scholarly journals Genomic signatures and insights into host niche adaptation of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium humberi

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Sant′Anna Iwanicki ◽  
Ana Beatriz Riguetti Zanardo Botelho ◽  
Ingeborg Klingen ◽  
Italo Delalibera Júnior ◽  
Simeon Rossmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Repetitive Sequences ◽  
Genome Structure ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Broad Host Range ◽  
Agricultural Pests ◽  
Genomic Signatures ◽  
Host Interaction ◽  
Niche Adaptation

Abstract The genus Metarhizium is composed of species used in biological control programes of agricultural pests worldwide. This genus includes common fungal pathogen of many insects and mites and endophytes that can increase plant growth. Metarhizium humberi was recently described as a new species. This species is highly virulent against some insect pests and promotes growth in sugarcane, strawberry, and soybean crops. In the present study, we sequenced the genome of M. humberi, isolate ESALQ1638, and performed a functional analysis to determine its genomic signatures and highlight the genes and biological processes associated with its lifestyle. The genome annotation predicted 10633 genes in M. humberi, of which 92.0% are assigned putative functions, and ∼17% of the genome was annotated as repetitive sequences. We found that 18.5% of the M. humberi genome is similar to experimentally validated proteins associated with pathogen-host interaction. Compared to the genomes of eight Metarhizium species, the M. humberi ESALQ1638 genome revealed some unique traits that stood out, e.g.,, more genes functionally annotated as polyketide synthases (PKs), overrepresended GO-terms associated to transport of ions, organic and amino acid, a higher percentage of repetitive elements, and higher levels of RIP-induced point mutations. The M. humberi genome will serve as a resource for promoting studies on genome structure and evolution that can contribute to research on biological control and plant biostimulation. Thus, the genomic data supported the broad host range of this species within the generalist PARB clade and suggested that M. humberi ESALQ1638 might be particularly good at producing secondary metabolites and might be more efficient in transporting amino acids an organics compounds.

scholarly journals First record of Ophiocordyceps dipterigena (Ascomycota: Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) infecting adults of Melanagromyza sojae (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldo Salgado-Neto ◽  
Priscila Andre Sanz-Veiga ◽  
Marcos André Braz Vaz
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Host Range ◽  
Entomopathogenic Fungi ◽  
Entomopathogenic Fungus ◽  
Adult Stage ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
First Record ◽  
Economic Importance ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Agricultural Pests

ABSTRACT: This note is the first report on the infection of adult stage of Melanagromyza sojae Zehntner, 1900 (Diptera: Agromyzidae) by the entomopathogenic fungus Ophiocordyceps dipterigena (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) (Berk. & Broome) G. H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, in subtropical Brazil. Entomopathogenic fungi, which attack dipteran insects, are of great scientific and economic importance mainly due to their potential as biological control agents of insect pests. Our findings bring new perspectives on the geographical distribution and host range of Ophiocordyceps dipterigena. We emphasize the need of further studies and research on new biological control agents of agricultural pests such as the soybean stem miner fly.

scholarly journals Niche overlap and daily activity pattern of social wasps (Vespidae: Polistinae) in kale crops

Sociobiology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Castro Jacques ◽  
Tiago Georg Pikart ◽  
Vinicius Silva Santos ◽  
Lucas Oliveira Vicente ◽  
Luís Cláudio Paterno Silveira
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Interspecific Interactions ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Social Wasps ◽  
Agricultural Pests ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Federal Institute ◽  
Education Science

Kale (Brassica oleraceae var. acephala) is of great importance in human nutrition and local agricultural economies, but its growth is impaired by the attack of several insect pests. Social wasps prey on these pests, but few studies report the importance of this predation or the potential use of wasps as biological control for agricultural pests. This study aimed to survey the species of social wasps that forage in kale (B. oleraceae var. acephala), recording the influence of temperature and time of day on the foraging behavior of these wasps. The research was conducted at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Minas Gerais - Bambuí Campus, from July to December 2015, when twelve collections of social wasps that foraged on a common area of kale cultivation were made, noting the temperature and time of collection for each wasp. Polybia ignobilis, Protonectarina sylveirae and Protopolybia sedula were the most common wasp species foraging in fields of kale. Interspecific interactions between wasp species did not affect their coexistence within kale fields, with peak foraging occurring between 1000 and 1100 hours. Social wasps are important predators of herbivorous insects in the agricultural environment and the coexistence of a great diversity of these predators can help control pest insects that occur in the crop. Moreover, knowing factors that influence foraging behaviors of common wasp species that occur in this crop is important for effective use of these insects in the biological control of pests.

scholarly journals Microorganisms as bioinsecticides; short review

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 274-279
Author(s):  
U. Isah ◽  
M.A. Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Pest Management ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Microbial Pathogens ◽  
Agricultural Pests ◽  
Safe Alternative ◽  
Develop Environment

