Area dependent searching efficiency of Scymnus syriacus (Col.: Coccinellidae) feeding on Aphis craccivora (Hem.: Aphididae)

Searching efficiency is a key parameter of functional response which is in turn the major components in the selection of predators and parasitoids for biological control. Searching efficiency of Scymnus syriacus Mulsant feeding on Aphis craccivora Koch was determined at five different experimental arenas (i.e. 195, 247, 304, 385 and 650 cm2) on broad bean (Vicia fabae L.). To do this, functional response of the predator to different densities (i.e., 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60) of the third instar nymphs of A. craccivora was studied. At each experiment, one 48-h.-old female was introduced to the aphid density in a container (as an experimental arena) and replicated five times. The experiments were carried out at 25Ë Â± 1C, 65 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 16L: 8D h. Using the logistic regression, a type III functional response was determined for S. syriacus in the entire five experimental arenas. Searching efficiency was found to be area dependent as it decreased as the area of experimental arena increased. The maximum expected predation rates (T/Th) were 48.56, 42.44, 40.77, 38.09 and 34.88 in the five experimental arenas, respectively. The area searched as a function of prey density indicated that as prey density increased, the area searched by the predator decreased. It is concluded that the size of searching area and prey density, both influence foraging behavior of S. syriacus

Avoiding obscure topics and generalising findings produces higher impact research

Much academic research is never cited and may be rarely read, indicating wasted effort from the authors, referees and publishers. One reason that an article could be ignored is that its topic is, or appears to be, too obscure to be of wide interest, even if excellent scholarship produced it. This paper reports a word frequency analysis of 874,411 English article titles from 18 different Scopus natural, formal, life and health sciences categories 2009-2015 to assess the likelihood that research on obscure (rarely researched) topics is less cited. In all categories examined, unusual words in article titles associate with below average citation impact research. Thus, researchers considering obscure topics may wish to reconsider, generalise their study, or to choose a title that reflects the wider lessons that can be drawn. Authors should also consider including multiple concepts and purposes within their titles in order to attract a wider audience

Reproductive performance of Chouioia cunea Yang (Hym.: Eulophidae) parasitizing fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea Drury (Lep.: Arctiidae)

The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea Drury (Lep.: Arctiidae), is an important pest of forest and cultivated plants in Guilan Province, Iran. The reproductive performance of Chouioia cunea Yang (Hym.: Eulophidae), a gregarious pupal parasitoid of H. cunea was studied at 24±1°C, 70±5% (RH), and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) hours. The pupal hosts were exposed to 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16 newly emerged adult parasitoids. The parasitoids remained in contact with host pupae for 24 hours in Petri-dishes (10x1 cm) until the death of all parasitoids. The results showed that parasitoid density influenced offspring production, as the higher parasitoid densities resulted in the lowest mean number of offspring per female (179.06± 6.29). The sex ratio was not influenced by parasitoid density, but the age of parasitoid affected sex ratio as a higher sex ratio (0.92±0.001♀) was observed in the progeny produced by younger parents. Rate of parasitism was higher at density of 4 wasps (33.33%). The mean percent parasitism by 1, 2 and 3 day-old female parasitoids were 21, 13 and 9, respectively (P<0.05). Maximum number of offspring produced per female was obtained at host/parasitoid ratio of 15 to 4. The female parasitoids survived 1-3 days after oviposition. The searching efficiency of the parasitoid decreased from 0.18 to 0.009h-1 with increasing its density. The survival rate for C. cunea was not significantly different at all densities of male or females, but a statistical difference was observed with increasing parasitoid age. It was concluded that the performance of C. cunea was mainly affected by its density and age

A comparative study on the population growth parameters of Coccinella septempunctata (Col.: Coccinellidae) and melon aphid, Aphis gossypii (Hem.: Aphididae) under laboratory conditions

