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The use of conventional pesticides becomes a complicated issue as more species of insect pests become resistant to them. Nanopesticides suit new approaches in pest control. Herein, we tested the toxicological efficacy of imidacloprid compared with three of its nanoformulations (IMD01, IMD02, and IMD03) on second and fourth instar of Culex pipiens larvae. Furthermore, we assessed the synergistic actions of piperonyl butoxide (PBO) on imidacloprid and its nanoformulations against second and fourth instar of C. pipiens. The nanoformulation (IMD03) was the most potent insecticide (LC50 = 14, 6, and 2 ng/mL after 24, 48, and 72 h of exposure, respectively), whereas the lowest toxic nanoformulation was IMD01. However, imidacloprid had the lowest toxicity among the tested compounds (LC50 = 1015, 705, and 621 ng/mL after 24, 48, and 72 h of exposure, respectively). PBO significantly synergized imidacloprid and its nanoformulations. However, the most synergistic effects were on IMD03 and the lowest was imidacloprid itself. Based on our results, nanopesticides are currently the most promising tool to control C. pipiens mosquitoes. However, further semifield and field studies should be done to illustrate the efficacy of imidacloprid and its nanoformulations on C. pipiens mosquitoes.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can promote plant growth and reduce plant uptake of heavy metals. Phosphorus (P) fertilization can affect this relationship. We investigated maize (Zea mays L.) uptake of heavy metals after soil AMF inoculation and P fertilization. Maize biomass, glomaline and chlorophyll contents and uptake of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb have been determined in a soil inoculated with AMF (Glomus aggregatum, or Glomus intraradices) and treated with 30 or 60 µg P-K2HPO4 g−1 soil. Consistent variations were found between the two mycorrhizal species with respect to the colonization and glomalin content. Shoot dry weight and chlorophyll content were higher with G. intraradices than with G. aggregatum inoculation. The biomass was highest with 30 µg P g−1 soil. Shoot concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn decreased with G. aggregatum inoculation, but that of Cd and Pb increased with G. intraradices inoculation. Addition of P fertilizers decreased Cd and Zn concentrations in the shoot. AMF with P fertilization greatly reduced maize content of heavy metals. The results provide that native AMF with a moderate application rate of P fertilizers can be exploited in polluted soils to minimize the heavy metals uptake and to increase maize growth.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of the Kisspeptin (KP) injection on semen quality, testosterone concentration, reaction time, testes and accessory genital glands measurements of Ossimi rams. Fourteen healthy Ossimi rams were randomly divided into control group (CG) and KP treated group (KPG) (7 per each). Rams of the KPG were treated once weekly with KP (5 μg/kg body weight) for one month. Semen volume, concentration, mass motility, percentage of live and dead sperm and total abnormal sperm were recorded twice weekly after treatment for five weeks. Testes measurements including scrotal circumference (SC), testis breadth (TB) and length (TL) using measuring tape and caliper were recorded. Blood samples were collected, and ultrasound examination of the accessory genital glands was measured. Semen characteristics were significantly (p  0.05) affected by KP injection. The KP …

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The current experiment was conducted to study the response of Ficus elastica var. decora air-layers to seven treatments of IBA (control, 50 and 100 ppm in rooting substrate, 1500 and 3000 ppm by painting girdled zone, and 1500 and 3000 ppm in talc paste) in the presence of root promoting microorganisms including Bacillus subtilis and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The obtained results indicated that 3000 ppm IBA applied by painting girdled zone gave a significant increase in rooting percentage and the best root and growth characteristics (number of days for root appearance, number, length, fresh and dry weights of roots per rooted air-layer, survival percentage, plant height and number of leaves and shoots) as well as total content of carbohydrates and phenolics, and showed the shortest period required for root appearance in comparison with the other treatments. Air-layers treated with B. subtilis were superior to those treated with AMF. The best results concerning rooting percentage, root characteristics, total contents of carbohydrates and phenolics, survival percentage, increment in growth of air-layers after six months from detachment were observed in airlayers treated with 3000 ppm IBA by painting girdled zone in combination with B. subtilis followed by the same IBA treatment combined with AMF.

