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Cowpea beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is one of the most dangerous insect pests in field and storage. It causes a high damage to the legumes by decreased dietary values, germination and seed weights. Using synthetic insecticides for controlling stored grain pests have a lot of problems for humans and environment. Therefore, the mixing seeds laboratory experiments were conducted to study the efficacy of certain alternative safety compounds against C. maculatus such as Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, ascorbic acid, boric acid, talc powder and kaolin compared with an organophosphorus nervous insecticide, malathion 1% dust, that recommended in Egypt for controlling stored grain pests. The present results showed that the malathion was the highest toxicity effect against cowpea beetle adults with LC50(3.89 ppm) after 3-day post treatment. However, the boric acid was the lowest toxicity effect with LC50 (72855 ppm) after 6 days post treatment. The other tested materials showed moderate effects. These results indicate that malathion is still having high effect against cowpea beetle. The toxicity of bio-insecticides (M. anisopliae and B. bassiana) after 6days were more than toxicity malathion 1%dust after 1day.Wheraes, the toxicity of bio-insecticides (M. anisopliae and B. bassiana) increased with increase of period of exposure from 2 to 6 days high rates about 28 times, 31 times, respectively. The findings showed that the tested compounds have a promising insecticidal activity against C. maculatus and can be used as possible alternatives to synthetic chemical insecticides such as malathion for the control of stored product insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Polychaete Neridid, Hediste (Nereis) diversicolor, isone of the soft bottom worms that were widely used as a biomarker of pollution in the coastal habitat. The present study was designed to assess the effect of the widely used pesticide, Malathion, on the protein profile of H. diversicolor, existing in an Egyptian polluted lake (Lake Burullus) connected to the Mediterranean coast by the Burullus outlet. SDS-PAGE technique was applied to detect polymorphic protein bands under different concentrations of Malathion in both worms and sediments. The results indicated a positive correlation between increasing temperature and polymorphism percentage of worm's protein bands and the Malathion content. The highest protein polymorphism (42%) was detected at high temperatures (30°C), whereas the lowest polymorphism (7%) was detected at low temperatures (17°C). Similarly, the highest concentrations of Malathion in the worm and sediment were recorded at 30°C and the lowest concentrations at the lowest temperature. The present study revealed also that Malathion level in the worms (4.17 - 4.4 ppm) was higher than in the sediment (3.14 - 3.87 ppm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted at Alzanqalon province, Sharkia governorate. Egypt during season 2016/2017 to throw light on the improving the effects of malathion, diazinon, acetamiprid and biovar with addition of sylgard 309 (silicone surfactant) and Npk to the spray solution of controlling Aphid (Aphid craccivora) insects. Data revealed that malathion was the superior compound rearded general mean of reduction in infestation of 90.76% followed desendingly by acetamiprid (74.70%), diazinon (66.27%), biovar (53.07%), sylgard 309 (52.32%) and Npk (12.14%). The efficacy of malathion was increased by 1% with sylgard 309 of decreased with Npk by 1% sylgard 309 as well as Npk improved the effects of diazinon by 17% and 10% respectively. Efficacy of acetampred was decresed by 9% with sylgard 309 and 5% with Npk. While the effects of biovar was increased with sylgard 309 by 8% and decreased by 32% with Npk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: Exposure to certain environmental toxins may be associated with increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between chronic exposure to malathion and insulin resistance among farmers. Design and methods: The study included 98 non diabetic farmers who handle agricultural insecticides during their field work. The range of the exposure period for agricultural pesticides was 15–20years. All farmers were males with mean age 39±12years. Another 90 administrative employees at Zagazig University Hospitals, non diabetic males age matched were selected as controls. History taking including family history for diabetes, assessment of blood pressure, height, weight, waist circumference and body mass index was done for all participants. Blood samples were withdrawn for measurement of malathion concentration, fasting blood glucose level and fasting insulin level for calculation of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Results: 24.5% had positive family history for diabetes. It was observed that there was a significant increase in the mean values of malathion blood concentration among studied farmers compared to corresponding controls. There was a positive correlation between malathion blood concentration, waist circumference and insulin resistance. It was also observed that the increase in the mean values of waist circumference and body mass index was accompanied by a significant increase in the mean values of malathion blood concentration. Conclusion: The current results suggested that chronic exposure of non diabetic farmers to organophosphorus malathion pesticides may induce insulin resistance. This effect tended to strengthen as waist circumference increases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Efficiencies of local bacterial isolates in malathion degradation were investigated. Five bacterial isolates obtained from agricultural waste water were selected due to their ability to grow in minimal salt media, supplied with 250ppm malathion as sole source of carbon and phosphorus. The purified bacterial isolates (MOS-1, MOS-2, MOS-3, MOS-4 and MOS-5) were characterised and identified using a combination of cellular profile (SDS-PAGE), genetic make up profile (RAPD-PCR), and morphological and biochemical characteristics. Four bacterial isolates (MOS-1, MOS-2, MOS-3 and MOS-4) with identical genetic characteristics were identified as Enterobacter aerogenes, whereas isolate MOS-5 was identified as Bacillus thuringiensis. The degradation rate of malathion in liquid culture was estimated during 15 days of incubation for the isolate MOS-5 of B. thuringiensis. Slightly more than 50% of the initial malathion was decomposed within 3 days. The malathion concentration decreased to almost 17% in the inoculated medium after 10 days incubation, while more than 91% of the initial malathion was degraded after 15 days. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Laboratory and field trails were carried out against some acridid pests (desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria and some species of the grasshoppers, Acridella nasuta, Acrotylus insubricus, Chrotogonus homalodemus, Euprepocnemis plorans, Hetracris annlosa, Catantops axillaris and Aiolopus strepens) at Wadi Diib in the south of Egypt and Baharia Oasis to evaluate the performance of spinosad (Tracer 24SC) and its efficacy on the target pests in comparison to the conventional pesticides, chloropyrifos (Pestban 48%EC) and malathion (Malatox 57% EC) under laboratory and the field conditions. The laboratory results indicated that spinosad was effective against 2nd and 4th nymphal instars of S. gregaria where LC50s were 23.82 and 30.48 ppm, respectively. In the field, spinosad at the concentration of 65ml/100L caused 75% mortality among S. gregaria nymphs after 24hr and reached 100% after 48hr. Meanwhile, Pestban caused 85 and 100% mortality after 24 and 42hr, respectively. Also, when spinosad was applied against common grasshoppers at Baharia oasis at 50ml/100L concentration, it caused 83.3 and 100% mortality after 24 and 48hr, respectively, while Pestban caused similar effects (85 and 100%) after the same periods. Spinosad is a successful bio-insecticide for locust and grasshopper control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]