UDP-glycosyltransferases act as key determinants of host plant range in generalist and specialist Spodoptera species.

Phytophagous insects have evolved sophisticated detoxification systems to overcome the antiherbivore chemical defenses produced by many plants. However, how these biotransformation systems differ in generalist and specialist insect species and their role in determining insect host plant range remains an open question. Here, we show that UDP-glucosyltransferases (UGTs) play a key role in determining the host range of insect species within the Spodoptera genus. Comparative genomic analyses of Spodoptera species that differ in host plant breadth identified a relatively conserved number of UGT genes in generalist species but high levels of UGT gene pseudogenization in the specialist Spodoptera picta. CRISPR-Cas9 knockouts of the three main UGT gene clusters of Spodoptera frugiperda revealed that UGT33 genes play an important role in allowing this species to utilize the poaceous plants maize, wheat, and rice, while UGT40 genes facilitate utilization of cotton. Further functional analyses in vivo and in vitro identified the UGT SfUGT33F32 as the key mechanism that allows generalist S. frugiperda to detoxify the benzoxazinoid DIMBOA (2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one), a potent insecticidal phytotoxin produced by poaceous plants. However, while this detoxification capacity is conserved in several generalist Spodoptera species, Spodoptera picta, which specializes on Crinum plants, is unable to detoxify DIMBOA due to a nonfunctionalizing mutation in SpUGT33F34. Collectively, these findings provide insight into the role of insect UGTs in host plant adaptation, the mechanistic basis of evolutionary transitions between generalism and specialism and offer molecular targets for controlling a group of notorious insect pests.

Massive seasonal high-altitude migrations of nocturnal insects above the agricultural plains of East China.

Long-distance migrations of insects contribute to ecosystem functioning but also have important economic impacts when the migrants are pests or provide ecosystem services. We combined radar monitoring, aerial sampling, and searchlight trapping, to quantify the annual pattern of nocturnal insect migration above the densely populated agricultural lands of East China. A total of ~9.3 trillion nocturnal insect migrants (15,000 t of biomass), predominantly Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, and Diptera, including many crop pests and disease vectors, fly at heights up to 1 km above this 600 km-wide region every year. Larger migrants (>10 mg) exhibited seasonal reversal of movement directions, comprising northward expansion during spring and summer, followed by southward movements during fall. This north-south transfer was not balanced, however, with southward movement in fall 0.66× that of northward movement in spring and summer. Spring and summer migrations were strongest when the wind had a northward component, while in fall, stronger movements occurred on winds that allowed movement with a southward component; heading directions of larger insects were generally close to the track direction. These findings indicate adaptations leading to movement in seasonally favorable directions. We compare our results from China with similar studies in Europe and North America and conclude that ecological patterns and behavioral adaptations are similar across the Northern Hemisphere. The predominance of pests among these nocturnal migrants has severe implications for food security and grower prosperity throughout this heavily populated region, and knowledge of their migrations is potentially valuable for forecasting pest impacts and planning timely management actions.

Divergent amplifications of CYP9A cytochrome P450 genes provide two noctuid pests with differential protection against xenobiotics.

Here, we provide mechanistic support for the involvement of the CYP9A subfamily of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases in the detoxification of host plant defense compounds and chemical insecticides in Spodoptera exigua and Spodoptera frugiperda. Our comparative genomics shows that a large cluster of CYP9A genes occurs in the two species but with significant differences in its contents, including several species-specific duplicates and substantial sequence divergence, both between orthologs and between duplicates. Bioassays of CRISPR-Cas9 knockouts of the clusters show that, collectively, the CYP9As can detoxify two furanocoumarin plant defense compounds (imperatorin and xanthotoxin) and insecticides representing three different chemotypes (pyrethroids, avermectins, and oxadiazines). However, in vitro metabolic assays of heterologously expressed products of individual genes show several differences between the species in the particular CYP9As with activities against these compounds. We also find that the clusters show tight genetic linkage with high levels of pyrethroid resistance in field strains of the two species. We propose that their divergent amplifications of the CYP9A subfamily have not only contributed to the development of the broad host ranges of these species over long evolutionary timeframes but also supplied them with diverse genetic options for evolving resistance to chemical insecticides in the very recent past.

Rapid Adaptation and Interspecific Introgression in the North American Crop Pest Helicoverpa zea.

