Insect antifeedant properties of anthranoids from the genusVismia

Vismiones and ferruginins, representatives of a new class of lypophilic anthranoids from the genusVismia were found to inhibit feeding in larvae of species ofSpodoptera, Heliothis, and inLocusta migratoria.     

Methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoates Attract Stink Bugs and Tachinid Parasitoids

Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Pentatomidae), called the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), is a newly invasive species in the eastern USA that is rapidly spreading from the original point of establishment in Allentown, PA. In its native range, the BMSB is reportedly attracted to methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate, the male-produced pheromone of another pentatomid common in eastern Asia, Plautia stali Scott. In North America, Thyanta spp. are the only pentatomids known to produce methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoate [the (E,Z,Z)-isomer] as part of their pheromones. Methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoates were field-tested in Maryland to monitor the spread of the BMSB and to explore the possibility that Thyanta spp. are an alternate host for parasitic tachinid flies that use stink bug pheromones as host-finding kairomones. Here we report the first captures of adult and nymph BMSBs in traps baited with methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate in central Maryland and present data verifying that the tachinid, Euclytia flava (Townsend), exploits methyl (E,Z,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate as a kairomone. We also report the unexpected finding that various isomers of methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoate attract Acrosternum hilare (Say), although this bug apparently does not produce methyl decatrienoates. Other stink bugs and tachinids native to North America were also attracted to methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoates. These data indicate there are Heteroptera in North America in addition to Thyanta spp. that probably use methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoates as pheromones. The evidence that some pentatomids exploit the pheromones of other true bugs as kairomones to find food or to congregate as a passive defense against tachinid parasitism is discussed.     

2005～2006年国外塑料工业进展

收集了2005年7月～2006年6月国外塑料工业的相关资料，介绍了2005—2006年国外塑料工业的发展情况。提供了世界塑料产量、消费量及全球各类树脂生产量以及各国塑料制品的进出口情况。作为对比，介绍了中国塑料的生产情况。按通用热塑性树脂（聚乙烯、聚丙烯、聚苯乙烯、聚氯乙烯、ABS树脂）、工程塑料（聚酰胺、聚碳酸酯、聚甲醛、热塑性聚酯、聚苯醚）、通用热固性树脂（酚醛、聚氨酯、不饱和树脂、环氧树脂）、特种工程塑料（聚苯硫醚、液晶聚合物、聚醚醚酮）的品种顺序，对树脂的产量、消费量、供需状况及合成工艺、产品开发、树脂品种的延伸及应用的扩展作了详细的介绍。     

2007～2008年世界塑料工业进展

收集了2007年7月～2008年6月世界塑料工业的相关资料,介绍了2007～2008年国外塑料工业的发展情况,提供了世界塑料产量、消费量及全球各类树脂的需求量及产能情况.按通用热塑性树脂(聚乙烯、聚丙烯、聚苯乙烯、聚氯乙烯、ABS树脂)、工程塑料(尼龙、聚碳酸酯、聚甲醛、热塑性聚酯、聚苯醚)、特种工程塑料(聚苯·硫醚、液晶聚合物、聚醚醚酮)、通用热固性树脂(酚醛、聚氨酯、不饱和聚酯树脂、环氧树脂)不同品种的顺序,对树脂的产量、消费量、供需状况及合成工艺、产品应用开发、树脂品种的延伸及应用的进一步扩展等技术作了详细介绍.     

