scholarly journals Can Isogroup Selection of Highly Zoophagous Lines of a Zoophytophagous Bug Improve Biocontrol of Spider Mites in Apple Orchards?

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 303 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Dumont ◽  
Denis Réale ◽  
Éric Lucas
Keyword(s):  
Pest Control ◽  
Spider Mite ◽  
Apple Fruit ◽  
Apple Orchard ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Predator Population ◽  
Net Benefit ◽  
Diet Specialization ◽  
Campylomma Verbasci ◽  
Selection Of

Zoophytophagous predators provide benefits in agroecosystems when feeding on pests, but they can also cause crop damage. Optimizing the use of zoophytophagous predators as biocontrol agents would require improving pest control and/or limiting damage. Populations of a zoophytophagous species can be composed of a mix of individuals diverging in their level of diet specialization. Consequently, depending on their level of zoophagy, individuals would vary widely in the benefits and risks they provide to pest management. We tested the hypothesis that manipulating the composition of the population of a zoophytophagous insect, the mullein bug, Campylomma verbasci (Hemiptera: Miridae), towards an increased zoophagy would increase their net benefit in an apple orchard. We compared the inherent benefits and risks of two different isogroup lines of mullein bug that genetically differed in their level of zoophagy. In spring, when damage occurs, both strains infrequently punctured apple fruit, which rarely lead to damage and therefore represented a low risk. During summer, only the highly-zoophagous line impacted the spider mite population, while the lowly-zoophagous line did not differ from the control treatments. We concluded that manipulating the composition of the zoophytophagous predator population provided extra net benefits that improved pest control.

Effects of free-range chickens and geese on insect pests and weeds in an agroecosystem

1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Sean Clark ◽  
Stuart H. Gage
Keyword(s):  
Insect Pests ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Apple Fruit ◽  
Apple Orchard ◽  
Japanese Beetle ◽  
Plum Curculio ◽  
Free Range ◽  
Domestic Bird

AbstractWe evaluated the effects of free-range chickens and geese on insect pests and weeds in an experimental, nonchemical agroecosystem consisting of an apple orchard with intercropped potatoes. The objective was to assess the potential of these domestic bird species as biological control agents. Four insect pests were studied: plum curculio, apple maggot, Japanese beetle, and Colorado potato beetle. Chickens fed on several potential crop pests, including Japanese beetle. Although Japanese beetles were less abundant on apple trees when chickens were present, the proportion of damaged fruit was not reduced. Furthermore, chickens did not affect weed abundance or crop productivity. In contrast, geese were effective weeders. Their activities reduced weed abundance and increased potato plant growth and yields compared with a minimally weeded control. In addition, the activities of geese indirectly reduced apple fruit damage by plum curculio and increased the proportion of pest-free fruit, possibly because removal of vegetation by the geese reduced humidity at the soil surface and therefore reduced the activity of plum curculio.

Flowers for better pest control? Effects of apple orchard groundcover management on mites (Acari), leafminers (Lepidoptera, Scitellidae), and fruit pests

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viktor Markó ◽  
Gábor Jenser ◽  
Krisztina Mihályi ◽  
Tamás Hegyi ◽  
Klára Balázs
Keyword(s):  
Pest Control ◽  
Apple Orchard

Polybutenes in Orchard Pest Control

1962 ◽  
Vol 94 (11) ◽  
pp. 1222-1227 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Downing
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Pest Control ◽  
Spider Mite ◽  
Panonychus Ulmi ◽  
Phytophagous Mites ◽  
European Red Mite ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Methods Of Control

In British Columbia the control of phytophagous mites, especially the European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch), and the McDaniel spider mite, Tetranychus mcdanieli McG., is becoming increasingly difficult, mainly because of the mites' ability to develop resistance to most acaricides in a relatively short time (3). Because of this, methods of control other than strictly chemical are examined at every opportunity.

scholarly journals Environmental RNA interference in two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, reveals dsRNA processing requirements for efficient RNAi response

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Bensoussan ◽  
Sameer Dixit ◽  
Midori Tabara ◽  
David Letwin ◽  
Maja Milojevic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Interference ◽  
Tetranychus Urticae ◽  
Pest Control ◽  
Spider Mite ◽  
26S Proteasome ◽  
Rnai Pathway ◽  
Rnai Machinery ◽  
Two Spotted Spider Mite ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract Comprehensive understanding of pleiotropic roles of RNAi machinery highlighted the conserved chromosomal functions of RNA interference. The consequences of the evolutionary variation in the core RNAi pathway genes are mostly unknown, but may lead to the species-specific functions associated with gene silencing. The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is a major polyphagous chelicerate pest capable of feeding on over 1100 plant species and developing resistance to pesticides used for its control. A well annotated genome, susceptibility to RNAi and economic importance, make T. urticae an excellent candidate for development of an RNAi protocol that enables high-throughput genetic screens and RNAi-based pest control. Here, we show that the length of the exogenous dsRNA critically determines its processivity and ability to induce RNAi in vivo. A combination of the long dsRNAs and the use of dye to trace the ingestion of dsRNA enabled the identification of genes involved in membrane transport and 26S proteasome degradation as sensitive RNAi targets. Our data demonstrate that environmental RNAi can be an efficient reverse genetics and pest control tool in T. urticae. In addition, the species-specific properties together with the variation in the components of the RNAi machinery make T. urticae a potent experimental system to study the evolution of RNAi pathways.

