Control Of Insect Populations Research Articles

Newly Discovered Components of Dendrolimus pini Sex Pheromone.

The pine-tree lappet moth, D. pini, is a harmful defoliator of pine forests in Europe and Asia and a potentially invasive species in North America. The lures for trapping D. pini males based on two known components of its sex pheromone appeared weakly attractive to male moths. Identification of all components of the sex pheromone might allow for the development of more effective lures. The pheromone was sampled from virgin females using SPME and analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Four new likely components ((Z5)-dodecenal, (Z5)-dodecen-1-ol, (Z5)-decen-1-yl acetate, (Z5)-tetradecen-1-yl acetate) and two known components ((Z5,E7)-dodecadienal, (Z5,E7)-dodecadien-1-ol) were identified based on comparison against authentic standards, Kováts indices and spectra libraries. The samples also contained several sesquiterpenes. Wind tunnel and field experiments showed that some blends of synthetic pheromone components alone or enriched with Scots pine essential oil (SPEO) were attractive to D. pini males. One component-(Z5)-decen-1-yl acetate-had a repelling effect. The presented knowledge of D. pini sex pheromone provides a basis for developing optimal lures for monitoring or controlling insect populations.

Gonadulin: A newly discovered insulin-like peptide involved in ovulation and oviposition in Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas disease

Insulin-like peptides (ILPs) are vital hormones involved in a wide range of physiological processes in all organisms. In insects, insulin signaling has a key role in detecting and interpreting nutrient levels for egg production. Based on publicly available transcriptomes, a new ILP named gonadulin has been reported and suggested to be expressed by the gonads (hence its name). Although the identification of gonadulin establishes its existence, its physiological relevance remains poorly understood. Rhodnius prolixus is an obligate hematophagous insect and a primary vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. In this study, we report for the first time the participation of gonadulin in reproductive performance of an hemipteran. By quantitative PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), we find that the R. prolixus gonadulin transcript is highly expressed in the reproductive system, particularly in the calyx, a structure through which eggs move into the lumen of the lateral oviducts during ovulation. The putative gonadulin receptor, a member of the leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor subfamily (LGR3), is most highly expressed in the central nervous system with lower levels in the reproductive tissue and other tissues. Interestingly, when the gonadulin signaling cascade is impaired using RNA interference (RNAi), eggs are retained primarily in the ovarioles and calyx, indicating that ovulation and oviposition are inhibited. Understanding the physiological processes involved in reproduction in R. prolixus will shed light on potential targets for effective production of biopesticides by translational research, thereby controlling insect populations and transmission of the disease.

Feasibility of utilizing radiochromic nickel complex gel for radiation processing

A radiation-sensitive nickel nitrate complex gel was prepared in three concentrations, and dosimetric characteristics were investigated for routine use in gamma radiation processing. Nickel nitrate hexahydrate/Gelatin/1,5-diphenylcarbazone (Ni/G/DPCO) gel demonstrated a maximum wavelength of 535 nm and linear dose-response of 10–1300 Gy. By increasing the absorbed dose, the Ni/G/DPCO gel has a visual color change from purple to colorless. The dose rate dependence on the gel sensitivity at 1.17 and 0.062 Gy/s dose rates was less than 10% difference at a linear dose range of 10–1300 Gy. Color stability before and after irradiation was up to 35 days, and the overall coefficient of variation, CV%, was found to be 3.87%. Hence, the observations proved that the gel has favorable characteristics for food irradiation, insect population control, and irradiation of agricultural products.

