Additions to the thrips (Thysanoptera) fauna of Odisha, India

Ten thrips species in ten genera of two families (Phlaeothripidae and Thripidae) of suborders Tubulifera and Terebrantia (Order Thysanoptera) are newly added to the fauna of Odisha, India. These species collected from various host plants are being reported for the first time from Odisha; three species in Phlaeothripidae and seven in Thripidae. Three species, Panchaetothrips stepheni, Scirtothrips bispinosus and Elaphrothrips greeni are recorded as new distribution reports from North India whereas, Crotonothrips polyalthiae has been newly reported from India. This survey reports newly added nine genera viz.,Astrothrips, Panchaetothrips, Selenothrips, Neohydatothrips, Den-drothripoides, Megalurothrips, Elaphrothrips, Crotonothrips and Karnyothrips and two subfamilies Panchaetothripi-nae and Idolothripinae to the fauna of Odisha. Diagnostic features, distribution and data on material studied for the-se species are given. The number of known species of thrips in Odisha is thus increased to 23

Additions to the terebrantian (Insecta: Thysanoptera) fauna of Kerala, India

Extensive surveys were carried out in Kerala in order to explore the thysanopteran fauna since the state has hardly been studied for the fauna of thrips after Dr. T.N. Ananthakrishnan’s era of Indian thysanopteran taxonomy. Nine species of terebrantian thrips, one in the family Aeolothripidae and the remaining eight in the familyThripidae are being listed as new to Kerala state records collected from different hosts. Diagnostic features, distribution and data on material studied for these species are given. The number of known species of terebrantian thrips in Kerala is thus increased to forty two

Biology and feeding potential of Coccinella septempunctata (Linn.) against Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt) at different temperature regimes

Biology and feeding potential of Coccinella septempunctata (Linn.) were studied in laboratory on 3rd instar nymphs of mustard aphid (Lipaphis erysimi Kalt.) at two different temperature regimes. At 30± 20C, fecundity, oviposition period, hatchability of eggs, male and female longevity (232±70.46, 12.8±3.91, 82.87±6.66, 22.70 ± 2.21and 26.60 ± 4.45, respectively) were higher and incubation period, pre-oviposition period, total grub duration and pupal duration (2.6±0.51, 6.5±3.53, 8.7 ± 1.63 and 5.1 ± 1.10, respectively) were lesser in comparison to 25± 20C where fecundity, oviposition period, hatchability of eggs, male and female longevity, incubation period, preoviposition period, total grub duration and pupal duration were 169.8±61.12, 7.9±1.37, 71.68±4.08, 16.2 ± 1.31 and 21.50 ± 1.95, 2.9±0.73, 7.7±2.49, 11.1 ± 1.52 and 5.8 ± 0.918, respectively . At 27± 2 0C, total mustard aphid consumption by a grub of C. septempunctata during the whole life span, was 424.4±2.78 mustard aphids in comparison to 272.64±1.79 mustard aphid at 23± 20C. Similarly an adult male and female consumed 103.2±1.52 and 116.6 ±1.46 aphids per day respectively at 27± 2 0C in comparison to 65.6 ± 1.02 and 71.8 ± 1.60 at 23± 20C. Thus, at both temperatures aphid consumption increased gradually till 4th instar and 30±20C was found to be most suitable temperature as compared to 25±20C for the life history of C. septempunctata. Hence, it could be concluded that C. septempunctata might play a suitable role in biointensive Integrated Pest Management programme because of better longevity and high predatory potential against the mustard aphid

Population dynamics of potential bioagents of mustard aphid, Lipaphiserysimi(Kaltenbach) on different cultivars of rapeseed-mustard

Field experiment was conducted to study the population dynamics of potential bioagents of mustard aphids on 9 different cultivars which included: Brassica alba cv. PSB-I, Eruca sativa Mill cv. T-27, Brassica campestriscv. BSH-I, Brassica napuscv. Sheetal, B. carinataBraun cv. CCN-06- 1, B. junceaL. cv. Varuna, B. nigraKoch. cv. PBR-I, Brassica campestriscv.YST-151 and Brassica campestriscv. PT-30. Population of aphid and natural enemies was recorded at weekly intervals. The results indicated that the first appearance of coccinellids and syrphids has been observed during 4th standard week, which gradually build up population and attained peak during 9th (pooled mean 1.42 coccinellids/ plant and 0.122 syrphid larva/plant) and 8th standard week (pooled mean 3.96 coccinellids/plant and 0.228 syrphid larva/plant) in 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively, followed by a declining trend in the following weeks. Similarly first appearance of parasi-tization has been found to occur from 4th standard week followed by a gradual increase in the following weeks with maximum parasitization on PT-30 (33.32%) and BSH-1 (35.25%) during 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively. Correlation between abiotic factors and these natural enemies was also studied. It has been observed that with the increase of aphid population the population of natural enemies also increased. The population dynamics of mustard aphids and its natural enemies var-ied according to climatic situations and between host plant species. So by computing population trends of both natu-ral enemies and aphids with meterological records would generate information on relative abundance and would certainly help in formulating sound pest management strategies against mustard aphid

