May 26, 2020
While tattoos are nothing new in the NRL, McQueen is one of the more colourfully adorned athletes in the Telstra Premiership and in the off-season had five different Dragon Ball Z pieces of artwork added to his body.But when the squad assembled for a gruelling two-day Army camp a fortnight ago it was McQueen who announced himself as an emerging leader at the club and mentally ready to accept the responsibilities that come with it.”There’s a time and a place for everything,” McQueen told NRL.com.”When we’re off the clock I can still be the gamer and have some fun and be the joker but as soon as it’s time to go and time to train I think I can flick the switch and get serious pretty quickly.”It’s probably taken a couple of years because at the Rabbitohs there was a pretty strong senior playing group.”I came through at the time when we had Roy Asotasi, Michael Crocker, John Sutton was there the whole time I was there, we had Greg Inglis, we had the Burgess boys so I didn’t necessarily have to be that leader.”Coming back this year we’ve lost ‘Birdy’ (Greg Bird), we’ve lost ‘Friendy’ (Nathan Friend), we’ve lost Luke Douglas so being one of the older guys in the team and one of the more senior guys, that leadership role was something I was looking forward to and something that I really wanted.”When NRL.com caught up with McQueen it was 12 months to the day that he had begun with his new teammates after the return of Sam Burgess to Redfern forced the Rabbitohs to shed some excess stock.It caught McQueen off guard to a degree but he says now that he wanted to develop into a leader on the Gold Coast after he first earned the trust and respect of his fellow Titans.”It’s something that I knew when I first came up here but I still felt like I had to earn that respect and earn my stripes,” McQueen said of his leadership aspirations.”I had to do my time. I didn’t know a lot of the boys when I came up here so I had to earn that respect.”I think I started to be that leader late last year so coming back this year I knew that it was time to stand up and be that leader.”It’s only my second year here but compared to a lot of the younger guys that have come in I’ve been here longer than a few of those boys.”As a senior player and given that it’s my ninth year in first grade I think that sort of thing just happens naturally.”Although he perhaps took a few weeks to find his groove in the Titans team, the 29-year-old was just one of four Gold Coast players to appear in every game in 2016 and played a key role in their pursuit of a finals berth.The six-time Queensland representative got better with each game he played and will go into the Christmas break in perhaps the best condition both mentally and physically in his 141-game career.”The Gold Coast is a more relaxed lifestyle compared to Sydney and I just needed that change,” said McQueen.”I was in the South Sydney organisation for so long and I needed that change and it has refreshed me, helped to change my game a little bit and relaxed me.”There was a mix of apprehension and excitement and optimism [12 months ago]. The club’s obviously been through quite a few ups and downs over the last couple of years but last year and this year again we’ve added some quality players and some players who have got a lot of experience and can do some good things.”The excitement and the optimism outweighs everything else.”
Both sides cannot be ousted from the top two of the round robin – with just two Olympic spaces available – but their success means that hosts and London 2012 silver medallists Japan have made a shock exit and will not be in the Brazilian city in August.Australia made it four wins out of four in the six team tournament as they struck late on to beat North Korea 2-1 at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, which is hosting all the matches.Michelle Heyman put the Australians in front in the first half before Kim Su Gyong wiped out the advantage 12 minutes from time.A draw looked on the cards but Katrina Gorry struck in the 83rd minute to settle it for Australia, who will play in a first Olympics since Athens 2004.China made it three wins and a draw as Wang Shanshan’s strike saw them beat South Korea 1-0.With Australia on 12 points and the Chinese on 10, neither can be caught as third placed North Korea have just five with one round of games remaining.It means that Japan, also the World Cup runners-up, will miss Rio and that their 6-1 win over Vietnam counted for nothing.Mana Iwabuchi, Shinobu Ohno, Nahomi Kawasumi, Emi Nakajima, Kumi Yokoyama and Yuki Ogimi scored for the hosts with Huynh Nhu registering a penalty for the Vietnamese.China and Australia will meet each other in the final round robin fixtures on March 9, with South Korea playing Vietnam and Japan meeting North Korea.The Japanese team’s 2-1 defeat in their opener to Australia, and a later defeat by the same scoreline to China, proved to be key.AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who was last month beaten in the FIFA Presidential election by Gianni Infantino, said: “I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Australia and China for their outstanding performances throughout the tournament.”Representing Asia is an honour and I am confident that both Australia and China will do Asia proud.”
