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Summary Forests are the most important carbon pools among terrestrial ecosystems, and ensuring less disturbance of sacred groves might constitute a form of forest management for carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. The carbon contents in Zagros oak sacred groves and silvopastoral lands were compared to determine the carbon sequestration potential of these forests. Using a nested sampling design, we measured total carbon content (tC ha–1; aboveground tree biomass, aboveground sapling biomass, belowground biomass, soil organic carbon, leaf litter, herbs and grasses and dead wood and fallen stumps) in both forest groves and silvopastoral lands. The mean total biomass and mean total carbon content varied between sacred groves (453.8 t ha–1 and 338.79 tC ha–1, respectively) and silvopastoral lands (89.4 t ha–1 and 113.46 tC ha–1, respectively). Mean soil organic carbon was significantly lower (71.44 tC ha–1) in silvopastoral lands than in sacred groves (125.49 tC ha–1). The mean total sequestered carbon dioxide (CO2) was 1243.36 tCO2 ha–1 in the sacred groves and 416.40 tCO2 ha–1 in silvopastoral lands. We conclude that human activities have reduced the CO2 absorption capacity of the forests. The substantial disparities between the landscapes emphasize the need to restore damaged forests, and sacred groves might be a useful model for increasing carbon storage in these forests.

Insect glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) serve critical roles in insecticides and other forms of xenobiotic chemical detoxification. The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is a major agricultural pest in several countries, especially Egypt. This is the first study to identify and characterize GST genes in S. frugiperda under insecticidal stress. The present work evaluated the toxicity of emamectin benzoate (EBZ) and chlorantraniliprole (CHP) against the third-instar larvae of S. frugiperda using the leaf disk method. The LC50 values of EBZ and CHP were 0.029 and 1.250 mg/L after 24 h of exposure. Moreover, we identified 31 GST genes, including 28 cytosolic and 3 microsomal SfGSTs from a transcriptome analysis and the genome data of S. frugiperda. Depending on the phylogenetic analysis, sfGSTs were divided into six classes (delta, epsilon, omega, sigma, theta, and microsomal). Furthermore, we investigated the mRNA levels of 28 GST genes using qRT-PCR under EBZ and CHP stress in the third-instar larvae of S. frugiperda. Interestingly, SfGSTe10 and SfGSTe13 stood out with the highest expression after the EBZ and CHP treatments. Finally, a molecular docking model was constructed between EBZ and CHP using the most upregulated genes (SfGSTe10 and SfGSTe13) and the least upregulated genes (SfGSTs1 and SfGSTe2) of S. frugiperda larvae. The molecular docking study showed EBZ and CHP have a high binding affinity with SfGSTe10, with docking energy values of −24.41 and −26.72 kcal/mol, respectively, and sfGSTe13, with docking energy values of −26.85 and −26.78 kcal/mol, respectively. Our findings are important for understanding the role of GSTs in S. frugiperda regarding detoxification processes for EBZ and CHP.

The increasing demand for agricultural products can be met by maximizing production potential and reducing crop losses caused by common plant-parasitic nematodes. Chemical-based nematode management is a successful technique for mitigating damage and yield losses caused by nematode pests; however, inappropriate and irresponsible application of synthetic pesticides has negative impacts on fauna, bioflora, and natural enemies such as predators and parasites. The use of biocontrol agents is the most appreciated method for nematode control among farmers because it’s safe and reduces environmental pollution. There is increasing focus on the biological control of plant-parasitic nematodes using plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a biopesticide. Moreover, PGPR strains can promote plant growth by producing various secondary metabolites of these PGPRs. This review focuses on the direct (Nitrogen fixation, phytohormone formation, phosphate solubilization, Potassium solubilization, siderophores and ammonia production) and indirect mechanisms (Hyperparasitism, antibiosis, lytic enzyme production, induced systemic resistance) of action of PGPR in plant-parasitic nematodes management, and the future prospects of PGPR-based plant-parasitic nematodes biocontrol agents.

Bio-fertilization is a sustainable agricultural practice that includes using bio-fertilizers to increase soil nutrient content resulting in higher productivity. Soil micro-flora has been exposed to improve soil fertility and increase biomass productivity and identified as a correct environmentally friendly bio-based fertilizer for pollution-free agricultural applies. The majority of cyanobacteria can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and several species including

About one-third of the earth’s land area consists of acidic soils. The rhizotoxic Al3+ is one of the primary constraints associated with low soil pH. Various Amaranthus species are important components of the weed flora in tea plantations on acid soils in north Iran. In this study, four Amaranthus species (A. blitoides, A. retroflexus, A. cruentus, and A. tricolor) were grown under hydroponic conditions with total Al concentrations of 0, 20, 50, 200, and 400 µM corresponding to free Al3+ activity of 0, 3.75, 11.97, 60.34, and 125 µM, respectively. Low Al concentrations (20, 50, or 200 µM) stimulated plant growth, A. tricolor demonstrated the highest improvement in shoot growth (93%), whereas A. retroflexus exhibited the greatest improvement in root biomass (367%), total root length (173%), and aproot length (32%). Although the response of shoot biomass to 400 µM Al varied among species, all species were able to accumulate Al in the leaves above the critical level considered for Al hyperaccumulation (1 mg g–1 DW). Our findings revealed Al accumulation in Amaranthus species for the first time at the genus and family levels, suggesting that these species are suitable for the restoration and revegetation of acid-eroded soils.

Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly therapy to minimize soil pollution. Cypermethrin (CYP) is one of the most frequently used pyrethroid insecticides against a variety of pests. We aimed at evaluating the potential of using an economic plant like tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) as a control alone and together with Plantago major L. (PM) for the uptake of CYP residue from contaminated soil, also, investigating the antioxidant enzymes such as (SOD, POD, and CAT) in roots of PM and tomato. For the first time, we studied the intercropping between PM on tomato plants for the uptake of CYP residue from contaminated soil and phytoremediation of PM as a curative plant to save tomato plants from CYP residue. In a pot experiment, we have cultivated PM and tomato in soil polluted with CYP (10 μg g−1). Data showed that PM and tomato accumulated significant amounts of CYP in their tissues. However, PM is better than tomato in uptake CYP from the soil. The longest half-life value (t1/2) of CYP was in PM + tomato together treatment (12.7 days), and the shortest was in the soil with tomato alone (6.81 days). Moreover, the activity of SOD, POD, and CAT in treated tomato and PM roots significantly (p > 0.05) exceeded control plants after 8 days from exposure. In this study, a good strategy was recommended to uptake CYP residue from soil by PM and protect tomato plants from CYP residue as well as safe for human and non-target organisms.

