University of Belgrade - Faculty of Biology: Open Journal Systems
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EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT DIATOMACEOUS EARTH FORMULATIONS IN THREE WHEAT VARIETIES AGAINST THE LESSER GRAIN BORER RHYZOPERTHA DOMINICA (F.) (COLEOPTERA: BOSTRICHIDAE)
Get PDFLaboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of three diatomaceous earth (DE) formulations; Celite 209, DiaFil 610 and SilicoSec in three wheat varieties, Atilla-Gan-Atilla, Cetia and Seri M82, against Rhyzopertha dominica (F.). The DE formulations were applied at four dose rates; 250, 500, 750 and 1000 mg/kg. Bioassays were carried out at 26-34°C and at 32-45 % relative humidity (RH). Efficacy was evaluated by recording adult mortality after 7 and 14 days, and progeny production at 56 and 112 days after treatment (DAT). Adult mortality levels significantly differed among varieties, exposure periods, DE formulations and their dose rates, ranging from 27.7 to 100 %. With all DE formulations and wheat varieties, complete adult mortality was achieved at 1000 mg/kg and 14 days of exposure. SilicoSec was more effective, proving higher mortality within shorter exposure period than other formulations. Progeny production was significantly higher in untreated Cetia than in the two other varieties and always greater in untreated than treated grains. Complete progeny suppression was recorded at ≥750 mg/kg. Generally, the performance of all DE formulations was greater in Atilla-Gan-Atilla and Seri M82 compared to Cetia
FIRST REPORT OF BRACHODIDAE (LEPIDOPTERA) FOR SERBIA
Get PDFThe Brachodidae family in Europe is represented only by the genus Brachodes, which has 14 species. So far, there has been no information on the presence of representatives of this family in Serbia. We found Brachodes pumila (Ochsenheimer, 1808) on Mount Stolovi in central Serbia. This is the first finding of B. pumila, genus Brachodes and family Brachodidae in Serbia
SURVEY OF THE GUT PATHOGENIC MICROFLORA ASSOCIATED WITH CATERPILLARS OF THE BOX TREE MOTH CYDALIMA PERSPECTALIS WALKER, 1859 (LEPIDOPTERA: CRAMBIDAE)
Get PDFThe invasive box tree moth Cydalima perspectalis is an important and dangerous pest on Buxus spp. In this study, its destructive potential was evaluated in five areas of Bulgaria through the assessment of the defoliation levels caused by the caterpillars on the box trees. The microorganism species composition and diversity in the gut of caterpillars were investigated. In a total of 206 caterpillars, 5 bacterial (Acinetobacter schindleri, Enterococcus casseliflavus, Klebsiella mobilis, Paenibacillus anaericanus, and Paenibacillus popilliae) and 5 fungal species (Metarhizium sp., Beauveria sp., Verticillium sp., Alternaria sp. and Mucor sp.), were recovered. The most prevalent pathogen (52.4%) was the bacterium P. popilliae. Two entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium sp. and Beauveria sp., were observed in high and quite similar prevalences of 29.6% and 28.6%, respectively. The presence of these three pathogens (P. popilliae, Metarhizium sp. and Beauveria sp.) in relatively high levels in the gut of caterpillars indicates the possible role of gut pathogenic microorganisms as agents affecting caterpillar survival in natural populations of the pests. Further research is needed to assess the effect of the identified bacteria and fungi on C. perspectalis life stages
In memoriam: PROF. DR. DRAGIĆ TOMIĆ (1925-2019)
Get PDFProfessor Dragić Tomić, DSc, retired Full Professor of the University of Belgrade - Faculty of Forestry passed away on January 20, 2019.
Professor Tomić was born on May 4, 1925 in Jalovik in the Vladimirci Municipality near Šabac. He finished elementary school and high school until the sixth grade in Šabac. His education was temporarily halted during World War II when he volunteered to join the National Liberation Army, where he remained until December 1945. After demobilization, he completed his education. In 1946, he finished the VII and VIII grades of high school and in the same year enrolled in the Forestry Department of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry (Department of Silviculture). He graduated in 1950, achieving the highest grade in his defense of his final paper. During the third and fourth years of study, he was a volunteer demonstrator in Forest Entomology. Upon graduating, he was appointed junior teaching assistant at the Department of Forest Protection of the Faculty of Forestry in Belgrade. He was elected as a teaching assistant for the first time in 1954. After two re-elections as teaching assistant (1957 and 1960), he was promoted to lecturer in 1962. He defended his doctoral dissertation entitled "Ecology of Pine chafer (Polyphylla fullo L.) on the Deliblato Sands" in 1965, obtaining the title of Doctor of Forestry. He was elected to the position of assistant professor in the subject Forest Entomology at the Faculty of Forestry in Belgrade in 1965, associate professor in 1971, and full professor in 1977. Since the establishment of the department at the Faculty in 1966, in addition to Forest Entomology, he taught: Horticultural Entomology, Protection of Plantations on Eroded Areas, and for a short time, Wood Protection. He retired on September 30, 1990. He died at the age of 94.
