Genistein and Naringenin as Defense Molecules.

Genistein and naringenin, plant phenolic compounds, are recognized for their health benefits and role in plant defense against herbivores. However, little research exists on how these compounds affect aphid feeding, particularly that of the black bean aphid ( Scopoli) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a major pest. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of genistein and naringenin, applied in vitro at different concentrations, on the feeding behavior of .

Tourism influences escape behavior of lizards in relationship with human clothing color.

Increased tourism pressure modifies animal behavior, including alterations in anti-predator responses and foraging activity. In areas with high tourist presence, animals may become accustomed to increased human activity and adjust the intensity of some defensive responses. An animal's anti-predation ability is usually estimated by measuring its Alert Initiation Distance (AID) and Flight Initiation Distance (FID).

Impact of tourism on the vigilance behavior of the Cyprus rock agama (Laudakia cypriaca).

Escape behavior is a common antipredator strategy among wild animals. Here, we investigated the effect of four factors on the vigilance behavior of the endemic Cyprus rock agama (Laudakia cypriaca). Flight initiation distance (FID, the minimum distance to which an observer can approach a lizard before it flees) was measured in relation to the type of location (tourist vs.

Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids Content in Cultivation and Wild Collection of European Cranberry Bush L.

Guelder rose ( L.) is known for its health benefits. contains phenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids), a group of plant metabolites with wide biological activities.

Delayed egg-laying in Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio in relation to increased rainfall in east-central Poland.

Climate change has affected the breeding parameters of many animal species. In birds, most studies have focused on the effects of temperature on clutch phenology and clutch size. The long-term influence of other weather factors, including rainfall, on breeding parameters have been analysed much less often.

Differences in Oxidative Stress Markers and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in Black Bean Aphid Morphs ( Scop.) Fed on the Primary Host L.

Changes in the level of oxidative stress markers-superoxide anion radical (O2-), hydrogen peroxide (HO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes-superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in the black bean aphid occurring on the primary host (viburnum plants) were studied. Among the aphid morphs, the lowest contents of O2-, HO and MDA were noted for winged adults (), which were also characterized by the highest activity of antioxidant enzymes. These metabolic features indicate the adaptation of winged morphs to the colonization of new host plants.

Expression of Thioredoxin/Thioredoxin Reductase System Genes in Aphid-Challenged Maize Seedlings.

Thioredoxins (Trxs) and thioredoxin reductases (TrxRs) encompass a highly complex network involved in sustaining thiol-based redox homeostasis in plant tissues. The purpose of the study was to gain a new insight into transcriptional reprogramming of the several genes involved in functioning of Trx/TrxR system in maize ( L.) seedlings, exposed to the bird cherry-oat aphid ( L.

Changes in the content of thiol compounds and the activity of glutathione s-transferase in maize seedlings in response to a rose-grass aphid infestation.

The rose-grass aphid (Methopolophium dirhodum Walk.) is a major pest of maize (Zea mays L.), but little is known about the biochemical interactions between M.

Aphid-Triggered Changes in Oxidative Damage Markers of Nucleic Acids, Proteins, and Lipids in Maize ( L.) Seedlings.

Prior experiments illustrated reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction in maize plants infested with bird-cherry-oat ( L.) aphids. However, there is no available data unveiling the impact of aphids feeding on oxidative damages of crucial macromolecules in maize tissues.

Mechanism of entomotoxicity of the Concanavalin A in Rhopalosiphum padi (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

The toxicity effect of Concanavalin A (Canavalia ensiformis lectin, ConA) to bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi L. (Hemiptera: Aphididae), was investigated in the laboratory by using artificial diets containing ConA concentrations. Bird cherry-oat aphid performance was affected by the presence of Con A in artificial diets.

Expression profiling of selected glutathione transferase genes in Zea mays (L.) seedlings infested with cereal aphids.