Background Compatibility of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) with insecticides is a crucial mainstay of integrated pest management (IPM) programs. This study was designed to evaluate the joint action of EPN species and insecticides when employed to deter 3rd and 4th larval instars of cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) under laboratory conditions. EPNs [Steinernema carpocapsae (All strain), S. feltiae (Filipjev), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (HP88), and H. bacteriophora (Ar-4)], at concentrations of 50, 100, and 125 IJs/larva, were tested with 3 insecticides (lambda-cyhalothrin, emamectin benzoate, and indoxacarb) at LC25 and LC50 values. Additionally, expression profiles of 2 detoxification genes (CYP6AE120 and PrGSTs1) when the 4th instar larvae were treated by H. bacteriophora (HP88) and lambda-cyhalothrin were examined. Results Data indicated that statistically significant mortality of 2 larval instars of P. rapae was observed in vitro among EPN species and pesticide concentrations. At concentration of 50 IJs/larva, LT50 values were 2.385 and 3.92 days for S. carpocapsae (All strain) and H. bacteriophora(Ar-4), respectively, on 3rd instar larvae; also, these values were 3.506 and 3.107 days for S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora (Ar-4), respectively, on 4th instar larvae Lambda-cyhalothrin was the most toxic insecticide, followed by emamectin benzoate and indoxacarb at LC25 and LC50, respectively. An additive effect was observed between EPN species with LC25 and LC50 of the tested insecticides, except for lambda-cyhalothrin at LC50 with H. bacteriophora (Ar-4), and indoxacarb, with all EPNs showing antagonistic effects on mortality of 3rd instar larvae after 3 days post-treatment. The interaction between the tested pesticides at LC25 and LC50 and EPN species, showed an additive effect, excluding lambda-cyhalothrin at LC25 with S. carpocapsae (All strain) and LC25 of indoxacarb with H. bacteriophora (Ar-4), which showed potentiation effects. The interaction of S. feltiae (Filipjev) with tested insecticides at LC50 exhibited an antagonistic effect on the mortality of 4th instar P. rapae larvae after 3 days post-treatment. The expression of both CYP6AE120 and PrGSTs1 was significantly up-regulated with lambda-cyhalothrin, followed by H. bacteriophora (HP88) compared to control. Conclusions The findings suggested that combining EPNs and the pesticide concentrations can be a practical strategy for managing P. rapae and could pave the way to using new control technologies in protecting organic farm vegetables from lepidopteran pests.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) drive the post-transcriptional repression of target mRNAs and play important roles in a variety of biological processes. miR-2766-3p is conserved and abundant in Lepidopteran species and may be involved in a variety of biological activities. In this study, Sex-miR-2766-3p was predicted to potentially bind to the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of cap ‘n’ collar isoform C (CncC) in Spodoptera exigua, and Sex-miR-2766-3p was confirmed to regulate the expression of SeCncC through screening with a luciferase reporter system. Although CRISPR/Cas9 has been extensively utilized to examine insect gene function, studies of miRNA function are still relatively uncommon. Thus, we employed CRISPR/Cas9 to knock out Sex-miR-2766-3p from S. exigua. However, the expression of SeCncC was not significantly altered in the knockout strain (2766-KO) compared with that of the WHS strain. This result suggested that a miRNA knockout might lack phenotypes because of genetic robustness. Additionally, we used transcriptome analysis to examine how the global gene expression patterns of the Sex-miR-2766-3p knockout strain varied. RNA-seq data revealed 1746 upregulated and 2183 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the 2766-KO strain, which might be the result of Sex-miR-2766-3p loss or DNA lesions as the trigger for transcriptional adaptation. GO function classification and KEGG pathway analyses showed that these DEGs were enriched for terms related to binding, catalytic activity, metabolic process, and signal transduction. Our findings demonstrated that S. exigua could compensate for the missing Sex-miR-2766-3p by maintaining the expression of SeCncC by other pathways.

The increased demand for agricultural produce can be attained by optimizing the productivity potential and minimizing losses caused by notorious plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) in crops. Given the exacerbation of the environmental pollution problem with pesticides, the use of potential biocontrol agents is the most acceptable way of nematode management by the farming community. This study conducted a survey to evaluate three animal [chicken (3.0 g/plant), sheep (5.0 g/plant), and cow (5 g/plant)] manures on soil nematode communities on cucumber under greenhouse conditions and inoculated with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and their infectivity and the plant growth and crop production of tomato under field conditions compared to oxamyl (0.3 mL/plant). The survey concluded to spread 10 PPN genera, free-living nematodes (FLNs; Genus: Rhabditis), and predacious nematodes (PNs; Order: Mononchida). The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne spp. occupied the highest population density (PD; 60.41%), followed by the lesion nematode Pratylenchus spp. (38.72%) and then the spiral nematodes Helicotylenchus spp. (9.89%) and Tylenchus spp. (9.54%). The frequency of occurrence of phytonematode genera illustrated that Meloidogyne (35.41%), Pratylenchus (17.18%), Tylenchorhynchus (15.62%), and Tylenchus (11.45%) were the most frequent genera of phytonematodes. The higher prominence value was recorded with Meloidogyne, followed by Pratylenchus and Tylenchus. Under greenhouse conditions, an increase in plant growth parameters was recorded in cucumber plants that received the recommended rate of chicken, cow, and sheep manures, with no significant differences between chicken manure and oxamyl in root length and stem diameter. However, chicken manure treatment surpassed oxamyl in fresh root weight. Animal manure effects were extended for a long period in protective cucumber plants compared to control treatment by recording the lowest PD of Helicotylenchus spp., Tylenchorhynchus spp., and Pratylenchus spp. and the maximum decrease in galling and reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita. In the field experiment, test manures and PGPR combinations achieved maximum enhancement in tomato yield/plant compared to animal manures alone. The minimized numbers of M. incognita population coincided with the sustainable numbers of FLNs and PNs. Thus, the application of animal manures mixed with PGPR is a potential alternative to pesticides for the biological control of nematodes.

