Identification of the Male-Produced Aggregation Pheromone of the Four-Spotted Coconut Weevil, Diocalandra frumenti

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc6b04829[EN] The four-spotted coconut weevil, Diocalandra frumenti Fabricius (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae), is a small weevil found attacking economically important palm species, such as coconut, date,, oil, and Canary palms. Given the scarcity of detection and management tools for this pest, the availability of a pheromone to be included in trapping protocols would be a crucial advantage. Previous laboratory experiments showed evidence for aggregation behavior; thus, our main goal was to identify the aggregation pheromone in this species. The volatile profile of D. frumenti individuals was studied by aeration and collection of effluvia in Porapak-Q and also by solid phase microextraction (SPME) techniques. Moreover, solvent extraction of previously frozen crushed individuals was also performed. All resulting extracts and SPME fibers were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The comparison of male and female samples provided the candidate compound, 5ethyl-2,4-dimethy1-6,8-dioxabicyclo [3.2.1]octane (multistriatin), whose biological activity was evaluated in olfactometer and field assays.This work received funding from Direccion General de Agricultura del Gobierno de Canarias (Spain).Vacas González, S.; Navarro Fuertes, I.; Seris, E.; Ramos, C.; Hernández Suárez, E.; Navarro-Llopis, V.; Primo Millo, J. (2017). Identification of the Male-Produced Aggregation Pheromone of the Four-Spotted Coconut Weevil, Diocalandra frumenti. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 65(2):270-275. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc6b04829S27027565

The Gaia mission

Gaia is a cornerstone mission in the science programme of the EuropeanSpace Agency (ESA). The spacecraft construction was approved in 2006, following a study in which the original interferometric concept was changed to a direct-imaging approach. Both the spacecraft and the payload were built by European industry. The involvement of the scientific community focusses on data processing for which the international Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC) was selected in 2007. Gaia was launched on 19 December 2013 and arrived at its operating point, the second Lagrange point of the Sun-Earth-Moon system, a few weeks later. The commissioning of the spacecraft and payload was completed on 19 July 2014. The nominal five-year mission started with four weeks of special, ecliptic-pole scanning and subsequently transferred into full-sky scanning mode. We recall the scientific goals of Gaia and give a description of the as-built spacecraft that is currently (mid-2016) being operated to achieve these goals. We pay special attention to the payload module, the performance of which is closely related to the scientific performance of the mission. We provide a summary of the commissioning activities and findings, followed by a description of the routine operational mode. We summarise scientific performance estimates on the basis of in-orbit operations. Several intermediate Gaia data releases are planned and the data can be retrieved from the Gaia Archive, which is available through the Gaia home page. http://www.cosmos.esa.int/gai

Effects of processed kaolin on pests and non-target arthropods in a Spanish olive grove

The particle film technology based on processed kaolin sprays has been recently introduced for the control of the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), the key pest of olive groves. A 3-year field experiment was conducted from 2005 to 2007 at Villarejo de Salvanés, Spain to assess the efficacy of a kaolin-based product (Surround WP) for controlling B. oleae and two other olive insect pests the olive black scale Saissetiaoleae (Olivier) and the olive psyllid Euphylluraolivina (Costa). The effects of Surround WP on the arthropod community of olive trees and on natural enemies were also evaluated. In a high olive fruit fly pressure year (2007), Surround WP sprays significantly reduced the incidence of B. oleae and that of S. oleae. However, Surround WP treatments did not have any effect on E. olivina populations. Both the abundance and the diversity of arthropods were reduced by Surround WP treatment. The principal response curve (PRC) analysis revealed a significant deleterious effect of Surround WP on the natural enemy arthropod community of the olive grove. The most affected taxa were the following the coccinellids Scymnus mediterraneus Iablokoff-Khnzorian, Stethorus punctillum Weise and Hyperaspis reppensis (Hbst.); the mirid Brachynotocoris ferreri n. sp. Baena (in litteris); different species of Orius and the families of Philodromidae, Scelionidae, Pteromalidae, Chrysopidae and Aphelinidae. Processed kaolin is proposed as an alternative to chemical control of the olive fruit fly. However, the effect of processed kaolin treatments on natural enemies should be taken into account in a rational pest control programme. © 2010 Springer-Verlag

Spinosad bait sprays against the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae (Rossi)) effect on the canopy non-target arthropod fauna

Abundance and diversity of arthropods were compared in olive trees treated against the olive fruit fly with spinosad bait sprays and an untreated control, paying special attention to predators and parasitoids. Spinosad bait sprays did not reduce the abundance and diversity of arthropods as a whole in the canopy. However, principal response curve analysis revealed a significant deleterious effect of the treatments on natural enemies in the last of the three years of study. The most affected taxa were Anthocoridae (especially Orius spp.) and Aphelinidae. © 2014 Taylor & Francis