Professor Tomić was a true expert. He published over a hundred scientific and professional papers in domestic and foreign journals, and the results of his work are still cited by many researchers. He had excellent knowledge of the world of harmful forest insects, and especially his favorite butterflies from the group of geometer moths (Fam. Geometridae), beetles from the group of cockchafers (Fam. Melolonthidae) and bark beetles (Fam. Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae), which he studied throughout his working life. His doctoral dissertation, which he defended in 1965, was a detailed study of the Pine chafer, a dangerous pest on the sandy terrains of our country, of which very little was known. He also studied other groups of harmful forest insects, both in terms of their ecology and harmfulness, as well as ways to effectively control them. His studies of harmful insects of soft broadleaves are very significant. First, he exhaustively studied and published papers on certain dangerous pests of poplar and willow, such as the small poplar borer, poplar clearwing moth, broad-shouldered leaf beetles of poplar and willow, and then, together with professors S. Živojinović and K. Vasić, he published the comprehensive paper "Harmful Insects of Soft Broadleaves" in two parts. He studied harmful insects in forest nurseries throughout his professional and scientific career. In addition to the extensive study of the Pine chafer, he studied other chafer species and provided the key for the determination of cockchafer larvae in the Deliblato Sands area. He also dealt with the fauna of bark-boring beetles and published papers on the fauna of this harmful group of insects on the mountains of Zlatar, Golija, Kosmaj and Kozjak. For many years, he studied geometer moths and published significant papers on the fauna of this group of butterflies of the Deliblato Sands, Mt. Goč, and finally the detailed paper "Fauna of Geometer Moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) of Serbia", published by the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA). He also investigated the harmful insects of urban greenery and studied the bionomy and ways of controlling some little known, as well as some allochthonous, harmful insects in Serbia.
Professor Tomić was an excellent professor and educator with extensive knowledge and experience that he selflessly passed on to his students, junior colleagues and fellow professionals. His lectures were always well attended, as they were interesting and amusing for students. He is remembered by his student because an exam with Professor Tomić rarely took less than an hour. He expected a lot from his students, but he also did his best to give them the requisite knowledge. Even as a full professor, at the request of his students, he gave tutorials. None of his students ever complained about his high demands.
Colleague foresters from the field often came to Professor Tomić for help or advice when they could not solve problems in forest protection. Professor Tomić had limitless patience for them. He would go to the field, give advice, write reports, and typically, he never sought financial compensation for his work or effort, something that is hard to imagine nowadays: he considered it his duty.
Professor Tomić will be remembered by all of us, his former students, colleagues and associates, as a good and generous man. He was quiet, calm, tolerant, patient, hardworking and just, always willing to help others. With the passing of Professor Tomić, the branch of forest protection has lost a great scientist and expert, and for the many who knew him personally, a true friend
LEPIDOPTERA FAUNA OF NAMIBIA II: OKAVANGO RIVER VALLEY, KAVANGO REGION
Get PDFIn total, 37 moth and 112 butterfly species from seven and five families, respectively, have been identified in the Okavango River Valley, Kavango Region, northern Namibia. The family Nymphalidae was by far the most speciose (32 recorded species), followed by Lycaenidae (19 spp.), Pieridae (16 spp.), Sphingidae (13 spp.) and Saturniidae (9 spp.). For each species listed, the date and the site of collection is given, together with data on its global distribution. There are 11 taxa recorded in Namibia for the first time: Eurema regularis (Pieridae); 6 taxa from the family Lycaenidae (Lachnocnema brimo, Iolaus lalos lalos, Hypolycaena caeculus caeculus, H. c. c. forma dolores, Anthene sheppardi and Leptotes brevidentatus) and four species from the family Nymphalidae (Charaxes varanes, Neptis serena, Sevenia rosa and Eurytela drope)
DETECTION OF YELLOW FEVER AND DENGUE VIRUSES IN MOSQUITOES BETWEEN 2014 AND 2015 IN BAYELSA AND BENUE STATES OF NIGERIA
