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Articles 991 - 1020 of 11474

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Wa Insecticide Guide 2024 - Winter Spring, Svetlana Micic, Alan Lord Jan 2024

Wa Insecticide Guide 2024 - Winter Spring, Svetlana Micic, Alan Lord

PestFacts WA

The insecticides listed in the tables within this guide can be used on any crop appearing on the chemical label, if the rate used does not exceed the highest rate that is registered for use on that crop.

There are many products with different trade names that contain the same active ingredient. This list is not exhaustive and does not imply any specific recommendations of brand names.


Cyp6g2 Is The Major P450 Epoxidase Responsible For Juvenile Hormone Biosynthesis In Drosophila Melanogaster, Qiangqiang Jia, Liu Yang, Jiamin Wen, Suning Liu, Di Wen, Wei Luo, Weihua Wang, Subba R. Palli, Li Sheng Jan 2024

Cyp6g2 Is The Major P450 Epoxidase Responsible For Juvenile Hormone Biosynthesis In Drosophila Melanogaster, Qiangqiang Jia, Liu Yang, Jiamin Wen, Suning Liu, Di Wen, Wei Luo, Weihua Wang, Subba R. Palli, Li Sheng

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background Juvenile hormones (JH) play crucial role in regulating development and reproduction in insects. The most common form of JH is JH III, derived from MF through epoxidation by CYP15 enzymes. However, in the higher dipterans, such as the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, a bis-epoxide form of JHB3, accounted most of the JH detected. Moreover, these higher dipterans have lost the CYP15 gene from their genomes. As a result, the identity of the P450 epoxidase in the JH biosynthesis pathway in higher dipterans remains unknown.

Results In this study, we show that Cyp6g2 serves as the major JH epoxidase responsible for …


Endosymbiont Diversity Across Native And Invasive Brown Widow Spider Populations, Monica A. Mowery, Laura Cecilia Rosenwald, Eric G. Chapman, Yael Lubin, Michal Segoli, Thembile Khoza, Robin Lyle, Jennifer A. White Jan 2024

Endosymbiont Diversity Across Native And Invasive Brown Widow Spider Populations, Monica A. Mowery, Laura Cecilia Rosenwald, Eric G. Chapman, Yael Lubin, Michal Segoli, Thembile Khoza, Robin Lyle, Jennifer A. White

Entomology Faculty Publications

The invasive brown widow spider, Latrodectus geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae), has spread in multiple locations around the world and, along with it, brought associated organisms such as endosymbionts. We investigated endosymbiont diversity and prevalence across putative native and invasive populations of this spider, predicting lower endosymbiont diversity across the invasive range compared to the native range. First, we characterized the microbial community in the putative native (South Africa) and invasive (Israel and the United States) ranges via high throughput 16S sequencing of 103 adult females. All specimens were dominated by reads from only 1–3 amplicon sequence variants (ASV), and most individuals …


Go West: Population Genomics Reveals Unexpected Population Fluctuations And Little Gene Flow In Western Hemisphere Populations Of The Predatory Lady Beetle, Hippodamia Convergens, Arun Sethuraman, Schyler O. Nunziata, Angela Jones, John J. Obrycki, David W. Weisrock Jan 2024

Go West: Population Genomics Reveals Unexpected Population Fluctuations And Little Gene Flow In Western Hemisphere Populations Of The Predatory Lady Beetle, Hippodamia Convergens, Arun Sethuraman, Schyler O. Nunziata, Angela Jones, John J. Obrycki, David W. Weisrock

Entomology Faculty Publications

Hippodamia convergens—the convergent lady beetle, has been used extensively in aug- mentative biological control of aphids, thrips, and whiteflies across its native range in North America, and was introduced into South America in the 1950s. Overwintering H. convergens populations from its native western range in the United States are com- mercially collected and released across its current range in the eastern USA, with little knowledge of the effectiveness of its augmentative biological control. Here we use a novel ddRADseq-based SNP/haplotype discovery approach to estimate its range- wide population diversity, differentiation, and recent evolutionary history. Our results indicate (1) significant population …


N(Alpha)-Acetyltransferase 40-Mediated Histone Acetylation Plays An Important Role In Ecdysone Regulation Of Metamorphosis In The Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium Castaneum, Sharath Chandra Gaddelapati, Smitha George, Anilkumar Moola, Karthi Sengodan, Subba Reddy Palli Jan 2024

