Recent estimates have revealed that more than 6.5 million olive trees in southern Italy have subdued to the Xylella fastidiosa infection, leading to the devasting Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS). This epidemic continues to expand, posing a significant threat to global olive oil production. OQDS has already resulted 30-34% reduction in ecosystem services provided by olive orchards and a 28% decline in associated biodiversity. Additionally, OQDS has annihilated productivity and the entire olive oil supply chain, causing considerable economic losses. To counteract the relentless spread of Xylella, Integrated Transmission Management (ITM) strategies are crucial. Reducing one vector per olive tree present in an olive orchard can confine X. fastidiosa within acceptable economic and environmental limits. Thus, monitoring and managing vector populations are crucial to curbing disease transmission. The complex interactions between insects and microorganisms are pivotal in the OQDS scenario. Understanding these interactions can provide insights into novel control strategies, such as disrupting bacterial symbiosis with Aphrophoridae foams, affecting the fitness of vector insects, and potentially reducing X. fastidiosa transmission. To counteract Xylella transmission effectively, biocontrol measures must be incorporated into IPM strategies for olive orchards. However, more than the current arsenal of vector antagonists is required. The entrance into the Europe of Zelus renardii shows promise in biocontrolling Xylella vectors. Furthermore, Z. renardii's ability to manage other olive pests adds to its utility. Zelus renardii's bionomics and its ability to regulate alarm pheromones via Brindley glands is crucial for its effective use in IPM strategies. The formulation of artificial diets for mass-rearing Z. renardii under controlled conditions can pave the way for its inundative release to enhance ITM. These biological and biotechnological control measures have the potential to significantly reduce Philaenus spumarius populations and the infective capacity of Xylella vectors within IPM strategies. This approach can also act preventively and protectively, reducing the risk of future infections and limiting repeated transmissions. Progress has been made in modulating the transmission abilities of Xylella vectors, while the challenge of OQDS and X. fastidiosa remains tricky. The availability of Z. renardii and exploring its capabilities offer a more sustainable and effective approach to managing this disease in olive production.

Concern about externalities associated with pesticide use in developing countries has motivated the development of integrated pest management (IPM) programs in these areas. In the Philippines, the IPM Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP) was established to specifically address the widespread misuse of pesticides in the rice-vegetable systems of Nueva Ecija, one of the major rice and onion producing regions in the country. IPM CRSP initiatives include research on the optimal use of pesticides, complementary weed control strategies, and alternative cultural and biological controls. If successful, the program should generate benefits that can be measured in economic terms. These benefits include improvements in water quality, food safety, pesticide applicator safety, and long run sustainability of pest management systems. This study was designed to measure the health and environmental benefits of the IPM CRSP in the Philippines. A survey questionnaire was administered to 176 onion farmers in five villages in Nueva Ecija to identify farm and farmer characteristics, pesticide usage, pest management practices, perceptions about pesticide hazards, awareness of IPM strategies, and willingness to adopt specific technologies being developed under the IPM CRSP. In addition, a contingent valuation survey was used to elicit farmers' willingness-to-pay to avoid risks posed by pesticides to different environmental categories. A comprehensive economic measure of the benefits of IPM CRSP was derived by 1) assessing the hazards associated with pesticide usage, 2) providing an ex ante measure of program impacts on pesticide usage, 3) predicting IPM adoption rates, and 4) estimating society's willingness-to-pay to avoid the health and environmental risks from pesticides under Philippine conditions. A measure of the amount of risks avoided as a result of IPM CRSP adoption was combined with farmers' willingness to pay bids for risk avoidance to derive a monetary value of the program benefits. The estimated economic benefits of the IPM CRSP to farmer residents in 5 villages in Nueva Ecija amount to 230,912.00 pesos for one onion season. / Ph. D.

