Development of a semiochemical-based trapping technique for efficient control of Odoiporus longicollis Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
S. Palanichamy ◽  
T. Boopathi ◽  
S. Uma

Abstract The banana stem weevil, Odoiporus longicollis Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an important economic insect pest of bananas throughout the world. In this study, several important volatile substances were analysed to develop a semiochemical-based trapping technique for the control of O. longicollis. Electroantennogram responses of both sexes were associated with electroantennogram-active compounds (1-hexanol, 1-heptanol, cis-3-Nonen-1-ol, methyl jasmonate, and terpenoids such as (–)-linalool, (+)-(1R)-α-pinene, (–)-(1S)-α-pinene, and 1,8-cineole) and then were analysed using a Y-tube olfactometer. The results revealed that only methyl jasmonate and 1-hexanol elicited strong behavioural responses in O. longicollis. These two semiochemicals and the host plant extract were evaluated individually and in a mixture for their efficiencies in attracting O. longicollis in order to develop a semiochemical-based trapping technique. The methyl jasmonate + host plant extract and 1-hexanol + host plant extract mixtures captured more weevils (> 3.5 times) than the host plant extract alone did in both high- and low-altitude regions. The captured weevils were female-dominated, with a mean sex ratio of 1:1.29 (males:females). This is the first report on the use of methyl jasmonate or 1-hexanol and the host plant extract as a potential attractant in mass trapping and managing O. longicollis.

Author(s):  
Ran Wang ◽  
Yuan Hu ◽  
Peiling Wei ◽  
Cheng Qu ◽  
Chen Luo

Abstract Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) of insects play a critical role in chemical perceptions and choice of insect host plant. Bemisia tabaci is a notorious insect pest which can damage more than 600 plant species. In order to explore functions of OBPs in B. tabaci, here we investigated binding characteristics and function of odorant-binding protein 3 in B. tabaci (BtabOBP3). The results indicated that BtabOBP3 shows highly similar sequence with OBPs of other insects, including the typical signature motif of six cysteines. The recombinant BtabOBP3 protein was obtained, and the evaluation of binding affinities to tested volatiles of host plant was conducted, then the results indicated that β-ionone had significantly higher binding to BtabOBP3 among other tested plant volatiles. Furthermore, silencing of BtabOBP3 significantly altered choice behavior of B. tabaci to β-ionone. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that BtabOBP3 exerts function as one carrier of β-ionone and the results could be contributed to reveal the mechanisms of choosing host plant in B. tabaci.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-77
Author(s):  
Nguyen Ngoc Bao Chau ◽  
Le Thuy To Nhu

Big-eyed bugs Geocoris spp. (Lygaeidae, Hemiptera) are small insects that is found in many parts of the world. They are beneficial because they eat a multitude of insect pests in agriculture. Big-eyed bugs Geocoris spp. are insects that receive research attention in Florida and elsewhere because of the benefits that this species give to plants (Mead, 2001). Big-eyed bugs reproduce many generations in a year on weeds, perennial crops, bushes. In spring the female big-eyed bugs start laying eggs on the bud, the leaves of the host plant. Understanding the biology and the role of predator Geocoris spp. in ecosystem will provide an alternative method in sustainable agriculture development. In this short review, we discuss some convenient diets for the application of mass rearing Geocoris spp.


Author(s):  
Abichal Poudel ◽  
Karuna Kafle

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a very important vegetable crop of the world. However, there is a huge loss in tomato production due to pest and disease incidence. Tomato leaf miner is a devastating pest of tomato and other Solanaceous crops in many vegetable crop growing areas around the world and it also attacks non-solanaceous crops. The larva is the most devastating stage of tomato leaf miner. After egg hatching, the larvae feed on tomato fruits, leaves, flower buds, and young shoots and create mines and galleries. Larval feeding may reduce tomato production by 80-100 % in an open field as well as in a plastic house if no control measures are carried out. Chemical control has been found ineffective due to a wide host range and has developed resistance to dozens of pesticides. Hence, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices involving mass trapping of the pest using pheromone trap, biological control by a predator, parasitoid, entomopathogenic microbes, including cultural practices should be implemented for the effective control of this pest.


2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rimantas Rakauskas

AbstractInformation on the Aphis species that feed on evening primroses (Oenothera spp.) has been summarized in the catalogue of the aphid species inhabiting herbaceous plants of the world (Blackman & Eastop, 2006). Recent descriptions of the European species, A. holoenotherae (Rakauskas, 2007), that appeared to be a sibling of the American A. oenotherae, demonstrated the need of reexamining the current state of knowledge of the Aphis species inhabiting evening primroses in Europe. The present study, based on published original data, revealed nine aphid species of the genus Aphis which are capable of living on Oenothera plants in Europe. Only two of them are really dependent on Oenothera species during their life cycle: A. oenotherae Oestlund and A. holoenotherae Rakauskas. They have different life cycles and host plant spectrum, although they are very close in their morphology. Processus terminalis length appeared to be the most reliable morphological character in distinguishing between apterous and alate viviparous females, and males of A. oenotherae and A. holoenotherae at the present time. A. grossulariae is not a typical Oenothera-feeder in Europe, occurring on evening primroses only by chance. Other Aphis species (epilobiaria, fabae, sambuci, praeterita, frangulae, nasturtii), are opportunistic inhabitants of Oenothera plants. Information about host specificity and morphology of the Oenothera-inhabiting European Aphis species is summarized, and a key for the entire range of species found living on European Oenothera is provided.