N(Alpha)-Acetyltransferase 40-Mediated Histone Acetylation Plays An Important Role In Ecdysone Regulation Of Metamorphosis In The Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium Castaneum, Sharath Chandra Gaddelapati, Smitha George, Anilkumar Moola, Karthi Sengodan, Subba Reddy Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

Histone acetylation, a crucial epigenetic modification, is governed by histone acetyltransferases (HATs), that regulate many biological processes. Functions of HATs in insects are not well understood. We identified 27 HATs and determined their functions using RNA interference (RNAi) in the model insect, Tribolium castaneum. Among HATs studied, N-alpha-acetyltransferase 40 (NAA40) knockdown caused a severe phenotype of arrested larval development. The steroid hormone, ecdysone induced NAA40 expression through its receptor, EcR (ecdysone receptor). Interestingly, ecdysone-induced NAA40 regulates EcR expression. NAA40 acetylates histone H4 protein, associated with the promoters of ecdysone response genes: EcR, E74, E75, and HR3, and causes an increase …


The Mechanoreceptor Piezo Is Required For Spermatogenesis In Bombyx Mori, Zhongjie Zhang, Xiaojing Liu, Bo Hu, Kai Chen, Ye Yu, Chenxin Sun, Dalin Zhu, Hua Bai, Subba Reddy Palli, Anjiang Tan Jan 2024

The Mechanoreceptor Piezo Is Required For Spermatogenesis In Bombyx Mori, Zhongjie Zhang, Xiaojing Liu, Bo Hu, Kai Chen, Ye Yu, Chenxin Sun, Dalin Zhu, Hua Bai, Subba Reddy Palli, Anjiang Tan

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background The animal sperm shows high diversity in morphology, components, and motility. In the lepidopteran model insect, the silkworm Bombyx mori, two types of sperm, including nucleate fertile eupyrene sperm and anucleate unfertile apyrene sperm, are generated. Apyrene sperm assists fertilization by facilitating the migration of eupyrene spermatozoa from the bursa copulatrix to the spermatheca. During spermatogenesis, eupyrene sperm bundles extrude the cytoplasm by peristaltic squeezing, while the nuclei of the apyrene sperm bundles are discarded with the same process, forming matured sperm.

Results In this study, we describe that a mechanoreceptor BmPiezo, the sole Piezo ortholog in B. mori, …


Tree Species Richness And Ash Density Have Variable Effects On Emerald Ash Borer Biological Control By Woodpeckers And Parasitoid Wasps In Post-Invasion White Ash Stands, Caleb J. Wilson, Toby R. Petrice, Therese M. Poland, Deborah G. Mccullough Jan 2024

Tree Species Richness And Ash Density Have Variable Effects On Emerald Ash Borer Biological Control By Woodpeckers And Parasitoid Wasps In Post-Invasion White Ash Stands, Caleb J. Wilson, Toby R. Petrice, Therese M. Poland, Deborah G. Mccullough

Entomology Faculty Publications

Emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is the most destructive insect to invade North American forests. Identifying habitat features that support EAB natural enemies is necessary to enhance EAB biological control. In many forest ecosystems, tree species diversity has been linked with reduced pest abundance and increases in natural enemy abundance. We assessed the influence of tree species richness, ash density, and proportion of total ash basal area on ash canopy condition, EAB larval densities, and biocontrol by woodpeckers and parasitoids in pairs of healthy and declining overstory (DBH > 10 cm) and recruit-sized ash (DBH 2–10 cm) …


Investigation Of L-Serine Synthesis And Transport As Stabilizing Feedback Mechanisms Within The Tsetse-Wigglesworthia Symbiosis, Ryan Phillips Jan 2024

Investigation Of L-Serine Synthesis And Transport As Stabilizing Feedback Mechanisms Within The Tsetse-Wigglesworthia Symbiosis, Ryan Phillips