Adult individuals of the ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata L., and also the melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, were collected from cucumber fields in Rasht area, north of Iran. They were reared in a growth chamber at 26 ï± 2ËC, R.H. of 65 ï± 5% and a photoperiod of 16L: 8D. Ten mated pairs of two-day-old predators were separately transferred in to a plastic container (8 à 10 à 12 cm) that were covered with an organdy net. A demographic life table was constructed based on the daily fertility results. The intrinsic rate of increase (rm) and also the net reproductive rate (R0) of C. septempunctata were 0.159 and 373.916, respectively. The mean generation time (T) of ladybird was 37.25 days and the population was doubled (DT) in 4.35 days. The population of C. septempunctata was able to multiply 3.45 times per week (rw). In order to determine rm and R0 of the melon aphid, twenty wingless adults were put separately into a leaf cage (10 à 60 mm) on cucumber leaves. The R0 and rm values of the aphid were 49.256 and 0.471, respectively. The T was 8.27 days and the population of the aphid was doubled within 1.47 days. Female aphids were able to multiply 27.03 times per week. Adult longevity was 13.8 ± 1.09 days and mean number of offspring produced per female was 49.05 ± 2.32 and mean number of females per female per day (mx) was 3.22 ± 0.59

Olfactory response of the predatory bug, Orius niger (Hem.: Anthocoridae) to Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) on cucumber leaves treated or untreated by Beauveria bassiana

Olfactory experiments were performed to study the predation behavior of Orius niger Wolff (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) on the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) in presence or absence of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.). The experiments were carried out with six day old female bugs by recording the predator direction towards each of the Y-tube olfactometer arms and through three dependent replicates consisted of 15 replicates each. The predatory bug showed a significant preference towards the odors related to infested cucumber leaves by T. urticae in the absence of fungus and when the predator received odors related to T. urticae infested leaves v.s. B.bassiana fungus treated, spider mite infested leaves (72 hours). There was no significant difference in the predator olfactory experiment when the alternative arms consisted of treated v.s. untreated spider mite infested cucumber leaves (0, 24 and 48 hours after treatment). The results showed the capacity of the predatory bug to recognize the patches infected by B.bassiana fungus and successfully avoiding it

A geometric morphometric study of the geographic populations of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hem.: Liviidae), in Iran and Pakistan

Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, is an important pest of citrus that transmits the bacterial pathogens responsible for citrus greening disease, also called Huanglongbing. The aim of the current study was to investigate the shape variations of the forewing among the Iranian geographic populations of D. citri, as well as one population from Pakistan. The adult psyllids used in this study were collected on Lime, Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle, from orchards in Southern Iran in 2011. The forewings of 12 D. citri populations (30 randomly selected adult females from each population) were examined using geometric morphometric analysis. Multivariate and univariate analysis of variance indicated significant variation of wing shape and size among the examined populations. Based on forewing shape, Sistan-Baluchestan and Pakistan populations were different from other populations, including Hormozgan (Minab, Rudan, Fareghan, Hajiabad), Kerman (Manujan, Kahnuj, Jiroft-Anbarabad, Jiroft-Blook, Orzoiye), and Fars (Darab). Considering the following reasons, geographic variation was developed by the interaction of genetic mechanisms and environmental processes: (1) there was a significant difference in the shape and squared Mahalanobis distance between some populations, (2) the correlation between geographic distances matrix and Mahalanobis distances matrix was significant, and (3) the wings grew allometrically, and geographic populations had separate allometric direction but parallel to each others. It is suggested that wing morphology could be beneficial for the preliminary assessment of population structure and pest control methods of D. citri in Iran

Comparative life table of Aphis craccivora (Hem.: Aphididae) on host plant, Robinia pseudoacacia under natural and laboratory conditions

