Biological parameters of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hem.: Aleyrodidae) in four greenhouse cucumber cultivars

Greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood), is an important pest of greenhouse throughout the world that causes serious damage on agricultural products. In this research, some biological parameters of the pest were studied in four cucumber cultivars (Royal Sluis, Soltan, Negin and Vida) at two heights (60 and 90 cm) in a greenhouse at 19-26 °C and 80% ± 5 RH. The developmental time of all immature stages were 27.49 ± 0.34, 28.23 ± 0.3, 26.63 ± 0.24 and 27.44 ± 0.3 days, in all cultivars, respectively, but it was slightly longer at the height of 90 cm compared to 60 cm (28.65 ± 0.24 vs. 26.43 ± 0.14 days, respectively). The preimaginal mortality percent ranged from 4 to 7% in different treatments, although this difference was not significant. Female longevities were 27.9 ± 0.67, 21.35 ± 0.34, 26.71 ± 0.6 and 22 ± 0.46 days in the cultivars, respectively (P < 0.01). It was also averaged as 23.29 ± 0.4 and 26.4 ± 0.66 days at both heights. The number of eggs / female were 203.82 ± 4.89, 132.26 ± 3.57, 210.68 ± 5.31 and 162.79 ± 5.15 in different cultivars with an average of 167.66 ± 5.68 and 187.98 ± 4.75 in 90 and 60 cm (P < 0.01). The sex ratio showed no significance among the cultivars at all heights

ٍEfficiency of mating disruption for controlling the leopard moth, Zeuzera pyrina L. (Lep.: Cossidae), in walnut orchards

Leopard moth, Zeuzera pyrina L. (Lep.: Cossidae), is a key pest of walnut in Iran. The efficiency of mating disruption by two commercial products including Isonet® Z and Zeumat Universe® was evaluated in 2011 in East Azerbaijan and Kerman provinces. In each hectar, 300-600 pheromone dispensers for mating disruption were attached to the trees before the emergence of adults. Three pheromone traps were also installed in each plot to evaluate the orientation disruption before the adults' emergence. The pheromone traps did not capture any adult in the plots where mating disruption was performed during the experiment in both provinces while the traps caught the adults in the control plots. This result confirmed the efficiency of the used number of products for orientation disruption of the males. The averages of the number of larval entrances on the branches of plots where mating disruption was conducted by Isonet® Z, Zeumat Universe® and control were respectively 0.18 ± 0.03, 0.13 ± 0.02 and 0.45 ± 0.04 in Kerman province, 0.18 ± 0.03, 0.33 ± 0.04 and 0.63 ± 0.07 in East Azarbaiejan province and 0.18 ± 0.02, 0.2 ± 0.02 and 0.52 ± 0.04 (average ± S. E.) for the pooled data of both regions. There was a significant difference among the averages (P < 0.01).The results showed the efficiency of mating disruption technique by both products for reducing the damage of the pest even after one year. The number of larval entrances on the branches of the trees in mating disruption plots was 60-70% less than control plots. The results confirmed that the mating disruption with 300 pheromone dispensers of each product is efficient for reducing the damage of the pest in the walnut orchards

Efficiency of Some Selective Herbicides in Canola (Brassica napus L.) Cultivation and Their Interaction with Biofarm Biological Fertilizer

To evaluate the effect of herbicides and biofarm (Pseudomonas spp.) as biological fertilizer on weeds and yield components of canola, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at Agricultural Research Center of East Azarbaijan in 2009. The treatment factors consisted of herbicide (factor A) at 4 levels (application of trifloralin, Treflan, at 2.5 l/ha as pre-planting, chlopyralid, Lontrel, at 0.8 l/ha when canola plants were at 2-4 leaf stage, metazachlor+quinmerac, Butizan star, at 2.5 l/ha at cotyledonous stage of canola, and not controlling the weeds as check. Biological fertilizer (factor B) at 2 levels, using or not using the biofarm. Wild mustard (Sinapis arvvensis) and tansy mustard (Descurainia sophia), being in same family with canola, were the dominant weeds in the field. Traits like number of species and biomass of weeds, biomass and yield of the crop were recorded to evaluate the effects of the treatments. The statistical analysis indicated that Botizan star and Treflan, compared with control, significantly reduced the number and biomass of wild mustard. In spite of non significant effect of the herbicide on number of tansy mustard and total weed, Botizan star and Treflan significantly reduced their biomasses. Application of biofarm and its interaction with herbicides did not influence the evaluated traits significantly. The herbicides, also, did not have significant effect on biomass and yield of the crop

Evaluation on Morphological Characters of European Mole cricket, Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa (Orth.: Gryllotalpidae) in the North-west of Iran

The European mole cricket is considered to be of the most important insect pests of Iran, especially in Azerbaijan province. Its damage in some area economically is very high. In this study, morphological characteristics, including the length of various parts of the pest body, were evaluated. Analyzing of the size of fore and hind wings results of the adults in this species, showed that there were seasonal dimorphism as long-winged (L.W.) and short-winged (S.W.) among the insects. Based on the literature available seasonal dimorphism in this species is the first report in the world, and probably each morph of this species is various in different both in the biology and behavior. Sexual dimorphism can be distinguished by study pattern of venation in the forewings of sexes. One of the important characteristics in distinguishing mole cricket species is arrangement spines in the fore and hind tibia where their numbers and sizes of these spines in various species are different. The fore tibia of insect has four wide and strong dactyls in its apex, but lateral margin of the hind tibia armed with five sharp spines with seven spines at the end of its tibia