Global trade, both in variety and quantities of goods moved, is increasing year by year. For example,WTO statistics indicate that between 2000 and 2005, global sea and air freight rose by around 20percent with volumes now exceeding 7 billion tons per year. Trends in eco-climatic variables underdifferent climate change scenarios also show marked differences in key drivers such as tem...

Transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) with Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner δ-endotoxin genes has been widely adopted for suppression of lepidopteran pests. To account for inconsistency of the endotoxin gene expression, we developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for checking the purity of transgenic cotton plants. A total of eight cry1Ac genes were aligned for the PCR primer design. A DN...

Crops producing insecticidal crystal (Cry) proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) control important lepidopteran pests. However, pests such as aphids not susceptible to Cry proteins may require other integrated pest management (IPM) tactics, including biological control. We fed aphids on Bt and non-Bt plants and analyzed the Bt protein residue in aphids and compared the effects of Bt plants ...

The use of non-crop plants to provide the resources that herbivorous crop pests' natural enemies need is being increasingly incorporated into integrated pest management programs. We evaluated insect functional groups found on three refuges consisting of five different plant species each, planted next to a maize crop in Lima, Peru, to investigate which refuge favoured natural control of herbivor...

Corn producers battle a variety of soil dwelling insect pests. Seedcorn maggots, wireworms, white grubs and several species of cutworms can attack either the seed or seedling plants and reduce the plant stand. Corn rootworm larvae feed on corn roots during midsummer and can significantly reduce the uptake of moisture and nutrients. Extensive feeding by corn rootworm larvae can reduce the roots ...

Elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), a consequence of anthropogenic global change, can profoundly affect the interactions between crop plants and insect pests and may promote yet another form of global change: the rapid establishment of invasive species. Elevated CO2 increased the susceptibility of soybean plants grown under field conditions to the invasive Japanese beetle (Popi...

The impacts of Wasmannia auropunctata (the little fire ant) on the native biota and subsistence agriculture in the Solomon Islands are poorly understood. This species was originally introduced as a biological control against nut-fall bugs (Amblypelta sp.) around 30 years ago and in the intervening time has spread throughout the Solomon Islands, aided movement of produce and planting material. I...

Several isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) were screened for the vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip) effective against sap-sucking insect pests. Screening results were based on LC(50) values against cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii), one of the dangerous pests of various crop plants including cotton. Among the isolates, the Bt#BREF24 showed promising results, and upon purification the aphidi...

Grain legumes remain important to meet the projected targets relating to food and nutritional security worldwide. The complementation of cereal-based food with grain legumes is a vegetarian diet with high-quality protein. However, the performance of these crops is severely influenced by a number of biotic and abiotic stresses, of which pests and pathogens remain the crucial affecting plants at ...