FILE – In this June 8, 2018, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James watches during the first half of Game 4 of basketball’s NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, in Cleveland. James has until June 29 to exercise his $35.6 million contract option for next season or decline it and become an unrestricted free agent, officially making him the planet’s best and most coveted player. The 33-year-old is not expected to reveal his intentions until after the draft. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — With one deadline looming on his future in Cleveland, LeBron James has been in contact with the Cavaliers through his representatives.Following the NBA draft on Thursday night, Cavs general manager Koby Altman said he has had positive discussions with the three-time champion’s group. James has until June 29 to tell the team if he will pick up his $35.6 million option for next season or become a free agent.ADVERTISEMENT Bicol riders extend help to Taal evacuees Musa scores twice to give Nigeria 2-0 win over Iceland MOST READ “So that experience is amazing for them and their confidence level as they approach next year. And then Collin, we got to get there with experience as well. But like he (James) says, experience is the best teacher, and we gave those guys a great experience over 30 games and into the playoffs and into the Finals, and what does that mean for us moving forward, I think it’s all really positive.”Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard PLAY LIST 02:14Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard02:56NCRPO pledges to donate P3.5 million to victims of Taal eruption00:56Heavy rain brings some relief in Australia02:37Calm moments allow Taal folks some respite03:23Negosyo sa Tagaytay City, bagsak sa pag-aalboroto ng Bulkang Taal01:13Christian Standhardinger wins PBA Best Player award Christopher Tolkien, son of Lord of the Rings author, dies aged 95 Volcano watch: Island fissures steaming, lake water receding View comments The Cavs can offer him a five-year, $209 million deal this time. It’s possible James could choose to sign a one-year deal again with a player option and go through the free-agency dance again next summer.To look more appealing to James, the Cavs need to upgrade their roster and they took a significant step by selecting Alabama point guard Collin Sexton with the No. 8 overall pick. Sexton averaged 19.2 points as a freshman and he addresses the club’s biggest need — a playmaker to fill the void left when the Cavs traded All-Star Kyrie Irving last summer.Altman hopes Sexton’s arrival will make the Cavs more attractive to James.The 19-year-old lacks professional experience, but Altman pointed out that James dealt with that issue this season.“He went through it this year a little bit with some of our young guys, especially in the playoffs,” Altman said. “What’s amazing, he talks about this all the time — the best teacher is experience. And our young guys got some really good experience this year. And while it wasn’t consistent throughout the playoffs, each guy had their moments. And we went through two Game 7s and got to a Finals, and that experience is a huge teacher for those guys.ADVERTISEMENT “We continue to have good dialogue with his management team,” Altman said. “I think LeBron has more than earned the right to approach his contracts the way he does. He’s done that before, so this is nothing new for us. We want to respect his space during this process and I continue to have really good dialogue with his management team as he goes through that process.“That’s probably all I can say at this point regarding him, but we don’t take him for granted. We love him, this city loves him. He means the world to us and this franchise.”FEATURED STORIESSPORTSGinebra beats Meralco again to capture PBA Governors’ Cup titleSPORTSAfter winning title, time for LA Tenorio to give back to Batangas folkSPORTSTim Cone, Ginebra set their sights on elusive All-Filipino crownJames led the Cavs to their fourth straight NBA Finals this season, carrying a team that endured injuries and a roster overhaul at the trading deadline. Cleveland was swept by the Golden State Warriors, and following Game 4 the 33-year-old said he would weight family concerns and his desire to win more titles into his decision.James has signed several short-term contracts since returning to the Cavs in 2014 after spending four seasons with Miami. After the Cavs won the championship in 2016, James signed a two-year contract with an option for this season. 