The effective dispersal ability of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma ostriniae Pang and Chen was assessed in potato fields on the Eastern Shore of Virginia in spring 2005 and 2006. Approximately 0.5 million T. ostriniae were released from a central release point in separate potato fields. Dispersal was monitored using yellow sticky card traps and European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner, egg mass sentinels. Adult T. ostriniae dispersed quickly throughout the 0.4 ha (1 acre) sampling area. Parasitism and sticky card captures were highest close to the release point and decreased with increasing distance. Sticky card data were a good fit to the diffusion model used (r² > 0.90) for all but two sampling dates. In 2005 parasitization peaked at 4 days post release with close to 40% of sentinels parasitized at 30m from the release point. The mean distance encompassing 98% (x98) of T. ostriniae for both fields in 2005 was 27.5 (± 2.4) meters. For fields 1 and 2 in 2005, x98 for parasitism was 21 and 26 meters, respectively. In 2006 sticky card data fit the dispersal model moderately well (r² > 0.77) except for two sampling dates and dispersal was generally lower. The mean x98 value for sticky card data was 12.9 (± 0.9) meters. For parasitism, the x98 distances for field 1 and 2 were estimated at 8 and 10 meters, respectively. Correlation analysis showed no significant difference in the distributions between sticky card captures and sentinel egg mass parasitism. In 2006, T. ostriniae were released in small pepper plots in Pennsylvania, Maryland and two locations in Virginia to evaluate the number of wasps needed per plant for effective control of European corn borer. Treatments included 0, 5, 20 and 50 wasps per plant. In each plot, parasitism was measured using 30 sentinel egg masses collected on 3 and 6 days post release. Parasitism was relatively low in Pennsylvania and Virginia and no significant effect from release density was observed. High rates of parasitization in the untreated control plot were observed in Maryland as well as one of the Virginia locations. Overall results show results show ambiguity in the data and high levels of natural parasitism occurring on Ephestia eggs sentinels. In 2005 and 2006, several insecticides were evaluated for controlling O. nubilalis and impacting arthropod natural enemies in bell pepper. In addition, we compared the effectiveness of an integrated pest management program based around inundative releases of T. ostriniae to a conventional insecticide-based program for O. nubilalis control in multiple locations in the Mid- Atlantic US. To evaluate the insecticides, small plots of bell pepper were established at four locations in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. Insecticides were applied weekly from first fruit until final harvest (5 to 7 applications). Results indicated that the biorational insecticides, spinosad, indoxacarb, and methoxyfenozide provided comparable control of O. nubilalis as the broadspectrum conventional insecticides, acephate, and lambda-cyhalothrin. At most locations, multiple sprays of lambda-cyhalothrin resulted in flares (outbreaks) of green peach aphids most likely from destruction of arthropod natural enemies. Indoxacarb also caused a similar aphid flare at one of the locations. For the IPM demonstration experiment, pepper plots were established at 5 locations in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. in 2005 and 2006. Treatments included: "conventional", which involved weekly applications of acephate or lambda-cyhalothrin from first fruit until final harvest; 2) "IPM", which included three or four inundative releases of T. ostriniae and a judicial application of methoxyfenozide only if lepidopteran pests exceeded action thresholds; and 3) an untreated control. No significant treatment effect was found in either year on cumulative number of marketable fruit or percentage of fruit damaged by lepidopteran pests. A significant treatment effect was found on peak numbers of green peach aphids, with the conventional insecticide approach causing aphid flares and the untreated control or IPM approach not having aphid pest problems. Inundative releases of T. ostriniae may be a more environmentally-sound approach to managing O. nubilalis in peppers, although a comparison with conventional insecticides under greater lepidopteran pest pressure is still needed. / Master of Science in Life Sciences

4 pp. / Arizona enjoys a sustained recovery from the devastating whitefly outbreaks of the early 1990's. This success is built on an IPM strategy that includes the use of selective and effective chemistry. Admire has been a key soil insecticide protecting vegetables and produce throughout Arizona and is the first member of a burgeoning class of chemistry known as the neonicotinoids. New members of this valuable, reduced-risk, class of chemistry are now available to agricultural producers, placing a burden on users of these compounds to adopt rational plans for sustaining their efficacy. This consensus document represents our best guess efforts to limit and share this chemistry among different agricultural interests. Our goal is to preserve the long-term efficacy of the neonicotinoids and protect growers' interests in sustainable and economical whitefly management. Through identification of crop communities (i.e., "multi-crop", "cotton-intensive", and "cotton/melon") common to Arizona agriculture, we have sculpted sensible plans of use that should allow access to this valuable chemistry for everyone, while protecting it from resistance.

