Impact of Insecticides on Parasitoids of the Leafminer, Liriomyza trifolii, in Pepper in South Texas

Liriomyza leafminers (Diptera: Agromyzidae) are cosmopolitan, polyphagous pests of horticultural plants and many are resistant to insecticides. Producers in South Texas rely on insecticides as the primary management tool for leafminers, and several compounds are available. The objective of this study is to address the efficacy of these compounds for controlling Liriomyza while minimizing their effects against natural enemies. Research plots were established at Texas AgriLife research center at Weslaco, Texas in fall 2007 and spring 2008 seasons, and peppers were used as a model crop. Plots were sprayed with novaluron, abamectin, spinetoram, lambda-cyhalothrin and water as treatments according to leafminer infestation; insecticide efficacy was monitored by collecting leaves and infested foliage. Plant phenology was also monitored. Novaluron was the most effective insecticide and lambda-cyhalothrin showed resurgence in leafminer density in fall 2007 and no reduction in spring 2008. Other compounds varied in efficacy. Novaluron showed the least number of parasitoids per leafminer larva and the lowest parasitoid diversity index among treatments followed by spinetoram. Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) was the sole leafminer species on peppers, and 19 parasitoid species were found associated with this leafminer. Application of these insecticides for management of leafminers with conservation of natural enemies is discussed

Dimethyl fumarate in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) inhibits inflammasome-mediated inflammation and has been proposed as a treatment for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. This randomised, controlled, open-label platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing multiple treatments in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 (NCT04381936, ISRCTN50189673). In this assessment of DMF performed at 27 UK hospitals, adults were randomly allocated (1:1) to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus DMF. The primary outcome was clinical status on day 5 measured on a seven-point ordinal scale. Secondary outcomes were time to sustained improvement in clinical status, time to discharge, day 5 peripheral blood oxygenation, day 5 C-reactive protein, and improvement in day 10 clinical status. Between 2 March 2021 and 18 November 2021, 713 patients were enroled in the DMF evaluation, of whom 356 were randomly allocated to receive usual care plus DMF, and 357 to usual care alone. 95% of patients received corticosteroids as part of routine care. There was no evidence of a beneficial effect of DMF on clinical status at day 5 (common odds ratio of unfavourable outcome 1.12; 95% CI 0.86-1.47; p = 0.40). There was no significant effect of DMF on any secondary outcome

Dimethyl fumarate in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) inhibits inflammasome-mediated inflammation and has been proposed as a treatment for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. This randomised, controlled, open-label platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing multiple treatments in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 (NCT04381936, ISRCTN50189673). In this assessment of DMF performed at 27 UK hospitals, adults were randomly allocated (1:1) to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus DMF. The primary outcome was clinical status on day 5 measured on a seven-point ordinal scale. Secondary outcomes were time to sustained improvement in clinical status, time to discharge, day 5 peripheral blood oxygenation, day 5 C-reactive protein, and improvement in day 10 clinical status. Between 2 March 2021 and 18 November 2021, 713 patients were enroled in the DMF evaluation, of whom 356 were randomly allocated to receive usual care plus DMF, and 357 to usual care alone. 95% of patients received corticosteroids as part of routine care. There was no evidence of a beneficial effect of DMF on clinical status at day 5 (common odds ratio of unfavourable outcome 1.12; 95% CI 0.86-1.47; p = 0.40). There was no significant effect of DMF on any secondary outcome

The 2009 late blight pandemic in the eastern United States - causes and results

Please help populate SUNScholar with the full text of SU research output. Also - should you need this item urgently, please send us the details and we will try to get hold of the full text as quick possible. E-mail to [email protected]. Thank you.Journal Articles (subsidised)AgriwetenskappePlantpatologi

Influência da quantidade de pólen na produção e qualidade de sementes híbridas de abóbora Influence of pollen amount on production and quality of squash hybrid seeds

A baixa produção de sementes híbridas de abóbora obtida em nossas condições deve-se provavelmente aos métodos de produção pouco eficientes. A quantidade de pólen transferido naturalmente ou artificialmente entre os parentais pode afetar não só a produção como também a qualidade das sementes híbridas. Neste estudo, utilizou-se a polinização manual, a qual constou de cinco tratamentos relacionados com a quantidade de pólen do progenitor masculino para polinizar uma única flor feminina: um quarto da quantidade de pólen de uma flor; metade da quantidade de pólen de uma flor; a quantidade de pólen de uma flor; a quantidade de pólen de duas flores, e a quantidade de pólen de quatro flores masculinas. O delineamento experimental adotado foi em blocos ao acaso, com três repetições e dezoito plantas por parcela. O aumento da quantidade de pólen aplicada aumentou a produção de sementes por fruto e consequentemente a produção de sementes por área. A qualidade fisiológica das sementes praticamente não foi afetada entre os tratamentos, embora foi observada uma menor germinação das sementes obtidas em frutos provenientes de flores polinizadas com 1/4 de pólen.<br>The low production of squash hybrid seeds obtained in our conditions is probably due to the inefficient production methods. The amount of pollen transferred naturally or artificially between the two parents may affect not only the hybrid seed production but also the seed quality of squash. In this study, flowers were manually pollinated using five amounts of pollen to pollinate one female flower: 1/4 of pollen from one flower; half of the amount of pollen from one flower; pollen of one flower; pollen of two flowers and pollen of four flowers. The randomized complete block design was adopted, with three replications and eighteen plants per plot. The increasing pollen amount affected significantly seed yield per fruit and seed yield per area, but did not influence significantly seed quality. A lower germination was observed in fruits originated from flowers pollinated with 1/4 of pollen of one flower