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The Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has been presented with an offer to partner with Dr Carl Niamatali, to put an immediate halt to the dumping and burning of garbage in Georgetown.Dr Carl Niamatali during his power point presentation at M&CCAccording to the Department of Public Information, Dr Niamatali told the council that his presentation points to solutions which will help with the proper managing of solid waste; including household, medical, and industrial waste. It also consists of various topics to prevent climate change and its catastrophic consequences.The standing order was removed during the council’s statutory meeting to facilitate Dr Niamatali’s powerpoint presentation on ‘recycling and incineration” on Monday last.He identified four major pillars which should be considered when combatting large amounts of solid waste. The doctor noted that every citizen must act responsibly as it relates to the discarding of solid waste.In his presentation, he listed the seven ‘R’s which he believes can bring a halt to the issue. “We need to ‘Reduce’ the amount of garbage that we produce, ‘Re-use’ whatever we can. ‘Recycle’ – which means that all garbage must be separated. We need to ‘Replace’ plastic which is polluting the planet. We should ‘Respect’ the environment and respect ourselves. We must be ‘Responsible’ and ‘Ready’ for a change,” he is quoted by DPI as saying.According to Dr Niamatali, a large amount of solid waste is usually generated from households. “Waste food, plastics, glass, cans and paper,” he listed. Adding, “We need to deal with batteries and electronic waste and tires.”Underscoring the fact that “thousands of tons of solid waste are dumped in landfills every year” the doctor said the disadvantage to this method is that “everything is dumped regardless of the consequences and the toxicity of the materials.”In addition, he highlighted that it costs the municipality a large sum of cash to develop and upkeep a dumpsite. “The cost is over $2Billion, it last ten years and cost $200Million, yearly. The monthly operating cost of the site is over $4Million and the operating cost for long-distance transport of garbage is astronomical.”Dr Niamatali said the use of an incinerator, however, will be a better option and will not be a major health hazard. “Combustible organic substances which are burnt off, all that remains is ash. Toxic gases would be processed in a computerised system to ensure that no toxic gases are released,” Dr Niamatali explained.He further pledged his support to collaborate with the M&CC to reduce the amount of solid waste.
WEST COVINA – The City Council has approved a unique program designed to catch graffiti vandals and reward citizens who help police arrest them. A $100 cash reward will be handed to residents who turn in anyone caught marking up block walls, bridges, culverts or buildings in West Covina, officials said. The City Council adopted the program on Tuesday. The money will be kept in cold, hard cash at the police station and given away when an arrest is made, which will keep anti-graffiti mercenaries from having to wait until there is a conviction. “Graffiti in our community has become so prevalent that in many instances someone must have seen the crime being committed, but chose not to call the police,” said police Lt. Mark Dettor in a written statement. The program begins next week, officials said. “I think the reward deal is fabulous,” resident Lloyd Johnson said. “Money talks just like everything else. It pays off most of the time.” Mayor Mike Touhey also praised the program. “This does a great job,” Touhey said. “If we get them, we’re going to pay you.” Police officials said the reward payoff will be immediate. Within an hour of calling in a report of vandalism, residents can call back to the police station to find out what happened. If an arrest was made, the caller will get the money. No questions asked. Anonymity is guaranteed. Not everyone is convinced the program will be effective. “I think it’s going to be very difficult for that to be successful,” said resident Jeremy Infranca. “It’s not like a resident is going to run out of his house to grab the nearest tagger.” frank.girardot@sgvn.com (626) 962-8811 Ext. 2717 160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set!
