Endophytic Bacillus Bacteria Living in Sugarcane Plant Tissues and Telchin licus licus Larvae (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Castniidae): The Symbiosis That May Open New Paths in the Biological Control

Bacteria of the genus Bacillus can colonize endophytically and benefit several crops including the control of some pest orders. In view of the benefits provided by these microorganisms and in order to find out an efficient biotechnological control for the giant borer, our interest in studying the microorganisms in symbiosis with sugarcane and the giant borer has arisen, since there is no efficient chemical or biological control method for this pest. Therefore, endophytic Bacillus strains were isolated from three sugarcane niches (apoplast fluid, central internode cylinder and roots) and also from the giant borer larvae living inside sugarcane varieties grown in the Northeast region of Brazil. The taxonomical characterization (16S rRNA) of 157 Gram-positive isolates showed that 138 strains belonged to the Bacillus genus. The most representative species were phylogenetically closely related to B. megaterium (11.5%) followed by B. safensis (10.8%), B. cereus (8.9%), B. oleronius (8.9%), B. amyloliquefaciens (7.0%), and B. pacificus (6.4%). BOX-PCR analyses showed very distinct band pattern profiles suggesting a great diversity of Bacillus species within the sugarcane niches and the digestive tract, while the B. cereus group remained very closely clustered in the dendrogram. According to XRE biomarker analysis, eleven strains (FORCN005, 007, 008, 011, 012, 014, 067, 076, 092, 093, and 135) correspond to B. thuringiensis species. Additional studies using conserved genes (glp, gmk, pta, and tpi) indicated that most of these strains were phylogenetically closely related to B. thuringiensis and may be considered different subspecies. In conclusion, this study suggests that the culturable Bacillus species are greatly diversified within the plant niches and showed Bacillus species in the digestive tract of the giant borer for the first time. These results open new perspectives to understand the role and functions played by these microorganisms in symbiosis with this pest and also the possibility of developing an efficient biological control method for the giant borer using strains identified as the B. thuringiensis species.

Download Full-text

First description of the male of Cretaconiopteryx grandis Liu & Lu, 2017 (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) from the Cretaceous Burmese amber

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4674.4.7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4674 (4) ◽

pp. 482-490 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

HONGYU LI ◽

BO WANG ◽

XINGYUE LIU

Keyword(s):

Male Genitalia ◽

Upper Cretaceous ◽

Sister Group ◽

Sister Group Relationship ◽

Burmese Amber ◽

Representative Species ◽

First Time

The male of Cretaconiopteryx grandis Liu & Lu, 2017, which is the only representative species of the extinct dustywing subfamily Cretaconiopteryginae, is described for the first time from the Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber. The male genitalia, well preserved in the examined specimen, show a number of plesiomorphic characters, which support the sister group relationship between Coniopterygidae and the rest of extant lacewing families.

Download Full-text

First Report of a Gall Midge Species (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) Associated With Pistachios

Journal of Integrated Pest Management ◽

10.1093/jipm/pmaa022 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Farshid O Sirjani ◽

Edwin E Lewis

Keyword(s):

Gall Midge ◽

Species Level ◽

Plant Tissues ◽

First Report ◽

Branch Dieback ◽

First Time ◽

Level Identification

Abstract A new dipterous pest is reported, for the first time, on commercial pistachios from Sirjan, Kerman province, Iran. The genus of the insect was determined to be Resseliella Seitner (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Adults are light brown to brown in color and 0.8–1.5 mm in length with females, generally, slightly larger than males. Females have an elongated ovipositor, which is characteristic of the genus. Larvae are orange in color, 2–3 mm in length in the later instars, feed under bark without inducing galls, and cause branch dieback on trees of various ages. Brown to black discolorations are observed on plant tissues under bark where the larvae feed. Infestations observed on current and the previous—year’s growths, ranged from 0.5 to 1.2 cm in diameter, and all located in outer branches. Dry leaves and fruit clusters on infested branches remain attached, which may be used to recognize infestation by the gall midge. Dark-colored, sunken spots with splits on the bark located at the base of the wilted sections of the shoots also are symptoms of Resseliella sp. larval activity. Species-level identification of the gall midge is currently underway.

Download Full-text

Molecular imaging of plant-microbe interactions on the Brachypodium seed surface

The Analyst ◽

10.1039/d1an00205h ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yuchen Zhang ◽

Rachel Komorek ◽

Jiyoung Son ◽

Shawn Riechers ◽

Zihua Zhu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Molecular Imaging ◽

Plant Growth ◽

Crucial Role ◽

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria ◽

Plant Tissues ◽

Seed Surface ◽

Plant Growth Promoting ◽

Microbe Interactions ◽

Growth Promoting

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) play a crucial role in biological control and pathogenic defense on and within plant tissues, however the mechanism(s) by which plants associate with PGPR to elicit...