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tsetse flies (Glossina morsitans), which are the obligate vectors of Old-World trypanosomes (Trypanosoma spp.) that cause African trypanosomiasis, have a bacteriome that houses the intracellular endosymbiont Wigglesworthia glossinidia. The ancient coevolution of these species has led to the integration of Wigglesworthia metabolism into tsetse physiology and a subsequent reliance on nutrient exchange for maintaining the fitness of both partners. The establishment of this obligate mutualism has facilitated the emergence of feedback mechanisms that stabilize the symbiosis, such as that which involves the exchange of L-serine and B vitamins. The Gammaproteobacteria Wigglesworthia supplement B vitamins lacking …


Sweetening The Deal: Enhancing Flower Production And Quality For Native Pollinators In Urban Landscapes, Yaelle Esther Reeve Jan 2024

Sweetening The Deal: Enhancing Flower Production And Quality For Native Pollinators In Urban Landscapes, Yaelle Esther Reeve

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Urban landscapes can support pollinator conservation, but traditional landscape designs lack the diverse mixtures of native plants needed to support native pollinators. Although native plants support pollinators and can survive with less water and fertilizer than non-native landscape plants, they do not always grow well under modified urban soil conditions and irrigation regimes. A better understanding of the factors influencing flower production and the quality of native plants is needed if we are to design landscapes that support pollinator conservation. This study focused on how flower production and quality in different native plants responded to compost and irrigation treatments. The …


Interdisciplinary Learning: How Different Ways Of Thinking Can Fuel Passion And Expand Understanding., Allison Amy Peschek Jan 2024

Interdisciplinary Learning: How Different Ways Of Thinking Can Fuel Passion And Expand Understanding., Allison Amy Peschek

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This Capstone project was created to show the profound experience resulting from an extended range of interdisciplinary learning, and how different methods, when paired together, can enhance a learning experience. This was a personal project of exploration into those different angles, and primarily focused on avenues of logical and creating learning, respectively. These methods have been implemented by this author often in the past, but this capstone will explore this concept further, as there is a lot of potential in combining these different methods and biases in learning, to both further passion and understanding as a learner, but to also …


Expanded Range Of Nasutitermes Callimorphus Mathews, 1977 (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae), Comparison With N. Corniger (Motschulsky, 1855) And N. Ephratae (Holmgren, 1910), And Synonymy Of N. Dasyopsis Thorne, 1989 Into N. Nigriceps (Haldeman, 1854), Allen Szalanski Jan 2024

Expanded Range Of Nasutitermes Callimorphus Mathews, 1977 (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae), Comparison With N. Corniger (Motschulsky, 1855) And N. Ephratae (Holmgren, 1910), And Synonymy Of N. Dasyopsis Thorne, 1989 Into N. Nigriceps (Haldeman, 1854), Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The imago of N. callimorphus is described for the first time. Nasutitermes callimorphus occurs from Mexico to Paraguay. Nasutitermes callimorphus is smaller in all measurements but generally resembles its widely distributed sympatric congeners, N. corniger (Motschulsky, 1855) and N. ephratae (Holmgren, 1910). Molecular phylogenetic analysis of a portion of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene and the COII mtDNA marker revealed that N. callimorphus forms a distinct clade using both maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analysis. Unlike N. corniger and N. ephratae, N. callimorphus does not build epigeal or arboreal carton nests. We further regard N. dasyopsis Thorne, 1989 as a …


Mitochondrial Dna Genetic Variation Of Feral And Managed Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera, Colonies From Oklahoma, Allen Szalanski Jan 2024

Mitochondrial Dna Genetic Variation Of Feral And Managed Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera, Colonies From Oklahoma, Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Understanding the genetic diversity of honey bees in North America provides valuable insight into the conservation, ecology, and evolution of this economically important insect. Here, we characterized the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genetic variation in populations of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L., in Oklahoma by sequencing a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COI-COII) intergenic region. The samples were primarily of feral origin (n = 164), as well as from 24 managed colonies. Samples were obtained from 50 of Oklahoma's 77 counties, which represented six distinct ecoregions. Of the 188 colonies sampled,19 distinct haplotypes were observed, which included: A (African) …


Two New Incisitermes (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) Species From The Caribbean Basin, Genetic Relationships With Other Regional Incisitermes, And Synonymy Of Incisitermes Tabogae With I. Schwarzi, Allen Szalanski Jan 2024

Two New Incisitermes (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) Species From The Caribbean Basin, Genetic Relationships With Other Regional Incisitermes, And Synonymy Of Incisitermes Tabogae With I. Schwarzi, Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Two new species of Incisitermes are described from the soldier and imago caste: Incisitermes lisae sp. nov. (Yucatan Region) and Incisitermes mariae sp. nov. (Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago). Incisitermes tabogae (Snyder, 1924) is reduced to a junior synonymy of Incisitermes schwarzi (Banks, 1920), known from Florida, the West Indies, and the Caribbean basin mainland. The phylogenetic relationships of these three species are compared with other Incisitermes of the region.