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – The Rainfall warning has been ended for the North Peace but remains in place for the South Peace, Pine Pass and Fort Nelson. The South Peace has suffered the most damage. A bridge in Dawson Creek has been washed out with a few homes being flooded.Fort St. John and the North Peace will still see approximately 10 mm of rain before it ends. In the South Peace that region could see another 20 mm before the rain ends.A Local State of Emergency remains in place for the District of Chetwynd. Wednesday afternoon the community received over 70 mm of rain causing flooding in the community.- Advertisement -Dawson Creek has suffered severe damage from the storm. According to tweets from CBC Daybreak North, 17 Street, 15 Street, 8 Street and Hwy 97 are closed. A bridge in the community has been washed away by the storm.@daybreaknorth #ydq 15 St bridge washed out. pic.twitter.com/KuOIBbRFF4— Craig Hartel (@NuclearMoose) June 16, 2016Advertisement Some pictures of #YDQ #DawsonCreek via @NuclearMoose / @cbcnewsbc pic.twitter.com/nqJbNsTyRC— Wil Fundal (@wilfundal) June 16, 2016All school buses in South Peace have been cancelled.The heavy rain has caused several highways in the region to be closed. Highway 97 between Chetwynd and MacKenzie remains closed in both directions due to several washouts. The Ministry of Transportation is expected to provide an update on Highway 97 at 8:30 Thursday morning.Advertisement Highway 29 is closed south of Chetwynd, but open between Chetwynd and Fort St. John. Highway 52 is also closed approximately 10 km south of Arras due to flooding and a possible washout.
29 June 2005South Africa’s sheep shearers have again proved they are the best in the world. Reigning champion Elliot Ntsombo retained his World Blade Shearing title at the World Shearers Championship held in Toowoomba, Australia recently. The championship has showcased the best sheep-shearers in the world for over than two decades. Shearing is physically gruelling, technically intricate and intellectually demanding, and South African shearers have dominated the event since 1996.Ntsombo, whose home is a tiny village about 30km from Barkly East, comes from a family of sheep shearers. He retains the world championship title he won in Scotland in 2003. Ntsombo works on contract for Cape Mohair and Wool (CMW) and is also CMW’s chief training instructor.Bongani Joel of Alwynskop in Lesotho took second place, and Zokezele Doba and Zweliwile Hans, both from Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape, took third and fifth place respectively. All three earn their living shearing on contract for CMW. Doba and Joel were first-time contestants.CMW spokesperson Graham Frost said the hand-shearing competition was judged on speed and quality.“Shearers are penalised if they nick the sheep during shearing, if the sheep is not cleaned properly and there is excess wool left hanging on the shins, shanks and udders, and if they perform a double cut in an attempt to clean excess wool,” Frost said.He added that South African teams dominate the blade shearing championships because South Africa is one of few countries to use blade shearing on a large scale.“But hand shearing is picking up again in New Zealand and Australia, because of the high maintenance and overhead costs of machine shearing.”Ntsombo is no stranger to travelling and shearing in front of thousands of spectators.“I’m getting older, so it was no easy task and the competition was strong, but I am proud to be world champion again,” he said.Australia’s current blade shearing champion Bill Julius, from Tenterfield, bemoaned the fact that Australia has never won the coveted title.Machine shearingSouth Africa’s Kenneth Norman took third place in the individual machine shearing competition. The South African team, made up of Norman and Daniel Nteko of Frankfort in the Free State, took third place in the team division. Norman, originally from Stutterheim, Eastern Cape, is now based in New Zealand but competed in the South African team.“The South African machine shearing standard is improving and we stand a good chance at winning the competition in two years’ time,” Frost said.Norman was also chosen to join Hendrik Botha and Izak Klopper of CMW this year as Golden Shears World Council members.Wool handlingAlex Khuma from Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape won fifth place in the individual wool handling competition, with the team taking sixth place overall. Khuma was also a first-time contestant.“Khuma’s achievement was remarkable,” said Frost. “Contestants were judged on speed and their economic justification of their final clip. They also had to categorise the fleece in terms of type and length, rate it as strong, medium or fine and take out all outsorts like urine or vegetation-stained wool.”The major sponsors for the World Championships were Standard Bank, Intervet, Voermol, BKB and CMW. Other contributors were Total, Nissan and Southern Cross. This year’s championships attracted 640 participants from 17 countries.Julia Kupka is deputy editor of Farmer’s Weekly.This article was originally published in Farmer’s Weekly, South Africa’s national agricultural magazine, and is reproduced on www.southafrica.info with kind permission.
