Landscape Characteristics Affecting Small Mammal Occurrence in Heterogeneous Olive Grove Agro-Ecosystems

Understanding how small mammals (SM) are associated with environmental characteristics in olive groves is important to identify potential threats to agriculture and assess the overall conservation value and functioning of agro-ecosystems. Here, we provide first insights on this topic applied to traditional olive groves in northeast (NE) Portugal by assessing the landscape attributes that determine SM occurrence, focusing on one species of conservation concern (Microtus cabrerae Thomas 1906) and one species often perceived as a potential pest of olives (Microtus lusitanicus Gerbe 1879). Based on SM genetic non-invasive sampling in 51 olive groves and surrounding habitats, we identified seven rodent species and one insectivore. Occupancy modelling indicated that SM were generally less detected within olive groves than in surrounding habitats. The vulnerable M. cabrerae reached a mean occupancy (95% CI) of 0.77 (0.61–0.87), while M. lusitanicus stood at 0.37 (0.24–0.52). M. cabrerae was more likely to occur in land mosaics with high density of agricultural field edges, while M. lusitanicus was more associated with high density of pastureland patches. Overall, our study suggests that the complex structure and spatial heterogeneity of traditionally managed olive grove agro-ecosystems may favor the occurrence of species-rich SM communities, possibly including well-established populations of species of conservation importance, while keeping potential pest species at relatively low occupancy rates.

The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) as a potential pest for agriculture in the Mediterranean basin

The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) has been introduced in the last decades to many cities in many parts of the world. For most of this time it has been restricted primarily to urban areas, but it is starting to spread to rural habitats. In its native range, the monk parakeet is considered a pest for agriculture, consuming a wide variety of crops such as grains, fruits, and vegetables. However, there is very little information about its potential role as a pest for agriculture in the areas where it is exotic. Here we conducted an experimental survey of the impact of the monk parakeet on corn in SE Spain using camera traps. The monk parakeet was the animal that produced the highest damage, being responsible for 98.6% of the time employed by all animals consuming corn. The percentage of cobs damaged ranged from 36.8 to 100% depending on the cultivar, whereas the crop loss (measured as the length of the cob consumed with respect to the total length of the cob) ranged from 17.7 to 71.1%. The results suggest that the monk parakeet may be a serious pest for agriculture in the Mediterranean basin if their populations continue growing.

Implementation of IoT in Agriculture

In this modern world agriculture is one of the major booming sectors around the world. In India around 60 percent of GDP comes from agriculture sector alone. Also, around the world there are many technologies showing up in the field of agriculture. In this paper proposed a technology by means of which potential pest attack in the crops can be detected and the respective pesticide is also sprayed as well. Along with these there is a range of sensor employed in the field connected to the controller that will take the real time values from the field and can be displayed in the respective screen (monitor or mobile screen) by means of technology called IOT (Internet of Things). Raspberry-pi is used as the controller to perform IoT. system is linked with an application called “cain” Which allows us to display various values of sensors in the monitor or in mobile application.

Calpain7 Negatively Regulates Human Endometrial Stromal Cell Decidualization in Endometriosis by Promoting FoxO1’s Phosphorylation and Nuclear Exclusion via Hydrolyzing AKT1

Background Endometrial receptivity damage caused by impaired decidualization may be one of the mechanisms of infertility in endometriosis (EMs). Our previous study demonstrated that Calpain-7 (CAPN7) is abnormally overexpressed in EMs. Whether CAPN7 affects the regulation of decidualization and by what mechanism CAPN7 regulates decidualization remains to be determined. Methods Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to assess the CAPN7 expression in human endometria. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blotting, ELIFA and ELISA were applied to explore PRL and IGFBP-1 expressions in decidualized human endometrial stromal cells (HESC). Immunofluorescence analysis and the nuclear and cytoplasmic protein extract assay were employed to test CAPN7’s affection on FoxO1’s location in HESC. Western blotting was used to explore the regulatory mechanism of CAPN7 to AKT1/FoxO1 signalling pathway. Results In this study, we found CAPN7 expression decreased during human endometrial stromal cell (HESC) decidualization in vitro. CAPN7 negatively regulated decidualization in vitro and in vivo. We also identified one conserved potential PEST sequence in the AKT1 protein and found that CAPN7 was able to hydrolyse AKT1 and enhance AKT1’s phosphorylation. Correspondingly, CAPN7 notably promoted the phosphorylation of Forkhead Box O1 (FoxO1), the downstream of AKT1 protein, at Ser319, leading to increased FoxO1 exclusion from nuclei and attenuated FoxO1 transcriptional activity in decidualized HESC. In addition, we detected endometrium CAPN7, p-AKT1 and p-FoxO1 expressions were increased in EMs. Conclusions These data demonstrate that CAPN7 negatively regulates HESC decidualization in EMs probably by promoting FoxO1’s phosphorylation and FoxO1 nuclear exclusion via hydrolyzing AKT1. The dysregulation of CAPN7 may be a novel cause of EMs.

The Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta Monachus) as a Potential Pest for Agriculture in the Mediterranean Basin

The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) has been introduced in the last decades to many cities of the Mediterranean basin. For most of this time it has been restricted primarily to urban areas, but it is starting to spread to rural habitats. It is considered a pest for agriculture in its native range, consuming a wide variety of crops such as grains, fruits, and vegetables. However, there is very little information about its potential role as a pest for agriculture in the areas where it is exotic. Here we conducted an experimental survey of the impact of the monk parakeet on corn in SE Spain using camera traps. The monk parakeet was the animal that produced the highest damage, being responsible for 98.6% of the time employed by all animals consuming kernels. The percentage of cobs damaged ranged from 36.8–100% depending on the cultivar, whereas the crop loss (measured as the length of the cob consumed with respect to the total length of the cob) ranged from 17.7–71.1%. The results suggest that the monk parakeet may be a serious pest for agriculture in the Mediterranean basin if their populations continue growing.

