Effects of an entomopathogen nematode on the immune response of the insect pest red palm weevil: Focus on the host antimicrobial response

AbstractThe red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an economically-important invasive species that attacks multiple species of palm trees around the world. A better understanding of gene content and function in R. ferrugineus has the potential to inform pest control strategies and thereby mitigate economic and biodiversity losses caused by this species. Using 10x Genomics linked-read sequencing, we produced a haplotype-resolved diploid genome assembly for R. ferrugineus from a single heterozygous individual with modest sequencing coverage ($$\sim$$ ∼ 62x). Benchmarking against conserved single-copy Arthropod orthologs suggests both pseudo-haplotypes in our R. ferrugineus genome assembly are highly complete with respect to gene content, and do not suffer from haplotype-induced duplication artifacts present in a recently published hybrid assembly for this species. Annotation of the larger pseudo-haplotype in our assembly provides evidence for 23,413 protein-coding loci in R. ferrugineus, including over 13,000 predicted proteins annotated with Gene Ontology terms and over 6000 loci independently supported by high-quality Iso-Seq transcriptomic data. Our assembly also includes 95% of R. ferrugineus chemosensory, detoxification and neuropeptide-related transcripts identified previously using RNA-seq transcriptomic data, and provides a platform for the molecular analysis of these and other functionally-relevant genes that can help guide management of this widespread insect pest.

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Proteomics and Interspecies Interaction Analysis Revealed Abscisic Acid Signalling to Be the Primary Driver for Oil Palm’s Response against Red Palm Weevil Infestation

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10122574 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 2574

Author(s):

Nazmi Harith-Fadzilah ◽

Su Datt Lam ◽

Mohammad Haris-Hussain ◽

Idris Abd Ghani ◽

Zamri Zainal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Abscisic Acid ◽

Stress Response ◽

Elaeis Guineensis ◽

Interaction Analysis ◽

Insect Pest ◽

Enrichment Analysis ◽

Pathway Enrichment Analysis ◽

Red Palm Weevil ◽

Palm Weevil ◽

Primary Driver

The red palm weevil (RPW; Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera Curculionidae)) is an invasive insect pest that is difficult to manage due to its nature of infesting the host palm trees from within. A holistic, molecular-based approach to identify proteins that correlate with RPW infestation could give useful insights into the vital processes that are prevalent to the host’s infestation response and identify the potential biomarkers for an early detection technique. Here, a shotgun proteomic analysis was performed on oil palm (Elaeis guineensis; OP) under untreated (control), wounding by drilling (wounded), and artificial larval infestation (infested) conditions at three different time points to characterise the RPW infestation response at three different stages. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed many overlapping pathways between the control, wounded, and infested groups. Further analysis via literature searches narrowed down biologically relevant proteins into categories, which were photosynthesis, growth, and stress response. Overall, the patterns of protein expression suggested abscisic acid (ABA) hormone signalling to be the primary driver of insect herbivory response. Interspecies molecular docking analysis between RPW ligands and OP receptor proteins provided putative interactions that result in ABA signalling activation. Seven proteins were selected as candidate biomarkers for early infestation detection based on their relevance and association with ABA signalling. The MS data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD028986. This study provided a deeper insight into the mechanism of stress response in OP in order to develop a novel detection method or improve crop management.

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Haplotype-resolved genome assembly enables gene discovery in the red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus

10.1101/2020.08.30.273383 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Guilherme B. Dias ◽

Musaad A. Altammami ◽

Hamadttu A.F. El-Shafie ◽

Fahad M. Alhoshani ◽

Mohamed B. Al-Fageeh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genome Assembly ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Insect Pest ◽

Single Copy ◽

Gene Content ◽

Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus ◽

Red Palm Weevil ◽

Transcriptomic Data ◽

Palm Trees ◽

Palm Weevil

ABSTRACTThe red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an economically-important invasive species that attacks multiple species of palm trees around the world. A better understanding of gene content and function in R. ferrugineus has the potential to inform pest control strategies and thereby mitigate economic and biodiversity losses caused by this species. Using 10x Genomics linked-read sequencing, we produced a haplotype-resolved diploid genome assembly for R. ferrugineus from a single heterozygous individual with modest sequencing coverage (~62x). Benchmarking against conserved single-copy Arthropod orthologs suggests both pseudo-haplotypes in our R. ferrugineus genome assembly are highly complete with respect to gene content, and do not suffer from haplotype-induced duplication artifacts present in a recently published hybrid assembly for this species. Annotation of the larger pseudo-haplotype in our assembly provides evidence for 23,413 protein-coding loci in R. ferrugineus, including over 13,000 predicted proteins annotated with Gene Ontology terms and over 6,000 loci independently supported by high-quality Iso-Seq transcriptomic data. Our assembly also includes 95% of R. ferrugineus chemosensory, detoxification and neuropeptide-related transcripts identified previously using RNA-seq transcriptomic data, and provides a platform for the molecular analysis of these and other functionally-relevant genes that can help guide management of this widespread insect pest.

