The fruit fly Ceratitis capitata is a successful generalist due to the trade-off between different variables in its life history traits. The present study aimed to assess some life history traits of C. capitata recovered from peach, plum and fig, three key host species, under the climatic conditions of an irrigation oasis in the arid province of San Juan, Argentina. Pupal abundance, sex ratio and morphometric parameters such as pupal and adult weight, pupal volume, wingspan and head-caudal length were influenced by the host in which the larvae were reared. Sexual maturity, measured as the peak of calling (pheromone emission), was homogeneous on the sixth and seventh days after emergence, but males recovered from fig showed early calling activity on the third day after emergence. The plasticity of C. capitata to adapt its life history traits to specific nutrient variations within the larval environment allows it to colonise and establish populations where key hosts, as those studied here, are available. The knowledge of the interactions between host fruit trees and C. capitata populations provides helpful information for planning the management of local orchards and urban fruit plantations within irrigation oases, taking into consideration the concept of key hosts as peach and fig.

Off-target movement of herbicides is a concern in California rice production, where sensitive crops are often grown nearby. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl and triclopyr are auxin mimics that are commonly used in rice systems. To steward florpyrauxifen-benzyl around the time of its initial registration in the state, research was conducted to compare the onset of foliar symptoms from simulated florpyrauxifen-benzyl and triclopyr drift onto grapevine, peach, and plum. The use rates on rice were 1/200×, 1/100×, 1/33×, and 1/10× of 29.4 g ai ha–1 florpyrauxifen-benzyl; and 1/200×, 1/100×, and 1/33× of 420.3 g ae ha–1 triclopyr. Herbicides were applied on one side of 1- to 2-year-old peach and plum trees and one side of established grapevines in 2020 and 2021. The general symptoms from applications of florpyrauxifen-benzyl and triclopyr were similar and included chlorosis, leaf curling, leaf distortion, leaf malformation, leaf crinkling, and necrosis. The symptoms from herbicides were observed on both sides of the grapevine canopy, whereas florpyrauxifen-benzyl symptoms on peach and plum were mostly observed on the treated side of the tree. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl and triclopyr symptoms were observed 3 d after treatment (DAT) for grapevines and 7 DAT for peach and plum. In all crops, most symptoms persisted through 42 DAT. Some grape clusters showed deformation and dropping of berries. All treated crops gradually recovered during the season regardless of application rates. Because symptoms in peach and plum were relatively minor, this research suggests that application precautions to reduce off-site drift are likely to minimize the occurrence of significant injury. However, grapevines were more sensitive and showed injury symptoms of up to 71% at 14 DAT with a simulated drift rate of 1/10× florpyrauxifen-benzyl. Therefore, extra precautions, such as using drift-management agents and closely monitoring wind speed conditions at the time of florpyrauxifen-benzyl applications may be necessary if vineyards are nearby.

Plums are abundant in bioactive compounds which have been associated with numerous health benefits. In the present study, we aimed at examining the impact of plum supplementation on lipid profile of individuals. Electronic bibliographical databases were searched for relevant randomised clinical trials. Articles meeting our eligibility criteria were included for data extraction and final analysis. Weighted mean difference (WMD) was estimated using a random-effect model. Of the total articles retrieved in the initial search, nine articles were found to be eligible to be included in the analysis. Our results show that plum supplementation significantly improves total cholesterols levels in the unhealthy individuals. Moreover, plum supplementation reduces the LDL-c levels in the pooled sample (WMD = −11⋅52 mg/dl; 95 % CI −21⋅93, −1⋅11, P = 0⋅03, I2 = 98⋅7 %) and also in some of the subgroups of individuals (dried plum, unhealthy subjects, duration more than 8 weeks). Moreover, it had a significant reducing effect on TC levels just in unhealthy subjects. Although plum supplementation did not have any significant impact on serum levels of TG nor HDL-c. Our results show that supplementation with plums is potentially effective in reducing serum total cholesterol and LDL-c.

