EFFICACY OF COMMERCIAL INSECTICIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF COWPEA POD BORER (MARUCA VITRATA) ON COWPEA (VIGNA UNGUICULATA (L.) WALP) UNDER FIELD CONDITION IN CHITWAN, NEPAL

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of commercially available insecticides for management of cowpea pod borer to know about the effective and safe chemical insecticide to manage the cow pea pod borer. A total of five treatments; (i. Neemix (2ml/L), ii. Flubendamide 48% SC (2ml/L), iii. Spinosad 45% SC (3ml/L), iv. Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC(2ml/L) and v. control) were tested using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications for each treatment. The results showed that the Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC was most effective to reduce cowpea pod borer larva followed by Flubendamide 48% SC and Spinosad 45% SC. The damage of pod by cowpea pod borer was recorded the highest control plot (20.53%) whereas lowest fruit damage was recorded Chlorantraniliprole (5.18%) followed by Flubendamide (5.44%). Among the treatments, the highest yield was obtained with Chlorantraniliprole (11.22mt/ha) followed by Flubendamide (9.21mt/ha) and Spinosad (8.27/ha). Whereas the lowest yield was obtained with control plot (6.59mt/ha) followed by Neemix (7.09mt/ha) treated plots. The benefit-cost (B:C) ratio for all the treatments revealed that chlorantraniliprole @ 0.2ml/L was highly economical with a B:C of 1:62.14 followed by spinosad with 1: 21.91. The chlorantraniliprole resulted the lowest larval count, lowest fruit damage, highest yield and highest marginal B: C thus could be the best insecticide to manage cowpea pod borer.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MODEL AS PREDICTOR FOR DENGUE OUTBREAKS

Dengue is an increasing threat in Malaysia, particularly in the more densely populated regions of the country. We present an Artificial Intelligence driven model in predicting Aedes outbreak, using predictors of weather variables and vector indices sourced from the Ministry of Health. Analysis and predictions to estimate Aedes populations were conducted, with its results being used to infer the possibility of dengue outbreaks at pre-determined localities around the Klang Valley, Malaysia. A Bayesian Network machine learning technique was employed, with the model being trained using predictor variables such as temperature, rainfall, date of onset and notification, and vector indices such as the Ae. albopictus count, Ae. aegypti count and larval count. The interfaces of the system were developed using the C# language for Server-side configuration and programming, and HTML, CSS and JavaScript for the Client Side programming. The model was then used to predict the population of Aedes at periods of 7, 14, and 30 days. Using the Bayesian Network technique utilising the above predictor variables we proposed a finalised model with predictive accuracy ranging from 79%-84%. This model was developed into a Graphical User Interface, which was purposed to assist and educate the general public of regions at risk of developing dengue outbreak. This remains a valuable case-study on the importance of public data in the context of combating a public health risk via the development of models for predicting outbreaks of dengue which will hopefully spur further sharing of data by all parties in combating public health threats.

Detrimental effects of geldanamycin on adults and larvae of Trichinella spiralis

SummaryTrichinellosis is a zoonotic disease affecting mainly the temperate regions. The treatment is a challenge for the physician, and the available therapy is far from ideal. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the effect of heat shock protein 90 inhibitor, geldanamycin, on the adult worms and larvae of Trichinella spiralis. This research comprised an in vivo study in which T. spiralis-infected mice were treated by two different doses of geldanamycin, thereafter larval count and pathological changes were determined in the muscles. Meanwhile, the in vitro study investigated the effect of two different concentrations of geldanamycin on adult worms and larvae of T. spiralis via transmission electron microscopy. The in vivo study showed significant reduction of muscle larval counts under the effect of geldanamycin. Moreover, characteristic changes were noted as regards the parasite and the inflammatory response. The in vitro study revealed degenerative changes in the body wall of larvae and adults of T. spiralis under the influence of geldanamycin. In conclusion, heat shock protein 90 inhibitor, geldanamycin, seems to have detrimental effects on the adults and larvae of T. spiralis. It, or one of its derivatives, could be an adjuvant to anthelmintic therapy of trichinellosis, but more studies are warranted to establish its usefulness.

Efficacy of eprinomectin pour-on treatment in sheep naturally infected with Dictyocaulus filaria and Cystocaulus ocreatus

The efficacy of eprinomectin on Dictyocaulus filaria and Cystocaulus ocreatus in naturally infected sheep was evaluated in the present study. In total, 30 infected sheep were randomly divided into two groups: treated (n = 15) and untreated (n = 15). A single pour-on dose of eprinomectin (0.5 mg/kg) was administered to the treated group. No medication was used in the untreated group. Faecal larval counts were performed on pre-treatment (day 0) and post-treatment (days 7, 14, 21 and 42) days. Eprinomectin was found to be 100% effective against D. filaria on day 7 post-treatment when compared with the untreated group and it maintained this effect on days 14, 21 and 42. However, the decrease in faecal larval count of C. ocreatus was found to be 86, 86 and 91%, on days 14, 21 and 42, respectively.

