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As an important insect endohormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) plays a key role in regulating the metamorphosis and development of insects, and the Halloween genes are involved in 20E biosynthesis. However, the function of Halloween genes in Lasioderma serricorne, a major pest of stored products worldwide, remains unknown. Here, five Halloween genes from L. serricorne, namely LsCYP307A1, LsCYP302A1, LsCYP306A1, LsCYP315A1, and LsCYP314A1, were cloned and identified. All of Halloween genes were primarily expressed in the 4th instar larvae or prepupae. LsCYP307A1, LsCYP306A1, and LsCYP314A1 were mainly expressed in the thorax, while LsCYP302A1 and LsCYP315A1 were universally expressed in the midgut of the peripheral tissues. RNA interference (RNAi) results showed that silencing the Halloween genes significantly reduced the 20E titer, prolonged the pupation time, and led to high mortality in the process of pupation. Hematoxylin–eosin staining results suggested that knocking down the Halloween genes inhibited the degradation and apolysis of the old cuticle. Furthermore, silencing the Halloween genes led to significant downregulation of the expression level of the 20E signaling pathway and chitin metabolism pathway genes, while the RNAi phenotype could be rescued with the application of exogenous 20E. This study concluded that the manipulation of Halloween genes can inhibit the development of L. serricorne via controlling 20E synthesis, and thus Halloween genes could be useful molecular targets for controlling pests.

Tanzania is located in eastern Africa with a predominantly agricultural ecomomy, the potential for developing and utilizing cultivated land are promising, but scientific guidance is required. B, Zn and Se are essential micronutrients for plants and human body with crucial biological functions, in particular, Se is significant for human health and considered as “the king of anti-cancer”. As these elements required by human or plants are mainly absorbed from soil directly or indirectly, therefore, it is important to understand the contents and distributions of them in the soil of cultivated land for guiding agricultural production. In this work, low-density geochemical survey at the scale of 1:1000000 was carried out in Tanzania, and the results show that the concentrations of B, Zn and Se in stream sediments are low and their distributions are heterogeneous. According to the distributions of geological units, the existing cultivated land resources can be divided into five regions in Tanzania. Compared with the national background values, the concentrations of B, Zn and Se are insufficient overall but enriched locally in these regions. In general, element concentrations in stream sediments and soil have a positive correlation because of their similar sources, which is essential in agriculture application. Based on the information provided by low-density geochemical data and maps, the Se-sufficient and Se-rich regions were delineated in Tanzania, where can be used to develop Se-rich industries. Finally, this paper believes that geochemical survey is a powerful tool for cultivated land evaluation, agriculture management and land development.

The 1∶1000000 geochemical mapping of Zambia provides catchment sediment geochemical data for 58 elements including Au from 746 sediment samples at 736 sampling sites, corresponding to a sampling density of about one site per 1000 km2. Under strict quality control using field duplicates, certified reference materials, and analytical replicate samples, the Au was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The detection limit of Au was 0.20 × 10−9. The 95% range (2.5%–97.5%) of Au concentrations was from 0.24 × 10−9to 1.36 × 10−9, and the median value was 0.40 × 10−9. The most noticeable Au distribution patterns shown on the map are mainly located between Lusaka and Ndola (Lufilian Arc Belt). In addition, several high Au value areas occurred in Mansa, Muyombe, Chipata, and Livingstone. The spatial distribution patterns of Au in tectonic units, drainage basins, and geomorphological landscapes could be related to the Lufilian Arc Belt and Bangweulu Block. The Au concentrations show metallogenic belts between Muyombe and Mbala areas, between Mansa and Ndola areas, and between Lusaka and Kasempa areas.

The 1∶1000000 geochemical mapping of Zambia provides catchment sediment geochemical data for 58 elements including Au from 746 sediment samples at 736 sampling sites, corresponding to a sampling density of about one site per 1000 km2. Under strict quality control using field duplicates, certified reference materials, and analytical replicate samples, the Au was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The detection limit of Au was 0.20 × 10−9. The 95% range (2.5%–97.5%) of Au concentrations was from 0.24 × 10−9to 1.36 × 10−9, and the median value was 0.40 × 10−9. The most noticeable Au distribution patterns shown on the map are mainly located between Lusaka and Ndola (Lufilian Arc Belt). In addition, several high Au value areas occurred in Mansa, Muyombe, Chipata, and Livingstone. The spatial distribution patterns of Au in tectonic units, drainage basins, and geomorphological landscapes could be related to the Lufilian Arc Belt and Bangweulu Block. The Au concentrations show metallogenic belts between Muyombe and Mbala areas, between Mansa and Ndola areas, and between Lusaka and Kasempa areas.