The NPC Families Mediate BmNPV Entry

ABSTRACTBaculovirus is a powerful tool for biological control in agriculture and foreign gene expression and delivery in insect and mammalian cells. Baculovirus enters host cells by multiple endocytic pathways; however, the current understanding of the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) entry mechanism remains limited. Previous studies have identified NPC1 and NPC2 as important host factors for viral infection in insect cells, although their exact role in viral infection has not yet been determined. In this study, we demonstrate that the BmNPC1 protein is an important intracellular factor for BmNPV escape from the endosomal compartment, and the expression of BmNPC1 in Sf9 cells confers the virus the ability to enter into the nucleus of Sf9 cells. Additionally, the second luminal domain of BmNPC1 (BmNPC1-C) binds to the viral glycoprotein gp64, and preincubation of BmNPV with purified BmNPC1-C inhibits virus infection. Furthermore, knockout of the BmNPC2 protein results in reduced efficiency of viral fusion with the endosomal membrane, and BmNPC2 protein interacts directly with both viral envelope glycoprotein gp64 and the host BmNPC1 protein. BmNPC2 was found to be incorporated into progeny viral particles. Taken together, our results suggest that NPC2 protein incorporated into viral particles may facilitate viral infection through promoting the interaction of BmNPV and NPC1 in the endosome, thus enhancing viral fusion and escape from endosomes. These results, combined with those from previous studies, support that BmNPV hijacks two important cholesterol receptor members (NPC1 and NCP2) in the cholesterol intracellular transport pathway for viral entry into host cells.IMPORTANCE Baculovirus is an important biological factor for controlling insect populations and represents a powerful biological tool for gene delivery and expression. However, the host receptor of baculovirus is still unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that BmNPC1 protein is an important intracellular factor for BmNPV escape from the endosomal compartment, and the expression of BmNPC1 confers the ability of virus to enter into the host cell nucleus in nonpermissive Sf9 cells. BmNPC2 can bind to the virus and promote progeny virion infection through the NPC1-NPC2 endosome cholesterol transport pathway. We believe that our study on the BmNPV entry mechanism will further facilitate the application of baculovirus systems in eukaryotic gene delivery. Not only can the cholesterol transport pathway NPC1 protein be used by a variety of enveloped viruses, but the NPC2 protein can also be used by viruses to infect host cells. This will provide new insights into the study of enveloped virus infection mechanisms.

Analysis of pest incidence on apple trees validated by unsupervised machine learning algorithms

Integrated pest control is a practice commonly used in apple orchards in southern Brazil. This type of management is an important tool to help improve quality and increase yields. This study aimed to identify areas with higher and lower incidence of aerial pests in a commercial apple orchard, regarding data collected from three different crops using georeferenced traps. Geostatistical analyses were performed, based on the modeling of semivariograms and spatial interpolation using the kriging method; and clustering, based on specific unsupervised machine learning algorithms for count data. The algorithms were selected from measures of stability, connectivity and homogeneity, seeking to identify areas with different incidence of pests that could help farmer decision making regarding insect population control using pesticides. The geostatistical analysis verified the presence of individual pest infestations in specific sites of the study area. Additionally, the analysis using machine learning allowed the identification of areas with incidence above the average for all analyzed pests, especially in the central area of the map. The process of evaluation described in this study can serve as an aid for risk analysis, promoting management benefits and reducing cost in the farms.

Prescribed fire and other fuel-reduction treatments alter ground spider assemblages in a Southern Appalachian hardwood forest

Prescribed burns and understory thinnings are forest management practices aimed at reducing fuel loads to lessen wildfire threat in the Southern Appalachians, USA. Spiders play a critical role in forest ecosystems by controlling insect populations and providing an important food source for vertebrates. We used pitfall and colored pan traps to investigate how abundance, species richness, and diversity of spiders differed among three fuel reduction treatments administered repeatedly over a 15-year period and untreated controls. Additionally, we examined how spiders responded to one round (before and after) of fuel reduction treatments. We established treatments within the 15-year period as follows: mechanical understory removal (twice; M), prescribed burning (four times; B), mechanical understory removal followed one year later by high-severity prescribed burns and three subsequent burns (MB), and untreated controls (C). Our study period (2014–2016) occurred after multiple prescribed burns and two rounds of mechanical understory removal had occurred. Salticidae and Lycosidae were the two most commonly collected spider families in Southern Appalachian hardwood forests. Generally, we found increased spider abundances within all fuel-reduction treatments compared to controls. Individual spider families and species showed variable responses to treatments, but abundance of several spider families was greater in one or more fuel-reduction treatments than in controls. Additionally, abundance of several spider families and hunting/web building guilds (webs built for hunting purposes or defense) exhibited yearly differences to the last round of fuel-reduction treatments. Overall, our results suggest that changes in the overstory and understory of a forest are important drivers of regional spider abundance and assemblages, and forest management practices that modify forest structure can dramatically alter spider abundance and richness, usually in a positive manner.

