The increasing use of chemical insecticides has adversely effected the environment and increased insect resistance. Biopesticides have been noticed the potential to be an excellent alternative to chemicals to reduce the negative impacts to human health and the environment. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is the second most important vegetable crop worldwide due to its nutritional importance. The effect of NOVOSECT SC21® (0.5 L/200 L), ATO BED BUGS® (1 L/200 L) and NEO-BOOST® (1 kg/200 L) against Tuta absoluta, Liriomyza trifolii and Alternaria solani was studied. A complete randomized block design (CRBD) was used with three replications, three treatments and one control in Hrajel area in Lebanon in the summer of 2020. We evaluated the level of infestation and larval mortality level of Tuta absoluta, Liriomyza trifolii and Alternaria solani infection 24, 48 and 72 hr after the application. Results showed that NOVOSECT SC21® (Mix of metabolites of the Bacillus F.D. 777) was the most efficient in decreasing the infestation and inducing larval mortality level of T. absoluta and L. trifolii and the fungal infection induced by A. solani with significant difference with time, followed respectively by ATO BED BUGS® and finally NEO-BOOST®.

Bee venoms are well-known for their important biological activities. More specifically, the venom of Apis mellifera syriaca was shown to exhibit various biological effects, including anti-microbial effects. It is suggested that the anti-microbial effect of venom could be accompanied by an immunomodulatory response in the host favoring anti-inflammatory responses. Thus, in this work, we investigated, for the first time, the immunomodulatory effects of A. mellifera syriaca venom in mice. Firstly, it was found that this venom exhibited mild toxicity in BALB/c mice after intraperitoneal injection with an LD50 of 3.8 mg/kg. We then investigated its immunomodulatory effects by evaluating the splenic levels of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in mice by ELISA. Interestingly, at 1 mg/kg, A. mellifera syriaca venom induced a decrease in IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-10 at 24h post-injection. At a higher dose (3 mg/kg), an increase in IFN-γ and IL-4 levels was observed, while the levels of TNF-α and IL-10 remained low compared to the control. Altogether, these preliminary data suggest that A. mellifera syriaca venom exhibits anti-inflammatory effects at a sublethal dose (1 mg/kg), while at a higher dose (3 mg/kg), it induces inflammatory effects.