MONITORING THE BLUEBERRY MAGGOT, RHAGOLETIS MENDAX (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE), WITH PHEROCON® AM TRAPS

1983 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. W. Wood ◽  
L. M. Crozier ◽  
W. T. A. Neilson

The blueberry maggot, Rhagoletis mendax Curran, is the most important insect pest of lowbush blueberries. Concern for maggot does not generally result from direct crop losses, but from its presence in harvested fruit which can affect marketability.Fortunately, the blueberry maggot is not a problem in all lowbush blueberry areas (Wood 1979), but where it does occur, producers are advised to apply one or two sprays annually. General recommendations often result in the unnecessary use of insecticides, especially in years when populations are at low levels because of natural control and management practices. Such misuse could be prevented if monitoring techniques were developed that provide information on seasonal adult prevalence.

Parasitology ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 117 (7) ◽  
pp. 205-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. GIBSON ◽  
C. N. HAAS ◽  
J. B. ROSE

Throughout the past decade much research has been directed towards identifying the occurrence, epidemiology, and risks associated with waterborne protozoa. While outbreaks are continually documented, sporadic cases of disease associated with exposure to low levels of waterborne protozoa are of increasing concern. Current methodologies may not be sensitive enough to define these low levels of disease. However, risk assessment methods may be utilised to address these low level contamination events. The purpose of this article is to provide an introduction to microbial risk assessment for waterborne protozoa. Risk assessment is a useful tool for evaluating relative risks and can be used for development of policies to decrease risks. Numerous studies have been published on risk assessment methods for pathogenic protozoa including Cryptosporidium and Giardia. One common notion prevails: microbial risk assessment presents interesting complications to the traditional chemical risk assessment paradigm. Single microbial exposures (non-threshold) are capable of causing symptomatic illness unlike traditional chemical exposures, which require a threshold to be reached. Due to the lack of efficient recovery and detection methods for protozoa, we may be underestimating the occurrence, concentration and distribution of these pathogenic micro-organisms. To better utilize the tool of microbial risk assessment for risk management practices, future research should focus in the area of exposure assessment.


1966 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter J. Kender ◽  
Franklin P. Eggert

A field experiment using various soil management practices showed that the most effective means to increase blueberry plant spread was through the use of a surface mulch. Peat and sawdust were of equal suitability as a mulching material influencing vegetative growth, although sawdust did result in a reduction in the number of flower buds produced when compared with peat. Mulching was associated with a higher soil moisture content than non-mulched plots.Blueberry plants growing in nitrogen-treated plots had an increased flower bud number and rhizome growth in contrast with those growing in unfertilized plots. Nitrogen fertilization was of particular benefit when applied in association with surface organic mulches.Plants growing in an undisturbed soil were more vigorous than in a homogenized or tilled soil. Sawdust was found to be detrimental to the growth of lowbush blueberry plants when incorporated into a homogenized soil.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-18
Author(s):  
Wilkister Nakami ◽  
◽  
Victor Tsuma ◽  

The human population is expected to double in Africa by 2030 and with it a consequent rise in demand for livestock products. Reproductive technologies improve livestock productivity however, uptake of the technologies has been low in Africa, yet this is where there is a dire need for livestock products as the human population surges. This study aimed to assess knowledge extent and understanding the use of assisted reproductive technologies in decision support for reproductive management of dairy cattle in Kenya. Dairy farmers and veterinary practitioners were interviewed using a questionnaire to obtain relevant data on knowledge, attitude and practices in the use of assisted reproductive technologies in reproductive management in dairy farms. Observable heat signs was the only method used by participants to ascertain estrus in a cow. Artificial insemination technique was adopted by all farmers as the breeding method of choice. The analysis highlighted that the respondents with low levels of formal education had less knowledge on reproductive technologies and displayed risky practices. Overall, a larger proportion of respondents indicated that the assisted reproductive technologies would be important in reproductive management. The relatively low levels of awareness, higher levels of education and a willingness to use the assisted reproductive technologies in reproductive management of dairy cattle strengthen the logic of improving productivity through the application of these assisted reproductive technologies as well as improve levels of awareness of reproductive management practices. Keywords: attitude, heat detection, knowledge, pregnancy diagnosis, practices, progesterone


2018 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaowen Tian ◽  
Vai Io Lo ◽  
Xiaoxuan Zhai

