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This study aimed to determine the influence and optimal conditions of incubation temperature and relative humidity (RH) on the egg hatchability patterns of two-spotted (Gryllus bimaculatus) and house (Acheta domesticus) crickets. Experiment I involved 100 cricket eggs per hatching box for each species, with six replications for each controlled incubation temperature of 23, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 °C at 70% RH. Experiment II used all the same procedures as Experiment I, except for incubation temperatures of 29, 30, 31, and 32 °C tested with varied RH levels of 65%, 70%, and 75%. In Experiment I, two-spotted crickets (9.47 ± 1.99 days) exhibited faster hatching than house crickets (13.70 ± 2.78 days). Additionally, the onset of hatching decreased with higher incubation temperatures for both types of crickets. In Experiment II, an incubation temperature of 31 °C and 70% RH resulted in a hatching rate of 79.75% for two-spotted crickets, with hatching beginning in 6 days. For house cricket eggs, the optimal conditions of 30 °C and 65–75% RH led to a peak daily hatching rate of 62.00–65.50% and hatching onset in 12 days. Thus, this study established the optimal incubation temperature and RH for egg hatching of two-spotted and house crickets.

Maize is a major staple crop in China, and the sustainable productivity of this primary crop has been recently threatened by fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, invasion. The five fungal isolates, Aspergillus sp. BM-3 and SE-2-1, Cladosporium tenuissimum SE-10, Penicillium citrinum CTD-24, and Beauveria bassiana ZK-5 were assessed for their efficacy in causing mortality against first to sixth instar eggs and neonate larvae seven days post-treatment, and their effects on the feeding performance of sixth instar S. frugiperda larvae at 48 h post-treatment at three concentrations (1 × 106, 1 × 107, and 1 × 108 conidia mL−1) were also assessed. The six instar S. frugiperda larvae were not susceptible to the five tested fungal isolates. However, B. bassiana ZK-5 caused the highest egg mortality of 40, 70, and 85.6% at 1 × 106, 1 × 107, and 1 × 108 conidia mL−1, respectively, followed by P. citrinum CTD-24 (30.6, 50, and 75.6%) and C. tenuissimum SE-10 (25.6, 40, and 55.6%). In addition, B. bassiana ZK-5 caused the highest neonate mortality of 54.3% at 1 × 108 conidia mL−1. B. bassiana ZK-5 and P. citrinum CTD-24 caused cumulative mortality, including 93.3 and 83.3% mortality of eggs and neonates, respectively, at 1 × 108 conidia mL−1. Furthermore, B. bassiana ZK-5 reduced the feeding efficacy of first to third instar S. frugiperda larvae by 66.7 to 78.6%, while P. citrinum CTD-24 and C. tenuissimum SE-10 reduced larval feeding by 48.3 to 57.1% at 1 × 108 conidia mL−1. However, these fungal isolates were less potent in reducing the feeding activity of fourth to sixth instar S. frugiperda larvae (>46% with B. bassiana at 48 h post-treatment). The tested fungal isolates could play an essential role as microbial biopesticides in suppressing the S. frugiperda population in China after further investigations on their efficacy are obtained in the field.

Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) contamination poses a significant challenge to breeder egg hatchability and chick health, necessitating the exploration of alternative disinfection methods. This study investigates the potential of phage vB_SPuM_SP02 (SP02) as a novel disinfectant for breeder eggs contaminated with S. Typhimurium SM022. Phage SP02 was isolated from poultry farm effluent and characterized for morphology, biological properties, and genome properties. Experimental groups of specific pathogen-free (SPF) eggs were treated with Salmonella and phage SP02, and efficacy was assessed through hatching rates, chick survival, weight, Salmonella load, immune organ indices, and intestinal flora. Phage treatment effectively eradicated Salmonella contamination on eggshells within 12 h, resulting in increased hatching and survival rates compared to controls. Furthermore, phage treatment mitigated weight loss and tissue Salmonella load in chicks without causing immune organ damage while reducing Salmonella spp. abundance in the intestinal tract. This study demonstrates the potential of phage SP02 as an eco-friendly and efficient disinfectant for S. Typhimurium-contaminated breeder eggs, offering promising prospects for practical application in poultry production.