Hundred thousand tons of chemical insecticides are used annually in Nigeria to combat insect disease vectors especially agricultural pests, but this sort of vector control method is gradually being substituted due to their  environmental effects on non-target beneficial insects especially vertebrates through contamination of food and water. To counteract this contamination, attention, efforts and researches were directed to the use of biological control agents including insect pathogens. As a result, the use of bio insecticide, as a component of integrated pest management (IPM), has been gaining acceptance over the world. Microbial pathogens comprise of organisms which cause disease, these organisms are disseminated in the pest population in large quantity in a manner similar to application of chemical pesticides.  Insects like other organisms are susceptible to a variety of diseases caused by different groups of microorganisms including virus, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes. Microbial pathogens of insects are intensively investigated to develop environment friendly pest management strategies in agriculture. Microbial insecticides represent today the best alternative to chemical insecticides in controlling insect pests, they are safe for non-target species and human health are believed to show low persistence in the environment. This short review indicates that microbial insecticides are the safe alternative way possessing all the requirements to replace chemical insecticides hence, they can be utilized in pest management and control. Keywords: Bio-insecticides, Microorganisms, biological control, pest, chemical insecticides

scholarly journals Integrative taxonomy and phylogeography of Telenomus remus (Scelionidae), with the first record of natural parasitism of Spodoptera spp. in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana P. G. S. Wengrat ◽  
Aloisio Coelho Junior ◽  
Jose R. P. Parra ◽  
Tamara A. Takahashi ◽  
Luis A. Foerster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
First Record ◽  
Mass Rearing ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Egg Parasitoid ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Agricultural Pests ◽  
Telenomus Remus ◽  
Natural Parasitism

AbstractThe egg parasitoid Telenomus remus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) has been investigated for classical and applied biological control of noctuid pests, especially Spodoptera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) species. Although T. remus was introduced into Brazil over three decades ago for classical biological control of S. frugiperda, this wasp has not been recorded as established in corn or soybean crops. We used an integrative approach to identify T. remus, combining a taxonomic key based on the male genitalia with DNA barcoding, using a cytochrome c oxidase subunit I mitochondrial gene fragment. This is the first report of natural parasitism of T. remus on S. frugiperda and S. cosmioides eggs at two locations in Brazil. We also confirmed that the T. remus lineage in Brazil derives from a strain in Venezuela (originally from Papua New Guinea and introduced into the Americas, Africa, and Asia). The occurrence of T. remus parasitizing S. frugiperda and S. cosmioides eggs in field conditions, not associated with inundative releases, suggests that the species has managed to establish itself in the field in Brazil. This opens possibilities for future biological control programs, since T. remus shows good potential for mass rearing and egg parasitism of important agricultural pests such as Spodoptera species.

scholarly journals Development and reproduction of Podisus distinctus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) fed on larva of Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)

2004 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Lacerda ◽  
A. M. R. M. Ferreira ◽  
T. V. Zanuncio ◽  
J. C. Zanuncio ◽  
A. S. Bernardino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Bombyx Mori ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Heteroptera Pentatomidae ◽  
Bombyx Mori L ◽  
Chemical Products ◽  
Coleoptera Tenebrionidae

Biological control has been reducing the use of chemical products against insect pests, specially predatory Pentatomidae. Species of this group can present high variations in their life cycle as a result of their diet. Thus, the objective of this research was to study nymph development and reproduction of Podisus distinctus (Stäl, 1860) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) fed on Bombyx mori L., 1758 (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) larvae (T1), compared to those fed on Tenebrio molitor L., 1758 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) (T2) and Musca domestica L., 1758 (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae (T3) at a temperature of 25 ± 0.5ºC, relative humidity of 70 ± 2%, and photophase of 12 h. Predators fed on B. mori showed duration of the nymph phase (18.68 ± 1.02) similar to those fed on T. molitor (18.32 ± 1.49). Pre-oviposition and oviposition periods and number of egg masses, besides eggs and nymphs per female, were higher with B. mori (5.83 ± 2.02; 15.00 ± 7.40; 8.42 ± 1.84; 296.69 ± 154.75; and 228.55 ± 141.04, respectively) while longevity of males and females of P. distinctus was 25.76 ± 16.15 and 35.00 ± 16.15 days with T. molitor, and 20.57 ± 13.60 and 23.46 ± 12.35 days with B. mori, respectively.