AbstractThis paper extends the resource-capability-based view in strategic management and discusses the capabilities for the firms to stay competitive in emerging economies. Faced with low levels of efficiency, technology, and skills, firms in emerging economies need to implement best management practices to overcome operational inefficiency while engage in innovation processes to address new opportunities. They have to develop the capabilities to enhance efficiency, the capabilities to undertake innovation, and the synthesis capabilities to combine the two to keep rivals at bay. The paper tests hypotheses against a data set of more than 20,000 firms from 36 emerging economies provided by the World Bank in 2012–2015 and finds strong evidence to support the arguments. The paper finds that the three sets of capabilities are positively related to productivity and, through it, financial performance.


2001 ◽  
Vol 133 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.P.S. Kuenen ◽  
P.J. Silk

The bluebeny maggot, Rhagoletis mendax Curran, is a primary insect pest of low bush blueberries, Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. (Ericaceae), in eastern Canada. Eggs are laid in ripening berries and mature larvae emerge from the berries to pupate in the soil. Adult flies can be controlled with insecticides (Wood et al. 1983) and (or) cultural control by bum or flail-mow pruning of bushes. Pruned plants do not bear fruit the season after pruning, and this rotation of fruit and nonfruit years is believed to reduce fly populations by limiting food availability (Lathrop 1952). Adult flies can be monitored by capture on yellow-panel sticky traps or red-sphere traps (Prokopy and Coli 1978; Wood et al. 1983; Neilson et al. 1984). In this study, we focused on the sex ratio of R. mendax flies captured on baited and unbaited yellow-panel sticky traps (Pheroco® AM traps) and on the orientation behavior of flies toward wind-vane traps.


2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary J Houliston ◽  
Murray I Dawson ◽  
Peter J De Lange ◽  
Peter B Heenan

Austroderia turbaria Connor is a threatened grass endemic to the Chatham Islands. Although formerly more widespread, remaining natural populations consist of highly fragmented remnants and/or individuals. Population genetic analysis of seed-raised progeny from six of the extant natural populations on Chatham and Pitt islands, using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and microsatellite markers, shows that there are very low levels of variation (expected estimated heterozygosity He 0.023–0.030, no. of effective alleles Na 1.039–1.053), and no significant differentiation within or between populations on the two islands. Flow cytometric analysis of endosperm to embryo ratios suggests a sexual breeding system. This lack of population variation and no discernable differences between the two islands suggest that management practices such as the establishment of new populations can be carried out irrespective of the location of source material. One caveat to this is the possibility of Fusarium wilt occurring on the islands, in which case measures should be taken to best prevent spread across the range of the species.


2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Shanower ◽  
Debra K. Waters

The wheat stem sawfly, Cephas cinctus Norton, the wheat stem maggot, Meromyza americana Fitch, the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say), the wheat jointworm, Tetramesa tritici (Fitch), and the wheat strawworm, Tetramesa grandis (Riley), have long been considered wheat pests in the northern Great Plains. This paper reports results of surveys for these pests conducted over 3 yrs in parts of Montana (10 counties), North Dakota (14 counties), South Dakota (1 county), Nebraska (4 counties) and Wyoming (1 county). Fields were randomly selected and a mean of 191 stems were sampled from each field. The percentage of stems infested with each pest was recorded. The percentage of parasitized wheat stem sawfly larvae also was noted. The wheat stem sawfly, wheat stem maggot, and Hessian fly were the most commonly encountered pests, recorded in nearly every county. Wheat stem sawfly density was twice that of wheat stem maggot (7% vs 3.2%) in infested fields. Wheat stem sawfly densities exceeded 10% in 4 counties: Daniels and Wibaux in MT, Golden Valley, ND and Goshen, WY. Wheat stem sawfly parasitism was low and positively correlated with sawfly infestation. Wheat stem maggot infestations were low (<11% for all fields), averaging 3.2% among infested fields. Hessian fly densities were much lower (2.2% among infested fields) than reported elsewhere in the U.S. The wheat jointworm and strawworm were absent from most fields and only occasionally found at low levels (<1% and <3.5% respectively, among infested fields). This information will help to prioritize wheat insect pest management research and extension programs in this region.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 18-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oladele Abiodun Olaniran ◽  
Samuel Adelani Babarinde ◽  
Adeola Foluke Odewole ◽  
Peter Ademola Aremu ◽  
Kehinde Popoola

