Intraspecific Divergence of the Colorado Beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineataSay (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) on the Territory of the USSR and Russia

The article presents the results of more than 40 years of research on the intraspecific variability and divergent microevolution of the Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB) during its expansion in the USSR and Russia. In this part of the species secondary area, 9 of its allopatric forms were mapped at the level of races (ecotypes), including 2 new ecotypes - northern and Azerbaijani, were identified in the last 5 years. To indicate ecotypes in the CPB area, the methods of classical population phenetics are applied. Ecotypes of the pest were formed in various potato-growing agro-climatic zones and differ in the individuals occurrence frequency with 9 types (morphs) of the imago pronotum pattern. Long-term changes in the phenetic structure of individual pest ecotypes over a period of 30-40 years were revealed. This indicates the continuation of microevolutionary processes in the CPB within the realized area due to the instability of the ecological situation in the agroecosystems. Under these conditions, the main inducers of divergent processes in pest populations are the agricultural production factors - for example, the resistant potato varieties such as Peterburgskiy, Ryabinushka, Sudaryinya and others.

Potato protection system with preparations of the company “Agrorus & Co.”

The results of tests of the potato protection system with chemical preparations of the company “Agrorus & Co” in the conditions of the Moscow region on Favorit and Sante varieties are presented. The results of the tests showed that the use of herbicides reduced the number of perennial weeds by 87,3% and annual weeds by 91,4 %. The prevalence of alternariasis on the date of the last accounting relative to the control (78,8%) decreased by 1,7 times, and the degree of development by 2,7 times, late blight – on the susceptible variety of the tops of Santa almost twice, and the degree of development by 3,4 times. The biological effectiveness against the Colorado beetle of preparations for pre-planting treatment was 96,9-100,0%, and for preparations during the growing season – 99,5-100,0%. The increase in gross and commercial yield on the Favorite variety was 56,3% and 58,2%, respectively, on the Santa variety – 31,4% and 32,8% compared to the control.

From arsenic to DDT: Pesticides, Fascism and the invisibility of toxic risks in the early years of Francoist Spain (1939-1953)

This paper reviews the way in which Spanish agriculture climbed onto the pesticide treadmill. We claim that Fascist policies and expert advice assembled in the early 1940s accelerated the introduction of pesticides into Spanish agriculture and promoted the emergence of the Spanish pesticide industry in the times of autarky. Agricultural engineers were the key protagonists in this process, but other human and non-human actors also played a pivotal role: a new pest (the Colorado beetle), Francoist politicians, farmers, landowners and industry managers. Our focus is on the use of pesticides against the Colorado beetle (the main threat to the potato crop), and the transition from arsenical pesticides to DDT during the 1940s. We discuss how the politics of autarky offered new opportunities for developing agronomic programmes and the chemical industry and led to the creation of the Register of Pesticides in 1942. We also discuss the role of these regulations in concealing the risks of pesticides from farmers and food consumers. Arsenic pesticides became sources of slow poisoning and tools for social control while reinforcing the alliance of agricultural engineers and Fascist politicians in their autarkic and authoritarian projects. When DDT arrived in Spain, the agricultural engineers praised the low toxicity it had demonstrated (compared to lead arsenate) in its first uses in public health and in military campaigns in Italy. Indeed, the data concerning its potential dangers disappeared from view thanks in part to a large multimedia campaign launched to promote the introduction of the new organic pesticides in Spanish agriculture, which is described at the end of the paper.

The prospect of using a necrotic protective barrier in the creation of potato varieties resistant to the Colorado potato beetle

