Average Number Of Females Research Articles

Factitious hosts for Goniozus omanensis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), a parasitoid of the lesser date moth Batrachedra amydraula Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Batrachedridae)

ABSTRACT The bethylid wasp Goniozus omanensis has been identified as a key natural enemy of Batrachedra amydraula Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Batrachedridae), an important pest of date palm. Efficient rearing of natural enemies can be an important part of biological pest control programmes but cultures of G. omanensis are challenging to maintain on B. amydraula. We evaluate two readily available species of Pyralid moths, Corcyra cephalonica and Galleria mellonella, as potential factitious hosts. We find that G. omanensis can develop on the larvae of either species, but the probability of failure is circa 75% overall. Both trialled host species were approximately equally suitable, but failures were typically during the early stages of brood production when presented with C. cephalonica and during the later stages when presented with G. mellonella. This suggests that C. cephalonica larvae may be more difficult to suppress and that G. mellonella larvae may be of lower nutritional value. The average production of adult parasitoids per host provided was approximately 1 and, given the observed female biased sex ratio, the average number of females was around 0.8. We suggest potential routes to improving the efficiency of rearing G. omanensis on these factitious hosts.

Screening of Early Maturing Soybean Accessions for Resistance Against HG Type 2.5.7 of Soybean Cyst Nematode Heterodera glycines

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines) is one of the devastating soybean pests worldwide, including in the United States. Resistant cultivars combined with crop rotation are the primary methods for managing this nematode. SCN is known to have genetically diverse populations and can develop new virulent forms over time due to the continuous planting of cultivars derived from same source of resistance. Thus, identifying novel SCN resistant sources is of paramount importance for soybean breeding for nematode resistance. In this study, we screened 149 early maturity soybean [Glycine max (L.)] accessions for resistance to SCN HG type 2.5.7, which is one of the prevalent virulent SCN populations in North Dakota. SCN white females were extracted from individual plants of each accession after 35 days of growth in greenhouse conditions. The females were counted to determine a female index (FI = [average number of females on a tested accession/average number of females in Barnes, a susceptible soybean check] × 100). The resistance response of each soybean accession was categorized as resistant, moderately resistant, moderately susceptible, and susceptible. Of the 149 soybean accessions tested, only 13 were resistant in both runs of the experiments. The majority of screened soybean accessions were susceptible or moderately susceptible to the SCN HG type 2.5.7. The resistant soybean accessions identified in this study have the potential to be used in breeding SCN-resistant cultivars after further elucidation of the resistance genes or loci.

Comparative Analysis of Patients Visiting Department of Korean Internal Medicine in a Korean Medicine Hospital Before and During COVID-19 - From July 2018 to June 2021 at Wonkwang University Jeonju Korean Medicine Hospital -

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the healthcare utilization behavior of patients visiting the department of Korean internal medicine in the Korean medicine hospital of Wonkwang University in Jeon-ju from July 2018 to June 2021.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 26,108 patients and sorted the data by period, month, visiting types, new or returning types, sex, and age group. IBM SPSS 26.0 and the R 4.05 ‘changepoint' package were used with various statistical methods, such as Independent t-test, Mann-Whitney test, Chi-square test, Simple regression analysis. The P-value was set at 0.05.Results and Conclusions: Females outnumbered males regardless of period, and the ratio of females fell after COVID-19. Regardless of visiting types, patients in their 50s, 60s, and 70s outrated any other age group. The average number of females among the returning patients decreased significantly after COVID-19, but did not in males. Outpatients under 10 and in their 10s decreased significantly after COVID-19, as did inpatients in their 40s and 60s. The average duration of hospitalization was extended significantly after COVID-19. The number of outpatients and inpatients decreased as time passed after COVID-19. We expect that the results of this study will be used as reference materials in analyzing the effects of COVID-19 on healthcare utilization.