This study was conducted to define the best auxin application method with or without the inoculation with beneficial microorganism (Bacillus subtilis and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi “AMF”) to improve rooting characteristics of F. benjamina air-layers. The treatments were arranged in a split-plot design. Seven combined treatments of auxin concentrations and application methods (control, 50 and 100 ppm IBA in rooting substrate, 1500 and 3000 ppm IBA by painting girdled zone, 1500 and 3000 ppm IBA in talc paste) were assigned to the main plots. The sub-plots comprehended the application of B. subtilis and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in addition to the control. Data recorded on air-layers performance exhibited significant variation among different application methods and concentrations of IBA compared with the control with clear superiority of applying IBA at 3000 ppm by painting girdled zone in enhancing rooting%, number, length, fresh and dry weights of roots per rooted air-layer, as well as total contents of both carbohydrates and phenolics, and showed the shortest period required for root appearance. Similar trend was noticed regarding survival percentage, increment in plant height and number of leaves and shoots after detaching air-layers from mother plants. All root and growth characteristics showed significant increment when air-layers were treated with B. subtilis or AMF compared to the control with clear superiority of B. subtilis. The combined treatment of IBA at 3000 ppm by painting girdled zone and B. subtilis recorded the highest rooting (100%) and survival percentages (100%) and the best root and growth characteristics. This treatment could be recommended for propagation of Ficus benjamina by air layering.

Halophytes have several advantages to be more effective in metal phytoextraction. Little is known about the Cd-phytoextraction potential of Atriplex lentiformis under different levels of Cd. Seven levels of Cd (0, 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, and 240 mg per kg of soil) were added to A. lentiformis plants grown on pots filled with 5 kg of sandy loam soil. A. lentiformis plants achieve different defense mechanisms to meet the high concentration of Cd in the soil and plant. These mechanisms include reducing the number and area of leaves, minimizing chlorophyll synthesis, and enhancing synthesizing of oxalic acid, phenols, and proline. The critical point of Cd was 9.35 and 183 mg kg−1 for available soil Cd and leaves concentrations, respectively. The maximum level of Cd displayed a 66% decrease in the chlorophyll content of the leaves. On the other hand, the oxalic acid, phenols, and proline in the leaves were increased significantly by 129, 100, and 200% when Cd increased from 0 to 240 mg. The tested plant removed 3.6% of the total soil Cd under the low Cd concentration (40 mg) but under the high level of Cd (240 mg), it only removed a negligible amount of soil Cd (0.74%). The current study confirmed that A. lentiformis plants lost the ability to cleanup Cd from contaminated soil under the high levels of contamination due to the high reduction in the production of dry matter

Abstract Recently, the residues of some common and widely used herbicides (acetochlor, bispyribac-sodium, bentazon, bensulfuronmethyl, halosulfuron-methyl, and quinclorac) were detected in the surface water, soil, sediments, and fish tissues as the agricultural drainage problems. In this study, juveniles of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of these herbicides as 2.625, 0.800, 36.00, 2.50, 1.275, and 11.250 mg/l for acetochlor, bispyribac-sodium, bentazon, bensulfuronmethyl, halosulfuron-methyl, and quinclorac respectively for 96 h. Some hemato-biochemical parameters were evaluated. In comparison with the control group, sub-lethal concentrations of all tested herbicides induced alterations in the shape of erythrocytes. Also, in all tested herbicides, hematological parameters of exposed fish exhibited a significant decrease in red blood cell count except bentazon. However, all tested herbicides showed an insignificant reduction in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and total white blood cells except bensulfuron-methyl. For biochemical parameters, most tested herbicides induced a significant increase in levels of cholesterol, albumin, globulin, albumin/globulin ratio, activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total plasma protein (only with acetochlor), urea, and creatinine (except bentazon and halosulfuron-methyl that exhibited non-significant decrease in creatinine level) compared with the control. In conclusion, the fish blood profiles can be used as good biomarkers for laboratory study to assess the toxicity of the tested rice herbicides at a sub-acute level especially acetochlor on O. niloticus.