A procedure is described to isolate intact RNA from tissues not previously undertaken-highly infested and wilted apical buds and leaves of tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze.]. The protocol uses a final concentrati...A procedure is described to isolate intact RNA from tissues not previously undertaken-highly infested and wilted apical buds and leaves of tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze.]. The protocol uses a final concentration of 450 mM β mercaptoethanol (βME) and 10% Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to circumvent problems associated with large amounts of polyphenols, polysaccharides, pigments and other secondary metabolites not easily removed by conventional procedures. Furthermore, the proposed protocol is applicable to normal tissues and other plant tissues with similar stresses, containing compounds that interfere with RNA extractions. Total RNA could be used for downstream applications such as mRNA isolation, reverse transcription, quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), cDNA library construction and Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE).展开更多
Huanglongbing(HLB)is a devastating disease that has led to an acute crisis for growers of citrus,one of the world's most important fruit crops.The phloem-feeding Asian citrus psyllid(ACP),Diaphorina citri,is the m...Huanglongbing(HLB)is a devastating disease that has led to an acute crisis for growers of citrus,one of the world's most important fruit crops.The phloem-feeding Asian citrus psyllid(ACP),Diaphorina citri,is the main pest at the new shoot stage and is the only natural vector of HLB pathogenic bacteria.Little is known about how plants perceive and defend themselves from this destructive pest.Here,we characterized changes in the expression of various genes in citrus plants that were continuously infested by D.citri for different durations(12,24,and 48 h).A total of 5219 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)and 643 common DEGs were identified across all time points.Several pathways related to defense were activated,such as peroxisome,alpha-linolenic acid metabolism,and phenylpropanoid and terpenoid biosynthesis,and some pathways related to growth and signal transduction were suppressed in response to D.citri infestation.The expression of genes including kinases(CML44,CIPK6,and XTH6),phytohormones(SAMT,LOX6,and NPR3),transcription factors(bHLH162,WRKY70,and WRKY40),and secondary metabolite synthesis-related genes(PAL,4CL2,UGT74B1 and CYP82G1)was significantly altered in response to D.citri infestation.The findings of this study greatly enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the defense response of citrus plants to D.citri infestation at the molecular level.Functional characterization of the candidate defense-related genes identified in this study will aid the molecular breeding of insect-resistant citrus varieties.展开更多
To cope with pathogen and insect attacks, plants develop different mechanisms of defence, in both direct (physical and chemical) and indirect ways (attractive volatiles to entomophagous beneficials). Plants are th...To cope with pathogen and insect attacks, plants develop different mechanisms of defence, in both direct (physical and chemical) and indirect ways (attractive volatiles to entomophagous beneficials). Plants are then able to express traits that facilitate "top-down" control of pests by attracting herbivore predators. Here we investigate the indirect defence mechanism of potato plants by analyzing the volatile patterns of both healthy and aphid- infested plants. Important changes in the emitted terpene pattern by the Myzus persicae infested host plant were observed. Using Solid Phase MicroExtraction (SPME) and GC-MS, the (E)-fl-farnesene (EBF) appeared to be emitted by aphid-infested potato and not by healthy plants. To assess the infochemical role of these volatile releases after aphid damage on the aphidophagous predators Episyrphus balteams, the hoverfly foraging behavior was assessed using the Observer 5.0 software (Noldus, Wageningen, The Netherlands). Aphidfree potato plants were also used as a control volatile source in the predator behavioral study. While aphid-infested plants induced efficient searching and acceptation behaviors leading to egg-laying, no kairomonal effect of healthy potato plants was observed, leading to longer immobility durations and shorter searching periods in the net cage. High oviposition rate of E. balteatus was observed when aphid-infested potato was used (mean of 48.9 eggs per laying and per female). On the other hand, no egg was produced by the hoverfly on healthy aphid-free plants. The E. balteatus foraging and reproductive behaviors according to the volatile emission from aphid-infested plants are discussed in relation to the potential use of active infochemical molecules in integrated aphid pest management.展开更多
This letter provides a concise review of the pertinent literature on visual and tactile hallucinations in elderly patients.The discussion addresses differential diagnoses and potential underlying mechanisms,as well as...This letter provides a concise review of the pertinent literature on visual and tactile hallucinations in elderly patients.The discussion addresses differential diagnoses and potential underlying mechanisms,as well as the psychopathology associated with tactile hallucinations,and emphasizes the necessity for invest-igation into the possibility of coexisting delusional infestation(parasitosis).These symptoms frequently manifest in patients with primary psychotic disorders,organic mental disorders,and substance use disorders.The proposed pathophy-siological mechanisms may involve dopaminergic imbalances and dysfunction of the striatal dopamine transporter.展开更多
Two-spotted spider mites are important pests in many agricultural systems.Spider mites(Acari:Tetranychidae)have been found to cause economic damage in corn,cotton,and sorghum.Adult glass vial bioassays indicate that T...Two-spotted spider mites are important pests in many agricultural systems.Spider mites(Acari:Tetranychidae)have been found to cause economic damage in corn,cotton,and sorghum.Adult glass vial bioassays indicate that Temprano™(abamectin)is the most toxic technical miticide for adult two-spotted spider mite.From an aerial application standpoint,additional research is needed to identify aerial application parameters for this miticide.The objective of this study was to investigate spectral response of spider mite-infested cotton plants with different density levels of mites and treated with different rates of miticide.Results showed significantly different spectral signatures of cotton plants infested with different density levels of mites.By treating mite-infested cotton plants with five different Temprano rate treatments(control,one-eighth,one-fourth,one-half,and full rates),spectral reflectance curves were found to be significantly different.Four wavelengths of 550 nm,560 nm,680 nm and 740 nm were important for detecting the spectral differences among mite infested cotton plants treated with various rate of Temprano.Normalized Difference Vegetative Index imagery was able to detect different levels of cotton plant damage.Half-rate application of Temprano controlled mite-infested plants as effectively as the full-rate application.These findings may lead to reduced cost and quantity of miticides used to maintain effective crop production and protection.展开更多
Tropidacris spp. represent the largest known group among acridoids. Their presence ranges from southeastern Mexico and has so far been confirmed only in tropical habitats. This publication seeks to highlight the curre...Tropidacris spp. represent the largest known group among acridoids. Their presence ranges from southeastern Mexico and has so far been confirmed only in tropical habitats. This publication seeks to highlight the current and potential challenges associated with their presence. For decades, the use of chemical insecticides has been the primary method for controlling locust populations, though these substances pose significant risks to human health and the environment. Recent research efforts are directed toward developing control methods that are less detrimental to both ecological and human health, such as biopesticides derived from pathogenic fungi, plant extracts, and strategically prescribed burns. Satellite surveillance enables the monitoring of the origination and progression of outbreaks to inform control strategy selection.展开更多
