Infestation

About: Infestation is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 8308 publications have been published within this topic receiving 82305 citations.

Infestation of rural houses by Triatoma infestans in the region of Los Llanos (La Rioja, Argentina)

Abstract: Vectorial transmission of Chagas disease has been strongly reduced in most parts of the Southern Cone countries of South America, except in the Gran Chaco region of Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Given periodical interruptions of the vector control programmes in the endemic region of the Gran Chaco of Argentina, the vectorial transmission of the disease has been increasing during the last years. From the beginning of 2004, the provincial Ministry of Health of La Rioja, Argentina, started a vector control programme to cover the rural houses of the Los Llanos area in the southwestern area of the Gran Chaco region. This article reports the result of a standardized entomological survey and insecticide application against Chagas disease vectors in the intra and peridomestic structures of the rural houses of Los Llanos. A total of 4062 houses were inspected, of which 46.8% were found to be infested by Triatoma infestans. Infestation by vector species other than T. infestans was less than 0.5%(T. eratyrusiformis and T. platensis). Intradomestic infestation was found in 27.2%, whereas peridomestic infestation was found in 39.3% of the houses. The lowest figure of intradomestic infestation was 6.6% (Department F Varela), and the highest value of intradomestic infestation was 45.1% (Department Independencia). In spite of the demonstrated success of vector control elsewhere, this study shows that the vector populations are susceptible to pyrethroid insecticides in the southern area of the Gran Chaco of Argentina, that there still are regions where rural houses show heavy infestation by T. infestans associated with big peridomestic structures and that the vectorial transmission of the Chagas disease will continue, unless a sustained and well organized vector control effort is installed in the region.

Assessment of Management Options on Striga Infestation and Maize Grain Yield in Kenya.

Abstract: The parasitic purple witchweed [Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth.] is a serious constraint to maize production in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in poor soils. Various Striga spp. control measures have been developed, but these have not been assessed in an integrated system. This study was conducted to evaluate a set of promising technologies for S. hermonthica management in western Kenya. We evaluated three maize genotypes either intercropped with peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], or silverleaf desmodium [Desmodium uncinatum (Jacq.) DC] or as a sole crop at two locations under artificial S. hermonthica infestation and at three locations under natural S. hermonthica infestation between 2011 and 2013. Combined ANOVA showed significant (P<0.05) cropping system and cropping system by environment interactions for most traits measured. Grain yield was highest for maize grown in soybean rotation (3,672 kg ha-1) under artificial infestation and in D. uncinatum and peanut cropping systems (3,203 kg ha-1 and 3,193 kg ha-1) under natural infestation. Grain yield was highest for the Striga spp.-resistant hybrid under both methods of infestation. A lower number of emerged S. hermonthica plants per square meter were recorded at 10 and 12 wk after planting on maize grown under D. uncinatum in the artificial S. hermonthica infestation. A combination of herbicide-resistant maize varieties intercropped with legumes was a more effective method for S. hermonthica control than individualcomponent technologies. Herbicide-resistant and Striga spp.-resistant maize integrated with legumes would help reduce the Striga spp. seedbank in the soil. Farmers should be encouraged to adopt an integrated approach to control Striga spp. for better maize yields.

Assessment of susceptibility of olive cultivars to the Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin, 1790) and Camarosporium dalmaticum (Thüm.) Zachos & Tzav.-Klon. attacks in Calabria (Southern Italy).

Abstract: Within the framework of research concerning the application of techniques alternative to chemical pesticides for control of parasites, the CRA Experimental Institute for Olive Growing for many years has been performing a large investigation in order to detect sources of genetic resistance in olive germplasm In the present study we observed the behavior related to the olive fly (Bactrocera oleae) infestation and Camarosporium dalmaticum infection of ten olive cultivars farmed under the same agronomic and climatic conditions in Calabria, Southern Italy The sampling and the data collecting were carried out in three different ripening times The drupe amount of oleuropein and cyanidine was detected by laboratory analyses in order to verify a possible correlation between these molecules and the level of infestation/infection of the above-mentioned parasites The obtained data were submitted to analysis of variance In relation to the fungal infection the results displayed that cvs Tonda nera dolce showed the lowest susceptibility, while the cv Giarraffa turned out to be the most susceptible The less susceptible cultivars to the phytophagous were Tonda nera dolce and Bhardi Tirana Since the less susceptible cultivar to olive fly attacks are the same observed in relation to the susceptibility to olive fruit rot, it is suggested a relation between the olive fly infestation and the fungal infection It suggests the utility to achieve these results both to transfer directly to the farmers' world and to emphasize ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation