Home Life Sciences Molecular identification and control studies on Coridius sp. (Hemiptera: Dinidoridae) in Al-Khamra, south of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Article Open Access

Molecular identification and control studies on Coridius sp. (Hemiptera: Dinidoridae) in Al-Khamra, south of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

  • Wafa Mohammed Al-Otaibi , Habeeb M. Al-Solami , Abdullah G. Alghamdi ORCID logo , Akram S. Alghamdi , Nahed Ahmed Hussien ORCID logo EMAIL logo , Naser Ahmed Alkenani , Shatha I. Alqurashi , Tariq Saeed Alghamdi , Dina F. Alhashdi and Jazem A. Mahyoub
Published/Copyright: December 30, 2025

Abstract

Citrullus lanatus is the second most produced vegetable worldwide. Various insects, including the watermelon bug, pose a threat to this crucial crop. This study identifies the watermelon bugs in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a focus on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (mtCOI) locus. It also examines its susceptibility to Imidacloprid and Bifenthrin 10 % pesticides via feeding and topical applications. Moreover, the alcoholic extracts of Rhayza stricta and Juniperus procera were also evaluated as safe alternatives for control. Different Coridius species, including C. janus, C. chinensis, C. brunneus, C. nigriventris, and C. viduatus, four of them were first recorded in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the danger this invasive pest poses to watermelon cultivation. Imidacloprid was the most effective pesticide, with LC50 values of 2.45 and 3.37 ppm, whereas the LC50 values of Bifenthrin 10 % were 4.17 and 4.32 ppm for feeding and topical application, respectively. The resistance ratio for Imidacloprid was 1.37 times higher than that of Bifenthrin 10 %, which had a ratio of 1.04 times, in the feeding method compared to the topical method of application. J. procera extract was more effective, with LC50 values of 256.70 and 206.04 ppm, when administered by feeding and topical application, respectively. In contrast, the LC50 values of R. stricta extract were 556.93 and 651.98 ppm, under the same conditions. The relative resistance ratio of J. procera extract topical application was more effective than J. procera feeding method, R. stricta extract feeding, and topical application by about 1.25, 2.70, and 3.16 folds, respectively. The study emphasizes the importance of conducting bioassays for pesticides before their use in control programs.

1 Introduction

Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.), commonly known as watermelon, is the second most produced vegetable worldwide [1], 2]. Watermelon is a warm-season crop cultivated year-round in the tropics. The leading producers are China (70 million tons), Turkey (4.04 million tons), Iran (3.8 million tons), Brazil (2.08 million tons), and Egypt (1.87 million tons). Worldwide production in 2012 was 95.21 million tons [3]. Although its genetic roots trace back to Africa, watermelon has been cultivated for thousands of years in both Africa and the Middle East. It has spread worldwide through knowledge sharing and trade [4], 5]. Watermelon contains about 92 % water and 6 % sugar by weight, making it a source of vitamin C. [3].

In 2020, Saudi Arabia produced 0.522 Mt (rank 23) from nearly 30,000 ha, achieving an average yield of 22.3 t/ha. The Gulf countries import watermelons from India, Pakistan, Jordan, Myanmar, Egypt, and other countries. However, Saudi Arabia is largely self-sufficient in watermelon production, exporting around 4,000–7,000 tons, about 10 % of its total output, while importing between 3,000 and 5,000 tons [1]. From 2001 to 2019, the area, production, and yield of watermelons in Saudi Arabia increased steadily, influenced by rainfall. Approximately 13 regions contribute to watermelon production in Saudi Arabia, with the Makkah region (including the Jeddah governorate) being the most significant, accounting for about 80 % of the kingdom’s total domestic production [6].

Several insects harm watermelon, an important global crop. Among them is the watermelon bug, scientifically known as Coridius sp. (Heteroptera: Dinidoridae). This species is commonly found in Africa, the Near East, and the Arabian Peninsula. They increase in number under favorable conditions such as humidity, temperature, rainfall, and ample vegetation [7], 8]. Aljedani [9] from Jeddah identifies the control of the watermelon bug (Cordius viduatus) as a significant threat to large-scale production, negatively impacting quality and leading to reduced yields.

Previous studies have documented that insect susceptibility to neonicotinoids depends on dosage, exposure route and species [10]. Exposure to neonicotinoids may kill insects outright or may cause altered behaviors via sublethal effects [11], 12]. Imidacloprid is an artificial chemical pesticide widely used for controlling insect pests in lawn and ornamental sites. It has been shown to effectively control some insects like aphids, mealybugs, and black watermelon bugs, but also negatively affect non-target organisms [13]. Imidacloprid is one of the most widely used neonicotinoid insecticides [14]. It resembles nicotine and acts on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors [15]. Imidacloprid has been considered safer than other insecticides due to its favorable toxicological profile [15]; however, reports of poisoning have increased, causing serious organ damage, including to the heart [16], kidneys, and liver [17], and even death [15], 18]. This has raised concerns about Imidacloprid poisoning [19].

Bifenthrin is a chiral synthetic pyrethroid insecticide commonly used for agricultural and domestic pest control. Its widespread use has led to residual detection in environmental media, residential areas, and biota, posing risks to wildlife and human health. Bifenthrin is highly toxic to aquatic species and mainly contributes to insecticide toxicity in waters. It can also cause sublethal effects on non-target organisms, including developmental, neurobehavioral, oxidative, immune toxicity, and endocrine disruption [20].

As a result, using plant-derived pesticides could be a more sustainable way to improve crop production efficiency and reduce food crises while protecting consumer health. These pesticides are affordable, biodegradable, and eco-friendly, and they work in several ways, which suggests they pose less of a risk to humans and the environment. Natural plant products that have insecticidal properties include various types of molecules, such as terpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, quinones, amides, cyanogenic glucosides, aldehydes, amino acids, saccharides, thiophenes, and polyketides. These compounds play important roles in nature, like repelling insects, attracting them, killing nematodes, fighting fungi, and regulating insect growth, making them a promising source for new pest control agents or biopesticides [21]. Rhazya stricta (Apocynaceae) is a small medicinal shrub found in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Pakistan, India, and elsewhere [22], 23]. It thrives in sandy soil, characterized by a smooth stem and erect to semi-erect branches. Parts of the plant have antibacterial potential, treat joint infections, cancer, and various skin and stomach diseases [24], 25]. It exhibits larvicidal and growth retarding effects on Culex pipiens [26], 27], Agrotis ipsilon, and Hypera brunneipennis [28]. Its repellent and toxic effects also target the stored grain pests Oryzaephilus surinamensis [29], Trogoderma granarium [30], and Rhyzopertha dominica and T. granarium [31]. Juniperus is a major genus of the Cupressaceae family, with about 70 species worldwide [32]. These species are studied for their antibacterial, antifungal, and insecticidal properties [33], [34], [35], [36], [37]. Juniperus procera is an endangered medicinal tree found in Saudi Arabia; however, an effort is being made to improve its in vitro propagation potential [38]. Juniperus procera is used locally for the treatment of tuberculosis, jaundice [39], intestinal worms, and eye infections, and its wood is resistant to termites and rot [40].

Due to the economic benefits of watermelon and the presence of various insect pests, particularly the watermelon bug, this study aimed to report the molecular diversity of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (mtCOI) loci of watermelon bugs found in Jeddah governorate, Saudi Arabia. Moreover, it evaluated the effectiveness of two chemical pesticides, Imidacloprid (Imidaprid) and Bifenthrin 10 % (Lepostar100 EC), against adult watermelon bugs. Additionally, the study sought to determine the susceptibility of these pests to two types of plant extracts, R. stricta and J. procera, cultivated under local conditions in Saudi Arabia as a safer control method.

2 Materials and methods

2.1 Chemicals and instruments

Chemical pesticides, Imidacloprid (Imidaprid, batch number 17101/89) and Bifenthrin 10 % (Lepostar100 EC, batch number: 82657-04-3), were purchased from a local shop in Jeddah. Ethanol, methanol, and other buffers were obtained from Alfa AesarTM. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction was performed using the MicroElute kit (FAVORGEN BIO CORP, Tawian), with forward and reverse primers targeting COI (Macrogen, Europe), and a 2× master mix (Promega, USA). T100 TM thermal cycler (Bio-Rad, California, Hercules, CA, USA), nanodrop spectrophotometer (MaestroGen, Taiwan), gel documentation system (Vilber Lourmat, France), were used in the present study and sequencing was performed by Macrogen Inc. (Korea).

2.2 Sample collection and rearing

Adults and nymphs of the watermelon bug, Heteroptera: Dinidoridae, were collected in November 2022 from watermelon farms in Al-Khamra, south of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a low-altitude region 12 m above sea level [41], at the latitude and longitude as shown in Figure 1 and Table 1. The collected insects were reared and monitored under laboratory conditions at a temperature of 25 ± 2 °C and relative humidity of 60 ± 5 % (Figure 2C and D). The insects were reared in breeding cages (made from muslin, 40 × 40 × 40 cm). This stock colony was maintained with a 14:10 (light: dark) photoperiod throughout the completion of this work. The insect was identified by Professor Dr. Fahd Al-Mikhlafi, Professor of Insect Taxonomy at King Saud University, College of Science, Department of Zoology, Saudi Arabia.

Figure 1: 
Map showing the watermelon bug sampling locations from Al-Khamra, south of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Figure 1:

Map showing the watermelon bug sampling locations from Al-Khamra, south of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Table 1:

Accession numbers of the present watermelon bugs collected from a Jeddah farm, Saudi Arabia.

Sample number Location Accession numbers Organism
1 Jeddah

21° 14′ 58.3687′′ N

39° 14′ 50.69821′′ E
LC866666 Coridius janus
2 LC866667 Coridius janus
3 LC866668 Coridius janus
4 LC866669 Coridius janus
5 LC866670 Coridius janus
6 Jeddah

21° 13′ 16.1562′′ N

39° 13′ 48.97884′′ E
LC866671 Coridius janus
7 LC866672 Coridius janus
8 LC866673 Coridius janus
9 LC866674 Coridius janus
10 LC866675 Coridius janus
11 Jeddah

21° 12′ 42.45696′′ N

39° 12′ 56.34907′′ E
LC866676 Coridius janus
12 LC866677 Coridius janus
13 LC866678 Coridius janus
14 LC866679 Coridius janus
15 LC866680 Coridius viduatus
16 LC866681 Coridius chinensis
17 Jeddah

21° 7′ 46.28831′′ N

39° 14′ 30.54944′′ E
LC866682 Coridius nigriventris
18 LC866683 Coridius janus
19 LC866684 Coridius brunneus
20 LC866685 Coridius chinensis
21 LC866686 Coridius janus
22 LC866687 Coridius janus
23 Jeddah

21° 7′ 44.16272′′ N

39° 14′ 23.48131′′ E
LC866688 Coridius brunneus
24 LC866689 Coridius chinensis
25 LC866690 Coridius chinensis
26 LC866691 Coridius janus
27 LC866692 Coridius chinensis
28 LC866693 Coridius janus
  1. Grey-shaded values refer to Coridius species other than C. janus, recorded in small numbers.

Figure 2: 
Adults and nymphs of the watermelon bug were collected from an infected farm in Jeddah (A & B) and kept in aluminum cages (40 × 40 × 40 cm) under laboratory conditions (C & D).
Figure 2:

Adults and nymphs of the watermelon bug were collected from an infected farm in Jeddah (A & B) and kept in aluminum cages (40 × 40 × 40 cm) under laboratory conditions (C & D).

2.3 Molecular definition of black watermelon bug by using mtCOI gene

The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from 28 watermelon bug samples according to Al-Otaibi et al. [42], 43]. Briefly, samples were homogenized, then treated with proteinase K. Next, the DNA was precipitated using 97 % ethanol and purified with silica gel spin columns. The DNA was finally dissolved in 50 μL of deionized water and stored at 4 °C for later use.

The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (mtCOI) region was targeted for amplification via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using forward primer (LCO1490, 5′-GGTCAACAAATCATAAAGATATTGG-3′) and reverse primer (HC02198, 5′-TAAACTTCAGGGTGACCAAAAAATC-3′) [44]. The PCR mixture (20 μL) was prepared with: 1 μL (100 ng/μL) extracted DNA, 7 μL sterile water, 1 μL forward primer, 1 μL reverse primer, and 10 μL of 2× master mix (Promega, USA) in a 0.2 mL PCR Eppendorf tube to amplify a 700 base pair (bp) fragment from COI. The amplification involved 35 cycles with the following steps: 95 °C for 60 s, 40 °C for 60 s, and 72 °C for 90 s, followed by a final extension at 72 °C for 7 min in a T100 TM thermal cycler (Bio-Rad, California, Hercules, CA, USA). PCR products were verified by electrophoresis on a 1.5 % agarose gel stained with ethidium bromide.

PCR products were sequenced using the Sanger method [45]. The resulting data underwent preprocessing, including quality checks and trimming, using Geneious software version 2024.0.5 [46], which is specifically designed for molecular biology tasks. Further, it was submitted to the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) (https://www.ddbj.nig.ac.jp/index-e.html) for accession numbers as mentioned in Table 1. The nucleotide sequences of the present isolates were aligned using the COI loci of other isolates with accession numbers, geographic locations, and descriptions, as per the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank database (Table 2). The alignment algorithm had three parameters related to gap costs: gap open cost (10), gap extension cost (1), and end gap cost (same as others). The analysis was carried out using CLC Genomics Workbench Version 24.0.2 from QIAGEN Aarhus A/S (digitalinsights.qiagen.com/). Additionally, a BLAST comparison was done between two or more sequences for specific isolates using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) (https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) [47]. A phylogenetic tree was drawn using the Maximum Likelihood (ML), based on the Tamura-Nei model, by molecular evolutionary genetics analysis version 6.0 (MEGA6), according to Tamura et al. [48].

Table 2:

Reference numbers in the GenBank (NCBI) for the most compatible samples with the study sample.

Accession Description Geographic location names Organism
GU247486 Coridius janus isolate B110 cytochrome oxidase subunit I-like (COI) gene, partial sequence; mitochondrial India Coridius janus
MG838348 Coridius janus voucher PESM110 cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial India Coridius janus
MT765072 Coridius janus isolate H1 cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX1) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial India Coridius janus
JQ387600 Coridius nigriventris cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene, partial cds; mitochondrial China Coridius nigriventris
JQ387599 Coridius chinensis cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene, partial cds; mitochondrial China Coridius chinensis
HQ333535 Coridius sp. ST-2011 voucher B290 cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial. India Coridius sp.
OR228916 Coridius janus isolate JED_1 cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX1) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Coridius janus

2.4 Conventional compounds tested

The efficiency of two types of pesticides used in controlling agricultural pests in Jeddah was evaluated (Table 3).

Table 3:

The chemical properties of the studied insecticides.

Active ingredient Insecticide trade name Usage rate Chemical group Chemical structure and CAS
Imidacloprid (20 % SL) Imidaprid (batch number 17101/89) 100 ml/100 l Neonicotinoid is an insecticide that contains contact, stomach, and systemic activity and is used against a wide range of insects on many crops [49].

[50]
Bifenthrin (w/v) 10 %. Lepostar100 EC (batch number: 82657-04-3) 40 ml/100 l A pyrethroid is a non-systemic pesticide with contact and stomach action, used against many insects on many crops [51].

[52]
  1. CAS Registry Numbers of chemicals appear in bold.

2.5 Non-conventional compounds tested

In this study, the efficiency of two types of plant extracts (R. stricta and J. procera) (Figure 3A and B) collected from the city of Al-Baha was evaluated by Dr. Najeeb Al-Saghir, assistant professor of classification of flowering plants at Al-Baha University. The leaves (1 kg from each) were rinsed in tap water, then with distilled water to remove dust, and dried at room temperature. Dried leaves were ground in an electric grinder to obtain a fine powder. This was followed by extracting the samples with methanol (1:3) and evaporating them using a rotary evaporator to obtain the crude extract for each sample according to Mahyoub [53]. Plant leaves were washed, dried in the shade at room temperature, and prepared for extraction. Fresh leaves (40–60 g) were finely ground and loaded into a 250 ml glass stoppered Soxhlet apparatus. Methanol (200 ml) was added to the round-bottomed flask, and the extraction was conducted for 6 h. The extracts were then concentrated using a rotary evaporator to form a semi-dry material. The extracted components were stored at −10 °C until needed for testing against selected insect stages. Stock solutions of each plant extract were prepared by adding 1 ml of the extract to 99 ml of distilled water containing 0.5 % triton X-100 [54]. From these stock solutions, concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 ppm were prepared in distilled water.

Figure 3: 

Rhazya stricta (A) and Juniperus procera. (B) were used in the present study.
Figure 3:

Rhazya stricta (A) and Juniperus procera. (B) were used in the present study.

2.6 Evaluation of some conventional and non-conventional insecticides against Coridius janus

Bioassay tests were carried out on randomly selected third-instar male and female nymphs. Five replicates were used, each with 20 nymphs.

2.6.1 Topical application bioassay method

The method of Wang et al. [55], with some modifications, was used to estimate the sensitivity of C. janus adults. A 0.5 μL of the selected pesticide (Imidacloprid and Bifenthrin 10 %) or methanolic plant extracts (R. stricta and J. procera) concentrations was applied to the dorsal side of the bug’s thorax using a Hamilton syringe held in a manual micro-applicator (Hamilton Co., Reno, NV) as a topical treatment application. Different concentrations were used for the topical application of Imidacloprid and Bifenthrin at 1–5 ppm, while methanolic plant extracts of R. stricta ranged from 200 to 1,400 ppm and J. procera from 100 to 1,000 ppm. The tested concentrations were distributed on the dorsal side of the thorax; five replicates for each concentration were used, where each replicate contained 20 adult insects. In addition, five replicates of insects treated with water only are used as controls. The insects were placed in Petri dishes containing untreated watermelon leaves after treatment, and each insect was treated separately. The percentage of mortality (%) was recorded after 24 h of treatment.

2.6.2 Feeding bioassay method

The feeding bioassay was implemented according to Al-Otaibi et al. [56] with some modifications. Accordingly, the same five concentrations of each pesticide/plant extract were prepared in the previous topical application. Watermelon leaves were immersed in pesticide/plant extract (at different concentrations separately) for 30 s, and then left to dry. Each concentration had five replicates, each containing 20 adult insects. Five replicates of the control insects were grown on watermelon leaves treated with water only. Bugs were checked 24 h post-treatment, and the mortality percentage was recorded.

2.7 Statistical analysis

A random design was used to distribute insects and different concentrations of the tested compounds (pesticide/plant extract), calculate mortality % after 24 h of both methods (topical and feeding), and compare them with the control sample. The results are presented as tables of means and standard errors (SE). Laboratory toxicity results (toxicity probit lines (LDP), lethal concentration of 50 % (LC50) and 90 % (LC90) values) were calculated using the LDP Line Program, following Finney’s [57] method, which guided in vitro bio/insecticide toxicity data analysis with software for curve generation and statistical parameter extraction [58], 59]. When a significant treatment effect was observed, means were compared using Fisher’s least significant difference (LSD) test at a p ≤ 0.05.

3 Results

3.1 Molecular definition of watermelon bugs by mtCOI gene

Twenty-eight isolates of watermelon bugs from Jeddah were successfully amplified at 700 bp (Figure 4) and sequenced at the mtCOI gene locus. Their sequences were submitted to DDBJ with different accession numbers, as shown in Table 1. According to the alignment of the present isolates and references found in NCBI Genbank, Table 1 shows that the most abundant species among watermelon bugs found in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is C. janus (19 isolates out of 28). The present study has recorded four additional species of Coridius: C. viduatus, C. chinensis, C. nigriventris, and C. brunneus.

Figure 4: 
Gel electrophoresis of the PCR product = 700 bp, M = low molecular weight DNA marker (100–1,500 bp).
Figure 4:

Gel electrophoresis of the PCR product = 700 bp, M = low molecular weight DNA marker (100–1,500 bp).

By comparing the present Coridius sp. with reference isolates in Table 2, the similarity percentage is the highest against the OR228916 (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) isolate, ranging from 98.50 % (LC866666) to 78.50 % (LC866691). The present isolates show a significant correspondence to the established reference sequence OR228916 (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia). While the similarity % is lower against other isolates from India or China, ranging from 89.90 % (GU247486 and LC866683) to 74.82 % (LC866689 and JQ387599) (Table 4).

Table 4:

The percentage of similarity between the watermelon bugs of the present study and other global isolates based on BLASTN in NCBI.

The present study isolates % Identical sites Global accession number Country The present study isolates % Identical sites Global accession number Country
LC866666 98.50 % OR228916 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia LC866680 86.79 % HQ333535 India
LC866667 84.60 % OR228916 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia LC866681 76.40 % JQ387599 China
LC866668 83.30 % GU247486 India LC866682 85.70 % JQ387600 China
LC866669 89.10 % MG838348 India LC866683 89.90 % GU247486 India
LC866670 95.20 % OR228916 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia LC866684 81.10 % MG838348 India
LC866671 87.50 % GU247486 MG838348 India LC866685 81.36 % JQ387599 China
LC866672 85.09 % HQ333535 India LC866686 76.60 % MG838348

MT765072
India
LC866673 88.20 % MT765072 India LC866687 80.89 % HQ333535 India
LC866674 78.92 % HQ333535 India LC866688 82.77 % HQ333535 India
LC866675 89.70 % MT765072 India LC866689 74.82 % JQ387599 China
LC866676 84.80 % HQ333535 India LC866690 83.33 % JQ387599 China
LC866677 83.58 % HQ333535 India LC866691 78.50 % OR228916 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
LC866678 85.57 % HQ333535 India LC866692 82.51 % JQ387599 China
LC866679 90.10 % OR228916 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia LC866693 79.30 % HQ333535 India

The affinity distance between the present isolates and the references used from (NCBI) and (Bold System) is determined based on a longitudinal scale based on the Tamura-Nei model with 1,000 bootstrap replications in MEGA 7 to build a phylogenetic tree (Figure 5). According to the phylogenetic analysis, the species C. janus was closely related to most of the present isolates (19 isolates out of a total 28 = 68 %), showing a high degree of similarity in DNA sequences. This was followed by other Coridius species with low prevalence among total isolates; C. viduatus (1/28 = 3.6 %), C. nigriventris (1/28 = 3.6 %), C. brunneus (2/28 = 7 %), and C. chinensis (5/28 = 18 %).