Over the past decade,the presence of mistletoe(Viscum album ssp.austriacum)in Scots pine stands has increased in many European countries.Understanding the factors that influence the occurrence of mistletoe in stands i...Over the past decade,the presence of mistletoe(Viscum album ssp.austriacum)in Scots pine stands has increased in many European countries.Understanding the factors that influence the occurrence of mistletoe in stands is key to making appropriate forest management decisions to limit damage and prevent the spread of mistletoe in the future.Therefore,the main objective of this study was to determine the probability of mistletoe occurrence in Scots pine stands in relation to stand-related endogenous factors such as age,top height,and stand density,as well as topographic and edaphic factors.We used unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)imagery from 2,247 stands to detect mistletoe in Scots pine stands,while majority stand and site characteristics were calculated from airborne laser scanning(ALS)data.Information on stand age and site type from the State Forest database were also used.We found that mistletoe infestation in Scots pine stands is influenced by stand and site characteristics.We documented that the densest,tallest,and oldest stands were more susceptible to mistletoe infestation.Site type and specific microsite conditions associated with topography were also important factors driving mistletoe occurrence.In addition,climatic water balance was a significant factor in increasing the probability of mistletoe occurrence,which is important in the context of predicted temperature increases associated with climate change.Our results are important for better understanding patterns of mistletoe infestation and ecosystem functioning under climate change.In an era of climate change and technological development,the use of remote sensing methods to determine the risk of mistletoe infestation can be a very useful tool for managing forest ecosystems to maintain forest sustainability and prevent forest disturbance.展开更多
This study assessed the effect of cyanogenic potential (CNP) in leaf tissue on grasshopper incidence and severity of damage in cassava for the identification of parents with desired complementary traits for crossing. T...This study assessed the effect of cyanogenic potential (CNP) in leaf tissue on grasshopper incidence and severity of damage in cassava for the identification of parents with desired complementary traits for crossing. The experiment was conducted at the Foya Wulleh, Njala experimental site in Sierra Leone during 2020 and 2021 cropping seasons in a randomized complete block design with three replications. A total of 30 genotypes comprising 26 breeding lines, two improved and two local genotypes were assessed. Results showed a significant (p < 0.05) linear relationship between leaf CNP and grasshopper infestation (incidence and severity of damage) among cassava genotypes. Findings showed that the higher leaf CNP, the lower the grasshopper infestation in cassava genotypes. About two genotypes (Cooksoon and Cocoa) had low leaf CNP;three genotypes (TR0020, TR0037 and TR0013) CNP had moderately low leaf CNP;eight genotypes (SLICASS 6, TR0029, TR0032, TR0011, TR0012, TR0016-1/17, TR0002 and TR0010) had intermediate leaf CNP;seven (TR0009, TR0015-1/17, TR0036, TR0022-1/17, SLICASS 4, TR0007 and TR0026-1/17) had moderately high leaf CNP;eight (TR0008, TR0019-1/17, TR0006, TR0005, TR0021, TR0021-1/17, TR0022 and TR0024-1/17) had high leaf CNP;and two genotypes (TR0001 and TR0018-1/17) had very high leaf CNP. This suggests the indirect dependence of leaf cyanogenic potential on grasshopper infestation (incidence and severity of damage) in cassava that could be exploited for the genetic improvement of cassava for improved resistance to grasshopper infestation, nutrition and utilization of the crop.展开更多
The failure of one or even more components usually does riot lead to the collapse of the whole structure. Most of the analysis of fatigue is centered on only a single component which the researchers are interested in ...The failure of one or even more components usually does riot lead to the collapse of the whole structure. Most of the analysis of fatigue is centered on only a single component which the researchers are interested in or Much attention should be paid to. However, the collapse of a structure is the result of failure of a series of components in a specific order or path. This paper proposes an integrated approach to fatigue life prediction of whole structural system for offshore platforms, mainly describing the basic principles and prediction method. A method is presented for determining the failure path of the whole structure system and calculating the fatigue life in the determined failure path, The corresponding final collapse criteria for the whole structure system are discussed, A simple method of equivalent fatigue stress range calculation and a mathematical model of structural component fatigue life estimation in consideration of sea wave and sea ice loads are provided. As an application of the proposed approach, a fixed production platform Bohai No. 8 is chosen for the predication of fatigue life of the whole structure system by means of the software OSFAC developed based on the present methods.展开更多
Timely detection of Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) is very important so that eradication action can be taken on time. The larvae stage of this insect is the most dangerous stage as it is within the pulp of the fruit...Timely detection of Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) is very important so that eradication action can be taken on time. The larvae stage of this insect is the most dangerous stage as it is within the pulp of the fruit, making it hard to detect by visual inspection. In most countries at ports of entry the inspector check a small sample of fruit by visual inspection or by cutting the produce and searching for fungus and pests. This paper will investigate a quick, reliable and sensitive method to determine the presence of fruit flies. Our research focuses on developing the technology for detecting hidden infestations by using the Head Space-Soild Phase Micro Extraction (HS-SPME) method coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrocopy (GC-MS) technique. Five different types of fruit were infested with an early stage of Medfly Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephidae). We investigated to detect the differences in volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) between infested and non- infested fruits by using HS-SPME with (GC-MS). The results indicated that for few chemicals no significant differences between infested and non-infested fruit can be seen, especially in the fruits with first instar. However, in case of third instar larvae infested fruits significant differences in the chemicals can be seen as compare to non infested fruits and other instar infestations. These chemicals include ethyl (Z)-2 butenoate, 2-heptanone, anisole, β-cis-ocimene, 1,3,7-nonatriene,4,8-dimethy-,ethyl octyate, isoamyl caproate and 1β,4βh,10βh- guaia-5,11-diene, in apple. Ethyl (Z)-2-butenoate, (+)-2-bornanone, (-)-trans- isopiperitenol, methyl caprate, caryophyllene and farnesene in orange. Butanoic acid, 3-methyl-,2-methylbutul acetate, sabinene, β-myrcene, octanoic acid, methyl ester, dihydrocarvone, (-)-trans-isopiperitenol and ethyl laurate in mandarin. Butyl 2-methylbutanoate, terpinen-4-ol, P-menth-8-en-2-one, E-,(3E,7E)-4,8,12-trimethyltrideca-1,3,7,11-tetraene and dodecanoic acid, ethyl ester in lemon. Decane, 3-methyl-, p-menth-1,4(8)-diene, 1-undecene and α-cubebene in avocado. Thus, the VOC’s method could provide a possible tool for detecting tephritid larvae and this method could be adopted by industries importing and exporting fruit.展开更多
A study carried out for assessment of acaricide for control and how to show resistance of hard tick (Ixodidae) with some types of acaricide which available in Sulaimani marked froro February to April 2012, isolated ...A study carried out for assessment of acaricide for control and how to show resistance of hard tick (Ixodidae) with some types of acaricide which available in Sulaimani marked froro February to April 2012, isolated 80 cattle (local breed) naturally infested with hard tick. Six hundred and fifteen ticks min7 tick/cattle including three genera species were collected and identified, the highest Boophilus spp. followed by Hyalomma spp., and Rhipicephalus spp. were less frequent species collected. Experimental cattle divided into four groups each group content 20 cattle, treatment with four types acaricide and their average of infestation in cattle with Boophilus spp. 33 (41.25%) as the commonest, followed by Hyalomma spp. 31 (75.38%), Rhipicephalus spp. 11 (13.75%) and 5 (6.25%) found mixed infested with Boophilus spp. and Hyalomma spp. 65 (81.3%) of cattle samples had emaciation and skin lesions. According to site of infestation, it showed that inguinal region was the most common predilection site for the ticks. Observed the genera Boophilus spp., there were highly significant differences (12.52%) between different tick species when calculated by general test (LSD). The objective of this study was to estimate and compare these acaricide to control hard tick, and there was highly significant relation between different species of hard ticks when treated by these acaricide, according to the chi-square tests. The activities of the acaricide through the time of application were different on the tick genera species. Diazinon (60%) and carbamate (saven 85%) has been a greater degree than other acaricide resistance, while shows the activity of both acaricide injectable ivermactin and cypromethrein through the early time on all species. The results of the study otherwise provide encouraging possibilities for the potential use recommended dose with both acaricide ivermactin-l% and cypromethrine-10%.展开更多
