Signal Grass (Brachiaria brizantha) Oviposited by Stemborer (Chilo partellus) Emits Herbivore-Induced Plant Volatiles That Induce Neighbouring Local Maize (Zea mays) Varieties to Recruit Cereal Stemborer Larval Parasitoid Cotessia sesamiae

Plants respond to attack by herbivores with the release of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs). In return, natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) respond to these emitted herbivore-induced plant volatiles while foraging for their hosts. Neighboring plants of the same family may be induced by the emitted HIPVs. This is a tritrophic interaction that leads to a

Parasitism of Lepidopterous Stem Borers in Cultivated and Natural Habitats

Plant infestation, stem borer density, parasitism, and parasitoid abundance were assessed during two years in two host plants, Zea mays (L.) (Cyperales: Poaceae) and Sorghum bicolor (L.) (Cyperales: Poaceae), in cultivated habitats. The four major host plants (Cyperus spp., Panicum spp., Pennisetum spp., and Sorghum spp.) found in natural habitats were also assessed, and both the cultivated and natural habitat species occurred in four agroecological zones in Kenya. Across habitats, plant infestation (23.2%), stem borer density (2.2 per plant), and larval parasitism (15.0%) were highest in maize in cultivated habitats. Pupal parasitism was not higher than 4.7% in both habitats, and did not vary with locality during each season or with host plant between each season. Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) and C. flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were the key parasitoids in cultivated habitats (both species accounted for 76.4% of parasitized stem borers in cereal crops), but not in natural habitats (the two Cotesia species accounted for 14.5% of parasitized stem borers in wild host plants). No single parasitoid species exerted high parasitism rates on stem borer populations in wild host plants. Low stem borer densities across seasons in natural habitats indicate that cereal stem borer pests do not necessarily survive the non-cropping season feeding actively in wild host plants. Although natural habitats provided refuges for some parasitoid species, stem borer parasitism was generally low in wild host plants. Overall, because parasitoids contribute little in reducing cereal stem borer pest populations in cultivated habitats, there is need to further enhance their effectiveness in the field to regulate these pests

Analysis of the agroindustrial enterprise competitive strategy tools

The article presents an analysis of the agrarian enterprise competitive strategy. Considered ways to reduce costs. One of the most important tasks of enterprises is being solved - reducing costs. Several options have been identified for implementing this strategy, as well as difficulties in achieving this goal, and ways have been found to solve them. In addition, the main types of losses that occur in modern enterprises are highlighted and the essence of these losses is determined. The author gives a definition of cost and reveals the value of this indicator in the enterprise management system, determines the goals of cost reduction, and highlights the factors and methods of reducing the cost of production in the enterprise. He gives advice on how to start saving, how to reduce the cost of production and how to produce better products, while reducing the number of defects. Today, innovation has become a crucial tool for competing in global markets. To improve the skills in the field of innovation, it is necessary to ensure consistently high results by constantly introducing innovations and get high returns on them. The article reveals the peculiarity of introducing total innovations, their influence for organizations and the most important tools for introducing innovations, and considers five "puzzle pieces"

Methods of assessing the efficiency of the foundry industrial marketing

It is investigated subtleties of the "efficiency" term for clear reflecting the meaning of considering methods for assessing the foundry marketing at the present stage. There is creating classification of modern methods of assessing the efficiency of the marketing as well as recognizing directions and indicators of assessing a level of foundry marketing efficiency. It is stepwise investigated different approaches of assessing the marketing efficiency included different nuances or limitations. There is considering both estimation qualitative methods and quantitative methods for including the whole fullness of modern approaches. Also it is supposed to use the marketing informational system as the one of possible ways for assessing the marketing efficiency. Further, it is studied a way at which it uses questionnaire where the inclusion of information is revealed in details. Tactical and strategical aspects of foundry are compared. It is investigated the meaning of the marketing and its subtleties. It is studied the qualitative assessment of the marketing and the marketing competence

Non-target effects of the 'push-pull' habitat management strategy: Parasitoid activity and soil fauna abundance

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2009.08.00

Resistance of Sesbania Accessions to Mesoplatys ochroptera Stål (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The defoliating beetle Mesoplatys ochroptera Stål (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has become a serious pest of the tropical legume Sesbania sesban (L.) Merrill in agroforestry systems in eastern and southern African countries. In this study, 32 accessions of Sesbania spp. collected from eastern and southern Africa were screened for resistance to M. ochroptera at Msekera, Zambia. Two mechanisms of resistance - antixenosis and antibiosis - were indicated in the different accessions. Accessions of Sesbania bispinosa, S. leptocarpa and S. macrantha were found to be more preferred by the insect compared to S. sesban and S. rostrata accessions. Preference of accessions was negatively correlated with leaf-hair density and positively correlated with the number of leaves per seedling and plant height. Under the conditions of eastern Zambia, some accessions of S. sesban from Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia were found to be comparable to the Zambian accessions in survival, growth and biomass production. Four accessions of S. sesban - Kakamega (ex Kibwezi) and Kisii 2 from Kenya, Zwai 090 from Ethiopia and Rumphi from Malawi - appeared to compensate well for M. ochroptera damage. RÉSUMÉ Le scarabée défoliateur Mesoplatys ochroptera Stal(Coleoptera ; Chrysomelidae) est devenu un sérieux ravageur de la légumineuse tropicale Sesbania sesban (L.) Merill dans les systèmes agroforestiers des pays d'Afrique de l'Est et du Sud-est. Dans cette étude 31 lots de Sesbania spp.récoltés en Afrique de l'Est et du Sud-est ont été criblés pour leur résistance à M. ochroptera à Msekera, en Zambie. Deux mécanismes de résistance, l'antixénose et l'antibiose, ont été évalués dans les différents lots. Les lots de Sesbania bispinosa, S. leptocarpa et S. macrantha sont plus appréciés par les insectes que les lots de S. sesban et S. rostran. La préférence des lots est corrélée négativement avec la densité de poils des feuilles et positivement avec le nombre de feuilles par plantules et la hauteur de ces dernières. Dans les conditions de l'Est de la Zambiecertains lotsde S. sesban du Kenya, du Malawi et d'Ethiopie sont comparables aux lots de la Zambie pour la survie, la croissance et la production de biomasse. Quatre lots de S. sesban : Kakamega (ex Kibwezi) et Kisii 2 du Kenya, Zwai 090 d'Ethiopie et Rumphi du Malawi semblent bien compenser les dé gâts de M. ochroptera