Entomology

The IRM strategy was devised for pest management in Bt and non-Bt cotton was implemented and evaluated in cotton growing villages of Warangal district in a Telangana state of India during the year 2015-16. The application of insecticides was moderate in IRM villages i.e, Kannaipally & Kanchanpally and the insecticide consumption was high in non IRM village i.e. Gabbeta. The whole crop season was divided into “4” window periods. The chemicals like Monocrotophos was given to the plants by stem application method in IRM villages. Stem application is employed as only less amount of insecticide is utilized, it doesn’t have any effect on the non target and other useful insects, and also there will be no spilling of the insecticide here and there. The number of insects per 3 leaves per plant reduced to a great extent in IRM villages. This eventually leads to more productivity and less cost of production in IRM villages than that of the non-IRM village. The Aphid, Jassid, Thrips and Whitefly population ranged 13.35, 0.82, 10.04 and 0.31/ 3 leaves in IRM villages while, it was 17.24, 1.04, 10.32 and 0.32/ 3 leaves in non –IRM village. The mean cost of sprayings was higher in non-IRM villages (Rs.3968) as compared to IRM villages (Rs.2301). Cotton yield was higher in IRM adopted villages (17.7 q/ha) as compared to non-IRM village (17.1 q/ha) and net profit per/ha was more in IRM villages (Rs.18, 910) than non-IRM villages (Rs.8,860). Farmers, by adopting IRM strategies realized higher net returns by saving in plant protection cost due to less number of insecticidal sprays and increased seed cotton yield.

The study examines the various myths and misconception about HIV/AIDS in Wudil local community kano, Nigeria. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and questionnaire administrations were undertaken to gather data for the study. It was discovered that the people of the area believed that sharing food and cloth, among other things, with an infected person as well as insect bite can lead to HIV/AIDS infections. The people required enlightenment on the mode of transmission of the disease, the need for knowing one’s status and the means of protecting oneself from being infected with the disease. It was suggested, among other things, that constant counseling on HIV/AIDS should be accorded to the members of the community.

Rabies is a fatal neuropathogenic disease. Of the estimated 55,000 deaths occurring world-wide attributable to rabies every year, 31,000 of occurs in Asia. In Asia the largest proportion of rabies death occurs in India. Dog bites are the primary source of human rabies in all rabies endemic countries and accounting for 96% of rabies cases in the South East Asia Region. The vision of Association for Prevention and control of Rabies in India is to “Make India Rabies Free by 2020”. There is no specific treatment for clinical rabies. Post-Exposure prophylaxis includes local wound care, categorization of animal bite wounds, rabies immunoglobulin and anti-rabies vaccine. The recommended strategies for eradication of rabies in India include educating public about post exposure vaccination, addition of pre exposure rabies vaccination to routine childhood immunization schedule, making rabies a notified disease, vaccination of dogs and animal birth control programs.

Avian influenza, especially highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), poses global threat not only for poultry but also for public health. To control avian influenza expediently, rapid, sensitive, and specific detection method is therefore of high importance. Here we compared the sensitivity and specificity of real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) and nucleic acid sequence based amplification assay - microplate detection method (NASBA-MDM), with chicken embryo infective dose 50 (EID50). Additionally, we compared two cell culture systems, namely chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells for virus detection. rRT-PCR and NASBA-MDM could detect about 0.1 EID50 virus. Both methods showed negative results for pathogen other than avian influenza viruses (AIVs) tested, indicating that they are sensitive and specific. In contrast, both cell systems could detect viruses about 1 EID50 in presence supplementary trypsin. rRT-PCR and NASBA-MDM could generate result within few hours. However, NASBA-MDM was more laborious than rRT-PCR. MDCK cells were found more sensitive when compared with CEF, but less sensitive than chicken embryo. However, cell cultures may serve as an alternate tool for virus isolation. Both molecular methods tested here may be applicable for rapid, early, and specific detection of AIVs. The usefulness of the various methods utilized here may be further appraised in terms of virus typing, antigenic subtyping and pathotyping.

Both Rhynocoris marginatus (F.) and Coranus spiniscutis are polyphagus predator of agriculture important insect pests, collected from Deoria agroecosystem and under light source, Gorakhpur respectively, during 2012-2013. To determine the olfactory preference of these polyphagus predators towards one prey over another, choice based experiments were conducted in the laboratory by using Y-shaped olfactometer. The distant ends of the first two tubes of the olfactometer was used for keeping two different prey types whereas the third tube end used for introducing the predator. R.marginatus was evaluated against the African cluster bug, Agonoscelis tuberula Stål, (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and Hadda beetle, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae), whereas C. spiniscutis against Raphidopelpa foveicellis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and Chryrocoris stolli (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae). R. marginatus was found to be more responsive to African cluster bug (60%) followed by Hadda beetle (50%) and Coranus spiniscutis strongly preferred Raphidopelpa foveicellis (91.67%) followed by Chryrocoris stolli (8.33%). In these observations, the preference of both preys during 24 hours by C. spiniscutis was converted into percentage value. R. marginatus showed higher rostral protruding activity with African cluster bug (8.29±0.159min) than that of Hadda beetle (1.65±0.049min). This may be due to the strength of the prey’s chemical cues of one prey over another elicited a quicker approaching. Prey consumption time of R.marginatus was significantly longer with regard to African cluster bug (60±2.44 min) as compared to Hadda beetle (37±2.50 min).The results clearly showed that the prey chemical cues determine the prey selection pattern of these predators. The outcome of this result will be helpful to consider these predatory bugs as biological control agents against preferred insect species.

