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To evaluate the effects of presence of insect pollinators on quantity and quality of seeds of two common cultivars of onion (Allium cepa L.), namely Red Azar Shahr and Yellow Sweet Spanish, an experiment in a factorial randomized complete block design was carried out at two sites. Bulbs of equal size were planted with plant to plant 35 cm and row to row 50 cm spacing. At each site, experimental groups differed only in pollination method. About a week before flowering start, at each site 3 groups of 10 individual inflorescences as block replications of each treatment combination (pollination × cultivar) were selected randomly and marked. For each onion cultivar, half of the plants were left uncovered (free pollination), whereas the other ones were isolated from insect pollinators by using wooden cages covered with cloth net. When about 10 percent of black seeds were visibly exposed in the umbels, harvest was done. After drying, the number and weight of seeds produced per inflorescence as well as 1000 seed weight was measured for each treatment combination. Four weeks after the harvesting date the germination test of seeds produced in each treatment combination was evaluated. Non availability of insect pollinators during the flowering period of onion caused substantial reduction on seed number and seed weight per umbel. Also, seeds from free pollination flowers showed higher germination capacity than those isolated from insect visitors. However, varieties as well as experimental sites did not show significant influences on seed setting of onion.

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Ozone is a powerful oxidant capable of killing insects and microorganisms and has been used in the food processing industry in the gaseous and aqueous states. In a laboratory study, the susceptibility of immature stages of an important stored-product pest, the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella Hubner to ozonated water was investigated. Ozone was applied in aqueous form at four concentrations (0, 2, 3 and 5 ppm) for four different periods (30, 60, 90 and 120 min) on eggs, larvae and pupae of, P. interpunctella. The results indicated that in all tested stages, the rate of mortality increased with increasing of concentration and exposure time. This study showed that 5-day old larvae were more susceptible than other stages (12-, 17-day old larvae, pupae and eggs) when exposed to 5 ppm ozone for 120 min. Following 5-day old larvae, 12-day old larvae, 17-day old larvae and pupae had the highest sensitivity to ozonation. At the highest concentration of ozone for the longest time, the least mortality rate was recorded for one day old eggs. According to these preliminary results, ozonated water has potential of reducing population density of P. interpunctella, one of the most important pests of dried fruits such as date, almond and pistachio, in storage.

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A checklist of the bees of the genus Hylaeus Fabricius, 1793 of Iran, based on the literature data and also field surveys in northeastern Iran (North Khorasan and Khorasan-e Razavi provinces) is presented. The resulting checklist comprises nine subgenera and 63 species. Four species of the genus Hylaeus, including H. (Lambdopsis) rinki (Gorski, 1852), H. (Spatulariella) hyalinatus Smith, 1842, H. (Spatulariella) punctatus (Brullé, 1832) and H. (Prosopis) lionotus (Alfken, 1909), are newly recorded for the fauna of Iran. The later species is considered as ″ very rare″ , has only known in Kazakhstan. A re-description of the male of H. (Prosopis) lionotus together with the illustrations of morphological characters is given.

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A faunistic list of Syrphidae sampled in the agroecosystems of Neyshabur (Khorasan-Razavi Province) through Malaise, yellow water traps and hand net is hereby presented for the first time. A total of 22 species were collected, including 13 species through Malaise trap, 5 through yellow water trap as well as representatives of all species sampled through hand net. Among the species collected, 8 including phytophagous ones were exclusively sampled through hand net. In the case of Malaise trap the hover fly population was strongly dominated (73%) by 3 common species of: Sphaerophoria scripta, Episyrphus balteatus, and Eupeodes corollae while, in the yellow water trap, Episyrphus balteatus was the key species representing about 45% of all specimens. Shannon-Weiner index of biodiversity found out for Malaise trap (H= 1.86) was higher than that calculated for yellow water trap (H= 1.39). The relative efficiency of the three collection methods is discussed.

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Recent advances in computer technology as well as in signal processing and pattern recognition, provide the possibility of automatic identification of pests, based on their audio signals. In this research a sound reinforced piezoelectric sensor along with a detection circuit based on a database was designed in order to receive audio signals with intensity lower than human hearing limit (zero dB). The confused flour beetle, Triboium confusum was used in this experiment. The signals received from larvae, adult and the combination of these two stages, in wheat grain bulk at three distances of 10, 20 and 30 cm from acoustic sensors were investigated. In each experimental run the characteristics of signals frequency including range, time, amplitude and intensity were extracted. For all three distances the sound produced by the larvae had a peak intensity in the frequency range of 2.4 kHz (for feeding) and the adult insect’s sound had two peaks intensity in the frequency range of 2 kHz (for feeding) and 2.3 kHz (for walking). The differences between the frequency characteristics of sound produced at different stages might provide the possibility of identifying the life stages of the pest, pest distance to the sensor and approximate location of the pest. Based on these findings, the sound sensor and the audio circuit were designed to detect larvae, adult, or both at a distance of 30 cm. Further investigation is continuing to improve the audio system programming and the related circuits for more accurate detection of the pest.

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Molecular species identification has become more ubiquitous in diagnostics of insects, particularly in situations where morphological identification is a laborious or time-consuming process. Tetranychid mites are serious agricultural pests. Identification of tetranychid mites is usually arduous and requires a high level of taxonomic expertise because of their minute size, their close morphological similarities as well as limited number of diagnostic characters. Most species of the spider mites of the genus Tetranychus Dufour in Iran are morphologically similar, differing only in the diameter of the aedeagal knob in males. Because this genus contains many important pests, the unambiguous identification of species is crucial for effective pest management. In this study, a single-step multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (multiplex PCR) was used to discriminate two predominant spider mite species occurring in greenhouses in Iran: Tetranychus urticae Koch and Tetranychus turkestani (Ugarov and Nikolskii). The single-step multiplex PCR developed here, based on ITS regions, is rapid, reliable, sensitive and relatively simple. The entire identification protocol from DNA extraction to electrophoresis could be completed in four hours. Moreover, it is adequately simple to be implemented in any molecular laboratory.