Biological control using rhizosphere bacteria, Pseudomonas spp. and Serratia spp. is a prospective alternative technique to overcome plant parasitic nematodes infection. So, the current study was conducted in vitro on five egg-masses, 100 free eggs and 100 infective juveniles (IJs) of Meloidogyne incognita as well as greenhouse treatments on Luffa aegyptiaca L. to evaluate the nematicidal potential of six strains belong to Pseudomonas spp. and Serratia spp. as compared to oxamyl. Results showed that the inhibitory effect and juvenile mortality varied according to bacteria species, strains and exposure time. All the tested bacteria significantly (P ≤ 0.05) inhibited egg hatching and increased juvenile mortality in vitro. After 3 days of treatment, Pseudomonas spp. were more effective against eggs (48.31to 55.15%) and IJs (20.98 to 25.30%) than Serratia spp. (44.55 to 49.75% with eggs) and (19.06 to 21.61% with IJs), respectively. In the pot experiment, Luffa aegyptiaca L. treated with Serratia spp. and Pseudomonas spp. displayed significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) levels of growth (as indicated by root length, fresh roots weight and fresh shoots weight) compared to control plants and significantly (P ≤ 0.05) suppressed galling (number of galls) and reproduction (as indicated by number of egg-masses on roots and number of eggs and juveniles in pot soil). Meanwhile, among the treated plants, Serratia spp. and Pseudomonas spp. gave the best results in shoot weight of pots infected by eggs of M. incognita than those infected with IJs as compared with positive control. While, oxamyl treatment gave the best results in pots infected by eggs and IJs. The lowest galling (gall index), number of eggs and juveniles in soil was observed in the treatment with mixture of Serratia spp. and Pseudomonas spp. as well as, enhanced growth of sponge gourd more than application each of them alone. Pots treated with oxamyl overwhelmed those treated with mixture of Serratia spp. and Pseudomonas spp.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) drive the post-transcriptional repression of target mRNAs and play important roles in a variety of biological processes. miR-2766-3p is conserved and abundant in Lepidopteran species and may be involved in a variety of biological activities. In this study, Sex-miR-2766-3p was predicted to potentially bind to the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of cap 'n' collar isoform C (CncC) in

Extensive use of abamectin (ABM) as an anthelmintic in veterinary systems adversely affects the health and welfare of animals and humans. Zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) have therapeutic benefits and ameliorate the effect of environmental pollutants. In this study, we assessed the ameliorative effect of ZnNPs against the sub-lethal toxicity of ABM in rats. Forty healthy rats were randomly selected into four groups (n = 10); the control received normal saline and test rats were treated orally twice weekly with ABM (1 mg/kg bwt), ZnNPs (10 mg/kg bwt) and ABM + ZnNPs for 28 days. Upon completion of the study period, blood and tissue samples were collected and prepared for hematological, biochemical, pathological, and immunohistochemical analysis. Our results showed that ABM treatment significantly decreased body weight gain (BWG), red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HC), and platelet (PLT); while it significantly increased white blood cells (WBCs) and lymphocytes. ABM also significantly decreased antioxidant enzyme activities: superoxide dismuthase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) and increased hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels compared with other groups. ABM significantly raised alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate amino transaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, which was restored by co-administration of ZnNPs. Moreover, ZnNPs ameliorated ABM-mediated negative histopathological changes in the liver and kidney tissues, exhibiting a significant protective effect. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) + immuno-expression were reduced after pretreatment with ZnNPs. These findings suggested that co-administration of ZnNPs with ABM mitigated its toxicity by combating oxidative stress and boosting antioxidant capacity, indicating the efficacy of ZnNPs in attenuating ABM toxicity.

Insect cytochrome P450 monooxygenases play important roles in the detoxification metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds. Haedoxan A (HA) from Phryma leptostachya L. is a highly efficient natural pesticide used to control houseflies and mosquitos. CYP4C21 and CYP304A1 were previously demonstrated to be transcriptionally increased in Aedes albopictus in response to HA exposure, but their involvement in HA metabolism is unknown.Our data showed that CYP304A1 expression levels in A. albopictus were highest in third-instar larvae, and the expression level of CYP4C21 decreased significantly with the growth of instars, with the lowest occurring in the pupal stage. Compared with the control, the silencing of CYP304A1 and CYP4C21 genes by chitosan nanoparticle-mediated RNA interference could deplete 58.2% and 54.0% of the expression of corresponding genes, respectively. The bioassay data showed that knocking down the expression of CYP304A1 increased the mortality of A. albopictus when exposed to HA at LCThis finding showed that inducibility was not always linked to detoxifying capabilities, and enhanced our understanding of the molecular basis of HA metabolic detoxification in A. albopictus. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Herbicides reduce the unsafe effects of weeds, but they are likely to have negative impact on essential and secondary metabolism in crops. However, the combined effect of different herbicides on chemical constituents of different varieties of wheat is still not fully obvious. The current investigation was carried out to determine the effects of three post-emergence herbicides (pinoxaden, tribenuron-methyl, and pyroxsulam) on total protein, lipid, and carbohydrate concentrations of three bread wheat cultivars (Misr 1, Giza 171, and Gemmiza 11). These herbicides were added individually and in combinations at recommended and/or half recommended doses. Our findings revealed that the individual application of herbicides decreased total protein and total lipid concentrations in fresh shoots of the three studied wheat cultivars, but increased total carbohydrate concentration. Combined addition of herbicides at recommended and half recommended doses generally decreased the concentrations of total proteins, total lipids, and total carbohydrates. However, the combined addition of tribenuron-methyl and pinoxaden at recommended dose enhanced total protein and total lipid concentrations under Misr1 and Gemmiza 11 cultivars compared to control treatment. Furthermore, the combined addition of tribenuron-methyl and pyroxsulam at half recommended dose enhanced total protein concentration in Giza 171 up to 15.05% and Gemmiza 11 up to 15.09% cultivars, and total lipid concentration in Misr 1 (7.53%) and Giza 171 (9.81%) cultivars against control treatment, where it was the lowest. Total carbohydrate concentration was enhanced by the sole application of pinoxaden by 53.55%, 52.40%, and 51.79% for Misr 1, Giza 171, and Gemmiza 11 cultivars, respectively. Moreover, individual or combined additions of the studied pesticides at recommended and half recommended doses negatively affected wheat grains under all cultivars via decreasing their concentration of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) as well as total protein and total carbohydrates. The highest reduction of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium concentrations compared to control was observed when tribenuron-methyl+pyroxsulam was applied at the half recommended dose under the three studied cultivars. However, the combined application of tribenuron-methyl+pyroxsulam at the half recommended dose caused the great depression in total proteins and total carbohydrates of wheat grains. Under the stress effect of herbicides, individual application of pinoxaden gave the best results for nitrogen and potassium content as well as total protein and total carbohydrate concentrations in the three studied wheat grain cultivars.

