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Some experiments with the aim to identify insects feeding on the dodder Cuscuta campestris Yuncke as an important parasitic flowering plant, resulted in the discovery of two new potential biological control agents namely Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (Costa, 1843) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) and Aphis fabae Scopoli, 1763 (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Oxycarenus hyalinipennis was observed feeding extensively on dodder seed capsules that were parasitizing Christ's thorn Jujube tree Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Wild. Also aphid feeding caused severe damage to the dodder vine wraps on native hopbush Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq. This is the first report of O. hyalinipennis and A. fabae feeding on C. campestris highlighting their potential as a biological control agent in Iran. 

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Three types of composts (T1, T2, and T3) composed of variable percents of bovine, ovine, fowl manures, green waste and olive pomace were used in this study. Composts were effective in controlling Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani associated with peach decline. In vitro evaluation of four doses of the three composts extracts against mycelium growth of F. solani and F. oxysporum showed that the compost extracts have a significant effect on mycelial growth. The highest inhibition percent was obtained with 10% dose for the three compost extracts, with values more than 48.8% and 50% of F. solani and F. oxysporum, respectively. However, the filtration of the tea composts revealed to be ineffective against the hyphal reduction for both pathogens. The in- vivo experiments exhibited the efficacy of these composts in reducing the seedlings root rot. In fact, T1, T2 and T3 reduced the root rot and browning of plants inoculated with F. solani by 50.19% and plants inoculated with F. oxysporum by 41.86%, 46.45% and 48.3%, respectively. Furthermore, these composts seemed to improve the sanitary state of peach seedlings inoculated with F. oxysporum. However, the improvement of sanitary state of peach inoculated with F. solani was just noted in case of the composts T1 and T2. The treatment of peach seedlings with these improved plant growth by increasing height and root weight of seedlings inoculated with F. oxysporum. However, none of these composts was able to stimulate growth of plants inoculated with F. solani. Root weight of plants inoculated with F. solani was negatively correlated with bovine manure in the compost, positively with fowl (r = 0.69) and sheep manure content (r = 0.69). Besides, a significant negative correlation among sanitary state index of plants inoculated with F. oxysporum in the case of olive pomace (r = -0.92) and the polyphenols content (r = -0.74) of compost was found.

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The effect of infestation and damage by Larger grain borer (LGB), Prostephanus truncatus (Horns) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) on nutrient content of some dried processed root and tuber crops (cassava, yam, sweet potato and cocoyam) were investigated in the laboratory at 25-30 ºC and 70-90% R.H. Thirty five grams each of the chips from two varieties of sweet potato, cassava, cocoyam and a variety of yam were separately placed in a 950 ml sized glass jar. The Test Host Crops (THC) were artificially infested with one, two and three pairs of adult LGB. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with each treatment replicated three times and kept for 90 days. Data were taken on final population of adult LGB, weight of powder and percentage weight loss. Data on proximate analysis of LGB-infested THC after 90 days was also collected. The response of roots and tubers to infestation by LGB on the THC was significantly different. Percentage loss in quantity of root and tuber crops after 90 days of infestation showed that THC infested with two pairs of the insect had higher weight loss of the crops. The THC infested with two pairs of LGB had higher moisture content and least crude protein was recorded on the THC infested with one pair of LGB while the ones infested with three pairs of LGB had higher crude fat content. Uninfested THC had higher carbohydrate content. The findings of this study show that LGB is a serious threat to stored roots and tubers and to food security. The nutritional value of root and tuber crops was adversely affected by infestation of LGB in storage.

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The genus Paratylenchus sensu lato includes members belonging to the genera Paratylenchus sensustricto (species with 10 to 40µm long stylet), Gracilacus (species with 40-120µm long stylet), Gracilpaurus (species having cuticular punctuations) and Paratylenchoides (species having sclerotized cephalic framework). Long stylet species become swollen and feed as sedentary parasites of roots, some feed from cortex of perennial host roots, but most species feed as sedentary ectoparasites on roots. In other words, species with stylet shorter than 40µm commonly feed on epidermal cells, whilst the species with longer stylet nourish primarily in cortical tissue, without penetration into the plant tissue. In general, pin nematodes, Paratylenchus spp. are parasites of higher plants with a higher abundance in the rhizosphere of trees and perennials. In present review, an attempt is made to document published information on the pathogenicity and damage potential of the pin nematodes to plants.
 

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The cosmopolitan root-knot nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne are considered as the most important plant-parasitic nematodes damaging almost all higher plant species. This paper provides an updated checklist of 105 valid species of Meloidogyne, along with their synonyms and non-valid members. Furthermore, species are grouped based upon their diagnostic characteristics of second-stage juveniles (tail shape, tail length, stylet length and dorsal gland orifice (DGO) distance from stylet base) and males (number of lateral incisures, stylet length, DGO and spicules length).

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Environmental conditions can cause variation in morphology, behavior, and possibly epigenetic in the numerous species of the Gomphocerinae, especially in mountain habitats. Plasticity and changes in morphology in many of the species in this subfamily is caused by character segregation through the female choice of copulation that has produced various clines, sub-species or species groups. The variation and plasticity, as a result of environmental stress, besides morphology, affect physiology and epigenetics of many insect species. Environmental stress and female assortative mating might be accompanied by hybridization in populations, resulting in character divergence and speciation after a long period of time. Contemporary evolution and/or epigenetic inheritance may be a reason for their variation in acoustic and morphology of Gomphocerinae and the main factor in the present situation of difficulty in their classification. We review possible effects of environmental stress on plasticity, hybridization, and speciation by the appearance of endemic species. About half of the insect pest species have reduced their impacts as pests under global warming. The present insect pest situation in Iran is discussed.

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Fungal plant diseases can severely damage oil palm crops and compromise agricultural yields. To ensure a high crop yield while keeping the fungal pathogens at bay, microbial control to combat such diseases offers a more sustainable alternative to chemical control. It is safer to replace chemical fungicides with eco-friendly bio formulations containing living fungi or bacteria and their products to manage fungal infestations on plants, especially oil palm. This is because natural antagonistic microorganisms/substances form components of biofungicides and protect plants by various modes of action such as hyperparasitism, antibiosis and/or by induction of systemic resistance. Microbial agents’ application in managing fungal plant diseases, especially oil palm crop diseases, promises a safer and sustainable agricultural system to control fungal phytopathogens while ecologically less polluting. This article briefly describes the different bioformulations and the mechanism of action of microbial agents to manage fungal phytopathogens of crops, especially in oil palm. A summary of various merits and demerits of biofungicides over synthetic ones and the future outlooks are also highlighted. Bio-based microbial agents for controlling fungal phytopathogens, especially in oil palm plants, appear to be a promising fungal pest management approach considering the growing need for sustainable practices in the agronomic sector.