Physical Methods for Electrical Trap-and-Kill Fly Traps Using Electrified Insulated Conductors.

In the present study, we analyzed negative electricity released from insects captured by an electric field (EF)-producing apparatus. Adult houseflies () were used as the model insect. The EF producer consisted of a negatively charged polyvinyl chloride membrane-insulated iron plate (N-PIP) and a non-insulated grounded iron plate (GIP) paralleled with the N-PIP.

Developing a Phototactic Electrostatic Insect Trap Targeting Whiteflies, Leafminers, and Thrips in Greenhouses.

Our aim was to develop an electrostatic apparatus to lure and capture silverleaf whiteflies (), vegetable leafminers (), and western flower thrips () that invade tomato greenhouses. A double-charged dipolar electric field producer (DD-EFP) was constructed by filling water in two identical transparent soft polyvinyl chloride tubes arrayed in parallel with fixed separation, and then, inserting the probes of grounded negative and positive voltage generators into the water of the two tubes to generate negatively and positively charged waters, respectively. These charged waters electrified the outer surfaces of the opposite tubes via dielectric polarization.

Turkestan Cockroaches Avoid Entering a Static Electric Field upon Perceiving an Attractive Force Applied to Antennae Inserted into the Field.

This study analysed the mechanism of avoidance behaviour by adult Turkestan cockroaches ( Walker) in response to a static electric field (S-EF) formed in the space between a negatively charged polyvinyl chloride-insulated iron plate (N-PIP) and a grounded metal net (G-MN). The negative surface charge supplied to the iron plate by a voltage generator caused the G-MN to polarise positively via electrostatic induction. In the S-EF, the negative charge of the N-PIP created a repulsive force that pushed free electrons in the field toward the ground via the G-MN.

A Simple Electrostatic Precipitator for Trapping Virus Particles Spread via Droplet Transmission.

The purpose of this study was to develop a simple electrostatic apparatus to precipitate virus particles spread via droplet transmission, which is especially significant in the context of the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The bacteriophage φ6 of was used as a model of the COVID-19 virus because of its similar structure and safety in experiments. The apparatus consisted of a spiked, perforated stainless plate (S-PSP) linked to a direct-current voltage generator to supply negative charge to the spike tips and a vessel with water (G-water) linked to a ground line.

Ampelomyces strains isolated from diverse powdery mildew hosts in Japan: Their phylogeny and mycoparasitic activity, including timing and quantifying mycoparasitism of Pseudoidium neolycopersici on tomato.

A total of 26 Ampelomyces strains were isolated from mycelia of six different powdery mildew species that naturally infected their host plants in Japan. These were characterized based on morphological characteristics and sequences of ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (rDNA-ITS) regions and actin gene (ACT) fragments. Collected strains represented six different genotypes and were accommodated in three different clades of the genus Ampelomyces.

Soil Surface-Trapping of Tomato Leaf-Miner Flies Emerging from Underground Pupae with a Simple Electrostatic Cover of Seedbeds in a Greenhouse.

In the present study, an electrostatic apparatus for trapping adult tomato leaf miner flies () emerging from underground pupae at the surface of a seedbed in an organic greenhouse was developed. The apparatus consisted of insulated iron rods arranged in parallel at set intervals and linked to a voltage generator, which supplied a negative charge to the rods, as well as non-insulated grounded iron rods with the same configuration. The two layers of insulated and non-insulated iron rods were arrayed in parallel to form a static electric field between the layers.

Analysis of Pole-Ascending-Descending Action by Insects Subjected to High Voltage Electric Fields.

The present study was conducted to establish an electrostatic-based experimental system to enable new investigations of insect behavior. The instrument consists of an insulated conducting copper ring (ICR) linked to a direct current voltage generator to supply a negative charge to an ICR and a grounded aluminum pole (AP) passed vertically through the center of the horizontal ICR. An electric field was formed between the ICR and the AP.

An Electrostatic-Barrier-Forming Window that Captures Airborne Pollen Grains to Prevent Pollinosis.

An electrostatic-barrier-forming window (EBW) was devised to capture airborne pollen, which can cause allergic pollinosis. The EBW consisted of three layers of insulated conductor wires (ICWs) and two voltage generators that supplied negative charges to the two outer ICW layers and a positive charge to the middle ICW layer. The ICWs generated an attractive force that captured pollen of the Japanese cedar, , from air blown through the EBW.

Electrostatic Insect Sweeper for Eliminating Whiteflies Colonizing Host Plants: A Complementary Pest Control Device in An Electric Field Screen-Guarded Greenhouse.

Our greenhouse tomatoes have suffered from attacks by viruliferous whiteflies Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) over the last 10 years. The fundamental countermeasure was the application of an electric field screen to the greenhouse windows to prevent their entry. However, while the protection was effective, it was incomplete, because of the lack of a guard at the greenhouse entrance area; in fact, the pests entered from the entrance door when workers entered and exited.

Detection and quantification of Leveillula taurica growth in pepper leaves.