Author(s):  
Hamilton Octavio Intriago- Reyna ◽  
Fernando José Rivas- Figueroa ◽  
Álvaro Mauricio Rivera- Casignia ◽  
Pablo Israel Álvarez- Romero ◽  
Ana Francisca Tibúrcia Amorim Ferreira e Ferreira

Strawberry crown rot is one of the most important diseases in Ecuador, with an incidence of up to 70% in the field. In the world, the strawberry crown rot is caused by different etiological agents, which makes efficient control of the disease difficult. In this study, 12 samples of strawberry plants were collected, at different stages of disease development, to determine the causative agent in Ecuador. The fungal isolates, consistent with the isolation, were identified and characterized using molecular and morphological approaches, and finally, Koch's postulate was carried out. Based on the form of growth, mycelial color, conidial morphology, and molecular characteristics (sequencing of the ITS and EF-1α region), the pathogen associated with the symptoms showed 99% similarity with the species Neopestalotiopsis mesopotamica. The result of Koch's postulates showed symptoms similar to those observed in field plants, in addition, the same inoculated isolate was recovered from artificially inoculated tissues. This is the first report of this fungus causing strawberry crown rot in Ecuador and in the world.


2015 ◽  
Vol 106 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Wu ◽  
F. Li ◽  
Z. Li ◽  
V. Stejskal ◽  
Z. Kučerová ◽  
...  

AbstractCryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens, 1831) is an important insect pest of stored products. Due to its broad host range, short life cycle, and high reproductive capacity, this species has rapidly colonized temperate and tropical regions around the world. In this study, we isolated 18 novel polymorphic microsatellite loci from an enriched genomic library based on a biotin/streptavidin capture protocol. These loci will be useful tool to better understand the genetic structure and migration patterns of C. ferrugineus throughout the world. The genetic parameters were estimated based on 80 individual C. ferrugineus from two natural populations. The results revealed that 18 loci were different polymorphic levels. The numbers of alleles ranged from 3 to 12, and eleven loci demonstrated polymorphic information contents greater than 0.5. The observed (HO) and expected (HE) heterozygosities ranged from 0.051 to 0.883 and 0.173 to 0.815, respectively. Five locus/population combinations significantly deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. We also demonstrated the potential utility of the C. ferrugineus microsatellites as population and species markers for four additional Cryptolestes species.


Genome ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao-Yu Ge ◽  
Pin-Jun Wan ◽  
Guo-Qing Li ◽  
Yong-gui Xia ◽  
Zhao-Jun Han

The striped rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker), is a major pest for rice production in China and the rest of Southeast Asia. Chemical control is the main means to alleviate losses due to this pest, which causes serious environmental pollution. An effective and environmentally friendly approach is needed for the management of the striped rice stem borer. Cysteine proteases in insects could be useful targets for pest management either through engineering plant protease inhibitors, targeting insect digestive cysteine proteases, or through RNA interference-based silencing of cysteine proteases, disrupting developmental regulation of insects. In this study, eight cysteine protease-like genes were identified and partially characterized. The genes CCO2 and CCL4 were exclusively expressed in the larval gut, and their expression was affected by the state of nutrition in the insect. The expression of CCL2, CCL3, and CCO1 was significantly affected by the type of host plant, suggesting a role in host plant – insect interactions. Our initial characterization of the striped rice stem borer cysteine protease-like genes provides a foundation for further research on this important group of genes in this major insect pest of rice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 803-809
Author(s):  
Edi A Malo ◽  
Verónica Gutiérrez-Escobar ◽  
Federico Castrejón-Ayala ◽  
Julio C Rojas

Abstract The weevil Metamasius spinolae (Gyllenhal) is the most important insect pest of cultivated prickly pear in Mexico. A previous work reported that the pheromone of this weevil species was composed by three components. In this study, we reinvestigated the aggregation pheromone of M. spinolae using gas chromatography-electroantennography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to locate and identify new potential pheromonal compounds. The behavioral activity of identified compounds was evaluated in laboratory and field trials. Metamasius spinolae males released four compounds: 2-methyl-4-heptanone, 6-methyl-2-hepten-4-one, 2-methyl-4-octanone, and 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-heptanone. In the laboratory assays, depending on the concentration, the compounds were attractive, neutral, or repellent to M. spinolae. Field evaluation showed that traps baited with 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-heptanone singly or in most of the binary or tertiary blends where this compound was present captured a higher number of M. spinolae compared to live males and the other compounds identified. In conclusion, our results indicate that 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-heptanone is the main component of the aggregation pheromone of M. spinolae. We suggest that this compound should be used for developing a monitoring or a mass-trapping system for M. spinolae.


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