The mites found in stored food and house comprise a large group of subclass Acari, belonging to the suborder Acardida of the order Acarifornes. They can be found in dust and vacuum samples from floors, furniture, matt...The mites found in stored food and house comprise a large group of subclass Acari, belonging to the suborder Acardida of the order Acarifornes. They can be found in dust and vacuum samples from floors, furniture, mattresses, Chinese herbal medicine, dry fruit, grain, flour, sugar, and bedding. These mites are nidicolous and feed on organic debris, including sloughed human skin, fungi, spilled food, pollen, etc. These mites are particularly prevalent in Chinese herbal medicine, dry fruit, grain, flour, sugar, beds, though carpeted floors near beds or couches may also have large numbers. The most common species are Acarus siro, Tyrophagus putrescentiae , Dermatophagoides farinae , D . pteronyssinus, Glycyphagus domesticus, G. Ornatus, Carpoglyphus lactis and Tarsonemus granarius, etc. The viability of mites in storage is quite strong and they can invade and parasitize the intestines of humans[1 -15]. They can cause pulmonary acariasis[16-25] , urinary acariasis[26-33] and so on. The dejecta of mites is a quite strong allergen and can cause different allergic diseases[34-44]. Intestinal acariasis can be caused by some mites related to the way of diet intake and invading against intestinal mucosa, intestinal muscle[45-5a]. The first report of intestinal acariasis caused by these mites was made by Hinman et al (1934)[45]. From then on, all kinds of studies on the disease have been reported gradually. In order to make an epidemiological survey of intestinal acariasis the investigation of the disease was taken in some areas of Anhui Province from 1989 to 1996.展开更多
Demodex has been considered to be related with multiple skin disorders,but controversy persists.In this case-control study,a survey was conducted with 860 dermatosis patients aged 12 to 84 years in Xi'an,China to ...Demodex has been considered to be related with multiple skin disorders,but controversy persists.In this case-control study,a survey was conducted with 860 dermatosis patients aged 12 to 84 years in Xi'an,China to identify the association between facial dermatosis and Demodex.Amongst the patients,539 suffered from facial dermatosis and 321 suffered from non-facial dermatosis.Demodex mites were sampled and examined using the skin pressurization method.Multivariate regression analysis was applied to analyze the association between facial dermatosis and Demodex infestation,and to identify the risk factors of Demodex infestation.The results showed that total detection rate of Demodex was 43.0%.Patients aged above 30 years had higher odds of Demodex infestation than those under 30 years.Compared to patients with neutral skin,patients with mixed,oily,or dry skin were more likely to be infested with Demodex(odds ratios(ORs) were 2.5,2.4,and 1.6,respectively).Moreover,Demodex infestation was found to be statistically associated with rosacea(OR=8.1),steroid-induced dermatitis(OR=2.7),seborrheic dermatitis(OR=2.2),and primary irritation dermatitis(OR=2.1).In particular,ORs calculated from the severe infestation(≥5 mites/cm2) rate were significantly higher than those of the total rate.Therefore,we concluded that Demodex is associated with rosacea,steroid-induced dermatitis,seborrheic dermatitis,and primary irritation dermatitis.The rate of severe infestation is found to be more correlated with various dermatosis than the total infestation rate.The risk factors of Demodex infestation,age,and skin types were identified.Our study also suggested that good hygiene practice might reduce the chances of demodicosis and Demodex infestation.展开更多
To identify sociodemographic characteristics and risk factor of Demodex infestation,756 students aged 13-22 years in Xi'an,China were sampled for the school-based cross-sectional study.Demodex was examined using t...To identify sociodemographic characteristics and risk factor of Demodex infestation,756 students aged 13-22 years in Xi'an,China were sampled for the school-based cross-sectional study.Demodex was examined using the cellophane tape method(CTP).The results showed that the total detection rate of Demodex was 67.6%.Logistic regression analysis revealed that five variables(gender,residence,sharing sanitary ware,frequency of face-wash per day,and use of facial cleanser) were found to be uncorrelated with Demodex infestation,whereas three variables(age,skin type,and skin disease) were found to be independent correlates.Students aged over 18 years had 22.1 times higher odds of Demodex infestation compared to those under 16 years and students aged 16-18 years also had 2.1 times higher odds compared to those aged 13-15 years.Odds of having a Demodex infestation for oily or mixed skin were 2.1 times those for dry or neutral skin.Students with a facial skin disease had 3.0 times higher odds of being infested with Demodex compared to those without.The inception rate of students with facial dermatoses increased in parallel with increasing mite count.The inception rates were 21.3%,40.7%,59.2%,and 67.7% in the negative,mild,moderate,and severe infestation groups,respectively(χ2=60.6,P<0.001).Specifically,the amount of infested mites and inception rate of acne vulgaris were positively correlated(R2=0.57,moderate infestation odds ratio(OR)=7.1,severe infestation OR=10.3).It was concluded that Demodex prevalence increases with age,and Demodex presents in nearly all adult human.Sebaceous hyperplasia with oily or mixed skin seems to favour Demodex proliferation.Demodex infestation could be associated with acne vulgaris.The CTP is a good sampling method for studies of Demodex prevalence.展开更多
Until now, etiology of acne vulgaris is still uncertain. Although clinicians usually deny the association between Demodex infestation and acne vulgaris, it has been proved in some clinical practices. To confirm the as...Until now, etiology of acne vulgaris is still uncertain. Although clinicians usually deny the association between Demodex infestation and acne vulgaris, it has been proved in some clinical practices. To confirm the association between Demodex infestation and acne vulgaris, a meta-analysis was conducted. Predefined selection criteria were applied to search all published papers that analyzed the association between Demodex infestation and acne vulgaris (January 1950 to August 2011) in ISI Web of Knowledge, MEDLINE, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on fixed effects models or random effects models. We enrolled the 60 Chinese and 3 English papers in this meta-analysis, which covered Turkey and 25 different provinces/municipalities in China and 42 130 participants in-cluding students and residents, aged from 1 to 78 years. The pooled OR in random effects models is 2.80 (95% CI, 2.34-3.36). Stability is robust according to sensitivity analysis. The fail-safe number is 18 477, suggesting that at least 18 477 articles with negative conclusions would be needed to reverse the conclusion that acne vulgaris was related to Demodex infestation. So the effect of publication bias was insignificant and could be ignored. It was concluded that acne vulgaris is associated with Demodex infestation. This indicates that when regular treatments for acne vulgaris are ineffective, examination of Demodex mites and necessary acaricidal therapies should be considered.展开更多
Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract and its management are associated with significant morbidity and mortality.The predisposing factors that led to the occurrence of these hemorrhagic instances are largely linked...Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract and its management are associated with significant morbidity and mortality.The predisposing factors that led to the occurrence of these hemorrhagic instances are largely linked to the life style of the affected persons.Designing a new strategy aimed at educating the publics and improving their awareness of the problem could effectively help in eradicating this problem with no associated risks and in bringing the mortality rates down to almost zero.展开更多
