Chronological association of foliage insects among specific olericulture crops i.e. mustard, beet root and kale

Olericulture crops are none woody leafy vegetables that contain high nutrients, vitamins, and iron. Foliage insects show chronological association with their specific host vegetable such as Mustard leaves beat root and kale were the main olericulture crops that were selected to estimate the prevalence and variety of foliage insects. Samples were collected by aerial nets, direct handpicking, and sweep nets and with the help of forceps. Larvae of the many insects were voracious eaters. Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Coleoptera were the major foliage insects order that directly or indirectly affect these vegetables. The result indicates that foliage insects show sequential association with their host vegetable. Maximum dominance and variety of insects were found in kale and the least abundance was recorded in Mustard leaves because mustard leaves secretes some toxins that repels the insects. Common insects among 3 of them were flea beetles.

Discovery of the first leaf litter inhabiting flea beetles in Brazil (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae) with description of two new genera and three new species

Two new genera of flea beetles are described and illustrated: Brasilplatus Oliveira, Linzmeier & Konstantinov new genus, monotypic, type species B. bahianus Oliveira, Linzmeier & Konstantinov new species, and Tupiniquim Linzmeier, Oliveira & Konstantinov new genus, containing two species, T. pronotalis Linzmeier, Oliveira & Konstantinov new species and T. confusa Linzmeier, Oliveira & Konstantinov new species and type species of the genus. These are the first described genera of flea beetles inhabiting leaf litter in Brazil. Brasilplatus belongs to the subtribe Monoplatina and is compared to other Monoplatina genera known to occur in leaf litter or moss cushions: Andersonaltica Linzmeier & Konstantinov, 2012, Apleuraltica Bechyné, 1956 and Ulrica Scherer, 1962. Tupiniquim is unique among New World flea beetles, it allies cannot be immediately identified. Here it is compared to several New World and Old World genera.

Parallel meta-transcriptome analysis reveals degradation of plant secondary metabolites by beetles and their gut symbionts

Switching to a new host plant is a driving force for divergence and speciation in herbivorous insects. This process of incorporating a novel host plant into the diet may require a number of adaptations in the insect herbivores that allow them to consume host plant tissue that may contain toxic secondary chemicals. As a result, herbivorous insects are predicted to have evolved efficient ways to detoxify major plant defenses and increase fitness by either relying on their own genomes or by recruiting other organisms such as microbial gut symbionts. In the present study we used parallel meta-transcriptomic analyses of Altica flea beetles and their gut symbionts to explore the contributions of beetle detoxification mechanisms versus detoxification by their gut consortium. We compared the gut meta-transcriptomes of two sympatric Altica species that feed exclusively on different host plant species as well as their F1 hybrids that were fed one of the two host plant species. These comparisons revealed that gene expression patterns of Altica are dependent on both beetle species identity and diet. The community structure of gut symbionts was also dependent on the identity of the beetle species, and the gene expression patterns of the gut symbionts were significantly correlated with beetle species and plant diet. Some of the enriched genes identified in the beetles and gut symbionts are involved in the degradation of secondary metabolites produced by plants, suggesting that Altica flea beetles may use their gut microbiota to help them feed on and adapt to their host plants.

Insect Management for Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes, both orange- and white-fleshed varieties, are widely grown in Florida. Foliar pests, leafminers, whiteflies and armyworms, are generally not difficult to manage; in fact insecticides should be avoided to conserve their natural enemies. More serious are those pests whose immature stages feed on roots: sweetpotato weevil, wireworms, banded cucumber beetles, pale-striped and sweetpotato flea beetles, and in south Florida, Diaprepes weevils and white grubs.