Surveys were carried out in five local government areas of Ogbomoso Agricultural Zone Nigeria during planting season in 2010 to investigate rural farmers perceptions and management practices of insect pests of fruit vegetables. The survey involved 150 randomly selected farmers who were interviewed using structured questionnaire. Fruit vegetables planted by the farmers were okra, tomatoes, pepper and garden egg. Reasons given by farmers for cultivating fruit vegetables were significantly favored by age category, educational qualification, and secondary occupation of farmers (x2 = 4.757, P = 0.029). Field insect pests were perceived as the major production constraint to fruit vegetables in this zone. Majority of the farmer estimated 78.4 % rated insect pest as the most serious pest infesting fruit vegetables, the insect pests were grasshopper (Orthoptera), beetles (Coleoptera) and caterpillar (Lepidoptera). Integrated pest management module consisted basically of chemical and cultural control strategies, with weeding, shifting cultivation and crop rotation as main cultural control methods. More than 76.7 % of the farmers make use of cultural control because of unavailability and cost of chemical insecticides. Only 23.3 % had access to chemical insecticides in controlling insect pest of fruit vegetables.


HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 1094-1096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert K. Prange ◽  
Perry D. Lidster

Larvae of the blueberry maggot (Rhagoletis mendax Curran) were raised on apples (Malus domestics Borkh. cv. Idared), and exposed larvae were treated 48 hours with CO concentrations ranging from 0% to 100% at O concentrations of 2%, 5%, or 20% (0% for the 100% CO) at 5 or 21C. Blueberry maggot survival was reduced to 10% when the larvae were subjected to CO concentrations > 45% at 21C. Fumigation was more effective at 21C than at 5C. Oxygen at 2% or 5% did not reduce larval survival when compared with treatments containing 20% O. In a separate experiment, six commercial shipments, each consisting of four hundred eighty 0.5-liter containers of infested lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustlfolium Ait.), were placed in a large fiberglass tank and fumigated with 54% CO at 21C. The blueberries were sampled for quality and larval survival after 24 and 48 hours of CO treatment. Atter 48 hours, 9% of the blueberry maggots in infested blueberries survived fumigation with 54% CO, while 68% of maggots survived in air. The quality of fumigated lowbush blueberries was not adversely affected by fumigation with 54% CO for up to 48 hours, as indicated by marketable berries, berry weight, split berries, shriveled berries, epicuticular wax (bloom), firmness, soluble solids and titratable acid concentrations, offflavors, and skin browning.


Author(s):  
Mandla Rajashekhar ◽  
Banda Rajashekar ◽  
Eetela Sathyanarayana ◽  
M. C. Keerthi ◽  
Padala Vinod Kumar ◽  
...  

Biotic stress is a major cause for pre and postharvest losses in agriculture. Food crops of the world are damaged by more than of 10,000 species of insects 30,000 species of weeds, 1,00, 000 types of diseases (due to fungi, viruses, bacteria and various microbes) and a 1,000 species of nematodes. Modern day management practices for the above specified stress factors largely depends on the utilization of synthetic pesticides. Pesticide misuse in numerous sectors of agriculture frequently has often linked to health issues and environmental pollution around the world. Thus, there is a growing interest in replacing or possibly supplementing the prevailing control strategies with new and safer techniques. One of the promising management tools in this new state of affairs for crop protection is microbial pesticides. At present, only 3% of plant protectants used globally are covered by bio pesticides, but their growth rate indicates an increasing trend in the past two decades. The discovery of insecticidal property of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) indicated a more extensive part of organism based natural control. Microbial pesticides comprise of a microorganisms (bacterium, fungus, virus or protozoan) or toxins produced by them as the active ingredient. The most commonly used microbial pesticides are entomopathogenic fungi (Metarhizium, Beauveria and Verticillium), entomopathogenic bacteria (Bt), entomopathogenic nematode (Steinernema and Heterorhabditis) and baculoviruses (NPV and GV) which able to cause disease in insects. Microbial insecticides are promising alternative to ecologically disruptive pest control measures as they are no longer harmful to the environment and non target organisms. If deployed appropriately, microbial insecticides have capability to bring sustainability to global agriculture for food and food safety.


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