Rice,the main food crop in China,has been sporadically reported to suffer from weedy rice infestation.However,the overall occurrence and distribution pattern of Chinese weedy rice remains unclear because a systematic ...Rice,the main food crop in China,has been sporadically reported to suffer from weedy rice infestation.However,the overall occurrence and distribution pattern of Chinese weedy rice remains unclear because a systematic survey has not been conducted.In order to reveal the infestation of Chinese weedy rice,a field survey was conducted in 999 sampling sites all over the rice-growing regions in China from 2009 to 2016 using seven-scale visual scoring of the level of weed infestation.Weedy rice was found 39%occurrence incidence in a total of 387 sites.The sampling sites with 50%or higher overall weedy rice infestation index mainly radiated from Jiangsu,Heilongjiang,Ningxia and Guangdong to the whole East China,Northeast China,Northwest China and South China.A total of 45 morphological characters from 287 populations(collected simultaneously with the field survey)out of those occurred sites were observed and analyzed using multivariate analysis in common gardens with the same cultivation conditions in 2017 and 2019.Canonical correlation analysis showed that 45 morphological characters were significantly related to the latitude,mean temperature,minimum temperature,precipitation and mean diurnal range factors.The 287 weedy rice populations were divided into three morphological groups with climate-dependent geographical differentiation:strong tiller type only in Jiangsu,large leaf type in South China and Central China and large grain type mainly in North China.Weedy rice seriously infested rice fields and had a geography,climate and cultivated rice type-dependent morphological and biotype differentiation in China.It is suggested to pay attention to the harmfulness of weedy rice and adopt comprehensive control strategies.展开更多
Background:Anoplophora glabripennis(Motschulsky),commonly known as Asian longhorned beetle(ALB),is a wood-boring insect that can cause lethal infestation to multiple borer leaf trees.In Gansu Province,northwest China,...Background:Anoplophora glabripennis(Motschulsky),commonly known as Asian longhorned beetle(ALB),is a wood-boring insect that can cause lethal infestation to multiple borer leaf trees.In Gansu Province,northwest China,ALB has caused a large number of deaths of a local tree species Populus gansuensis.The damaged area belongs to Gobi desert where every single tree is artificially planted and is extremely difficult to cultivate.Therefore,the monitoring of the ALB infestation at the individual tree level in the landscape is necessary.Moreover,the determination of an abnormal phenotype that can be obtained directly from remote-sensing images to predict the damage degree can greatly reduce the cost of field investigation and management.Methods:Multispectral WorldView-2(WV-2)images and 5 tree physiological factors were collected as experimental materials.One-way ANOVA of the tree’s physiological factors helped in determining the phenotype to predict damage degrees.The original bands of WV-2 and derived vegetation indices were used as reference data to construct the dataset of a prediction model.Variance inflation factor and stepwise regression analyses were used to eliminate collinearity and redundancy.Finally,three machine learning algorithms,i.e.,Random Forest(RF),Support Vector Machine(SVM),Classification And Regression Tree(CART),were applied and compared to find the best classifier for predicting the damage stage of individual P.gansuensis.Results:The confusion matrix of RF achieved the highest overall classification accuracy(86.2%)and the highest Kappa index value(0.804),indicating the potential of using WV-2 imaging to accurately detect damage stages of individual trees.In addition,the canopy color was found to be positively correlated with P.gansuensis’damage stages.Conclusions:A novel method was developed by combining WV-2 and tree physiological index for semi-automatic classification of three damage stages of P.gansuensis infested with ALB.The canopy color was determined as an abnormal phenotype that could be directly assessed using remote-sensing images at the tree level to predict the damage degree.These tools are highly applicable for driving quick and effective measures to reduce damage to pure poplar forests in Gansu Province,China.展开更多
The rice leaffolder (RLF), Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenée (Lepidoptera:Pyralidae), and the white-backed rice planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera Horváth (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), are major ins...The rice leaffolder (RLF), Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenée (Lepidoptera:Pyralidae), and the white-backed rice planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera Horváth (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), are major insect pests in China and several other Asian countries. These two pests commonly occur simultaneously or in a temporal sequence. Thus, the investigation of the effect of complex infestations or temporal sequence infestations by these pests on rice yield has a practical signiifcance for the control of these pests. The present study comprised experiments with the following four different variables in potted rice at the tillering stage:single pest species infestation, complex infestation, complete combination infestation and temporal sequence infestation (C. medinalis infestation prior to S. furcifera and S. furcifera infestation prior to C. medinalis). The results showed that the four infestations resulted in a signiifcant decrease in 1 000-grain weight (1 000GW) and rate of yield loss (RYL) but an increase in blighted grain rate (BGR), with a signiifcant positive correlation with the infestation density. However, the inlfuences of the complex infestation, complete combination infestation or sequence infestation on the 1 000GW, BGR and RYL were greater than those of the single pest species infestations but did not have addition effects, i.e., the effects of the complex infestation and combination infestation or sequence infestation on the 1 000GW, BGR and RYL were less than the additive effects of the two single pest species infestations at the same densities. In the condition of the same total infestation pressure, no signiifcant differences in the 1 000GW, BGR and RYL were found between C. medinalis infestation prior to S. furcifera and S. furcifera infestation prior to C. medinalis as well as between the sequence infestation and the complex infestation.展开更多
Seed hoarders show different hoarding and eating responses towards insect-infested seeds that can affect the fitness of both the seeds and insects. It remains unclear how seed hoarders adopt different strategies in ea...Seed hoarders show different hoarding and eating responses towards insect-infested seeds that can affect the fitness of both the seeds and insects. It remains unclear how seed hoarders adopt different strategies in eating and hoarding infested seeds with and without larvae concealed inside. Here we investigated hoarding and eating responses of Edward's long-tailed rats Leo- poldamys edwardsi (scatter hoarders) to weevil infestation of cork oak Quercus variabilis seeds within outdoor enclosures. We provided sound seeds, larvae-emerged seeds, (infested seeds where larvae have emerged) and larvae-concealed seeds (infested seeds with larvae concealed inside) to subjects independently (each seed type presented separately) and in pairwise combina- tions (sound and larvae-emerged seeds; sound and larvae-concealed seeds). We found that L. edwardsi removed, scatter hoarded and ate fewer larvae-emerged seeds than sound seeds. No difference was found between sound seeds and larvae-concealed seeds. These results suggest that sound and larvae-concealed seeds are more favored by L. edwardsi than larvae-emerged seeds. We posit that not only plants but also insects may benefit from the behavioral responses of hoarders to seed infestation under natural conditions展开更多
文摘A procedure is described to isolate intact RNA from tissues not previously undertaken-highly infested and wilted apical buds and leaves of tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze.]. The protocol uses a final concentration of 450 mM β mercaptoethanol (βME) and 10% Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to circumvent problems associated with large amounts of polyphenols, polysaccharides, pigments and other secondary metabolites not easily removed by conventional procedures. Furthermore, the proposed protocol is applicable to normal tissues and other plant tissues with similar stresses, containing compounds that interfere with RNA extractions. Total RNA could be used for downstream applications such as mRNA isolation, reverse transcription, quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), cDNA library construction and Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE).