The microbiome of wild and mass-reared new world screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax

Insect population control through continual releases of large numbers of sterile insects, called sterile insect technique (SIT), is only possible if one can mass-rear large quantities of healthy insects. Adaptation of insect stocks to rearing conditions and artificial feeding systems can have a multitude of negative effects such as inbreeding depression, reduced compatibility with wild strains, unintentional selection for traits that lower fitness after release, and an altered microbiome. Changes to insect microbiomes can have many effects on insects ranging from a reduction in sex pheromones or reduced fitness. Thus understanding these systems is important for mass rearing and the performance of the sterile insect control programs. In this study we explored the microbiome of the New World screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) an economically important parasite of warm-blooded animals. Samples from myiases in cows and wild adults were compared to and mass-reared flies used by the SIT program. Significant differences were observed between these treatments, with wild captured flies having a significantly more diverse microbial composition. Bacteria known to stimulate oviposition were found in both wild and mass-reared flies. Two bacteria of veterinary importance were abundant in wild flies, suggesting screwworm is a potential vector of these diseases. Overall, this study provides the screwworm eradication program a platform to continue exploring the effects associated bacteria have on screwworm fitness.

Effects of Mating on Gene Expression in Female Insects: Unifying the Field.

Simple SummaryInsects play many important roles including in ecosystems, food production, pathogen transmission, and production of materials. As a result, humans are interested in understanding how to control insect population sizes for control, propagation, or conservation efforts. In many insect species, female reproductive output is promoted by mating and components of the ejaculate. Beyond just the impact of receiving sperm, mating and ejaculate components can result in increased rate of oocyte development, ovulation, and oviposition as well as other changes such as reduced mating receptivity. To understand how mating causes these changes, researchers have investigated changes in female gene expression that occur after mating. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge on mating-induced gene expression changes in female insects and the methods used for conducting such studies. We find that genes related to immune response, chemosensation, and metabolism are commonly regulated across species. We suggest future research paths to facilitate the comparison of studies on mating-regulated gene expression across insect species.There is intense interest in controlling insect reproductive output. In many insect species, reproductive output is profoundly influenced by mating, including the receipt of sperm and seminal fluid molecules, through physiological and behavior changes. To understand these changes, many researchers have investigated post-mating gene expression regulation. In this review, we synthesize information from studies both across and within different species about the impact of mating, or components of mating, on female gene expression patterns. We found that genes related to the roles of metabolism, immune-response, and chemosensation are regulated by mating across many different insect species. We highlight the few studies that have taken the important next step of examining the functional consequences of gene expression regulation which is crucial in order to understand the mechanisms underlying the mating-regulated control of female lifespan and reproduction and to make use of such knowledge to propagate or control insect populations. The potential of cross-study comparisons is diminished by different studies using different methods. Thus, we also include a consideration of how future studies could be designed to facilitate cross-study comparisons and a call for collaboration across researchers studying different insect species and different aspects of insect biology.

Beauvericin purification from fungal strain using molecularly imprinted cryogels

Beauveria bassiana is a wide host range entomopathogenic fungus that plays a substantial part to control of insect populations. During its pathogenic phase, fungus syntheses several metabolites. One of these metabolites is beauvericin (BEA) and it shows as an antibiotic, antifungal, insecticidal activity. Molecular imprinting approach allows selective and sensitive recognition of chosen template molecule by leaving artificial imprinted cavities in polymer matrix that provides high affinity and selectivity toward desired compound. Cryogels are gel matrices prepared by the method of cryotropic gelation performed below the freezing point of monomer solutions. Under these special conditions, the polymer material resulting from gel formation has rather unusual macroporous morphologies and processability. In this study, BEA-imprinted cryogel columns were prepared for purification of beauvericin from fungal extracts. According to the experimental results, optimum adsorption conditions were determined as pH 6.5 buffer solution, 1 mL/min flow rate and 25 °C. Under these conditions, the highest adsorption capacity of cryogels was found to be 43 mg/g. The adsorption isotherm is consistent with the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. In addition, BEA imprinted cryogels are 9.5 times more selective against the template molecule BEA than bassiatin, which is the competitive agent.

Temperature-Inducible Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technique.

Releases of sterile males are the gold standard for many insect population control programs, and precise sex sorting to remove females prior to male releases is essential to the success of these operations. To advance traditional methods for scaling the generation of sterile males, we previously described a CRISPR-mediated precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT), in which Cas9 and gRNA strains are genetically crossed to generate sterile males for mass release. While effective at generating F1 sterile males, pgSIT requires a genetic cross between the two parental strains, which requires maintenance and sexing of two strains in a factory. Therefore, to advance pgSIT further by removing this crossing step, here we describe a next-generation temperature-inducible pgSIT (TI-pgSIT) technology and demonstrate its proof-of-concept in Drosophila melanogaster. Importantly, we were able to develop a true breeding strain for TI-pgSIT that eliminates the requirement for sex sorting-a feature that may help further automate production at scale.

