scholarly journals T-standpoint assists the waiting of predatory birds in lucerne

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 84-87
Author(s):  
Ana-Marija Simunić ◽  
Ranko Gantner ◽  
Ivica Bošković ◽  
Gordana Bukvić ◽  
Vesna Gantner
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Forest Restoration ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Rodent Control ◽  
Falco Tinnunculus ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Field Rodents ◽  
Predatory Birds ◽  
Rodent Populations ◽  
Small Forest

Field rodents can cause considerable economic losses in perennial crops, especially lucerne. Predatory birds can provide biological control of field rodent populations. However, modern arable landscape usually provides few or no natural standpoints for predatory birds to wait for their prey. According to the old farmers in eastern Croatia, T-standpoints installed into lucerne were traditional implements assisting the bird predation over field rodents. Aim of this study was to check whether the T-standpoints really are appropriate installations for the predatory birds to wait for their prey on the ground or not. The research has confirmed that predatory birds (Buteo buteo and Falco tinnunculus) descended on the installed T-standpoints (in average 1.35 arrivals per day of observation), waited (average period of stay was 17 minutes in the morning and 34 minutes in the afternoon) and landed on the ground, most probably to catch the prey (in average 13 % of arrivals to T-standpoints ended with landing to the ground, likely for the prey attack). Small forest restoration in arable landscapes and less chemical rodent control would probably improve the predatory bird populations, thus enhancing the biological control of field rodents. There remains the need for further investigation of efficiency of field rodent control by predatory birds

Lantana camara (lantana).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Thomas ◽  
Julissa Rojas-Sandoval ◽  
Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Biological Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Control Programmes ◽  
Agricultural Weed ◽  
Successful Control ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Ornamental Shrub

Abstract L. camara is a highly variable ornamental shrub, native of the neotropics. It has been introduced to most of the tropics and subtropics as a hedge plant and has since been reported as extremely weedy and invasive in many countries. It is generally deleterious to biodiversity and has been reported as an agricultural weed resulting in large economic losses in a number of countries. In addition to this, it increases the risk of fire, is poisonous to livestock and is a host for numerous pests and diseases. L. camara is difficult to control. In Australia, India and South Africa aggressive measures to eradicate L. camara over the last two centuries have been largely unsuccessful, and the invasion trajectory has continued upwards despite control measures. This species has been the target of biological control programmes for over a century, with successful control only being reported in a few instances.

Current and future spatial assessment of biological control as a mechanism to reduce economic losses and carbon emissions: the case of Solanum sisymbriifolium in Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
pp. 2395-2405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto J Alaniz ◽  
Ignacio Núñez‐Hidalgo ◽  
Mario A Carvajal ◽  
Thiago M Alvarenga ◽  
Paulina Gómez‐Cantillana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Spatial Assessment ◽  
Solanum Sisymbriifolium

scholarly journals Identification of the Fungal Pathogens of Postharvest Disease on Peach Fruits and the Control Mechanisms of Bacillus subtilis JK-14

Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuwu Zhang ◽  
Qi Zheng ◽  
Bingliang Xu ◽  
Jia Liu
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Storage Period ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Antagonistic Activity ◽  
Postharvest Disease ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Control Mechanisms

Postharvest fungal disease is one of the significant factors that limits the storage period and marketing life of peaches, and even result in serious economic losses worldwide. Biological control using microbial antagonists has been explored as an alternative approach for the management of postharvest disease of fruits. However, there is little information available regarding to the identification the fungal pathogen species that cause the postharvest peach diseases and the potential and mechanisms of using the Bacillus subtilis JK-14 to control postharvest peach diseases. In the present study, a total of six fungal isolates were isolated from peach fruits, and the isolates of Alternaria tenuis and Botrytis cinerea exhibited the highest pathogenicity and virulence on the host of mature peaches. In the culture plates, the strain of B. subtilis JK-14 showed the significant antagonistic activity against the growth of A. tenuis and B. cinerea with the inhibitory rates of 81.32% and 83.45% at 5 days after incubation, respectively. Peach fruits treated with different formulations of B. subtilis JK-14 significantly reduced the mean disease incidences and lesion diameters of A. tenuis and B. cinerea. The greatest mean percent reduction of the disease incidences (81.99% and 71.34%) and lesion diameters (82.80% and 73.57%) of A. tenuis and B. cinerea were obtained at the concentration of 1 × 107 CFU mL−1 (colony forming unit, CFU). Treatment with the strain of B. subtilis JK-14 effectively enhanced the activity of the antioxidant enzymes-superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) in A. tenuis and B. cinerea inoculated peach fruits. As such, the average activities of SOD, POD and CAT were increased by 36.56%, 17.63% and 20.35%, respectively, compared to the sterile water treatment. Our results indicate that the isolates of A. tenuis and B. cinerea are the main pathogens that cause the postharvest peach diseases, and the strain of B. subtilis JK-14 can be considered as an environmentally-safe biological control agent for the management of postharvest fruits diseases. We propose the possible mechanisms of the strain of B. subtilis JK-14 in controlling of postharvest peach diseases.