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Pheromone receptor of the globally invasive quarantine pest of the palm tree, the red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus)

10.1101/2020.07.31.230326 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Binu Antony ◽

Jibin Johny ◽

Nicolas Montagné ◽

Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly ◽

Rémi Capoduro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Insect Pest ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Palm Tree ◽

Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus ◽

Red Palm Weevil ◽

Pheromone Receptor ◽

Pheromone Detection ◽

Palm Trees ◽

Palm Weevil

AbstractPalm trees are of immense economic, sociocultural, touristic and patrimonial significance all over the world, and date palm-related knowledge, traditions and practices are now included in UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Of all the pests that infest these trees, the red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) is its primary enemy. The RPW is a category-1 quarantine insect pest that causes enormous economic losses in the cultivation of palm trees worldwide. The RPW synchronizes mass gathering on the palm tree for feeding and mating, regulated by a male-produced pheromone composed of two methyl-branched compounds, (4RS,5RS)-4-methylnonan-5-ol (ferrugineol) and 4(RS)-methylnonan-5-one (ferrugineone). Despite the importance of odorant detection in long-range orientation towards palm trees, palm colonization and mating, nothing regarding the molecular mechanisms of pheromone detection in this species is known. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of the first RPW pheromone receptor, RferOR1. Using gene silencing and functional expression in Drosophila olfactory receptor neurons, we demonstrate that RferOR1 is tuned to both ferrugineol and ferrugineone and binds five other structurally related molecules. We reveal the lifetime expression of RferOR1, which correlates with adult mating success irrespective of age, a factor that could explain the wide distribution and spread of this pest. As palm weevils are challenging to control based on conventional methods, elucidation of the mechanisms of pheromone detection opens new routes for mating disruption and the early detection of this pest via the development of pheromone receptor-based biosensors.

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Deciphering microbiota associated to Rhynchophorus ferrugineus in Italian samples: a preliminary study

Journal of Entomological and Acarological Research ◽

10.4081/jear.2012.e16 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 16 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Matteo Valzano ◽

Gabriele Achille ◽

Francesca Burzacca ◽

C. Damiani ◽

Patrizia Scuppa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Control Method ◽

Insect Pest ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Coconut Oil ◽

Pilot Project ◽

Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus ◽

Red Palm Weevil ◽

Larval Stages ◽

Palm Weevil ◽

Preliminary Study

The Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier, 1790) is the most dangerous and deadly pest of date, coconut, oil, sago and other palms. Recently introduced in the Mediterranean basin, it became the most relevant insect pest for ornamental palms in the urban environment. Given the development of an innovative control method based on symbiotic control, we have performed a pilot project to decrypt the microbiota associated to both adults and larval stages of the insect to identify potential tools for biocontrol agents against the Palm Weevil. A number of bacterial species were found associated with the insect. In particular, species of the genera Lactococcus, Proteus, and others were detected.

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Quarantine Protocol Against Coleopteran Borers in Date Palm Offshoots Using Eco2 Fume Gas

Outlooks on Pest Management ◽

10.1564/v31_aug_10 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 190-192

Author(s):

H.A. El-Shafie ◽

M.E. Mohammed ◽

A.A. Sallam

Keyword(s):

Date Palm ◽

Exposure Period ◽

Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus ◽

Internal Tissue ◽

Red Palm Weevil ◽

Rhinoceros Beetle ◽

Planting Material ◽

Palm Weevil ◽

Longhorn Beetle ◽

The World

Date palm offshoots represent an important source of planting material in many date palm-growing countries around the world. Infestation by the red palm weevil ((RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), the longhorn beetle ((LHB) Jebusaea hammerschmidti) and the rhinoceros beetle ((OB) Oryctes spp.) hinders commercialization and movement of these offshoots. An effective quarantine protocol, with exposure period of 72 h at 25 °C using ECO2FUME (EF) with phosphine concentration of 1500 ppm has been developed for date palm offshoots against these coleopteran internal tissue borers.

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