New Record of Jumping Plant Lice, Trioza hirsuta (Hemiptera: Triozidae) and its Associated Parasitoid Psyllaephagus phylloplectae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Encyrtidae) from Pakistan

Trioza hirsuta (Crawford 1912), a potential pest of Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight and Arn 1834 along with its parasitoid, Psyllaephagus phylloplectae Sushil and Khan (1995) is hereby reported for the first time from Pothwar region of Pakistan. Detailed description and distributional detail for both the taxa is provided. In the study, trophic associations of ants with T. hirsuta were also studied. It was noticed that 9 ants’ species are associated with this pest. Images of psyllid and its associated parasitoid are given to facilitate future identifications. Distribution map of the species has been given using Arc GIS Tools. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers

Naturalization and spread of the alien species Ozognathus cornutus (LeConte, 1859) (Coleoptera: Ptinidae: Ernobiinae) in Italy

Ozognathus cornutus (LeConte, 1859) (Coleoptera: Ptinidae: Ernobiinae), species native to North America, is a saproxylophagous species and is known to feed on decaying tissues within conspicuous galls and on vegetal decaying organic material such as dried fruits or small wood shavings and insect excrements in galleries made by other woodboring species. A few years after the first record in 2011, its naturalization in Italy is here reported. The insect was found as successor in galls of Psectrosema tamaricis (Diptera Cecidomyiidae), Plagiotrochus gallaeramulorum, Andricus multiplicatus and Synophrus politus (Hymenoptera Cynipidae). The galls seem to have played an important ecological role in speeding up the naturalization process. The lowest proportion of galls used by O. cornutus was recorded for P. tamaricis (23%), the only host belonging to Cecidomyiidae, while the percentages recorded for the other host species, all Cynipidae forming galls on oaks, were higher: 43.6%, 61.1% and 76.9% in A multiplicatus, S. politus and P. gallaeramulorum, respectively. Although O. cornutus is able to exploit other substrates like dried fruits and vegetables, for which it could represent a potential pest, it prefers to live as a successor in woody and conspicuous galls, which thus can represent a sort of natural barrier limiting the possible damages to other substrates.

Characterization and expression quantitative trait loci analysis of TaABI4, a pre-harvest sprouting related gene in wheat

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) induced by the absence of seed dormancy causes a severe reduction in crop yield and flour quality. In this study, we isolated and characterized TaABI4, an ABA-responsive transcription factor that participates in regulating seed germination in wheat. Sequence analysis revealed that TaABI4 has three homologues, located on chromosomes 1A/1B/1D. TaABI4 contains a conserved AP2 domain, and AP2-associated, LRP and potential PEST motifs. Putative cis-acting regulatory elements (CE1-like box, W-box, ABRE elements and RY elements) were identified in the TaABI4 promoter region that showed high conservation in 17 wheat cultivars and wheat-related species. Expression profiling of TaABI4 indicated that it is a seed-specific gene accumulating during the middle stages of seed development. Transcript accumulation of TaABI4 in wheat cultivar Chuanmai 32 (CM32, PHS susceptible) was 5.07-fold and 1.39-fold higher than that in synthetic hexaploidy wheat SHW-L1 (PHS resistant) at 15 and 20 DPA, respectively. Six expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) of TaABI4 on chromosomes 2A, 2D, 3B and 4A were characterized based on the accumulated transcripts of TaABI4 in SHW-L1 and CM32-derived recombinant inbred lines. These QTLs explained 10.7 to 46.1% of the trait variation with 4.53–10.59 of LOD scores, which contain genes that may affect the expression of TaABI4.

Characterization and Pathogenicity Test of Entomopathogenic Nematode Steinernema Species-Kalro

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are worldwide soil-dwelling insect parasitic nematodes. They are potential pest bio-control agents a key component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. This study aimed to characterize and evaluate the pathogenicity of an EPN isolate from Kenya. The nematode was isolated from soils using insect bait technique and both morphological and molecular identification was performed. Efficacy of the isolate was evaluated against Tomato leafminer larvae (Tuta absoluta Meyrick.) using dose-based treatments of 0-control, 100, 150, 200, and 250 infective juveniles (IJs/ml). Morphological analysis revealed body length (L) of 835(659-987) µm and 1781 (1297-2097) µm from fresh IJs and males respectively. Males lacked a mucron. The isolate was characterized by the partial sequence length of 877 bp of the ITS region. Blastn results indicated the EPN isolate had a similarity match of 81-92% with Afro-tropical Steinernema species. It matched with Steinernema sp. (AY230186.1) from Kenya at 92% and Sri Lanka (AY230184.1). Phylogenetic analysis placed the isolate together with Steinernema sp. (AY230186.1) and (AY230184.1) with a bootstrap value of 100%. Maximum mean larval mortality (80%; 96%) was achieved 24 and 48 h post-treatment at concentration 150 IJs/ml. All nematode concentrations achieved over 50% mean mortality after 24 h period. There was a significant difference (P = 0.001) between doses 150 and 200 IJs/ml. From the study, it was concluded that the nematode isolate was Steinernema sp now referred to as Steinernema sp. Kalro (Genebank Accession MW151701). The EPN has the potential for development as a biological control agent against T. absoluta.