基金supported by Key Realm R&D Program of Guangdong Province(Grant No.2020B0202090005)Special Fund for Scientific Innovation Strategy-construction of High Level Academy of Agriculture Science(Grant No.R2020PY-JG002)the President Foundation of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences(Grant No.202030)。
文摘Huanglongbing(HLB)is a devastating disease that has led to an acute crisis for growers of citrus,one of the world's most important fruit crops.The phloem-feeding Asian citrus psyllid(ACP),Diaphorina citri,is the main pest at the new shoot stage and is the only natural vector of HLB pathogenic bacteria.Little is known about how plants perceive and defend themselves from this destructive pest.Here,we characterized changes in the expression of various genes in citrus plants that were continuously infested by D.citri for different durations(12,24,and 48 h).A total of 5219 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)and 643 common DEGs were identified across all time points.Several pathways related to defense were activated,such as peroxisome,alpha-linolenic acid metabolism,and phenylpropanoid and terpenoid biosynthesis,and some pathways related to growth and signal transduction were suppressed in response to D.citri infestation.The expression of genes including kinases(CML44,CIPK6,and XTH6),phytohormones(SAMT,LOX6,and NPR3),transcription factors(bHLH162,WRKY70,and WRKY40),and secondary metabolite synthesis-related genes(PAL,4CL2,UGT74B1 and CYP82G1)was significantly altered in response to D.citri infestation.The findings of this study greatly enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the defense response of citrus plants to D.citri infestation at the molecular level.Functional characterization of the candidate defense-related genes identified in this study will aid the molecular breeding of insect-resistant citrus varieties.
文摘To cope with pathogen and insect attacks, plants develop different mechanisms of defence, in both direct (physical and chemical) and indirect ways (attractive volatiles to entomophagous beneficials). Plants are then able to express traits that facilitate "top-down" control of pests by attracting herbivore predators. Here we investigate the indirect defence mechanism of potato plants by analyzing the volatile patterns of both healthy and aphid- infested plants. Important changes in the emitted terpene pattern by the Myzus persicae infested host plant were observed. Using Solid Phase MicroExtraction (SPME) and GC-MS, the (E)-fl-farnesene (EBF) appeared to be emitted by aphid-infested potato and not by healthy plants. To assess the infochemical role of these volatile releases after aphid damage on the aphidophagous predators Episyrphus balteams, the hoverfly foraging behavior was assessed using the Observer 5.0 software (Noldus, Wageningen, The Netherlands). Aphidfree potato plants were also used as a control volatile source in the predator behavioral study. While aphid-infested plants induced efficient searching and acceptation behaviors leading to egg-laying, no kairomonal effect of healthy potato plants was observed, leading to longer immobility durations and shorter searching periods in the net cage. High oviposition rate of E. balteatus was observed when aphid-infested potato was used (mean of 48.9 eggs per laying and per female). On the other hand, no egg was produced by the hoverfly on healthy aphid-free plants. The E. balteatus foraging and reproductive behaviors according to the volatile emission from aphid-infested plants are discussed in relation to the potential use of active infochemical molecules in integrated aphid pest management.
文摘This letter provides a concise review of the pertinent literature on visual and tactile hallucinations in elderly patients.The discussion addresses differential diagnoses and potential underlying mechanisms,as well as the psychopathology associated with tactile hallucinations,and emphasizes the necessity for invest-igation into the possibility of coexisting delusional infestation(parasitosis).These symptoms frequently manifest in patients with primary psychotic disorders,organic mental disorders,and substance use disorders.The proposed pathophy-siological mechanisms may involve dopaminergic imbalances and dysfunction of the striatal dopamine transporter.
文摘Two-spotted spider mites are important pests in many agricultural systems.Spider mites(Acari:Tetranychidae)have been found to cause economic damage in corn,cotton,and sorghum.Adult glass vial bioassays indicate that Temprano™(abamectin)is the most toxic technical miticide for adult two-spotted spider mite.From an aerial application standpoint,additional research is needed to identify aerial application parameters for this miticide.The objective of this study was to investigate spectral response of spider mite-infested cotton plants with different density levels of mites and treated with different rates of miticide.Results showed significantly different spectral signatures of cotton plants infested with different density levels of mites.By treating mite-infested cotton plants with five different Temprano rate treatments(control,one-eighth,one-fourth,one-half,and full rates),spectral reflectance curves were found to be significantly different.Four wavelengths of 550 nm,560 nm,680 nm and 740 nm were important for detecting the spectral differences among mite infested cotton plants treated with various rate of Temprano.Normalized Difference Vegetative Index imagery was able to detect different levels of cotton plant damage.Half-rate application of Temprano controlled mite-infested plants as effectively as the full-rate application.These findings may lead to reduced cost and quantity of miticides used to maintain effective crop production and protection.
文摘Tropidacris spp. represent the largest known group among acridoids. Their presence ranges from southeastern Mexico and has so far been confirmed only in tropical habitats. This publication seeks to highlight the current and potential challenges associated with their presence. For decades, the use of chemical insecticides has been the primary method for controlling locust populations, though these substances pose significant risks to human health and the environment. Recent research efforts are directed toward developing control methods that are less detrimental to both ecological and human health, such as biopesticides derived from pathogenic fungi, plant extracts, and strategically prescribed burns. Satellite surveillance enables the monitoring of the origination and progression of outbreaks to inform control strategy selection.