The purpose of the research was to investigate the effectiveness of the necrotic protective barrier in creating resistance to the Colorado beetle in potatoes. Methods. The research was carried out in a field experiment according to the accepted methodology for 3 years. The research involved 30 different potato varieties grown in conditions of the Cis-Ural forest-steppe of the Bashkortostan Republic. The analysis was focused on the correlation between the leaf blade hypersensitive response intensity on the Colorado potato beetle egg clutch on the one hand, and the level of plant resistance to the pest and loss of tuber yield from damage by parasite on the other side. Results. There was observed a strong association between the resistance of potato tops and the plant yield (the correlation coefficient is 0.763–0.804) when potatoes are grown without the control of the phytophage number. When growing potato varieties with insecticide application, the productivity of plants practically did not depend on their resistance level to phytophage. There has been found a strong positive correlation between the hypersensitive reaction of the leaf blades to Colorado beetle egg disposition and the resistance of different potato varieties to the pest (correlation coefficient 0.568–0.671). On the contrary, the relationship between the hypersensitive response of the leaf blades to the egg clutch and the decrease in yields was negative (correlation coefficient –0.646...–0.763). Based on the analysis of the obtained data, it is concluded that the stability of potatoes and the reduced loss of tuber yields from pest damage are closely related to the potato leaf response against the Colorado beetle clutch. The use of a necrotic protective barrier is a promising direction in breeding potato varieties resistant to the Colorado potato beetle. The scientific novelty lies in the study of the possible application of a new type of resistance and creating on this basis potato tolerance donors against the Colorado beetle.

Problems and successes in potato protection from Colorado potato beetle

В итоге расселения и адаптации в новых регионах колорадский жук остается первостепенным вредителем картофеля. В РФ за последнее десятилетие наблюдается определенное снижение его распространения, вызванное развитием более эффективных приемов и средств защиты. Сильными сторонами колорадского жука, создающими проблемы в защите от него, являются высокие миграционные способности, репродуктивный потенциал, жизнестойкость, экологическая пластичность, многообразие и лабильность жизненного цикла, тесная сопряженность с картофелем, феноменальная способность к развитию резистентности к инсектицидам. На примере многолетних наблюдений в Азербайджане показан адаптивный ответ колорадского жука на климатические изменения последнего времени. Рассматриваются возможности и перспективы агротехнического, селекционного, биотехнологического, биологического и химического методов. Обзор ассортимента и развития методов и средств защиты картофеля от колорадского жука приводит к заключению, что столь адаптивному вредителю следует противопоставлять многообразную, гибкую и динамичную интегрированную защиту. В антирезистентных стратегиях обработок практикуют чередование инсектицидов разных групп и использование комплексных, 2- 3-компонентных препаратов. Одним из наиболее новых и интересных направлений является разработка так называемых РНК-инсектицидов. Их действующим началом служат синтезированные короткие последовательности РНК, способные блокировать экспрессию определенных генов вредителя, нарушая его жизнедеятельность. В испытаниях против колорадского жука их применяют как путем обработки растений, так и трансгенным переносом в геном хлоропластов картофеля. Расшифровка генома колорадского жука, произошедшая в 2018 году, не выявила каких-либо особых генетических систем, связанных с его резистентной способностью. При этом обнаружилась значительная роль коротких молекул РНК в регуляции действия генов, что позволяет рассчитывать на успех РНК-интерференции. Необходимо сохранять и развивать широкую базу методов, направлений и средств. Ведущую роль в системе продолжают играть истребительные меры, среди которых появляются все более специфичные и безопасные. В качестве стратегической цели развития можно рассматривать понижение вредоносного статуса колорадского жука до уровня ординарного вредителя. As a result of dispersal and adaptation in new regions, the Colorado potato beetle remains the primary pest of potatoes. In the Russian Federation, over the past decade, there has been a certain decrease in its distribution, caused by the development of more effective methods and means of protection. The strengths of the Colorado potato beetle, which create problems in protection against it, are high migratory abilities, reproductive potential, vitality, ecological plasticity, diversity and lability of the life cycle, close association with potatoes, phenomenal ability to develop resistance to insecticides. On the example of long-term observations in Azerbaijan, the adaptive response of the Colorado potato beetle to recent climatic changes is shown. The possibilities and prospects of agrotechnical, breeding, biotechnological, biological and chemical methods are considered. A review of the assortment and development of methods and means of protecting potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle leads to the conclusion that such an adaptive pest should be opposed with a diverse, flexible and dynamic integrated protection. In anti-resistant treatment strategies, alternating insecticides of different groups and the use of complex, 2-3-component preparations are practiced. One of the most new and interesting directions is the development of so called RNA insecticides. Their active principle is synthesized short RNA sequences that can block the expression of certain pest genes, disrupting its life activity. In tests against the Colorado beetle, they are used both by processing plants and by transgenic transfer to the genome of potato chloroplasts. Decoding the genome of the Colorado beetle, which occurred in 2018, did not reveal any special genetic systems associated with its resistance ability. At the same time, a significant role of short RNA molecules in regulating the action of genes was found, which allows us to count on the success of RNA interference. It is necessary to maintain and develop a broad base of methods, directions and means. Destructive measures continue to play the leading role in the system, among which more and more specific and safe ones appear. The reduction of the harmful status of the Colorado potato beetle to the level of an ordinary pest can be considered as a strategic development goal.