Highly active and novel antifungal compounds are continuously researched from natural products for pesticide development. Picrasma quassioides (D. Don) Benn, a species of Simaroubaceae, is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat colds and upper respiratory infections. In this study, the active ingredients of P. quassioides and their antifungal activities against plant pathogenic fungi are investigated to explore the practical application of the plant in the agricultural field. The results showed that the extracts of P. quassioides exhibited highly significant preventive and curative effects on apple valsa canker (AVC) with a reduction of lesion diameter were 80.28% and 83.63%, respectively, and can improve the resistance of apple trees to a pathogen. Five antifungal compounds, namely, canthin-6-one (T1), nigakinone (T2), 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one (T3), 1-methoxycarbonyl-β-carboline (T4), and 1-methoxycarbonyl-3-methoxyl-β-carboline (T5), are isolated from P. quassioides using the bioassay-guided method. This is the first report of 1-methoxycarbonyl-3-methoxyl-β-carboline as a natural product. Canthin-6-one shows strong in vitro inhibitory activity against 11 species of plant pathogenic fungi, and their EC

The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübna) is a serious agricultural pest that is challenging to control due to resistance to most pesticides, including pyrethroids. This resistance has previously been linked to the knockdown resistance (kdr) mutation (L1014F) of the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) in S. exigua. To better understand the frequencies of the kdr mutation of SeVGSC and identify the evolutionary origins of kdr mutation in S. exigua, seven populations of S. exigua were collected in China, and partial SeVGSC genomic sequences for each individual were acquired. The bioassays showed that the survival rates of seven populations of S. exigua larvae exposed to the discriminating dose of beta-cypermethrin (0.05 mg/cm2) ranged from 91.66% to 100%, indicating that all seven populations had evolved resistance to beta-cypermethrin. The frequencies of kdr mutation (CTT to TTT) of SeVGSC of field populations ranged China were from 60% to 89.6%. The CTT to CAT substitution at this coding position resulting in the L1014H (kdr-H) mutation was found in only one individual from the QP18 population. Based on the phylogeny of SeVGSC alleles, it appeared that the kdr mutation in S. exigua populations had multiple origins, which has major consequences for pyrethroid effectiveness in the field. Thus, it is recommended to limit the use of pyrethroid and encourage rotation of insecticides with different modes of action for control of S. exigua to alleviate resistance development.

Herbicides are the most effective tool against weed flora in cereal crops that help to maintain and increase crop yields. This investigation was conducted in the winter season of 2018 to study the stress effect of three post-emergence herbicides including pinoxaden, tribenuron-methyl, and pyroxsulam on the biochemical changes at the molecular cell level of wheat. These herbicides were applied either lonely with a rate of 0.45 L.ha−1, 22.5 gm.ha−1, and 0.16 Ib a.i/A, respectively, or in combinations together on three Egyptian varieties of bread wheat known as Misr 1, Giza17 1, and Gemmiza 11. Firstly, the abovementioned herbicides were used at the recommended and half recommended doses with their combinations for these varieties to investigate DNA-protein linkage as a signal effect of herbicides at the molecular cell level. Our data showed that the treatment of wheat varieties with the tested herbicides induced new bands with low and high molecular weights of 37.49, 40.08, 146.55, and 147.23 KDa with relative mobility of 0.1574, 0.1603, 0.2166, and 0.2168, respectively. These bands were not presented in the control treatment, suggesting that it might be used as a biochemical marker for plant defense genes. Meanwhile, the control treatment exhibited only five or six bands in the three varieties. However, the tested varieties showed that the same number of bands, the molecular weights of bands, and their relative mobility were significantly varied between the single and the combinations treatment of herbicides. The best treatment was achieved by the combination between pinoxaden and tribenuron-methyl at a recommended dose which induced a large number of protein bands compared to the control treatment on the wheat variety cv. Misr 1, which gave one band with low molecular weight 71.44 KDa at Rf 0.1854 and other with the highest molecular weight 147.23 KDa at Rf 0.2168, compared to the control treatment.

The extensive use of wide-ranging insecticides in agricultural activities may develop resistance in insects. The dipping technique was utilized for examining changes in detoxifying enzyme levels in Spodoptera littoralis L. induced by cypermethrin (CYP) and spinosad (SPD) with and without a combination of three enzyme inhibitors: triphenyl phosphate (TPP), diethyl maleate (DEM), and piperonyl butoxide (PBO), at 70 μg/mL. PBO, DEM, and TPP showed 50% mortality against larvae at 236.2, 324.5, and 245.8 μg/mL, respectively. The LC50 value of CYP on S. littoralis larvae reduced from 2.86 μg/mL to 1.58, 2.26, and 1.96 μg/mL, while the LC50 value of SPD declined from 3.27 μg/mL to 2.34, 2.56, and 2.53, with the addition of PBO, DEM, and TPP, respectively, 24 h after treatment. Moreover, the activity of carboxylesterase (CarE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (Cyp 450) was significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) by TPP, DEM, PBO plus CYP, and SPD in S. littoralis larvae in comparison with tested insecticides alone. These findings suggested that three enzyme inhibitors play a major role in increasing the toxicity of CYP and SPD in S. littoralis and will provide insight into how to overcome insecticide resistance in insects.

Eggplant and pepper plants were sprayed with abamectin and buprofezin, respectively once at the recommended rate to study the residues and effect of tap water and acetic acid (1%) treatment as washing solution on their residues. Their risk assessment was also studied and summarized results show the following: The initial amounts of each pesticide in leaves of eggplant and pepper were much higher than the fruits. Loss percentages in residue amounts were higher in eggplant and pepper fruits than leaves. The washing of treated fruits (eggplant and pepper) with tap water and acetic acid 1% reduced considerable amounts of abamectin and buprofezin residues and it was noticed that the effect of acetic acid 1% was better than tap water in removing pesticide residues. Abamectin half-life values were 2.23 and 3.58 days on eggplant fruits and eggplant leaves, respectively. Data also revealed that fruits were consumed safely after 9 days of treatment, according to the MRL (EU Pesticides database - European Commission was 0.09 mg/kg) and risk quotient (RQ). Washing with tap water and acetic acid (1%) doesn’t change this period. The calculated half-life values of buprofezin were 1.94 and 2.55 days in pepper fruits and leaves, respectively. This indicated that only 1 day was long enough to reduce the residues below the maximum residue limits (2mg/kg) on pepper according to the EU Pesticides database – European Commission and RQ. While washing with tap water and acetic acid (1%) reduced this period to two hours.

Background and objective: zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is one of the most important health problems in Golestan Province, northeastern Iran. Several studies have investigated various aspects of the disease in this province. Herein, we provide a detailed review of the results of all studies related to leishmaniasis to give a reliable insight into the state of the disease in this province. Methods: The search for articles was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science without language restriction until the beginning of 2019. Articles in Persian were retrieved from the Magiran, Scientific Information Database, and IranMedex. Overall, 41 articles were subjected to content analysis under the different themes. Results: Counties of Gonbad-e-Kavus and Maraveh Tappeh are endemic areas of ZCL with an incidence rate 99.4-379.1 in 100000 population and has mesoendemic situation in these counties. Leishmania major is the dominant (99.1%) agent of leishmaniasis. Among 18 sandflies species detected in the province, Phlebotomus papatasi was the main vector of the disease with a mean infection rate of 9.2%. Peak of sandflies activity was recorded in the mid-July and mid-September. Rhombomys opimus and Meriones libycus were the main reservoirs of this disease with a mean infection rate of 25.3 and 31.8%. The density of sandflies and wild rodents were highest in the endemic areas for ZCL. Conclusion: In Golestan Province, ZCL has been in a hypoendemic situation and in some areas in a mesoendemic situation and has increased significantly in recent years, so it is recommended to investigate the reasons for this increase.