基金funded by National Science Centre,Poland under the project"Assessment of the impact of weather conditions on forest health status and forest disturbances at regional and national scale based on the integration of ground and space-based remote sensing datasets"(project no.2021/41/B/ST10/)Data collection and research was also supported by the project no.EZ.271.3.19.2021"Modele ryzyka zamierania drzewostanow glownych gatunkow lasotworczych Polski"funded by the General Directorate of State Forests in Poland。
文摘Over the past decade,the presence of mistletoe(Viscum album ssp.austriacum)in Scots pine stands has increased in many European countries.Understanding the factors that influence the occurrence of mistletoe in stands is key to making appropriate forest management decisions to limit damage and prevent the spread of mistletoe in the future.Therefore,the main objective of this study was to determine the probability of mistletoe occurrence in Scots pine stands in relation to stand-related endogenous factors such as age,top height,and stand density,as well as topographic and edaphic factors.We used unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)imagery from 2,247 stands to detect mistletoe in Scots pine stands,while majority stand and site characteristics were calculated from airborne laser scanning(ALS)data.Information on stand age and site type from the State Forest database were also used.We found that mistletoe infestation in Scots pine stands is influenced by stand and site characteristics.We documented that the densest,tallest,and oldest stands were more susceptible to mistletoe infestation.Site type and specific microsite conditions associated with topography were also important factors driving mistletoe occurrence.In addition,climatic water balance was a significant factor in increasing the probability of mistletoe occurrence,which is important in the context of predicted temperature increases associated with climate change.Our results are important for better understanding patterns of mistletoe infestation and ecosystem functioning under climate change.In an era of climate change and technological development,the use of remote sensing methods to determine the risk of mistletoe infestation can be a very useful tool for managing forest ecosystems to maintain forest sustainability and prevent forest disturbance.
文摘This study assessed the effect of cyanogenic potential (CNP) in leaf tissue on grasshopper incidence and severity of damage in cassava for the identification of parents with desired complementary traits for crossing. The experiment was conducted at the Foya Wulleh, Njala experimental site in Sierra Leone during 2020 and 2021 cropping seasons in a randomized complete block design with three replications. A total of 30 genotypes comprising 26 breeding lines, two improved and two local genotypes were assessed. Results showed a significant (p < 0.05) linear relationship between leaf CNP and grasshopper infestation (incidence and severity of damage) among cassava genotypes. Findings showed that the higher leaf CNP, the lower the grasshopper infestation in cassava genotypes. About two genotypes (Cooksoon and Cocoa) had low leaf CNP;three genotypes (TR0020, TR0037 and TR0013) CNP had moderately low leaf CNP;eight genotypes (SLICASS 6, TR0029, TR0032, TR0011, TR0012, TR0016-1/17, TR0002 and TR0010) had intermediate leaf CNP;seven (TR0009, TR0015-1/17, TR0036, TR0022-1/17, SLICASS 4, TR0007 and TR0026-1/17) had moderately high leaf CNP;eight (TR0008, TR0019-1/17, TR0006, TR0005, TR0021, TR0021-1/17, TR0022 and TR0024-1/17) had high leaf CNP;and two genotypes (TR0001 and TR0018-1/17) had very high leaf CNP. This suggests the indirect dependence of leaf cyanogenic potential on grasshopper infestation (incidence and severity of damage) in cassava that could be exploited for the genetic improvement of cassava for improved resistance to grasshopper infestation, nutrition and utilization of the crop.
基金This paper was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.59895410)
文摘The failure of one or even more components usually does riot lead to the collapse of the whole structure. Most of the analysis of fatigue is centered on only a single component which the researchers are interested in or Much attention should be paid to. However, the collapse of a structure is the result of failure of a series of components in a specific order or path. This paper proposes an integrated approach to fatigue life prediction of whole structural system for offshore platforms, mainly describing the basic principles and prediction method. A method is presented for determining the failure path of the whole structure system and calculating the fatigue life in the determined failure path, The corresponding final collapse criteria for the whole structure system are discussed, A simple method of equivalent fatigue stress range calculation and a mathematical model of structural component fatigue life estimation in consideration of sea wave and sea ice loads are provided. As an application of the proposed approach, a fixed production platform Bohai No. 8 is chosen for the predication of fatigue life of the whole structure system by means of the software OSFAC developed based on the present methods.
文摘Timely detection of Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) is very important so that eradication action can be taken on time. The larvae stage of this insect is the most dangerous stage as it is within the pulp of the fruit, making it hard to detect by visual inspection. In most countries at ports of entry the inspector check a small sample of fruit by visual inspection or by cutting the produce and searching for fungus and pests. This paper will investigate a quick, reliable and sensitive method to determine the presence of fruit flies. Our research focuses on developing the technology for detecting hidden infestations by using the Head Space-Soild Phase Micro Extraction (HS-SPME) method coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrocopy (GC-MS) technique. Five different types of fruit were infested with an early stage of Medfly Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephidae). We investigated to detect the differences in volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) between infested and non- infested fruits by using HS-SPME with (GC-MS). The results indicated that for few chemicals no significant differences between infested and non-infested fruit can be seen, especially in the fruits with first instar. However, in case of third instar larvae infested fruits significant differences in the chemicals can be seen as compare to non infested fruits and other instar infestations. These chemicals include ethyl (Z)-2 butenoate, 2-heptanone, anisole, β-cis-ocimene, 1,3,7-nonatriene,4,8-dimethy-,ethyl octyate, isoamyl caproate and 1β,4βh,10βh- guaia-5,11-diene, in apple. Ethyl (Z)-2-butenoate, (+)-2-bornanone, (-)-trans- isopiperitenol, methyl caprate, caryophyllene and farnesene in orange. Butanoic acid, 3-methyl-,2-methylbutul acetate, sabinene, β-myrcene, octanoic acid, methyl ester, dihydrocarvone, (-)-trans-isopiperitenol and ethyl laurate in mandarin. Butyl 2-methylbutanoate, terpinen-4-ol, P-menth-8-en-2-one, E-,(3E,7E)-4,8,12-trimethyltrideca-1,3,7,11-tetraene and dodecanoic acid, ethyl ester in lemon. Decane, 3-methyl-, p-menth-1,4(8)-diene, 1-undecene and α-cubebene in avocado. Thus, the VOC’s method could provide a possible tool for detecting tephritid larvae and this method could be adopted by industries importing and exporting fruit.
