Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is a crucial source of edible oil and livestock feeding, and is a promising biofuel crop. The increasing demand for oilseed rape requires strategies to increase yield while retaining quality. Field experiments were performed in southern China to evaluate the impacts of fertiliser level and planting density on dry matter accumulation, seed oil and protein content (%) and yield (per ha), oil quality, and the profitability of oilseed rape. Fertiliser treatments contained nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S) and boron (B) at four increasing rates, compared with nil fertiliser, and there were six planting densities (range 7.5–45 × 104 plants ha–1). Dry matter accumulation significantly (P 0.05) increased in response to increasing plant population and fertiliser level, whereas harvest index decreased, suggesting that increasing the production of oilseed rape is limited to improvement of population quality. Seed oil and protein contents were significantly affected by fertiliser level rather than planting density. Increasing the fertiliser rate increased seed protein content, simultaneously slightly decreasing oil content. Glucosinolate content of rapeseed slightly decreased with increasing fertiliser but erucic and oleic acid contents were not affected, indicating that increasing the fertiliser rate might not reduce oilseed rape quality. Manipulation of fertiliser level was more effective than altering planting density for increasing seed oil and protein yields. Highest seed oil and protein yields resulted from the highest fertiliser application of 240 kg N, 52.4 kg P, 174.3 kg K, 15 kg S and 1.2 kg B ha–1, under a planting density of 22.5 × 104 plants ha–1. Maximum economic gain occurred with the two highest fertiliser levels, whereas planting density has no significant effect on profitability. A balanced application of NPKSB fertilisers should be employed with direct-sowing cultivation of oilseed rape, aimed at building a suitable population structure that balances plant population density and individual growth.

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is a crucial source of edible oil and livestock feeding, and is a promising biofuel crop. The increasing demand for oilseed rape requires strategies to increase yield while retaining quality. Field experiments were performed in southern China to evaluate the impacts of fertiliser level and planting density on dry matter accumulation, seed oil and protein content (%) and yield (per ha), oil quality, and the profitability of oilseed rape. Fertiliser treatments contained nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S) and boron (B) at four increasing rates, compared with nil fertiliser, and there were six planting densities (range 7.5–45 × 104 plants ha–1). Dry matter accumulation significantly (P 0.05) increased in response to increasing plant population and fertiliser level, whereas harvest index decreased, suggesting that increasing the production of oilseed rape is limited to improvement of population quality. Seed oil and protein contents were significantly affected by fertiliser level rather than planting density. Increasing the fertiliser rate increased seed protein content, simultaneously slightly decreasing oil content. Glucosinolate content of rapeseed slightly decreased with increasing fertiliser but erucic and oleic acid contents were not affected, indicating that increasing the fertiliser rate might not reduce oilseed rape quality. Manipulation of fertiliser level was more effective than altering planting density for increasing seed oil and protein yields. Highest seed oil and protein yields resulted from the highest fertiliser application of 240 kg N, 52.4 kg P, 174.3 kg K, 15 kg S and 1.2 kg B ha–1, under a planting density of 22.5 × 104 plants ha–1. Maximum economic gain occurred with the two highest fertiliser levels, whereas planting density has no significant effect on profitability. A balanced application of NPKSB fertilisers should be employed with direct-sowing cultivation of oilseed rape, aimed at building a suitable population structure that balances plant population density and individual growth.