Download Full-text

Rearing Trissolcus japonicus and Trissolcus mitsukurii for Biological Control of Halyomorpha halys

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11110787 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 787

Author(s):

Giuseppino Sabbatini-Peverieri ◽

Christine Dieckhoff ◽

Lucrezia Giovannini ◽

Leonardo Marianelli ◽

Pio Federico Roversi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Control Method ◽

Egg Parasitoids ◽

Halyomorpha Halys ◽

Progeny Production ◽

Asian Origin ◽

Frequent Use ◽

Trissolcus Japonicus ◽

Cumulative Curves

Halyomorpha halys is a severe agricultural pest of Asian origin that has invaded many countries throughout the world. Pesticides are currently the favored control methods, but as a consequence of their frequent use, often disrupt Integrated Pest Management. Biological control with egg parasitoids is seen as the most promising control method over the long-term. Knowledge of the reproductive biology under laboratory conditions of the most effective candidates (Trissolcus japonicus and Trissolcus mitsukurii) for optimizing production for field releases is strongly needed. Rearing of these egg parasitoids was tested by offering three different host supply regimes using new emerged females and aged, host-deprived females in different combinations. Results showed a mean progeny per female ranging from 80 to 85 specimens for T. japonicus and from 63 to 83 for T. mitsukurii. Sex ratios were strongly female biased in all combinations and emergence rates exceeded 94% overall. Cumulative curves showed that longer parasitization periods beyond 10–14 days (under the adopted rearing regimes) will not lead to a significantly increase in progeny production. However, ageing females accumulate eggs in their ovaries that can be quickly laid if a sufficient number of host eggs are supplied, thus optimizing host resources. Our data showed that offering H. halys egg masses to host-deprived female Trissolcus once a week for three weeks allowed its eggs to accumulate in the ovary, providing the greatest number of offspring within a three week span.

Download Full-text

Acuariidae (Nematoda) in Procellariiformes (Aves) on the southern coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612017073 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 7-11

Author(s):

Camila Costa Schramm ◽

Carolina Silveira Mascarenhas ◽

Silvia Bainy Gastal ◽

Simone Scheer ◽

Gertrud Müller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Digestive Tract ◽

Rio Grande ◽

Southern Coast ◽

Rio Grande Do Sul ◽

Aquatic Birds ◽

Diomedea Exulans ◽

Procellaria Aequinoctialis ◽

Calonectris Borealis ◽

First Time

Abstract Acuariidae nematodes are normally found in the digestive tract of aquatic birds, including Procellariiformes. Were examined Calonectris borealis (n = 4), Diomedea exulans (n = 1), Macronectes giganteus (n = 8), Thalassarche chlororhynchos (n = 5), Thalassarche melanophrys (n = 15), Procellaria aequinoctialis (n = 4), Puffinus gravis (n = 2) and Puffinus puffinus (n = 6), collected on the southern coast of RS, Brazil. A total of 16 birds (35.5%) were parasitized by two species of Acuariidae. Stegophorus diomedeae and Seuratia shipleyi were identified, with prevalences of 26.1% and 21.7%, respectively. Few studies on nematodes in Procellariiformes have been conducted. Here, the acuariids Seuratia shipleyi in Calonectris borealis and Procellaria aequinoctialis and Stegophorus diomedeae in Diomedea exulans, Procellaria aequinoctialis and Thalassarche chlororhynchos were reported for the first time.

Download Full-text

Naturalized Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris Marsh (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) complement the resident parasitoid complex of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidopera:Gelechiidae) in Spain

10.1101/2021.05.27.445932 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Carmen Denis ◽

JORDI RIUDAVETS ◽

OSCAR ALOMAR ◽

NURIA AGUSTI ◽

HELENA GONZALEZ-VALERO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Biocontrol Agent ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Tuta Absoluta ◽

Parasitoid Complex ◽

Parasitism Rates ◽

Production Area ◽

Side Walls ◽

Predatory Mirid ◽

First Time

Our study aimed to assess the contribution of natural parasitism due to Necremnus tutae Ribes & Bernardo (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) to the biological control of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidopera:Gelechiidae) in commercial plots where an IPM program based on the use of predatory mirid bugs was implemented. During the samplings, the presence of another parasitoid was detected and, therefore, a second part of our study intended to identify this species and to evaluate the importance of its natural populations in the biological control of the pest. Leaflets with T. absoluta galleries were collected during 2017-2020 from commercial tomato plots in the horticultural production area of Catalonia (Northeast Spain), including greenhouses, open fields, and roof covered tunnels that lack side walls. In the laboratory, T. absoluta larvae were classified as ectoparasitized, alive, or dead. Reared parasitoids from ectoparasitized larvae were mostly morphologically identified as Necremnus sp. with parasitism rates that peaked in summer months with values between 9 and 15%. Some of these ectoparasitized larvae also yielded another parasitoid identified as Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris Marsh (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) by both morphological and molecular-DNA barcoding methods. In 2020, parasitism rates due to D. gelechiidivoris that increased with season up to 22%. Our work reports for the first time in Europe the presence of the neotropical species D. gelechiidivoris adding this biocontrol agent to the resident parasitoid complex of T. absoluta in Spain.

