PLANT PROTECTION JOURNAL
Year:2010 | Volume:2 | Issue:3 (7)|Papers Count:10

Nowadays use of pesticides are common in agriculture and yearly so many investigations are carried out for determination of pesticidal residue in crops with gas and liquid chromatography. But these methods are expensive and time consuming. Developing of new methods of immunoassays like ELISA are interesting for many researchers. In this research, evaluation of production of antibody against chlropyrifos has been done. Pesticide is broken, then conjucation was made with protein BSA and rabbit got immunized by injection. Then after different intervals the blood was collected and titer was determined with ELISA reader and showed great difference with reference. This method is cheap, easy and more sensitive as compare as chromatography.

The slug Parmacella ibera Eichw. is one of the most important pests in citrus orchards and nurseries of Mazandaran province. Investigation on the biology of P. ibera was carried out on Thompson navel nurseries in Ramsar during 2006-2007. This species has one generation in a year and slugs were coupling in late of March and oviposit in middle of April. It took almost 22 days from coupling to oviposition. Average egg cluster was 52. Mean duration of incubation period was 28 days. The hatchability of eggs was 65 percent. A mean number of 50 newly hatched slugs were counted per adult. For damage evaluation of P. ibera, slugs were released in four (1, 5, 10, 15) density on the single brunch of a citrus tree of age 12-15 years in six replication (slug infestation) and compared with the control treatment. Citrus leaves damaged by slug before and after slug releasing were counted at seven days intervals. The number of citrus fruits available were counted and till end of sampling their weight compared with control treatment. The results showed that the mean numbers of leaves and fruits at different treatments for variety and population abundance have statistically meaningful significant (P≤0.05). The relation between density and damage was found linear and correlation between number of damaged leaves and fruits and total percentage of damages in Thompson navel orange and Unshui mandarin with population abundance of slug were found statistically meaningful. The mean of damage in relation to the slug densities (1, 5, 10, 15) were significant (P≤0.05) for Thompson navel orange and Unshui mandarin respectively. The result indicates that Unshui mandarin variety is more damaged by the slug feeding.

Essential oils are suitable components as alternate for chemical pesticides. Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella Hubner Tribolium confusum Herbst and Callosobruchus chinensis are some of the most important stored product pests. In this research, insecticidal effects of essential oils of five medicinal plants have been studied on these pests. Plants are included Achillea wilhelmsii, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Artemisia absinthium, Rosmarinus officinalis and Foeniculum vulgare that essential oils extracted by hydrodistilation method. Insecticide activity of essential oils studied on adults of T. confusum and C. chinensis and first instars larvae P. interpunctella. Cinnamon had the most insecticide activity on all insects especially Indian meal moth and the least insecticide activity were observed by absenthin and rosemary on Tribolium. There is significant difference between insecticide effects of essential oil on three pests. Also by increasing doses mortality increased. These results showed essential oils, especially Cinnamon have a good potential for using in warehouses instead of fumigant pesticides as insecticide.

The common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt & Lauterer is known as the major pest in the pistachio plantation areas of Iran. The psyllid’s density on different pistachio cultivars is usually varied. Density and population dynamics of A. pistaciae were monitored at field condition on Badami-riz Zarand and Momtaz as two native and local pistachio cultivars in Zarand vicinity, Kerman province, South of Iran. Results showed that the psyllid nymphs’ density on Momtaz was larger than on Badami-riz Zarand through the whole sampling time from April to October significantly. Psyllid nymphs’ density was grown up from late July, however this trend was drastically high from August and afterward. In addition the adult psyllid abundance was 3 times larger on Momtaz cultivar twigs than Badami-riz Zarand through the growing seasons. The relative abundances of adult psyllid on yellow sticky traps in the Momtaz pistachio orchard was significantly larger than the Badami-riz Zarand orchard, however the fluctuations’ trends were similar at both orchards. The population dynamics and density of A. pistaciae on two pistachio cultivars were compared and discussed in present article.

During 2010, a faunistic study was conducted to collect and identify the edaphic mites associated with oak trees in south of Kamfiruz region (Fars province). A new species of the genus Asternolaelaps belonginig to family Ichthyostomatogasteridae (Acari: Mesostigmata) was collected and identified. This family and genus are new records for mite fauna of Iran.

Mites of the family Bdellidae are important hunters of small arthropods (most often springtails or mites) on plants and in the soil. During 2009-2010 studies were carried out to collect and identify the mites of the family Bdellidae in Fars Science and Research Center in Fars province from different habitats such as soil, plant materials and decaying plants. Mites were extracted by Berlese funnel. After clearing in Lactophenol or Nesbit fluid, mite specimens were mounted into permanent microscopic slides, using the Hoyer’s medium. Prepared specimens were identified by use of related references. A total of 7 species from 5 genera were collected and identified. The list of identified species is a follows. Two new species for Iran mite fauna are marked by an asterisk.Spinibdella cronini (Baker & Block, 1944)S. thori (Meyer & Ryke, 1959)S. depressa (Ewing, 1909)Cyta latirostris (Hermann, 1804)C. longiseta* (Wallace & Mahon, 1972)Bdella captiosa (Atyeo, 1963)Bdellodes (Haploscirus) petila* (Atyeo, 1963)Odontoscirus sp.

A survey was conducted to identify the mites in relation with the fig trees in Estahban region from 2009 to 2010. The species, Phyllozetes tauricus Gordeeva (Oribatida: Cosmochthoniidae), was collected and identified. The species is newly recorded from Iran.

The eulophid subfamilies Entiinae and Eulophinae collected in Fars province of Iran during 2004 to 2007 were studied. The subfamily Entiinae (=Euderinae) is recorded from Iran. One species of Entiinae and 13 species of Eulophinae are listed among them four species are recorded for the first time from Iran. Available biological data and geographical distribution of each species is mentioned briefly. A checklist of recorded species of Eulophidae from Iran (until 2011) is provided.

The date palm fruit stalk borer, Oryctes elegans Prell. (Col.: Scarabeaidae) is a serious pests of date palm in Bam region, Iran. In this research, demographic parameters O. elegans were studied under controlled conditions at 27±2oC and 65±5% RH and 16:8 L: D. Data were analyzed based on an age-stage, two-sex life table, to take both sexes and variable development into consideration. Developmental time mean for egg, larvae and pupa were obtained 16.4, 216.8 and 26.2 respectively. In the laboratory, 5.2, 22.6 and 3.2% died in the egg, larval and pupal stage, respectively. The intrinsic rate of increase (rm), finite rate of increase (l), gross reproductive rate (GRR), net reproductive rate (R0), doubling time (DT) and mean generation time (T) were 0.002d-1, 1.002d-1, 71.6 offspring, 42.3 offspring, 110.7d and 328.5d respectively. These facts indicated that O. elegans is a univoltine species.