Leveillula taurica is an obligate fungal pathogen that causes powdery mildew disease on a broad range of plants, including important crops such as pepper, tomato, eggplant, onion, cotton, and so on. The early stage of this disease is difficult to diagnose and the disease can easily spread unobserved; for example, in pepper and tomato production fields and greenhouses. The objective of this study was to develop a detection and quantification method of L.

An avirulent tomato powdery mildew isolate induces localized acquired resistance to a virulent isolate in a spatiotemporal manner.

Hypersensitive response (HR) of plant cells to the attack of pathogens induces resistance to subsequent attacks by a broad spectrum of pathogens, leading to acquired resistance. In this study, we characterized the localized acquired resistance (LAR) in the epidermal cells of tomato. First, we report the discovery of a new isolate of tomato powdery mildew occurring in Japan, KTP-02, which has a different virulence spectrum compared with the previously-characterized isolate, KTP-01.

Polymorphic change of appressoria by the tomato powdery mildew Oidium neolycopersici on host tomato leaves reflects multiple unsuccessful penetration attempts.

The appressorial shapes of the powdery mildews are an important clue to the taxonomy of the powdery mildew fungi, but the conidia of the tomato powdery mildew Oidium neolycopersici KTP-01 develop non-lobed, nipple-shaped, and moderately lobed or multilobed appressoria on the same leaves. To remove this ambiguity, we performed consecutive observations of sequential appressorial development of KTP-01 conidia with a high-fidelity digital microscope. Highly germinative conidia of KTP-01, collected from conidial pseudochains formed on the tomato leaves, were inoculated into host tomato and nonhost barley leaves or an artificial hydrophobic membrane (Parafilm).

Collection of highly germinative pseudochain conidia of Oidium neolycopersici from conidiophores by electrostatic attraction.

A population of simultaneously germinating conidia is an ideal inoculum of the powdery mildew pathogen, Oidium neolycopersici. In conditions of no or low wind velocity, O. neolycopersici successively stacks mature conidia on conidiophores in a chain formation (pseudochain), without releasing the precedent mature conidia.

A new spore precipitator with polarized dielectric insulators for physical control of tomato powdery mildew.

ABSTRACT In an attempt to physically protect greenhouse tomato plants from the powdery mildew fungus Oidium neolycopersici, we developed a new electrostatic spore precipitator in which a copper wire conductor is linked to an electrostatic generator and covered with a transparent acrylic cylinder (insulator). The conductor was negatively charged by the generator, and the electrostatic field created by the conductor was used to dielectrically polarize the insulator cylinder. The dielectrically polarized cylinder also produced an electrostatic force without a spark discharge.

Identification of individual powdery mildew fungi infecting leaves and direct detection of gene expression by single conidium polymerase chain reaction.

ABSTRACT Greenhouse-grown tomato seedlings were inoculated naturally with two genera of powdery mildew conidia forming appressorial germ tubes that could not be differentiated by length alone. For direct identification, single germinated conidia were removed from leaves by means of a glass pipette linked to the manipulator of a high-fidelity digital microscope. This microscope enabled in vivo observation of the fungi without leaf decoloration or fungal staining.

Consecutive monitoring of lifelong production of conidia by individual conidiophores of Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei on barley leaves by digital microscopic techniques with electrostatic micromanipulation.

Conidial formation and secession by living conidiophores of Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei on barley leaves were consecutively monitored using a high-fidelity digital microscopic technique combined with electrostatic micromanipulation to trap the released conidia.

Family 19 chitinase from Aeromonas sp. No.10S-24: role of chitin-binding domain in the enzymatic activity.

Family 19 chitinase from Aeromonas sp. No.10S-24 (72.

Suppression of leaf feeding and oviposition of phytophagous ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) by chitinase gene-transformed phylloplane bacteria and their specific bacteriophages entrapped in alginate gel beads.

The chitinase gene-transformed strain KPM-007E/chi of Enterobacter cloacae was vitally entrapped in sodium alginate gel beads with its specific virulent bacteriophage EcP-01 to provide a new method for microbially digesting chitinous peritrophic membranes of phytophagous ladybird beetles Epilachna vigintioctopunctata. First, chitinase SH1 from a gram-positive bacterium Kurthia zopfii was overproduced by Escherichia coli cells and purified by affinity column chromatography. The purified enzyme effectively digested peritrophic membranes dissected from the ladybird beetles to expose epithelial tissues beneath the peritrophic membrane, and the beetles that had ingested chitinase after submergence in chitinase solution had considerably reduced their feeding on tomato leaves.

Efficient release of overproduced gene products from Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) by lytic infection with newly isolated bacteriophages.

Overproduced proteins from Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) were efficiently released with virulent bacteriophages. Leviviridae-like bacteriophages were isolated from soil and used to lyse BL21(DE3) cells transformed with beta-glucosidase, chitinase, or chitosanase genes. This method caused lysis of bacterial cells similar to that by conventional sonication and enabled us to effectively recover and purify the enzymes.