文摘A study carried out for assessment of acaricide for control and how to show resistance of hard tick (Ixodidae) with some types of acaricide which available in Sulaimani marked froro February to April 2012, isolated 80 cattle (local breed) naturally infested with hard tick. Six hundred and fifteen ticks min7 tick/cattle including three genera species were collected and identified, the highest Boophilus spp. followed by Hyalomma spp., and Rhipicephalus spp. were less frequent species collected. Experimental cattle divided into four groups each group content 20 cattle, treatment with four types acaricide and their average of infestation in cattle with Boophilus spp. 33 (41.25%) as the commonest, followed by Hyalomma spp. 31 (75.38%), Rhipicephalus spp. 11 (13.75%) and 5 (6.25%) found mixed infested with Boophilus spp. and Hyalomma spp. 65 (81.3%) of cattle samples had emaciation and skin lesions. According to site of infestation, it showed that inguinal region was the most common predilection site for the ticks. Observed the genera Boophilus spp., there were highly significant differences (12.52%) between different tick species when calculated by general test (LSD). The objective of this study was to estimate and compare these acaricide to control hard tick, and there was highly significant relation between different species of hard ticks when treated by these acaricide, according to the chi-square tests. The activities of the acaricide through the time of application were different on the tick genera species. Diazinon (60%) and carbamate (saven 85%) has been a greater degree than other acaricide resistance, while shows the activity of both acaricide injectable ivermactin and cypromethrein through the early time on all species. The results of the study otherwise provide encouraging possibilities for the potential use recommended dose with both acaricide ivermactin-l% and cypromethrine-10%.
基金the grants from Science Foundation of the Ministry of Coal Industry of China
文摘The mites found in stored food and house comprise a large group of subclass Acari, belonging to the suborder Acardida of the order Acarifornes. They can be found in dust and vacuum samples from floors, furniture, mattresses, Chinese herbal medicine, dry fruit, grain, flour, sugar, and bedding. These mites are nidicolous and feed on organic debris, including sloughed human skin, fungi, spilled food, pollen, etc. These mites are particularly prevalent in Chinese herbal medicine, dry fruit, grain, flour, sugar, beds, though carpeted floors near beds or couches may also have large numbers. The most common species are Acarus siro, Tyrophagus putrescentiae , Dermatophagoides farinae , D . pteronyssinus, Glycyphagus domesticus, G. Ornatus, Carpoglyphus lactis and Tarsonemus granarius, etc. The viability of mites in storage is quite strong and they can invade and parasitize the intestines of humans[1 -15]. They can cause pulmonary acariasis[16-25] , urinary acariasis[26-33] and so on. The dejecta of mites is a quite strong allergen and can cause different allergic diseases[34-44]. Intestinal acariasis can be caused by some mites related to the way of diet intake and invading against intestinal mucosa, intestinal muscle[45-5a]. The first report of intestinal acariasis caused by these mites was made by Hinman et al (1934)[45]. From then on, all kinds of studies on the disease have been reported gradually. In order to make an epidemiological survey of intestinal acariasis the investigation of the disease was taken in some areas of Anhui Province from 1989 to 1996.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30872199)the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (No. 2006C247),China
文摘Demodex has been considered to be related with multiple skin disorders,but controversy persists.In this case-control study,a survey was conducted with 860 dermatosis patients aged 12 to 84 years in Xi'an,China to identify the association between facial dermatosis and Demodex.Amongst the patients,539 suffered from facial dermatosis and 321 suffered from non-facial dermatosis.Demodex mites were sampled and examined using the skin pressurization method.Multivariate regression analysis was applied to analyze the association between facial dermatosis and Demodex infestation,and to identify the risk factors of Demodex infestation.The results showed that total detection rate of Demodex was 43.0%.Patients aged above 30 years had higher odds of Demodex infestation than those under 30 years.Compared to patients with neutral skin,patients with mixed,oily,or dry skin were more likely to be infested with Demodex(odds ratios(ORs) were 2.5,2.4,and 1.6,respectively).Moreover,Demodex infestation was found to be statistically associated with rosacea(OR=8.1),steroid-induced dermatitis(OR=2.7),seborrheic dermatitis(OR=2.2),and primary irritation dermatitis(OR=2.1).In particular,ORs calculated from the severe infestation(≥5 mites/cm2) rate were significantly higher than those of the total rate.Therefore,we concluded that Demodex is associated with rosacea,steroid-induced dermatitis,seborrheic dermatitis,and primary irritation dermatitis.The rate of severe infestation is found to be more correlated with various dermatosis than the total infestation rate.The risk factors of Demodex infestation,age,and skin types were identified.Our study also suggested that good hygiene practice might reduce the chances of demodicosis and Demodex infestation.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30872199)the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (No. 2006C247),China
文摘To identify sociodemographic characteristics and risk factor of Demodex infestation,756 students aged 13-22 years in Xi'an,China were sampled for the school-based cross-sectional study.Demodex was examined using the cellophane tape method(CTP).The results showed that the total detection rate of Demodex was 67.6%.Logistic regression analysis revealed that five variables(gender,residence,sharing sanitary ware,frequency of face-wash per day,and use of facial cleanser) were found to be uncorrelated with Demodex infestation,whereas three variables(age,skin type,and skin disease) were found to be independent correlates.Students aged over 18 years had 22.1 times higher odds of Demodex infestation compared to those under 16 years and students aged 16-18 years also had 2.1 times higher odds compared to those aged 13-15 years.Odds of having a Demodex infestation for oily or mixed skin were 2.1 times those for dry or neutral skin.Students with a facial skin disease had 3.0 times higher odds of being infested with Demodex compared to those without.The inception rate of students with facial dermatoses increased in parallel with increasing mite count.The inception rates were 21.3%,40.7%,59.2%,and 67.7% in the negative,mild,moderate,and severe infestation groups,respectively(χ2=60.6,P<0.001).Specifically,the amount of infested mites and inception rate of acne vulgaris were positively correlated(R2=0.57,moderate infestation odds ratio(OR)=7.1,severe infestation OR=10.3).It was concluded that Demodex prevalence increases with age,and Demodex presents in nearly all adult human.Sebaceous hyperplasia with oily or mixed skin seems to favour Demodex proliferation.Demodex infestation could be associated with acne vulgaris.The CTP is a good sampling method for studies of Demodex prevalence.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30872199)the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (No. 2006C247), China
文摘Until now, etiology of acne vulgaris is still uncertain. Although clinicians usually deny the association between Demodex infestation and acne vulgaris, it has been proved in some clinical practices. To confirm the association between Demodex infestation and acne vulgaris, a meta-analysis was conducted. Predefined selection criteria were applied to search all published papers that analyzed the association between Demodex infestation and acne vulgaris (January 1950 to August 2011) in ISI Web of Knowledge, MEDLINE, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on fixed effects models or random effects models. We enrolled the 60 Chinese and 3 English papers in this meta-analysis, which covered Turkey and 25 different provinces/municipalities in China and 42 130 participants in-cluding students and residents, aged from 1 to 78 years. The pooled OR in random effects models is 2.80 (95% CI, 2.34-3.36). Stability is robust according to sensitivity analysis. The fail-safe number is 18 477, suggesting that at least 18 477 articles with negative conclusions would be needed to reverse the conclusion that acne vulgaris was related to Demodex infestation. So the effect of publication bias was insignificant and could be ignored. It was concluded that acne vulgaris is associated with Demodex infestation. This indicates that when regular treatments for acne vulgaris are ineffective, examination of Demodex mites and necessary acaricidal therapies should be considered.