scholarly journals Assemblage of the Egg Parasitoids of the Invasive Stink Bug Halyomorpha halys: Insights on Plant Host Associations

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 588
Author(s):  
Livia Zapponi ◽  
Marie Claude Bon ◽  
Jalal Melhem Fouani ◽  
Gianfranco Anfora ◽  
Silvia Schmidt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Egg Parasitoids ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Halyomorpha Halys ◽  
Stink Bug ◽  
Plant Host ◽  
Egg Masses ◽  
Host Associations

Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is an invasive alien species and a key agricultural pest. Its native parasitoids (Trissolcus japonicus Ashmead and Tr. mitsukurii Ashmead) have been registered in several countries where H. halys brought dramatic economic losses and where biological control is considered to be the most effective long-term solution. By searching for stink bug egg masses and exposing sentinel egg masses, we monitored the distribution of native and exotic egg parasitoids in Trentino-Alto Adige (Italy), an area where both the host and parasitoids are in expansion. We recorded ten pentatomids, seven parasitoid species, with the first report of Tr. japonicus in this area and a hyperparasitoid. In the assemblage, Anastatus bifasciatus (Geoffroy) and Tr. mitsukurii were the dominant parasitoids, with a different distribution in terms of context and host plants. Sycamore was the host plant where the highest number of naturally laid parasitized egg masses (26%) were recorded. Trissolcus mitsukurii showed the highest parasitism rate, and was often found in apple orchards. The emergence of exotic parasitoids showed a temporal delay compared to native ones. Sequence analysis of 823 bp of the CO1 mitochondrial gene revealed that the recovered Tr. japonicus and Tr. mitsukurii harbored one single haplotype each. These haplotypes were previously found in 2018 in Northern Italy. While sentinel egg masses proved to be very effective in tracking the arrival of exotic Trissolcus species, the collection of stink bug egg masses provided fundamental data on the plant host species. The results lend strong support to the adaptation of exotic Trissolcus species to the environmental conditions of the range of introduction, providing new information on plant host-associations, fundamental for the development of biological control programs.

scholarly journals In-season leaf damage by a biocontrol agent explains reproductive output of an invasive plant species

NeoBiota ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 117-146
Author(s):  
Benno A. Augustinus ◽  
Suzanne T. E. Lommen ◽  
Silvia Fogliatto ◽  
Francesco Vidotto ◽  
Tessa Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Male Flower ◽  
Ambrosia Artemisiifolia ◽  
Leaf Damage ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Flower Formation ◽  
Seed Formation

One of the biggest challenges in classical biological control of invasive weeds is predicting the likelihood of success. Ambrosia artemisiifolia, a North American plant species that has become invasive in Europe, causes economic losses due to health problems resulting from its huge amount of highly allergenic pollen and as a weed to agricultural crops resulting from high seed densities. Here we assessed whether the pollen and seed output of the annual A. artemisiifolia (at the end of the season) is related to in-season abundance of, or damage by, the accidentally introduced biological control agent Ophraella communa. We monitored the growth and leaf damage of individually labelled A. artemisiifolia plants at four locations in Northern Italy and recorded abundance of different O. communa life stages at regular intervals. We found that the in-season level of leaf damage by O. communa consistently helped to explain seed production in combination with plant volume and site throughout the season. Feeding damage, plant volume and site also explained pollen production by A. artemisiifolia six weeks before male flower formation. At three out of four sites, plants with more than 10% leaf damage in mid-June or early July had a very low likelihood of seed formation. Leaf damage proved to be a better explanatory variable than O. communa abundance. Our results suggest that the monitoring of the in-season leaf damage can help to project the local impact of O. communa on A. artemisiifolia at the end of the season and thus inform management regarding the needs for additional measures to control this prominent invader.