Evaluation of diverse cover crops as hosts of two populations of soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines) reproduces on a wide range of plants, including some cover crops. However, reproduction of SCN populations on a number of cover crops has not been investigated in the northern Great Plains. Thirty-five cover crop species/cultivars from four plant families were evaluated as hosts for SCN. Greenhouse evaluations were done with two common SCN populations, SCN103 (HG type 0) and SCN2W (HG type 7) under controlled conditions. The sources of two SCN populations were two soybean fields of North Dakota. After 35 days of growth, white SCN females were extracted from individual plants and counted to determine a female index (FI = average number of females on a tested crop/average number of females in a susceptible check x 100) for each crop. Out of the 35 cover crop species/cultivars tested, at least one of the SCN populations reproduced on seven crops/cultivars but did not reproduce on the other 28 crops/cultivars. Out of these seven crops, only white lupine (Lupinus albus L.) was a suitable host (FI ≥ 10) for both SCN populations in all the experiments, while others showed varied responses from poor host to suitable host for the SCN populations. The host crops were from the family Brassicaceae or Fabaceae, while all the crops in the Linaceae or Poaceae family tested were non-hosts. The non-host crops can be planted in SCN-infested fields without the concern of increasing SCN populations, while poor hosts with low female index should be evaluated for effects on reduction of SCN numbers in the fields before they are used as cover crops in a soybean cropping system.

A New Race (X12) of Soybean Cyst Nematode in China

The soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, is a serious economic threat to soybean-producing regions worldwide. A new SCN population (called race X12) was detected in Shanxi province, China. Race X12 could reproduce on all the indicator lines of both race and Heterodera glycines (HG) type tests. The average number of females on Lee68 (susceptible control) was 171.40 with the lowest Female Index (FI) 61.31 on PI88788 and the highest FI 117.32 on Pickett in the race test. The average number of females on Lee68 was 323.17 with the lowest FI 44.18 on PI88788 and the highest FI 97.83 on PI548316 in the HG type test. ZDD2315 and ZDD24656 are elite resistant germplasms in China. ZDD2315 is highly resistant to race 4, the strongest infection race in the 16 races with FI 1.51 while being highly sensitive to race X12 with FI 64.32. ZDD24656, a variety derived from PI437654 and ZDD2315, is highly resistant to race 1 and race 2. ZDD24656 is highly sensitive to race X12 with FI 99.12. Morphological and molecular studies of J2 and cysts confirmed the population as the SCN H. glycines. This is a new SCN race with stronger virulence than that of race 4 and is a potential threat to soybean production in China.

Assessment of Commercial Soybean Cultivars for Resistance Against Prevalent Heterodera glycines Populations of South Dakota

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines) is the most important yield limiting factor of soybean production in South Dakota and the main management practice is planting SCN-resistant cultivars. The effectiveness of host resistance is often limited by the diversity of SCN populations that can reproduce on resistant varieties. A greenhouse study was set up to determine the response of SCN-resistant commercial soybean cultivars with PI 88788 as the source of SCN resistance genes to the three commonly found SCN H. glycines (HG) types in South Dakota. To screen the soybean cultivars, 3,000 SCN eggs and juveniles of the prevalent HG types 0, 2.5.7, and 7 were each inoculated to 34 commercial soybean cultivars and also a susceptible cultivar, Williams 82, as the control. The female index (FI) was calculated based on the average number of females (cysts) found on each cultivar relative to the susceptible check after 35 days. Cultivars showed a varied response to HG types with all 34 cultivars showing resistance or moderate resistance to HG 0. Less than 9% of the cultivars tested had resistance response and between 82 to 88% had moderate resistance response to both HG 7 and 2.5.7 types. Only one cultivar was rated as susceptible to both HG 7 and 2.5.7. These results indicate that host resistance is still effective in managing SCN in South Dakota. However, use of these cultivars should be combined with crop rotation and rotation within soybean cultivars derived from different resistance sources for sustainable SCN management.

The ART of mating: alternative reproductive tactics and mating success in a nest-guarding fish.

Behavioural observations in the field of male Mediterranean damselfish Chromis chromis were combined with molecular analyses, using bi-parentally and maternally inherited markers, to investigate reproductive success patterns of alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) in terms of number of eggs sired and number of females contributing to each nest. Cuckoldry was observed in every nest sampled, with at least two and up to seven sneaker males per nest. The nesting male, however, always significantly fertilized the greater number of eggs (on average 49%) in each clutch, whereas each sneaker fertilized around 7% of the clutch. The average number of females whose eggs were fertilized by nesting males was 6·76 (range 2-13), while each sneaker on average fertilized the eggs of 1·74 (range 1-8) females. Using this sibship reconstruction, some of the factors involved in the regulation of the dynamic equilibrium of reproductive success were investigated between the two ARTs shown by C. chromis males. Results show that the sneakers' reproductive success was positively linked to egg clutch size; the density of individuals in the nesting area negatively affected the size of egg clutches; the rate of defence behaviours performed by nesting males negatively influenced the number of females contributing to each nest.

