Herein, CuO-NPs were fabricated by harnessing metabolites of Aspergillus niger strain (G3-1) and characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, XRD, TEM, SEM-EDX, FT-IR, and XPS. Spherical, crystallographic CuO-NPs were synthesized in sizes ranging from 14.0 to 47.4 nm, as indicated by TEM and XRD. EDX and XPS confirmed the presence of Cu and O with weight percentages of 62.96% and 22.93%, respectively, at varied bending energies. FT-IR spectra identified functional groups of metabolites that could act as reducing, capping, and stabilizing agents to the CuO-NPs. The insecticidal activity of CuO-NPs against wheat grain insects Sitophilus granarius and Rhyzopertha dominica was dose- and time-dependent. The mortality percentages due to NP treatment were 55–94.4% (S. granarius) and 70–90% (R. dominica). A botanical experiment was done in a randomized block design. Low CuO-NP concentration (50 ppm) caused significant increases in growth characteristics (shoot and root length, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root, and leaves number), photosynthetic pigments (total chlorophylls and carotenoids), and antioxidant enzymes of wheat plants. There was no significant change in carbohydrate or protein content. The use of CuO-NPs is a promising tool to control grain insects and enhance wheat growth performance.

and 2015 seasons, to study the effect of sowing date (15 th of April, 1 st of May and 15 th of May) on grain yield of twenty rice genotypes, and infestation by Rhizopertha dominica (F.). Sowing date had significant effects on all studied characters in both years. The highest values of number of panicles per hill, number of filled grains per panicle, grain yield, hulling, milling and broken rice grain were recorded in the early sowing date. The number of days from seeding to maturity and number of unfilled spikelets per panicle were recorded in the decline trend, as sowing was delayed. Egyptian Hybrid Rice 1 produced the highest values of grain yield followed by Giza179, and Giza178. Sakha106 produced maximum values of hulling and milling percentages. Regarding to the susceptibility of rice varieties to insect infestation by lesser grain borer, R. dominica in storage, data showed that the

This study was conducted to compare the genotoxic effects of various concentrations of plant oils from Eruca sativa (Brassicaceae), Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae) and Origanum majorana (Lamiaceae) to the conventional organophosphate insecticide (Chlorpyrifos) against Rhyzopertha dominica Fabricius. The R. dominica population was reared for several generations without exposure to any insecticide. Wheat grains were sterilized at 55 • C for 6 h in order to eliminate any hidden infestation, treated with serial dilutions of Chlorpyrifos and plant oil extracts, and subsequently fed to R. dominica for 1, 2, 3, 6 and 8 days. The results indicated that the LC 50 values of oils from E. sativa, Z. officinale and O. Majorana were 0.14, 0.23 and 0.32%, respectively, after 2 days. Genetic variations in DNA fragments after treatment with LC 50 and LC 25 concentrations of E. sativa, Z. officinale and O. majorana were detected by RAPD-PCR analysis using five primers. The results exhibited distinct DNA polymorphisms or alterations in DNA bands. These alterations varied depending on the substance being examined. Chlorpyrifos causes the highest level of DNA alterations (based on the appearance and disappearance DNA bands) followed by E. sativa, Z. officinale and O. majorana. These results were in direct correlation with the differences in mortality rates between extracts. It could be concluded that the plant oil extracts can be used as one of the integrated pest management tools to control R. dominica in stored products, as they are safer than chemical insecticides.

The present study was conducted to investigate the toxicity of Aerosil 200® (fumed silica nanoparticles) and leaf extracts of four plants, Cinnamomum camphora, Matricaria chamomilla, Mentha arvensis, and Trigonella foenumgraecum against Thrips tabaci (Lind.) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in onion fields, as well their allelopathic effects on onions; moreover, the chlorophyll, phenol, and protein contents were determined in onions. This study was performed in completely randomized plots. After a growth period of 1 month, bioassay investigations and molecular polymorphism in T. tabaci by RAPD-PCR were performed, and total chlorophyll, phenol, and protein concentrations were investigated in onion plants posttreatment as well. The initial reduction% of the T. tabaci population in onion fields after application of a high concentration of nanoparticles (Aerosil 200® (4 ml/l)) and 8000 ppm concentrations of the four plant extracts were 83.66, 81.08, 86.92, 74.49, and 91.38%, respectively, whereas their persistence effects were 73.18, 67.78, 71.46, 66.94, and 78.29%, respectively. Furthermore, the total chlorophyll contents in onions treated with the nanoparticles and four plant extracts were 1.35, 1.17, 1.09, 1.07, and 1.18 mg/g, respectively; additionally, the concentrations of phenols were 4.65, 3.15, 3.15, 2.85, and 3.70 mg/g in onions treated with C. camphora, M. chamomilla, M. arvensis, T. foenum-graecum, and Aerosil 200®, respectively. The C. camphora extract was the most potent, as it increased the protein content in the onion plants, while the Aerosil 200® decreased the protein content in onions. In addition, DNA-RAPD showed that the polymorphism percentages were 73, 71, and 67% when treated with high concentrations of C. camphora and M. arvensis extracts and Aerosol 200®, respectively. T. foenum-graecum and M. chamomilla extracts induced the least polymorphism (17 and 16%, respectively). Overall, this study indicated that these plant extracts as well as the nanoparticles in Aerosil 200® could be used to reduce onion infestations of T. tabaci in the field environment.

No abstract