Abstract Agricultural production is increasingly viewed as more than a source of food, feed, fiber and fuel, but also system interdependent biotic abiotic components that interact to produce ecosystem services disservices. Weeds insects are commonly non-desirable agroecosystems should be managed. However, weeds can provide benefits cropping systems, such providing resources habitat pollinators ...

Insect wax is secreted by Ericerus pela Chavanness. It has been traditionally used to treat hair loss in China, but few reports have been published on the hair growth-promoting effect of insect wax. In this work, we examined the hair growth-promoting effects of insect wax on model animals. Different concentrations of insect wax were topically applied to the denuded backs of mice, and 5% minoxid...

Pea weevil (Bruchus pisorum L.) oviposition on pods of specific genetic lines of pea (Pisum sativum L.) stimulates cell division at the sites of egg attachment. As a result, tumor-like growths of undifferentiated cells (neoplasms) develop beneath the egg. These neoplasms impede larval entry into the pod. This unique form of induced resistance is conditioned by the Np allele and mediated by a re...

Monitoring transcriptional reorganization triggered in response to a particular stress is an essential first step for the functional analysis of genes involved in the process. To characterize Cicer arietinum L. defence responses against Helicoverpa armigera feeding, transcript patterns elicited by both herbivore and mechanical wounding were profiled and compared, and the application of defence ...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors are implicated in development and tumorigenesis and dual inhibitors like sunitinib are prescribed for cancer treatment. While mammalian VEGF and PDGF receptors are present in multiple isoforms and heterodimers, Drosophila encodes one ancestral PDGF/VEGF receptor, PVR. We identified PVR in an unbiased c...

Conventional pesticides have suffered two main drawbacks: (a) broad spectrum of action and (b) selection of target species resistant to the different active ingredients. Thus compounds that are less harmful to the environment and to human health, more specific and that do not induce resistance need to be developed. One alternative are insect growth regulators, such as fluazuron. The present stu...