Get PDFDengue (DEN) and yellow fever (YF) outbreaks have been previously reported in Nigeria. In order to avoid another epidemic, the identification of the vectors of these viruses at different locations is a necessity. Female adult mosquitoes caught in and around human dwellings in the Benue and Bayelsa States, Nigeria, using human-baiting and spray-sheet methods between January 2014 and December 2015, were examined for YF and DEN viruses usingreverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).In total 172,010 adult female mosquitoes were identified, put into 9,110 pools of mosquitoes and tested for YF and DEN viruses. The hourly biting activities, true infection rate (TIR) and the density of infected mosquitoes (DIM) were estimated for the species positive to YF and DEN viruses. Among twelve identified species – Aedes luteocephalus (Newstead, 1907), Ae. aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762), Ae. cumminsii Theobald, 1903, Ae. africanus (Theobald, 1901), Ae. albopictus (Skuse, 1894), Ae. vittatus (Bigot, 1861), Anopheles gambiae (Giles, 1902), A. nili Theobald, 1904, Mansonia africana (Theobald, 1901), M. uniformis (Theobald, 1901), Culex annulioris (Theobald,1901) and C. quinquefasciatus (Say,1823), three mosquito species, Ae. luteocephalus, Ae. aegypti and A. gambiae, were positive for YF in Oju and Ega, while DENV-3 was detected in samples of M. africana from Ikarama. The biting patterns of these positive mosquito species showed both day and night activities, except the population of A. gambiae from Ega, which typically demonstrated nocturnal activity extended until dawn/early morning hours. Ae. aegypti, A. gambiaeand Ae. luteocephalus could represent the primary vectors of YF in the Benue and Bayelsa States. The role of M. africana in transmitting DENV-3 also requires immediate investigation
ON THE FIRST NON-TYPE LOCALITY FINDING OF DUVALIUS (PARADUVALIUS) STANKOVITCHI GEORGEVITCHI (JEANNEL, 1923) (COLEOPTERA: CARABIDAE: TRECHINAE)
Get PDFTroglobitic trechine ground beetle, Duvalius (Paraduvalius) stankovitchi georgevitchi (Jeannel, 1923) was found outside its type locality (Lazareva Pećina Cave, village of Zlot, near Bor, Kučajske Planine Mts., eastern Serbia) for the first time. Specimens of the mentioned taxon were recently collected in Vernjikica Cave nearby. Morphological and molecular analyses confirmed that specimens from both caves belong to the same subspecies, and that there are no significant differences between them
A REVIEW OF HOMOLOBINAE (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE) OF SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
Get PDFThis work presents the first retrospective of Homolobus species registered in Serbia and Montenegro. The following species are recorded: H. (Phylacter) annulicornis, H. (Homolobus) discolor, H. (Chartolobus) infumator and H. (Apatia) truncator
EFFECT OF SOME CLIMATIC FACTORS ON THE POPULATION DYNAMICS OF SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY BEMISIA TABACI INFESTING COTTON PLANT GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM
Get PDFThe present study was undertaken to examine the effect of different weather parameters on the population dynamics of silverleaf whitefly Bemisia tabaci growing on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) plants during the years 2017 and 2018. The whitefly infestation was initially noticed on the crop at 28th and 27th meteorological standard weeks (MSW), with population densities of 0.9 and 0.35 whiteflies/3 leaves during the years 2017 and 2018, respectively. It was found that the population of the insects increased with the advancement of crop growth and reached its peak at 8.53 whiteflies/3 leaves in 35th MSW during 2017 and 12.58 whiteflies/3 leaves in 37th MSW during 2018, when the crop was in the boll-development stage. Later, the population showed a decreasing trend, reaching its minimums of 0.8 and 1.18 whiteflies/3 leaves at 50th MSW during 2017 and 2018, respectively.
The above data indicate that silverleaf whitefly populations on cotton plants are favored by low temperatures and morning humidity, while rainfall did not significantly affect the dynamics: this could help in devising effective strategies against whitefly and prevent the infestation of cotton or related economically important agriculture
CHARIPINAE (HYMENOPTERA: FIGITIDAE) OF SERBIA – DISTRIBUTION AND TROPHIC INTERACTIONS
Get PDFThe distribution and trophic interactions of aphid associated Charipinae of Serbia are presented. In total, 77 different trophic associations (plant-aphid-primary parasitoid-hyperparasitoid) have been reported. Four Charipinae species are recorded for the first time from Serbia: Alloxysta citripes (Thomson, 1862), Alloxysta mullensis (Cameron, 1883), Alloxysta pusilla (Kieffer, 1902), and Alloxysta sawoniewiczi (Kierych, 1988)