Elephant numbers are on the rise inthe Kruger Park, as are the other Big Five populations. (Image: MediaClubSouthAfrica.com. For more free photos, visit the image library) MEDIA CONTACTS • Sputnik RatauMedia liaison, Depat of Environmental Affairs+27 (12) 336 8790 or +27 82 874 2942• William Yingwani MabasaHead, public relations, Kruger Park+27 13 735 4363RELATED ARTICLES • Kruger Park marks 110 years • Biggest nature park in the world • The Tour de Kruger: a wild ride • New unit to rescue rhinosJanine ErasmusSouth Africa’s world-famous Kruger National Park is proving to be an ideal breeding ground for its animals, with the Big Five populations increasing steadily, and no large mammal species under threat.The announcement was made by Minister of Environmental Affairs Buyelwa Sonjica. The minister was replying in writing to a question tabled in Parliament in mid-June.The Kruger Park, which is managed by South Africa National Parks (SANParks), has experienced ample rainfall over the last 15 years, and it is this that has produced the increase in animal numbers. However, this is part of the inevitable cycle of life and, said Sonjica, when the park enters its next dry phase the numbers will drop off naturally.The park, which spans 19 000 square kilometres, is part of the part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which encompasses the Kruger Park, the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and Mozambique’s Limpopo National Park.The area normally enjoys a typical subtropical climate, with warm, humid summers and dry winters.The type of vegetation varies in different parts of the park, ranging from Sabie Thorn Thicket in the south, to Lebombo Mountain Bushveld in the east, Mopane Woodlands in the central region, and Mopane Savannah in the north, with a host of others in between.Big Five increasingSonjica stated that no large mammal species was threatened. Africa’s popular Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo – were also doing well and in fact, numbers of the latter three species were increasing at between 4% and 7% a year.Buffalo in the park now number around 37 500, up from 22 260 in 2000. This amounts to an annual population increase of about 5%.The rare black rhino population is showing an even more robust increase, at 7% per year. There are an estimated 590 to 670 black rhino, which are listed as critically endangered on the red list of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, in the Kruger Park.The near threatened white rhino is also thriving, with the population growing at 11% a year. There are an estimated 9 460 to 12 120 white rhino in the park.Both rhino species have fallen prey to poachers in recent times – of the 92 rhino said to have been poached in South Africa since the beginning of 2010, 33 were in the Kruger Park.Elephant numbers are also increasing steadily, at around 4% a year since 2004. In 2000 there were 8 350 individuals, and the latest figure puts the population at an estimated 13 700.Lions number between 1 620 and 1 750. It is much harder to provide an accurate assessment of the leopard population. The mysterious cat is rarely seen, and Kruger Park staff have had to resort fo using older data to extrapolate the current figure. They’ve come up with a figure of 1 000 individuals.Animal diversitySonjica’s data reveals that other popular animals are gaining ground. They include the elegant giraffe, which have increased in number to between 7 090 and 10 950; Burchell’s zebra, which number between 20 870 and 33 240; and impala, which number around 125 000.Respondents on the SANParks discussion forum also reported seeing greater numbers of caracal, honey badgers, and the endangered African wild dogs.The Kruger Park’s official website provides estimates, calculated between 2008 and 2009, of mammal populations:Big Five:Lion: 1 700Leopard: 1 000Elephant: 13 573White rhinoceros: 12 158Black rhinoceros: 627Buffalo: 37 462Mammals:Cheetah: 200Wild dog: 350Spotted hyena: 2 000Burchell’s zebra: 20 868Hippopotamus: 3 000Warthog: 2 316Giraffe: 7 091Crocodile: 1 600Antelope:Eland: 300Roan antelope: 50Sable antelope: 325Greater kudu: 8 045Nyala: >300Bushbuck: >500Waterbuck: 5 000Reedbuck: 300Mountain reedbuck: 150Blue wildebeest: 8 963Tsessebe 160Impala: 127 788