A Balancing Act: Microrna Mediated Insect-Bacterial Homeostasis And The Tsetse Fly, Mason Hubbard Lee Jan 2024

A Balancing Act: Microrna Mediated Insect-Bacterial Homeostasis And The Tsetse Fly, Mason Hubbard Lee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microbial symbioses are ubiquitous across all kingdoms of life with broad and diverse impacts on the evolution of species. The sum of all microbes living in, on, or otherwise in close association with a host form the microbiota. In some cases, the development of a stable microbial association seems to have been necessary for the specialization of diet, as can be observed in numerous insect species, especially wood-eating, sap-feeding, and blood-feeding organisms. For the medically and economically tsetse fly (family Glossinidae), the mutualistic bacteria Wigglesworthia glossinidia is required for proper reproduction and supplementation of nutrients that the fly does not …


Letter From The Dean, Jeff Edwards Jan 2024

Letter From The Dean, Jeff Edwards

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Contents, Discovery Editors Jan 2024

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors Jan 2024

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


An Assessment Of Functional Characteristics In Macroinvertebrates And Fishes In The Lower Ogeechee River, Molly A. Mckeon Jan 2024

An Assessment Of Functional Characteristics In Macroinvertebrates And Fishes In The Lower Ogeechee River, Molly A. Mckeon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The southeastern United States is a hotspot for aquatic biodiversity; yet this region is also considered vulnerable to climate and land–use changes. The Ogeechee River is an unimpeded blackwater river in Georgia that drains into the Atlantic Ocean and a unique ecosystem due to the preservation of its natural state; Historically, research conducted in the river establishes a baseline for long-term ecological studies. The aim of this study is to compare aquatic macroinvertebrate and fish community composition data collected in 2014 to 2017 to a recently collected dataset from 2023 and document temporal changes. Water quality monitoring was performed throughout …


Longevity,Feeding Behavior, And Egg Production Of Adult House Flies (Musca Domestica) Provided With Potential Farm Foods, Anna Elise Grimenstein Jan 2024

Longevity,Feeding Behavior, And Egg Production Of Adult House Flies (Musca Domestica) Provided With Potential Farm Foods, Anna Elise Grimenstein

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

House flies (Musca domestica) are cosmopolitan pests to both humans and livestock, and they can vector many diseases. House flies are especially associated with livestock facilities, as adult flies lay eggs in rotting organic matter such as manure. While it is understood that the diet an adult fly receives can affect biological parameters such as longevity and egg production, not much research has been done to address foods that are accessible to house flies in their natural habitat. The present study examined the longevity, feeding behavior, and egg production rates of adult house flies given different foods they would have …


Editorial: 2022 In Review: Vector Biology, David P. Tchouassi, Janet Midega, Baldwyn Torto Jan 2024

Editorial: 2022 In Review: Vector Biology, David P. Tchouassi, Janet Midega, Baldwyn Torto

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This editorial summarizes collections on the Research Topic “2022 in Review: Vector Biology’’ that focus on entomologic surveillance insights related to mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria, and sandfly-borne leishmaniasis. Specifically, the editorial discusses the entomologic drivers of dengue virus transmission, host-feeding relationships among various mosquito vectors, sample efficiency of malaria vectors using a suite of trapping techniques and improving sandfly surveillance using odor-baited trapping strategies. The research article by Kamau et al. assessed variation in the biological attributes of adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes by estimating critical parameters of vectorial capacity (vectors abundance, human blood feeding rates, survival) that …


Chitin-Enriched Insect Frass Fertilizer As A Biorational Alternative For Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne Incognita) Management, James Kisaakye, Dennis Beesigamukama, Solveig Haukeland, Sevgan Subramanian, Paul K. Thiongo, Segenet Kelemu, Chrysantus M. Tanga Jan 2024

