Comparison of the volatiles composition between healthy and buprestid infected Juglans regia (Juglandaceae)

Meliboeus ohbayashii primoriensis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is an important pest of the walnut tree Juglans regia (Juglandaceae), but the volatiles mediating this plant–herbivore interaction are unknown. In this study, volatiles emitted by healthy J. regia and by plants infested with M. ohbayashii primoriensis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) were obtained by a dynamic headspace method and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Shanxi, China). We identified 26 major compounds and compared the volatile composition of healthy and buprestid-infected J. regia. Green leaf volatiles were detected in all damaged plants, including the monoterpenoids β-phellandrene and (E)-β-ocimene, the sesquiterpenoids (-)-β-bourbonene, β-ylangene, and (E,E)-α-farnesene, the alcohols linalool, myrtenol, and (E)-(-)-pinocarveol, the ketones (E)-pinocamphone and (Z)-pinocamphone, and the ester methyl salicylate. The major volatiles detected in healthy plants were β-pinene (36.26 %), α-pinene (23.81 %), D-limonene (12.03 %), sabinene (8.63 %), and β-myrcene (4.35 %). The main volatiles from M. ohbayashii primoriensis larva-infested plants were β-pinene (37.82 %), α-pinene (20.36 %), D-limonene (14.71 %), germacrene D (5.24 %), sabinene (4.52 %), and β-phellandrene (3.80 %). These results enrich our understanding of volatiles of healthy plants and plants infested with M. ohbayashii primoriensis. Furthermore, they provide a theoretical basis and scientific foundation for integrated pest management and for effective ecologically sustainable pest control strategies.

A Proposed IoT Smart Trap using Computer Vision for Sustainable Pest Control in Coffee Culture

The Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging as a multi-purpose technology with enormous potential for improving the quality of life in several areas. In particular, IoT has been applied in agriculture to make it more sustainable ecologically. For instance, electronic traps have the potential to perform pest control without any pesticide. In this paper, a smart trap with IoT capabilities that uses computer vision to identify the insect of interest is proposed. The solution includes 1) an embedded system with camera, GPS sensor and motor actuators; 2) an IoT middleware as database service provider, and 3) a Web application to present data by a configurable heat map. The demonstration of proposed solution is exposed and the main conclusions are the perception about pest concentration at the plantation and the viability as alternative pest control against traditional control based on pesticides.

Current Knowledge of the Entomopathogenic Fungal Species Metarhizium flavoviride Sensu Lato and Its Potential in Sustainable Pest Control

Fungal entomopathogens are gaining increasing attention as alternatives to chemical control of arthropod pests, and the literature on their use under different conditions and against different species keeps expanding. Our review compiles information regarding the entomopathogenic fungal species Metarhizium flavoviride (Gams and Rozsypal 1956) (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and gives account of the natural occurrences and target arthropods that can be controlled using M. flavoviride. Taxonomic problems around M. flavoviride species sensu lato are explained. Bioassays, laboratory and field studies examining the effect of fermentation, culture regimes and formulation are compiled along with studies on the effect of the fungus on target and non-target organisms and presenting the effect of management practices on the use of the fungus. Altogether, we provide information to help conducting basic studies, and by pointing out relatively uncharted territories, help to set new research areas.

Cover Crops Enhance Natural Enemies While Help Suppressing Pests in a Tea Plantation

Tea is an economically important crop, consumed by billions of people. Despite the increasing market for pesticide-free products, the use of pesticide in tea is still high. In order to investigate whether intercropping promotes biological control organisms, Chamaecrista rotundifolia (Pers.) Greene, Indigofera hendecaphylla Jacq., Trifolium repens L., and Vigna sinensis (L.) were separately intercropped with free weeding as control in a tea plantation at Yangli, China. Arthropods were collected by taking sweep-net samples, and treatment effects on assemblages were investigated. The combined species richness of all arthropods and that of parasitoids was significantly increased in intercropped treatments while the species richness of herbivores and predators was only greater in C. rotundifolia and I. hendecaphylla intercropped treatments. Compared with control, the combined abundance of all arthropods, and that of herbivores was lower, while the abundance of parasitoids and its taxa was greater in all intercropped treatments. The abundance of predators and its taxa was greater only in tea plantations intercropped with C. rotundifolia or I. hendecaphylla. Of the herbivores, the abundance of Empoasca onukii Matsuda, Sternorrhyncha, Aleyrodidae, and Pentatomidae was greater in the areas intercropped with C. rotundifolia in comparison with the control, but the abundance of Thysanoptera and Geometridae caterpillars was lower. The recorded increase in the abundance of beneficial arthropods may explain the lower abundance of Thysanoptera or Geometridae caterpillars detected in the intercropped tea plantations. Our results indicate that intercropping has the potential to enhance arthropod biodiversity, and to provide an option for sustainable pest control in tea plantations.