Percolation-intercropping strategies to prevent dissemination of phytopathogens on plantations.

Phytophthora is one of the most aggressive and worldwide extended phytopathogens that attack plants and trees. Its effects produce tremendous economical losses in agronomy and forestry since no effective fungicide exists. We propose to combine percolation theory with an intercropping sowing configuration as a non-chemical strategy to minimize the dissemination of the pathogen. In this work, we model a plantation as a square lattice where two types of plants are arranged in alternating columns or diagonals, and Phytophthora zoospores are allowed to propagate to the nearest and next-to-nearest neighboring plants. We determine the percolation threshold for each intercropping configuration as a function of the plant's susceptibilities and the number of inoculated cells at the beginning of the propagation process. The results are presented as phase diagrams where crop densities that prevent the formation of a spanning cluster of susceptible or diseased plants are indicated. The main result is the existence of susceptibility value combinations for which no spanning cluster is formed even if every cell in the plantation is sowed. This finding can be useful in choosing a configuration and density of plants that minimize damages caused by Phytophthora. We illustrate the application of the phase diagrams with the susceptibilities of three plants with a high commercial value.

Profile of Terpenoid Compounds Mediating a Plant-Herbivore Interaction: Screening by Static Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography/Q-ToF Mass Spectrometry.

Conotrachelus dimidiatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) interacts with immature guava fruits (Psidium guajava L.) for feed, sleep, mate and oviposit. Determination of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by the insect and immature fruits can help improve understanding of plant-insect and intraspecific insect interactions between females and males of C. dimidiatus. Daytime fruit setting emissions of immature guava consist mainly of limonene, caryophyllene, and aromadendrene. In addition to the host's volatiles, the aim of this study was to assess the VOCs released by the insect. Static headspace-solid phase microextraction (SHS-SPME), combined with gas chromatography/quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (GC/Q-ToF-MS), allowed the identification of the C10 terpenoids: grandlure I, II, II, IV, grandisoic acid, papayanol and papayanal bioactive compounds released by female and male C. dimidiatus under laboratory conditions. These chemical compounds are candidates for the preparation of a lure formulation.

Description of the third instar larvae of five species of Cyclocephala (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Dynastinae) from Mexico

Description of the third instar larvae of five species of Cyclocephala (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Dynastinae) from Mexico. Larvae of four species of Cyclocephala are described for the first time based on specimens collected in Mexican localities: C. barrerai Martínez, 1969 from Puebla, C. sinaloae Howden & Endrödi, 1966 from Sinaloa, C. fasciolata Bates, 1888 from Veracruz, and C. jalapensis Casey, 1915 from Hidalgo. Larva of C. lunulata Burmeister, 1847, is redescribed based on specimens from the Mexican states of Morelos, Puebla, and Veracruz. Diagnostic structures are illustrated and the differences and similarities of each species with other previously described larvae of the genus are commented.

CARACTERIZACIÓN DE LAS LARVAS DE DOS ESPECIES DE ParanomalaY UNA ESPECIE DE Strigoderma (COLEOPTERA: MELOLONTHIDAE: RUTELINAE) DE PUEBLA, MÉXICO / Descriptions of the Larvae of Two Species of Paranomala and One Species of Strigoderma (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Rutelinae) from Puebla, Mexico

Se presentan las descripciones de la larva de tercer estadio de Paranomala flavilla (Bates), P. hoepfneri (Bates) y Strigoderma costulipennis Bates, recolectadas en el estado de Puebla, México, en suelos con cultivo de amaranto (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.). Se incluyen ilustraciones distintivas y comentarios sobre las diferencias con las larvas de otras especies de los géneros estudiados en México.

The third instar larvae of Paranomala flavilla (Bates), P. hoepfneri (Bates) and Strigoderma costulipennis Bates, collected in Puebla, Mexico, in soils cultivated with amaranth are described. Illustrations of the diagnostic structures and comments on the differences with other larvae of the genera studied in Mexico are included.

New saponins from Sechium mexicanum.

The chemical study of Sechium mexicanum roots led to the isolation of the two new saponins {3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2beta,3beta,16alpha,23-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 --> 4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside} (1) and {3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2beta,3beta,16alpha,23-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 --> 4)-[beta-D-apiosyl-(1 --> 3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside} (2), together with the known compounds {3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2beta,3beta,6beta,16alpha,23-pentahydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 --> 4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside} (3), tacacosides A(1) (4) and B(3) (5). The structures of saponins 1 and 2 were elucidated using a combination of (1)H and (13)C 1D-NMR, COSY, TOCSY, gHMBC and gHSQC 2D-NMR, and FABMS of the natural compounds and their peracetylated derivates, as well as by chemical degradation. Compounds 1-3 are the first examples of saponins containing polygalacic and 16-hydroxyprotobasic acids found in the genus Sechium, while 4 and 5, which had been characterized partially by NMR, are now characterized in detail.