Well reported problems around air quality and climate change, together with the energy crisis resulting from finite fossil fuel resources is motivating all the automotive manufacturers to develop new propulsion systems through electrification and hybridisation. The range extended electric vehicle (REEV) is one of these solutions that seeks a practical compromise between the on-board battery size and the one-charge driving range. The auxiliary power unit (APU) is the key component in a REEV and is designed to maintain the battery charge for long distance trips. Since the APU does not propel the vehicle, it only requires a small capacity engine with low-cylinder-count. This type of engine exhibits severe speed fluctuations due to its low firing frequency. As the engine and the M/G are isolated from the vehicle driving wheels, it is possible to use the electric machine to deliver a counteracting torque to the engine reducing the resultant torque spikes and thus the system speed oscillation but likely to increase the electric losses. This research work aims to minimise the speed fluctuation balanced against the extra losses introduced. A Dynamic Torque Control (DTC) strategy was designed and tested on an APU using a novel approach to achieve this target. The system components were modelled individually regarding to the prototype system specifications, which is developed within a collaborative R&D project. The empirical engine model was calibrated with extensive bench testing data to recreate the in-cycle torque waveforms. The motor/generator was modelled as a novel hybrid between an analytical model and an FEA model which allowed the winding inductance variation due to the current rise to be included in the model. This approach was designed to replicate the electric machine performance with high fidelity whilst keeping the computational time and cost low. With the help from the system model, the DTC torque demand patterns were designed based on detailed analysis of the contribution factors of the speed fluctuation and the electric machine losses. A unique Pareto Curve of the speed fluctuation reduction and the electrical loss was identified during the analysis and allowed the optimal demand pattern to be developed for a given torque capability electric machine. The simulation results showed that the system in-cycle speed fluctuations could be reduced by 16.4% and 19.11% at 2000rpm full load and 4500rpm full load condition respectively while the electric specific fuel consumption (ESFC) rose by 2.26% and 1.35% at the same operation points. The DTC strategy was implemented in the prototype APU and successfully tested on the rig at 2000rpm and 4500rpm. A reduction in the speed oscillation and the ESFC increase consistent with the simulation results were observed. The simulation estimates on ESFC was proved within an error of 2.19%. This research improves the insight into the mechanisms that are responsible for increased losses when dynamic torque control is used and develops an optimisation approach which takes account of these factors. When an electric machine, which does not have the same instantaneous peak torque capability as the engine, is used in an APU, a better compromise between speed fluctuation smoothing and system efficiency can be achieved.

Apesar de o Brasil ser um dos principais produtores de laranja no mundo e o maior exportador de suco concentrado, atualmente a cultura vem sofrendo perdas em razão do ataque de diversas pragas e doenças, sendo a principal o Huanglongbing (HLB), ou Greening, que foi relatada pela primeira vez em 2004 no estado de São Paulo. Essa doença está associada às bactérias do gênero \"Candidatus Liberibacter sp.\", sendo que no Brasil ocorrem as bactérias \"Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus\" e \"Ca. Liberibacter americanus\", tendo como seus vetores o psilídeo Diaphorina citri, praga importante devido a sua distribuição geográfica e características biológicas. Existe registro de cerca de 50 espécies da família Rutaceae, que incluem as espécies do gênero Citrus (laranjas, limões, limas, etc.), que podem hospedar esse inseto, além da murta (Murraya paniculata). Na natureza, D. citri é controlado por uma série de fatores, podendo ser outros insetos, fungos ou até condições climáticas desfavoráveis para seu desenvolvimento. Porém, os resultados de pesquisas indicam que ectoparasitoide Tamarixia radiata é eficiente no controle de D. citri. Entretanto, levantamentos realizados nos últimos anos verificaram que o parasitismo natural vem sendo reduzido consideravelmente, devido, principalmente, à aplicação intensiva de agroquímicos. Dessa forma, a utilização de produtos seletivos, ou seja, que atue contra o psilídeo D. citri e tenha o menor impacto possível sobre o parasitoide T. radiata é imprescindível para o sucesso do manejo integrado de pragas em que se utiliza o controle químico juntamente com a liberação do parasitoide. Assim, objetivou-se com esse trabalho: 1) Estudar o efeito direto e a persistência de inseticidas sobre o parasitoide T. radiata; 2) Estudar o efeito de inseticidas sobre a fase pupal do parasitoide; 3) Determinar a interferência dos inseticidas na capacidade de parasitismo; 4) Avaliar a toxicidade diferencial dos inseticidas para o parasitoide T. radiata e para o psilídeo D. citri. Dos 25 inseticidas testados no efeito direto, 20% foram considerados inócuos (classe 1); 12% levemente nocivo (classe 2); 12% moderadamente nocivo (classe 3); e 56% como nocivo (classe 4). Apesar de vários serem nocivos para adultos do parasitoide, apenas Lorsban® 480 BR e Perfekthion® afetaram a emergência do parasitoide quando pulverizados sobre a sua fase de pupa, sendo que os demais permitiram a emergência e não afetaram a duração, razão sexual e longevidade. No teste de persistência, 25% dos inseticidas testados foram considerados de vida curta (classe 1); 37,5% como levemente persistentes (classe 2); 29,2% moderadamente persistentes (classe 3); e apenas 8,3% persistentes (classe 4). Portanto, para a escolha de um inseticida para controle de pragas dos citros, deve-se levar em consideração seu efeito no adulto, fase imatura e sua persistência biológica na planta. / Although Brazil is one of the major orange producers and largest exporter of juice concentrate in the world, currently the citrus culture suffers losses due to the attack of several pests and diseases. Huanglongbing (HLB), or Greening, is the main disease and it was first reported in 2004 in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. This disease is associated with bacteria of the genus \"Candidatus Liberibacter sp.\", and in Brazil the bacteria \"Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus\" and \"Ca. Liberibacter americanus\" occur, and the psyllid Diaphorina citri is its main vector, an important pest insect because of its geographical distribution and biological characteristics. There is record of about 50 species of the family Rutaceae, including the species of the genus Citrus (oranges, lemons, limes, etc.) that can host this insect, in addition to orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata). In nature, a number of factors control D. citri, namely other insects, fungi or even adverse weather conditions for their development. However, studies show that the ectoparasitoid Tamarixia radiata is efficient in the control of D. citri. However, recent studies indicate that natural parasitism has been reduced considerably, mainly due to the intensive application of pesticides. Thus, the use of selective products, i.e., which act against the psyllid D. citri with the lowest possible impact on the parasitoids T. radiata is indispensable for the success of the integrated pest management that uses chemical control along with the release of parasitoids. Thus, the objectives of this work were: 1) to study the direct effect and the persistence of insecticides on the parasitoid T. radiata; 2) to investigate the effect of insecticides on the pupal stage of the parasitoids; 3) to determine the effect of insecticides on parasitism capacity; 4) to assess the differential toxicity of insecticides to the parasitoid T. radiata and psyllid D. citri. Of the 25 insecticides tested in terms of direct effect, 20% was considered harmless (class 1); 12% slightly harmful (class 2); 12% moderately harmful (class 3); and 56% as harmful (class 4). Although several are harmful to adult of the parasitoid, only Lorsban® 480 BR and Perfekthion® affected the emergence of the parasitoid when sprayed in the pupal stage, and the others allowed the emergence and did not affect the duration, sex ratio and life span. In the test of persistence, 25% of the insecticides were considered short life (class 1); 37.5% slightly persistent (class 2); 29.2% moderately persistent (class 3); and only 8.3% persistent (class 4). Therefore, choosing an insecticide for control of pests of citrus requires consideration of its effect on adults, immature phase and their biological persistence in the plant.

