Biocontrol potential of Steinernema cholashanense (Nguyen) on larval and pupal stages of potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller).

The potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), is a serious pest of potato and other commercial crops belonging to the Solanaceae family. In recent years, it has become an emerging problem in potato-growing regions of the Nilgiri hills of southern India. It is responsible for the reduced quality and quantity of marketable potatoes. In this regard, the development of an eco-friendly control method for the management of the potato tuber moth is urgently required. Therefore, in the present study, the virulence of Steinernema cholashanense CPRSUS01 originally isolated from the potato rhizosphere was tested on fourth-instar larvae and pupae of P. operculella. Steinernema cholashanense caused the greatest mortality in the fourth-instar larval stage (100%) than the pupae (30%). In addition to this, penetration and reproduction of this nematode was also studied in fourth-instar larvae of P. operculella and this is the first report of penetration and reproduction of any entomopathogenic nematode species on potato tuber moth larvae. The reproduction capacity of S. cholashanense on P. operculella is higher (702 infective juveniles mg-1 body weight). Our results indicated that S. cholashanense has good potential as an alternative tool for the management of P. operculella. But before including S. cholashanense in the integrated pest management program of P. operculella, its efficacy should be tested under field conditions.

Role of Social Support in Reducing the Severity of Menopausal Symptoms among Women Living in Rural Mysuru, Karnataka: An Analytical Cross-sectional Study.

Introduction: Menopause is an unspoken and unaddressed aspect of a women's life, surrounded by many myths and taboos within the Indian context. Although a majority of menopausal women experience moderate to severe symptoms that can affect their physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being, there is poor health literacy as well as health-seeking behavior among them. The importance of social support, especially at a difficult time like menopause, is bound to minimize the severity of menopausal symptoms. Objectives: The objective is to assess the severity of menopausal symptoms among women living in rural communities of Mysuru district, and to examine the relationship of perceived social support during menopausal transition to severity of the symptoms. Materials and Methods: Between May 2022 and December 2022, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 women living in rural communities of Mysuru district, Karnataka. An interviewer-administered survey in Kannada was used to record the severity of menopausal symptoms and associated determinants after completion of informed consent process. Results: The average age of study participants was 50.9 (standard deviation [SD] ±4.6) years. While 77.2% were married, 20.8% were widows. About half (53.6%) belonged to lower socioeconomic class and another 28% belonged to middle class. The mean age at menopause was 47.6 (SD ± 4.24) years; 56.8% reported experiencing moderate-to-severe symptoms; 75.6% reported high social support while 24.4% of women low-to-medium social support. The odds of experiencing moderate-to-severe menopause symptoms were 4.51 (95% confidence interval: 2.337-8.690) times higher among women who received low-to-medium social support as compared to those with high social support. The social support obtained was directly proportional to socioeconomic status and living with spouse. Conclusion: The health system should emphasize the role of social support while counseling postmenopausal women. There is a dire need for both community and physician education programs on the social and medical needs of postmenopausal women.

Management of potato cyst nematodes with special focus on biological control and trap cropping strategies.

Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs; Globodera spp.) are one of the most difficult pests of potato to manage worldwide. Indiscriminate use of pesticides and their hazardous effects discourage the use of many chemicals for the management of PCNs. As a result, biological control agents and trap crops have received more attention from growers as safer ways to manage PCNs. The biological control agents such as Pochonia chlamydosporia, Purpureocillium lilacinum, Trichoderma spp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus spp., Pasteuria spp., and others are recognized as potential candidates for the management of PCNs. Moreover recently, the use of trap crop Solanum sisymbriifolium also showed promise by drastically reducing soil populations of PCNs. Integration of these management strategies along with other practices including identification, conservation, and multiplication of native antagonists, will facilitate efficient management of the PCNs in potato cropping system. Some of the promising research approaches that are being used against PCNs are addressed in this review. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.