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Current pest management practices for the rice water weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel) and the Mexican rice borer (Eoreuma loftini Dyar) in U.S. rice rely heavily on a small number of insecticides. Thus, additional products are needed to delay resistance development and replace products no longer available to farmers. Evaluation of novel and widely used insecticidal seed treatments was conducted in eight small plot field trials from 2015 to 2019 in Louisiana and Texas. Treatments evaluated included the insecticides cyantraniliprole, chlorantraniliprole, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin. Seed treated with chlorantraniliprole and seed treated with both cyantraniliprole and thiamethoxam together provided the best control of L. oryzophilus across trials. Thiamethoxam and clothianidin seed treatments did not provide satisfactory control of L. oryzophilus. Only chlorantraniliprole seed treatment controlled E. loftini. Improved yield was recorded from plots treated with chlorantraniliprole or cyantraniliprole + thiamethoxam across trials from 2017 to 2019 over fungicide only controls. Yield differences among treatments were not detected in 2015–2016 trials. Registration of cyantraniliprole seed treatment for use in U.S. rice provides a new tool for diversification of pest management practices and insecticide resistance management. • Cyantraniliprole seed treatment effectively controlled Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus. • Improved control was achieved by cyantraniliprole together with thiamethoxam. • Cyantraniliprole was not effective against the stem borer, Eoreuma loftini. • Registration of cyantraniliprole provides U.S. rice farmers a new pest management tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, is the most destructive insect pest of rice in the U.S. This insect poses a global threat to rice production, having invaded rice-producing regions of Asia and Europe. Tolerance is a type of plant resistance that allows crop plants to maintain yield in spite of injury by herbivores. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that tolerance to L. oryzophilus infestations differs between hybrid and inbred rice cultivars. Field experiments were conducted in Louisiana in 2016–2017 and in multiple locations (Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana) in 2018. Plant tolerance was assessed by evaluating L. oryzophilus infestations and yields from insecticide-protected and unprotected plots of hybrid and inbred rice cultivars. Infestations of L. oryzophilus negatively affected rice yields, with losses across cultivars ranging from 16.4 to 48.0% in 2016 and 4.2–29.2% in 2017. In the multiple location experiment in 2018, yield losses ranged from 4.1 to 29.7, 7.7–17.2, and 4.5–12.2% in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi, respectively. Comparisons of yields between insecticide-protected and unprotected plots indicated that hybrid cultivars exhibited higher tolerance to L. oryzophilus infestations than inbred cultivars in 2016 and 2017. Moreover, in the multiple location experiment in 2018, yield losses were lower in hybrid compared to inbred cultivars in Texas, but no differences in yield losses across cultivars were observed in Louisiana and Mississippi. Rice cultivars expressing tolerance to L. oryzophilus could be used to reduce pest damage in situations where use of insecticides is not practical, too expensive, or only partially effective. • L. oryzophilus densities were similar among hybrid and inbred cultivars. • Seeding rates did not influence L. oryzophilus density. • L. oryzophilus infestations negatively affected rice yields. • Yield losses due to L. oryzophilus infestations were generally lower in hybrid than inbred cultivars. • Plant tolerance can be an important component of pest management in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) poses a continued public safety risk in Texas, which has one of the highest alcohol impaired traffic fatality rates. This study aimed to identify alcohol and drug use trends seen in DWI/DUID cases in the city of Houston from 2014 to 2018 to better understand the populations at risk. Blood samples submitted to the Houston Forensic Science Center (HFSC) were evaluated for blood alcohol concentration (BAC), drug concentrations and demographics. During the 5-year period, 12,682 Houston driver blood samples had a mean (median) BAC of 0.151 g/dL (0.167 g/dL) and age of 36.3 (34) years. Fifty percent of samples were white males. Seventy-five percent of samples were individuals aged 21 to 44 years. Between 2014 and 2018, the number of cases submitted nearly doubled, from approximately 2,000 cases per year to over 3,700. In 2014, 23% of cases submitted required further analysis per HFSC testing policy (drug screen and confirmation for DWI/DUID cases when BAC < 0.100 g/dL), which rose to 27% by 2018. Of those, 36% were polydrug cases, requiring two or more confirmation tests. Cannabinoids was the most common drug class detected (34% of cases analyzed for drugs), followed by benzodiazepines (25%), phencyclidine (20%), cocaine/metabolites (15%) and opioids (12%). Phencyclidine rose from the fifth-most commonly detected drug in 2014 to the second-most drug in 2018. Only 3% of all cases (n = 408) were negative for both alcohol and drugs. Communication between law enforcement and laboratory management is recommended to address growing caseload more effectively. The study limitations (e.g., limited scope of analysis) suggest the present data underestimated the full extent of impaired driving in Houston, indicating even more urgent needs for increasing resources and efforts to reduce this serious threat to public safety., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Phencyclidine (PCP) was first synthesized in 1926 and originally developed in 1950s as a general anesthetic agent. Abuse of PCP declined at the national level since its first illicit use in 1960s, but it continues in certain areas including Houston. This research evaluates PCP-positive cases of driving while intoxicated (DWI) in 2013-2018. The blood samples were collected from drivers, submitted by the Houston Police Department and analyzed for alcohol and drugs. Toxicological findings and demographic information were evaluated for the impaired driving cases tested positive for PCP in blood. Additionally, the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) findings were examined for 12 cases in 2018. A total of 615 DWI cases positive for PCP in blood were identified in which the traffic offense occurred between August 2013 and December 2018. The mean (median, range) PCP concentration was 47 (43, 7-180) ng/mL. A total of 23% of those cases were females, and 77% were males; 85% were blacks, 10% were whites and 5% were other races/ethnicities as identified by the arresting officer. The mean age was 37 years. No significant differences in median and distribution of PCP concentrations (P's > 0.05) were observed across the offense years and among demographic cohorts. A total of 43% of the cases were positive for PCP only. Among the remaining 57%, cannabinoids are the most common concurrently detected analytes (35%), followed by cocaine/metabolite (14%) and ethanol (13%). The proportion of black male PCP-positive drivers decreased in younger age groups. Common indications observed by DRE officers included slurred speech, chemical breath odor, watery and/or bloodshot eyes, vertical/horizontal gaze nystagmus and impaired coordination/balance. This study provides valuable regional information to better understand the demographic patterns of PCP-impaired drivers in Houston, TX over 6 years. The findings may aid in designing and implementing regulations and prevention programs to reduce PCP-impaired driving., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)