Figure 5: 
Phylogenetic relationships among watermelon bugs collected from Jeddah and the nearest reference isolates found in Genbank.
Figure 5:

Phylogenetic relationships among watermelon bugs collected from Jeddah and the nearest reference isolates found in Genbank.

Figure 6 shows an alignment of DNA sequences from COI of the present isolates and the nearest reference ones. Most of the positions of the present isolates have identical sites with each other and the other GenBank isolates, with a few nucleotide substitutions. A few sequences show significant variations from the consensus DNA sequence. LC866666 is the most similar to the consensus DNA sequence, while LC866677 is the least.

Figure 6: 
Alignment between the watermelon of the present study and the most closely related reference isolates found in GenBank.
Figure 6:

Alignment between the watermelon of the present study and the most closely related reference isolates found in GenBank.

3.1.1 The bioassay of some conventional and non-conventional insecticides against the watermelon bug

The susceptibility level of watermelon bugs to various conventional and non-conventional insecticides was assessed using two different methods: topical application and feeding. The conventional tested pesticides were Imidacloprid and Bifenthrin 10 %, while the non-conventional tested compounds were the methanolic extract of R. stricta and J. procera leaves.

3.1.2 The bioassay of conventional insecticides

The results in Table 5 show that the mortality percentage of bugs treated with Imidacloprid was directly proportional to the concentration, with mortality rates ranging from 10 ± 0.5 % to 73 ± 0.15 % (P = 0.0001) for topical application (LSD = 3.78) and from 10 ± 0.11 % to 90 ± 0.5 % (P = 0.0001) for the feeding method (LSD = 4.66). The linear response ratios also indicate a direct relationship between the tested concentrations and the percentage of insect death. Percent response increases with concentration for both topical (8.1 ± 0.16 to 67.6 ± 0.25 %) and feeding methods (7.8 ± 0.5 to 87.1 ± 0.28 %), with least significant differences (LSD) of 3.52 and 3.98, respectively. Mortality percentage of the control group (bugs treated with water/feed on leaves treated with water) ranges from 0 to 3 bugs in both methods.

Table 5:

Mortality rate of different concentrations of Imidacloprid (Imidaprid 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 ppm) on Coridius sp. in five time-independent replicates.

Con. (ppm)f Mortality (%) Linear response (%)
Mean ± SE Mean ± SE
Topical application Feeding method Topical application Feeding method
1 10e  ± 0.5 10e  ± 0.11 8.1e  ± 0.16 7.8e  ± 0.5
2 28d  ± 1.25 34d  ± 0.75 27.4d  ± 0.25 37.4d  ± 0.25
3 36c  ± 0.25 60c  ± 0.18 44.7c  ± 0.75 62.6c  ± 0.15
4 58b  ± 0.25 78b  ± 0.27 57.9b  ± 0.22 78.1b  ± 0.11
5 73a  ± 0.15 90a  ± 0.5 67.6a  ± 0.25 87.1a  ± 0.28
LSD 3.78 4.66 3.52 3.98
P-value 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001
  1. The same letter within the column shows a non-significant difference according to the least significant difference (LSD). Mortality % of the control group ranges from 0 to 3 bugs in both methods. fThe concentration (in ppm) of pesticide was prepared using Imidaprid (Imidacloprid).

Similarly, in the case of measuring the sensitivity of adult watermelon bugs to Bifenthrin 10 %, it was found that mortality rates ranged between 5 ± 0.1–60 ± 0.22 % for topical treatment and 7 ± 0.0–64 ± 0.7 % through feeding at concentrations ranging between 1 and 5 ppm (Table 6). In addition, the linear response% increases according to concentration for topical (2.8 ± 0.22–57.6 ± 0.5 %) and feeding methods (4.43 ± 0.01–58.57 ± 0.25 %) with LSD of 7.7 and 10.2, respectively. Mortality percentage of the control group (bugs treated with water/feed on leaves treated with water) ranges from 0 to 3 bugs in both methods.

Table 6:

Mortality rate of different concentrations of Bifenthrin (Lepostar 100 EC 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 ppm) on Coridius sp. in five time-independent replicates.

Con. (ppm) Mortality (%) Linear response (%)
Mean ± SE Mean ± SE
Topical application Feeding method Topical application Feeding method
1 5e  ± 0.1 7e  ± 0.0 2.8e  ± 0.22 4.43e  ± 0.01
2 12d ± 0.5 17d ± 0.12 15.6d ± 0.11 19.00d ± 0.21
3 27c  ± 0.25 27c  ± 0.75 31.6c  ± 0.25 34.70c  ± 0.40
4 49b ± 0.11 49b ± 0.4 46.0b ± 0.15 48.01b ± 0.17
5 60a  ± 0.22 64a  ± 0.7 57.6a  ± 0.5 58.57a  ± 0.25
LSD 5.9 8.5 7.7 10.2
P-value 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001
  1. The same letter within the column shows a non-significant difference according to the least significant difference (LSD). Mortality % of the control group ranges from 0 to 3 bugs in both methods. fThe concentration (in ppm) of pesticide was prepared using Lepostar 100 EC (Bifenthrin).

Figure 7 and Table 7 show the toxicity probit lines (LDP) of Imidacloprid and Bifenthrin 10 % and the statistical constants derived from them. In the case of Imidacloprid, the LC50 and LC90 values of the watermelon bugs after treatment at 24 h were 3.37 and 10.24 ppm for the topical application and 2.45 and 5.50 ppm for the feeding, respectively. On the other hand, Bifenthrin 10 % treatment results in the death of 50 % of bugs at 4.32 ppm and 90 % at 11.46 ppm for topical application. In addition, the feeding method results in the death of 50 % of watermelon bugs at 4.17 ppm, while 90 % of them die at 12.20 ppm.

Figure 7: 
Resistance ratio (RR) that compares the efficacy of Imidacloprid (A) and Bifenthrin 10 %. (B) using the topical and feeding methods.
Figure 7:

Resistance ratio (RR) that compares the efficacy of Imidacloprid (A) and Bifenthrin 10 %. (B) using the topical and feeding methods.

Table 7:

Toxicity index of Imidacloprid (Imidaprid) and Bifenthrin (Lepostar 100 EC) against watermelon bug using topical and feeding methods.

Statistical parameters Imidacloprid Bifenthrin 10 %
Topical application Feeding method RR Topical application Feeding method RR
Slope 2.65 3.65 1.71 3.03 2.75 1.04
(Chi)2 4.9 (7.8)a 2.2 (7.8)a 4.5 (7.8)a 5.7 (7.8)a
p 0.0017 0.0052 0.0021 0.0012
r 0.96 0.99 0.97 0.98
LC50 (ppm) 3.37 2.45 4.32 4.17
LC90 (ppm) 10.24 5.50 11.46 12.20
  1. aTabulated (Chi)2.

According to Table 7, the chi-square values for both tested compounds are lower than 7.8 based on the statistical analysis at three degrees of freedom and a significance level of 0.05. This demonstrates the consistency of the tested strain, showing a strong positive correlation between the tested concentrations and the resulting mortality rates. The correlation strength ranged from 0.96 to 0.99 for Imidacloprid and from 0.97 to 0.98 for Bifenthrin for both topical application and feeding methods, respectively. The resistance ratio (RR) values confirmed that the feeding method was more effective than the topical application by approximately 1.37 and 1.04 folds for Imidacloprid and Bifenthrin, respectively.

The results showed that the Imidacloprid pesticide was more effective against watermelon bugs than Bifenthrin by about 1.28 and 1.70 folds through topical application and feeding, respectively (Figure 8). Overall, the results demonstrated that watermelon bugs showed greater susceptibility to the compounds tested when used for feeding, with Imidacloprid proving to be more effective than Bifenthrin 10 %.

Figure 8: 
Comparison between the treatment methods of pesticides according to the resistance ratio (RR) values.
Figure 8:

Comparison between the treatment methods of pesticides according to the resistance ratio (RR) values.

3.1.3 The bioassay of some plant extracts against the watermelon bugs

The effect of the R. stricta extract against adults of watermelon bugs is illustrated in Table 8. The effective used concentrations of the plant extract (R. stricta) range from 200 to 1,400 ppm. The mortality percentage of the treated insects corresponding to these concentrations ranged from 13 ± 0.01 % to 88 ± 0.15 % for topical application and from 17 ± 0.17 % to 91 ± 0.22 % for the feeding method. The findings indicated a significant direct correlation between the mortality rates and the concentrations applied, as demonstrated by the linear response rate that ranges from 8.90 ± 0.22 to 80.80 ± 0.14 % for topical application and from 12.20 ± 0.25 % to 85.27 ± 0.25 % for feeding.

Table 8:

Mortality rates of different R. stricta extract concentrations on Coridius sp. in five time-independent replicates.

Con. (ppm) Mortality (%) Linear response (%)
Mean ± SE Mean ± SE
Topical application Feeding method Topical application Feeding method
200 13e  ± 0.01 17e  ± 0.17 8.90e  ± 0.22 12.20e  ± 0.25
500 30d  ± 0.11 36d  ± 0.225 38.11d  ± 0.70 45.12d  ± 0.11
800 58c  ± 0.05 63c  ± 0.15 59.21c  ± 0.12 65.98c  ± 0.15
1,100 69 b  ± 0.25 78 b  ± 0.12 72.44 b  ± 0.15 78.05b  ± 0.50
1,400 88a  ± 0.15 91a  ± 0.22 80.80a  ± 0.14 85.27a  ± 0.25
LSD 11.50 13.60 14.80 9.80
P 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001
  1. The same letter within the column shows a non-significant difference according to the least significant difference (LSD). Mortality % of the control group ranges from 0 to 3 bugs in both methods.

On the other hand, the concentrations of J. procera extract that were effectively used ranged from 100-1,000 ppm (Table 9). The mortality % of topically treated insects ranged from 25 ± 0.11 % to 91 ± 0.25 % and 30 ± 0.23 %–97 ± 0.05 for the feeding. The increase in concentration led to a significant increase in the mortality rates, as 1,000 ppm concentration was the highest significant, as it led to a linear response rate of 87.10 ± 0.14 % and 92.66 ± 0.37 % with topical application and feeding, respectively.

Table 9:

Mortality rates of different J. procera extract concentrations on Coridius sp. in five time-independent replicates.

Con. (ppm) Mortality (%) Linear response (%)
Mean ± SE Mean ± SE
Topical application Feeding method Topical application Feeding method
100 25e ± 0.11 30d ± 0.23 21.6e ± 0.47 25.31d ± 0.98
300 49d ± 0.15 55c ± 0.19 55.15d ± 0.57 63.50c ± 0.33
500 70c ± 0.22 78b ± 0.25 71.04c ± 0.42 79.24b ± 0.28
800 82b ± 0.75 89a ± 0.01 82.77b ± 0.89 89.37a ± 0.17
1,000 91a ± 0.25 97a ± 0.05 87.10a ± 0.14 92.66a ± 0.37
LSD 18.5 11.2 7.8 9.6
P 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001
  1. The same letter within the column shows a non-significant difference according to the least significant difference (LSD). Mortality % of the control group ranges from 0 to 3 bugs in both methods.