Background: Leishmaniasis is one of the most important parasitic diseases in the Golestan Province, northeastern Iran. In this study, we summarize the results of studies on the disease and its causative agent Leishmania in humans, vectors and reservoirs in the Golestan Province, Iran. Methods: We retrieved all articles related to leishmaniasis in the Golestan Province, northern Iran from 1994 to 2018 in various databases including PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Articles in Persian were retrieved from the IranMedex, SID and Magiran. Reference lists of relevant articles were also hand-searched. Local active researchers in the field of leishmaniasis were contacted to avoid missing any relevant articles. Overall, 54 papers were extracted, later evaluated by two research team members based on inclusion criteria. All analyses were performed using the Stata 14 software. Pooled prevalence was calculated using the metaprop command and a random-effect model. The I² statistic was used for measuring heterogeneity of studies. Results: Ten articles in the province were related to detection of Leishmania species in patients with suspected cutaneous or visceral leishmaniasis. Fifteen articles were dedicated to identification of Leishmania species in disease reservoirs and five articles were about detection of the parasite in sand flies. The pooled prevalence of L. major in patients with acute ulcer, wild rodents and sandflies was 83%, 29% and 11%, respectively. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need for implementation of control measures among the reservoirs of both cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in the Golestan Province, Iran.

Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly therapy to minimize soil pollution. Cypermethrin (CYP) is one of the most frequently used pyrethroid insecticides against a variety of pests. We aimed at evaluating the potential of using economic plant like tomato as a control alone and together with Plantago major (PM) for the uptake CYP residue from contaminated soil. Also, investigating the antioxidant enzymes such as (SOD, POD and CAT) in roots of PM and tomato. For the first time, we documented the role of PM as a phytoremediator to protect tomato plants from the contamination of CYP pesticide. In a pot experiment, we have cultivated PM and tomato in a soil polluted with CYP (10 µg g− 1). Data showed that PM and tomato accumulated a significant amounts of CYP in their tissues. However, PM is better than tomato in uptake CYP from soil. The longest half-life value (t1/2) of CYP was in PM + tomato together treatment (12.7 days), and the shortest was in the soil with tomato alone (6.81 days). Moreover, the activity of SOD, POD and CAT in treated tomato and PM roots significantly (p > 0.05) exceeded control plants after 8 days from exposure. In this study, a good strategy was recommended to uptake CYP residue from soil by PM and protect tomato plants from CYP residue and also safe the human and non-target organisms.

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of three insecticides individually and in combination with two adjuvants (Tween 80 and Sylgard 309) for control of the wheat aphid, Schizaphis graminum and onion thrips, Thrips tabaci on wheat plants during two successive growing seasons 2016 and 2017. The three tested insecticides were lambda- cyhalothrin 5% EC at the rate of 100 ml/100 l , thiamethoxam 25% WG at the rate of 20 g/100 l and malathion 57% EC at the rate of 150 ml/100 l. Twelve treatments (11 insecticides and their mixtures with adjuvants + control) were replicated four times in a completely randomized design. Chemicals were sprayed using a knapsack sprayer motor in separated plots (1/100 faddan). Mean numbers of wheat aphids and onion thrips were recorded before spraying and post treatment periods of 1, 3, 7 and 10 days. Results showed that application of the tested insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin either individually or in combination with sylgard 309 or tween 80 resulted in a significant reduction in the number of the wheat aphid recording 100% mortality in all treatments as initial effect in both seasons 2016 and 2017. Based on general average, a clear effects of lambda-cyhalothrin with sylgard 309, lambda- cyhalothrin with tween 80 and lambda- cyhalothrin were the highly toxic and rapidly kill the tested aphid recording 96.73, 95.83 and 95.43% mortality, respectively, in season 2016 and 98.33, 98.12 and 97.35% mortality, respectively, in season 2017 followed by thiamethoxam and its mixtures then malathion with sylgard 309, malathion with tween 80 and malathion alone recording 86.30, 85.87 and 83.56% mortality, respectively, in season 2016 and 90.77, 90.63 and 88.60% mortality, respectively, in season 2017. After 1 day of spray, lambda-cyhalothrin recorded the most effective treatment resulting in 100% thrips reduction, the same result was recorded for lambda-cyhalothrin + sylgard 309 (100%) and lambda-cyhalothrin + tween 80 (100%). Thiamethoxam, malathion and their mixtures with the two adjuvants caused also 100% thrips reduction. Mortality percentage induced by sylgard 309 and tween 80 were only 56.67 and 49.58%, respectively during season 2016. Similar results were recorded after 24 hr. of application in the second season 2017. After 3, 7 and 10 days of treatments, lambda-cyhalothrin plus sylgard 309, lambda-cyhalothrin + tween 80 and lambda-cyhalothrin alone induced the highest percentages of mortality during seasons 2016 and 2017, respectively, which differed significantly than control. Moreover thiamethoxam with sylgard 309 was recorded 100, 92.77 and 87.40% thrips reduction after 3, 7 and 10 days from spray, respectively, during seasons 2017. However, the results showed also that malathion and its mixtures caused lower percent mortality than the other two tested insecticides and its mixtures during season 2016 and 2017. All the insecticides and their mixtures were significantly better than untreated check in reducing the tested pests population. Lambda- cyhalothrin proved the best effect followed by thiamethoxam and malathion.

Multispecies cropping systems contribute to sustainable agriculture with multiple ecosystem services. Effects of intercropping of various crops with faba beans on growth and yield parameters and disease severity of root rot, damping off and broomrape were investigated. This study was implemented in the laboratory, greenhouse and field to investigate the effect of the intercropping systems (fenugreek + faba bean, lupine + faba bean, garlic + faba bean and sole faba bean). The intercropping systems were combined with the application of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) and yeast as bio-control agents, compared to chemical application of herbicides (Glyphosate) and fungicides (Rizolex-T50), to control rot root diseases and broomrape weeds

Organic acids and plant extracts, which have a nemacidal action and may be used instead of nematicides that pollute the environment, are one way for controlling the pepper root-knot nematode. We provide in this study for a first time a new strategy for management

Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly therapy to minimize soil pollution. Cypermethrin (CYP) is one of the most frequently used pyrethroid insecticides against a variety of pests. We aimed at evaluating the potential of using an economic plant like tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) as a control alone and together with Plantago major L. (PM) for the uptake of CYP residue from contaminated soil, also, investigating the antioxidant enzymes such as (SOD, POD, and CAT) in roots of PM and tomato. For the first time, we studied the intercropping between PM on tomato plants for the uptake of CYP residue from contaminated soil and phytoremediation of PM as a curative plant to save tomato plants from CYP residue. In a pot experiment, we have cultivated PM and tomato in soil polluted with CYP (10 μg g

Chest pain is one of the most common complaints in the emergency department. The etiologies of chest pain include a wide spectrum of conditions, ranging from mild and self-limited to life-threatening conditions. Gastrointestinal origins of acute chest pain, including esophageal, gastric, and biliary conditions, are not uncommon. We present the case of a 67-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with chest pain of three hours duration with pressure-like quality. The pain was associated with sweating, palpitation, nausea, and vomiting. The past medical history of the patient was remarkable for ischemic heart disease and percutaneous cardiac intervention. Both the electrocardiograph and cardiac biomarkers were normal. The patient experienced severe episodes of vomiting with one episode containing a small amount of blood. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed distorted anatomy of the stomach. Subsequently, the patient underwent a computed tomography scan which demonstrated an organoaxial gastric volvulus. The patient was resuscitated and underwent laparoscopic repair of the volvulus. Acute gastric volvulus is a very rare etiology of chest pain. Despite its rarity, physicians should keep a high index of suspicion of this condition after excluding the possible cardiac causes of chest pain.

Background: Malaria resurgence has occurred in the northern half parts of Iran. The resurgence of malaria in the prone area could arise from various factors, e.g. wide use of pesticides in the agriculture sector and factors such as habitual patterns of movement of local people from problematic southeastern foci in Iran toward the Caspian Littoral. There are no new data on the re­sistance status of main malaria vectors in the Caspian Littoral, and this study was aimed at renewal data on conventional insecticides. Methods: The field strain of adult Anopheles superpictus and Anopheles maculipennis were collected using the hand catch method and transferred to the laboratory. The susceptibility tests were carried out against DDT 4%, Malathion 5%, Permethrin 0.75%, Deltamethrin 0.05%, and Lambda-cyhalothrin 0.05%, followed by the WHO’s procedure. Results: The primary malaria vector in Caspian Littoral is An. maculipennis, revealed to be still resistant to DDT and mortali­ty rate, LT50 and LT90 of female mosquitoes were 75.0%, 54.2, minutes and 111.3 minutes. The under ’verifica­tion re­quired’ status of An. maculipennis was also revealed to Lambda-cyhalothrin based on recent WHO’s criteria. The ma­laria vector An. superpictus is also considered the second malaria vectors in the west parts of the studied area, which showed to be susceptible to all insecticides tested. Conclusion: DDT resistance is persisted in An. maculipennis despite stopping residual spraying with DDT since 1978 in the Caspian Littoral, but the occurrence of pyrethroid under ’verification required’ status is a progressive threat to the possible development of cross-resistance in the future.

Voltage-gated sodium channels are the primary target of pyrethroid insecticides. Mutations in sodium channel confer knockdown resistance (kdr) to pyrethroids in various arthropod pests. Haedoxan A (HA) is the major insecticidal component from Phryma leptostachya. It has been shown that HA alters electrical responses at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction and modifies the gating properties of cockroach sodium channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. However, whether sodium channel mutations that confer pyrethroid resistance also affect the action of HA is unknown. In this study, we conducted bioassays using HA and permethrin in two Drosophila melanogaster strains: w1118 , an insecticide-susceptible strain, and parats1 , a pyrethroid-resistant strain due to a I265N mutation in the sodium channel, and identified a new case of negative cross-resistance (NCR) between permethrin and HA. Both parats1 larvae and adults were more resistant to permethrin, as expected. However, both parats1 larvae and adults were more sensitive to HA compared to w1118 . We confirmed that the I265N mutation reduced the sensitivity to permethrin of a Drosophila sodium channel variant, DmNav 22, expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Interestingly, the I265N mutation also abolished the effect of HA on sodium channels. Further characterization showed that I265 on the sodium channels is critical for the action of both pyrethroids and HA on sodium channels, pointing to an overlapping mode of action between pyrethroids and HA on the sodium channel. Overall, our results suggest an I265N-independnt mechanism(s) in parats1 flies that is responsible for the NCR between permethrin and HA at the whole insect level.

Background Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide has led to the global consequences of climate change. Biological carbon sequestration through vegetation and soils is one of the cost-effective ways to reduce this gas. Forest's ecosystems are the most important carbon pools among terrestrial ecosystems and play a sustainable and long-term role in reducing climate change. Among forest ecosystems, sacred groves are less-disturbed and they can be a pattern of successful forest management for carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. In the present study, for the first time, the amount of carbon content in sacred grove and silvopastoral lands were investigated to determine the capacity of Zagros oak forests in carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. The aim of this study was to estimate the amount of carbon reserves in mentioned land-uses in order to obtain a systematic attitude towards management of these different land-use types and attain a suitable solution to counter the climate change crisis and ultimately sustainable environmental development. Results The results showed that each of the studied variables in the two studied land use is significantly different from each other. The mean of each of these biomass or carbon pools in silvopastoral is significantly lower than sacred groves. The results indicate that the common utilizations in the forests of the study area cause a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.01) in the forest biomass value and respective carbon content. Sacred grove currently absorbs 826.96 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare more than silvopastoral lands and this is a sign of high degradation in the forests of the study area. Conclusions According to the results obtained in this study, forest ecosystems that are protected against human intervention play a significant role in long-term carbon storage. Any interference with the natural conditions of the ecosystem has a significant negative impact on carbon reserves. Therefore, by selecting appropriate measures, local communities should be empowered to reduce their dependence on low incomes obtained from deforestation and conversion.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of six acaricides against the two spotted spider mite, T. urticae, infesting eggplant and pepper plants during the two growing season, 2016 and 2017, under laboratory and field conditions. The tested acaricides namely: abamectin 1.8% EC, buprofezin 25% WP, Abamectin 5% EC, chlorfenapyr 24% SC, hexythiazox 5% WP and fenpyroximate 5% EC. Abamactin 1.8% was the most effective acaricides followed by buprofezin, abamactin 5%, chlorfenapyr, hexythiazox and fenpyroximate, respectively. The LC50 values were 1, 5, 10, 45, 88 and 100 mg/l, respectively. The tested acaricides indicated significant reduction for population of T. urticae under field conditions during the first and second seasons. The reduction percentages were 77.1, 58.8 and 44.4%, in the first season (2016) and 71.47, 64.5 and 53.6% in the second season (2017) for abamectin 1.8% EC, fenpyroximate and hexythiazox, respectively on eggplant. On the other hand, Buprofezin, chlorfenapyr and abamectin 5% showed significant reduction in population of T. urticae on pepper plant, in the first and second seasons (2016,2017) which recorded 71.5, 64.16 and 59.88%, 77.8, 66.85 and 66.4%, respectively.

