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over‐expressing plants exhibited enhanced induction of
s<strong>to</strong>matal closure compared <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> wild‐type after ethylene
treatment, however, similar effect was not observed in <strong>the</strong>
Atl‐cdes <strong>and</strong> Atd‐cdes mutants. Moreover, H 2 S production,
AtL‐CDes, AtD‐CDes transcription level <strong>and</strong> L‐/D‐CDes
activities were not significantly affected in <strong>the</strong> H 2 O 2
production mutants Atpao2, Atpao4, AtrbohF <strong>and</strong> AtrbohD.
Our results <strong>the</strong>refore suggest that H 2 S functions
downstream of H 2 O 2 in ethylene‐induced s<strong>to</strong>matal closure
in Arabidopsisthaliana.
Insect invasions in Europe <strong>and</strong> vulnerability
of European tree species
Alain ROQUES
European trees. The sentinel trees included 5
broadleaved species (Quercuspetreae, Q. suber, Q. ilex,
Fagus sylvatica, <strong>and</strong> Carpinus betulae) <strong>and</strong> 2 conifers
(Abies alba <strong>and</strong> Cupressus semprevirens). A <strong>to</strong>tal of 99
insect species were observed <strong>to</strong> be capable of switching
on<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>se new hosts. Among <strong>the</strong>m, a <strong>to</strong>tal of 34
species showed more than 5 colonization events,
essentially infesting Q. petreae but also at a lower
extent Q. suber <strong>and</strong> C. betulae.
Integrated control of dengue vec<strong>to</strong>r by
Mesocyclops <strong>and</strong> Bacillus thuringiensis
from Lahore, Pakistan
Jahan NUSRAT
INRA Zoology Forestière, Orléans, France. Email:
alain.roques@orleans.inra.fr
Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan. Email:
jehan_n@hotmail.com
Data about <strong>the</strong> woody plant hosts of <strong>the</strong> alien insects
established in Europe was compiled from <strong>the</strong> DAISIE <strong>and</strong>
FORTHREATS European databases. They were analyzed
with regard <strong>to</strong> putative pathways (plants for planting vs
wood <strong>and</strong> wood derivates), plant taxonomy, invaded
environment, <strong>and</strong> time period in order <strong>to</strong> appreciate
possible changes in tree species susceptibility <strong>to</strong> invasion
with time.
The analysis revealed that <strong>the</strong> plant for planting
pathway is largely dominating as a source of alien insect
invasion in Europe during <strong>the</strong> last period, <strong>and</strong> a majority
of <strong>the</strong> introduced species originated from Asia. Large
differences are observed in <strong>the</strong> colonization of European
woody plant species by alien insects, citrus, palms,
Prunus, Picea, Acer<strong>and</strong> Eucalyptusbeing <strong>the</strong> most
colonized. However, <strong>the</strong> trend appeared <strong>to</strong> change with
time. Whereas <strong>the</strong> number of new species colonizing
native broadleaved, palm trees, tropical legumes <strong>and</strong>
eucalypts largely increased during 2000–2008, <strong>the</strong>
colonization of conifers <strong>and</strong> fruit trees appeared <strong>to</strong>
decrease in <strong>the</strong> same period. More precisely, <strong>the</strong> recent
increase in broadleaved colonization was due <strong>to</strong> a higher
switch of alien species on Fraxinus, Salix<strong>and</strong> Castanea.
Since <strong>the</strong> major part of <strong>the</strong> insect invaders has never
been intercepted by <strong>the</strong> European quarantine services,
sentinel plantings were established in China during
2008–2011 as an early warming method <strong>to</strong> test for <strong>the</strong>
potential of additional Asian insect species <strong>to</strong> colonize
The present study evaluated <strong>the</strong> preda<strong>to</strong>ry capacity <strong>and</strong>
efficacy of a local strain of copepod Mesocyclopsleuckarti
(M. leuckarti) <strong>and</strong> a bacterial strain
Bacillusthuringiensisisraelensis (Bti) for <strong>the</strong> control of
Aedes aegypti larvae. The main objective was <strong>to</strong> develop
a cost‐effective <strong>and</strong> environment friendly integrated
vec<strong>to</strong>r control model in Lahore, Pakistan. M. leuckarti
was collected from an artificial pond in <strong>the</strong> Lahore Zoo.
Single species culture was established in labora<strong>to</strong>ry.
Aedes aegypti reared in labora<strong>to</strong>ry were used <strong>to</strong>
evaluate <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>xic effect of Bti. Larval mortality was
evaluated singly <strong>and</strong> both with Bti +copepod in <strong>the</strong> field
using 4 litre containers for 10 weeks. M. leuckarti <strong>and</strong>
Bti showed 100% larval mortality during <strong>the</strong> first week
of field experiments when used singly, which declined <strong>to</strong>
94 <strong>and</strong> 64% in <strong>the</strong> following weeks up <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> week 5,
respectively. At <strong>the</strong> end of fifth week,Bti was not
effective <strong>to</strong> kill larvae <strong>and</strong> reapplication caused 80–91%
mortality by <strong>the</strong> end of week 10. In an integrated group
(M. leuckarti + Bti), larval mortality was 99.3% by <strong>the</strong>
end of week 5. Reapplication of Bti in this group during
sixth week caused 100% mortality, which remained
99.6% by <strong>the</strong> end of week 10. Therefore, an integrated
control was found <strong>to</strong> be an effective strategy for <strong>the</strong>
control of dengue vec<strong>to</strong>r in Pakistan.
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