According to the statistical analyses of Table 10 and Figure 9, the LC50 of R. stricta extract was equal to 651.98 and 556.93 ppm, while the LC50 of J. procera leaves was 206.04 ppm and 256.70 ppm for topical application and feeding, respectively. By comparing the values of LC50 of watermelon bugs treated with plant extracts, the efficiency of R. stricta through feeding is higher than the topical application by 1.17 folds, while J. procera topical application is higher than feeding method by 1.25 folds.

Table 10:

The toxicity index of R. stricta and J. procera extracts against the watermelon bug using the topical application and feeding method.

Statistical parameters R. stricta J. procera
Topical application Feeding method Topical application Feeding method
Slope 2.62 2.62 2.12 1.92
(Chi)2 6.89 (7.8)a 3.54 (7.8)a 6.18 (7.8)a 3.65 (7.8)a
p 0.0008 0.0061 0.0065 0.0301
r 0.9691 0.9715 0.9678 0.9841
LC50 (ppm) 651.98 556.93 206.04 256.70
LC90 (ppm) 2,007.50 1,718.53 830.76 1,198.05
  1. aTabulated (Chi)2.

Figure 9: 
Regression lines for R. stricta and J. procera bioassay of watermelon bug using topical application and feeding technique.
Figure 9:

Regression lines for R. stricta and J. procera bioassay of watermelon bug using topical application and feeding technique.

The results show that J. procera extract through topical (contact) application had higher activity against adults of watermelon bugs compared to its feeding method, R. stricta extract feeding, and R. stricta topical (contact) application by about 1.25, 2.70, and 3.16 folds, respectively (Figure 10).

Figure 10: 
Comparison between LC50 values of the tested plant extracts against adults of watermelon bugs.
Figure 10:

Comparison between LC50 values of the tested plant extracts against adults of watermelon bugs.

4 Discussion

Molecular biology serves as a key classification method for identifying organisms and understanding the relationships among individuals of a species and its subspecies, including the identification of the watermelon bug through DNA barcoding, as noted by Tembe et al. [60]. In the present study, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results indicated that all samples exhibited the same molecular weight of 700 bases (bp). Furthermore, nucleotide sequencing of watermelon bug samples from Jeddah revealed a genetic relationship with Coridius sp. Among these, C. janus was found to be the most prevalent species, followed by C. chinensis, C. brunneus, C. nigriventris, and C. viduatus. This study represents the molecular-level record of these various species in Saudi Arabia. This poses a significant risk to the cultivation of this essential crop in Saudi Arabia and substantially reduces watermelon yields. This result coincides with the emergence of insect species in Saudi Arabia (not its native area), which accidentally enter from other regions: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus found in three (Jeddah, Makkah, and Taif) [56] and Aedes aegypti in two (Taif and Jeddah) governorates [43].

Alignment of mtCOI indicates that the current isolates exhibit a remarkable degree of genetic similarity with the Coridius sp. isolates from India and China. Jeddah governorate is a significant industrial city on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia, acting as a crucial gateway for millions of imported products, trade animals, and pilgrims from countries [41], which could inadvertently introduce pests. This discovery is crucial for the classification of these insects and could support efforts to curb their spread. Nonetheless, the few discrepancies identified may offer valuable insights into the genetic variability influencing pest management [43].

Pesticides are a primary method for controlling crop pests; however, many pests have developed resistance to various pesticides, which complicates effective management. Consequently, evaluating pest susceptibility to these chemicals is essential before applying them. This assessment is vital for the success of pest control programs. Many earlier studies have underscored the significance of understanding resistance patterns to enhance management strategies and minimize the likelihood of ineffective pest control. By examining resistance, we can make informed choices regarding pesticide applications and consider alternative approaches when needed [61].

The results showed a difference in the susceptibility levels of watermelon to the tested pesticides, which was evident in the variation of the LC50 % values for the treated adults exposed to these compounds. This disparity is attributed to differences in the mode of action, the composition of the used pesticide, and the dose. These findings align with Aljedani [10], who evaluated the efficiency of Imidacloprid and Azadirachtin against the watermelon bug, C. viduatus. In addition, Al-Dosary et al. [62] highlight the variation in susceptibility levels of red palm weevils in relation to the tested compounds. The pesticides tested were more effective when administered through the feeding method (Imidacloprid LC50 = 2.45 ppm, Bifenthrin LC50 = 4.17 ppm), which involved treating watermelon leaves with specific concentrations. This method showed greater efficacy than topical application (Imidacloprid LC50 = 3.37 ppm, Bifenthrin LC50 = 4.32 ppm), where the pesticide is applied to the insect’s dorsal side. The increased effectiveness of the feeding approach may stem from its ability to deliver the pesticide directly to the insect’s vulnerable areas via both feeding and contact, while topical application only facilitates contact exposure. These findings align with those observed by previous studies [56], 63], 64].

The results showed that the Imidacloprid (LC50 = 2.45 ppm, 3.37 ppm) was more effective compared to Bifenthrin 10 % (LC50 = 4.17 ppm, 4.32 ppm) through feeding and application methods, respectively. This may be due to the chemical group to which the pesticide belongs (Neonicotinoids), which have a lethal effect against insects, as neurotoxins that affect the polarization of neurons. Several studies have reported that insects are highly susceptible to neonicotinoids, with a positive linear response rate, mortality rates occurring at low concentrations, and a significant response rate associated with high mortality rates [11], 12], 65].

Over the past few years, research has shown that pesticide toxicity is causing severe health problems. Exposure to pesticides by parents or during early childhood or adolescence can be linked to various human diseases. At a cellular level, pesticides can trigger epigenetic and genetic changes that pose serious direct or indirect risks. Whether exposure is direct or indirect, it can lead to chronic or acute toxicity. Pesticides also cause a range of health issues, including neurogenic, carcinogenic, and reproductive disorders in humans [66]. Synthetic pyrethroids, like Bifenthrin, cause sodium channels to stay open, leading to hyperexcitation and nerve blockage. Insecticides such as neonicotinoids, including Imidacloprid, bind to the acetylcholine site on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), causing lethargy and paralysis [67]. The issues from organo synthetic insecticides have led to the adoption of natural products as an alternative pest control method [68], 69]. Generally, these products are less persistent in the environment and safer environmentally and toxicologically than many current organo synthetic pesticides [70]. Beyond lethal effects, botanical insecticides may repel pests, inhibit oviposition, and alter various arthropod pests’ feeding and hormonal systems [71]. These traits enhance the appeal of biopesticides for pest management [72]. Saudi Arabia has a diverse range of flora, including valued medicinal plants like R. stricta and J. procera Hochst, as noted by Elsheikh et al. [73]; Al-Zahrani [74]. The current study demonstrates the effectiveness of R. stricta and J. procera extracts in controlling watermelon bugs, aligning with modern agricultural pest management trends [10].

The results show that there is a differential effect of plant extracts against adult black watermelon bugs. Their toxic effect was found to be dose-dependent. J. procera is more effective on Coridius sp. with an LC50 of 206.04 ppm for topical application and an LC50 of 256.70 ppm for feeding, compared to R. stricta, which has an LC50 of 651.98 ppm for topical application and an LC50 of 556.93 ppm for feeding. This aligns with previous studies indicating that the extracts of Tephrosia vogelii and Moringa oleifera demonstrated effectiveness against insect pests affecting watermelon [75].

Rhazya stricta exhibits toxicity against Coridius sp. due to compounds like glycosides, triterpenes, and alkaloids, which can disrupt physiological processes by inhibiting enzymes such as lipoxygenase and acetylcholinesterase. Studies show that rhazimine from R. stricta inhibits arachidonic acid metabolism [76]. Naz et al. [77] explore the potential of R. stricta as a new sustainable and environmentally friendly method for managing Meloidogyne incognita in tomato crops, offering a cost-effective and low-risk alternative to chemical nematicides. It also demonstrates larvicidal effects against A. aegypti and impacts the growth of C. pipiens [26]. Additionally, its extract has shown effectiveness against agricultural pests like A. ipsilon and Helicoverpa brunneipennis [28], and research by Madkour et al. [29] found high mortality rates in O. surinamensis after exposure to R. stricta extracts.

Juniperus procera, a member of the Cupressaceae family, is recognized for its insecticidal effects [73]. Its methanolic extract is more effective than R. stricta at increasing watermelon bug mortality at lower concentrations. The topical application of J. procera extract demonstrated greater activity against watermelon bug adults than J. procera feeding, R. stricta feeding, and topical application, by approximately 1.25, 2.70, and 3.16 folds, respectively. This is consistent with a previous study by Elsheikh et al. [73], which reported that extracts from J. procera stems significantly impacted the fecundity, fertility, and sterility index of adult female Chrysomya albiceps. Additionally, malformations were observed in the pupae and adults of C. albiceps after larvae were treated with acetone and petroleum ether extracts from J. procera stems.

Salih et al. [78] and Al-Zahrani [79] identified various phytochemical compounds in J. procera, including glycosides/aglycones, ferruginol, phenanthrene, and n-hexadecanoic acid, which are associated with other phenolic compounds. The essential oil and extract that contain ferruginol and phenanthrene exhibit an antifeedant effect on the red clover borer Hylastinus obscurus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). This explains why the topical application of J. procera extract has greater activity against watermelon bug adults than the feeding method, due to its antifeedant potential. In addition, J. procera demonstrates insect antirepellent activity against other insects such as Anopheles arabiensis, which shows significant contact effects, as reported by Karunamoorthi et al. [80].

4.1 Limitations of the study

1. Controlled Conditions: The experiments took place under laboratory settings, which may not accurately reflect field conditions. Factors such as temperature, humidity, and interactions with other organisms were not considered, potentially affecting the effectiveness of the extracts in natural environments. 2. Chemical Analysis of Extracts: The chemical makeup of the R. stricta and J. procera extracts was not examined. Differences in extraction methods could alter the active compounds, impacting the observed mortality rates. 3. Application Techniques: The study evaluated different application methods (topical versus feeding) separately, but did not explore the potential combined or synergistic effects of using both methods together. 4. Long-term Impact: The research did not investigate the long-term effectiveness of these extracts. Future work should assess residual activity over time and their effects on ecosystems and non-target organisms. 5. Resistance Potential: The possibility that pests could develop resistance to the plant extracts over time was not explored, which is important for understanding the sustainability of these control methods. 6. Sample Size and Replicates: The number of replicates and sample sizes might be limited, affecting the statistical power of the results. A larger sample size could provide more robust conclusions about the genetic diversity, susceptibility, and resistance of Coridius sp. to the tested treatments. By recognizing these limitations, future research can target these gaps to better understand the effectiveness and practical use of plant extracts in pest management.

5 Conclusions and recommendations

Different species of Coridius were recorded in Saudi Arabia for the first time, indicating that this insect is an invasive pest in the Saudi environment. This situation necessitates field studies to monitor its seasonal activity under the climatic conditions of Saudi Arabia and to identify its vital enemies. The results showed that the pesticide Imidacloprid had a stronger effect against the watermelon bug, Coridius sp, highlighting the variation in pesticide efficiency. We recommend conducting biological evaluation experiments for pesticides before their application and developing a comprehensive database about them for reference in planning control programs and making informed decisions regarding pesticide use. The study demonstrated that local plant extracts were effective, particularly those from J. procera. This study suggests isolating the components of this plant to obtain the pure active ingredient and prepare it as a commercial formulation. Enhancing the control of these insects by using insecticides derived from natural sources, which are eco-friendly.


Corresponding author: Nahed Ahmed Hussien, Biology Department, College of Science, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia, E-mail:

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Taif University for funding this work.