Toxicity of five insecticides belonging to different groups of chemicals, namely: chlorpyrifos, methomyl, emamectin benzoate, protecto and biovar to cotton leafworm were evaluated under the field and laboratory conditions. The effect of the tested chemicals on some biological aspects of 2nd and 4th instar larvae of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptra littoralis (Boisd.) were investigated. The lethal concentrate (LC50 and LC90) values were calculated after 24, 48, and 72 hr., post-treatment. The obtained results showed that there was a wide range of toxicity of the tested pesticides; however the insecticide bestban showed to be the highest toxic compound effect against 2nd and 4th instar larvae, with LC50 and LC90 values after 72 hr., post-treatment recording 0.05, 0.22 mg/l and 0.15, 1.10 mg/l for 2nd and 4th instar larvae, respectively. On the other hand, the biopesticide biovar exhibited the lowest toxicity to the tested larvae at both levels of toxicity (LC50; LC90 values after 72 hr., recording 414; 856 mg/l and 1100; 1740 mg/l) for 2nd and 4th instar larvae, respectively. The other tested insecticides occupied an intermediate position between the highest and the lowest toxic pesticides. Regarding the biological effects, results showed that, the tested insecticides induced a clear reduction in mean larval weight and mean pupal weight compared with the control. The tested insecticides affected the larval duration, pupal duration, pupation, adult emergence and adult longevity.

No doubt that studying the secondary metabolites produced by plants can lead to the detection of new pesticides. In this study, we followed the bioassay-guided method to isolate active ingredients from Periploca sepium root barks (PSRB) and verified their antifungal activity against seven phytopathogenic fungi in vitro. A total of six pregnane glycosides were isolated and identified as periplocoside A (PSA), periplocoside D (PSD), periplocoside E (PSE), periplocoside F (PSF), periplocoside N (PSN) and periploside W (PSW). Bioassay results revealed that PSW exhibited highly significant antifungal activity against Valsa mali and Fusarium graminearum with EC50 values of 26.50 mg/L and 93.94 mg/L, respectively. In controlling apple Valsa canker, PSW (1000 mg/L) exhibited significantly higher protective activity with 85.40% than that efficacy with 64.62% obtained by carbendazim (200 mg/L). Whereas there is no significant difference between both of them in the curative efficacy with 71.32% and 69.70%, respectively. In conclusion, our study recommended the pregnane glycosides from PSRB as a new class of fungicides or fungicide lead compounds not only because of their potential antifungal activity, but also because of their safety for human beings, mammals and non-target organisms.

The distribution and abundance of Phlebotomus papatasi, the primary vector of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in most semi-/arid countries, is a major public health challenge. This study compares several approaches to model the spatial distribution of the species in an endemic region of the disease in Golestan province, northeast of Iran. The intent is to assist decision makers for targeted interventions. We developed a geo-database of the collected Phlebotominae sand flies from different parts of the study region. Sticky paper traps coated with castor oil were used to collect sand flies. In 44 out of 142 sampling sites, Ph. papatasi was present. We also gathered and prepared data on related environmental factors including topography, weather variables, distance to main rivers and remotely sensed data such as normalized difference vegetation cover and land surface temperature (LST) in a GIS framework. Applicability of three classifiers: (vanilla) logistic regression, random forest and support vector machine (SVM) were compared for predicting presence/absence of the vector. Predictive performances were compared using an independent dataset to generate area under the ROC curve (AUC) and Kappa statistics. All three models successfully predicted the presence/absence of the vector, however, the SVM classifier (Accuracy = 0.906, AUC = 0.974, Kappa = 0.876) outperformed the other classifiers on predicting accuracy. Moreover, this classifier was the most sensitive (85%), and the most specific (93%) model. Sensitivity analysis of the most accurate model (i.e. SVM) revealed that slope, nighttime LST in October and mean temperature of the wettest quarter were among the most important predictors. The findings suggest that machine learning techniques, especially the SVM classifier, when coupled with GIS and remote sensing data can be a useful and cost-effective way for identifying habitat suitability of the species.

Background & Objectives: Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are medically considered as one of the most important species of insects in terms of disease transmission to human beings; hence, they can be vectors of remarkable diseases such as malaria, West Nile, dengue fever, yellow fever, and filariasis. This study aimed to determine the species diversity and larval habitat characteristics of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Golestan Province in 2016. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, larval habitats of mosquitoes were investigated in 14 counties of Golestan Province. Samples were collected by a standard ladle used for entomology. The collected larvae in lactophenol solution were transferred to a medical entomology laboratory in Gonbad-e Qabus County, and then microscopic slides were prepared. Mosquitoes species were identified based on their morphologic attributes and authentic identification keys. Larval habitat characteristics were studied in terms of the habitat type (permanent or temporary), water conditions (clear or turbid, stagnant or running), vegetation (with or without vegetation), sunlight exposure (full or partial exposure), and others. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS software version 18. Results: On the basis of analysis, 2891 third and fourth instars larvae, 4 genera (Anopheles, Culex, Culiseta, and Ochlerotatus), and 9 species (Anopheles superpictus, Culex mimiticus, Culex perexiguus, Culex pipiens, Culex pusillus, Culex theileri, Culex tritaeniohynchus, Culiseta longiareolata, Ochlerotatus caspius) of mosquitoes were detected, with the Culex pipiens being recognized as the dominant species of this family in Golestan Province. Conclusion: Due to the high species diversity of Culicidae in Golestan Province, further studies are of essence to investigate the ecology of medically important species such as Culex pipiens, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, and Anopheles superpicts, which are the vectors of many diseases in Golestan province.

