A nonpigmenting strain of Serratia marcescens Bizio isolated from dead and apparently diseased wild apple maggot flies, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh), was shown to be pathogenic to healthy apple maggot flies upon ingestion. The microorganism was detected in live adult alimentary canal organs four days post ingestion but produced death in some flies within 24 h when flies fed on a cell concentration of 4.7 × 104 cfu/ml and within 8 h when flies fed on filter-sterilized culture medium that previously contained a 21 h culture of S. marcescens. Increasing the cell concentration 10,000 fold did not lead to an increased rate of kill. Young flies (7-10 days old) were more susceptible to infection leading to death than were older flies (21-28 days old). The potential use of S. marcescens cells as control agents against apple maggot flies is negated by their pathogenicity to vertebrates; however, the potential use of toxic compounds produced by this strain of S. marcescens is discussed.
The systemic effects of phytoecdysteroids were investigated by applying tested compounds to the roots of the rape plants. Evaluation of the effects was based on mortality, longevity, rate of development and fecundity of the cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae L., Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae) feeding on the shoot of the treated plants. The major ecdysteroid compounds tested were natural products isolated from a medicinal plant Leuzea carthamoides DC (Willd.) Iljin (Asteraceae): 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), ajugasterone C (ajuC) and polypodine B (polyB). The compounds were tested in two concentrations (0.07 and 0.007 mg/ml) in water. In addition, we have also investigated the systemic effects of a special Lc-Ecdy 8 fraction isolated from L. carthamoides, which contained 20E, ajuC and polyB and at least six other minor compounds in addition to the above indicated ecdysteroids. HPLC analysis of the Lc-Ecdy 8 fraction indicated the presence of makisterone A and inokosterone in minor quantities. It appeared that all ecdysteroid compounds tested, with the exception of the most common, 20E, decreased the fecundity of cabbage aphids which fed on the contaminated rape plants. The mortality of larvae and adults significantly increased on plants treated with the Lc-Ecdy 8 fraction, and with ajuC or polyB compounds containing structural substituents in rather unusual positions. The most common phytoecdysteroid, 20E, with the typical and characteristic ecdysteroid structure, was the best tolerated of all phytoecdysteroids tested.
Ten aphid species wcre used as prey for Adalia bipunctata and six of them (Euceraphis betulae, Cavariella konoi, Liosomaphis berberidis, Acyrthosiphon ignotum, Aphis farinosa and Macrosiphoniella artemisiae) are new essential preys for this coccinellid. Eucallipterus tiliae and E. betulae were the most suitable prey according to the rate of larval development, larval mortality, adult fresh weight and coccinellid abundance in the field. They are followed by L. berberidis, C. konoi and Tuberculatus annulatus. M. artemisiae and A. ignotum are also very profitable food in the laboratory, but they do not occur in the field together with A. bipunctata. A. farinosa from Salix caprea and Aphis fabae from Philadelphus coronarius were not very suitable as food due to the larval mortality (27% and 23%, respectively). A. fabae from Atriplex sagittata was an unsuitable prey: larval mortality was 67% and the adults that emerged as the survivors had the lowest weight recorded in this series of experiments. Aphis spiraephaga was also unsuitable prey: all 1st instar larvae of A. bipunctata died, even though slowly.
The physiological parameters mortality, mass, oxygen consumption and amylase activity, and microanatomical features of the digestive tract, mesenchym and reproductive organs were used to characterise starvation in Galumna elimata. The mites were reared in sterilised plastic vials containing moistened zeolite at 25°C and a 12:12 photoperiod. The control group was kept under the same conditions, but pieces of bark covered with the green bark alga, Desmococcus vulgaris (syn. Protococcus viridis), were added as food for the mites. The physiological parameters were recorded after 21 days, and the microanatomical after 21 and 42 days. The guts of the starved mites were empty or filled with mucoid substances, while the guts of control mites contained food boli formed from algal cells. The mortality was significantly higher in starved animals. The mortality after 42 days of starvation was higher in males than females. The fresh mass of starved individuals significantly decreased while the water proportion content of their body tissues increased. Oxygen consumption of the starved mites was lower. Starvation did not influence the activity of amylase. Glycogeneous granulae were characteristically absent, and mucoid substances present in the guts of mites starved for 21 days. The activity of mesenteral and caecal cells, proventricular glands and cells of salivary glands was reduced after 42 days of starvation. The cells of the seminal vesicles were reduced and contained no spermatic cells in males starved for 42 days. Starved females probably resorbed immature oocytes, but had eggs in their oviducts. Starvation induces ovovivipary or larvipary in Galumna elimata.
Chlorophyll a (Chl a) has an asymmetrical molecular organization, which dictates its orientation and the location of the pigment in the mature photosynthetic apparatus. Although Chl a fluorescence (ChlF) is widely accepted as a proxy for plant photosynthetic performance under countless stress conditions and across species, a mechanistic understanding of this causality is missing. Since water plays a much greater role than solvent for the photosynthetic machinery, elucidating its influence on Chl a may explain the reliable reflection of plant stress response in the ChlF signal. We examine the effect of hydration from well-watered to lethal drought on ChlF imagery results across morphologically diverse species to begin testing the impact of molecular scale hydration of Chl a on ChlF. Our results support a conceptual model where water is an integral part of the photosystems' structure and directly influences Chl a behavior leading to changes in the energy partitioning and ultimately in ChlF., C. R. Guadagno, D. P. Beverly, B. E. Ewers., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
The study focuses on the demographic development of the parish Zdechovice in East Bohemia in the years 1790-1899. On the basis of anonymous excerption of data from the parish records of the Catholic parish Zdechovice, the records of the Protestant choirs in Chvaletice and Trnávka it follows up the development of nuptiality, natality and mortality with consideration of the faith of the inhabitants recorded., Šárka Jirásková., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The present study describes the history of the mortality in parish of Libčany in the years 1785-1914 from the perspective of historical demography and cultural history. Eleven villages located in Eastern Bohemia near to the town Hradec Králové in the fertile region formed this parish. Their inhabitants worked mostly in agriculture and handicraft industry. The aim of this study is to give a summary of the development of mortality. The dates are based on records from parish registers of deaths. by processing was used the method of anonymous aggregative excerption. Results were compared with situation in the Czech lands., Alexandra Šikulová., and Obsahuje bibliografii