Effect of mating duration and the number of females/male moth of Bombyx mori L. on eggs fertility

The present work was carried out to investigate eggs fertility of Bombyx mori L. as affected by mating duration and male fertility and their ability of mating more than once of silkworm. Monovoltine hybrid imported race of B. mori L. was obtained from Sericulture Research Department, Agriculture Research Centre, Ministry of Agriculture in form of eggs and reared under laboratory conditions of 25±3°C, 72±2% R.H. and 15:9 daily L:D and the emergence moths were used for the mating experiment. The obtained results showed that the minimum duration of mating to produce fertility eggs higher than 95% was ½h and the least fertility rate of eggs was produced when the mating duration was less than ½h. The average highest number of females for mating with the same male is 20.8 females, the average number of females that laid fertilized eggs at a higher rate of 90% is 13.8 female, the average number of females that laid fertilized eggs at a lower rate of 90% is 2.6 female while the average number of mated (4.4 females) females laid unfertilized eggs.

A Reassessment of Virulence Phenotypes of Soybean Cyst Nematode (Heterodera glycines) in China with HG Typing Method.

Soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines Ichinohe, is the most destructive pest of soybean (Glycine max) worldwide, including China. H. glycines virulence phenotypes can be described in two ways. One is the race determination test that uses four soybean lines to categorize H. glycines into 16 "races" (3). The HG type designation is similar, but avoids the implications of the term "race" and includes seven soybean lines rather than four (2). In China, previous data revealed the occurrence of nine H. glycines races including races 1 through 7, 9, and 14, whereas HG types have not been recorded (1). The objective of this study was to reassess virulence phenotypes of H. glycines in China by means of HG types. In 2011 and 2012, 10 SCN populations from the primary soybean production regions of China were identified as six races (races 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 14) with the race test scheme (3) and were cultured on a H. glycines-susceptible soybean cultivar. In 2013, seven indicator soybean lines (PI 548402, PI 88788, PI 90763, PI 437654, PI 209332, PI 89772, and PI 548316) plus the susceptible standard soybean "Lee74" were used to determine the HG types of these populations following standardized procedures (2) with some modification in a growth chamber set at 28°C under 16-h days. After 30 days, females were extracted from roots and collected, and a female index was calculated for each indicator line (2,3). The average number of females on Lee74 was more than 100 in all the tests. Eight HG types were identified in the populations tested: HG type 0 (race 3), HG type 7 (race 3 or 6), HG type 2.7 (race 1 or 5), HG type 5.7 (race 3), HG type 1.3.7 (race 14), HG type 2.5.7 (race 1), HG type 1.2.5.7 (race 2), and HG type 1.2.3.5.7 (race 4). To our knowledge, this is the first report of H. glycines HG types in China, which will contribute to development of management strategies implementing the use of resistant cultivars. This work was supported by the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest 200903040-03 and the China Agriculture Research System CARS-04.

Avaliação da eficácia do fipronil em Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus em tratamentos consecutivos

A realização deste trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a eficácia do fipronil em Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, durante e após 14 tratamentos, no período de dezembro de 2006 a abril de 2009. O experimento foi realizado em uma propriedade rural do município de Lages, SC, utilizando-se 20 bovinos mestiços charolês mantidos em campo nativo, naturalmente infestados com R. (B.) microplus. A cada 14 dias, foram realizadas contagens das fêmeas de carrapato, maior ou igual a 4,5mm. Os animais foram tratados com fipronil 1mg/kg via pour on, quando a média do número de carrapatos foi igual ou superior a 40 fêmeas. Ao final do experimento, para análise da eficácia do fipronil 1%, foi realizado o teste de estábulo, utilizando 10 animais infestados com larvas provenientes de teleóginas coletadas de bovinos da propriedade. Os animais foram randomizados, de acordo com a produção inicial de teleóginas, estabelecendo-se dois grupos: controle (n=5) e tratado (n=5). A redução da média do número de fêmeas de R. (B.) microplus nas contagens após tratamentos foi de 100% nos três primeiros, com um leve declínio até o sexto tratamento. No sétimo tratamento a redução foi de 91,3%. Ao final do experimento a eficácia do fipronil 1%, avaliada pelo teste de estábulo, na redução do número de teleóginas, foi de 79,3%. A porcentagem média de inibição de reprodução calculada foi de 22,47%. Concluiu-se que, após seis tratamentos com fipronil, média de um a cada 2,7 meses, o princípio ativo deve ser substituído e que, após 14 tratamentos, o R. (B.) microplus adquiriu resistência parcial a esse carrapaticida.

