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In order to assess compliance with maximum residue levels in foods and evaluate the exposure of the Danish population to pesticides, a comprehensive monitoring programme was conducted. The work from 2012-2017 involved testing pesticide residues in fruits, vegetables, cereals, animal product and processed commodities. The sampling strategy, mainly based on exposure calculations and previous findings, involved the collection of 13,492 samples primarily from fresh conventional and organic produces on the Danish market. The origin of the samples varied, with 34% being of Danish origin and 67% originating from EU and non-EU countries. The results revealed that residues in conventionally grown produce were detected in 54% of the fruit and vegetable samples, and 30% of the cereal samples. Additionally, residues above the maximum residue limits were found in 1.8% of these samples, most frequently in fruits. As previous years, more residues were found in samples of foreign origin compared to samples of Danish origin. Compared to earlier findings more than 40 pesticides were detected for the first time and including boscalid, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, etofenprox, and spinosad, all detected more than 100 times. The data shows that detection of PFAS pesticides has increased dramatically, from 24 in 2006 to 412 in 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUNDS: In order to provide a long‐lasting formulation for spinosad (SP) targeting larval stages of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and others alike, a SP tablet was developed based on microspheres, using polylactic acid as inside coating material. The microspheres were encapsulated using polyethylene glycol and 1‐hexadecanol to form a sustained‐release SP tablet. Micromorphology, active ingredient loading, structure identification, photolysis resistance and biological activity were evaluated in this report. RESULTS: (i) The SP microspheres had an average particle size of 6.16 ± 2.28 μm, low adhesion and good dispersion as evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and morphology. (ii) The average active ingredient loading and encapsulation of SP microspheres were 32.80 ± 0.74% and 78.41 ± 2.22%, respectively. (iii) The chemical structure of encapsulated SP was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared and 1H‐nuclear magnetic resonance. (iv) The photostability of the microspheres and the tablets were evaluated. The results showed that DT50 (time required to dissipate 50% of the mass originally present) of SP was 0.95 days in microspheres and 6.94 days in tablets. (v) The long‐term insecticidal activity of SP tablets was investigated, and the tablet had a long‐lasting activity against the mosquito larvae, showing 100% larval mortality for 63 days. CONCLUSIONS: The study provided a new long‐lasting formulation of SP, which displayed good efficacy in the control of Ae. aegypti larvae. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combination of crop protectants is an important approach to increase insecticidal efficacy and reduce the application rates. In this study, the insecticidal efficacy of spinosad and seven monoterpenes, alone and in binary combinations, was evaluated against Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in stored wheat. Spinosad was tested at application rates of 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg while monoterpenes were tested at 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg. Mortality of adults after 7, 14 and 21 days, progeny reduction after 45 and 90 days, and grain weight loss were recorded for all treatments. The results showed that the complete mortality (100.0%) of S. oryzae adults was observed in wheat treated with 0.5 mg/kg of spinosad + 2.0 g/kg of carvone or P-cymene or menthone after 21 days. At the same time, no progeny of S. oryzae was resulted in the combined treatments (0.5 mg/kg of spinosad + 2.0 g/kg of carvone or 0.5 mg/kg of spinosad + 2.0 g/kg of P-cymene) after 45 and 90 days. The same trends were observed for grains weight loss as the binary treatments at highest application rates preserved the wheat seeds free from damage caused by S. oryzae for 90 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precursor supply plays a significant role in the production of secondary metabolites. In Streptomyces bacteria, propionyl-, malonyl-, and methylmalonyl-CoA are the most common precursors used for polyketide biosynthesis. Although propionyl-CoA synthetases participate in the propionate assimilation pathway and directly convert propionate into propionyl-CoA, malonyl-and methylmalonyl-CoA cannot be formed using common acyl-CoA synthetases. Therefore, both acetyl-and propionyl- CoA carboxylation, catalyzed by acyl-CoA carboxylases, should be considered when engineering a microorganism chassis to increase polyketide production. In this study, we identified a transcriptional regulator of the TetR family, BkdR, in Streptomyces albus B4, which binds directly to the promoter region of the neighboring pccAB operon. This operon encodes acetyl/propionyl-CoA carboxylase and negatively regulates its transcription. In addition to acetate and propionate, the binding of BkdR to pccAB is disrupted by acetyl- and propionyl-CoA ligands. We identified a 16-nucleotide palindromic BkdR-binding motif (GTTAg/CGGTCg/TTAAC) in the intergenic region between pccAB and bkdR. When bkdR was deleted, we found an enhanced supply of malonyland methylmalonyl-CoA precursors in S. albus B4. In this study, spinosad production was detected in the recombinant strain after introducing the entire artificial biosynthesized gene cluster into S. albus B4. When supplemented with propionate to provide propionyl- CoA, the novel bkdR-deleted strain produced 29.4% more spinosad than the initial strain in trypticase soy broth (TSB) medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted at the research plot of the Department of Entomology at Central Research Farm, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj during the kharif season of 2023-24. The experiment was laid in Randomized Block Design with three replications. Eight treatments were evaluated against, Maruca vitrata viz., Bacillus thuringiensis (1 × 108 CFU/ml) @ 2 g/l, Neem oil @ 5 g/l, Spinosad 45 SC @ 0.2 ml/l, Emamectin Benzoate 5 SG @ 0.5 g/l, Cypermethrin 25 EC @ 2 ml/l, Beauveria bassiana (2 × 108 CFU/g) @ 4 g/l, Neem seed kernel extract 5% and Control. The lowest mean larval population of spotted pod borer was observed in Spinosad 45% SC @ 0.2 ml/l (0.95) followed by Emamectin Benzoate 5 SG @ 0.5 g/l (1.15), and Cypermethrin 25 EC @ 2 ml/l (1.33), which were on par with each other. The next best treatments included B. thuringiensis (1 × 108 CFU/ml) (1.47), B. bassiana (2 × 108 CFU/g) (1.60), Neem oil @ 5 g/l (1.75) and Neem seed kernel extract 5% (1.84). The higher yield and cost benefit ratio were recorded in Spinosad 45% SC @ 0.2 ml/l (32.94 q/ha, 1:2.99), Emamectin Benzoate 5 SG @ 0.5 g/l (31.88 q/ha, 1.2.82) and Cypermethrin 25 EC @ 2 ml/l (30.9 q/ha, 1:2.77) and were on par with each other. The next best treatments were B. thuringiensis (1 × 108 CFU/ml) (27.28 q/ha, 1:2.35) and B. bassiana (2 × 108 CFU/g) (25.64 q/ha, 1:2.14) which were on par with each other. Neem oil (24.08 q/ha, 1:1.84), Neem seed kernel extract 5% (23.4 q/ha, 1:1.77) recorded lowest yield and cost benefit ratio but were superior to control (17.0 q/ha, 1:1.20). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinosad, a potent broad-spectrum bioinsecticide produced by Saccharopolyspora spinosa, has significant market potential. Despite its effectiveness, the regulatory mechanisms of spinosad biosynthesis remain unclear. Our investigation identified the crucial role of the LysR family transcriptional regulator ORF-L16, located upstream of spinosad biosynthetic genes, in spinosad biosynthesis. Through reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and 5′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5′-Race), we unveiled that the spinosad biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) contains six transcription units and seven promoters. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) demonstrated that ORF-L16 bound to seven promoters within the spinosad BGC, indicating its involvement in regulating spinosad biosynthesis. Notably, deletion of ORF-L16 led to a drastic reduction in spinosad production from 1818.73 mg/L to 1.69 mg/L, accompanied by decreased transcription levels of spinosad biosynthetic genes, confirming its positive regulatory function. Additionally, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and EMSA confirmed that spinosyn A, the main product of the spinosad BGC, served as an effector of ORF-L16. Specifically, it decreased the binding affinity between ORF-L16 and spinosad BGC promoters, thus exerting negative feedback regulation on spinosad biosynthesis. This research enhances our comprehension of spinosad biosynthesis regulation and lays the groundwork for future investigations on transcriptional regulators in S. spinosa.

In its native range, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) is a main egg parasitoid of Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera; Pentatomidae). Adventive populations of this parasitoid have been spreading in Europe and North America, allowing active distribution efforts in these areas to utilize it against H. halys in agriculture. We tested exposure of adults and parasitized egg masses to residues of a range of insecticides an adjuvant that the wasp could encounter in perennial horticultural crops, and how exposure might affect key behaviors. The insecticides included Burkholderia rinojensis, Methoxyfenozide, Sulfoxaflor, and Spinosad, and the adjuvant NuFilm®P. The lethal effects were investigated after exposure for 1, 6, and 24 hours to residues applied to Munger cells using a Potter spray tower to determine mortality levels. Sulfoxaflor and Spinosad resulted in 73% and 100% mortality after 24 hours at field rates, while Methoxyfenozide caused 19% mortality at the same rate. Little mortality occurred with Burkholderia rinojensis and NuFilm®P at recommended rates after 24 hours. Regarding sublethal effects, Spinosad, Sulfoxaflor, and Burkholderia rinojensis negatively impacted reproduction. Sulfoxaflor caused a lower angular velocity in parasitoids exposed to H. halys traces. Spinosad, Methoxyfenozide, and NuFilm®P induced a significantly lower overall circadian activity. Our results showed that precision timing of insecticide sprays to pests is necessary, especially for biocontrol programs that involve the release of parasitoids such as T. japonicus. Our results also illustrate how sensor data acquisition and behavioral analysis software can be utilized to detect important sublethal effects such as circadian disruption in minute parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Food Science & Biotechnology is the property of Journal of Food Science & Biotechnology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Chlorfenapyr is a broad‐spectrum halogenated pyrrole insecticide with a unique mode of action. Due to the misuse and overuse of this chemical, resistance has been reported in several arthropods, including Plutella xylostella, which is one of the most destructive insect pests afflicting crucifers worldwide. A better understanding of the cross‐resistance and genetics of field‐evolved chlorfenapyr resistance could effectively guide resistance management practices. Here, the chlorfenapyr resistance of a field‐derived population of P. xylostella was introgressed into the susceptible IPP‐S strain using a selection‐assisted multigenerational backcrossing approach. The constructed near‐isogenic strain, TH‐BC5F2, shared 98.4% genetic background with the recurrent parent IPP‐S strain. The TH‐BC5F2 strain showed 275‐fold resistance to chlorfenapyr, but no significant cross‐resistance to spinosad, abamectin, chlorpyrifos, β‐cypermethrin, indoxacarb, chlorantraniliprole, or broflanilide (no more than 4.2‐fold). Genetic analysis revealed that resistance was autosomal, incompletely dominant, and conferred by 1 major gene or a few tightly linked loci. The synergism of metabolic inhibitors (PBO, DEM, and DEF) to chlorfenapyr was very weak (<1.7‐fold), and the metabolic enzyme activities in the TH‐BC5F2 strain were not significantly elevated compared with the IPP‐S strain. The results enhances our understanding of the genetic traits of chlorfenapyr resistance, and provides essential information for improving resistance management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is one of the most widely used industrial products in various industries and is attacked every year by the cotton bollworms, Helicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). In this study, we investigated the effect of the spinosad insecticide on some biological and bio chemical parameters of the cotton bollworm. Bioassays were performed by using 3rd instar larvae fed with artificial diets