Mating Disruption of Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and Cabbage Looper (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Cabbage Using a Blend of Pheromones Emitted from the Same Dispenser1

Experiments were conducted in commercial plantings of cabbage in spring 1994 and 1995 to evaluate the efficacy of a blend of pheromones for diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), and cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner), for disrupting mating when dispensed simultaneously from Yoto-con-S® ‘rope’ dispensers (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). A 12.1-ha cabbage field was treated with pheromone in 1994 using a blend of (Z)-11-hexadecenal, (Z)-11-hexadecen-l-ol acetate, and (Z)-11-hexadecanol in a 49:50:1 ratio for diamondback moth and (Z)-7-dodecen-l-ol acetate and (Z)-7-dodecen-l-ol in a 98:2 ratio for cabbage looper. The test was repeated in 1995 using a 10.1-ha cabbage field. In 1995, 24.6 ha of cabbage also were treated with a blend of diamondback moth-only pheromone: (Z)-11-hexadecenal and (Z)-11-hexadecen-l-ol acetate in a 50:50 ratio. All pheromone treatments were applied at the rate of 1,000 m rope per ha within 2 wk after the cabbage was planted. Captures of diamondback moth and cabbage looper males in traps baited with synthetic pheromones and mating by laboratory-reared sentinel females in pheromone-treated fields were significantly reduced for 7 to 9 wk post-treatment relative to control areas. Larval infestation data on cabbage were insufficient to establish the effect, if any, of the diamondback moth/cabbage looper combination pheromone treatment on cabbage looper control. In 1995, the diamondback moth pheromone only and the diamondback moth/cabbage looper combination pheromone effectively suppressed diamondback moth larval numbers below the composite economic action threshold of 0.3 larva per cabbage plant for approximately 60 days. A single application of pesticide quickly reduced the diamondback moth larval count below the action threshold in the pheromone-treated cabbage, and no further pesticide applications were required. The correspondent control field was sprayed 7 times with pesticides for control of diamondback moth.

Numbers of lungworm larvae in feces of bighorn sheep: yearly changes, influence of host sex, and effects on host survival

The number of Protostrongylus spp. first-stage larvae in the feces of marked bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) was monitored from 1981 to 1988 in southwestern Alberta. Prevalence of infection was 100%. Counts were not correlated with spring precipitation, winter temperature, or number of female sheep in the study population. Percent lamb survival and average counts were correlated only when years affected by the occurrence of a pneumonia epizootic were excluded. In the years before the epizootic, but not afterwards, lambs born to females with high larval counts were less likely to survive to weaning or to 1 year of age than lambs born to females with low counts. Fecal larval counts from the same female in successive years were weakly correlated, and tended to change towards the mean for all females. Counts were affected by host reproduction but not by seasonal migration, and did not affect host survival. Among lambs and yearlings, males had higher counts than females. Lambs had higher counts than adult females. There were no age-specific differences among adult females. The larval count from female lambs was correlated with that from their mother but not that from male lambs. Heart girth of female lambs was correlated with their larval count and that of their mother. I suggest that larval counts are affected by infection intensity and body condition, do not predict pneumonia epizootics, and have limited reliability as an index of herd health.

Experimental infection of Ancylostoma caninum in mice. II. Migration and distribution of larvae in tissues after oral infection

Migration and distribution of Ancylostoma caninum larvae in the tissues of Swiss albino mice infected with 500,1000, 2000 and 4000 larvae was studied. Larval migration and distribution in the different tissues was earlier in mice infected with a dose of 4000 larvae and more larvae were expelled from the gastrointestinal tract of heavily infected (2000 dose) mice. With an infective dose of 1000 larvae, the percent larval yield was higher than in other two groups (500 dose and 2000 dose) showing poor expulsion. Larval migration in the lungs was high even on the 1st day in heavily infected groups. Migration of larvae into the muscles, particularly of the head, neck and thorax took place on the very first day and was proportional to dose level. Larval count was higher in the muscles of the head and neck until the 9th day, after which it was high in the thoracic and other regions.

The Use of a Microbalance in Putting up Uniformly Sized Batches of Heterodera Cysts for Experiment.

Tests were conducted using a capillary microbalance to estimate the errors introduced as a result of weighing out replicate cyst batches in place of counting.Experiments with differently sized samples showed that the normal relationship between sample size and accuracy applied to such cases, the error for samples of 100 cysts being usually of the order of less than 10%. There is some evidence that the errors in cyst number introduced as a result of weighing is reflected by an increased error in the larval count, although under the conditions of experiment the increase was barely significant. It is suggested that if replication is increased by 50% or 100% then errors due to inequality in cyst numbers are more than counteracted.

Studies on the population of head-lice, Pediculus humanus var. capitis De G

The following is a summary of our studies on population of head lice, adults and nits.1. Out of a total of 8702 adult lice, the male population comprised 2031. The gross infestation rate per head was 129.9 and the maximum number found on a single head was 1434. A disproportion in the distribution of the two sexes was a marked feature.2. Patients below the age of 11 showed a lower infestation rate than those above this age, and short-haired individuals were more heavily infested than long-haired ones.3. Frequent combing of the hair and the use of oil did not seem to dislodge the adults or to prevent the females from laying eggs.4. The maximum larval count on a single head was found to be 4260, the average number of larvae per single head was 418·8, and 9 to 1 was the maximum proportion of larvae to females.5. The maximum number of nits on a single hair was found to be 17 and 5·06 was calculated as the average number per hair.6. Treatment with kerosene and pyrethrum killed all the lice and nits, and reinfestation did not occur.7. The infestation did not spread to healthy patients in the hospital ward; it is thought that the poor migratory habits of lice are responsible for this.8. From studies on the reinfestation of an individual after treatment it is concluded that head-lice cannot establish themselves on any part of the body except the head, and if their access to the head is prevented, the lice will not survive for more than 24 hr.