Chitin-Enriched Insect Frass Fertilizer As A Biorational Alternative For Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne Incognita) Management, James Kisaakye, Dennis Beesigamukama, Solveig Haukeland, Sevgan Subramanian, Paul K. Thiongo, Segenet Kelemu, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are serious pests of most food crops, causing up to 100% yield loss. Nevertheless, commercial nematicides are costly and harmful to the environment. While the nematicidal potential of crustacean and synthetic chitin has been demonstrated globally, research on the potential of insect-derived chitin for nematode control has received limited attention. Here, seven chitin-fortified black soldier fly frass fertilizer extracts (chFE) were assessed for their suppressiveness of Meloidogyne incognita and impacts on spinach growth in comparison with a commercial nematicide using in vitro and in vivo bioassays. The performance of chFE and control treatments was assessed by …


Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) Oviposition Preferences And A Survey Of Fungal Pathogens On Native Milkweeds (Asclepias) Of The Northern Great Plains, Grace Damiano Jan 2024

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) Oviposition Preferences And A Survey Of Fungal Pathogens On Native Milkweeds (Asclepias) Of The Northern Great Plains, Grace Damiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) populations are experiencing significant declines due to habitat loss caused by land use changes. Much of the American Midwest where milkweed, the only host plant of the monarch butterfly, was once much more abundant has been converted to a predominantly agricultural landscape. There are nineteen species of milkweed native to the northern Great Plains region occupied by South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Some of these milkweed species may be preferable to monarch butterflies for different reasons, including morphological factors such as stem length, species-level chemical factors, and temporal factors. As monarch …


Cutworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Affecting Crops On The Canadian Prairies, Jeremy Hummel Jan 2024

Cutworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Affecting Crops On The Canadian Prairies, Jeremy Hummel

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

There is a complex of cutworm species that are pests in western Canada, with important species including Agrotis orthogonia (pale western cutworm), Euxoa auxiliaris (army cutworm), and Euxoa ochrogaster (redbacked cutworm). Cutworm damage is sporadic and patchy, and as a result is difficult to predict. During outbreak years, insecticide applications and/or reseeding are necessary and yield losses can be significant. Recently, field-collected cutworm larvae were reared in the lab to estimate levels of parasitism, which ranged from 2% to 25%, depending on the province and the year of sampling, and to identify the parasitoid complex attacking cutworms. The parasitoid Cotesia …


Effects Of Four Potent Entomopathogenic Fungal Isolates On The Survival And Performance Of Telenomus Remus, An Egg Parasitoid Of Fall Armyworm, Junitor Chepkemoi, Ken Okwae Fening, Felicitas Chaba Ambele, Joseph Munywoki, Komivi Senyo Akutse Jan 2024

Effects Of Four Potent Entomopathogenic Fungal Isolates On The Survival And Performance Of Telenomus Remus, An Egg Parasitoid Of Fall Armyworm, Junitor Chepkemoi, Ken Okwae Fening, Felicitas Chaba Ambele, Joseph Munywoki, Komivi Senyo Akutse

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda is a generalist pest known to feed on more than 300 plant species, including major staple crops such as rice, maize and sorghum. Biological control of FAW using a combination of a major indigenous egg parasitoid Telenomus remus and entomopathogenic fungi was explored in this study. Metarhizium anisopliae strains (ICIPE 7, ICIPE 41, and ICIPE 78) and Beauveria bassiana ICIPE 621 which demonstrated effectiveness to combat the pest, were evaluated through direct and indirect fungal infection to assess their pathogenicity and virulence against T. remus adults, S. frugiperda eggs and their effects on T. remus …


Editorial: Invasive Pathogens And Arthropods: Biogeography, Drivers Of Invasion Success, Impacts On Indigenous Forest Trees And Emerging Management Strategies, Frank Chidawanyika, Komivi S. Akutse, Tendai Musvuugwa, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Casper Nyamukondiwa Jan 2024

Editorial: Invasive Pathogens And Arthropods: Biogeography, Drivers Of Invasion Success, Impacts On Indigenous Forest Trees And Emerging Management Strategies, Frank Chidawanyika, Komivi S. Akutse, Tendai Musvuugwa, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Casper Nyamukondiwa