containing lethal (LC50), and sublethal (LC15) concentrations of spinosad. Lethal and sublethal concentrations were estimated to be 0.90 and 0.35, mg a.i./kg, respectively. Compared to the control, lethal and sublethal concentrations of spinosad significantly increased larval and pupal development time, decreasing their weight. In addition, only LC50 of spinosad significantly reduced the fecundity and lifespan of adults as well as the hatching rate of the pest compared to LC15 and control. Moreover, lethal and sublethal concentrations of spinosad reduced carbohydrate and glycogen content and did not change lipid content. A significant decrease in protein content was observed only after exposure to LC50. At LC50 the activities of glutathione S-tran sferase (GSTs), a- an d ß- esterase were significantly reduced compared to LC15 and control. The results of this study showed that LC50 and LC15 of spinosad affect several biochemical and biological parameters of H. armigera. Therefore, spinosad at the lethal and sublethal concentrations can be included in integrated pest management (IPM) for this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxic baits comprising a combination of food attractants and a toxicant could contribute to the control of the spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae), a major invasive pest of soft fruit and berries. Laboratory cage experiments revealed that flies of both sexes were significantly more attracted to dried red droplets of 0.3% sucrose solution and were more likely to consume red‐coloured droplets compared to blue, green or colourless droplets. Flies of both sexes showed a tendency to feed on dried droplets placed on the floor of the cage rather than droplets presented upside‐down on the roof or on the cage side‐wall. When offered commercial insecticides (5–50 parts per million active ingredient) in dried sucrose solution, fly mortality of both sexes was highest in the spinosad treatment, lowest in abamectin and intermediate in deltamethrin and spinetoram‐based products. Male flies had significantly higher mortality than females. A mixture of 25 ppm spinosad with 1.3% sucrose +1.3% corn syrup +1.3% glycerol (named 4% mixture) was consumed by female flies more than any of the components alone. Addition of 1% apple juice to the 4% mixture resulted in an additional increase in spinosad‐induced mortality. In contrast, the addition of apple cider vinegar, increasing concentrations of apple juice (5%–10%), or the addition of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Hanseniaspora uvarum (5 × 106 cells/mL) did not increase fly mortality for reasons that were unclear. We conclude that the combination of 4% mixture +1% apple juice could prove to be a useful bait for the delivery of spinosad or other biorational insecticides for D. suzukii control, although this requires field testing in commercial fruit production settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Harran Journal of Agricultural & Food Science is the property of Harran University, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with high incidence and low survival rates. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors play an important role in the progression of LUAD. In this study, a screening of 17 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor allosteric agents revealed that spinosad effectively suppressed the proliferation of LUAD cells. The experiments demonstrated that spinosad induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase and stimulated apoptosis, thereby impeding the growth of LUAD and enhancing the responsiveness to gefitinib in vitro and vivo. Mechanistic insights obtained through transcriptome sequencing, Co-IP, and protein immunoblots indicated that spinosad disrupted the interaction between CHRNA5 and EGFR, thereby inhibiting the formation of downstream complexes and activation of the EGFR signaling pathway. The supplementation of exogenous acetylcholine showed to mitigate the inhibition of LUAD cell proliferation induced by spinosad. This study elucidates the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of spinosad in LUAD, and offers a theoretical and experimental foundation for novel LUAD treatments.

The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is considered one of the most economically important invasive pests that causes severe damage to tomato crops. The biopesticide spinosad is widely used for controlling T. absoluta. This study aimed to investigate the spinosad-induced intergenerational sublethal effects on T. absoluta. Results showed that spinosad exhibited high toxicity against 3rd instar T. absoluta with the LC50 of 0.04 mg L-1 after 72 h exposure. The LC10 and LC30 of spinosad significantly decreased the durations of various developmental stages and some reproductive parameters of parental (F0) T. absoluta compared to control. The developmental durations, survival rate, reproduction and life table parameters (intrinsic rate of increase, r; finite rate of increase, r; net reproductive rate, R0; and oviposition days, Od) were significantly decreased in the progeny generations (F1 and F2) following F0 exposure to the LC10 and LC30 of spinosad as compared to the control group. Additionally, the mRNA expression levels of development and reproduction related genes such as Vg, VgR, and JHBP were down-regulated in parental and progeny generations at both spinosad treatments as compared to control treatment. The resistance related cytochrome P450 genes CYP321C40 and CYP6AW1, followed by CYP4M116, CYP9A307v2, CYP15C1, CYP339A1, and CYP6AB327 were up-regulated at spinosad-treated groups in the parental and progeny generations of T. absoluta as compared to control. Overall, these results showed that although spinosad exhibited high toxicity and induces intergenerational sublethal effects on the parental and progeny generations, the indiscriminate and long-term application might causes resistance development in of T. absoluta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda is one of the most highly invasive and damaging agricultural pests. In Egypt, maize grains have enormous economic importance. Infestations of S. frugiperda in maize cause a significant reduction in maize yield. This research aimed to assess the potential impact of LC50 values for chlorpyrifos, methomyl, and spinosad, set at 470, 105.5, and 2.5 ppm, respectively, on the biochemical and histopathological responses of S. frugiperda. The results indicated that the exposure of fall armyworm larvae to lethal concentrations