An Imprecise Eco-Epidemic Model with Pesticide in Relevance to Agricultural Pest Control

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (03) ◽  
pp. 109-131
Author(s):  
Anjana Das ◽  
M. Pal
Keyword(s):  
Pest Control ◽  
Dynamical Behavior ◽  
Predator Population ◽  
Agricultural Pest ◽  
Stability Criteria ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Predator Prey Model ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Existence And Stability ◽  
Imprecise Parameters

In this paper, we have proposed and analyzed an agricultural pest control system. For this purpose, an eco-epidemiological type predator–prey model has been proposed with the consideration of a sound predator population and two classes of pest populations namely susceptible pest and infected pest. Further to consider uncertainty, we modify our model and transform it into a fuzzy system with incorporation of imprecise parameters. The dynamical behavior of the proposed model has been investigated by examining the existence and stability criteria of all feasible equilibria. An optimal control problem is formed by considering the pesticide control as the control parameter and then the problem is solved both theoretically and numerically with the help of some computer simulation works.

FECUNDITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MULLEIN BUG, CAMPYLOMMA VERBASCI (MEYER) (HETEROPTERA: MIRIDAE)

1991 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 595-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.F. Smith ◽  
J.H. Borden
Keyword(s):  
Normal Distribution ◽  
Frequency Distribution ◽  
Spider Mite ◽  
Oviposition Period ◽  
Twospotted Spider Mite ◽  
Period Range ◽  
Developmental Threshold ◽  
Rate Of Development ◽  
Campylomma Verbasci ◽  
Black Beauty

AbstractThe mullein bug, Campylomma verbasci (Meyer), was successfully established on eggplant cv. “Black Beauty” using the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, as a source of prey for early instars. Colony-raised teneral females lived 17.4±0.8 days (mean±SE) at 25°C, and their progeny averaged 6.7±0.6 nymphs per 48-h oviposition period (range 0–36). Fecundity peaked during days 6–10 and declined steadily beyond day 16. Over their lifespans, females produced eggs that hatched into 37.5±8.2 nymphs (range 2–184). Eggs from a 24-h oviposition period required from 7.2±0.1 days at 27°C to 13.0±0.2 days at 20°C for 100% hatch. An estimated developmental threshold of 9.5°C (r2 = 0.50) was obtained using the equation: rate of development = −0.075 + 0.008 (temperature). The frequency distribution of hatch at each of four constant temperatures was unimodal and approximated a normal distribution. Nymphal development at 22°C required 2.8±0.2, 3.8±0.2, 4.0±0.3, 3.9±0.2, and 6.0±0.3 days for instars 1–5, respectively.

scholarly journals Enhancement of Baculoviruses' Insecticidal Potency by Expression of Synergistic Anti-Insect Scorpion Toxins

1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nor Chejanovsky ◽  
Bruce D. Hammock
Keyword(s):  
Pest Control ◽  
Insecticidal Activity ◽  
Recombinant Baculovirus ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Recombinant Baculoviruses ◽  
Viral Promoter ◽  
Insect Toxins

The extensive use or non-specific, hazardous, chemical insecticides demands the development of "healthier" alternative means for pest control. Insect-specific, baculoviruses expressing anti-insect toxin genes (from mites or scorpions) demonstrated in laboratory assays and field trials enhanced insecticidal activity and provided some protection from lepidopterous larvae to agricultural plantations. To utilize recombinant baculoviruses as commercial biopesticides in row crop agriculture, further increase in their speed of kill should be achieved and the reduction in crop damage should be comparable to the levels obtained with organic insecticides (the problem). In this project we developed strategies to improve further the efficacy of recombinant baculoviruses which included: I) Synergism among baculoviruses expressing different anti-insect toxins: a) Synergism among two complementary anti-insect scorpion neurotoxins each expressed by a separate recombinant baculovirus, both regulated by the same or a different viral promoter. b) Synergism among two complementary anti-insect scorpion neurotoxins expressed by the same recombinant virus, both regulated by the same or a different viral promoter respectively. The above included two classes of pharmacologically complementary toxins: i) toxins with strictly anti-insect selectivity (excitatory and depressant); ii) toxins with preferential anti-insect activity (anti-insect alpha toxins). c) Synergism among wild type viruses, recombinant baculoviruses and chemicals (insecticides and phytochemicals) II) Identification of more potent toxins against lepidopterous pests for their expression by baculoviruses. Our approach was based on the synergistic effect displayed by the combined application of pairs of anti-insect toxins to blowfly and lepidopterous larvae that resulted in 5 fold increase in their insecticidal activity without apparent increase in their anti-mammal toxicity (toxins LqhIT2 and LqhaIT, LqhIT2 and AaIT, and LqhaIT and AaIT (1). Thus, we developed new concepts and produced a "second generation" of recombinant baculoviruses with enhanced potencies and speeds of kill comparable to classical insecticides. These achievements contribute to make these biopesticides a viable alternative to minimize the use of hazardous chemicals in pest control. Also, our project contributed new tools and model systems to advance the study of insect sodium channels.

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