Potential of methyl fernesoate isolate from the Cyprus extract in prospective broodstock of shrimp (Penaeus monodon. Fab)

Cyprus rhizoma is reported to have methyl fernesoate compounds that are identical to Juvenil hormone III, some researchers have used it as a natural pesticide to control insect populations, whereas in aquaculture, especially in crustacea Juvenil hormone (methyl fernesoate) can stimulate the activity of other hormones such as ecdysterone and serotonin which play a role in the regulation of metamorphosis and maturation of both male and female gonads. The research activities carried out consisted of two stages including isolation of methyl fernesoate compounds from rhizomes of Cyprus sp through extraction, maceration, and purification of these compounds using appropriate organic solvents, then the application of Cyprus sp extracts to prospective black tiger shrimp through injections at a dose of 0,100, and 150 ug / g BW, and ablation of the eyestalk as a positive control. The study was conducted using a completely randomized design (CRD) method with 5 treatments and 2 replications. Observations made include molting frequency, gonadal maturity level, number and diameter of eggs, and measurement of the rate of development of vitellogenesis through a molecular approach with RT-PCR technique using primary vitellogenin F, R and β-Actin F, R. The observation of molting frequency showed the highest molting frequency in the treatment of 150 ug / g BW that is 15 times during maintenance, while the parent shrimp that had the highest gonad maturity was in the treatment of 100 ug / g BW as much as 75%. The results of the measurement of the rate of development of vitellogenesis through a molecular approach with PCR technique using the vitellogenin primers F, R, and β-Actin F, R showed a positive development in the broodstock shrimp treated with Cyprus sp.

Optimal Control of Insect Populations

We consider some optimal control problems for systems governed by linear parabolic PDEs with local controls that can move along the domain region Ω of the plane. We prove the existence of optimal paths and also deduce the first order necessary optimality conditions, using the Dubovitskii–Milyutin’s formalism, which leads to an iterative algorithm of the fixed-point kind. This problem may be considered as a model for the control of a mosquito population existing in a given region by using moving insecticide spreading devices. In this situation, an optimal control is any trajectory or path that must follow such spreading device in order to reduce the population as much as possible with a reasonable not too expensive strategy. We illustrate our results by presenting some numerical experiments.

Versatile Applications of the CRISPR/Cas Toolkit in Plant Pathology and Disease Management

New tools and advanced technologies have played key roles in facilitating basic research in plant pathology and practical approaches for disease management and crop health. Recently, the CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated) system has emerged as a powerful and versatile tool for genome editing and other molecular applications. This review aims to introduce and highlight the CRISPR/Cas toolkit and its current and future impact on plant pathology and disease management. We will cover the rapidly expanding horizon of various CRISPR/Cas applications in the basic study of plant-pathogen interactions, genome engineering of plant disease resistance, and molecular diagnosis of diverse pathogens. Using the citrus greening disease as an example, various CRISPR/Cas-enabled strategies are presented to precisely edit the host genome for disease resistance, to rapidly detect the pathogen for disease management, and to potentially use gene drive for insect population control. At the cutting edge of nucleic acid manipulation and detection, the CRISPR/Cas toolkit will accelerate plant breeding and reshape crop production and disease management as we face the challenges of 21st century agriculture.

Sterile Insect Technique: Successful Suppression of an Aedes aegypti Field Population in Cuba.

