h. farazmand

Carob moth is the most important pest of pomegranate in some countries including Iran. The use of sex pheromones is one of the methods to monitor and control of this pest. The major component of the carob moth sex pheromone ((Z, E) -9,11,13-Tetradecatrienal) is unstable, and the effectiveness of its mimic ((Z, E) -7,9,11-Dodecatrienyl format) is less than the sex pheromone. Nanotechnology can play an important role in increasing the efficiency of pheromones through gradual release. In this study, with the aim of increasing the stability of the sex pheromone in garden conditions, in addition to prepare the nanocapsule containing the major component of the sex pheromone, an experiment was conducted in a factorial design based on completely randomized blocks with two factors, including type of attractor (sex pheromone nanocapsule and commercial dispenser of mimic sex pheromone) and replacement time attractor (including one, two, four, and eight weeks). According to results, nanocapsule formulation had better performance than the mimic sex pheromone. The mean number of males attracted to nanocapsule at times of replacement attractor including one, two, four, and eight weeks were 1.93, 1.74, 1.51, and 0.6 insects per day, respectively, and to mimic sex pheromone at the mentioned times were 1.17, 0.89, 0.56, and 0.14 insects per day, respectively. Also, nanocapsule and mimic sex pheromone were able to attract insects for 49 and 21 days, respectively. According to the results of this study, the sex pheromone nanocapsule is recommended to monitor and control of this pest.

European red mite (Panonychus ulmi (Koch)) and two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) are the two major pests of deciduous trees and most of the acaricides used in the control of them in apple orchards of Iran. The early of these two mite damages on leaf chlorophyll contents caused plant retardation, reduce fruit size and quality in apple production. Extensive mite pest damages during the middle of spring and summer months not only caused complete leaves shedding but side effects of this unusual condition imposed shortages of nutritional on vigorously of infested apple trees in next year on apple production also. Most of the new acaricides introduced and registered here in the last two decades demanded and evaluated against apple mite pests. Reduce the hazardous risk of synthetic acaricides application, so many efforts since 1995 undertaken since 1995 for sustainable mite pest’s management and keeping environmental and natural enemies safer in apple orchards. Evaluation of organic pesticides in developed countries in control of apple pests received more attention mostly to overcome spider mite pest damages in the world. In Iran, the only sulfur powder was tested in 1954 against citrus russet mite and no other mineral as an acaricide tested on apple mite pests in Iran. In this study, for the first time, the effect of Kaolin doses investigated on active stages of European red mite in four major apple growing orchards of Iran. Concerned literature survey indicated that this the first in depended kaolin effects report from Iran.

Different kaolin doses (3, 4 and 5%) against Panonychus ulmi infested apple orchards during investigated 2014. Effect of this pesticide was compared with registered acaricides such as Envidor (spirodiclofen 240 SC), floramite (bifenazate 24% SC), Danitol (fenpropathrin 10% EC), Ortus (fenpyroximate 5% SC), 1.5% detergent dishwashing along with water sprayed on apple trees as in uncontrolled treatment. Experiments conducted in different provinces of Iran (West Azerbaijan, Esfahan, Ardebil and Khorasan Razavi provinces during 2014). Treatment effectiveness was determined by random 40 apple leaves collected at the interval of one day before and 3, 7, 14 and 21 days after treatments. Active mite stages on the upper side of the apple leaf counted with the help of a stereomicroscope. Collected alive mite raw data from each treatment at different interval times, converted into morality% by Henderson-Tilton formula. Mean mortality% analysis variance done with SAS software. Grouping and ranking effects of each treatment carried out by DUNCAN methods.

Mite mean density before treatments on apple leaves among treatments found varied during 2014 in different provinces. The highest mean of mite out of 40 leaves before treatments in West Azerbaijan, Esfahan, Ardebil and Khorasan Razavi provinces recorded 11.60±0.28, 13.52±1.29, 11.85±0.32 and 4.75±0.15 respectively with total apple leaves infestation of 65 to 80% in all provinces. Lower doses (3 and 4%) of kaolin pesticides in the control of mite pests in all experimental stations except in Ardebil observed very weakly and less than 50% up to 14 days after. The highest mite mortality% time up to 7 days after treatments for 5% kaolin dose recorded 75.97% and 78.70 up to 7 days in Oromia and Ardebil and up to 14 days after observed 66.68%, 75.23% in Esfahan and Khorasan Razavi provinces respectively. A sharp reduction in apple mite pest control recorded at 21 days sampling interval for kaolin 5%. All kaolin doses sprayed on apple trees found without phytotoxicity during the hot and dried period of sampling time in all places. Expected control with 5% kaolin application at the early stages of P. ulmi activity for a once during the growing season is possible.

Application 5% kaolin at the lower incidence of Panonychus ulmi for once during the growing season in apple orchards recommended.

Pistachio psylla، Agonoscena pistaciae Burckharat & Lauterer (Hem.: Psyllidae)، is the most important pest of pistachio orchards in Iran، feeding on leaves، resulting to reduce the quantity and quality of product. In order to reduce the use of chemical insecticides، the application of kaolin particle film was tested in the fields of four regions of Iran (Razavi Khorasan، South Khorasan، Semnan & Qom regions)، during 2012 year. The different concentrations، 3 and 5%، of kaolin clay (Sepidan® WP) and acetamiprid were sprayed over the whole canopy three times at 4 to 5 -week intervals from mildly May to mildly July. Based on the field studies، kaolin (5%) application reduced the population of psylla nymphs more than acetamiprid at all spraying stages in pistachio trees. The rate of efficacy percent for psylla nymph control، at three days after spraying، were 30. 3، 54. 3 and 43. 5 for kaolin (3%)، kaolin (5%) and acetamiprid treatments، respectively. Also، control ability for psylla nymph was appropriate up to 21 days after spraying، in kaolin treatments compared with acetamiprid treatment. The rate of efficacy percent was 48. 3، 78. 3 and 47. 6%، for kaolin (3%)، kaolin (5%) and acetamiprid treatments، respectively. Therefore three to four times at 4–5-week intervals spraying kaolin (Sepidan® WP) at the concentration (5%) over the whole canopy of pistachio trees can be used successfully to reduce psylla nymph on pistachio.

Oviposition deterrency and ovicidal activity of 18 medicinal plant essential oils were investigated on the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella Hübner. To determine oviposition deterrency of the oils, one pair of the moth was exposed to different concentrations of the oils for four days and the number of deposited eggs was counted. Also, one-day-old eggs were exposure to three concentrations of the oil at 3, 12 and 24 µl essential oil/l air. Percentage of egg hatching was recorded after 96 hours. The results showed that all essential oils had properties of oviposition deterrency. Fourteen plant essential oils tested such as Cinnamomum zelanicum Bl. caused more than 80% deterrency, and they were not significantly different. However, the lowest deterrency was recorded for essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis L., Anethum graveolens L., Artemisia dracunculus L. and Achillea millefolium L. with about 28.33, 32.50, 36.18 and 55.00%, respectively. Essential oils of Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. and C. zelanicum had the highest ovicidal activity on the Indian meal moth. Also, with increase of essential oil concentration ovicidal activity was increased. These findings indicated the high capability of Z. clinopodioides and C. zelanicum oviposition deterrency as well as ovicidal activity. Therefore, they could be suitable components for management of the Indian meal moth in storages.