The Efficacy of Seed Treatments on Major Sugar Beet Pests: Possible Consequences of the Recent Neonicotinoid Ban

Sugar beet production remains unprotected after the ban on neonicotinoids, while pest pressure is increasing. Although the organic approach to agriculture is highly welcomed, the question remains whether it will be possible to grow sugar beet without pesticides. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of seed treatments with neonicotinoids on the main sugar beet pests, to determine the susceptibility of the pests under the specific climatic conditions and to discuss possible consequences of the ban of neonicotinoids on the future of sugar beet production in southeast Europe. The study was conducted in two different climatic regions in Croatia in two consecutive years. The tested variants were: seed coated with imidacloprid, seed coated with a combination of thiamethoxam and teflutrin and untreated control. Our results showed that seed coatings with imidacloprid and thiamethoxam provided satisfactory protection against wireworms, flea beetles and sugar beet weevils at low population pressure. These pests are regular pests of sugar beet in southern and eastern Europe and therefore need to be controlled. Caterpillars and aphids were present in low populations, so the efficacy of the insecticides tested cannot be determined with certainty. A further research program is needed to find alternative solutions and develop easily implementable strategies for all sugar beet pests. We would propose an authorization of neonicotinoids for seed treatment of sugar beet in the regions with high infestation pressure of the main sugar beet pests.

Flea beetles of the West Indies: the genus Hemilactica Blake, 1937 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)

The West Indian flea beetle genus Hemilactica Blake, 1937 is reviewed. Two new species, both from the Dominican Republic are described and illustrated: H. erwinisp. nov. and H. sierramatringarciasp. nov. In addition, images of the holotypes of H. portoricensis Blake, H. pulchella Blake, and H. rugosa Blake are provided. Lactica megaspila (Blake) is transferred to Hemilactica. A lectotype of H. quatuordecimpunctata (Suffrian, 1868) is designated and illustrated, and a key to the Hemilactica species and a key for identification of Hemilactica and related genera occurring in the Western Hemisphere are provided.

Flea beetles of the West Indies: new combinations and new species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini)

As a result of changes in the flea beetle classification in the last 20 years, the following new combinations are proposed for West Indian flea beetles: Acallepitrix nigrita (Jacoby 1897) comb. nov., Centralaphthona crucifera (Blake 1964) comb. nov., Centralaphthona grenadensis (Jacoby 1897) comb. nov., Centralaphthona inornata (Blake 1949) comb. nov., Centralaphthona insularis (Blake 1964) comb. nov., Centralaphthona lepta (Blake 1964) comb. nov., Centralaphthona nana (Blake 1949) comb. nov., Centralaphthona ruficollis (Blake 1970) comb. nov., Centralaphthona salaisa (Bechyné 1956) comb. nov., Centralaphthona schwarzi (Blake 1949) comb. nov., Dibolia dissita (Blake 1931) comb. nov., Erinaceialtica antennata (Medvedev 2004) comb. nov., Gioia crassicornis (Baly 1877) comb. nov., Homoschema auripennis (Suffrian 1868) comb. nov., Homoschema compressa (Suffrian 1868) comb. nov., Hypolampsis ferruginea (Suffrian 1868) comb. nov., Monomacra pallens (Fabricius 1792) comb. nov., Parchicola androsensis (Blake 1946) comb. nov., Parchicola religata (Jacquelin du Val 1857) comb. nov., Syphrea pauxilla (Suffrian 1868) comb. nov. Lectotypes are designated for the following species: Cyrsylus volkameriae (Fabricius 1792), Gioia crassicornis (Baly 1877), Homoschema auripennis (Suffrian 1868), Homoschema compressa (Suffrian 1868), Hypolampsis ferruginea (Suffrian 1868), Monomacra pallens (Fabricius 1792), Syphrea pauxilla (Suffrian 1868). The following new species are described from the Dominican Republic: Cyrsylus lasabejas sp. nov. (Sierra de Baoruco, Las Abejas); Dibolia sierradebaoruco sp. nov. (Sierra de Baoruco, Casete 1); Gioia elcachote sp. nov. (Barahona Province, El Cachote); Syphrea baoruco sp. nov. (Sierra de Baoruco, Las Abejas). New species and representatives of the genera – recipients of new combinations are illustrated. Key words: Dominican Republic, habitat, host plant, leaf beetles, Neotropical Region, new taxa