  1. Funding information: The authors would like to acknowledge the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Taif University for funding this work.

  2. Author contribution: Wafa Mohammed Al-Otaibi: Conceptualization, Investigation, Data curation, review & editing; Habeeb M. Al-Solami: Methodology; Abdullah G. Alghamdi: Methodology; Akram S. Alghamdi: Validation; Nahed Ahmed Hussien: Software, Validation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, review & editing; Naser Ahmed Alkenani: Methodology; Shatha I. Alqurashi: Conceptualization; Tariq Saeed Alghamdi: Conceptualization; Dina F. Alhashdi: Conceptualization; Jazem A. Mahyoub: Investigation, Methodology, Data curation, Writing – original draft, review & editing. All the authors accept the final version of the article.

  3. Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest.

  4. Data availability statement: The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAOSTAT. Food and Organization Statistics Division; 2010. Available from: http://faostat.fao.org/.Search in Google Scholar

2. Alla, MI, Mohammed, EE, Hammad, AMA. Biology and fecundity of the melon bug Aspongopus viduatus (Fabricius) in the laboratory. Int J Sci Environ Technol 2015;4:414–23.Search in Google Scholar

3. Satyagopal, K, Sushil, SN, Jeyakumar, P, Shankar, G, Sharma, OP, Sain, DR, et al.. AESA based IPM package for watermelon. Nat Inst Plant Health Manag 2014;500:30.Search in Google Scholar

4. Wasylikowa, K, van der Veen, M. An archaeobotanical contribution to the history of watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai (syn. C. vulgaris Schrad.). Veget Hist Archaeobot 2004;13:213–17.10.1007/s00334-004-0039-6Search in Google Scholar

5. Wehner, TC. Watermelon. In: Prohens, J, Nuez, F, Vegetables, I, editors. Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Cucurbitaceae. New York: Springer Science Business Media; 2008:381–418 pp.Search in Google Scholar

6. General Authority for Statistics. Agriculture Production Survey Bulletin 2018. GAS; 2018. Available from: https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/sites/default/files/%28E%29.Search in Google Scholar

7. Adra, AI. Biological, ecological and morphological studies on the melon bug, Cordius viduatus (Fabricus) (Hemplera, Dinideridae) on watermelon in North Kordofan state [M.Sc. Thesis]. Sudan: University of Kordofan; 2005.Search in Google Scholar

8. Tarla, S, Yetisir, H, Tarla, G. Black watermelon bug, Coridius viduatus (F.) (Heteroptera: Dinidoridae) in Hatay region of Turkey. J Basic Appl Sci 2013;9:31–5. https://doi.org/10.6000/1927-5129.2013.09.06.Search in Google Scholar

9. Aljedani, DM. Black watermelon bug (Cordius viduatus): a detrimental agricultural pest. Asian Sci Bull 2020:47–8. https://doi.org/10.21124/asb.2020.47.48.Search in Google Scholar

10. Aljedani, DM. Assessment of effectiveness of the imidacloprid and azadirachtin on the black watermelon bug. Int J Zool Res 2018;14:61–70. https://doi.org/10.3923/ijzr.2018.61.70.Search in Google Scholar

11. Barbieri, RF, Lester, PJ, Miller, AS, Ryan, KG. A neurotoxic pesticide changes the outcome of aggressive interactions between native and invasive ants. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2013;280:20132157. https://doi.org/10.1098:rspb.2013.2157.10.1098/rspb.2013.2157Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

12. Galvanho, JP, Carrera, MP, Moreira, DDO, Erthal Junior, M, Silva, CP, Samuels, RI. Imidacloprid inhibits behavioral defences of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J Insect Behav 2013;26:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10905-012-9328-6.Search in Google Scholar

13. Cowles, RS, Cheah, CASJ. Foliar sprays for control of hemlock woolly adelgid. Arthropod Manage Tests. 2002;27:G48. https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/27.1.G48.Search in Google Scholar

14. Abd-Elhakim, Y, Saber, T, Metwally, M, Abd-Allah, N, Mohamed, R, Ahmed, G. Thymol abates the detrimental impacts of imidacloprid on rat brains by lessening oxidative damage and apoptotic and inflammatory reactions. Chem Biol Interact 2023;383:110690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110690.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

15. Naveen, A, Sahu, M, Padhi, K, Maharik, S. Self-poisoning with safer insecticide: a case series on imidacloprid poisoning. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2022;43:66–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/paf.0000000000000685.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

16. Huang, NC, Lin, SL, Chou, CH, Hung, YM, Chung, HM, Huang, ST. Fatal ventricular fibrillation in a patient with acute imidacloprid poisoning. Am J Emerg Med 2006;24:883–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2006.03.008.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

17. Sriapha, C, Trakulsrichai, S, Tongpoo, A, Pradoo, A, Rittilert, P, Wananukul, W. Acute imidacloprid poisoning in Thailand. Ther Clin Risk Manag 2020;16:1081–8. https://doi.org/10.2147/tcrm.s269161.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

18. Iyyadurai, R, George, I, Peter, J. Imidacloprid poisoning – newer insecticide and fatal toxicity. J Med Toxicol 2010;6:77–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-010-0041-6.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

19. Zeng, M, Shi, M, Jian, X, Dong, L. Treatment of an accident of imidacloprid poisoning. Front Pharmacol 2024;15:1421437. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2024.1421437.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

20. Yang, Y, Wu, N, Wang, C. Toxicity of the pyrethroid bifenthrin insecticide. Environ Chem Lett 2018;16:1377–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-018-0765-0.Search in Google Scholar

21. Souto, AL, Sylvestre, M, Tölke, ED, Tavares, JF, Barbosa-Filho, JM, Cebrián-Torrejón, G. Plant-derived pesticides as an alternative to pest management and sustainable agricultural production: prospects, applications and challenges. Molecules 2021;26:4835. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26164835.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

22. Ali, BH, Qarawi, AA, Bashir, AK, Tanira, MO. Phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicity of Rhazya stricta Decne: a review. Phytother Res 2000;14:229–34. https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-1573(200006)14:4<229::aid-ptr673>3.3.co;2-x.10.1002/1099-1573(200006)14:4<229::AID-PTR673>3.3.CO;2-XSearch in Google Scholar

23. Gilani, SA, Kikuchi, A, Shinwari, ZK, Khattak, ZI, Watanabe, KN. Phytochemical, pharmacological and ethnobotanical studies of Rhazya stricta Decne. Phytother Res 2007;21:301–7. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2064.Search in Google Scholar

24. Khan, S, Khan, GM. In vitro antifungal activity of Rhazya stricta Decne. Pak J Pharm Sci 2007;20:274–9.Search in Google Scholar

25. Alghamdi, SS, Alturki, AY, Ali, R, Suliman, RS, Mohammed, AE, Dairem, AA, et al.. Pharmacological profiling of Calotropis procera and Rhazya stricta: unraveling the antibacterial and anti-cancer potential of chemically active metabolites. J Cancer 2025;16:12–33. https://doi.org/10.7150/jca.96848.Search in Google Scholar

26. El-Hag, EA, Harraz, FM, Zaytoon, AA, Salama, AK. Evaluation of some wild herb extracts for control of mosquitoes (Culicidae, Diptera). J King Saud Univ Agric Sci 1996;8:135–45.Search in Google Scholar

27. Al-Doghairi, MA, Elhag, EA. Effect of Rhazya stricta, Calotropis procera, and Francoeuria crispa on larvae and eggs of Culex pipiens. J Herbs Spices Med Plants 2002;10:25–33. https://doi.org/10.1300/j044v10n02_04.Search in Google Scholar

28. El-Hag, EA, El-Nadi, AH, Zaitoon, AA. Effect of some plant extracts on two agriculture pests: agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Hyper brunneipennis (Boh.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Alexandria J Pharm Sci 1999;2:141–5.Search in Google Scholar

29. Madkour, MH, Zaitoun, AA, Singer, FA. Repellent and toxicity of crude extract on saw-toothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis L.). J Food Agric Environ 2013;11:381–4.Search in Google Scholar

30. El-Nadi, AH, El-Hag, EA, Zaitoon, AA, Al Dodhairi, MA. Toxicity of three plant extracts to Trogoderma granarium Evert (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Pak J Biol Sci 2001;4:1503–5.10.3923/pjbs.2001.1503.1505Search in Google Scholar

31. Alvi, AM, Iqbal, N, Bashir, MA, Rehmani, MIA, Ullah, Z, Saeed, O, et al.. Efficacy of Rhazya stricta leaf and seed extracts against Rhyzopertha dominica and Trogoderma granarium. Kuwait J Sci 2018;45:64–71.Search in Google Scholar

32. Topçu, G, Erenler, R, Cakmak, O, Johansson, CB, Celik, C, Chai, HB, et al.. Diterpenes from the berries of Juniperus excelsa. Phytochemistry 1999;50:1195–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0031-9422(98)00675-x.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

33. Barrero, AF, Quílez del Moral, JF, Lara, A, Herrador, MM. Antimicrobial activity of sesquiterpenes from the essential oil of Juniperus thurifera. Planta Med 2005;19:525–8.10.1055/s-2005-837753Search in Google Scholar PubMed

34. El-Sawi, SA, Motawae, HM, Ali, AM. Chemical composition, cytotoxic activity, and antimicrobial activity of essential oils of leaves and berries of Juniperus phoenicea L. grown in Egypt. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med 2007;4:417–26. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajtcam.v4i4.31236.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

35. Ortiz, Y, Spengler, I, Rodríguez, Y, Collado, IG, Hernandez-Galan, R. Screening study of potential lead compounds for natural products based fungicides from Juniperus lucayana. Nat Prod Commun 2008;3:469–73.10.1177/1934578X0800300401Search in Google Scholar

36. Menghani, K, Sharma, SK. Antimicrobial activity of Juniperus communis and Solanum xanthocarpum. Int J Pharm Sci Res 2012;3:2815–8.Search in Google Scholar

37. Tumen, I, Je, F, Carol, A, Jeffery, A. Antifungal activity of heartwood extracts from three Juniperus species. BioResource 2013;8:12–20.10.15376/biores.8.1.12-20Search in Google Scholar

38. Jabbour, AA, Alzahrani, A. Efficiency improvement of Juniper trees mass propagation through in vitro shoot multiplication. PeerJ 2025;13:e19255. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19255.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

39. Samoylenko, V, Dunbar, DC, Gafur, MA, Khan, SI, Ross, SA, Mossa, JS, et al.. Antiparasitic, nematicidal and antifouling constituents from Juniperus berries. Phytother Res 2008;22:1570–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2460.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

40. Negash, L. Indigenous trees of Ethiopia: biology, uses and propagation techniques. Umea: SLU Reprocentralen 1995:285.Search in Google Scholar

41. UNH. City planning – Jeddah. Future Saudi cities Programme, City profiles series: Jeddah. Riyadh: Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs; 2019.Search in Google Scholar

42. Al-Otaibi, WM, Alghamdi, KM, Mahyoub, JA. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic relationships among Rhynchophorus sp. haplotypes in Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region-KSA. Saudi J Biol Sci 2022;29:103388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.103388.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

43. Al-Otaibi, WM, Algethami, RHM, Hussien, NA, Mahyoub, JA. Phylogenetic analysis of Aedes aegypti in Taif and Jeddah governorates, Saudi Arabia. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 2025;41:1–10. https://doi.org/10.2987/24-7194.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

