Field evaluatin of Mediterranean fruit fly mass trapping with Tripack as alternative to malathion bait-spraying in citrus orchards

The mass trapping technique based on the use of the female-targeted attractant lure Tri-pack® as an alternative to malathion bait-spraying (control treatment) was tested in two citrus orchards in the North of Tunisia against the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata during 2006 and 2007. Results of mass trapping trials in 2006 and 2007 indicated that adult males Medfly captures showed reductions respect to control of 37.62% and 40.2% respectively in mandarin orange variety (Citrus reticulata) orchard compared to 36.48% and 47.29% in Washington navel orange variety (Citrus sinensis) field. Fruit damage assessment showed significant differences between the mass trapping with Tripack® and malathion bait-spraying techniques in the reduction of the percentage of fruit punctures. The percentage of punctured fruit at harvest was significantly different between the treated and the control field in 2006 and in 2007 in the mandarin orange orchard. Nevertheless, in the Washington navel orange orchard, the percentage of punctured fruit at harvest was significantly different between the treated and the control field only in 2006. Thus, results obtained from this study showed that the mass trapping technique based on the use of the female-targeted lure Tri-pack® could be involved as an appropriate strategy for the control of the Medfly and is as effective as malathion bait spraying treatment without leaving pesticide residues on fruit.Se probó en dos huertos de cítricos, en el norte de Túnez en 2006 y 2007, la técnica del trampeo masivo utilizando el atrayente de hembras Tri-Pack® contra la mosca mediterránea de la fruta, Ceratitis capitata, como alternativa a los tratamientos cebo con malatión, que constituye la forma convencional de control utilizada por los agricultores y que se utilizó como tratamiento control. En 2006 y 2007, en los ensayos de trampeo masivo, las capturas de machos adultos del insecto se redujeron respecto el control, respectivamente, un 37,62% y un 40,2% en la variedad de mandarina (Citrus reticulata) en comparación con un 36,48% y un 47,29% en la variedad de naranja Washington navel (Citrus sinensis). Al evaluar los daños en los frutos se observaron diferencias significativas entre el trampeo masivo con Tripack ® y los tratamientos cebo con malatión con una reducción de las picaduras en los frutos El porcentaje de frutos con picaduras en el momento de la cosecha fue significativamente diferente en las parcelas control y tratada en el huerto de mandarina tanto en 2006 como en 2007. Sin embargo, en el huerto de naranja Washington navel, el porcentaje de frutos con picaduras recolectados fue significativamente diferente entre el tratado y el control sólo en 2006. Por tanto, los resultados obtenidos en este estudio muestran que la técnica de trampeo masivo utilizando el atrayente de hembras Tri-Pack® podría ser una estrategia adecuada para el control de la mosca mediterránea de la fruta y es tan efectiva como el tratamiento cebo con malatión, pero sin dejar residuos de plaguicidas en la fruta

Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Compounds Isolated from Tunisian Lichens Species

The lichen's special symbiotic structure enables it to produce bioactive substances. They have historically been recognized for their aesthetic and medicinal benefits. Furthermore, in recent years, they have performed in various fields, including perfumery, dyeing, and pharmacology due to their rich secondary metabolites. From our study, four compounds were isolated from organic extracts of Parmotrema hypoleucinum, Roccella phycopsis, and Xanthoria parietina and identified by spectroscopic investigation as atranorin, (+)-iso-usnic acid, methyl orsellinate, and parietin, respectively. The anti-inflammatory effects of lichens extracts, and pure compounds were evaluated on RAW 264.7 macrophages cells at different concentrations. At 25 μg/mL all treated samples did not show any effect on cell viability. Atranorin and (+)-iso-usnic acid showed an inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO) levels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. Nitric oxide (NO) production was measured using Griess reagent, atranorin and (+)-iso-usnic acid showed a high anti-inflammatory potential (75.99 % and 57.27 % at 25 μg/mL). On the other hand, methyl orsellinate and the organic extracts of three lichens showed good anti-inflammatory activity ranging from 29.16 % at 25 μg/mL to 86.91 % at 100 μg/mL