of such insecticides resulted in a significant decrease in the total protein, carbohydrate, and lipids associated with a significant increase in α, β- esterase, and acetylcholinesterase. Moreover, a noted elevation in acid and alkaline phosphatases, Glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), phenoloxidase, and chitinase activities occurred. For the digestive enzymes, a significant decrease in amylase activity has occurred while the activities of invertase and trehalase have changed only with significant differences among spinosad and methomyl treatments. However, chlorpyrifos exhibited non-significant variations in the activities of invertase and trehalase. By the cross-section of the midgut larvae, distinct histological damage of the midgut was distinguished by cytoplasmic vacuolation, and necrosis with sloughing of epithelial lining from the basement membrane toward its lumen. In conclusion, all the treatments of insecticides, chlorpyrifos, methomyl, or spinosad, significantly affected the biochemical aspects and histopathology of S. frugiperda larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A laboratory experiment was conducted at Post Graduate Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Latur, Maharashtra, India during 2017-18. Resistance to five test insecticides viz., chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate, indoxacarb and spinosad was investigated against H. armigera infesting chickpea from different locations of Western Maharashtra (Ahmednagar, Kolhapur, Nashik, Pune, Sangali, Satara and Solapur). Results revealed that, H. armigera infesting chickpea of Solapur recorded 7.00-fold resistance to indoxacarb 15.8% EC which was higher than other field populations H. armigera. The resistance ratios varied greatly among the populations and high resistance factor of indoxacarb 15.8% EC against all field populations of H. armigera infesting chickpea from all 7 locations revealed that development of decreased susceptibility to low level resistance against this insecticide whereas chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC, cyantraniliprole 10.26% OD, emamectin benzoate 5% SG and spinosad 45% SC found to be toxic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted at the Department of Cotton, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to evaluate the field efficacy of an egg parasitoid, Trichogrammatoidea bactrae Nagaraja through inundative releases against Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) in cotton for two successive field trials during Kharif 2021 and 22. The parasitisation efficacy of T. bactrae was tested in the cotton ecosystem and the results revealed that the parasitism on the eggs was found be on par with that observed with NSKE 5% concentration (24.63%), neem formulation 1500 ppm 1% concentration (24.10%), Pongamia extract 5% concentration (23.13%), Jatropha extract 5% concentration (23.93%) and were found the safest to T. bactrae. The emamectin benzoate 5 SG at 190g/ ha (19.49%) and clorantraniliprole 18.5 SC at 150 mL/ha (15.26%) were on par with each other. Results suggested that among the insecitcides tested emamectin benzoate 5 SG and chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC were safer to T. bactrae and inundative release of T. bactrae can achieve sizeable control of P. gossypiella, hence it can be integrated with other components for IPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata, cause greater damage by attacking flowers, pods in greengram plants. This study investigates the efficacy and economics of certain novel insecticides when sprayed against spotted pod borer in green gram. Methods: The experiment was conducted at Crop Research Center, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, during kharif 2019 in randomized block design with eight treatments (Emamectin benzoate, Spinosad, Chlorantroniliprole, Indoxacarb, Novaluron, Profenophos, Triazophos and control) and three replications on variety SML668. Observations were taken at three, seven and eleven days after the first and second spray and the data thus recorded were analyzed. Result: The insecticide Chlorantraniliprole 20SC @ 0.025 ml/lit has shown the highest efficacy with low per cent pod damage (7.33) and maximum grain yield (8.61 q/ha) against M. vitrata from the first day of application followed by Spinosad 45SC @ 0.25 ml/lit with pod damage of 10.67 per cent and grain yield of 5.08 q/ha. The highest cost-benefit ratio was obtained in Emamectin benzoate treatment (1:8.54), followed by chlorantraniliprole (1: 6.76). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit flies of the genus Bactrocera are the most damaging pests of horticultural crops, leading to severe economic losses affecting the national income of various countries, especially Sudan. Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) were reported in Sudan in 2005 and 2012, respectively. Only the male annihilation technique (MAT) is applied in Sudan to manage the two Bactrocera species. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of B. dorsalis, B. zonata and Zeugodacus cucurbitae to three food-based (Mazoferm, GF-120 and Torula yeast) attractants via McPhail traps at two sites in the Gezira State, Sudan. Another trial was undertaken to determine the effect of spot spraying Mazoferm + Spinosad on control B. zonata. The results showed that food-based attractants lured both sexes of the abovementioned fruit flies with specific attraction to females (74.5, 67.5 and 68.1% to Mazoferm E802, GF-120 and Torula yeast, respectively). At the first site, B. zonata responded in high numbers to Mazoferm E802, followed by Torula yeast and GF-120, while it responded equally to Mazoferm and Torula yeast at the second site. B. dorsalis responded positively to Mazoferm, followed by Torula yeast and GF-120, while Z. cucurbitae was attracted to Mazoferm E802, GF-120 and Torula. Spraying Mazoferm E802 + Spinosad significantly reduced the population of B. zonata (FTD) and suppressed the infestation level of guava fruits (fruit flies/kg of fruits) compared to those in unsprayed orchards. The spot bait application technique is an environmentally friendly approach that reduces fruit fly infestation levels, protects produce, decreases contamination and pollution and increases the income of poor farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), disrupts biological control services in California citrus orchards, leading to economically damaging densities of honeydew‐producing hemipteran pests. With the elimination of chlorpyrifos, the sole registered insecticide for L. humile control in California citrus, the development of effective alternatives is necessary. One alternative is aqueous sugar baits laced with minute concentrations (0.0001%) of insecticide. Field trials were conducted to assess the efficacy of spinosad and thiamethoxam‐infused alginate hydrogel beads (HGBs) for L. humile control. Thiamethoxam‐infused HGBs have previously shown high efficacy against L. humile in citrus. Spinosad is approved for organic use, while thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid, along with other neonicotinoid insecticides, might soon face deregistration in California, underscoring the need for alternative insecticide chemistries for ant control. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize spinosad‐loaded HGBs by identifying efficacious concentrations, application rates, and deployment frequency, and to compare with thiamethoxam‐infused HGBs, the standard reference treatment. Results showed that spinosad‐infused HGBs significantly reduced high‐density L. humile populations in citrus orchards. Notably, the highest spinosad concentration tested (0.01%) demonstrated comparable control to both 0.0001% and 0.01% thiamethoxam concentrations. A tri‐weekly application schedule for spinosad‐infused HGBs provided best control. Trees treated with 125 or 250 g of hydrogels infused with 0.01% spinosad at weeks 0, 3, and 6 displayed significantly reduced ant activities compared to plots treated solely during weeks 0 and 6, as well as control plots lacking HGB applications. Spinosad‐infused HGBs may offer an effective alternative to thiamethoxam‐infused HGBs for control of L. humile in California citrus orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major pestiferous insects during both crop seasons included aphids and diamond back moth; while, flea beetles and painted bug attained pest status during 2015-16; besides, tobacco caterpillar was noticed during 2016-17. Maximum reduction in aphid population (45.81 and 54.07%, respectively, at 1 and 3 DAS) was recorded for A. indica oil followed by Spinosad 45%SC; same schedule had maximum reduction of flea beetle population 1-DAS (50.03%); while, 3 and 7 days after spray Spinosad 45%SC followed by Spinosad 45%SC gave significantly higher reduction (75.21 and 64.62%, respectively). Maximum reduction of painted bug population (68.37% at 3DAS) was due to A. incida oil followed by Sl-NPV. Treatment schedule of Spinosad 45%SC followed by Spinosad 45%SC was most effective against DBM during both crop seasons with significantly lowest pooled larval population per plant being 0.82 and 1.0, 3 and 7 days after first spray; likewise, 1.62, 0.92, and 0.90, 1, 3 and 7 days after second spray. Similarly, against tobacco caterpillar, treatment schedule Spinosad 45%SC followed by Spinosad 45%SC was most effective at 3 DAS (0.71 larvae/plant); while, schedules A. indica oil followed by Spinosad 45%SC and A. indica oil followed by Sl-NPV were equally effective 7 DAS during crop season 2016-17 (0.90 larvae/plant). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insecticide toxicity may strongly vary with temperature, and interspecific differences have been commonly reported for this relationship. A differential influence of temperature on insecticide toxicity between pests and their natural enemies may have important consequences on biological control in a global warming context. This study aimed to investigate cross effects between temperature and three insecticides—i.e., chlorantraniliprole, emamectin and spinosad—on the mortality of a major pest in orchards, Cydia pomonella L., and two of its natural enemies in southern France, the predatory earwig Forficula auricularia L. and the introduced parasitoid Mastrus ridens Horstmann. We observed a decreased efficiency of emamectin and spinosad with increasing temperature on mortality of codling moth, while no influence of temperature on chlorantraniliprole efficacy was observed. Increasing temperatures increased the toxicity of spinosad and chlorantraniliprole against M. ridens and only for emamectin on F. auricularia. This study provides essential insight to make recommendations for using these insecticides in combination with two natural enemies to control the codling moth in prevision of global warming. Our results suggest that the use of spinosad may become sub-optimal under higher temperatures. In contrast, chlorantraniliprole should be suitable under warmer climatic conditions to control C. pomonella and the less detrimental against F. auricularia and M. ridens. To conserve the use of biological control strategies relying on F. auricularia, alternating use of emamectin during early spring, when its toxicity is the lowest on this natural enemy, chlorantraniliprole during summer could limit resistance risks in codling moth populations and reduce the insecticides' impact on the populations of natural enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution is caused by the unsustainable use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers and pesticides. Biochar (BC) is a carbon-based material applied to remove excess nutrients and pesticides from the environment. In pot experimental research, N fertilizer and pesticides alone and different biochar types were applied in the soil to evaluate cauliflower growth, soil quality, and leaching of agricultural contaminants. BC addition had increased nutrient availability based on feedstock origin. The surface structure results by SEM showed that the BC pore size was equal to 8.94 and 7.24 µm for mixed biochar and wood biochar, respectively. Nitrate concentrations in percolation water were 43.78 and 76.82 mg/L in mixed biochar and wood biochar, respectively. In soil treated with fertilizer and pesticides, N O 3 − was equal to 106.76 mg/L. Biochar's binding with pesticides depends on its nature and structure. Adding wood biochar significantly reduced the leaching of fungicide compared to unamended soil, with a contraction of 327.86 and 3576 ng/L. Mixed biochar was more efficient for herbicide mitigation. FTIR was used to identify the functional groups on biochar-amended soil that play a role in the adsorption of agricultural compounds. Research shows that the BC application greatly affects the pesticide fate and N compounds of agricultural origin in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the rabi season of 2020, a trial was performed to estimate the efficacy of Cyantraniliprole 10.26 % OD at different doses (30, 60, 