Carabidae (Coleoptera) in Nova Scotia, Canada wild blueberry fields: prospects for biological control

2012 ◽  
Vol 144 (6) ◽  
pp. 779-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.C. Cutler ◽  
J.M. Renkema ◽  
C.G. Majka ◽  
J.M. Sproule
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Conservation Biological Control ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Wild Blueberries ◽  
Wild Blueberry

AbstractThe Carabidae (Coleoptera) are a diverse family of beetles with almost 300 species identified in Nova Scotia, Canada. Carabid beetle communities have been studied in several agricultural systems, but not wild blueberries, an important crop in eastern Canada. In the interest of potentially developing conservation biological control programs in wild blueberry, we collected Carabidae in crop (fruit-bearing) and sprout (vegetative) blueberry fields in Nova Scotia in order to assess species diversity and abundance over space and time. Over 3200 specimens were collected, representing 51 species. A large portion of collected specimens (39%) were nonnative, and the most abundant species were generally predacious and synanthropic. Species diversity tended to be higher near forest edges than further into fields, but not for all abundant species. Several of the most prominent predators showed significant differences in preference of crop versus sprout fields, distribution throughout fields, and seasonable abundance. These findings have implications for conservation biological control efforts with carabid beetles against several insect pests in wild blueberry.

scholarly journals Myco-Biocontrol of Insect Pests: Factors Involved, Mechanism, and Regulation

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sardul Singh Sandhu ◽  
Anil K. Sharma ◽  
Vikas Beniwal ◽  
Gunjan Goel ◽  
Priya Batra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Insect Pest ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Attractive Alternative ◽  
Insect Pest Control ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Chemical Inputs ◽  
Chemical Pesticides

The growing demand for reducing chemical inputs in agriculture and increased resistance to insecticides have provided great impetus to the development of alternative forms of insect-pest control. Myco-biocontrol offers an attractive alternative to the use of chemical pesticides. Myco-biocontrol agents are naturally occurring organisms which are perceived as less damaging to the environment. Their mode of action appears little complex which makes it highly unlikely that resistance could be developed to a biopesticide. Past research has shown some promise of the use of fungi as a selective pesticide. The current paper updates us about the recent progress in the field of myco-biocontrol of insect pests and their possible mechanism of action to further enhance our understanding about the biological control of insect pests.

The Agricultural Pests of the Southern Provinces, Nigeria

1914 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. Lamborn
Keyword(s):  
Insect Pests ◽  
Limited Area ◽  
Careful Study ◽  
Agricultural Pests ◽  
General Survey ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Western Province

The following notes embody the results of observations made during a year of service (May 1913 to May 1914) as the Entomologist in the Agricultural Department of the Southern Provinces, Nigeria. They do not, however, pretend to cover more than a very limited area of the Western Province, for on account of the desirability of beginning the work by making myself acquainted with local conditions by a careful study of the insect problems at the head-quarters of the Department, at Moor Plantation, Ibadan, I suggested that the first few months of my tour should be spent there, hoping afterwards to be afforded an opportunity, which unfortunately was not forthcoming, of making a more general survey of the insect pests of the country. I have confined my remarks to insects which are to be looked on as real pests, and have made no reference to the bionomics of other insects which I have observed to be associated with the indigenous flora. I have classified the pests according to the plant attacked, and have added to my account of each notes as to the measures found useful in dealing with them.

In silico approach to predict the SARS-CoV2 derived candidate miRNAs as potential antiviral therapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soudabeh Kavousi Pour ◽  
Shiva Mohammadi ◽  
Ebrahim Eftekhar ◽  
Sajad Jalili ◽  
Elham Arabizadeh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Infection ◽  
Immune Escape ◽  
Genome Structure ◽  
Antiviral Agents ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Viral Disease ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Viral Mirnas ◽  
Host Interaction ◽  
Viral Virulence

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a contagious disease originating from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). Previous experimental studies indicate that viral miRNAs (vMirs) have essential functions in pathogen-host interaction, immune escape, host cell death, and tumorigenesis during viral infection. MiRNAs are small, single-stranded RNAs that exist in viruses as well as in animals. Thus, these molecules can play a pivotal role in viral disease pathogenesis. Objective: Since no approved drugs or vaccines currently exist for SARS-CoV2 and its pathogenic mechanism is unknown, we explored and proposed viral microRNAs (vmiRNAs) platforms as potential antiviral therapeutic agents against its SARS-CoV2. Therefore, the development of antiviral drugs to target vmiRNAs may result in down-regulation of viral virulence genes expression and suppression of viral proliferation. Methods: In this study, to attain insight into the potential role of SARS-CoV2 derived miRNAs in the viral infection background, we used a set of computational methods to scan the SARS-CoV2 genome that finally led to computationally predicted 13 potential candidate viral microRNAs. Furthermore, we expected the potential genes in a human host that were the target of these candidate vmiRNAs by applying mirPath software. Results: Our study proposed a theory indicating that these predicted viral miRNAs might have a plausible role in altering human target gene expression, mainly contributing to the viral infectious state, inflammation, and immune system escape. This vmiRNAs maight have therapeutic trends as antiviral agents against Covid-19 infection. Conclusion: These findings offer a reference idea for a supplementary study on miRNA identification as a drug target and the necessity to increase understanding of SARS-CoV2 genome structure for better combat against the virus.

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