perez, Maria Lucia del Pilar. Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino; Argentina. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Isas, Marcos Gerardo. Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino; Argentina. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Salvatore, Analia Ruth. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres; ArgentinaFil: Gastaminza, Gerardo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres; ArgentinaFil: Trumper, Eduardo Victor. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi; Argentin

Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention to reduce anastomotic leak following right colectomy (EAGLE): pragmatic, batched stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial in 64 countries

Background Anastomotic leak affects 8 per cent of patients after right colectomy with a 10-fold increased risk of postoperative death. The EAGLE study aimed to develop and test whether an international, standardized quality improvement intervention could reduce anastomotic leaks. Methods The internationally intended protocol, iteratively co-developed by a multistage Delphi process, comprised an online educational module introducing risk stratification, an intraoperative checklist, and harmonized surgical techniques. Clusters (hospital teams) were randomized to one of three arms with varied sequences of intervention/data collection by a derived stepped-wedge batch design (at least 18 hospital teams per batch). Patients were blinded to the study allocation. Low- and middle-income country enrolment was encouraged. The primary outcome (assessed by intention to treat) was anastomotic leak rate, and subgroup analyses by module completion (at least 80 per cent of surgeons, high engagement; less than 50 per cent, low engagement) were preplanned. Results A total 355 hospital teams registered, with 332 from 64 countries (39.2 per cent low and middle income) included in the final analysis. The online modules were completed by half of the surgeons (2143 of 4411). The primary analysis included 3039 of the 3268 patients recruited (206 patients had no anastomosis and 23 were lost to follow-up), with anastomotic leaks arising before and after the intervention in 10.1 and 9.6 per cent respectively (adjusted OR 0.87, 95 per cent c.i. 0.59 to 1.30; P = 0.498). The proportion of surgeons completing the educational modules was an influence: the leak rate decreased from 12.2 per cent (61 of 500) before intervention to 5.1 per cent (24 of 473) after intervention in high-engagement centres (adjusted OR 0.36, 0.20 to 0.64; P < 0.001), but this was not observed in low-engagement hospitals (8.3 per cent (59 of 714) and 13.8 per cent (61 of 443) respectively; adjusted OR 2.09, 1.31 to 3.31). Conclusion Completion of globally available digital training by engaged teams can alter anastomotic leak rates. Registration number: NCT04270721 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)