A case of large leiomyoma arising from rudimentary horn in Mayer Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome, managed by minimally invasive surgery

Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a congenital disorder marked by aplasia or hypoplasia of the uterus and vagina as a result of arrest in the development of the müllerian ducts. Prevalence being 1 in 4000–5000 live births of females. Leiomyoma is the most common uterine tumor, their occurrence from rudimentary uterus in females with MRKH syndrome is very rare and only a few cases have been documented in the literature. Here we report a 38-year-old female, known case of MRKH syndrome presenting with USG suggestive of 7.9x7.4x6.0 leiomyoma in proximity to the hypoplastic uterus, undergoing a laparoscopic removal of fibroid with right ovarian cystectomy (incidental finding). Therefore, it is important to consider such unusual diagnosis of fibroids originating from primitive horns while treating these patients for gynecological symptoms as well as infertility, and consider them managing endoscopically

Evaluation of fungal pathogens, Fusarium semitectum Berk. and Ravenel and Hirsutella thompsonii Fisher against red spider mite, Tetranychus neocaledoni-cus (Andre) of okra under laboratory and greenhouse conditions

Efficacy of fungal pathogens, Fusarium semitectum Berk. and Ravenel and Hirsutella thompsonii Fisher was evaluated against red spider mite, Tetranychus neocaledonicus (Andre) of okra under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Among the treatments evaluated under laboratory conditions, the highest mortality of 78.20 and 88.34 percent adults and immatures, respectively was recorded at 2.10 x 109 spores per ml of F. semitectum, whereas it was 82.05 and 92.31 per cent adults and immatures, respectively in case of H. thompsonii at 4.60 x 108 spores per ml. Among the twelve treatments evaluated under greenhouse conditions, H. thompsonii 4.60 x 108 spores per ml, F. semitectum 2.10 x 109 spores per ml + H. thompsonii 4.60 x 108 spores per ml, H. thompsonii 4.60 x 108 spores per ml + dicofol 0.025% and F. semitectum 2.10 x 109 spores per ml + H. thompsonii 4.60 x 108 spores per ml + dicofol 0.025% were found to be on par with each other with a cumulative percent mortality of 81.20, 81.48, 81.21 and 82.59 percent, respectively. By testing the field efficacy of F. semitectum and H. thompsonii against T. neocaledonicus, these fungal pathogens can be used as potential biocontrol agents for the sustainable management of mites on okra. Hence the present study evaluates the potentiality of F. semitectum for the management of T. neocaledonicus by comparing with the well-known acaricidal fungus, H. thompsonii

ANTIOXIDANT, CYTOTOXICITY, AND STABILITY EVALUATION OF GINKGO BILOBA EXTRACT-BASED MICROEMULSIONS FOR ENHANCED THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY

Objective: This study is aimed to evaluate the antioxidant (AO) potential, cytotoxicity, and stability of preformulated Ginkgo biloba standard extractmicroemulsion (GBME), to investigate if, it retains the therapeutic potential of EGB761 and remains safe and stable for a longer period.Method and Results: GBME has shown enhanced AO (85.2±0.78%, IC50=31.3±0.45 μg/ml) in comparison to EGB761 (74.1±0.51%,IC50=49.4±0.05 μg/ml) using 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assay. Similarly, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate(DPPH) assay has also shown that AO for GBME (94.6±0.04%, IC50=11.4±1.03 μg/ml) was higher than EGB761 (78.6±1.20%, IC50=34.6±0.81 μg/ml).Further, IC50 value of antiradical unit of GBME was much lesser (ABTS=14.3±1.05 μg/ml and DPPH=17.03±1.8 μg/ml) in comparison to EGB761(ABTS=34.1±1.62 μg/ml and DPPH=37.5±0.08 μg/ml). Equivalently, both, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, and nitric oxide activity wereappreciably higher for GBME than the pure extract. The in vitro cytotoxicity assessment showed that GBME is quite safe (98.68±0.76% cell viability) incomparison to EGB761 (83.29±1.02%). Thereafter, these samples were tested for stability by evaluating their AO activity along with high-performanceliquid chromatography analysis, for the major phytocompounds, after 1 year, and results suggested that AO of GBME remained stable while comparingwith the freshly prepared GBME, whereas AO of EGB761 reduced significantly as compared to freshly taken EGB761 extract implying the degradationof phytocompounds supporting decrease in AO activity.Conclusion: Therefore, the observed results suggest that GBME maintained AO and scavenging activity along with enhanced shelf life with no observedtoxicity, which can be explored further for its potential therapeutic implications in various oxidative stress-induced central nervous system disorders