Abstract Conservation biological control could be an alternative to insecticides for the management of aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer). To develop sustainable strategies M. in peach orchards Mediterranean, a 2-yr field experiment was conducted identify key predators aphid; determine whether proximity insectary plants boost natural enemies comparison resident vegetation; and selected enhance enemy...

Olfactory ability is an element of fitness in many animals, guiding choices among alternatives such as mating partners or food. Ground beetles (Coleoptera; Carabidae), exhibit preferences for prey, and some species are well-known weed seed predators. We used olfactometer-based bioassays to determine if olfactory stimuli are associated with detection of Brassica napus L., Sinapis arvensis L., an...

The chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) of four Lamiaceae (Thymus capitatus Hoff. et Link., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Origanum vulgare L. and Mentha pulegium L.) growing wild in Tunisia was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Obtained results showed significant variations among the different species. The major constituents identifi...

Experience of insect herbivores and their natural enemies in the natal habitat is considered to affect their likelihood of accepting a similar habitat or plant/host during dispersal. Growing phenology of food plants and the number of generations in the insects further determines lability of insect behavioural responses at eclosion. We studied the effect of rearing history on oviposition prefere...

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) and Saharan cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L. var. dupreziana [A. Camus] Silba) are two cone-bearing seed coniferous woody plants. The chemical composition of their essential oils, isolated from needles and leaves by hydrodistillation, was analyzed with gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A total of 66 and 28 compounds ...

It has previously been demonstrated that far-red irradiation of dry Lactuca sativa L. seeds results in inhibition of subsequent germination. Although red has no effect on dry seeds, a red irradiation following a farred irradiation reverses the effect of far-red. This phenomenon is most noticeable in seeds with artificially raised levels of phytochrome in the far-red absorbing form. Qualitativel...

Previous studies have suggested that phenolics from legume green manures may contribute to weed control through allelopathy. The objective of this study was to determine how decomposition of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) residue affects phytotoxicity to a weed species, wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.). Red clover (1.25 g), 30 g acid washed sand, and 5 ml of microbial inoculant were incub...

Recently, interest in plant-derived food additives has grown mainly because synthetic antioxidants suffer from several drawbacks. Some plants are traditionally used for both food and medicine in Iran. Aqueous and methanolic extracts of Smyrnium cordifolium Boiss leaves and stems and Sinapis arvensis L leaves, stems and flowers were prepared and evaluated for their total phenolic content (TPC), ...

The creation of transgenic plants through genetic engineering has focused interest on how the fitness of a plant species may be altered by small changes in its genome. This study concentrates on a key component of fitness: persistence of seeds overwinter. Seeds of three lines of oilseed rape (Brassica napus subsp. oleifera DC Metzger) and of charlock (Sinapis arvensis L.) were buried in nylon m...