Listening to Slugs: Acceptability and Consumption of Molluscicide Pellets by the Grey Field Slug, Deroceras reticulatum

Gastropod damage to crop plants has a significant economic impact on agricultural and horticultural industries worldwide, with the Grey Field Slug (Deroceras reticulatum (Müller)) considered the main mollusc pest in the United Kingdom and in many other temperate areas. The prevailing form of crop protection is pellets containing the active ingredient, metaldehyde. Metaldehyde can cause paralysis and death in the mollusc, depending on the amount ingested. The paralysing effects may result in reduced pellet consumption. A greater understanding of metaldehyde consumption may reveal an area that can be manipulated using novel molluscicide formulations. Novel pellet types included commercial metaldehyde pellets coated so that metaldehyde is released more slowly. In both laboratory and arena trials, an audio sensor was used to record individual slugs feeding on a variety of pellet types, including commercially available toxic pellets (metaldehyde and ferric phosphate) and novel metaldehyde formulations. The sensor was used to record the length of each bite and the total number of bites. There was no significant difference in the length of bites between pellet types in laboratory trials. Novel pellets were not consumed more than commercial pellet types. Commercial pellet types did not differ in consumption.

Ferric Pyrophosphate in Extruded, Fortified Rice Leads to Better Iron Outcomes Than Ferric Phosphate in Rats (P24-014-19)

Objectives Rice fortification is a promising approach to reduce micronutrient deficiencies. Ferric phosphate (FePO4) and ferric pyrophosphate (FePP) have been suggested iron forms for their suitable organoleptic properties. Micronized FePP or the addition of citric acid (CA) and trisodium citrate (TSC) to FePP have been suggested to increase FePP bioavailability. Our primary objective was to compare iron bioavailability of extruded rice with these four iron fortificants. Methods Rice flour was fortified with a USDA MR24 vitamin/mineral blend and one of four iron fortificants: FePO4, FePP, micronized FePP, or FePP with CA and TSC (FePP + CA + TSC, ratio 1:0.1:2.1). Each extruded rice was blended at a 1:100 ratio with unenriched white rice. Soy protein isolate and soybean oil were added to the diets to meet growing rat nutritional requirements (15 g protein and 5 g fat/100 g diet) and cooked to approximately 40% added moisture content. Daily food intake and weekly body weights were measured in five groups (AIN-93 G or rice) of weanling, male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 10). Each group consumed assigned diet for 21-days, when the study was terminated because of poor growth in the rice groups. Blood and livers were collected to evaluate iron outcomes and bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition were assessed with PIXImus scans. Results All rice groups had significantly lower moisture-adjusted total food intake, weight gain, final weight, and BMD compared to the AIN-93 G group with no differences in these outcomes between the rice groups. There were no differences in either iron outcome between the different FePP fortificants. Hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in the FePP and micronized FePP groups compared to the FePO4 and AIN-93 G groups. Hepatic iron levels were significantly higher in the FePP, micronized FePP, and FePP + CA + TSC groups compared to the FePO4 and AIN-93 G groups. Conclusions While they need to be interpreted with some caution because of poor growth, our results suggest that FePP leads to better iron outcomes than FePO4. However, neither micronizing nor adding CA + TSC to FePP improved iron outcomes. Funding Sources Partially funded by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service under the Micronutrient Fortified Food Aid Products Pilot (MFFAPP) program and the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.

Hollow single-crystalline octahedra of hydrated/dehydrated hydroxyl ferric phosphate and crystal-water-enhanced electrochemical properties of the hydrated sample for reversible lithiation–delithiation

Crystal water could modify lattice cell parameters and improve the lithium intercalation capability of Fe5(PO4)4(OH)3·2H2O hollow single-crystalline octahedra.

Modified iron phosphate/polyvinyl alcohol composite film for controlled-release fertilisers

A new concept of citric acid-stimulus P fertiliser via incorporation of ferric phosphate as P source in polyvinyl alcohol films.