Helicoverpa armigera é uma espécie que até 2013 era considerada praga quarentenária A1 no Brasil. Tratamentos com inseticidas são indispensáveis para o manejo de H. armigera em quase todas as culturas do mundo. Uma alternativa à utilização de inseticidas sintéticos para o controle de pragas é o uso de parasitoides do gênero Trichogramma. Em consideração a grande quantidade de aplicações de agroquímicos no sistema de produção de grãos, torna-se essencial avaliar a seletividade dos inseticidas utilizados, garantindo informações que auxilie na manutenção do T. pretiosum na área, podendo potencializar o controle biológico de H. armigera, sendo isto, importante para o estabelecimento do manejo integrado de pragas nas grandes culturas. Portanto, objetivou-se com esse trabalho: estudar a toxicidade aguda e a persistência de inseticidas sobre o parasitoide; estudar o efeito de inseticidas sobre a fase pupal do parasitoide; determinar a interferência dos inseticidas na capacidade de parasitismo. Dos inseticidas testados em condições laboratoriais, Nomolt®, Avatar®, Belt®, Premio® e Intrepid® foram considerados inócuos para adultos. Lorsban® e Engeo Pleno® são nocivos à fase de pupa, enquanto Acefato®, Pirate® e Belt® apesar de inócuos afetam as gerações seguintes. Pirate®, Lorsban® e Engeo Pleno interferem na capacidade de parasitismo, e Acefato® tem efeito deletério na geração que tem contato com o resíduo. Os inseticidas Nomolt®, Avatar®, Belt®, Acefato®, Premio® e Intrepid® foram classificados como inseticidas de vida curta (classe 1). Lorsban® tem efeito moderadamente persistente (classe 3) e Engeo Pleno® e Pirate® classificados como persistentes (classe 4). Portanto, visando um bom programa de MIP, deve-se optar pelo uso de inseticidas seletivos, ou inseticidas nocivos para adultos do parasitoide podem ser utilizados no campo desde que estes não estejam ocorrendo naturalmente ou que não coincida com épocas de liberação do mesmo. / Helicoverpa armigera is a specie that until 2013 was considered A1 quarantine pest in Brazil. Treatments with insecticides are indispensable for the management of H. armigera in almost every crops in the world. An alternative to the use of synthetic insecticides for pest control is the use of parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma. Considered the large number of agrochemical applications in grain yield, it is essential assess the selectivity of insecticides used, providing informations to assist in the maintenance of T. pretiosum in the area and can enhance the biological control of H. armigera, this being important for the establishment of integrated pest management in field crops. Therefore, the aim of this work was study the acute toxicity and the duration of the harm effects of insecticides on the parasitoid, study the effect of insecticides on the pupal stage of the parasitoid and determine the interference of insecticides on the parasitism capacity. Insecticides tested in laboratory conditions, Nomolt®, Avatar®, Belt®, Premio® and Intrepid® were considered innocuous to the adults. Lorsban® and Engeo Pleno® were harmful to the pupal stage, while Acefato®, Pirate® and Belt® although were considered innocuous they affect the next generations. Pirate®, Lorsban® and Engeo Pleno® interfered on the parasitism capacity, and Acefato® have a deleterious effect on the generation that has contact with the insecticide residue. The insecticides Nomolt®, Avatar®, Belt®, Acefato®, Premio® and Intrepid® were classified as short live (class 1). Lorsban® was moderately persistent (class 3) and Engeo Pleno® and Pirate® were classified as persistent (Class 4). Therefore, for an effective IPM program, it is important to use the selective insecticides. Insecticides that were harmful to the parasitoid adults could be used in the field, provided that the parasitoids do not occur naturally and the chemical applications do not coincide with the parasitoids release.