Objective: To investigate the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein expression, as indicated by the presence of HCV core protein in serum, in the diagnosis and pathogenesis of HCV infection. Methods: A total number of 432 patients with various liver diseases including acute and chronic/end stage liver diseases were analysed for HCV-related markers comprising anti-HCV, HCV-RNA and HCV-core. Results: HCV-core protein was found to be a better serum marker compared to anti-HCV and HCV-RNA for the diagnosis of HCV-infection in chronic liver diseases. HCV-core protein in serum shows a low prevalence in patients with acute infection. To explore the possibility of core-expression in liver pathology via its impact on oxidative stress and steatotic changes, we studied the sera level of lipids, lipoproteins, apoproteins and anti-oxidant levels in relation to HCV-core protein in serum. The analysis of data could not demonstrate any significant change in the level of these metabolites with presence or absence of HCV-core protein. This was explained as HCV-core expression having insignificant role in inducement of oxidative stress and development of steatosis to cause liver damage. This study also describes the varied prevalence of different HCV-genotypes in relation to HCV-core protein in these patients, thus, explaining that HCV-genotypes have little role in expression of HCV-core. Conclusion: Serum HCV-core protein has important role in the diagnosis of HCV infection. However, we could not observe any significant relation between HCV-core expression and liver steatosis, oxidative stress or HCV-genotypes in liver diseases.

Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky continue to cause considerable damage to maize grain in most stores in Africa. In the present study, laboratory experiments was conducted to investigate the potentials of Trichilia dregeana and Jatropha curcas seed oils for the protection of stored maize against two week old adult Sitophilus zeamais. The results indicated that Jatropha curcas seed oil and combination of the two seed oils (a synergic effect) caused 100% maize weevil’s mortality after one week exposure which is extremely high compared to negative control. The maize grains treated with seed oils and positive control showed a significant decrease of the number of holes compared to the negative control which indicates its protective effect against weevil from damaging the maize grains. Weevil perforation index ranged from 1.59 to 19.48 and indicate a highly positive protectant ability of the two seed oils. The computed percentage protectant ability of the two seed oils showed that 80.52-81.5% protectant ability in Trichilia dregeana seed oil, 96.87- 98.41% in Jatropha curcas seed oil, 98.41% in combination seed oils, and 98.41% in malathion powder. The results indicate that Jatropha curcas seed oil and combination of the two seed oils are highly effective as compared to Trichilia dregeana seed oil for maize seed protectant against Sitophilus zeamais. Thus, the order of protective ability of seed oils with various treatments on maize weevil were: Jatropha curcas seed oil > combination of Trichilia dregeana seed oil+ Jatropha curcas seed oil > Trichilia dregeana seed oil.

The knowledge of bioecology of any predator is essential to explore its biocontrol potential. This study presents the effect of different temperature regimes i.e., 22-27°c and 27-32°c on the development and survival of the predator Cydnocoris gilvus (Heteroptera:Reduviidae). Both temperatures showed deleterious effects on nymph development and nymph survival. The stadial period decreased with increasing temperature. The maximum rate of nymphal and egg development occurred at 27-32°C temperature range. When compared both temperature regimes in the laboratory, the incubation period averaged 8.7±0.3 and 4.0±0.1 respectively. The five nymphal stadia averaged 8.7, 8.0, 11.25, 11.25, 16.5, 84.5 and 4.0, 5.0, 8.6, 6.57, 8.43, 12.5 respectively. Total developmental time averaged 139.5d and 41.1d respectively.

The efficacy of diatomaceous earth (DEs) alone and combined with two microbial pathogens Nomuraea rileyi and Lecanicillium lecanii against two species, Bruchidius incarnatus and Rhyzopertha dominica was evaluated. Modified diatoms with Calcium hydroxide (Ca-DE) and modified diatoms with Sodium hydroxide (Na-DE) were the highlight treatments against tested insects and achieved the highest mortality percentages. Ca-DE was the most effective DE and accomplished the highest mortality percentages recorded 88% and 96% after treated R. dominica and B. incarnatus with 1.0%, respectively. The lowest mortality percentage was recorded in case of Al-DE at concentration 0.5% and amounted (21and 15%), for the corresponding species, respectively. Ca-DE and Na-DE were the most effective treatments in enhancing the potency of the tested fungi. The presences of DEs seem to have different types of impact on fungal potency. In most cases, DE combinations with tested fungi had synergistic effects, while Al-DE impaired the efficacy of N. rileyi against tested insects. Ca-DE has insecticidal, repellent and ovicidal effects against target insects. The current results revealed that both Ca-DE and Na-DE were the most effective DEs tested and they had synergistic effects on the potency of tested fungi.

Beta-cyfluthrin at 18 g a.i. ha-1 applied twice as foliar spray was found to be most effective in controlling the whitefly and dissipation pattern was studied by collecting okra fruits at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 days after last spray and analyzed at AINP on Pesticide Residues, Hyderabad. The initial deposits of beta-cyfluthrin (18.75 g a.i. ha-1) in okra fruits was 0.11 mg kg-1 dissipated to below detectable level (BDL) on 5th day.