文摘Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract and its management are associated with significant morbidity and mortality.The predisposing factors that led to the occurrence of these hemorrhagic instances are largely linked to the life style of the affected persons.Designing a new strategy aimed at educating the publics and improving their awareness of the problem could effectively help in eradicating this problem with no associated risks and in bringing the mortality rates down to almost zero.
基金supported by the Major Scientific and Technological Project of Hainan Province,China(ZDKJ202002)the China Transgenic Organism Research and Commercialization Project(2016ZX08011-001)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFD0200805).
文摘Rice,the main food crop in China,has been sporadically reported to suffer from weedy rice infestation.However,the overall occurrence and distribution pattern of Chinese weedy rice remains unclear because a systematic survey has not been conducted.In order to reveal the infestation of Chinese weedy rice,a field survey was conducted in 999 sampling sites all over the rice-growing regions in China from 2009 to 2016 using seven-scale visual scoring of the level of weed infestation.Weedy rice was found 39%occurrence incidence in a total of 387 sites.The sampling sites with 50%or higher overall weedy rice infestation index mainly radiated from Jiangsu,Heilongjiang,Ningxia and Guangdong to the whole East China,Northeast China,Northwest China and South China.A total of 45 morphological characters from 287 populations(collected simultaneously with the field survey)out of those occurred sites were observed and analyzed using multivariate analysis in common gardens with the same cultivation conditions in 2017 and 2019.Canonical correlation analysis showed that 45 morphological characters were significantly related to the latitude,mean temperature,minimum temperature,precipitation and mean diurnal range factors.The 287 weedy rice populations were divided into three morphological groups with climate-dependent geographical differentiation:strong tiller type only in Jiangsu,large leaf type in South China and Central China and large grain type mainly in North China.Weedy rice seriously infested rice fields and had a geography,climate and cultivated rice type-dependent morphological and biotype differentiation in China.It is suggested to pay attention to the harmfulness of weedy rice and adopt comprehensive control strategies.
基金supported by National Key Research&Development Program of China“Research on key technologies for prevention and control of major disasters in plantation”(Grant No.2018YFD0600200)Beijing’s Science and Technology Planning Project“Key technologies for prevention and control of major pests in Beijing ecological public welfare forests”(Grant Nos.Z191100008519004 and Z201100008020001).
文摘Background:Anoplophora glabripennis(Motschulsky),commonly known as Asian longhorned beetle(ALB),is a wood-boring insect that can cause lethal infestation to multiple borer leaf trees.In Gansu Province,northwest China,ALB has caused a large number of deaths of a local tree species Populus gansuensis.The damaged area belongs to Gobi desert where every single tree is artificially planted and is extremely difficult to cultivate.Therefore,the monitoring of the ALB infestation at the individual tree level in the landscape is necessary.Moreover,the determination of an abnormal phenotype that can be obtained directly from remote-sensing images to predict the damage degree can greatly reduce the cost of field investigation and management.Methods:Multispectral WorldView-2(WV-2)images and 5 tree physiological factors were collected as experimental materials.One-way ANOVA of the tree’s physiological factors helped in determining the phenotype to predict damage degrees.The original bands of WV-2 and derived vegetation indices were used as reference data to construct the dataset of a prediction model.Variance inflation factor and stepwise regression analyses were used to eliminate collinearity and redundancy.Finally,three machine learning algorithms,i.e.,Random Forest(RF),Support Vector Machine(SVM),Classification And Regression Tree(CART),were applied and compared to find the best classifier for predicting the damage stage of individual P.gansuensis.Results:The confusion matrix of RF achieved the highest overall classification accuracy(86.2%)and the highest Kappa index value(0.804),indicating the potential of using WV-2 imaging to accurately detect damage stages of individual trees.In addition,the canopy color was found to be positively correlated with P.gansuensis’damage stages.Conclusions:A novel method was developed by combining WV-2 and tree physiological index for semi-automatic classification of three damage stages of P.gansuensis infested with ALB.The canopy color was determined as an abnormal phenotype that could be directly assessed using remote-sensing images at the tree level to predict the damage degree.These tools are highly applicable for driving quick and effective measures to reduce damage to pure poplar forests in Gansu Province,China.
基金partially funded by the Ind ustry Project of the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (200903051)
文摘The rice leaffolder (RLF), Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenée (Lepidoptera:Pyralidae), and the white-backed rice planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera Horváth (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), are major insect pests in China and several other Asian countries. These two pests commonly occur simultaneously or in a temporal sequence. Thus, the investigation of the effect of complex infestations or temporal sequence infestations by these pests on rice yield has a practical signiifcance for the control of these pests. The present study comprised experiments with the following four different variables in potted rice at the tillering stage:single pest species infestation, complex infestation, complete combination infestation and temporal sequence infestation (C. medinalis infestation prior to S. furcifera and S. furcifera infestation prior to C. medinalis). The results showed that the four infestations resulted in a signiifcant decrease in 1 000-grain weight (1 000GW) and rate of yield loss (RYL) but an increase in blighted grain rate (BGR), with a signiifcant positive correlation with the infestation density. However, the inlfuences of the complex infestation, complete combination infestation or sequence infestation on the 1 000GW, BGR and RYL were greater than those of the single pest species infestations but did not have addition effects, i.e., the effects of the complex infestation and combination infestation or sequence infestation on the 1 000GW, BGR and RYL were less than the additive effects of the two single pest species infestations at the same densities. In the condition of the same total infestation pressure, no signiifcant differences in the 1 000GW, BGR and RYL were found between C. medinalis infestation prior to S. furcifera and S. furcifera infestation prior to C. medinalis as well as between the sequence infestation and the complex infestation.
基金Acknowledgements We thank X Wang, Y Xiao, G Chen and D Huang for helps with trapping and seed collection. Z Zhang provided comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. We also thank the four anonymous reviewers for critical comments and suggestions. This study was partially funded by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Science (KSCX2-SW-105, KSCX2-SW-103) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30800120).
文摘Seed hoarders show different hoarding and eating responses towards insect-infested seeds that can affect the fitness of both the seeds and insects. It remains unclear how seed hoarders adopt different strategies in eating and hoarding infested seeds with and without larvae concealed inside. Here we investigated hoarding and eating responses of Edward's long-tailed rats Leo- poldamys edwardsi (scatter hoarders) to weevil infestation of cork oak Quercus variabilis seeds within outdoor enclosures. We provided sound seeds, larvae-emerged seeds, (infested seeds where larvae have emerged) and larvae-concealed seeds (infested seeds with larvae concealed inside) to subjects independently (each seed type presented separately) and in pairwise combina- tions (sound and larvae-emerged seeds; sound and larvae-concealed seeds). We found that L. edwardsi removed, scatter hoarded and ate fewer larvae-emerged seeds than sound seeds. No difference was found between sound seeds and larvae-concealed seeds. These results suggest that sound and larvae-concealed seeds are more favored by L. edwardsi than larvae-emerged seeds. We posit that not only plants but also insects may benefit from the behavioral responses of hoarders to seed infestation under natural conditions