44. Vrijenhoek, R, Black, M, Hoeh, W, Lutz, R, Vrijenhoek, R. DNA primers for amplification of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I from diverse metazoan invertebrates. Mol Mar Biol Biotechnol 1994;3:294–9.Search in Google Scholar

45. Crossley, BM, Bai, J, Glaser, A, Maes, R, Porter, E, Killian, ML, et al.. Guidelines for Sanger sequencing and molecular assay monitoring. J Vet Diagn Invest 2020;32:767–75. https://doi.org/10.1177/1040638720905833.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

46. Kearse, M, Moir, R, Wilson, A, Stones-Havas, S, Cheung, M, Sturrock, S, et al.. Geneious Basic: an integrated and extendable desktop software platform for the organization and analysis of sequence data. Bioinformatics 2012;28:1647–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/bts199.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

47. Zhang, Z, Schwartz, S, Wagner, L, Miller, W. A greedy algorithm for aligning DNA sequences. J Comput Biol 2000;7:203–14. https://doi.org/10.1089/10665270050081478.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

48. Tamura, K, Stecher, G, Peterson, D, Filipski, A, Kumar, S. MEGA6: molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis version 6.0. Mol Biol Evol 2013;30:2725–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/mst197.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

49. Jeschke, P, Nauen, R. Neonicotinoid insecticides. In: Gilbert, LI, Iatrou, K, Gill, SS, editors. Comprehensive molecular insect science. Oxford: Elsevier Pergamon; 2005:52–105 pp.10.1016/B0-44-451924-6/00069-7Search in Google Scholar

50. Imidacloprid. CAS Common Chemistry. CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society. https://commonchemistry.cas.org/detail?cas_rn=138261-41-3 [Accessed 11 Sept 2025]. CAS RN: 138261-41-3. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.Search in Google Scholar

51. Gupta, PK. Pesticides (agrochemicals). In: Illustrated toxicology. San Diego, USA: Academic Press/Elsevier; 2018:165–94 pp.10.1016/B978-0-12-813213-5.00005-5Search in Google Scholar

52. Bifenthrin. CAS Common Chemistry. CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society. https://commonchemistry.cas.org/detail?cas_rn=82657-04-3(CASRN:82657-04-3) [Accessed 11 Sept 2025].Search in Google Scholar

53. Mahyoub, JA. Bioactivity of two marine algae extracts and its synthesized silver nanomaterial against housefly, Musca domestica, as a safety method for its control. Entomol Res 2021;51:323–30. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-5967.12512.Search in Google Scholar

54. Abukhammas, AH, Mahyoub, JM, Al-Mehmadi, RM, Aziz, AT, Al-Shami, SA. The effect of some plant extracts on mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.). Biosci Biotech Res Asia 2014;11:1131–9. https://doi.org/10.13005/bbra/1498.Search in Google Scholar

55. Wang, N, Hou, J, Wu, Y, Guo, S, Liu, M, Li, Q, et al.. Resistance of house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), to five insecticides in Zhejiang Province, China: the situation in 2017. Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol 2019;2019:4851914. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4851914.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

56. Al-Otaibi, WM, Mahyoub, JA, Al-Ghamdi, KM. Evaluation of fiprol, imidacloprid, and duercide insecticides against larval stage of red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) in Makkah Al-Mukarramah region. Biosci Biotech Res Asia 2020;17:319–27. https://doi.org/10.13005/bbra/2835.Search in Google Scholar

57. Finney, DJ. Probit analysis. J Pharm Sci 1971;60. https://doi.org/10.1002/jps.2600600940.Search in Google Scholar

58. Bakr, EM. A new software for measuring leaf area, and area damaged by Tetranychus urticae Koch. J Appl Entomol 2005;129:173–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0418.2005.00948.x.Search in Google Scholar

59. Alharbi, A, Al-Enazi, A. Studying the effectiveness of Jatropha carcus L. extract as a repellent, antifeedant, and toxic substance against red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) adult insects in Saudi Arabia. J King Saud Univ Sci 2024;36:103322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2024.103322.Search in Google Scholar

60. Tembe, S, Shouche, Y, Ghate, HV. DNA barcoding of Pentatomomorpha bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from Western Ghats of India. Meta Gene 2014;2:737–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mgene.2014.09.006.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

61. Daraban, GM, Hlihor, RM, Suteu, D. Pesticides vs. biopesticides: from Pest management to toxicity and impacts on the environment and human health. Toxics 2023;11:983. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11120983.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

62. Al-Dosary, NM, Al-Dobai, S, Faleiro, JR. Review on the management of red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier in date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. Emirates J Food Agric 2015;28:34–44. https://doi.org/10.9755/ejfa.2015-10-897.Search in Google Scholar

63. Al Ghamdi, A, AlGhamdi, TS, Mehyoub, JA, Al Ghamdi, K. Toxicity and the possible biological effects for three insect growth regulators against flesh fly, Sarcophaga dux (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). Res J Pharm Biol Chem Sci. 2019;10:689.Search in Google Scholar

64. Al-Jameeli, MM, Mahyoub, JA, Al-Ghamdi, KM, Algamdi, AG, Alghamdi, TS. Susceptibility of screwworm fly, Chrysomya albiceps to commonly used pesticides in Jeddah Governorate. Life Sci J 2021;18:1–8.10.13005/bbra/2934Search in Google Scholar

65. Thiel, S, Kohler, HR. A sublethal imidacloprid concentration alters foraging and competition behaviour of ants. Ecotoxicology 2016;25:814–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-016-1638-6.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

66. Panigrahi, CK, Satapathy, SN, Parida, RS, Das, P, Bhowmik, P, Pradhan, DN, et al.. Pesticide toxicity and human health: a comprehensive review of risks and impacts. Asian J Res Biochem 2025;15:83–94. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajrb/2025/v15i3390.Search in Google Scholar

67. Shah, R. Pesticides and human health. London, UK: Licensee IntechOpen; 2021. Available from: https://www.intechopen. com/chapters/73921 [Accessed 25 Aug 2021].Search in Google Scholar

68. Biondi, A, Mommaerts, V, Smagghe, G, Vinuela, E, Zappala, L, Desneux, N. The non-target impact of spinosyns on beneficial arthropods. Pest Manage Sci 2012;68:1523–36. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.3396.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

69. Decourtye, A, Henry, M, Desneux, N. Overhaul pesticide testing on bees. Nature 2013;497:293–4. https://doi.org/10.1038/497188a.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

70. Duke, SO, Cantrell, CL, Meepagala, KM, Wedge, DE, Tabanca, N, Schrader, KK. Natural toxins for use in pest management. Toxins 2010;2:1943–62. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins2081943.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

71. Hsu, WS, Yen, JH, Wang, YS. Formulas of components of citronella oil against mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti). J Environ Sci Health B 2013;48:1014–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601234.2013.816613.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

72. Ayilara, MS, Adeleke, BS, Akinola, SA, Fayose, CA, Adeyemi, UT, Gbadegesin, LA, et al.. Biopesticides as a promising alternative to synthetic pesticides: a case for microbial pesticides, phytopesticides, and nanobiopesticides. Front Microbiol 2023;14:1040901. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1040901.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

73. Elsheikh, T, Abu El-Ghiet, UM, Alhuraysi, A. The activity of Juniperus procera stem extracts as pesticides against the blowfly Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Egypt J Zool 2022. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejz.2022.112699.1067.Search in Google Scholar

74. Al-Zahrani, AA. The potential role of phytochemicals of Juniperus procera in the treatment of ovarian cancer and the inhibition of human topoisomerase II alpha activity. Bioinformatics Biol Insight 2024;18. https://doi.org/10.1177/11779322241248904.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

75. Alao, FO, Adebayo, TA. Comparative efficacy of Tephrosia vogelii and Moringa oleifera against insect pests of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thumb). Int Lett Nat Sci 2015;35:71–8. https://doi.org/10.56431/p-bpfvp8.Search in Google Scholar

76. Saeed, SA, Simjee, RU, Mahmood, F, Sultana, N, Rahman, AU. Rhazimine from Rhazya stricta: a dual inhibitor of arachidonic acid metabolism and platelet activating factor-induced platelet aggregation. Planta Med 1993;59:566–8. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-959765.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

77. Naz, I, Ali, N, Khan, SA, Naeem, H, Maria, Iqbal, T, et al.. Rhazya stricta Decne (Apocynaceae) “Harmal”: a medicinal plant with biocontrol potential against Meloidogyne incognita in tomato. Crop Prot 2025;194:107219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107219.Search in Google Scholar

78. Salih, AM, Al-Qurainy, F, Nadeem, M, Tarroum, M, Khan, S, Shaikhaldein, HO, et al.. Optimization method for phenolic compounds extraction from medicinal plant (Juniperus procera) and phytochemicals screening. Molecules 2021;26:7454. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26247454.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

79. Al-Zahrani, AA, Ibraheem, F, El-Hefny, M, El-Senduny, F. Evaluation of Saudi Juniperus procera extracts cytotoxicity and regulatory mechanisms of tumorigenesis against two breast cancer cell lines. Nat Prod Commun 2024;19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X241232778.Search in Google Scholar

80. Karunamoorthi, K, Girmay, A, Hayleeyesus, SF. Mosquito repellent activity of essential oil of Ethiopian ethnomedicinal plant against Afro-tropical malarial vector Anopheles arabiensis. J King Saud Univ Sci 2014;26:305–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2014.01.001.Search in Google Scholar