Five experiments were conducted to identify optimal temperature, light, water depth, and hatching facility suitable for the hatchability of Barbus altianalis embryos and larval growth. In experiment I, eggs were incubated at 24, 27, and 30°C with and without aeration. In experiment II, eggs were incubated in conical jars, re‐circulating and glass tanks at 27°C. In experiment III, eggs were incubated at lux values of 54.2 ± 5.5 and 10,701.8 ± 2224.3 SD. In experiment IV, eggs on trays were placed at the bottom of glass tank (60 cm depth) and others at the surface. In experiment V, six old day larvae were treated at 24, 27, 30, and 31°C. Results indicated that optimal embryo hatchability ranged from 92.9 ± 2.0% to 94.1 ± 2.9% (no aeration) at 24°C and 89.3 ± 1.0% to 91.8 ± 0.8% SE at 27°C (aeration) in two trials. Re‐circulating (84.3%) and glass tanks (80.3%) were more suitable for hatching than conical jars (37.2%). Optimal larvae growth and survival were attained at 30°C (207.4 ± 16.3 mg SE; 78.9 ± 2.0% SD). No differences were observed in egg hatchability with light and water depth treatments (p > 0.05). These results will guide farmers to produce sufficient and quality B. altianalis seeds for farming.

In many cases, pesticides' side effects on natural enemies have closely related to their exposure route. We assessed long-term lethal and sublethal effects of thiamethoxam (TMX) on the predatory bug, Orius albidipennis (Reuter), fed on Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), through three exposure routes. First-instar nymphs were treated with the maximum field recommended concentration (MFRC), ½ MFRC, and ¼ MFRC of TMX for 24 h. Based on the results, the soil-application treatment (bottom-up effect: plant-aphid-predator) led to the lowest survival reduction. In contrast, leaf-dip (residual contact) and aphid-dip (oral exposure route) treatments decreased the survival severely. While the soil-application treatment had no significant effect on adult longevity and egg production, all tested concentrations of TMX in the leaf-dip and aphid-dip treatments negatively affected both traits. The egg hatchability was not affected by the insecticide in all exposure routes. Among all treatments, ¼ MFRC of TMX in the residual contact and oral treatments shortened the egg incubation period compared to control, but others failed to affect it. Finally, based on the criteria provided by the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control (IOBC) regarding toxicity classification, systemic (soil) application of TMX was harmless for this predator. However, it was moderately harmful and harmful (depending on concentration) to the predator through the residual contact and oral exposures, even at ¼ MFRC. Given our results, the soil-application of TMX is compatible with O. albidipennis, and it can improve conservation approaches of the predator in the integrated management of A. gossypii.

The melon fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) and the pumpkin fruit fly, Bactrocera tau (Walker) (Diptera: Tephritidae), are important invasive pests on Cucurbitaceous hosts. The acute toxicity of five insecticides to females of these two fruit fly species was bio-assayed by membrane method, and effects of their sublethal concentration on the survival, reproduction, and ovary development of females were evaluated in the laboratory. Results showed that based on the LC50 values, both B. cucurbitae and B. tau were the most susceptible to trichlorfon. After treatment with sublethal concentration (LC30) of trichlorfon, abamectin+β-cypermethrin, spinetoram, and lambda-cyhalothrin, the female survival days of the two Bactrocera species were significantly shortened compared with the control. Moreover, the fecundity of two Bactrocera species was remarkably decreased, after exposure to abamectin+β-cypermethrin and trichlorfon LC30. However, the sublethal concentration (LC30) of insecticides had no significant influence on the egg hatchability of the fruit flies. Furthermore, after treatment with abamectin+β-cypermethrin LC30, the ovary length, width, and egg load of B. cucurbitae were significantly lower than that of the control; however, only the ovarian length and egg load of B. tau were significantly decreased on the 16th and 20th day. In conclusion, abamectin+β-cypermethrin has an excellent insecticidal activity against B. cucurbitae and B. tau.

Emerging avian influenza viruses pose a high risk to poultry production, necessitating the need for more broadly protective vaccines. Live attenuated influenza vaccines offer excellent protective efficacies but their use in poultry farms is discouraged due to safety concerns related to emergence of reassortant viruses. Vaccination of chicken embryos inside eggs (in ovo) induces early immunity in young chicks while reduces the safety concerns related to the use of live vaccines on farms. However, in ovo vaccination using influenza viruses severely affects the egg hatchability. We previously engineered a high interferon-inducing live attenuated influenza vaccine candidate with an enhanced protective efficacy in chickens. Here, we asked whether we could further modify this high interferon-inducing vaccine candidate to develop an in ovo-compatible live attenuated influenza vaccine. We first showed that the enhanced interferon responses induced by the vaccine is not enough to attenuate the virus in ovo. To reduce the pathogenicity of the virus for chicken embryos, we replaced the hemagglutinin cleavage site of the H7 vaccine virus (PENPKTR/GL) with that of the H6-subtype viruses (PQIETR/GL) and disrupted the ribosomal frameshifting site responsible for viral polymerase acidic X protein expression. In ovo vaccination of chickens with up to 105 median egg infectious dose of the modified vaccine had minimal effects on hatchability while protecting the chickens against a heterologous challenge virus at two weeks of age. This study demonstrates that targeted genetic mutations can be applied to further attenuate and enhance the safety of live attenuated influenza vaccines to develop future in ovo vaccines for poultry.