90, and 120 g a.i./ha respectively) together with Imidacloprid 17.8% SL (20 g a.i./ha) and Spinosad 45% SC (73 g a.i./ha) to evaluate their efficacy against the fruit borer and thrips infesting chilli (variety SHP-4884). The trial was performed in randomized block design containing three replications. The results showed that Cyantraniliprole 10.6% OD @ 120 g a.i./ha was the most efficient insecticide among the others and recorded the maximum reduction (84.13 % in larval population of fruit borer and 78.03 % in thrips population) in both the pest populations over the untreated check. However, Cyantraniliprole 10.6% OD @ 90 g a.i./ha was noted as the next best insecticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) efflux pump plays a major role in xenobiotic detoxification. The inhibition of its activity by environmental contaminants remains however rather little characterised. The present study was designed to develop a combination of different approaches to identify P‐gp inhibitors among a large number of pesticides using in silico and in vitro models. First, the prediction performance of four web tools was evaluated alone or in combination using a set of recently marketed drugs. The best combination of web tools—AdmetSAR2.0/PgpRules/pkCSM—was next used to predict P‐gp activity inhibition by 762 pesticides. Among the 187 pesticides predicted to be P‐gp inhibitors, 11 were tested in vitro for their ability to inhibit the efflux of reference substrates (rhodamine 123 and Hoechst 33342) in P‐gp overexpressing MCF7R cells and to inhibit the efflux of the reference substrate rhodamine 123 in the Caco‐2 cell monolayer. In MCF7R cell assays, ivermectin B1a, emamectin B1 benzoate, spinosad, dimethomorph and tralkoxydim inhibited P‐gp activity; ivermectin B1a, emamectin B1 benzoate and spinosad were determined to be stronger inhibitors (half‐maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] of 3 ± 1, 5 ± 1 and 7 ± 1 µM, respectively) than dimethomorph and tralkoxydim (IC50 of 102 ± 7 and 88 ± 7 µM, respectively). Ivermectin B1a, emamectin B1 benzoate, spinosad and dimethomorph also inhibited P‐gp activity in Caco‐2 cell monolayer assays, with dimethomorph being a weaker P‐gp inhibitor. These combined approaches could be used to identify P‐gp inhibitors among food contaminants, but need to be optimised and adapted for high‐throughput screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigations were carried out at the Student's Instructional Farm, Nawabganj of C. S. Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur during Rabi season 2021-22 and 2022-23. All the treatments were found significantly superior over control, spinosad 45% SC performed best among the treatments followed by indoxacarb 14.5% SC. The effectiveness of treatment determined in the terms of grain yield of chickpea obtained in different treatments revealed that the spinosad 45% SC, indoxacarb 14.5% SC and Bacillus thuringiensis @ 1.5 kg/ha were significantly superior over untreated control. Spinosad 45% SC, gave maximum grain yield of chickpea in compared to other treatments as well as in managing the population of H. armigera. Besides indoxacarb 14.5% SC and Bacillus thuringiensis @ 1.5 kg/ha were found the second and third most effective treatments, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to evaluate the efficacy of different levels of potassium fertilizer (8 g/plant K2O) as well as the insecticides neemix, spinosad, and imidacloprid at the rates of 6 ml, 0.33 ml, and 0.33 g/L water, respectively, for the management of brinjal fruits and shoot borer. The two-factor randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Significant minimum shoot damage was recorded in the plots treated with imidacloprid (0%), spinosad (1.67%) and neemix (5.0%) at 81 days after planting. Similarly, a significant minimum fruit infestation (2.90%) was recorded with imidacloprid, which was lower than those of spinosad (15.16%) and neemix (19.63%). The application of potassium fertilizer at a rate of 8 g/plant showed a significant reduction in shoot infestation (2.50%) 81 days after planting. The minimum percentage yield of infested fruit was reported with spinosad (1.03%), which was at par with other insecticidal treatments. Considering the negative impacts of chemical pesticides, neemix 6 ml/L water in combination with potassium fertilizer at 8 g/plant is recommended.

Hit-or-miss use of chemical pesticides and benightedness on the long-term impacts of hard pesticides on plants, soil, human health, and environments in conjunction with the resurgence of cabbage butterfly are the major impediments to the production of cabbage across the globe. This study, thus, was executed to disinter the effective soft pesticides which can keep the Pieris brassicae nepalensis well below the economic injury level, minimize their resurgence or even eradicate them so as to surge the production and productivity of cabbage in Salyan district, Nepal from April to July 2022. The experiment was set down in one factorial randomized complete block design with soft pesticides: Neemix @5ml/l, Cow urine solution@ 1:10, Botanical extract fermented with cow urine (BEFCU)@1:5, Emamectin benzoate @2gm/l, Spinosad @0.3ml/l, Cypermethrin@2ml/l, and Control, were used as treatments and each treatment were replicated thrice. Mean larval population, percentage of infested leaves, average hole per infested leaves, head diameter, height, and yield of cabbage were the parameters that were documented during the entire experimental period. Spraying of soft pesticides unraveled significant sway in larval mortality as well as diminution in the damage. Zenithal reduction in the cabbage butterfly population was recorded on the application of Spinosad (80%) followed by Cypermethrin (71.29%), Emamectin benzoate (71.25%), and Neemix (67.22%). Similarly, the nadir percentage of damage on leaves was documented on the application of Spinosad and Cypermethrin followed by Emamection benzoate. Maximum head diameter (16.10 cm) and yield (23.44 Mt/ha) were obtained when cabbage was sprayed with Spinosad followed by Cypermethrin whereas minimum head diameter (13.37 cm) and yield (13.76 Mt/ha) was recorded with the control. Spinosad and Cypermethrin, thus, are superior soft pesticides for the management of cabbage butterfly relative to other treatments in Salyan district. Farmers, therefore, are suggested to exploit Spinosad and Cypermethrin for the control and management of cabbage butterfly in an attempt to boost the production and productivity of cabbage.