The purpose of this report was to evaluate the expression patterns of selected glutathione transferase genes (gst1, gst18, gst23 and gst24) in the tissues of two maize (Zea mays L.) varieties (relatively resistant Ambrozja and susceptible Tasty Sweet) that were colonized with oligophagous bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L.) or monophagous grain aphid (Sitobion avenae L.

Are naringenin and quercetin useful chemicals in pest-management strategies?

The effects of two polyphenolic flavonoids (flavanone naringenin and flavonol quercetin) on development, fecundity, and mortality of the pea aphid, Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae), were determined in vitro, on an artificial diets. Also determined in vitro (DC EPG method), on sucrose-agarose gels, were the effects of flavonoids on the probing and feeding behavior of adult apterae. When added to a liquid diet, higher concentrations of studied flavonoids increased the developmental time, the pre-reproductive period, and mortality and decreased fecundity and the intrinsic rate of natural increase of .

Antifeedant activity of luteolin and genistein against the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum.

Electrical penetration graphs (DC EPG) were used to monitor the feeding behavior of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae) exposed to the flavonoids luteolin and genistein in artificial diets. The EPG patterns generated by aphids feeding on plants were used to interpret the patterns generated on the artificial diets. Addition of flavonoids to the diets generally prolonged the period of stylet probing (as indicated by EPG pattern d-C), reduced salivation (as indicated by pattern d-E1) and passive ingestion (as indicated by pattern d-E2), and also delayed the onset of salivation and passive ingestion.

Antimetabolic effect of phytohemagglutinin to the grain aphid Sitobion avenae fabricius.

The insecticidal activity of plant lectins against a wide range of insect species have been intensively studied. Understanding the mechanism of the toxicity of lectins is one of the studied aspects. In the present research, the first step was determine the effect of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) on the development, fecundity and mortality of grain aphid.

Molecular evidence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti co-infections in Ixodes ricinus ticks in central-eastern region of Poland.

The aim of the study was to elucidate the distribution of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti co-infection in Ixodes ricinus populations within the central-eastern region of Poland. The prevalence of analysed tick-borne human pathogens in single and polymicrobial infections in I. ricinus ticks were analysed using the conventional and nested PCR techniques.

Induced proteolysis within the bird cherry leaves evoked by Rhopalosiphum padi L. (Hemiptera, Aphidoidea).

The objectives of this study were to elucidate the impact of bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L.) feeding on functioning of the proteolytic machinery in bird cherry leaves. Biochemical analyses proved that R.

Biochemical markers of oxidative stress within tissues of cereal aphids.

Effects of some dietary o-dihydroxyphenols on biochemical markers of oxidative stress within tissues of Sitobion avenae (Fabricius), (Homoptera, Aphididae) and Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus), (Homoptera, Aphididae) has been studied. Among the studied aphid morphs the highest concentration of total thiols, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation products (TBARS) was noted for winged adults (alatae). Higher content of H2O2 was observed within tissues of the oligophagous species R.

Deterrence and toxicity of plant saponins for the pea aphid acyrthosiphon pisum harris.

Plant saponins are widely distributed among plants and have a wide range of biological properties. Three alfalfa saponins - zanhic acid tridesmoside, 3GlcA, 28AraRhaXyl medicagenic acid glycoside, and 3GlcA, 28AraRha medicagenic acid glycoside - were tested for their settling inhibition effects on feeding behavior of the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum using the electrical penetration graph method. Application of saponins to artificial diets affected the insects' probing behavior.

Effect of low and high-saponin lines of alfalfa on pea aphid.

Pea aphid fed on a high-saponin line of alfalfa showed reduction of reproduction and survival, and disturbance in development of its population. This line negatively influenced aphid probing behaviour, particularly prolonging the non-probing period and probing of the peripheral tissues (epidermis and mesophyll) and shortening the period of phloem sap ingestion. The high-saponin line of alfalfa differed from the low-saponin one by the presence of zanhic acid tridesmoside and a higher level of 3-GlcA,28-AraRhaXyl medicagenic acid glycoside.