Kaolin as a possible treatment against lepidopteran larvae and mites in organic fruit production

Few control methods are available in Norwegian organic fruit production that can prevent damage by early and late larvae. Also phytophagous mites are difficult to control without harming the beneficial mites. Proc-essed kaolin function by coating trees and thus creating a physical barrier to infestation, impeding move-ment, feeding and egg-laying. Kaolin may reduce feeding and movement of over-wintering tortricide larvae and other larvae that hatch early in spring and have a repellent effect against egg-laying tortricide females in summer. Kaolin may also have a control effect against mites as it clings to the body and reduce feeding. Tri-als with kaolin were conducted in 2003, 2004 and 2005 in plum and apple orchards. Results show that kaolin reduces the population of rust mite, however it also affected the number of beneficial mites. The effect against early and late larvae was more variable. Treatments with kaolin resulted in a small reduction in early larvae and damage in some fields and years, however no clear effect against late larvae was found. The ef-fect of kaolin will be discussed in relation to population size and number of treatments

Control methods against bugs (Hemiptera; Heteroptera) in organic apple and pear production

True bugs (Hemiptera; Heteroptera) are important pests in fruit production in Norway. In organic fruit pro-duction they may damage up to 40% of the crop. Several of the Heteropteran species attacking apple and pear are polyphagous, with many other hostplants than pome fruit. In organic production few control meth-ods are available against bugs. In this study we have tried a cultural control method (mowing of ground-cover) as well as spray applications of various biological insecticides against bugs. Spray application of azadirachtin (NeemAzal), rape oil and garlic extract (Ecoguard) were tested. Results indicate that the effect of mowing groundcover inside the orchard is variable and small. Applying NeemAzal reduced the number of bugs and damage. Oil and Ecoguard showed little effect in this study, however further testing is needed. Results from the first two years of the study will be discussed in relation to both cultural and direct control methods against bugs

Pre-breeding for future challenges in Nordic apples: susceptibility to fruit tree canker and storage diseases

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Morphological abnormalities in the cladoceran Ilyocryptus spinifer (Apipucos Reservoir, Pernambuco State, Brazil)

In a sample taken from Apipucos Reservoir (Recife, PE, Brazil) for taxonomic study, a high percentage (40%) was found of cladoceran Ilyocryptus spinifer individuals with morphological abnormalities on their postabdomen. There was not a fixed pattern of the malformations, which varied in gravity, and could affect the postanal spines or terminal claws. The postabdominal abnormalities are described and compared to the ones described in the literature. The hypothesis of the morphological abnormalities being induced by an occasional environmental toxicant is discussed

Indomethacin Treatment Prevents High Fat Diet-induced Obesity and Insulin Resistance but Not Glucose Intolerance in C57BL/6J Mice*

Chronic low grade inflammation is closely linked to obesity-associated insulin resistance. To examine how administration of the anti-inflammatory compound indomethacin, a general cyclooxygenase inhibitor, affected obesity development and insulin sensitivity, we fed obesity-prone male C57BL/6J mice a high fat/high sucrose (HF/HS) diet or a regular diet supplemented or not with indomethacin (±INDO) for 7 weeks. Development of obesity, insulin resistance, and glucose intolerance was monitored, and the effect of indomethacin on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) was measured in vivo and in vitro using MIN6 β-cells. We found that supplementation with indomethacin prevented HF/HS-induced obesity and diet-induced changes in systemic insulin sensitivity. Thus, HF/HS+INDO-fed mice remained insulin-sensitive. However, mice fed HF/HS+INDO exhibited pronounced glucose intolerance. Hepatic glucose output was significantly increased. Indomethacin had no effect on adipose tissue mass, glucose tolerance, or GSIS when included in a regular diet. Indomethacin administration to obese mice did not reduce adipose tissue mass, and the compensatory increase in GSIS observed in obese mice was not affected by treatment with indomethacin. We demonstrate that indomethacin did not inhibit GSIS per se, but activation of GPR40 in the presence of indomethacin inhibited glucose-dependent insulin secretion in MIN6 cells. We conclude that constitutive high hepatic glucose output combined with impaired GSIS in response to activation of GPR40-dependent signaling in the HF/HS+INDO-fed mice contributed to the impaired glucose clearance during a glucose challenge and that the resulting lower levels of plasma insulin prevented the obesogenic action of the HF/HS diet