Asad Abdullah

Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is a natural enemy of several important pests. This biocontrol agent is also a host for different parasitoids. Little is known about the parasitoid complex of C. septempunctata in Pakistan. The authors identified Oomyzus scaposus (Thomson, 1878) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) as a larval‐pupal parasitoid of C. septempunctata in the district of Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan. Out of 36 C. septempunctata pupae collected, 58.3% were parasitized by O. scaposus. This study documents the first record of O. scaposus parasitizing C. septempunctata in Pakistan.

The following is a case report of a 17-day-old female baby, born at 35 weeks' gestation, weighing 2.6 kg. She was brought to us with reluctance to feed, swelling over the left side of her face and a fever documented at 102oF, along with an erythematous, tender, localised swelling over the left pre-auricular region that measured 2 x 1.5 cm in size. Diagnostic workup and ultrasound findings were consistent with parotitis; however, her blood culture was negative. The patient was managed on antibiotics but subsequently, developed a nosocomial infection while she was admitted in the hospital, which prolonged her hospital stay to a total of 16 days. Nevertheless, she had complete resolution of the signs and symptoms on her follow-up visit. Acute parotitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a neonate presenting with facial swelling, reluctance to feed or incessant crying. Timely and appropriate management can result in good recovery and minimising the potential for c...

Quantitative studies concerning abnormalities and hemolytic activity was performed under laboratory conditions for larvae of Spodoptera litura Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Four insecticides (decarafluron 50EC, emamectin benzoate 1.9EC, chlorpyrifos 40EC and abamectin 1.8EC) were studied for the immunosuppressive activity of 5 instar larvae of S. litura. Immunosuppression was assessed by examining changes in total heamocytes count and differential heamocytes count. Newly ecdysed 5 instar larvae (normal) total heamocytes count of 1.6x10 cells/mm. But a great decline in total heamocytes count was observed by the application of decarafluron and drastically increase due to the application of abamectin. From five different types of heamocytes, proheamocytes were found the most sensitive to insecticidal stress and rupturing of the cell wall was identified as the most common abnormality. The observations suggest that insecticides are capable of inducing multiple forms of cell death i...

Abstract. The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), is a major insect pest of citrus (Citrus spp.) and some other plants related to the Rutaceae family. It is also a vector of the pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the bacterium associated with a serious disease of citrus plants known as Huanglongbing. Little is known about other host plants of D. citri. We documented for the first time D. citri defoliating lasora, Cordia myxa L. (Family Boraginaceae), in the southern region of the state of Punjab, Pakistan. About eight to 10 adults and 15 to 18 nymphs were observed per shoot of the lasora plant.

The study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of neem seed extract (NSE) for the management of Bemesia tabaci Gennadius, (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) and Amrasca biguttula Ishida, (Homopter: Cicadellidae) infesting Bt and non-Bt cotton cultivars. Foliar application of neem seed, Azadirachta indica extract was applied upon reaching economic threshold levels of B. tabaci and A. biguttula. The insect pest population was recorded 24 hours before and 24h, 72h and 168h after spray. Maximum reduction of 60.20% of B. tabaci on Bt cotton was recorded at 6% NSE while at 2% concentration of NSE after 148 hrs, 39. 16% reduction was observed. While maximum reduction on non-Bt cotton at 6% recorded as 66.60% and minimum at 2% concentration recorded as 48.72% of neem seed extract against B. tabaci. In case of A. biguttula, maximum reduction in population was observed at 6% concentration of NSE (64.94%) and minimum at 2% concentration (44.50%) on Bt cotton. While maximum reduction of A. biguttula was observed at 6% concentration (69.05%) and minimum at 2% concentration (48.48%) on non-Bt cotton.

The pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is an important insect pest of the cotton crop worldwide. Sex-pheromone and light traps were used to monitor the adult P. gossypiella population in Bt cotton field for the years 2017-18 at southern Punjab, Pakistan. The sampling of infested bolls was done to record the damage level of P. gossypiella. The sex-pheromone traps captured approximately 2-3 times more adults than light traps in all locations during 2017-18. For sex-pheromone traps, temperature showed negative and strong relation (R2 = 0.63-0.80) with trap catches. Fewer bolls (7.0-9.0%) were infested in plots where sex-pheromone traps were installed compared to check plots (32-37%). Therefore, the pheromone trapping proved an effective and eco-friendly tool for the monitoring and management of P. gossypiella. Our findings enable forecasting of seasonal P. gossypiella population providing additional information for the development of an integra...

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs), Isaria fumosorosea and Beauveria bassiana, are efficient biological agents in the management of multiple arthropod pests. In this study, the effects of both EPF species on various life stages of Spodoptera litura (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and its natural enemy Rhynocoris marginatus (Fab.) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) were determined under laboratory conditions. I. fumosorosea significantly ( P