Received: 2025-07-02
Accepted: 2025-10-26
Published Online: 2025-12-30

© 2025 the author(s), published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Safety assessment and modulation of hepatic CYP3A4 and UGT enzymes by Glycyrrhiza glabra aqueous extract in female Sprague–Dawley rats
  2. Adult-onset Still’s disease with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and minimal change disease
  3. Role of DZ2002 in reducing corneal graft rejection in rats by influencing Th17 activation via inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway and downregulation of TRAF1
  4. Biomedical Sciences
  5. Mechanism of triptolide regulating proliferation and apoptosis of hepatoma cells by inhibiting JAK/STAT pathway
  6. Maslinic acid improves mitochondrial function and inhibits oxidative stress and autophagy in human gastric smooth muscle cells
  7. Comparative analysis of inflammatory biomarkers for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis: IL-6, IL-8, SAA, CRP, and PCT
  8. Post-pandemic insights on COVID-19 and premature ovarian insufficiency
  9. Proteome differences of dental stem cells between permanent and deciduous teeth by data-independent acquisition proteomics
  10. Optimizing a modified cetyltrimethylammonium bromide protocol for fungal DNA extraction: Insights from multilocus gene amplification
  11. Preliminary analysis of the role of small hepatitis B surface proteins mutations in the pathogenesis of occult hepatitis B infection via the endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced UPR-ERAD pathway
  12. Efficacy of alginate-coated gold nanoparticles against antibiotics-resistant Staphylococcus and Streptococcus pathogens of acne origins
  13. Battling COVID-19 leveraging nanobiotechnology: Gold and silver nanoparticle–B-escin conjugates as SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors
  14. Neurodegenerative diseases and neuroinflammation-induced apoptosis
  15. Impact of fracture fixation surgery on cognitive function and the gut microbiota in mice with a history of stroke
  16. COLEC10: A potential tumor suppressor and prognostic biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma through modulation of EMT and PI3K-AKT pathways
  17. High-temperature requirement serine protease A2 inhibitor UCF-101 ameliorates damaged neurons in traumatic brain-injured rats by the AMPK/NF-κB pathway
  18. SIK1 inhibits IL-1β-stimulated cartilage apoptosis and inflammation in vitro through the CRTC2/CREB1 signaling
  19. Rutin–chitooligosaccharide complex: Comprehensive evaluation of its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in vitro and in vivo
  20. Knockdown of Aurora kinase B alleviates high glucose-triggered trophoblast cells damage and inflammation during gestational diabetes
  21. Calcium-sensing receptors promoted Homer1 expression and osteogenic differentiation in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells
  22. ABI3BP can inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition of non-small-cell lung cancer cells
  23. Changes in blood glucose and metabolism in hyperuricemia mice
  24. Rapid detection of the GJB2 c.235delC mutation based on CRISPR-Cas13a combined with lateral flow dipstick
  25. IL-11 promotes Ang II-induced autophagy inhibition and mitochondrial dysfunction in atrial fibroblasts
  26. Short-chain fatty acid attenuates intestinal inflammation by regulation of gut microbial composition in antibiotic-associated diarrhea
  27. Application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in the diagnosis of pathogens in patients with diabetes complicated by community-acquired pneumonia
  28. NAT10 promotes radiotherapy resistance in non-small cell lung cancer by regulating KPNB1-mediated PD-L1 nuclear translocation
  29. Phytol-mixed micelles alleviate dexamethasone-induced osteoporosis in zebrafish: Activation of the MMP3–OPN–MAPK pathway-mediating bone remodeling
  30. Association between TGF-β1 and β-catenin expression in the vaginal wall of patients with pelvic organ prolapse
  31. Primary pleomorphic liposarcoma involving bilateral ovaries: Case report and literature review
  32. Effects of de novo donor-specific Class I and II antibodies on graft outcomes after liver transplantation: A pilot cohort study
  33. Sleep architecture in Alzheimer’s disease continuum: The deep sleep question
  34. Ephedra fragilis plant extract: A groundbreaking corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in acidic environments – electrochemical, EDX, DFT, and Monte Carlo studies
  35. Langerhans cell histiocytosis in an adult patient with upper jaw and pulmonary involvement: A case report
  36. Inhibition of mast cell activation by Jaranol-targeted Pirin ameliorates allergic responses in mouse allergic rhinitis
  37. Aeromonas veronii-induced septic arthritis of the hip in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
  38. Clusterin activates the heat shock response via the PI3K/Akt pathway to protect cardiomyocytes from high-temperature-induced apoptosis
  39. Research progress on fecal microbiota transplantation in tumor prevention and treatment
  40. Low-pressure exposure influences the development of HAPE
  41. Stigmasterol alleviates endplate chondrocyte degeneration through inducing mitophagy by enhancing PINK1 mRNA acetylation via the ESR1/NAT10 axis
  42. AKAP12, mediated by transcription factor 21, inhibits cell proliferation, metastasis, and glycolysis in lung squamous cell carcinoma
  43. Association between PAX9 or MSX1 gene polymorphism and tooth agenesis risk: A meta-analysis
  44. A case of bloodstream infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  45. Case of nasopharyngeal tuberculosis complicated with cervical lymph node and pulmonary tuberculosis
  46. p-Cymene inhibits pro-fibrotic and inflammatory mediators to prevent hepatic dysfunction
  47. GFPT2 promotes paclitaxel resistance in epithelial ovarian cancer cells via activating NF-κB signaling pathway
  48. Transfer RNA-derived fragment tRF-36 modulates varicose vein progression via human vascular smooth muscle cell Notch signaling
  49. RTA-408 attenuates the hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury in mice possibly by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway
  50. Decreased serum TIMP4 levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
  51. Sirt1 protects lupus nephritis by inhibiting the NLRP3 signaling pathway in human glomerular mesangial cells
  52. Sodium butyrate aids brain injury repair in neonatal rats
  53. Interaction of MTHFR polymorphism with PAX1 methylation in cervical cancer
  54. Convallatoxin inhibits proliferation and angiogenesis of glioma cells via regulating JAK/STAT3 pathway
  55. The effect of the PKR inhibitor, 2-aminopurine, on the replication of influenza A virus, and segment 8 mRNA splicing
  56. Effects of Ire1 gene on virulence and pathogenicity of Candida albicans
  57. Small cell lung cancer with small intestinal metastasis: Case report and literature review
  58. GRB14: A prognostic biomarker driving tumor progression in gastric cancer through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by interacting with COBLL1
  59. 15-Lipoxygenase-2 deficiency induces foam cell formation that can be restored by salidroside through the inhibition of arachidonic acid effects
  60. FTO alleviated the diabetic nephropathy progression by regulating the N6-methyladenosine levels of DACT1
  61. Clinical relevance of inflammatory markers in the evaluation of severity of ulcerative colitis: A retrospective study
  62. Zinc valproic acid complex promotes osteoblast differentiation and exhibits anti-osteoporotic potential
  63. Primary pulmonary synovial sarcoma in the bronchial cavity: A case report
  64. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing of alveolar lavage fluid improves the detection of pulmonary infection
  65. Uterine tumor resembling ovarian sex cord tumor with extensive rhabdoid differentiation: A case report
  66. Genomic analysis of a novel ST11(PR34365) Clostridioides difficile strain isolated from the human fecal of a CDI patient in Guizhou, China
  67. Effects of tiered cardiac rehabilitation on CRP, TNF-α, and physical endurance in older adults with coronary heart disease
  68. Changes in T-lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with colorectal cancer before and after acupoint catgut embedding acupuncture observation
  69. Modulating the tumor microenvironment: The role of traditional Chinese medicine in improving lung cancer treatment
  70. Alterations of metabolites related to microbiota–gut–brain axis in plasma of colon cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, and lung cancer patients
  71. Research on individualized drug sensitivity detection technology based on bio-3D printing technology for precision treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors
  72. CEBPB promotes ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer by stimulating tumor growth and activating the NF-κB/STAT3 signaling pathway
  73. Oncolytic bacteria: A revolutionary approach to cancer therapy
  74. A de novo meningioma with rapid growth: A possible malignancy imposter?
  75. Diagnosis of secondary tuberculosis infection in an asymptomatic elderly with cancer using next-generation sequencing: Case report
  76. Hesperidin and its zinc(ii) complex enhance osteoblast differentiation and bone formation: In vitro and in vivo evaluations
  77. Research progress on the regulation of autophagy in cardiovascular diseases by chemokines
  78. Anti-arthritic, immunomodulatory, and inflammatory regulation by the benzimidazole derivative BMZ-AD: Insights from an FCA-induced rat model
  79. Immunoassay for pyruvate kinase M1/2 as an Alzheimer’s biomarker in CSF
  80. The role of HDAC11 in age-related hearing loss: Mechanisms and therapeutic implications
  81. Evaluation and application analysis of animal models of PIPNP based on data mining
  82. Therapeutic approaches for liver fibrosis/cirrhosis by targeting pyroptosis
  83. Fabrication of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Ruellia tuberosa leaf extract induces apoptosis through P53 and STAT3 signalling pathways in prostate cancer cells
  84. Haplo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and immunoradiotherapy for severe aplastic anemia complicated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A case report
  85. Modulation of the KEAP1-NRF2 pathway by Erianin: A novel approach to reduce psoriasiform inflammation and inflammatory signaling
  86. The expression of epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and its relationship with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and clinical pathological features in breast cancer patients
  87. Innovations in MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry: Bridging modern diagnostics and historical insights
  88. BAP1 complexes with YY1 and RBBP7 and its downstream targets in ccRCC cells
  89. Hypereosinophilic syndrome with elevated IgG4 and T-cell clonality: A report of two cases
  90. Electroacupuncture alleviates sciatic nerve injury in sciatica rats by regulating BDNF and NGF levels, myelin sheath degradation, and autophagy
  91. Polydatin prevents cholesterol gallstone formation by regulating cholesterol metabolism via PPAR-γ signaling
  92. RNF144A and RNF144B: Important molecules for health
  93. Analysis of the detection rate and related factors of thyroid nodules in the healthy population
  94. Artesunate inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell migration and invasion through OGA-mediated O-GlcNAcylation of ZEB1
  95. Endovascular management of post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage caused by a hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm: Case report and review of the literature
  96. Efficacy and safety of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies in patients with relapsed refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A meta-analysis
  97. SATB2 promotes humeral fracture healing in rats by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway
  98. Overexpression of the ferroptosis-related gene, NFS1, corresponds to gastric cancer growth and tumor immune infiltration
  99. Understanding risk factors and prognosis in diabetic foot ulcers
  100. Atractylenolide I alleviates the experimental allergic response in mice by suppressing TLR4/NF-kB/NLRP3 signalling
  101. FBXO31 inhibits the stemness characteristics of CD147 (+) melanoma stem cells
  102. Immune molecule diagnostics in colorectal cancer: CCL2 and CXCL11
  103. Inhibiting CXCR6 promotes senescence of activated hepatic stellate cells with limited proinflammatory SASP to attenuate hepatic fibrosis
  104. Cadmium toxicity, health risk and its remediation using low-cost biochar adsorbents
  105. Pulmonary cryptococcosis with headache as the first presentation: A case report
  106. Solitary pulmonary metastasis with cystic airspaces in colon cancer: A rare case report
  107. RUNX1 promotes denervation-induced muscle atrophy by activating the JUNB/NF-κB pathway and driving M1 macrophage polarization
  108. Morphometric analysis and immunobiological investigation of Indigofera oblongifolia on the infected lung with Plasmodium chabaudi
  109. The NuA4/TIP60 histone-modifying complex and Hr78 modulate the Lobe2 mutant eye phenotype
  110. Experimental study on salmon demineralized bone matrix loaded with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2: In vitro and in vivo study
  111. A case of IgA nephropathy treated with a combination of telitacicept and half-dose glucocorticoids
  112. Analgesic and toxicological evaluation of cannabidiol-rich Moroccan Cannabis sativa L. (Khardala variety) extract: Evidence from an in vivo and in silico study
  113. Wound healing and signaling pathways
  114. Combination of immunotherapy and whole-brain radiotherapy on prognosis of patients with multiple brain metastases: A retrospective cohort study
  115. To explore the relationship between endometrial hyperemia and polycystic ovary syndrome
  116. Research progress on the impact of curcumin on immune responses in breast cancer
  117. Biogenic Cu/Ni nanotherapeutics from Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl seeds for the treatment of lung cancer