Glyphosate is an important component of herbicide programs in orchard crops in California. It can be applied alone or in tank-mix combinations under the crop rows or to the entire field and often is used multiple times each year. There has been speculation about the potential impacts of repeated use of glyphosate in perennial crop systems, because of uptake from shallow root systems or indirectly because of effects on nutrient availability in soil. To address these concerns, research was conducted from 2013 to 2020 on key orchard crops to evaluate tree response to glyphosate regimens. Almond, cherry, and prune were evaluated in separate experiments. In each crop, the experimental design was a factorial arrangement of two soil types, four glyphosate rates (0, 1.1, 2.2, and 4.4 kg ae ha−1, applied three times annually), and two post-glyphosate application irrigation treatments. In the first 2 yr of the study, there was no clear impact of the glyphosate regimens on shikimate accumulation or leaf chlorophyll content, which suggested no direct effect on the crop. In the seventh year of the study, after six consecutive years of glyphosate application to the orchard floors, there were no negative impacts of glyphosate application on leaf nutrient concentration or on cumulative trunk growth in any of the three orchard crops. Lack of a negative growth impact even at the highest treatment rate, which included 18 applications of glyphosate totaling nearly 80 kg ae ha−1 glyphosate over the course of the experiment suggest there is not likely a significant risk to tree health of judicious use of the herbicide in these production systems. Given the economic importance of orchard crops in California, and grower and industry concerns about pesticides generally and specifically about glyphosate, these findings are timely contributions to weed management concerns in perennial specialty crops.

Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) are highly polyphagous fruit fly species and important pests of commercial fruit in regions of the world where they are present. In South Africa, B. dorsalis is now established in the north and northeastern parts of the country. B. dorsalis is currently absent in other parts of the country including the Western Cape Province which is an important area for the production of deciduous fruit. C. capitata is widespread in South Africa and is the dominant pest of deciduous fruit. The demographic parameters of B. dorsalis and C. capitata on four deciduous fruit types Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, Prunus domestica L., Malus domestica Borkh. and Pyrus communis L. were studied to aid in predicting the potential population establishment and growth of B. dorsalis in a deciduous fruit growing environment. All deciduous fruit types tested were suitable for population persistence of both B. dorsalis and C. capitata. Development was fastest and survival highest on nectarine for both species. B. dorsalis adults generally lived longer than those of C. capitata, irrespective of the fruit types that they developed from. B. dorsalis had a higher net reproductive rate (Ro) on all deciduous fruit tested compared to C. capitata. However, the intrinsic rate of population increase was estimated to be higher for C. capitata than for B. dorsalis on all fruit types tested primarily due to C. capitata's faster generation time. Provided abiotic conditions are optimal, B. dorsalis would be able to establish and grow in deciduous fruit growing areas.

In this study, the basic biology of and artificial rearing techniques for Bactrocera pyrifoliae (Drew and Hancock), a pest of peaches and plums in high-elevation areas of northern Vietnam and Thailand, were investigated for 5 years. Bactrocera pyrifoliae was found only between elevations of 1000 and 1500 m, heavily infesting peaches and plums from early June to harvest in mid-July. The durations of the egg, larval and pupal stages were determined under controlled environmental conditions in the laboratory, indicating that B. pyrifoliae is a multivoltine species. Larvae were successfully reared on a carrot and corn powder-based diet. Determinations of the appropriate adult density in colony cages, and also optimal temperature conditions for holding adults, were made. Bactrocera pyrifoliae performed better when the temperature was lowered during the night, as would be expected for a species adapted to temperate-like environments. Interestingly, adults originating from field-collected pupae emerged with a 3:1 female-biased sex ratio. Laboratory colonies, by generation seven, appeared to exhibit signs of inbreeding depression and required periodic incorporation of wild insects to restore egg hatch. To develop sound management techniques for populations of B. pyrifoliae infesting peaches, alternate commercial and native hosts infested outside the peach and plum fruiting season must be identified or some form of overwintering mechanism such as reproductive diapause be discovered. Documentation of mating behaviour in the field (a key to developing efficient traps), improvement in fertility in laboratory colonies, and eventually sterile insect technique-based integrated pest management for pest population management in the expanding low-chill temperate fruit-growing areas of northern Vietnam are also needed.