Specific information about the dispersion of Culex quinquefasciatus from Dschang in western Cameroon is scarce, and evidence-based interventions are needed. Common use of larvicides and adulticides conduct to the development of vectors resistance which can lead to deep biological changes, including fitness costs. We assessed the profile of insecticide resistance in field populations of Cx. quiquefasciatus and its potential fitness cost in a lineage selected for deltamethrin and permethrin resistance in the laboratory for two generations. The resistance intensity of the Cx. quinquefasciatus population was moderated when the population was exposed to deltamethrin at 10 × . Preexposure to PBO led to the restoration of full susceptibility to both deltamethrin and permethrin. Compared with that of the control group, female fecundity rates, egg hatchability, and pupation rates were significantly lower in the insecticide exposed groups. Larval development time and adults emergence rates were comparable between insecticide-exposed groups and the control. Insecticide-exposed adults lived longer than control adults did. Our findings suggest that the mechanisms selected for pyrethroid resistance are associated with negative impacts on different life-trait parameters and support the hypothesis that insecticide resistance is related to a high fitness cost.

AbstractsEgg storage duration can affect embryo mortality, hatching characteristics, hatching time, and post-hatch chick quality. In order to assess these effects, the impact of storage duration (5 days, 10 days, 15 days) and short incubation period during egg storage (SPIDES) investigated further 18, 900 eggs of broiler breeder (ROSS 308) in 3 × 2 factorial arrangement design. In the SPIDES treatment, the egg shell temperature was raised from its storage temperature (18 °C) and held at 100 °F for 3.5 h. Storage periods could significantly (P < 0.05) influence on embryo mortality (total, early, middle, and late), hatchability of both the total eggs and fertile eggs. The SPIDES treatment had a significant (P < 0.05) impact on a lower embryonic death rate and improved egg hatchability. Eggs stored for 5 days and eggs treated with SPIDES significantly (P < 0.001) shorten hatching time, batch’s 90% hatching time (T 90% H), mean hatching time (MHT), maximal hatching period (MHP), and hatching window (HW). Chick quality was also determined, whereas storing eggs for 5 days and using the SPIDES treatment resulted in enhanced (P < 0.001) chick weight relative to egg weight (CW/EW), activity (AC), and chick quality score (CQS). The residual yolk sac weight (RYSW), unhealed navel (UHN %), and dirty feather (DF%) recorded the lowest (P < 0.001) values compared to long storage periods and control group. Finally, stored for 5 days treated by SPIDES positively affected the hatchability characteristics, the shortening hatching time, and the quality of chicks. Regarding the results, it was confirmed that using the SPIDES treatment to prevent the harmful effects of broiler eggs being stored for an extended period of time is a viable option.

Background Infectious diseases prompted by micro-organisms such as fungi, parasites, or microbes, have influenced many countries’ public health causing death. Scientists declared that metal oxide composites have various advantages in the medical field such as the antimicrobial feature has freshly been revealed as well as its role in suppressing mosquito population. Methods In this work silver doped zinc oxide nanorods (Ag/ZnO NRs, 10 wt.%) were prepared by simple chemical route, and their microstructural characteristics were investigated by XRD, EDX, SEM, and TEM techniques. The antimicrobial, larvicidal, and ovicidal of the synthesized nanocomposites were examined. Results The synthesized nanocomposite exhibited binary phase of crystallite size 112 nm was calculated from Williamson-Hall method. EDX spectrum revealed the purity of the composite consists of Zn, O, and Ag elements. The SEM and TEM micrographs showed the particles in nanorods with high density on the surface. The energy gap ( E g ) was evaluated from the UV–Vis absorbance in the range from 2.90 - 3.08 eV inside the visible spectrum. The antimicrobial activity of the nanorods was examined against Gram-positive bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis ) with inhibition zones 10.5 and 14.5 mm, respectively. Whereas gram-negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ) were 14 and 17 mm, respectively. Further, Candida albicans was investigated with inhibition zone 7.5 mm. Besides, the insecticidal impact of the nanocomposite against Culex pipiens larvae was performed at 30 mg/l causing 100% larval mortality with LC 50 (11.78 mg/l). The micrograph images showed deformations in the larval body as well as egg resulting in zero egg hatchability. Conclusion The findings approved that synthesized nanorods have a significant impact on controlling pathogens that impart different diseases to humans and the environment. Graphical Abstract