Download Full-text

The contribution of conservation biological control method to integrated plant protection and organic farming

Progress in Plant Protection ◽

10.14199/ppp-2018-040 ◽

2018 ◽

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Organic Farming ◽

Control Method ◽

Plant Protection ◽

Conservation Biological Control

Download Full-text

Enzyme-hydrolyzed Fruit of Jurinea mollis: A Rich Source of (-)-(8R,8′R)-Arctigenin

Natural Product Communications ◽

10.1177/1934578x1601101011 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 1934578X1601101 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rita Könye ◽

Ágnes Evelin Ress ◽

Anna Sólyomváry ◽

Gergő Tóth ◽

András Darcsi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Energy ◽

Plant Tissues ◽

Selective Isolation ◽

Isolation Method ◽

Specific Accumulation ◽

Fruit Wall ◽

Lignan Glycoside ◽

Nmr Methods ◽

First Time ◽

Low Energy Conformations

In Jurinea mollis fruit, the dibenzylbutyrolactone-type lignan glycoside arctiin and its aglycone arctigenin were determined for the first time using a combination of optimized enzymatic treatment and complementary spectrometric (HPLC-MS, GC-MS) and spectroscopic (CD and NMR) methods. Analysis of separated fruit parts, i.e., the fruit wall and embryo, demonstrated the specific accumulation of arctiin, since it was exclusively found in the embryo. Arctiin in the embryo samples (71.5 mg/g) was found to be quantitatively converted into arctigenin (50.7 mg/g) by endogenous enzymatic hydrolysis, resulting in one of the highest arctigenin-containing plant tissues reported to date and allowing the selective isolation of arctigenin by our recently reported three-step isolation method. The absolute configuration of the isolated arctigenin was determined to be (-)-(8 R,8′ R). Conformational analysis of arctigenin was also performed, resulting in three major low energy conformations.

Download Full-text

Biological Control of Tephritid Fruit Flies in the Americas and Hawaii: A Review of the Use of Parasitoids and Predators

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11100662 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 662

Author(s):

Flávio R. M. Garcia ◽

Sérgio M. Ovruski ◽

Lorena Suárez ◽

Jorge Cancino ◽

Oscar E. Liburd

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Fruit Fly ◽

Fruit Flies ◽

Economic Importance ◽

Parasitoid Species ◽

Control Programs ◽

First Time ◽

Tephritid Fruit Flies

Biological control has been the most commonly researched control tactic within fruit fly management programs. For the first time, a review is carried out covering parasitoids and predators of fruit flies (Tephritidae) from the Americas and Hawaii, presenting the main biological control programs in this region. In this work, 31 species of fruit flies of economic importance are considered in the genera Anastrepha (11), Rhagoletis (14), Bactrocera (4), Ceratitis (1), and Zeugodacus (1). In this study, a total of 79 parasitoid species of fruit flies of economic importance are listed and, from these, 50 are native and 29 are introduced. A total of 56 species of fruit fly predators occur in the Americas and Hawaii.

Download Full-text

Effect of Population Density of Pseudomonas fluorescens on Production of 2,4-Diacetylphloroglucinol in the Rhizosphere of Wheat

Phytopathology ◽

10.1094/phyto.1999.89.6.470 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 89 (6) ◽

pp. 470-475 ◽

Cited By ~ 152

Author(s):

Jos M. Raaijmakers ◽

Robert F. Bonsall ◽

David M. Weller

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Population Density ◽

Supporting Evidence ◽

Pseudomonas Spp ◽

Fluorescent Pseudomonas ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Rhizosphere Population ◽

First Time ◽

Take All

The role of antibiotics in biological control of soilborne pathogens, and more generally in microbial antagonism in natural disease-suppressive soils, often has been questioned because of the indirect nature of the supporting evidence. In this study, a protocol for high pressure liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry is described that allowed specific identification and quantitation of the antibiotic 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (Phl) produced by naturally occurring fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. on roots of wheat grown in a soil suppressive to take-all of wheat. These results provide, for the first time, biochemical support for the conclusion of previous work that Phl-producing fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. are key components of the natural biological control that operates in take-all—suppressive soils in Washington State. This study also demonstrates that the total amount of Phl produced on roots of wheat by P. fluorescens strain Q2-87, at densities ranging from approximately 105 to 107 CFU/g of root, is proportional to its rhizosphere population density and that Phl production per population unit is a constant (0.62 ng/105 CFU). Thus, Phl production in the rhizosphere of wheat is strongly related to the ability of the introduced strain to colonize the roots.

Download Full-text