Attract-and-kill (A&K) is a potential alternative control tactic for managing the invasive spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura. Here, we compared the efficacy of two novel A&K formulations based on proprietary blends–ACTTRA SWD OR1 (henceforth OR1) and ACTTRA SWD TD (henceforth TD)–in managing D. suzukii. Using two-choice bioassays, we compared OR1 and TD for their relative attractiveness to adult D. suzukii. Additionally, we tested how the addition of (1) a red dye (visual cue) and (2) the insecticide spinosad (Entrust™) to the OR1 and TD formulations influenced the attraction of adult D. suzukii in the presence of blueberry fruits. Finally, complementary laboratory efficacy (no-choice) bioassays were conducted to assess the mortality of adult D. suzukii exposed to OR1 and TD. A direct comparison between TD and OR1 formulations indicated the TD formulation was ~8 times more attractive than OR1. Adding a red dye to the TD or OR1 formulation did not significantly alter the attraction or mortality of adult D. suzukii compared to the formulation without a dye. Similarly, irrespective of dye status, adding spinosad to either the TD or OR1 formulation did not alter the adult D. suzukii behavioral response to these formulations but resulted in significantly higher D. suzukii mortality. Overall, the TD formulations resulted in significantly higher, or at least comparable, mortality to the OR1 formulations. In summary, our laboratory results demonstrated the higher efficacy of a TD-based A&K product in managing D. suzukii over its well-tested predecessor, the OR1 formulation, confirming its potential as a new behavioral tactic against this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to evaluate the efficacy of different levels of potassium fertilizer (8 g/plant K2O) as well as the insecticides neemix, spinosad, and imidacloprid at the rates of 6 ml, 0.33 ml, and 0.33 g/L water, respectively, for the management of brinjal fruits and shoot borer. The twofactor randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Significant minimum shoot damage was recorded in the plots treated with imidacloprid (0%), spinosad (1.67%) and neemix (5.0%) at 81 days after planting. Similarly, a significant minimum fruit infestation (2.90%) was recorded with imidacloprid, which was lower than those of spinosad (15.16%) and neemix (19.63%). The application of potassium fertilizer at a rate of 8 g/plant showed a significant reduction in shoot infestation (2.50%) 81 days after planting. The minimum percentage yield of infested fruit was reported with spinosad (1.03%), which was at par with other insecticidal treatments. Considering the negative impacts of chemical pesticides, neemix 6 ml/L water in combination with potassium fertilizer at 8 g/plant is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated vitamin E's protective effects against spinosad-induced damage in adult male Wistar albino rats. Rats were administered vitamin E (200 mg/kg) and different spinosad doses (9 mg/kg and 37.38 mg/kg) orally. Intestinal tissues were collected for analysis on the first, third, and seventh days after administration. Lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde [MDA]) and total glutathione (GSH) levels were quantified, and the structures of columnar epithelial cells in small intestine tissue were observed. Light, fluorescent, and electron microscope showed cell damage, such as deterioration in chromatin distribution and nuclear morphology, cell separation, large numbers of goblet cells, and impaired villus structure, in tissues collected from rats treated with spinosad compared to control rats. However, vitamin E ameliorated intestinal columnar cell damage. While GSH levels were lower in the 37.38 mg/kg spinosad group on all assay days, there was no significant difference in the 9 mg/kg spinosad group. The administration of vitamin E decreased in the 37.38 mg/kg spinosad group after the first day. The GSH levels in the 37.38 mg/kg spinosad with vitamin E group were lower than in the control group on the third and seventh days. However, while MDA levels were higher in the 37.38 mg/kg spinosad group on all assay days, there was no significant difference in the 9 mg/kg spinosad group. Nevertheless, MDA levels were higher in the 37.38 mg/kg Spinosad with vitamin E group compared to the control group on the third and seventh days. This study's findings highlight the need for further studies on spinosad and the protective role of antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The insecticide spinosad is widely used for the control of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata, in citrus crops in Spain. However, the sustainable use of this insecticide is compromised by the detection of spinosad resistant alleles in field populations, which may lead to control failures in the future. Mutations, generating premature stop codons at the gene coding for the target alpha 6 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of C. capitata (Ccα6), have been associated with spinosad resistance in both laboratory strains and field populations. In this work, we showed that full-length transcripts from individuals carrying wild-type isoforms of the gene are translated into Ccα6 proteins that locate in the membrane of the brain cells, while truncated transcripts from spinosad resistant strains could be translated into truncated Ccα6 that, for the most part, are unable to reach their expected functional destination in the membrane. We proposed that the difference of location of Ccα6 observed in spinosad resistant strains is probably determining its resistant phenotype. In addition, we provide a tool for immunodetection of truncated forms of Ccα6, that can be useful for resistance management programs. The α6 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) has been proposed as the target for spinosad in insects. Point mutations that result in premature stop codons in the α6 gene of Ceratitis capitata flies have been previously associated with spinosad resistance, but it is unknown if these transcripts are translated and if so, what is the location of the putative truncated proteins. In this work, we produced a specific antibody against C. capitata α6 (Ccα6) and validated it by ELISA, Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays in brain tissues. The antibody detects both wild-type and truncated forms of Ccα6 in vivo, and the protein is located in the cell membrane of the brain of wild-type spinosad sensitive flies. On the contrary, the shortened transcripts present in resistant flies generate putative truncated proteins that, for the most part, fail to reach their final destination in the membrane of the cells and remain in the cytoplasm. The differences observed in the locations of wild-type and truncated α6 proteins are proposed to determine the susceptibility or resistance to spinosad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study investigated the effectiveness of combining spinosad and alpha-cypermethrin against major wheat storage pests, including Rhyzopertha dominica, Tribolium castaneum, Cryptolestes ferrugineus, Sitophilus oryzae, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, and Trogoderma granarium. Spinosad