Age stage, two-sex life table of Habrobracon hebetor (Braconidae) on Spodoptera exigua (Noctuidae) reared on different sugar beet genotypes.

The present study was carried out to unveil interactive relevance among consecutive and alternate members of a tritrophic system comprised of sugar beet genotypes, beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), and its parasitoid, Habrobracon hebetor (Say) using demographic parameters. To do so, H. hebetor was reared on S. exigua fed on 10 sugar beet genotypes, including SB26; SB27; SB29; SB33; SB34; (7112*SB36)*Sh-1-HSF-5; FC220; FC301; SBSI006; and HM 1339RZ in a growth chamber at 25 ± 1 °C, 60 ± 5% RH, and 16:8 (L: D) h photoperiod. The data was analyzed based on the age-stage, two-sex life table theory. Our results revealed high variation in duration of different life stages of H. hebetor on S. exigua reared on different sugar beet genotypes examined. The shortest (10.605 days) and longest (13.721 days) pre-adult period of H. hebetor was on S. exigua reared on SB26 and SB34, respectively. The longest (17.2 days) and shortest adult longevity (7.5 days) was on S. exigua reared on SB26 and SB27, respectively. The highest values of the intrinsic rate of increase (r) (0.209 day-1) and finite rate of increase (λ) (1.233 day-1) were observed on S. exigua reared on SB34 and their lowest values (0.159 and 1.172 day-1, respectively) were recorded on SB27. Resistant and susceptible genotypes to S. exigua, FC301 and (7112*SB36)*Sh-1-HSF-5, respectively, were only genotypes on which H. hebetor had greater and approximately equal r compared with S. exigua. This finding indicates high capability of H. hebetor to be successfully employed against S. exigua on sugar beet genotypes which are extremely different in resistance to this pest.

Herbivore-Induced Volatiles from Maize Plants Attract Chelonus insularis, an Egg-Larval Parasitoid of the Fall Armyworm.

Chelonus insularis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an egg-larval endoparasitoid that attacks several lepidopteran species, including the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, as one of its main hosts. In this study, we identified the volatiles emitted by maize plants undamaged and damaged by S. frugiperda larvae that were attractive to virgin C. insularis females. In a Y-glass tube olfactometer, parasitoid females were more attracted to activated charcoal extracts than Porapak Q maize extracts. Chemical analysis of activated charcoal extracts from maize plants damaged by S. frugiperda larvae by gas chromatography coupled with electroantennography (GC-EAD) showed that the antennae of virgin female wasps consistently responded to three compounds, identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as α-pinene, α-longipinene and α-copaene. These compounds are constitutively released by maize plants but induction via herbivory affects their emissions. α-Longipinene and α-copaene were more abundant in damaged maize plants than in healthy ones, whereas α-pinene was produced in higher amounts in healthy maize plants than in damaged ones. Female parasitoids were not attracted to EAD-active compounds when evaluated singly; however, they were attracted to the binary blend α-pinene + α-copaene, which was the most attractive blend, even more attractive than the tertiary blend (α-pinene + α-longipinene + α-copaene) and the damaged maize plant extracts. We conclude that C. insularis is attracted to a blend of herbivore-induced volatiles emitted by maize plants.

Effects of tannin-rich host plants on the infection and establishment of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora.

Parasitized animals can self-medicate. As ingested plant phenolics, mainly tannins, reduce strongyle nematode infections in mammalian herbivores. We investigated the effect of plant extracts known to be anthelmintic in vertebrate herbivores on the recovery of the parasitic entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora infecting African cotton leafworm (Spodoptera littoralis). Nematode infective juveniles (IJs) were exposed to 0, 300, 900, 1200, 2400 ppm of Pistacia lentiscus L. (lentisk), Inula viscosa L. (strong-smelling inula), Quercus calliprinos Decne. (common oak) and Ceratonia siliqua L. (carob) extracts on growth medium (in vitro assay). In control treatments, 50-80% of IJs resumed development to J4, young and developed adult hermaphrodites, whereas all extracts, except for C. siliqua at 300 ppm, impaired IJ exsheathment and development. The highest concentration of I. viscosa extract (2400 ppm) had the strongest effect, killing 95% of exposed nematodes. Surviving nematodes did not recover, remaining at the IJ stage. Over the whole cycle, I. viscosa extract inhibited recovery to 25% or less, and did not allow full development to adulthood, whereas 65% of IJs in the control treatment recovered and resumed development, 12% reaching complete maturation within 72 h of incubation. When herbivorous S. littoralis larvae were fed with different plant extracts in vivo, I. viscosa had the strongest effect at concentrations above 300 ppm, with 90% of insect-invading IJs not developing to parasitic stages, whereas in the control treatment, 85% of IJs resumed development. Exposure to C. siliqua extract also inhibited exsheathment and development of 75% of the IJs. Half of those that resumed development reached full maturation. P. lentiscus and Q. calliprinos extracts also inhibited development of 50% IJs. Our results suggest that H. bacteriophora can be used to study herbal medication against parasites in animals.