Article History The subterranean termite, Psammotermes hypostoma Desneux (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) is considered one of the most dangerous termites in urban, rural and agricultural areas in the desert belt of Assiut governorate, Egypt. Organophosphate insecticides such as chlorpyrifos have been recommended to control subterranean termites in Egypt. The present research was conducted to evaluate the toxicity, persistency and effectiveness of chlorpyrifos (chlorzan 48% EC), imidacloprid (imidammex 70% WG), chlorantraniliprole (coragen 20% SC), indoxacarb (avaunt 15% EC) and spinosad (tracer 24% SC) against subterranean termites. The toxicity of these insecticides was tested against field strain of the subterranean termites using the cardboard dip-bioassay technique under laboratory conditions. The toxicity index after 12 and 24 hr exposure showed that chlorpyrifos has the highest termiticidal activity, with LC 50s 1.19 and 0.13 ppm, followed by imidacloprid with LC 50s 3.24 and 0.61 ppm, while spinosad was the least toxic one with LC 50s .9.96 and 4.95 ppm. Furthermore, chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid and chlorantraniliprole registered significantly high percent reduction of the infested rural homes by subterranean termite, P. hypostoma, while indoxacarb and spinosad recorded the lowest reduction percentage after 30, 60, 90 and 120 days of treatment. In addition, the efficiency and residual effects of chlorpyrifos persisted up to 120 days followed by imidacloprid and chlorantraniliprole after treatment. Results of this study indicated that, chlorpyrifos exhibited the most powerful pesticide among all the insecticides tested, and imidacloprid and chlorantraniliprole were highly effective and it is given as unique and hopeful trends against subterranean termites under field conditions.

تعتبر الأسرة من أهم النظم الإجتماعية فى المجتمع، فهى تقوم بالعديد من الوظائف والأدوار الهامة منها إتخاذ القرارات، فالأسرة يومياً تتخذ العديد من القرارات التى تعمل على تحقيق الإستقرار الأسرى، لذلك كان اتخاذ القرار الأسرى محور اهتمام العديد من الباحثين لأنها عملية تمس الحاضر وتغير المستقبل، وفي الاسرة الريفية قد يسيطر الرجل على اتخاذ القرار دون الرجوع لباقى أفراد الاسرة، لذلك تمثلت أهداف البحث فى التعرف على الخصائص الإجتماعية والديموجرافية والإقتصادية للمبحوثين، والتعرف على أهم القرارات التى تتخذ داخل الاسرة الريفية، وتحديد من المسئول عن اتخاذ القرارات وتحديد العلاقة بين الخصائص الإجتماعية والديموجرافية والاقتصادية للمبحوثين (سن الزوج، سن الزوجة، الحالة التعليمية للزوجة، الحالة التعليمية للزوج، الدخل الشهرى، صلة القرابة، مدة الحياة الزوجية) وبين اتخاذ القرارات السابقة. ولتحقيق هذه الأهداف تم اختيار خمسة مراكز بطريقة عشوائية ، وتم اختيار قرية من كل مركز بطريقة عشوائية أيضا وتم جمع البيانات عن طريق استمارة استبيان أعدت لهذا الغرض من (338) أسرة تم اختيارهم بطريقة عشوائية من القرى المختارة. وكان من أهم النتائج التى توصل اليها البحث أن هناك بعض القرارات الأسرية يكون الزوج المسئول عن إتخاذها بدرجة أكبر من الزوجة وهى الإنفاق وميزانية الأسرة، والإحتياجات الأسرية، والقرارات المتعلقة بالشئون الخاصة بالزوج، وبعض النواحى الزراعية، فى حين أن هناك بعض القرارات التى تكون الزوجة المسئولة عن إتخاذها بدرجة أكبر وهى القرارات المتعلقة بالزوجة، وتنشئة الأبناء، أما بخصوص عدد الأبناء وتنظيم الأسرة فاوضحت النتائج أن الأثنين يشتركان فى اخذ هذا القرار ولوحظ من النتائج ان هناك ضعفاً فى مشاركة الأبناء فى كثير من القرارات ما عدا المشاركة فى القرار الخاص بزواجهم وبعض النواحى الزراعية. كما وجدت علاقة بين سن الزوج وكل من قرار الإنفاق وميزانية الأسرة، والجوانب الإجتماعية، والقرارات المتعلقة بالزوجة، والقرارات المتعلقة بالزوج، والتنشئة الإجتماعية، وعدد الأبناء وتنظيم الأسرة، والإحتياجات الأسرية، والنواحى الزراعية. كما وجدت علاقة بين الحالة التعليمية للزوج وبين كل من القرار الخاص بالإنفاق وميزانية الأسرة، والجوانب الاجتماعية، القرارات المتعلقة بالزوجة، والقرارات المتعلقة بالزوج، والاحتياجات الاسرية، والنواحى الزراعية، ووجدت علاقة بين سن الزوجة والقرارات الأسرية الخاصة بالجوانب الإجتماعية، والقرارات المتعلقة بالزوجة، القرارات المتعلقة بالزوج، والتنشئة الإجتماعية، وعدد الأبناء وتنظيم الأسرة، والإحتياجات الأسرية، وزواج الابناء، والنواحى الزراعية، ووجدت علاقة بين الحالة التعليمية للزوجة وبين القرار الخاص بالقرارات المتعلقة بالزوجة، والقرارات المتعلقة بالزوج، وزواج الابناء. كما وجدت ايضا علاقة بين الدخل الشهرى وبين القرار الخاص بالتنشئة الاجتماعية، وعدد الابناء وتنظيم الأسرة، والإحتياجات الأسرية، ووجدت علاقة بين صلة القرابة وبين كل من القرار الخاص بالإنفاق وميزانية الأسرة، القرار الخاص بالجوانب الإجتماعية، والقرارات المتعلقة بالزوجة، عدد الابناء وتنظيم الأسرة، والاحتياجات الاسرية، ووجدت علاقة بين مدة الحياة الزوجية القرار الخاص بالإنفاق وميزانية الأسرة، والجوانب الإجتماعية، والقرارات المتعلقة بالزوجة، والقرارات المتعلقة بالزوج، والإحتياجات الأسرية.