The modern theory of condition measures for convex optimization problems was initially developed for convex problems in conic format, and several aspects of the theory have now been extended to handle non-conic formats as well. In this theory, the (Renegar-) condition measure C(d) for a problem instance with data d=(A,b,c) has been shown to be connected to bounds on a wide variety of behavioral and computational characteristics of the problem instance, from sizes of optimal solutions to the complexity of algorithms. Herein we test the practical relevance of the condition measure theory, as applied to linear optimization problems that one might typically encounter in practice. Using the NETLIB suite of linear optimization problems as a test bed, we found that 71% of the NETLIB suite problem instances have infinite condition measure. In order to examine condition measures of the problems that are the actual input to a modern IPM solver, we also computed condition measures for the NETLIB suite problems after pre-preprocessing by CPLEX 7.1. Here we found that 19% of the post-processed problem instances in the NETLIB suite have infinite condition measure, and that log C(d) of the post-processed problems is fairly nicely distributed. Furthermore, there is a positive linear relationship between IPM iterations and log C(d) of the post-processed problem instances (significant at the 95% confidence level), and 42% of the variation in IPM iterations among the NETLIB suite problem instances is accounted for by log C(d) of the post-processed problem instances. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

This thesis reports the effects of disturbance and harbourage on the fitness of Tribolium confusum and T. castaneum, as well as the the efficacy of pheromone monitoring traps for monitoring for populations of Tribolium in laboratory and mill settings. Behavioural studies were also carried out on mill and laboratory-reared beetles and the distributions of both species in a mill were examined. Twenty-four hour sieving disturbance decreased the rates of dispersal for both species, and decreased T. castaneum fecundity. Rolling disturbance decreased T. confusum dispersal rate while shaking disturbance decreased T. castaneum dispersal rate. When undisturbed beetles were given differing amounts of flour in the presence or absence of harbourage, beetles laid more eggs in larger amounts of flour, but harbourage only affected T. castaneum at one level of flour (2 g). Throughout disturbance and harbourage experiments, T. castaneum laid more eggs than T. confusum. Pheromone monitoring traps placed in three Canadian flour mills were not useful in predicting the degree of infestation inside Simons rollstands. Pheromone monitoring traps also showed low efficacy (i.e. caught few beetles) in both mill and laboratory settings, and T. confusum was caught less often than T. castaneum in both mills and in a warehouse. Mill-strain beetles of both species were caught less often than laboratory-strain beetles in a warehouse. In one Canadian flour mill, both T. castaneum and T. confusum were found inside rollstands but the two species were spatially segregated from one another, rarely being found together in the same rollstand. In contrast to this, both species were consistently found together in samples taken from the same mill less than a year beforehand. In behavioural laboratory studies, beetles collected directly from a mill moved slower than beetles collected from a laboratory culture and this response was shown to be phenotypic. Mill-strain and laboratory-strain beetles also differed in burrowing tendencies, with T. confusum from the laboratory strain burrowing less than T. confusum from a mill and T. castaneum from different mills sometimes burrowing more and sometimes less than T. castaneum from the laboratory strain. / October 2008

11 pp. / This document provides a general overview of bat biology and behavior with emphasis on urban environments, use of integrated pest management (IPM) techniques that are in keeping with bat conservation guidelines, and disease awareness and prevention efforts.