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

With the ongoing global anthropogenic climate change, a silent war rages in forests, the lungs of the earth. Invasive pathogens and insect pests are decimating native trees, compromising ecological function, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Many of the processes surrounding successful biotic invasions are broad and have been previously analyzed (Hobbs et al., 2006; Blackburn et al., 2011). For invasive insect pests and pathogens, globalization, the rise in human population and associated environmental disturbances are recognized as fundamental drivers of introduction of propagules of non-native species to novel environments. Superior tolerance of extreme climate environments, in particular temperature, is also associated …


A Convolutional Neural Network With Image And Numerical Data To Improve Farming Of Edible Crickets As A Source Of Food—A Decision Support System, Henry Kyalo, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, James P. Egonyu, John Olukuru, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Kennedy Senagi Jan 2024

A Convolutional Neural Network With Image And Numerical Data To Improve Farming Of Edible Crickets As A Source Of Food—A Decision Support System, Henry Kyalo, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, James P. Egonyu, John Olukuru, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Kennedy Senagi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus) produce sounds as a natural means to communicate and convey various behaviors and activities, including mating, feeding, aggression, distress, and more. These vocalizations are intricately linked to prevailing environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. By accurately monitoring, identifying, and appropriately addressing these behaviors and activities, the farming and production of crickets can be enhanced. This research implemented a decision support system that leverages machine learning (ML) algorithms to decode and classify cricket songs, along with their associated key weather variables (temperature and humidity). Videos capturing cricket behavior and weather variables were recorded. From these videos, sound …


Aggressive And Non-Aggressive Behaviors In Mixed And Non-Mixed Dorymyrmex Smithi And Dorymyrmex Bureni Colonies Of Southeastern Georgia, Usa, Renee K. Nowicki Jan 2024

Aggressive And Non-Aggressive Behaviors In Mixed And Non-Mixed Dorymyrmex Smithi And Dorymyrmex Bureni Colonies Of Southeastern Georgia, Usa, Renee K. Nowicki

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Dorymyrmex species, ‘pyramid’ or ‘cone’ ants, are Dolichoderines distributed across North America. Two relatively well-studied species, Dorymyrmex smithi and Dorymyrmex bureni, are commonly found throughout southeastern Georgia. These species are part of a socially parasitic relationship while simultaneously having starkly different colony structures. Dorymyrmex smithi is a polydomous, polygynous species with colonies that are often expansive, at times having hundreds to thousands of nests per colony. Dorymyrmex smithi is a temporary social parasite of D. bureni, a monodomous, monogynous species. The specific mechanism of this parasitism is currently unknown. Preliminary behavioral assay data from a limited number of …


Dual Suppression Of Glossina Pallidipes Using Entomopathogenic Fungal-Based Biopesticides And Sterile Insect Technique, Fidelis L.O. Ombura, Adly M.M. Abd-Alla, Komivi S. Akutse, Steven Runo, Paul O. Mireji, Rosemary Bateta, Joseck E. Otiwi, Inusa J. Ajene, Fathiya M. Khamis Jan 2024

Dual Suppression Of Glossina Pallidipes Using Entomopathogenic Fungal-Based Biopesticides And Sterile Insect Technique, Fidelis L.O. Ombura, Adly M.M. Abd-Alla, Komivi S. Akutse, Steven Runo, Paul O. Mireji, Rosemary Bateta, Joseck E. Otiwi, Inusa J. Ajene, Fathiya M. Khamis

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tsetse flies and trypanosomosis significantly impact bovine production and human health in sub-Saharan Africa, exacerbating underdevelopment, malnutrition, and poverty. Despite various control strategies, long-term success has been limited. This study evaluates the combined use of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) and the sterile insect technique (SIT) to combat tsetse flies. Eleven EPF isolates were tested against teneral males of Glossina pallidipes, focusing on mortality rates, radial growth, and impacts on fly fitness. Temperature effects on conidial growth, sporulation, and spore yield of SIT-compatible/tolerant strains were also assessed. The fungal isolates significantly influenced mortality rates in both unirradiated and irradiated (SIT-treated) males (p <  0.0001). Metarhizium anisopliae strains ICIPE 20, ICIPE 32, ICIPE 41, ICIPE 62, ICIPE 78, and Beauveria bassiana ICIPE 603 showed higher SIT compatibility/tolerance with LT50 values of 11–30 days, compared to other more virulent isolates with LT50 values of 4–9 days. Temperature significantly affected the radial growth of SIT-compatible EPF strains (p <  0.0001), with M. anisopliae ICIPE 78 exhibiting the fastest conidia growth at 25°C. Spore yield varied significantly across temperatures (15–40°C), and the thermal range for conidia germination of SIT-compatible strains was 8.1–45.4°C, with an optimal range of 26.7–31.1°C. Moreover, infected unirradiated females and irradiated males (donors) successfully transmitted conidia to untreated flies (receivers) without significant differences in survival rates (p = 0.6438) and no observed sex dimorphism. Our findings highlight the potential of combining EPF and SIT as a novel dual approach that could effectively and synergistically suppress tsetse fly populations.