  118. Dapagliflozin attenuates atrial fibrosis via the HMGB1/RAGE pathway in atrial fibrillation rats
  119. Glycitein alleviates inflammation and apoptosis in keratinocytes via ROS-associated PI3K–Akt signalling pathway
  120. ADH5 inhibits proliferation but promotes EMT in non-small cell lung cancer cell through activating Smad2/Smad3
  121. Apoptotic efficacies of AgNPs formulated by Syzygium aromaticum leaf extract on 32D-FLT3-ITD human leukemia cell line with PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway
  122. Novel cuproptosis-related genes C1QBP and PFKP identified as prognostic and therapeutic targets in lung adenocarcinoma
  123. Bee venom promotes exosome secretion and alters miRNA cargo in T cells
  124. Treatment of pure red cell aplasia in a chronic kidney disease patient with roxadustat: A case report
  125. Comparative bioinformatics analysis of the Wnt pathway in breast cancer: Selection of novel biomarker panels associated with ER status
  126. Kynurenine facilitates renal cell carcinoma progression by suppressing M2 macrophage pyroptosis through inhibition of CASP1 cleavage
  127. RFX5 promotes the growth, motility, and inhibits apoptosis of gastric adenocarcinoma cells through the SIRT1/AMPK axis
  128. ALKBH5 exacerbates early cardiac damage after radiotherapy for breast cancer via m6A demethylation of TLR4
  129. Phytochemicals of Roman chamomile: Antioxidant, anti-aging, and whitening activities of distillation residues
  130. Circadian gene Cry1 inhibits the tumorigenicity of hepatocellular carcinoma by the BAX/BCL2-mediated apoptosis pathway
  131. The TNFR-RIPK1/RIPK3 signalling pathway mediates the effect of lanthanum on necroptosis of nerve cells
  132. Longitudinal monitoring of autoantibody dynamics in patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer undergoing surgery
  133. The potential role of rutin, a flavonoid, in the management of cancer through modulation of cell signaling pathways
  134. Construction of pectinase gene engineering microbe and its application in tobacco sheets
  135. Construction of a microbial abundance prognostic scoring model based on intratumoral microbial data for predicting the prognosis of lung squamous cell carcinoma
  136. Sepsis complicated by haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis triggered by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and human herpesvirus 8 in an immunocompromised elderly patient: A case report
  137. Sarcopenia in liver transplantation: A comprehensive bibliometric study of current research trends and future directions
  138. Advances in cancer immunotherapy and future directions in personalized medicine
  139. Can coronavirus disease 2019 affect male fertility or cause spontaneous abortion? A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis
  140. Heat stroke associated with novel leukaemia inhibitory factor receptor gene variant in a Chinese infant
  141. PSME2 exacerbates ulcerative colitis by disrupting intestinal barrier function and promoting autophagy-dependent inflammation
  142. Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state with severe hypernatremia coexisting with central diabetes insipidus: A case report and literature review
  143. Efficacy and mechanism of escin in improving the tissue microenvironment of blood vessel walls via anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant effects: Implications for clinical practice
  144. Merkel cell carcinoma: Clinicopathological analysis of three patients and literature review
  145. Genetic variants in VWF exon 26 and their implications for type 1 Von Willebrand disease in a Saudi Arabian population
  146. Lipoxin A4 improves myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury through the Notch1-Nrf2 signaling pathway
  147. High levels of EPHB2 expression predict a poor prognosis and promote tumor progression in endometrial cancer
  148. Knockdown of SHP-2 delays renal tubular epithelial cell injury in diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis
  149. Exploring the toxicity mechanisms and detoxification methods of Rhizoma Paridis
  150. Concomitant gastric carcinoma and primary hepatic angiosarcoma in a patient: A case report
  151. YAP1 inhibition protects retinal vascular endothelial cells under high glucose by inhibiting autophagy
  152. Identification of secretory protein related biomarkers for primary biliary cholangitis based on machine learning and experimental validation
  153. Integrated genomic and clinical modeling for prognostic assessment of radiotherapy response in rectal neoplasms
  154. Stem cell-based approaches for glaucoma treatment: a mini review
  155. Bacteriophage titering by optical density means: KOTE assays
  156. Neutrophil-related signature characterizes immune landscape and predicts prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
  157. Integrated bioinformatic analysis and machine learning strategies to identify new potential immune biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease and their targeting prediction with geniposide
  158. TRIM21 accelerates ferroptosis in intervertebral disc degeneration by promoting SLC7A11 ubiquitination and degradation
  159. TRIM21 accelerates ferroptosis in intervertebral disc degeneration by promoting SLC7A11 ubiquitination and degradation
  160. Histone modification and non-coding RNAs in skin aging: emerging therapeutic avenues
  161. A multiplicative behavioral model of DNA replication initiation in cells
  162. Biogenic gold nanoparticles synthesized from Pergularia daemia leaves: a novel approach for nasopharyngeal carcinoma therapy
  163. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease mimicking Hashimoto’s encephalopathy: steroid response followed by decline
  164. Impact of semaphorin, Sema3F, on the gene transcription and protein expression of CREB and its binding protein CREBBP in primary hippocampal neurons of rats
  165. Iron overloaded M0 macrophages regulate hematopoietic stem cell proliferation and senescence via the Nrf2/Keap1/HO-1 pathway
  166. Revisiting the link between NADPH oxidase p22phox C242T polymorphism and ischemic stroke risk: an updated meta-analysis
  167. Exercise training preferentially modulates α1D-adrenergic receptor expression in peripheral arteries of hypertensive rats
  168. Overexpression of HE4/WFDC2 gene in mice leads to keratitis and corneal opacity
  169. Tumoral calcinosis complicating CKD-MBD in hemodialysis: a case report
  170. Mechanism of KLF4 Inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer cells
  171. Dissecting the molecular mechanisms of T cell infiltration in psoriatic lesions via cell-cell communication and regulatory network analysis
  172. Circadian rhythm-based prognostic features predict immune infiltration and tumor microenvironment in molecular subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma
  173. Ecology and Environmental Science
  174. Optimization and comparative study of Bacillus consortia for cellulolytic potential and cellulase enzyme activity
  175. The complete mitochondrial genome analysis of Haemaphysalis hystricis Supino, 1897 (Ixodida: Ixodidae) and its phylogenetic implications
  176. Epidemiological characteristics and risk factors analysis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among tuberculosis population in Huzhou City, Eastern China
  177. Indices of human impacts on landscapes: How do they reflect the proportions of natural habitats?
  178. Genetic analysis of the Siberian flying squirrel population in the northern Changbai Mountains, Northeast China: Insights into population status and conservation
  179. Diversity and environmental drivers of Suillus communities in Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica forests of Inner Mongolia
  180. Global assessment of the fate of nitrogen deposition in forest ecosystems: Insights from 15N tracer studies
  181. Fungal and bacterial pathogenic co-infections mainly lead to the assembly of microbial community in tobacco stems
  182. Influencing of coal industry related airborne particulate matter on ocular surface tear film injury and inflammatory factor expression in Sprague-Dawley rats
  183. Temperature-dependent development, predation, and life table of Sphaerophoria macrogaster (Thomson) (Diptera: Syrphidae) feeding on Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Homoptera: Aphididae)
  184. Eleonora’s falcon trophic interactions with insects within its breeding range: A systematic review
  185. Agriculture
  186. Integrated analysis of transcriptome, sRNAome, and degradome involved in the drought-response of maize Zhengdan958
  187. Variation in flower frost tolerance among seven apple cultivars and transcriptome response patterns in two contrastingly frost-tolerant selected cultivars
  188. Heritability of durable resistance to stripe rust in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
  189. Molecular mechanism of follicular development in laying hens based on the regulation of water metabolism
  190. Molecular identification and control studies on Coridius sp. (Hemiptera: Dinidoridae) in Al-Khamra, south of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
  191. 10.1515/biol-2025-1218
  192. Animal Science
  193. Effect of sex ratio on the life history traits of an important invasive species, Spodoptera frugiperda
  194. Plant Sciences
  195. Hairpin in a haystack: In silico identification and characterization of plant-conserved microRNA in Rafflesiaceae
  196. Widely targeted metabolomics of different tissues in Rubus corchorifolius
  197. The complete chloroplast genome of Gerbera piloselloides (L.) Cass., 1820 (Carduoideae, Asteraceae) and its phylogenetic analysis
  198. Field trial to correlate mineral solubilization activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and biochemical content of groundnut plants
  199. Correlation analysis between semen routine parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation index in patients with semen non-liquefaction: A retrospective study
  200. Plasticity of the anatomical traits of Rhododendron L. (Ericaceae) leaves and its implications in adaptation to the plateau environment
  201. Effects of Piriformospora indica and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on growth and physiology of Moringa oleifera under low-temperature stress
  202. Effects of different sources of potassium fertiliser on yield, fruit quality and nutrient absorption in “Harward” kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa)
  203. Comparative efficiency and residue levels of spraying programs against powdery mildew in grape varieties
  204. The DREB7 transcription factor enhances salt tolerance in soybean plants under salt stress
  205. Using plant electrical signals of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) for water pollution monitoring
  206. Response of hybrid grapes (Vitis spp.) to two biotic stress factors and their seedlessness status
  207. Metabolomic profiling reveals systemic metabolic reprogramming in Alternaria alternata under salt stress
  208. Effects of mixed salinity and alkali stress on photosynthetic characteristics and PEPC gene expression of vegetable soybean seedlings
  209. Food Science
  210. Phytochemical analysis of Stachys iva: Discovering the optimal extract conditions and its bioactive compounds
  211. Review on role of honey in disease prevention and treatment through modulation of biological activities
  212. Computational analysis of polymorphic residues in maltose and maltotriose transporters of a wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain
  213. Optimization of phenolic compound extraction from Tunisian squash by-products: A sustainable approach for antioxidant and antibacterial applications
  214. Liupao tea aqueous extract alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis in rats by modulating the gut microbiota
  215. Toxicological qualities and detoxification trends of fruit by-products for valorization: A review
  216. Polyphenolic spectrum of cornelian cherry fruits and their health-promoting effect
  217. Optimizing the encapsulation of the refined extract of squash peels for functional food applications: A sustainable approach to reduce food waste
  218. Advancements in curcuminoid formulations: An update on bioavailability enhancement strategies curcuminoid bioavailability and formulations
  219. Impact of saline sprouting on antioxidant properties and bioactive compounds in chia seeds
  220. The dilemma of food genetics and improvement
  221. Causal effects of trace elements on congenital foot deformities and their subtypes: a Mendelian randomization study with gut microbiota mediation
  222. Honey meets acidity: a novel biopreservative approach against foodborne pathogens
  223. Bioengineering and Biotechnology
  224. Impact of hyaluronic acid-modified hafnium metalorganic frameworks containing rhynchophylline on Alzheimer’s disease
  225. Emerging patterns in nanoparticle-based therapeutic approaches for rheumatoid arthritis: A comprehensive bibliometric and visual analysis spanning two decades
  226. Application of CRISPR/Cas gene editing for infectious disease control in poultry
  227. Preparation of hafnium nitride-coated titanium implants by magnetron sputtering technology and evaluation of their antibacterial properties and biocompatibility
  228. Preparation and characterization of lemongrass oil nanoemulsion: Antimicrobial, antibiofilm, antioxidant, and anticancer activities
  229. Fluorescent detection of sialic acid–binding lectins using functionalized quantum dots in ELISA format
  230. Smart tectorigenin-loaded ZnO hydrogel nanocomposites for targeted wound healing: synthesis, characterization, and biological evaluation
  231. Corrigendum
  232. Corrigendum to “Utilization of convolutional neural networks to analyze microscopic images for high-throughput screening of mesenchymal stem cells”
  233. Corrigendum to “Effects of Ire1 gene on virulence and pathogenicity of Candida albicans
  234. Retraction
  235. Retraction of “Down-regulation of miR-539 indicates poor prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer”
Downloaded on 15.3.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/biol-2025-1219/html
Scroll to top button