Inorganic/organic nanocomposite coatings: The next step in coating performance

Inorganic/organic hybrid materials have considerable promise and are beginning to become a major area of research for many coating usages, including abrasion and corrosion resistance. Our primary approach is to prepare the inorganic phase in situ within the film formation process of the organic phase. The inorganic phase is introduced via sol-gel chemistry into a thermosetting organic phase. By this method, the size, periodicity, spatial positioning, and density of the inorganic phase can be controlled. An important aspect of the inorganic/organic hybrid materials is the coupling agent. The initial task of the coupling agent is to provide uniform mixing of the oligomeric organic phase with the sol-gel precursors, which are otherwise immiscible. UV-curable inorganic/organic hybrid systems have the advantages of a rapid cure and the ability to be used on heat sensitive substrates such as molded plastics. Also, it is possible to have better control of the growth of the inorganic phase using UV curing. It is our ultimate goal to completely separate the curing of inorganic and organic phases to gain complete control over the morphology, and hence optimization of “all” the coating properties. Thus far, it has been found that concomitant UV curing of the inorganic and organic phases using titanium sol-gel precursors afforded nanocomposite coatings which completely block the substrate from UV light while maintaining a transparent to visible light. Also, it has been found that the morphology of the inorganic phase is highly dependent on the concentration and reactivity of the coupling agent. Presented at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology, October 27–29, 2004, in Chicago, IL.     

Ethanol and (−)-α-Pinene: Attractant Kairomones for Some Large Wood-Boring Beetles in Southeastern USA

Ethanol and α-pinene were tested as attractants for large wood-boring pine beetles in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina in 2002–2004. Multiple-funnel traps baited with (−)-α-pinene (released at about 2 g/d at 25–28°C) were attractive to the following Cerambycidae: Acanthocinus nodosus, A. obsoletus, Arhopalus rusticus nubilus, Asemum striatum, Monochamus titillator, Prionus pocularis, Xylotrechus integer, and X. sagittatus sagittatus. Buprestis lineata (Buprestidae), Alaus myops (Elateridae), and Hylobius pales and Pachylobius picivorus (Curculionidae) were also attracted to traps baited with (−)-α-pinene. In many locations, ethanol synergized attraction of the cerambycids Acanthocinus nodosus, A. obsoletus, Arhopalus r. nubilus, Monochamus titillator, and Xylotrechus s. sagittatus (but not Asemum striatum, Prionus pocularis, or Xylotrechus integer) to traps baited with (−)-α-pinene. Similarly, attraction of Alaus myops, Hylobius pales, and Pachylobius picivorus (but not Buprestis lineata) to traps baited with (−)-α-pinene was synergized by ethanol. These results provide support for the use of traps baited with ethanol and (−)-α-pinene to detect and monitor common large wood-boring beetles from the southeastern region of the USA at ports-of-entry in other countries, as well as forested areas in the USA.     

Soil nutrient depletion by agricultural production in Southern Mali

The degree of soil mining by agricultural production in Southern Mali is assessed by calculating nutrient balances: differences between the amount of plant nutrients exported from the cultivated fields, and those added to the fields. Export processes include extraction by crops, losses due to leaching, to erosion, and to volatilization and denitrification. Inputs include applications of fertilizer and manure, restitution of crop residues, nitrogen fixation, atmospheric deposition of nutrients in rain and dust, and enrichment by weathering of soil minerals. Nutrient balances are calculated for N, P, K, Ca, and Mg. Both pessimistic and optimistic estimates are given.The resulting figures indicate, even when the most optimistic estimates are used, large deficits for nitrogen, potassium and magnesium. For the region as a whole, the calculated deficits are -25 kg N/ha,-20 kg K/ha, and -5 kg Mg/ha. Further, acidification is to be expected, in particular in areas where cotton is grown. The deficits are caused by traditional cereal crops, but also by cotton and especially by groundnut. The latter two crops are fertilized, but insufficiently. It is important to note, that the negative figures are not automatic recommendations for application of a specific amount of additional fertilizer. For phosphorus and calcium the balance of the region as a whole appears to be about in equilibrium, but locally large variations may occur.Erosion and denitrification are important causes of nutrient loss, accounting respectively for 17 and 22% of total nitrogen exports. Atmospheric deposition and weathering of minerals in the soil are still important nutrient inputs that contribute as much as nutrients as organic and mineral fertilizer combined. Nutrient depletion is very large in comparison to the amount of fertilizer applied. Drastic options, such as doubling the application of fertilizer or manure, or halving erosion losses, even if feasible, would still not be enough to make up for the calculated deficits.The annual value of withdrawn nutrients, if related to prices of fertilizers, varies between 10,000 and 15,000 FCFA/ha (40-60 US $/ha). Since the estimated average gross margin from farming in this area is 34,000 FCFA/ha (123 US $/ha), soil mining appears to provide an amount equal to 40% of farmers' total income from agricultural activities.     