Insect Frass Fertilizer As A Regenerative Input For Improved Biological Nitrogen Fixation And Sustainable Bush Bean Production, Agnes Chepkorir, Dennis Beesigamukama, Harun I. Gitari, Shaphan Y. Chia, Sevgan Subramanian, Sunday Ekesi, Birachi Eliud Abucheli, Jean Claude Rubyogo, Theodore Zahariadis, Gina Athanasiou, Aikaterini Zachariadi, Vasileios Zachariadis, Abdou Tenkouano, Chrysantus M. Tanga Jan 2024

Insect Frass Fertilizer As A Regenerative Input For Improved Biological Nitrogen Fixation And Sustainable Bush Bean Production, Agnes Chepkorir, Dennis Beesigamukama, Harun I. Gitari, Shaphan Y. Chia, Sevgan Subramanian, Sunday Ekesi, Birachi Eliud Abucheli, Jean Claude Rubyogo, Theodore Zahariadis, Gina Athanasiou, Aikaterini Zachariadi, Vasileios Zachariadis, Abdou Tenkouano, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production is undermined by soil degradation and low biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) capacity. This study evaluated the effect of black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) on bush bean growth, yield, nutrient uptake, BNF, and profitability, in comparison with commercial organic fertilizer (Phymyx, Phytomedia International Ltd., Kiambu, Kenya), synthetic fertilizer (NPK), and rhizobia inoculant (Biofix, MEA Fertilizers, Nairobi, Kenya). The organic fertilizers were applied at rates of 0, 15, 30, and 45 kg N ha−1 while the NPK was applied at 40 kg N ha−1, 46 kg P ha−1, and 60 kg K ha−1. The fertilizers …


A Worldwide Overview Of The Status And Prospects Of Edible Insect Production, R. Caparros Megido, F. Francis, E. Haubruge, P. Le Gall, J. K. Tomberlin, C. D. Miranda, H. R. Jordan, C. J. Picard, M. J.M. Pino, J. Ramos-Elordy, E. Katz, K. B. Barragán-Fonseca, E. M. Costa-Neto, R. Ponce-Reyes, G. Wijffels, S. Ghosh, C. Jung, Y. S. Han, B. Conti, A. Vilcinskas, C. M. Tanga, M. O. Kababu, D. Beesigamukama, J. A. Morales Ramos, A. Van Huis Jan 2024

A Worldwide Overview Of The Status And Prospects Of Edible Insect Production, R. Caparros Megido, F. Francis, E. Haubruge, P. Le Gall, J. K. Tomberlin, C. D. Miranda, H. R. Jordan, C. J. Picard, M. J.M. Pino, J. Ramos-Elordy, E. Katz, K. B. Barragán-Fonseca, E. M. Costa-Neto, R. Ponce-Reyes, G. Wijffels, S. Ghosh, C. Jung, Y. S. Han, B. Conti, A. Vilcinskas, C. M. Tanga, M. O. Kababu, D. Beesigamukama, J. A. Morales Ramos, A. Van Huis

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

There has been continuous and growing interest in edible insects. Worldwide, various levels of insect farming are emerging, ranging from small domestic farms to vertical farms reaching heights of 36 meters, accommodating several million growing insects. The appeal of insects lies in their ecological benefits, as they contribute to the valorization of unde-rutilized organic residues while requiring minimal space and water. The selection of insect species is influenced not only by their biology and behavior but also by local preferences and customs, varying with the scale of production and geographi-cal location. This review article aims to provide an updated overview …