Simple SummaryThe sterile insect technique (SIT) is a species-specific and environment-friendly method of insect control that relies on the release of large numbers of sterile insects. Mating released sterile males with wild females leads to a decrease in the reproductive potential and to the local suppression of the target population. There is increased interest in applying this approach to manage disease-transmitting mosquito populations. The main focus of this pilot trial was to assess the efficacy of the SIT for the suppression of Aedes aegypti populations. Two areas in Havana city, Cuba, were selected as control and release trial sites. The presence, density and fertility of the target wild population were monitored through a network of ovitraps. Approximately 1,270,000 irradiated Ae. aegypti males were released in the 50 ha target area over a period of 20 weeks. The released mosquitoes showed excellent mating competitiveness and induced high levels of sterility in the wild Ae. aegypti population. The target natural population was suppressed as reflected in the ovitrap index and in the mean number of eggs/trap values which dropped to zero by the last 3 weeks of the trial. We conclude that the released sterile male Ae. aegypti competed successfully and induced significant sterility in the local target Ae. aegypti population, resulting in suppression of the vector.Dengue virus infections are a serious public health problem worldwide. Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of dengue in Cuba. As there is no vaccine or specific treatment, the control efforts are directed to the reduction of mosquito populations. The indiscriminate use of insecticides can lead to adverse effects on ecosystems, including human health. The sterile insect technique is a species-specific and environment-friendly method of insect population control based on the release of large numbers of sterile insects, ideally males only. The success of this technique for the sustainable management of agricultural pests has encouraged its evaluation for the population suppression of mosquito vector species. Here, we describe an open field trial to evaluate the effect of the release of irradiated male Ae. aegypti on a wild population. The pilot trial was carried out in a suburb of Havana and compared the mosquito population density before and after the intervention, in both untreated control and release areas. The wild population was monitored by an ovitrap network, recording frequency and density of eggs as well as their hatch rate. A significant amount of sterility was induced in the field population of the release area, as compared with the untreated control area. The ovitrap index and the mean number of eggs/trap declined dramatically after 12 and 5 weeks of releases, respectively. For the last 3 weeks, no eggs were collected in the treatment area, clearly indicating a significant suppression of the wild target population. We conclude that the sterile males released competed successfully and induced enough sterility to suppress the local Ae. aegypti population.

How do pesticides affect bats? – A brief review of recent publications

Increased agricultural production has been increased use of pesticides worldwide, which poses a threat to both human and environmental health. Recent studies suggest that several non-target organisms, from bees to mammals, show a wide variety of toxic effects of pesticides exposure, including impaired behavior, development and reproduction. Among mammals, bats are usually a neglected taxon among ecotoxicological studies, although they play important ecological and economical roles in forest ecosystems and agriculture through to seed dispersal and insect population control. Considering their wide variety of food habits, bats are exposed to environmental pollutants through food or water contamination, or through direct skin contact in their roosting areas. In order to better understand the risk posed by pesticides to bats populations, we compiled studies that investigated the main toxicological effects of pesticides in bats, aiming at contributing to discussion about the environmental risks associated with the use of pesticides.

Assessment and Models of Insect Damage to Cones and Seeds of Pinus strobiformis in the Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico.

Insect damage to cones and seeds has a strong impact on the regeneration of conifer forest ecosystems, with broader implications for ecological and economic services. Lack of control of insect populations can lead to important economic and environmental losses. Pinus strobiformis is the most widespread of the white pines in Mexico and is widely distributed throughout the mountains of northern Mexico. Relatively few studies have examined insect damage to the cones and seeds of these pines, especially in Mexico. In this study, we therefore analyzed insect damage to cones and seeds of P. strobiformis in Mexico by using X-ray and stereomicroscopic analysis. The specific objectives of the study were (a) to characterize insect damage by measuring external and internal cone traits, (b) to assess the health of seeds and cones of P. strobiformis in the Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico, and (c) to estimate the relative importance of the effects of different environmental variables on cone and seed damage caused by insects. We found that 80% of P. strobiformis seeds and 100% of the tree populations studied had damage caused by insects. Most seeds were affected by Leptoglossus occidentalis, Tetyra bipunctata, Megastigmus albifrons, and the Lepidoptera complex (which includes Apolychrosis synchysis, Cydia latisigna, Eucosma bobana, and Dioryctria abietivorella). The cones of all tree populations were affected by some type of insect damage, with Lepidoptera causing most of the damage (72%), followed by Conophthorus ponderosae (15%), the hemipteran L. occidentalis (7%), and the wasp M. albifrons (6%). The proportion of incomplete seeds in P. strobiformis at the tree level, cone damage by M. albifrons and seed damage in L. occidentalis were associated with various climate and soil variables and with crown dieback. Thus, cone and seed insect damage can be severe and potentially impact seed production in P. strobiformis and the reforestation potential of the species. The study findings will enable managers to better identify insects that cause damage to cone and seeds. In addition, identification of factors associated with damage may be useful for predicting the levels of insect predation on seeds and cones.

