Laboratory evaluation of toxicity of selected insecticides against egg and larval stages of cotton pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Background The cryptic nature of pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella(Saunders)larvae enables its reduced vul-nerability to insecticidal control.Further,the development of resistance against Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt)toxins posed a serious threat to transgenic cotton cultivation.This necessitated determining the critical timing of spray applications on the control effectiveness.This study assessed the influence of egg age(freshly laid vs.three-day-old)and the loca-tion of larvae(directly exposed to the insecticide residues on the boll rind vs.burrowed inside the bolls)on insecticide control efficacy.Results The results revealed a significant decrease in the ovicidal activity of tested insecticides with an increase in the age of eggs from one day old to three days old(paired t-test,P<0.05).The larvae directly exposed to the insec-ticide residues on the boll rind were more susceptible(>80%mortality)than the larvae exposed after they had bur-rowed inside the bolls(<49%mortality).The inhibitory effects of tested insecticides on developmental biology were more pronounced in the experiment on pre-larval release insecticide treatment compared with insecticide treatment given post-larval release and entry inside the bolls.Conclusion Egg age influences the insecticide susceptibility,as does the larval location,directly exposed vs bur-rowed inside the bolls.Older eggs and the larvae that had burrowed inside the green bolls of cotton were relatively less susceptible to the insecticide treatments.The toxic effects of insecticides on egg and larval stages were primar-ily ephemeral.These findings are significant for devising a comprehensive strategy for pink bollworm management on a sustainable basis.

Experimental study of ultrasonic atomizer effects on values of EC and pH of nutrient solution

The objectives of this research were to reveal how main working parameters of ultrasonic atomizers would influence key properties of the atomized nutrient solution in an aeroponics system.The Yamazaki tomato nutrient solution was selected as a nutrient example.Uniform design(UD)method U_(12)(12^(2)×13)was adopted to arrange the test.In this test,spraying time and interval time were taken as quantitative factors with 12 levels(10,20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90,100,110,and 120 min,respectively),and ultrasonic atomizer frequency was taken as qualitative factor with 3 conditions(28 kHz,107 kHz,1.7 MHz).Based on test data,two regression formulations used to predict the values ofΔEC,andΔpH of atomized Yamazaki tomato nutrient solution was established and inspected.The spraying interval time of ultrasonic atomizers had no significant effect on EC and pH of the atomized Yamazaki tomato nutrient solution;the ultrasonic atomizer frequency was more effective than spraying time on the values of EC and pH;the values of EC and pH became maximum at(f_(3),T_(1))=(1.7 MHz,120 min)and minimum at(f_(1),T_(1))=(28 kHz,10 min).It was concluded that the effect of high-frequency(1.7 MHz)ultrasonic atomizer on EC and pH of the Yamazaki tomato nutrient solution was beyond the standard value for tomato growth.Therefore,the high-frequency(1.7 MHz)ultrasonic atomizer is not suitable for aeroponics cultivation when using the Yamazaki tomato nutrient solution as aeroponics nutrient solution.