scholarly journals Genotype-Dependent Recruitment of the Strawberry Holobiome

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Cellini ◽  
Daniela Sangiorgio ◽  
Irene Donati ◽  
Erika Ferrari ◽  
Benjawan Tanunchai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Disease Resistance ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Mineral Nutrient ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Core Microbiome ◽  
Plant Organs

Abstract BackgroundCultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch., fam. Rosaceae) is an important fruit crop, greatly appreciated for its aroma and nutraceutical properties. Niche-specific characterisation of plant microbiome, from rhizosphere to aboveground plant organs, is crucial to understand the influence of structure and function of the microbial communities on plant phenotype, performances and disease resistance. Strawberry cultivation is challenged by a large variety of pathogens, which cause substantial economic losses and require the frequent application of pesticides. Biological control is a promising and safer alternative to the use of xenobiotic pesticides. Biological control agents isolated from the microbiome of the host plant may have a superior efficacy in comparison to non-indigenous microbial inoculants. Therefore, the characterization of the native microbiome along different plant compartments is a key step for the successful microbial manipulation in farmlands. Results Here, we provide the first comprehensive description of the soil, rhizosphere, root and aerial parts microbiome of three commercially important strawberry cultivars (‘Darselect’, ‘Elsanta’ and ‘Monterey’) under cultural conditions. The fungal and bacterial microbiomes were functionally characterised to investigate their influence on plant disease tolerance, plant mineral nutrient content and fruit quality. The core microbiome included 24 bacteria and 15 fungal operative taxon units which were present in all compartments and plant genotypes. However, both plant organ and genotype had a significant role in assembling the microbial communities. The microbial community assemblage across different soil and plant compartments significantly correlated with disease resistance, mineral nutrient content in the plant and with fruit quality parameters. Interestingly, only the disease tolerant genotype ‘Monterey’ was able to recruit Pseudomonas fluorescens in all plant organs and to establish symbiosis with the arbuscular mycorrhiza Rhizophagus irregularis. These two species include several strains acting as pathogen biocontrol agents, plant growth promoters and plant defence inducers. Conclusions Altogether, our study provides the first comprehensive view of strawberry microbiome in relation to plant genotype, health and nutritional status and fruit quality parameters, shedding light on potential practical applications to increase the sustainability of crop production.

scholarly journals Increased nesting success of Hawaii Elepaio in response to the removal of invasive black rats

The Condor ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul C Banko ◽  
Kelly A Jaenecke ◽  
Robert W Peck ◽  
Kevin W Brinck
Keyword(s):  
Forest Restoration ◽  
Nest Success ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
Nesting Success ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Forest Bird ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Black Rats

Abstract In Hawaii and other oceanic islands with few native land mammals, black rats (Rattus rattus) are among the most damaging invasive vertebrate species to native forest bird populations and habitats, due to their arboreal behavior and generalist foraging habits and habitat use. We evaluated the nesting response of Hawaii Elepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis; Monarchidae), a generalist insectivore, to the removal of black rats using rodenticide in a before-after-control-impact study in high- and low-elevation mesic montane habitat recovering from long-term damage from introduced ungulates and weeds. We monitored nesting success and rat abundance during 2015–2016 before applying rodenticide bait in 2017 to remove rats from two 700 × 700 m treatment plots that were paired with 2 nontreatment plots of the same size. Rat abundance was reduced by 90% during treatment, with combined variables treatment and elevation best explaining the change using GLM methods and AIC model selection. The daily survival rate (DSR) of nests (n = 191) was greater on treated plots after rodenticide application (mean ± SE = 0.980 ± 0.004 treatment; 0.964 ± 0.004 nontreatment), modeled nest success increased from 29% to 50%, and apparent nest success (number of successful nests per total nests) increased from 37% to 52%. The most informative model for predicting DSR included the effect of treatment. Predation by rats was documented at 3 of 16 nests using video surveillance, and we observed additional evidence of rat predation during in-person nest monitoring. Rats targeted adults on the nest and sometimes removed intact eggs, leaving little trace of their activity. Our results demonstrate that reducing rat predation can immediately improve the nesting success of even a common bird species in habitat with a long history of forest restoration. Sustained predator control may be critical to accelerating the recovery of native forest bird communities.

scholarly journals Characteristics of biological control and mechanisms of Pseudomonas chlororaphis zm-1 against peanut stem rot