ПРOИНСЕКТИЦИДЫ

Pro-insecticides are chemical compounds, the bioactivation of which occurs in the body of insects, where they are transformed into metabolites with greater insecticidal activity. These substances account for 20% of the total amount of insecticides on the market, and they account for 34% of the value of all world sales. Only after many years of use of insecticides did it become known that a significant part of them are precursors. According to the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC), about 40% of chemical groups contain precursors that require structural changes to manifest their insecticidal properties. Currently, 16 chemical groups of insecticides are known, in which there are representatives of pro-insecticides. The main molecular targets are: nicotine-acetylcholine receptor (NAChR), voltage-gated K- and Na-channels, Cl-channel of the GABAreceptor, Cl-channel of glutamate receptor, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and ryanodine receptor (RyR). The main direction of using pro-insecticides is the control of insecticide-resistant insect populations. The review summarizes and analyzes modern data on pro-insecticides, describes the main representatives and the mechanism of their transformation in the insect organism. Key words: pro-insecticides, insecticide resistance, insecticide mode of action, bioactivation

The hAT-family transposable element, hopper, from Bactrocera dorsalis is a functional vector for insect germline transformation

BackgroundThe hopper hAT-family transposable element isolated from the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, is distantly related to both the Drosophila hobo element and the Activator element from maize. The original 3120 bp hopperBd-Kah element isolated from the Kahuku wild-type strain was highly degenerate and appeared to have a mutated transposase and terminal sequences, while a second 3131 bp element, hopperBd-we, isolated from a white eye mutant strain had an intact transposase reading frame and terminal sequences consistent with function.ResultsThe hopperBd-we element was tested for function by its ability to mediate germline transformation in two dipteran species other than B. dorsalis. This was achieved by creating a binary vector/helper transformation system by linking the hopperBd-we transposase reading frame to a D. melanogaster hsp70 promoter for a heat-inducible transposase helper plasmid, and creating vectors marked with the D. melanogaster mini-white+ or polyubiquitin-regulated DsRed fluorescent protein markers.ConclusionsBoth vectors were successfully used to transform D. melanogaster, and the DsRed vector was also used to transform the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa, indicating a wide range of hopper function in dipteran species and, potentially, non-dipteran species. This vector provides a new tool for insect genetic modification for both functional genomic analysis and the control of insect populations.

Human Health Risk Evaluation of Organophosphate Insecticide Residues in Post-Harvest Cowpea in Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria.

Background.Cowpea is a leguminous crop commonly grown and eaten in Nigeria. Organophosphate insecticides are frequently used to control insect populations in cowpea crops.Objectives.The present study was conducted to investigate the concentrations of organophosphate insecticide residues in cowpea varieties in Gwagwalada, Nigeria, and assess health risks to consumers.Methods.Samples of brown and white cowpea varieties were collected from Gwagwalada market, Abuja, Nigeria. Concentrations of organophosphate insecticide residues in the cowpea samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selective ion monitoring. Risk evaluation was carried out by the determination of estimated daily intake, hazard quotient and chronic hazard index.Results.The organophosphates detected in the cowpea varieties were malathion, parathion, ethion and carbophenothion. The concentrations of insecticides in the cowpea types were higher than the maximum residue limits recommended by the European Union (EU) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The hazard quotient values were less than 100% for malathion, parathion and ethion in the cowpea varieties for adults and children. The hazard quotient of carbophenothion for adults was below 100% for the cowpea types, while the hazard quotient surpassed 100% for children. The chronic hazard indexes for children were 364% and 276% for the brown and white cowpea types, respectively.Conclusions.The results obtained in the present study indicate that consumers, particularly children, may be exposed to health risks through the consumption of cowpea types. Consequently, monitoring and regulation of organophosphate insecticide usage in Nigeria should be intensified.

Current and potential biotechnological applications of odorant-binding proteins

Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are small soluble proteins whose biological function is believed to be facilitating olfaction by assisting the transport of volatile chemicals in both vertebrate and insect sensory organs, where they are secreted. Their capability to interact with a broad range of hydrophobic compounds combined with interesting features such as being small, stable, and easy to produce and modify, makes them suitable targets for applied research in various industrial segments, including textile, cosmetic, pesticide, and pharmaceutical, as well as for military, environmental, health, and security field applications. In addition to reviewing already established biotechnological applications of OBPs, this paper also discusses their potential use in prospecting of new technologies. The development of new products for insect population management is currently the most prevailing use for OBPs, followed by biosensor technology, an area that has recently seen a significant increase in studies evaluating their incorporation into sensing devices. Finally, less typical approaches include applications in anchorage systems and analytical tools. KEY POINTS: • Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) present desired characteristics for applied research. • OBPs are mainly used for developing new products for insect population control. • Incorporation of OBPs into chemosensory devices is a growing area of study. • Less conventional uses for OBPs include anchorage systems and analytical purposes. Graphical Abstract.