was tested at two concentrations and alpha-cypermethrin was used at one concentration in laboratory conditions. The results show that combining both treatments led to higher pest mortality compared to individual treatments. The most effective treatment combination was the application of the high dose of spinosad with alpha-cypermethrin, resulting in the highest mortality and substantial progeny reduction. Trogoderma granarium was found to be the most tolerant pest, followed by O. surinamensis, C. ferrugineus, T. castaneum, S. oryzae, and R. dominica. This study suggests that combining alpha-cypermethrin and spinosad can be an effective strategy for protecting stored wheat against multiple insect pests. The deterioration of stored wheat due to pest infestations is a significant concern, with pests like Rhyzopertha dominica, Tribolium castaneum, Cryptolestes ferrugineus, Sitophilus oryzae, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, and Trogoderma granarium being major contributors. This study examined the efficacy of spinosad and alpha-cypermethrin, individually and in combination, against these pests under laboratory conditions. Spinosad was tested at two concentrations (0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg), while alpha-cypermethrin was applied at 0.05 mg/kg. The combined application of both insecticides led to significantly higher pest mortality compared to single treatments. Importantly, all treatments caused substantial pest mortality and exhibited the ability to suppress pest progeny production over time, as observed in both laboratory and persistence trials. Among the various treatment combinations, the joint application of 0.1 mg/kg spinosad and 0.05 mg/kg alpha-cypermethrin emerged as the most effective, resulting in elevated mortality and a marked reduction in pest progeny. Rhyzopertha dominica exhibited the highest susceptibility among the pests, followed by S. oryzae, T. castaneum, C. ferrugineus, O. surinamensis, and T. granarium. The remarkable performance of the joint action of alpha-cypermethrin and spinosad at low doses highlights this combination as an efficacious approach for safeguarding stored grain against these destructive insect pests, warranting further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning (ML) models were applied to pharmacovigilance (PV) data in a two‐component proof‐of‐concept study. PV data were partitioned into Training, Validation, and Holdout datasets for model training and selection. During the first component ML models were challenged to identify factors in individual case safety reports (ICSRs) involving spinosad and neurological and ocular clinical signs. The target feature for the models were these clinical signs that were disproportionately reported for spinosad. The endpoints were normalized coefficient values representing the relationship between the target feature and ICSR free text fields. The deployed model accurately identified the risk factors "demodectic," "demodicosis," and "ivomec." In the second component, the ML models were trained to identify high quality and complete ICSRs free of confounders. The deployed model was presented with an external Test dataset of six ICSRs, one that was complete, of high quality, and devoid of confounders, and five that were not. The endpoints were model‐generated probabilities for the ICSRs. The deployed ML model accurately identified the ICSR of interest with a greater than 10‐fold higher probability score. Although narrow in scope, the study supports further investigation and potential application of ML models to animal health PV data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the use of biopesticides for pest management has increased, especially in modern and organic agriculture. Spinosad is a biopesticide approved in many countries for its use against Ceratitis capitata. However, an increasing amount of pest resistance against spinosad had been found in different pest species. In the present study, we propose the use of a combination between essential oils (EOs) and spinosad as a way to contribute to the development of sustainable alternatives, integrating natural substances with anti‐insect properties and reducing the amount of commercial active ingredients by synergistic effects. Our primary objective was to investigate the synergistic potential of EOs and spinosad in order to enhance the insecticidal efficacy against C. capitata adults. We evaluate the toxic effect of the EOs of Baccharis spartioides (Hook), Eucalyptus cinerea (F. Muell. ex Benth) and Schinus areira (Linneo), the bioinsecticide spinosad and their combinations. We evaluated the combined toxicities of EOs from B. spartioides, E. cinerea and S. areira with spinosad and characterized the LD50 of each mixture and each substance administered topically alone on male and female individuals of C. capitata. A synergistic effect was observed for the B. spartioides–spinosad mixture in females and the S. areira–spinosad mixture in both sexes, and an antagonistic effect was found for the B. spartioides–spinosad mixture and the E. cinerea–spinosad mixture in males. Considering these results, we suggest the use of the EO from S. areira combined with spinosad as an alternative way of controlling C. capitata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The insecticides spinosad and imidacloprid are neurotoxins with distinct modes of action. Both target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), albeit different subunits. Spinosad is an allosteric modulator, that upon binding initiates endocytosis of its target, nAChRα6. Imidacloprid binding triggers excessive neuronal ion influx. Despite these differences, low‐dose effects converge downstream in the precipitation of oxidative stress and neurodegeneration. RESULTS: Using RNA‐sequencing, we compared the transcriptional signatures of spinosad and imidacloprid, at low‐dose exposures. Both insecticides cause up‐regulation of glutathione S‐transferase and cytochrome P450 genes in the brain and down‐regulation in the fat body, whereas reduced expression of immune‐related genes is observed in both tissues. Spinosad shows unique impacts on genes involved in lysosomal function, protein folding, and reproduction. Co‐expression analyses revealed little to no correlation between genes affected by spinosad and nAChRα6 expressing neurons, but a positive correlation with glial cell markers. We also detected and experimentally confirmed nAChRα6 expression in fat body cells and male germline cells. This led us to uncover lysosomal dysfunction in the fat body following spinosad exposure, and a fitness cost in spinosad‐resistant (nAChRα6 null) males – oxidative stress in testes, and reduced fertility. CONCLUSION: Spinosad and imidacloprid share transcriptional perturbations in immunity‐, energy homeostasis‐, and oxidative stress‐related genes. Low doses of other neurotoxic insecticides should be investigated for similar impacts. While target‐site spinosad resistance mutation has evolved in the field, this may have a fitness cost. Our findings demonstrate the power of tissue‐specific transcriptomics approach and the use of single‐cell transcriptome data. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]