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fengying Liu ◽  
Shan Yang ◽  
Fenghua Xu ◽  
Zhen Zhang ◽  
Yifang Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Plant Disease ◽  
Stem Rot ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Pseudomonas Chlororaphis ◽  
Effective Prevention ◽  
Antifungal Activities ◽  
Biocontrol Efficacy ◽  
Pot Experiments ◽  
Mutant Strains

Abstract Background Peanut stem rot is a serious plant disease that causes great economic losses. At present, there are no effective measures to prevent or control the occurrence of this plant disease. Biological control is one of the most promising plant disease control measures. In this study, Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp. aurantiaca strain zm-1, a bacterial strain with potential biocontrol properties isolated by our team from the rhizosphere soil of Anemarrhena asphodeloides, was studied to control this plant disease. Methods We prepared extracts of Pseudomonas chloroaphis zm-1 extracellular antibacterial compounds (PECEs), determined their antifungal activities by confrontation assay, and identified their components by UPLC-MS/MS. The gene knockout strains were constructed by homologous recombination, and the biocontrol efficacy of P. chlororaphis zm-1 and its mutant strains were evaluated by pot experiments under greenhouse conditions and plot experiments, respectively. Results P. chlororaphis zm-1 could produce extracellular antifungal substances and inhibit the growth of Sclerotium rolfsii, the main pathogenic fungus causing peanut stem rot. The components of PECEs identified by UPLC-MS/MS showed that three kinds of phenazine compounds, i.e., 1-hydroxyphenazine, phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA), and the core phenazine, were the principal components. In particular, 1-hydroxyphenazine produced by P. chlororaphis zm-1 showed antifungal activities against S. rolfsii, but 2-hydroxyphenazine did not. This is quite different with the previously reported. The extracellular compounds of two mutant strains, ΔphzH and ΔphzE, was analysed and showed that ΔphzE did not produce any phenazine compounds, and ΔphzH no longer produced 1-hydroxyphenazine but could still produce PCA and phenazine. Furthermore, the antagonistic ability of ΔphzH declined, and that of ΔphzE was almost completely abolished. According to the results of pot experiments under greenhouse conditions, the biocontrol efficacy of ΔphzH dramatically declined to 47.21% compared with that of wild-type P. chlororaphis zm-1 (75.63%). Moreover, ΔphzE almost completely lost its ability to inhibit S. rolfsii (its biocontrol efficacy was reduced to 6.19%). The results of the larger plot experiments were also consistent with these results. Conclusions P. chlororaphis zm-1 has the potential to prevent and control peanut stem rot disease. Phenazines produced and secreted by P. chlororaphis zm-1 play a key role in the control of peanut stem rot caused by S. rolfsii. These findings provide a new idea for the effective prevention and treatment of peanut stem rot.

Major Fungal Contaminants of Mushrooms and Their Management

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-93
Author(s):  
Ashish Ghimire ◽  
Krishna Raj Pandey ◽  
Yagya Raj Joshi ◽  
Sobita Subedi
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Sclerotium Rolfsii ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Relative Advantage ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Fruiting Bodies ◽  
Trichoderma Spp ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Fungal Contaminants

Mushrooms are known for several nutritional and medicinal benefits and are cultivated worldwide. Several fungal contaminants of mushrooms have been serving as the major restraining factor in the growing mushroom industry for a long time. Fungal contaminants like Trichoderma spp., Mycogone spp., Lecanicillium spp., Cladobotryum spp., Coprinus spp., Sependonium spp., Sclerotium rolfsii, and Cephalothecum roseum among many, are found to infect mushroom crops at different stages from spawn run period to maturation of fruiting bodies. These contaminants may reduce yield and/or degrade the quality of fruiting bodies of the mushroom causing economic losses. These contaminants are usually peculiar in terms of their symptomatology on the substrates, disease cycle, epidemiological requirements, and yield losses.  Most of these contaminants come from poorly sterilized substrates. Several sterilization techniques like steam sterilization, hot water sterilization, alkalinization, bleaching, and chemical sterilization can be employed to eliminate pre-existing contaminants and each technique has its own relative advantage over others. Besides, biological control involving botanicals and live antagonists can also be used as prophylactic sterilant or as therapeutic sprays. Biological control measures are friendly to the environment and human health. Unlike chemical fungicides (used as sterilant or spray), biological control measures don’t inhibit mushroom mycelial growth and even don’t raise the problem of pesticide resistance in pathogens. Roguing out of infected mushroom fruiting bodies or beds, mushroom house sanitation, and management of vector population are also equally important in preventing the spread of the fungal diseases of mushrooms. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 9(2): 80-93

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