Combined effect of nucleopolyhedrovirus and Microplitis pallidipes for the control of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua.

BACKGROUND: Nucleopolyhedrovirus (SeNPV) and Microplitis pallidipes are important biological control agents of Spodoptera exigua populations. The interactions between these agents and their combined effect on pest control were investigated in the laboratory and in commercial greenhouses. RESULTS: Microplitis pallidipes searched for and deposited eggs in more healthy larvae than virus-infected larvae 3 days after viral infection. Each female parasitoid that developed in a virus-infected host oviposited in a virus-infected host, or emerged from a cocoon carrying virus transmitted to 4.0, 7.6 or 2.4 healthy larvae respectively. Each female parasitoid exposed to a mixture of virus and 10% honey water solution transmitted the virus to 2.2 healthy larvae. In an experiment with cabbage growing in commercial greenhouses, the pest population reduction was greater by M. pallidipes carrying SeNPV (82.3-89.7% reduction) than by parasitoids without virus (59.5-62.4% reduction). CONCLUSIONS: Control of S. exigua was greater with M. pallidipes plus SeNPV than with M. pallidipes alone. Microplitis pallidipes preferred healthy hosts to infected hosts. Parasitoids were able to complete their development in virus-infected hosts before the hosts died from the virus infection. The parasitoid ovipositors contaminated with the virus could carry and transmit SeNPV.

Toxical effect of Peganum harmala L. leaves on the cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis Boisd and its parasitoids Microplitis rufiventris Kok.

The leaf extract and its fractions of Peganum harmala L. have shown pronounced mortal effect, decreased percent pupation and adult emergence of the cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis Boisd. The third instar larvae fed for two days on treated leaves were more susceptible to plant extract and its ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions. The active lowest concentration (5%) of the leaf fractions of P. harmala showed significant effect on the percentage of emerged adult parasitoids, Microplitis rufiventris Kok. GC/MS analysis showed the major constituent in ethyl acetate fraction was (23S) ethylcholest-5-en-3 beta-ol (28.04%) while those of chloroform fraction were hydroxyfuranocoumarin (Bergaptol) (15.68%), piperidinone (12.08%), thymol (11.82%), phosphoric acid, tributyl ester (9.80%) and trimethyl-nonenol (9.66%). The medicinal plant P. harmala could be carefully applied in integrated pest management due to its strong effect on cotton leaf worm pest.

An unconventional form of actin in protozoan hemoflagellate, Leishmania.

Leishmania actin was cloned, overexpressed in baculovirus-insect cell system, and purified to homogeneity. The purified protein polymerized optimally in the presence of Mg2+ and ATP, but differed from conventional actins in its following properties: (i) it did not polymerize in the presence of Mg2+ alone, (ii) it polymerized in a restricted range of pH 7.0-8.5, (iii) its critical concentration for polymerization was found to be 3-4-fold lower than of muscle actin, (iv) it predominantly formed bundles rather than single filaments at pH 8.0, (v) it displayed considerably higher ATPase activity during polymerization, (vi) it did not inhibit DNase-I activity, and (vii) it did not bind the F-actin-binding toxin phalloidin or the actin polymerization disrupting agent Latrunculin B. Computational and molecular modeling studies revealed that the observed unconventional behavior of Leishmania actin is related to the diverged amino acid stretches in its sequence, which may lead to changes in the overall charge distribution on its solvent-exposed surface, ATP binding cleft, Mg2+ binding sites, and the hydrophobic loop that is involved in monomer-monomer interactions. Phylogenetically, it is related to ciliate actins, but to the best of our knowledge, no other actin with such unconventional properties has been reported to date. It is therefore suggested that actin in Leishmania may serve as a novel target for design of new antileishmanial drugs.

Selenium biotransformations in an insect ecosystem: effects of insects on phytoremediation.

Phytoremediation of selenium-contaminated soils may be influenced by higher trophic levels including insects. We examined how selenium affects the behavior, survival, and development of the wasp parasitoid Cotesia marginiventris, parasitizing its natural host, the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua, feeding on alfalfa, Medicago sativa, irrigated with water containing selenate. X-ray absorption spectroscopy was used to quantify the selenium chemical forms in each trophic level. Alfalfa partially transformed selenate to organoselenium. S. exigua contained only organoselenium, both directly absorbed from M. sativa and transformed from selenate. C. marginiventris cocoons collected shortly after larval emergence contained only organoselenium derived from the host. The surprising finding of trimethylselenonium-like species in adult parasitoids and the cocoons from which they emerged suggests that adults and pharates can detoxify excess selenium through methylation and volatilization. Adult parasitoids do not discriminate against selenium-containing alfalfa, even though alfalfa generates selenium volatiles. Parasitoids raised on selenium-fed larvae emerged later and pupae weighed less than their selenium-free counterparts. We conclude therefore that C. marginiventris can be used to control S. exigua damage to M. sativa being used to remove selenium from soils. Moreover, the presence of such insects may improve phytoremediation by increasing biotransformation of inorganic selenium and release of volatile selenium species.