-The cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch, is an important pest of Robinia pseudoacacia Frisia. Life table parameters of A. craccivora were determined under natural (16- 33ºC and 32-89% RH, respectively) and laboratory (25 ± 1ºC, RH of 70 ± 5% and a photoperiod of 16:8 h (L: D) conditions. The data were analyzed using the age-stage, two-sex life table theory. Each experiment was replicated 45 times for each condition. There was significant differences between the survivorship, fecundity and longevity of the A. craccivora in laboratory and natural conditions. Under natural conditions, A. craccivora had a significant shorter nymphal developmental time, adult longevity and life span than those reared under laboratory conditions. However, the intrinsic rate of increase (r), net reproductive rate (R0), the finite rate of increase (λ) and gross reproductive rate (GRR) under laboratory conditions, were higher than those obtained in field, the higher mean generation time (T) was found in the field. All in all, the results of this study showed that two different conditions (field and laboratory) had significant influence on developmental times and life table parameters of A. craccivora and it is hard to escape the obvious conclusion that we must prevent the unsuitable extrapolation of laboratory results to field applications. The results obtained here, could also help us to understand the population dynamics of A. craccivora under field condition and to develop effective integrated pest management (IPM) programs

Molecular Cause and Functional Impact of Altered Synaptic Lipid Signaling Due to a \u3cem\u3eprg-1\u3c/em\u3e Gene SNP

Loss of plasticity‐related gene 1 (PRG‐1), which regulates synaptic phospholipid signaling, leads to hyperexcitability via increased glutamate release altering excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance in cortical networks. A recently reported SNP in prg‐1 (R345T/mutPRG‐1) affects ~5 million European and US citizens in a monoallelic variant. Our studies show that this mutation leads to a loss‐of‐PRG‐1 function at the synapse due to its inability to control lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) levels via a cellular uptake mechanism which appears to depend on proper glycosylation altered by this SNP. PRG‐1+/− mice, which are animal correlates of human PRG‐1+/mut carriers, showed an altered cortical network function and stress‐related behavioral changes indicating altered resilience against psychiatric disorders. These could be reversed by modulation of phospholipid signaling via pharmacological inhibition of the LPA‐synthesizing molecule autotaxin. In line, EEG recordings in a human population‐based cohort revealed an E/I balance shift in monoallelic mutPRG‐1 carriers and an impaired sensory gating, which is regarded as an endophenotype of stress‐related mental disorders. Intervention into bioactive lipid signaling is thus a promising strategy to interfere with glutamate‐dependent symptoms in psychiatric diseases

Una evaluación a fondo de series de intercambio (3ª edición)

In today’s classrooms, textbooks play a very crucial role in the realm of language teaching and learning. And after teachers, they are considered to be the next important factor in the second/foreign language classroom. Therefore, selecting a proper textbook for a class has been one of the most important tasks for teachers. Whether the teacher should have the freedom to select the materials for evaluation and adaptation or not still remains controversial. One thing is clear, however, and that is evaluation is usually done and no one denies its necessity. Along the lines of arguments presented so far, the main thrust of the present research is to carry out an evaluation on a series of ELT materials namely, Interchange 3rd edition. For this purpose Littlejohn’s detailed framework (1998) is employed in this attempt. The scheme attempts to evaluate the selected textbook regardless of how it is used in the classroom, what he calls analyzing the material ‘as it is’. Interchange is not completely along with the objectives intended for it. It doesn’t use learners or even the teachers as a source for its content. Supra sentential level as well is ignored for both the expected output and input of the learners. More importantly these are not the learners who initiate the tasks. Interchange series; on the other, hand focus mainly on pair works and meaning. They also encourage students to use the language and more importantly they more often require them to express themselves than to be a listener.En las aulas de hoy, los manuales juegan un papel muy crucial en el “reino” de enseñanza de los idiomas. Después de los profesores, los libros de texto son el factor más importante en el aula de idioma extranjero. Por eso, la selección de manuales apropiados para la clase ha sido una de las tareas más importantes del profesorado. Hasta qué punto el profesor debería tener la libertad de seleccionar los materiales para la evaluación y la adaptación sigue siendo algo polémico. Una cosa parece clara, la evaluación por lo general es un hecho y nadie niega su necesidad. A lo largo de las líneas argumentales que presentamos aquí, realizamos una evaluación sobre una serie de materiales de ELT a saber, Interchange 3ª edición. Para ello, hemos empleado el modelo de Littlejohn (1998). El estudio evalúa el manual seleccionado independientemente de cómo éste es usado en el aula, lo que él llama el análisis del material “tal y como es”