Herbicides reduce the unsafe effects of weeds, but they are likely to have negative impact on essential and secondary metabolism in crops. However, the combined effect of different herbicides on chemical constituents of different varieties of wheat is still not fully obvious. The current investigation was carried out to determine the effects of three post-emergence herbicides (pinoxaden, tribenuron-methyl, and pyroxsulam) on total protein, lipid, and carbohydrate concentrations of three bread wheat cultivars (Misr 1, Giza 171, and Gemmiza 11). These herbicides were added individually and in combinations at recommended and/or half recommended doses. Our findings revealed that the individual application of herbicides decreased total protein and total lipid concentrations in fresh shoots of the three studied wheat cultivars, but increased total carbohydrate concentration. Combined addition of herbicides at recommended and half recommended doses generally decreased the concentrations of total proteins, total lipids, and total carbohydrates. However, the combined addition of tribenuron-methyl and pinoxaden at recommended dose enhanced total protein and total lipid concentrations under Misr1 and Gemmiza 11 cultivars compared to control treatment. Furthermore, the combined addition of tribenuron-methyl and pyroxsulam at half recommended dose enhanced total protein concentration in Giza 171 up to 15.05% and Gemmiza 11 up to 15.09% cultivars, and total lipid concentration in Misr 1 (7.53%) and Giza 171 (9.81%) cultivars against control treatment, where it was the lowest. Total carbohydrate concentration was enhanced by the sole application of pinoxaden by 53.55%, 52.40%, and 51.79% for Misr 1, Giza 171, and Gemmiza 11 cultivars, respectively. Moreover, individual or combined additions of the studied pesticides at recommended and half recommended doses negatively affected wheat grains under all cultivars via decreasing their concentration of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) as well as total protein and total carbohydrates. The highest reduction of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium concentrations compared to control was observed when tribenuron-methyl+pyroxsulam was applied at the half recommended dose under the three studied cultivars. However, the combined application of tribenuron-methyl+pyroxsulam at the half recommended dose caused the great depression in total proteins and total carbohydrates of wheat grains. Under the stress effect of herbicides, individual application of pinoxaden gave the best results for nitrogen and potassium content as well as total protein and total carbohydrate concentrations in the three studied wheat grain cultivars.

Spinosyns, including spinosad and spinetoram, act on the insect central nervous system, gradually paralyzing or destroying the target insect. Spinosad resistance is associated with loss-of-function mutations in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α6 subunit in a number of agricultural pests. Using gene editing, nAChR α6 has been verified as a target for spinosyns in five insect species. Recently, a point mutation (G275E) in exon 9 of nAChR α6 was identified in spinosad-resistant strains of Thrips palmi and Tuta absoluta. To date, no in vivo functional evidence has been obtained to support that this mutation is involved in spinosyn resistance in lepidopteran pests. In this study, the G275E mutation was introduced into the nAChR of Spodoptera exigua using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) / CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) gene-editing technology. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and sequencing confirmed that this mutation was present in exon 9 of the nAChR transcripts in the edited 275E strain. The results of bioassays showed that the 275E strain was highly resistant to spinosad (230-fold) and spinetoram (792-fold) compared to the unedited background strain, directly confirming that the G275E mutation of the nAChR α6 subunit confers high levels of spinosyn resistance in S. exigua. Inheritance analysis showed that the resistance trait is autosomal and incompletely recessive. This study employs a reverse genetics approach to validate the functional role played by the G275E mutation in nAChR α6 of S. exigua in spinosyns resistance and provides another example of the use of CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to confirm the role played by candidate target site mutations in insecticide resistance.

Aedes albopictus is the vector of arbovirus diseases including yellow fever, dengue, Zika virus, and chikungunya fever, and it poses an enormous threat to human health worldwide. Previous studies have revealed that haedoxan A (HA), which is an insecticidal sesquilignan from Phryma leptostachya L., is a highly effective natural insecticide for managing mosquitoes and houseflies; however, the mechanisms underlying the response of Ae. albopictus after treatment with sublethal concentrations of HA is not clear. Here, high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the gene expression changes in Ae. albopictus larvae after treatment with the LC30 of HA. In total, 416 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 328 upregulated genes and 88 downregulated genes. Identification and verification of related DEGs were performed by RT-qPCR. The results showed that two P450 unigenes (CYP4C21 and CYP304A1), one carboxylesterase, and one ABC transporter (ABCG1) were induced by HA, which indicated that these detoxifying enzyme genes might play a major role in the metabolic and detoxification processes of HA. Additionally, acetylcholine receptor subunit ɑ2 (AChRα2), AChRα5, AChRα9, and the glutamate receptor ionotropic kainate 2 (GRIK2) were found to be upregulated in HA-treated larvae, suggesting that HA affected the conduction of action potentials and synaptic transmission by disrupting the function of neural receptors. These results provide a foundation for further elucidating the target of HA and the mechanism of detoxification metabolism in Ae. albopictus.

Knockdown resistance (kdr) is a common mechanism of insecticide resistance in head lice to the conventionally used pyrethroid pediculosis and can be the result of various amino acid substitutions within the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC). In this study, 54 sequences from varied specimens were investigated to monitor well-known resistance mutations and probable new mutations. The Pediculus humanus capitis de Geer specimens were collected from 13 provinces in Iran. The specimens were stored in 70% ethanol until DNA extraction and PCR amplification of ∼900-bp fragment of VSSC. The sequences were analyzed using different bioinformatics software for the detection of well-known kdr substitutions and additional mutations potentially associated with kdr resistance in head lice. There were six new and an old (haplotype I) kdr haplotypes within the Iranian head louse population. K794E, F815I, and N818D amino acid substitutions were reported for the first time. The P813H mutation was the most prevalent amino acid substitution in eight provinces. Among 53 sequences, 26 (49%) were homozygous susceptible, and 27 (51%) were heterozygotes. Thus, 51% of the head lice collected in Iran harbored only the P813H allele. The exact test for the Hardy-Weinberg (H-W) equilibrium showed that genotype frequencies differed significantly from the expectation in East-Azerbaijan and Tehran provinces. Moreover, these populations had an inbreeding coefficient (Fis)

Objectives: this study was conducted to determine the medically relevant scorpion’s species and produce their geographical distribution in Golestan Province for the first time, to collect basic information to produce regional antivenom. Because for scorpion treatment a polyvalent antivenom is use in Iran, and some time it failed to treatment, for solve this problem govement decide to produce regional antivenom.Scorpions were captured at day and night time using ruck rolling and Ultra Violet methods during 2019. Then specimens transferred to a 75% alcohol-containing plastic bottle. Finally the specimens under a stereomicroscope using a valid identification key were identified. Distribution maps were introduced using GIS 10.4.Results: A total of 111 scorpion samples were captured from the province, all belonging to the Buthidae family, including Mesobuthus eupeus (97.3%), Orthochirus farzanpayi (0.9%) and Mesobuthus caucasicus (1.8%) species. M. eupeus has the highest distribution and abundance in the region and is introduced as the leading cause of scorpion sting in the region. This species was captured from all-mountainous, forest and lowland areas. O. farzanpayi and M. caucasicus species are new for the scorpion fauna of golestan province.Mesobuthus eupeus is the most prevalence species in Golestan province and regarded as the most medically important scorpion species in this region.

Herbicides are the most effective tool against weed flora in cereal crops that help to maintain and increase crop yields. This investigation was conducted in the winter season of 2018 to study the stress effect of three post-emergence herbicides including pinoxaden, tribenuron-methyl, and pyroxsulam on the biochemical changes at the molecular cell level of wheat. These herbicides were applied either lonely with a rate of 0.45 L.ha