The collection of potato varieties as a reserve of source material for breeding for high yield, earliness, and resistance to diseases and pests

Background. Information is provided about the results obtained by screening the VIR collection of improved potato varieties for main commercial traits: earliness, high yield, high starch content, and resistance to late blight (Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary), viruses, and pests, such as cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis Woll. (Ro1)), and Colorado beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say).Materials and methods. Potato accessions representing domestic and foreign varieties from the VIR collection served as the material for this research. The screening was performed according to the techniques developed at the Potato Genetic Resources Department of VIR.Results and conclusion. Potato varieties with valuable commercial traits were identified as breeding sources promising for earliness: ‘Bashkirskiy’ (k-25338), ‘Charoit’ (k-25221), ‘Colleen’ (k-25224), ‘Lagun’ (k-25294), etc.; for high yield: ‘Ametist’ (k-25336), ‘Banba’ (k-25222), ‘Bastion’ (k-25198), ‘Nur-Alem’ (k-25253), ‘Senim’ (k-25306), etc.; for high starch content: ‘Charaўnik’ (k-25139), ‘Darnitsa’ (k-25179), ‘Lad’ (k-25180), ‘Maksimum’ (k-25136), etc.; for resistance to late blight: local variety (Georgia) (k-25298, k-25326), ‘Sunkar’ (k-25258), ‘Udovitskiy’ (k-25260), ‘Vektor’ (k-25200), ‘Zvezdochka’ (k-25209); for resistance to viruses: ‘Azart’ (k-25196), Gala (k-25270), ‘Nadezhda’ (k-25213), Utro (k-25219), ‘Volat’ (k-25263), etc. Varieties combining resistance to gold potato cyst nematode with other valuable commercial traits were selected. Varieties with relative resistance to Colorado potato beetle were isolated under favorable conditions for the pest’s development. As a result of the research, new source material was identified, with a potential to improve major commercial traits of potato: earliness, high yield, high starch content, resistance to late blight, viruses, and pests (cyst nematode and Colorado beetle).

Promising entomopathogenic strain of Bacillus thuringiensis 0428 effective against the Colorado beetle

Most of the world produced biopesticides are made by entomopathogenic bacteria B. thuringiensis. So, searching for new strains of it is always necessary. In 2006, the strain B. thuringiensis 0428 was isolated from the caterpillar of the ringed silkworm. The strain 0428 is entomopathogenic against Colorado beetle larvae. The effectiveness of the strain for 5 days was 100%. On beef-extract agar this Gram-positive bacterium formed round or irregular colonies with an average diameter of 6-10 mm. The relief of the colonies is flat; the surface is matte. Colonies of B. thuringiensis 0428 are fast-growing, appearing on the surface of the beef-extract agar on the second or third day at 26-30ºC. The average cell size is 6.48±0.16 (large diameter) and 2.62±0.06 (small diameter) microns. The study of the physiological and biochemical properties of the isolated strain shown that B. thuringiensis 0428 is able to form acetyl-methyl-carbinol and lecithinase. B. thuringiensis 0428 is not able to form ureases or pigments, as well as to use citrates and galactose. But it is able to use sucrose, glucose, mannose, and salicin as a source of carbon. The strain 0428 has proteolytic activity. The strain is capable of synthesizing an insecticidal crystalline protein Cry1A and β-exotoxin. All these characteristics allow us to identify the isolated entomopathogenic strain 0428 as B. thuringiensis var. thuringiensis.

Phytoinsecticides to Fight Against Colorado Beetle

Nowadays researchers are focused on biological farming. In modern environmental conditions the reduction of the chemical load on the environment is a current issue. In the article the following plants are used as pest management, especially, with Colorado potato beetle: jimson weed, white hellebore, Camelina. They contain a lot of alkaloids and essential oils that inhibit weeds and frightening off potato pests. The use of such agricultural practices on large areas reduces the cost of chemical means of pest control and improves product quality while maintaining the environment.