First Confirmed Report of Sugar Beet Cyst Nematode, Heterodera schachtii, in North Dakota.

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.) are major crops in North Dakota, with sugar beet production primarily in the eastern part of the state in the Red River Valley and canola production across the northern half of the state. Both crops are hosts of sugar beet cyst nematode (SBCN), Heterodera schachtii Schmidt. In April 2011, soil samples were collected from four sugar beet fields belonging to three growers who believed the fields were infested with SBCN. The fields were located in a 65-km2 area in the Yellowstone Valley of western North Dakota. Cysts were extracted by sieving and Heterodera-like cysts with eggs were observed in all four soil samples. Population densities in the four fields ranged from 100 to 1,750 eggs/100 cm3 soil. Sugar beet seedlings (cv. M832224) were grown in a potting mix for 6 weeks in the greenhouse and then transferred to conetainers (type D40; volume 656 ml) containing autoclaved river sand. Conetainers were placed in sand in plastic pots immersed in a water bath at 27°C. Three plants were each infested with 800 eggs from field No. 2. After 55 days of incubation, the average number of females was 115 per plant. A similar experiment was conducted with canola cvs. Hyclass 940, Caliber 30, and Westar, which were inoculated with 500 eggs each from field No. 2. After 53 days of incubation, there was an average of 39, 20, and 30 females for each respective cultivar. Flask-shaped cysts (n = 26) from canola roots were light to dark brown; the vulval cone was ambifinestrate with dark brown, molar-shaped bullae positioned underneath the vulval bridge. Body length (excluding neck) ranged from 600 to 850 μm (mean 701.2 μm); body width, 350 to 580 μm (mean 469.2 μm); and length/width ratio, 1.2 to 1.8 (mean 1.5). Second-stage juvenile (J2) (n = 21) body length ranged from 400 to 485 μm (mean 437.1 μm); stylet length was 25 μm (no variation) with forwardly directed knobs; conical tail with rounded tip ranged from 37.5 to 55.0 μm long (mean 46.6 μm) with hyaline region from 20.0 to 32.5 μm (mean 27.3 μm); and lateral field presented four incisures. These morphometrics were used to identify H. schachtii according to Subbotin et al. (4). Confirmation of identification was by amplification and sequencing of a 28S rDNA gene fragment (1) from individual females (GenBank Accession No. JQ040526), which was 100% identical to H. schachtii 28S rDNA sequence (GenBank Accession No. GU475088). To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed report of H. schachtii in North Dakota. A 1958 report of SBCN in North Dakota (2) was not subsequently confirmed (3). Because there is extensive canola production across the northern part of the state bordering western and eastern sugar beet- production areas, canola may serve as a bridge for movement of SBCN from west to east. SBCN is a potential threat to these two important crops.

Genetic inferences about the population dynamics of codling moth females at a local scale

Estimation of demographic parameters is important for understanding the functioning of natural populations and the underlying ecological and evolutionary processes that may impact their dynamics. Here, we used sibship assignment methods to shed light on the local dynamics of codling moth females in eight orchards in a 90-ha domain near Valence, France. Based on full-sib inference among 1,063 genotyped moths, we estimated (1) the effective number of females that had offspring, (2) their fertility and (3) the distribution of their oviposition sites within and among orchards. The average number of females in all the orchards increased between the first (~130) and the second (~235) annual generations. The average fertilities of the females were similar at each generation according to the host plant considered (apple, pear, or walnut), but differed between commercial (~10) and non-treated (~25) apple orchards. Females mainly clustered their eggs on contiguous trees along orchard borders, but they also occasionally dispersed their eggs among different orchards independently of the cultivated host plants or the inter-orchard distances (up to 698 m) during the second annual generation. The mean distance between two oviposition sites was 30 m. Sibship estimates of both the effective number of females and the inter-orchard migration rates (~5%) were in agreement with the observed genetic differentiation among the eight orchards (0.006 < F ( st ) < 0.013). These results confirm and extend previous field and laboratory observations in Cydia pomonella, and they demonstrate that sibship assignments based on genetic data are an interesting alternative to mark-release-recapture methods for inferring insect population dynamics.