Copper and kaolin sprays as tools for controlling the olive fruit fly

Departamento de ​Protección Vegetal (INIA)The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is the most damaging pest of olive crop in the main growing areas. The control of this pest is based on insecticides, but more sustainable strategies are needed to reduce negative impacts such as pesticide residues, development of insecticide resistance or effects on non-target organisms. In a three-year field study, the effectiveness of preventive kaolin and copper (Bordeaux mixture) applications were evaluated. Natural pest control in olive groves is very valuable and must be preserved, so the effects of these treatments on non-target arthropods were also investigated compared to conventional dimethoate bait sprays and paying special attention to natural enemies. Kaolin sprays reduced the damage of B. oleae to levels that allow high quality oil production, even with a very high pest incidence. Copper treatments provided a certain protection that was insufficient at high infestation levels. No significant changes in abundance and number of arthropod morphospecies were detected. However, the diversity of arthro-pods, measured by Shannon index, was reduced by dimethoate baits and kaolin sprays and fewer predators were found in dimethoate treated trees. A significant alteration of the natural enemies’ community was also detected by Principal Response Curve (PRC) analysis in plots sprayed with kaolin, in the second year, with the coccinellid beetle Scymnus marinus (Mulsant) particularly affected. Monitoring long-term effects of kaolin sprays on natural enemies is advisable, while envi-ronmentally-friendly measures are applied to favor their presence.Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, by means the research project AGL2007-66130-C03-01: “Development and field evaluation of new methods for controlling the Olive Fruit Fly more respectful with the environment”. We also thank Pablo Blas (RECESPAÑA, Villarejo de Salvanés, Madrid) and the farmers who provided their olive groves for the study.Peer reviewe

Analysis of Pesticide Residues by QuEChERS Method and LC-MS/MS for a New Extrapolation of Maximum Residue Levels in Persimmon Minor Crop

According to EU guidance SANCO/7525/VI/95 Rev. 10.3, residue data extrapolation from a surrogate major crop to a minor crop can be used for setting maximum residue levels (MRLs) with a reduced number of residue trials and representative selected pesticides. In this work, a QuEChERS method (citrate-buffered version and PSA with MgSO4 clean-up) and LC-ESI-MS/MS for the determination of boscalid, pyraclostrobin, fludioxonil, fluopyram and tebuconazole in persimmon was developed and validated according to EU Commission guidelines and afterwards used for the determination of residues in four field trials. Residue levels at harvest for each pesticide ranged between 0.347 and 0.028 mg/kg. After comparing EFSA residue data on apples, as the surrogate major crop, and conducting a consumer risk assessment, a proposal of residue data extrapolation to set MRLs in persimmons was performed. The results showed that pesticide residues in persimmons at harvest were consistently lower than residues in apples when substances were applied according to the same critical GAP. MRLs were set at 0.5 mg/kg for fludioxonil, 0.6 mg/kg for boscalid, 0.3 mg/kg for tebuconazole, 0.4 mg/kg for fluopyran and 0.3 mg/kg for pyraclostrobin. The ratio of the MRLs for apple/persimmon varied between 2.5 for boscalid and 1.25 for fluopyram, suggesting that residue extrapolation can be feasible, promoting the process of pesticide registration for minor crops and the settlement of MRL

Identification of the Male-Produced Aggregation Pheromone of the Four-Spotted Coconut Weevil, <i>Diocalandra frumenti</i>

The four-spotted coconut weevil, <i>Diocalandra frumenti</i> Fabricius (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae), is a small weevil found attacking economically important palm species, such as coconut, date, oil, and Canary palms. Given the scarcity of detection and management tools for this pest, the availability of a pheromone to be included in trapping protocols would be a crucial advantage. Previous laboratory experiments showed evidence for aggregation behavior; thus, our main goal was to identify the aggregation pheromone in this species. The volatile profile of <i>D. frumenti</i> individuals was studied by aeration and collection of effluvia in Porapak-Q and also by solid phase microextraction (SPME) techniques. Moreover, solvent extraction of previously frozen crushed individuals was also performed. All resulting extracts and SPME fibers were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The comparison of male and female samples provided the candidate compound, 5-ethyl-2,4-dimethyl-6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]­octane (multistriatin), whose biological activity was evaluated in olfactometer and field assays

Clinical manifestations of intermediate allele carriers in Huntington disease

Objective: There is controversy about the clinical consequences of intermediate alleles (IAs) in Huntington disease (HD). The main objective of this study was to establish the clinical manifestations of IA carriers for a prospective, international, European HD registry. Methods: We assessed a cohort of participants at risk with <36 CAG repeats of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Outcome measures were the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) motor, cognitive, and behavior domains, Total Functional Capacity (TFC), and quality of life (Short Form-36 [SF-36]). This cohort was subdivided into IA carriers (27-35 CAG) and controls (<27 CAG) and younger vs older participants. IA carriers and controls were compared for sociodemographic, environmental, and outcome measures. We used regression analysis to estimate the association of age and CAG repeats on the UHDRS scores. Results: Of 12,190 participants, 657 (5.38%) with <36 CAG repeats were identified: 76 IA carriers (11.56%) and 581 controls (88.44%). After correcting for multiple comparisons, at baseline, we found no significant differences between IA carriers and controls for total UHDRS motor, SF-36, behavioral, cognitive, or TFC scores. However, older participants with IAs had higher chorea scores compared to controls (p 0.001). Linear regression analysis showed that aging was the most contributing factor to increased UHDRS motor scores (p 0.002). On the other hand, 1-year follow-up data analysis showed IA carriers had greater cognitive decline compared to controls (p 0.002). Conclusions: Although aging worsened the UHDRS scores independently of the genetic status, IAs might confer a late-onset abnormal motor and cognitive phenotype. These results might have important implications for genetic counseling. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01590589