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A native collection of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains originated from grain-related habitats in Turkey was characterized according to serotype, cry1 gene content, and bioactivity against Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae) and Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Twenty-three different serotypes as well as 24 unknown serotypes were obtained from 56 positively agglutinated strains with previously characterized antisera. Most common serovars were sotto, kim, and tochigiensis with the percentages of 14, 14, and 13, respectively. Among the cry1 gene-positive 36 strains, cry1E (100%), cry1Aa (94%), cry1Ac (92%), and cry1D (83%) genes were the most abundant. Bioactivity tests with 56 Bt strains carrying cry1, cry2, and/or cry9 genes indicated that all of them resulted in growth retardation or inhibition of larvae of both E. kuehniella and S. littoralis; however, only one strain, 85PPb (serovar morrisoni), caused high mortality in both insects (84% and 100%, respectively). Different crystal morphology was observed for the strain 85PPb and the standard strain B. thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni. Finally, no correlation was found among serotype, cry gene content and biotoxicity of Bt strains in the collection.

Expression of the Bacillus thuringiensis beetle-specific toxin Cry3Aa, which renders a genetically modified potato cultivar resistant to the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, exerts a deleterious effect on the polyphagous moth Spodoptera littoralis. The caterpillars of S. littoralis feed less and produce smaller pupae on the genetically modified cultivar (NewLeaf Superior) than on the parental nontransgenic cultivar (Superior). The conversion efficiencies of total dry matter, combustion heat, carbon, and nitrogen from leaves to insect biomass are similar on both cultivars. In spite of similar food utilization and a relatively small difference in the body mass at pupation, female adults that developed from caterpillars fed on NewLeaf Superior lay a mean of 309 eggs compared to a mean of 713 eggs deposited by females that developed from caterpillars fed on Superior. Because of this difference and a simultaneous reduction in fertility (egg hatchability) from 78 to 48%, a pair of adults that fed as larvae on NewLeaf Superior produces only 148 larvae, whereas a pair of adults that fed as larvae on Superior produces 556 larvae. We suggest that small amounts of Cry3Aa that accumulate in insect tissue and persist until the adult stage are responsible for the decline in reproduction.

The Russian wheat aphid (RWA), Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov), is an important pest of small‐grain cereals, particularly wheat, worldwide. The most efficient strategy against the RWA is to identify sources of resistance and to introduce them into susceptible wheat genotypes. This study was conducted to determine the mode of inheritance of the RWA resistance found in ICARDA accession IG 100695, to identify wheat microsatellite markers closely linked to the gene and to map the chromosomal location of the gene. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker scores were identified in a mapping population of 190 F2 individuals and compared, while phenotypic screening for resistance was performed in F2 : 3 families derived from a cross between ‘Basribey’ (susceptible) and IG 100695 (resistant). Phenotypic segregation of leaf chlorosis and rolling displayed the effect of a single dominant gene, temporarily denoted Dn100695, in IG 100695. Dn100695 was mapped on the short arm of chromosome 7D with four linked SSR markers, Xgwm44, Xcfd14, Xcfd46 and Xbarc126. Dn100695 and linked SSR markers may be useful for improving resistance for RWA in wheat breeding.

Typhlodromus recki (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was collected from aubergines, pepper, black nightshade and jimsonweed plants infested with spider mites from a pesticide-free vegetable garden in Denizli, Turkey. The biology and life table parameters for T. recki feeding on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) at different temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C) were determined. The results showed that total preadult periods of T. recki at 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C were 19.6±0.51, 9.4±0.16, 7.6±0.14, 5.7±0.14 and 4.5±0.08 days, respectively. The longest oviposition period was 23.5 days at 20 °C. Total fecundity of T. recki significantly differed between the constant temperatures and the highest was observed at 20 °C (28.6 eggs/female) and 25°C (23.5 eggs/female). Although females survived for 26 days at 35 °C, only four females laid eggs for 1 day. Thus, 35 °C is not suitable for the reproduction of T. recki. Total longevity of female was the longest at 15°C (59.5 days) and 20 °C (51.3 days) whereas male total longevity was the longest at 15°C (53.2 days). The intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) were numerically the highest at 30 °C (0.17 and 1.18 d-1), but there was no statistical difference observed between 25 and 30 °C for both r and λ values. The net productive rate was significantly highest at 20, 25 and 30 °C. The longest mean generation time occurred at 15 °C (42.6 days) and the shortest was at 35 °C (8.0 days). After some field trials, Typhlodromus recki could potentially be considered in the biological control agent of T. urticae.

Scale insects (Hemiptera: Sternorryncha: Coccomorpha) are a very important insect group containing numerous pests of woody and herbaceous plants worldwide. The only complete study of any scale insects in Indonesia was by D.J. Williams on the mealybugs (Pseudococcidae sensu lato), published in 2004; the other scale insect families have only been documented in various small publications. Here we provide a complete checklist of the scale insects of Indonesia, which now contains 364 species belonging to 136 genera in 16 families. The family Diaspididae is the most diverse, with 158 species belonging to 44 genera, followed by Pseudococcidae with 105 species belonging to 32 genera, and Coccidae with 65 species belonging to 22 genera. The other families are, in order of size: Monophlebidae (26 species belonging to 9 genera), Rhizoecidae (12 species belonging to 4 genera), Asterolecaniidae (11 species belonging to 5 genera), Leconodiaspidae (7 species belonging to 3 genera), Cerococcidae (5 species belonging to 3 genera), Xenococcidae (5 species belonging to 2 genera), Ortheziidae (4 species belonging to 3 genera), Eriococcidae (4 species belonging to 2 genera), Aclerdidae (2 species belonging to 1 genus), and Kermesidae (1 species belonging to 1 genus).

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