Evaluation of Northern-Grown Crops as Hosts of Soybean Cyst Nematode

Sixty-two cultivars/varieties of thirteen crops grown in the northern Great Plains were evaluated for suitability as hosts of the soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) (HG type 0) using soybean Lee 74 as the susceptible host. “Cone-tainers” with autoclaved sand were infested with 2,000 eggs placed into a 2-cm × 1-cm hole and then a 3-day-old germinated seed was placed in the hole. “Cone-tainers” were placed in sand in plastic pots immersed in a water bath at 27°C in the greenhouse. Plants were harvested after 30 days, and females were extracted and counted. A female index (FI = the average number of females on the test plant divided by the average number of females on soybean Lee 74 times 100) was calculated for each cultivar to assess host suitability to the nematode. FI's ≥ 10 indicated a suitable host. Canola, clover, lentil, and sunflower were nonhosts (no evidence of reproduction), while borage, camelina, chickpea, crambe, cuphea, field pea, nyjer, and safflower were poor hosts for SCN with FI's less than 8. Lupines were the only suitable host with FI's of 42 to 57. This is the first report of reproduction of SCN on chickpea, crambe, cuphea, and nyjer. Accepted for publication 2 December 2009. Published 15 March 2010.

Reproduction of Soybean Cyst Nematode on Dry Bean Cultivars Adapted to North Dakota and Northern Minnesota.

Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is a host of the soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines). Twenty-four cultivars of dry bean representing pinto, navy, black, and kidney bean classes were evaluated for host suitability for SCN HG type 0 in the greenhouse. Females of SCN developed normally on all dry bean cultivars in 30 days. Eggs collected from roots of dry bean plants were as effective as inoculum for soybean as eggs collected from roots of soybean. Averaged over experiments, the number of SCN females per plant was significantly lower (P ≤ 0.001) on pinto, navy, and black bean than on the susceptible soybean Lee 74. There was no difference in the number of females between kidney bean and soybean. Numbers of females per plant differed (P ≤ 0.001) among navy cultivars but not among cultivars in the other three bean classes. A female index (FI = the average number of females on the test plant divided by the average number of females on the susceptible soybean Lee 74 × 100) was calculated for each cultivar to evaluate resistance to SCN. FIs varied from 5 to 117, indicating a range of susceptibility in the crop. Kidney bean averaged the highest FI at 110, followed by navy, pinto, and black at FI = 41, 39, and 16, respectively. SCN is a potential threat to dry bean in the northern production area of North Dakota and northern Minnesota.

Testing predictions for the evolution of lekking in the sandfly, Lutzomyia longipalpis

We carried out a combination of field and laboratory experiments to investigate two possible mechanisms promoting the evolution of lekking in the sandfly, Lutzomyia longipalpis. Males in this species lek on or near hosts that females visit to mate and feed. To test whether the distribution of resources, lek size and female number were positively correlated (a prediction of hotspot models) we manipulated the availability of potential lek sites by varying the numbers of chickens, Gallus gallus domesticus, held in field cages. We then investigated the distribution of males and females across leks formed within these cages and measured males to assess the relationship between male size and lek size. The number of males attracted to a lek increased with the number of hosts present and on average males on larger leks had longer abdomens. The number of females was positively correlated with the number of males present, but the average number of females per male decreased with increasing lek size. In a second experiment, we introduced single females to laboratory leks of different sizes, and compared female latency to mate. Contrary to an explicit prediction of the black hole model, lek size had a direct effect on a female's latency to mate. Females at larger leks encountered and copulated with males sooner than those at smaller aggregations, but the length of time a pair spent courting did not vary with lek size. Our results suggest that the black hole model is unlikely to explain the evolution of lekking in this species. The data instead support the hotspot model as a possible mechanism promoting lekking in L.longipalpis but suggest that female preference for larger leks may need to be invoked to obtain the degree of aggregation observed.

Longevity and Fertilization Capacity of Males and Parthenogenesis in Females of Boophilus annulatus and B. microplus13

Daily observations of Boophilus annulatus (Say) and B. microplus (Canestrini) males confined on stanchioned bovines determined that the average premating period was 2.6 (range 0.06–4.5) and 3.3 (range 2.5–6.5) days, average longevity was 36.9 (range 10–64) and 42.0 (range 20.5–61.5) days, and the average number of females mated was 7.5 (range 2–12) and 10.8 (range 5–18), respectively. Females of both species were confined without males, fed to repletion, and oviposited in most cases. However, eggs either failed to hatch or produced larvae which died within a few days postemergence.