Uncommon disorders and decay in near-isogenic lines of melon and reference cultivars Acidentes fisiológicos e podridões atípicas em linhas quase-isogénicas de melão e em cultivares de referência

Postharvest disorders and rots can produce important economic losses in fruits stored for long time for exportation. The genetic and physiological basis of some disorders in melon (Cucumis melo L.) are unknown and particularly the possible relation with climacteric behavior. A collection of melon near-isogenic lines (NILs) (SC3-5 and seven more showing climacteric and two non-climacteric ripening pattern) were analyzed to study genetic and physiological aspects of fruit disorders and rots. Two non-climacteric (Nicolás; Inodorus Group; and Shongwan Charmi PI161375, Conomon Group) and two climacteric cultivars (Fado, Reticulatus Group; Védrantais, Cantaloupensis Group) were used as reference. The field was divided in eight blocks containing one three-plant replication for each NIL, two for the parental cultivar Piel de Sapo and one or two for the reference cultivars. Replications evaluated were more than six in the cultivars studied. Plant problems included aphids, powdery mildew, and leaf wind injury. Preharvest fruit disorders included whole fruit cracking in cultivar Védrantais and NIL 5M2, and stylar-end cracking in cultivar Fado. Climacteric NILs with yellow skin were particularly affected by over-ripening, stylar-end cracking, and sunburn during cultivation. At harvest, two NILs showed slight placental tissue necrosis which was inherited from SC and were also detected after storage. Other uncommon disorders seen at harvest or 30 days after storage at 8ºC included warted skin (scarring), flesh discoloration (light brown or translucent areas), hollow flesh disorder, and deep furrow netting inherited from SC. Less common rots included grey mould, bacterial soft rot, Penicillium rot, cottony leak and internal Cladosporium rot. Stylar-end hardness below 20 N·mm-1 was associated with cracking and softening. The incidence of the disorders and rots was too low to confirm that the genetic component played a role in their development.<br>Analisaram-se frutos de melão (Cucumis melo L.) provenientes de uma coleção de linhas quase-isogénicas (NIL), SC3-5 e outras sete climatéricas e duas não-climatéricas, para avaliar a ocorrência de acidentes fisiológicos e a suscetibilidade a podridões. Como termo de comparação utilizou-se duas cultivares não-climatéricas (Nicolás, grupo Inodorus, e Shongwan Charmi ou acesso PI161375, grupo Conomon) e duas cultivares climatéricas (Fado, grupo Reticulatus, e Védrantais, grupo Cantaloupensis). O experimento foi dividido em oito blocos contendo três plantas por repetição para NIL, dois para a cultivar parental Piel de Sapo (PS), e um ou dois para a cultivar testemunha. As repetições avaliadas foram mais de seis para as cultivares em estudo. Durante a produção, as folhas foram afetadas por pulgão, oídio e acidentes meteorológicos. Os acidentes fisiológicos que ocorreram nos frutos durante a produção incluíram fendilhamento na cultivar Védrantais e na NIL 5M2 e fendilhamento da zona pistilar na cultivar Fado. As NIL climactéricas com casca amarela revelaram-se muito suscetíveis à sobre-maturação, fendilhamento pistilar e queimaduras solares durante a produção. Duas NIL exibiram uma ligeira necrose do tecido placentar, carater herdado da linha PI161375. Outros acidentes fisiológicos atípicos observados na colheita ou após 30 dias a 8ºC incluíram casca verrugosa, descolorações castanho-claras na polpa, translucência da polpa, cavidades na polpa e ornamentação profundamente sulcada na casca, herdada do PI161375. Observou-se a ocorrência de podridões pouco usuais em melão, nomeadamente podridão cinzenta, podridão bacteriana, Penicillium sp., Phytium sp. e cladosporiose interna. Uma dureza da região pistilar inferior a 20 N mm-1 estava associada ao fendilhamento e ao amolecimento excessivo. A ocorrência destes acidentes fisiológicos ou podridões foi baixa para assegurar o envolvimento de fatores genéticos no seu desenvolvimento