Can Estivation Preferences Be Used to Develop Novel Management Tools against Invasive Mediterranean Snails?

Terrestrial snails that live in hot and dry climates have developed strategies to cope with high summer temperatures. Several species estivate during the warmest months of the years by resting on vertical supports, typically in groups. Understanding how snails choose their estivation sites and aggregate may lead to the development of new management tools in areas where these snails are invasive. Here, we investigated the preferences of four snail species for vertical supports varying in widths and heights under laboratory and field conditions, and tested whether the presence of conspecifics or snails of other species affected these preferences. The results show that the snails strongly preferred wider supports in laboratory dual-choice tests, and one species (Theba pisana) showed a consistent preference for taller supports as well. These results were confirmed in the field, where more snails were found on wider and taller supports 24 h after being placed in test quadrats. The percentage of snails found in groups on a support was strongly density-dependent. The presence of conspecifics or their mucus did not affect the choices of the snails, nor did the presence of snails of other species or their mucus. Taken together, these results could lead to the development of attractive supports that could be used to mass-capture snails in the field.

Design and Numerical Investigations on a Dual-Duct Variable Geometry RBCC Inlet

A widely applicable and variable geometry 2-D rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) inlet characterized by the dual-duct design is conceptually put forward. The inlet operates as dual-duct status in the low Mach range (0~4), and transits to single-flowpath status in the following high Mach range (4~7). It accomplishes operational status transition through an 8.0-degree ramp rotation and a 4.0-degree cowl rotation at Mach 4. Through numerical simulations on typical flight Mach numbers, the observed starting Mach number is 2.2, which provides a sufficient operational window for a smooth ejector-to-ramjet mode transition. The RBCC inlet achieves comprehensive high mass capture coefficients in the overall wide flight range, especially in the low speed regimes. Suitable Mach numbers satisfying various combustion requirements in different modes together with high total pressure recovery coefficients are also obtained since the physical throat areas, compression angles, and the corresponding contraction ratios can be adjusted by a large margin through very limited rotations. The variable geometry scheme is not only feasible for practical realizations, but is also simple to arrange the dynamic sealing issues in a low-temperature environment in the RBCC engine.

TESTING A LIGHT TRAP WITH A SEPARATING INSECT RECEIVER ON A SUNFLOWER.

The results of using an aspiration light trap for the mass capture of insects in the sunflower agrocenosis are presented. Its high efficiency in capturing phytophages (Lepidoptera; Noctuidae) has been shown.In the period of 3-5 days, the trap was caught up to 600-800 individuals. The effectiveness of using a separating insect receiver is revealed. The use of separation has reduced the capture of useful and indifferent entomofauna by 52 times. During the experiment, massive oviposition of various species of scoops was noted in the cavity of the insect receiver

Use of color traps and alcoholic attractants for the capture of the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) in highly infested coffee plantations

Mass capture is a technique widely considered in the control of the coffee plague of greater economic importance in the world. This work was carried out in the province of Rodríguez de Mendoza, Amazonas region, Peru, with the objective of analyzing the effect of artisanal traps of different colors and attractive alcoholics in the capture of adults of coffee borer adults, Hypothenemus hampei, in a highly infested plantation, and its implication in reducing the incidence of damage caused by this pest. Six treatments generated from the combination of levels of the following color factors (transparent, red and green) and alcoholic attractants (without and with coffee essence) were evaluated. The test was conducted in a randomized complete block experiment design. The incidence of coffee berry bore damage was measured in periodic measurements every 30 days, while the capture levels (adults / trap) were evaluated every 15 days. The obtained data was subjected to an analysis of covariance, detecting statistically significant differences between the treatments and once applied the multiple comparisons test, specifically minimum significant difference, it was evidenced that the red trap without essence of coffee captured a greater number of adults (with a maximum of 4,000 adults / trap / week) and proved to be more effective in reducing the incidence (43.7 % less than the initial incidence). On the other hand, the least effective trap was the transparent one without coffee essence.

Метод массового отлова самцов Agrotis segetum с помощью феромонных ловушек

Three main activity periods of the A. segetum population corresponding to the three-generation development of the pest in the climatic conditions of the Republic of Moldova using pheromone traps. The method of mass capture of males of A. Segetum has been determined to be highly biologically effective in the case of soy.

The system for regulation of cotton bollworm population on tobacco in crop rotation of organic agriculture

The results of development of the control system over the population of cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera Hbn are presented to protect seed plantings of tobacco with the use of plant isolation. The studies were conducted in the Krasnodar Territory on a tobacco variety Yubileiny novy 142. The regulation of the cotton bollworm population on tobacco seed plantings was carried out by the method of mass capture of male pests with pheromone traps in order to change the gender balance. This was done together with the application of a biopreparation and sowing of a trap crop (corn) to attract and catch butterfl ies at an earlier stage. At a high degree of bollworm population (4–10 specimens / tobacco infl orescence) on non-isolated plants, insecticides based on baculovirus of nuclear polyhedrosis of cotton bollworm FermoVirin XC (in the doze 1.0– 4.0 g/ha) and Helicovex (0.05–0.2 l/ha) were used three times with an interval of 7 days in combination with “male vacuum”. Biological effi ciency was 38– 77 and 62–84% in reducing the number of bollworm larvae, 41–75 and 60–79% in decreasing the damage, respectively. The decrease in the number of bollworm larvae on isolated plants reached 36– 70 and 58–79%, the decrease in damage – 39–69 and 60–72%, respectively. Treatment of seed plots with virus insecticides allowed to save from 22 to 43 kg of the biological yield of tobacco seeds per 1 ha on non-isolated plants and from 21 to 51 kg on isolated plants. With a low number of hatching larvae (14 specimens / 100 plants), a single use of the preparations Bitoxibacillin (Bacillus thuringiensis var. Thuringiensis) and Lepidocide (Bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki) reduced the amount of phytophage by 47–75 and 48–64%, respectively. The system is recommended for use on other crops damaged by cotton bollworm, including in organic farming technologies.