Allelopathic interactions among algae

Five species of green algae isolated from the Cleveland County, Oklahoma, area and a commercially obtained yellow-green alga were tested for allelopathic interactions. Axenic cultures ofPandorina morum Bory were stimulated in three sterile filtrates from nonaxenic cultures ofScenedesmus incrassatulus var.mononae G.M. Smith, with the oldest filtrate showing the least stimulation. By measuring the growth of axenic cultures inoculated into sterile filtrates of old cultures, instances of inhibition and stimulation were recorded in three screening experiments.Cosmarium vexatum West filtrate was inhibitory to the five other species, a characteristic probably important in its role of producing waterblooms in ponds and swamps. The allelopathic effects of filtrates of the five other species onBolrydium becherianum Vischer could be a key to its restriction to terrestrial sites. Instances of heat lability of the active substances were noted. These interactions, both allelopathic and stimulatory, probably play a significant role in the succession of algal blooms in nature.     

Semiochemicals from Fungal Associates of Bark Beetles May Mediate Host Location Behavior of Parasitoids

In laboratory olfactometer bioassays, females of two hymenopteran parasitoid species, Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Spathius pallidus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), were attracted to odors from bark or bolts of loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., colonized by bluestain fungi (genus Ophiostoma) associated with the parasitoids' bark beetle hosts. Mock-inoculated bolts and bark were less attractive or unattractive in these bioassays. Bark infested with host larvae that lacked their fungal and other normal microbial associates was attractive to R. xylophagorum females, but was less so than bark infested with larvae possessing their normal complement of associated microbes. In contrast, in oviposition bioassays, R. xylophagorum females spent approximately equal time searching, made similar numbers of oviposition attempts, parasitized similar percentages of hosts, and laid similar numbers of eggs in bark fragments infested with either associate-free or associate-bearing host larvae. Furthermore, in field bioassays using bluestain-inoculated or mock-inoculated loblolly pine bolts as sources of attractants, the numbers of parasitoids attracted by the two treatments did not differ significantly and the two treatments were less attractive than bolts naturally infested with bark beetle larvae. Whereas our laboratory olfactometer data suggest that bark beetle fungal associates may enhance attraction of some parasitoids, our bioassays with associate-free hosts indicate that associate-produced are not required for short-range host location and parasitization. In addition, our field trials indicated that long-range attraction of parasitoids to the host-fungi-tree complex is not caused simply by an interaction between bluestain fungi and tree tissues.     

Pentacyclic Triterpenes with Selective Bioactivity from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sebastiania adenophora</Emphasis> Leaves,Euphorbiaceae

Six known pentacyclic triterpenes possessing oleanane, lupane, or taraxerane-type skeletons were isolated from the leaves of Sebastiania adenophora (Euphorbiaceae) and are reported for the first time in this species. These compounds include 3-epi-β-amyrin, β-amyrinone, 3-epi-lupeol, lupenone, taraxerol, and taraxerone. Structures were elucidated by comparison with literature data. The bioactivities of these compounds were tested on the root growth of Amaranthus hypochondriacus, amaranth (Amaranthaceae), Lycopersicon esculentum, tomato (Solanaceae), and Echinochloa crus-galli, barnyard grass (Poaceae). All six triterpenes were selectively bioactive. An important stimulatory effect was observed on amaranth root growth (23% to 56%) for almost all tested triterpenes (250 μg/ml). These triterpenes significantly inhibited the root growth of barnyard grass (28% to 78%) and tomato (23% to 49%). Aqueous leachate and organic extracts of S. adenophora leaves significantly inhibited the root growth of all test species. The possible ecological role of the allelochemicals isolated is discussed.