If you want to keep insects off your crops, you have a couple of options: Spray the plants with pesticides or confuse the bugs with pheromones. The latter—chemicals used by insects to communicate—are more environmentally friendly, but manufacturing them involves harmful chemicals. Now, scientists have devised a method that enables them to produce pheromones from plants themselves, a safer and potentially more economical approach.The work is a “breakthrough” and “a wave of the future,” says chemical ecologist Steve Seybold of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Research Station in Davis, California, who was not involved in the study. “It will change the way that commercial pheromone outfits do business and will significantly enhance the quality and potentially lower the cost of the products that they provide.”Farmers have been using pheromones to keep insects off their crops for nearly 4 decades. Some pheromones help bugs attract mates; others are danger alerts. So farmers either employ them to trap insects or to confuse them so they can’t breed. Synthetic pheromones are nontoxic and biodegradable, but their production often involves use of harmful chemicals, such as the neurotoxins hexane and dichloromethane.Sign up for our daily newsletterGet more great content like this delivered right to you!Country *AfghanistanAland IslandsAlbaniaAlgeriaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBolivia, Plurinational State ofBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCongo, The Democratic Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCote D’IvoireCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Faroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and Mcdonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)HondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIran, Islamic Republic ofIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea, Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People’s Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyan Arab JamahiriyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMacedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic ofMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMoldova, Republic ofMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinianPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalQatarReunionRomaniaRussian FederationRWANDASaint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Martin (French part)Saint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint Maarten (Dutch part)SlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofVietnamVirgin Islands, BritishWallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabweI also wish to receive emails from AAAS/Science and Science advertisers, including information on products, services and special offers which may include but are not limited to news, careers information & upcoming events.Required fields are included by an asterisk(*)Seeking a greener method, a team led by Christer Löfstedt, a chemical ecologist at Lund University in Sweden, turned to the tobacco plant. The researchers genetically modified the plants to make components of pheromones produced by the bird cherry ermine moth (Yponomeuta evonymella) and the orchard ermine moth (Y. padella). In the wild, female moths emit these sex pheromones to attract male suitors.The researchers extracted the pheromone components from the plant and prepared pheromone concoctions for the two species. They then pitted their plant-derived mixtures against synthetic pheromones on moth populations in the field.The plant-produced pheromones were effective at trapping insects, the team reports online today in Nature Communications. Traps baited with plant-derived pheromones attracted on average 130 male bugs per trap, approximately half the catches obtained with synthetic pheromones. “This is a high number for a proof of concept experiment,” Löfstedt says.Farmers have dramatically ramped up their use of pheromones to control pests, Löfstedt notes. “Total land area treated by pheromones has approximately doubled since the turn of the century.” He believes his method could be an easier and cheaper way to produce these chemicals. Pheromones are effective in very small amounts. “You need just tens of grams per hectare for trapping insects,” he says. “Right now, we derive pheromone components from plants and prepare baits for trapping from these products, but our next goal is to develop GM plants that can release these pheromones into the environment.”The work is an important advance, says Coby Schal, an entomologist at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. “The new technology promises to engineer plants for both synthesis and sustainable release of insect pheromones, bypassing the need to produce the compounds in the laboratory and formulate them.” It might reduce the labor costs associated in the deployment of mating disruption strategies, he adds.
The Indian-American community has asked the US government to designate Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism and impose sanctions on it following the terror attack in Uri that killed 18 soldiers. Related Items
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