In this paper, 2-((3-Cyano-4,6-distyrylpyridin-2-yl)thio)acetamide (2) and its cyclized form, 3- amino-4,6-distyrylthieno[2,3-b]pyridine-2-carboxamide (3), were prepared and their structure characterizations were performed by the means of elemental and spectroscopic analyses. Their biological activity as insecticides against cowpea aphid Aphis craccivora Koch using acetamiprid insecticide as a reference was studied. The bioassay results for compounds (2) and (3) against nymphs of cowpea aphid showed that the LC50 values were 0.192 and 0.841 ppm, respectively, after 24 h of treatment but the LC50 values were 0.041 and 0.095 ppm, respectively, after 48 h of treatment. Furthermore, the bioassay results for compounds (2) and (3) showed that the LC50 values were 1.233 and 2.949 ppm, respectively, after 24 h of treatment and the LC50 values were 0.142 and 0.270 ppm, respectively, after 48 h of treatment against adults of cowpea aphid. Given these observations, it has been found that there is a remarkable relationship between the biological activity and the structure of the used compounds.

In this paper, 2-((3-Cyano-4,6-distyrylpyridin-2-yl)thio)acetamide (2) and its cyclized form, 3- amino-4,6-distyrylthieno[2,3-b]pyridine-2-carboxamide (3), were prepared and their structure characterizations were performed by the means of elemental and spectroscopic analyses. Their biological activity as insecticides against cowpea aphid Aphis craccivora Koch using acetamiprid insecticide as a reference was studied. The bioassay results for compounds (2) and (3) against nymphs of cowpea aphid showed that the LC50 values were 0.192 and 0.841 ppm, respectively, after 24 h of treatment but the LC50 values were 0.041 and 0.095 ppm, respectively, after 48 h of treatment. Furthermore, the bioassay results for compounds (2) and (3) showed that the LC50 values were 1.233 and 2.949 ppm, respectively, after 24 h of treatment and the LC50 values were 0.142 and 0.270 ppm, respectively, after 48 h of treatment against adults of cowpea aphid. Given these observations, it has been found that there is a remarkable relationship between the biological activity and the structure of the used compounds.

The citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton) is a significant pest for Citrus spp. worldwide. Hence, the effectiveness of jasmonic acid (JA) was compared to three pesticides, abamectin, thiamethoxam, and acetamiprid, against P. citrella infesting mandarin (Citrus reticulata L.) and lime (C. aurantifolia L.) seedlings. Mortality rate was significantly different due to JA and other pesticides treatments. Moreover, on the 3rd day after treatment, JA demonstrated the highest reduction percentage of leafminer (77.08 and 33.33%) on mandarin and lime, respectively. By the 10th day after treatment, JA and abamectin displayed 100% reduction in both plant species. Furthermore, the foliar application of JA enhanced the most vegetative characteristics in the treated seedlings, including growth rate (shoot length/root length), fresh and dry weights of shoot and root as well as the number of leaves/seedling. Moreover, soluble protein content was increased significantly under JA treatment in the two Citrus spp. Jasmonic acid showed a good biological activity, which gives a practical reason to recommend it to be integrated in pest management programs as an alternative product for controlling P. citrella.

The citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton) is a significant pest for Citrus spp. worldwide. Hence, the effectiveness of jasmonic acid (JA) was compared to three pesticides, abamectin, thiamethoxam, and acetamiprid, against P. citrella infesting mandarin (Citrus reticulata L.) and lime (C. aurantifolia L.) seedlings. Mortality rate was significantly different due to JA and other pesticides treatments. Moreover, on the 3rd day after treatment, JA demonstrated the highest reduction percentage of leafminer (77.08 and 33.33%) on mandarin and lime, respectively. By the 10th day after treatment, JA and abamectin displayed 100% reduction in both plant species. Furthermore, the foliar application of JA enhanced the most vegetative characteristics in the treated seedlings, including growth rate (shoot length/root length), fresh and dry weights of shoot and root as well as the number of leaves/seedling. Moreover, soluble protein content was increased significantly under JA treatment in the two Citrus spp. Jasmonic acid showed a good biological activity, which gives a practical reason to recommend it to be integrated in pest management programs as an alternative product for controlling P. citrella.

The citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton) is a significant pest for Citrus spp. worldwide. Hence, the effectiveness of jasmonic acid (JA) was compared to three pesticides, abamectin, thiamethoxam, and acetamiprid, against P. citrella infesting mandarin (Citrus reticulata L.) and lime (C. aurantifolia L.) seedlings. Mortality rate was significantly different due to JA and other pesticides treatments. Moreover, on the 3rd day after treatment, JA demonstrated the highest reduction percentage of leafminer (77.08 and 33.33%) on mandarin and lime, respectively. By the 10th day after treatment, JA and abamectin displayed 100% reduction in both plant species. Furthermore, the foliar application of JA enhanced the most vegetative characteristics in the treated seedlings, including growth rate (shoot length/root length), fresh and dry weights of shoot and root as well as the number of leaves/seedling. Moreover, soluble protein content was increased significantly under JA treatment in the two Citrus spp. Jasmonic acid showed a good biological activity, which gives a practical reason to recommend it to be integrated in pest management programs as an alternative product for controlling P. citrella.

The citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton) is a significant pest for Citrus spp. worldwide. Hence, the effectiveness of jasmonic acid (JA) was compared to three pesticides, abamectin, thiamethoxam, and acetamiprid, against P. citrella infesting mandarin (Citrus reticulata L.) and lime (C. aurantifolia L.) seedlings. Mortality rate was significantly different due to JA and other pesticides treatments. Moreover, on the 3rd day after treatment, JA demonstrated the highest reduction percentage of leafminer (77.08 and 33.33%) on mandarin and lime, respectively. By the 10th day after treatment, JA and abamectin displayed 100% reduction in both plant species. Furthermore, the foliar application of JA enhanced the most vegetative characteristics in the treated seedlings, including growth rate (shoot length/root length), fresh and dry weights of shoot and root as well as the number of leaves/seedling. Moreover, soluble protein content was increased significantly under JA treatment in the two Citrus spp. Jasmonic acid showed a good biological activity, which gives a practical reason to recommend it to be integrated in pest management programs as an alternative product for controlling P. citrella.