Insect crop pests threaten global food security. This threat is amplified through the spread of nonnative species and through adaptation of native pests to control measures. Adaptations such as pesticide resistance can result from selection on variation within a population, or through gene flow from another population. We investigate these processes in an economically important noctuid crop pest, Helicoverpa zea, which has evolved resistance to a wide range of pesticides. Its sister species Helicoverpa armigera, first detected as an invasive species in Brazil in 2013, introduced the pyrethroid-resistance gene CYP337B3 to South American H. zea via adaptive introgression. To understand whether this could contribute to pesticide resistance in North America, we sequenced 237 H. zea genomes across 10 sample sites. We report H. armigera introgression into the North American H. zea population. Two individuals sampled in Texas in 2019 carry H. armigera haplotypes in a 4 Mbp region containing CYP337B3. Next, we identify signatures of selection in the panmictic population of nonadmixed H. zea, identifying a selective sweep at a second cytochrome P450 gene: CYP333B3. We estimate that its derived allele conferred a ∼5% fitness advantage and show that this estimate explains independently observed rare nonsynonymous CYP333B3 mutations approaching fixation over a ∼20-year period. We also detect putative signatures of selection at a kinesin gene associated with Bt resistance. Overall, we document two mechanisms of rapid adaptation: the introduction of fitness-enhancing alleles through interspecific introgression, and selection on intraspecific variation.

The Emergence and Sustainability of Urban Entomology.

Urban entomology is the study of arthropod and other pests of the urban environment. It has gained worldwide recognition as a distinct discipline. Its origin is associated with Walter Ebeling's publication Urban Entomology in 1975. Urbanization, invasive pests, increased demand for pest management services, and changes in legislation collided in the 1970s to create a need for research and extension activities worldwide. This resulted in urban entomology as a discipline and, within two decades, its national and international recognition. In this review, we present the factors that led to the development of urban entomology and how they have shaped its current meaning. As urbanization intensifies and the global economy increases, the demands for urban pest management will continue to grow. We discuss how these future challenges may shape and alter the discipline.

Review on the impacts of indoor vector control on domiciliary pests: good intentions challenged by harsh realities.

Arthropod vectored diseases have been a major impediment to societal advancements globally. Strategies to mitigate transmission of these diseases include preventative care (e.g. vaccination), primary treatment and most notably, the suppression of vectors in both indoor and outdoor spaces. The outcomes of indoor vector control (IVC) strategies, such as long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and indoor residual sprays (IRSs), are heavily influenced by individual and community-level perceptions and acceptance. These perceptions, and therefore product acceptance, are largely influenced by the successful suppression of non-target nuisance pests such as bed bugs and cockroaches. Adoption and consistent use of LLINs and IRS is responsible for immense reductions in the prevalence and incidence of malaria. However, recent observations suggest that failed control of indoor pests, leading to product distrust and abandonment, may threaten vector control programme success and further derail already slowed progress towards malaria elimination. We review the evidence of the relationship between IVC and nuisance pests and discuss the dearth of research on this relationship. We make the case that the ancillary control of indoor nuisance and public health pests needs to be considered in the development and implementation of new technologies for malaria elimination.

Dare to be resilient: the key to future pesticide-free orchards?

Considering the urgent need for more sustainable fruit tree production, it is high time to find durable alternatives to the systematic use of phytosanitary products in orchards. To this end, resilience can deliver a number of benefits. Relying on a combination of tolerance, resistance, and recovery traits, disease resilience appears as a cornerstone to cope with the multiple pest and disease challenges over an orchard's lifetime. Here, we describe resilience as the capacity of a tree to be minimally affected by external disturbances or to rapidly bounce back to normal functioning after being exposed to these disturbances. Based on a literature survey largely inspired from research on livestock, we highlight different approaches for dissecting phenotypic and genotypic components of resilience. In particular, multisite experimental designs and longitudinal measures of so-called 'resilience biomarkers' are required. We identified a list of promising biomarkers relying on ecophysiological and digital measurements. Recent advances in high-throughput phenotyping and genomics tools will likely facilitate fine scale temporal monitoring of tree health, allowing identification of resilient genotypes with the calculation of specific resilience indicators. Although resilience could be considered as a 'black box' trait, we demonstrate how it could become a realistic breeding goal.

Characterisation of lepidopteran geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase as a putative pesticide target.

Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (diphosphate) synthase (GGPPS) plays an important role in various physiological processes in insects, such as isoprenoid biosynthesis and protein prenylation. Here, we functionally characterised the GGPPS from the major agricultural lepidopteran pests Spodoptera frugiperda and Helicoverpa armigera. Partial disruption of GGPPS by CRISPR in S. frugiperda decreased embryo hatching rate and larval survival, suggesting that this gene is essential. Functional expression in vitro of Helicoverpa armigera GGPPS in Escherichia coli revealed a catalytically active enzyme. Next, we developed and optimised an enzyme assay to screen for potential inhibitors, such as the zoledronate and the minodronate, which showed a dose-dependent inhibition. Phylogenetic analysis of GGPPS across insects showed that GGPPS is highly conserved but also revealed several residues likely to be involved in substrate binding, which were substantially different in bee pollinator and human GGPPS. Considering the essentiality of GGPPS and its putative binding residue variability qualifies a GGPPS as a novel pesticide target. The developed assay may contribute to the identification of novel insecticide leads.

Agricultural insect pests as models for studying stress-induced evolutionary processes.

Agricultural insect pests (AIPs) are widely successful in adapting to natural and anthropogenic stressors, repeatedly overcoming population bottlenecks and acquiring resistance to intensive management practices. Although they have been largely overlooked in evolutionary studies, AIPs are ideal systems for understanding rapid adaptation under novel environmental conditions. Researchers have identified several genomic mechanisms that likely contribute to adaptive stress responses, including positive selection on de novo mutations, polygenic selection on standing allelic variation and phenotypic plasticity (e.g., hormesis). However, new theory suggests that stress itself may induce epigenetic modifications, which may confer heritable physiological changes (i.e., stress-resistant phenotypes). In this perspective, we discuss how environmental stress from agricultural management generates the epigenetic and genetic modifications that are associated with rapid adaptation in AIPs. We summarise existing evidence for stress-induced evolutionary processes in the context of insecticide resistance. Ultimately, we propose that studying AIPs offers new opportunities and resources for advancing our knowledge of stress-induced evolution.

Advances and knowledge gaps on climate change impacts on honey bees and beekeeping: A systematic review.

The Western honey bee Apis mellifera is a managed species that provides diverse hive products and contributing to wild plant pollination, as well as being a critical component of crop pollination systems worldwide. High mortality rates have been reported in different continents attributed to different factors, including pesticides, pests, diseases, and lack of floral resources. Furthermore, climate change has been identified as a potential driver negatively impacting pollinators, but it is still unclear how it could affect honey bee populations. In this context, we carried out a systematic review to synthesize the effects of climate change on honey bees and beekeeping activities. A total of 90 articles were identified, providing insight into potential impacts (negative, neutral, and positive) on honey bees and beekeeping. Interest in climate change's impact on honey bees has increased in the last decade, with studies mainly focusing on honey bee individuals, using empirical and experimental approaches, and performed at short-spatial (<10 km) and temporal (<5 years) scales. Moreover, environmental analyses were mainly based on short-term data (weather) and concentrated on only a few countries. Environmental variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind were widely studied and had generalized negative effects on different biological and ecological aspects of honey bees. Food reserves, plant-pollinator networks, mortality, gene expression, and metabolism were negatively impacted. Knowledge gaps included a lack of studies at the apiary and beekeeper level, a limited number of predictive and perception studies, poor representation of large-spatial and mid-term scales, a lack of climate analysis, and a poor understanding of the potential impacts of pests and diseases. Finally, climate change's impacts on global beekeeping are still an emergent issue. This is mainly due to their diverse effects on honey bees and the potential necessity of implementing adaptation measures to sustain this activity under complex environmental scenarios.

La abeja occidental Apis mellifera es una especie manejada que proporciona diversos productos de la colmena y servicios de polinización, los cuales son cruciales para plantas silvestres y cultivos en todo el mundo. En distintos continentes se han registrado altas tasas de mortalidad, las cuales son atribuidas a diversos factores, como el uso de pesticidas, plagas, enfermedades y falta de recursos florales. Además, el cambio climático ha sido identificado como un potencial factor que afecta negativamente a los polinizadores, pero aún no está claro cómo podría afectar a las poblaciones de abejas melíferas. En este contexto, realizamos una revisión sistemática de la literatura disponible para sintetizar los efectos del cambio climático en las abejas melíferas y las actividades apícolas. En total, se identificaron 90 artículos que proporcionaron información sobre los posibles efectos (negativos, neutros y positivos) en las abejas melíferas y la apicultura. El interés por el impacto del cambio climático en las abejas melíferas ha aumentado en la última década, con estudios centrados principalmente en individuos de abejas melíferas, utilizando enfoques empíricos y experimentales y realizados a escalas espaciales (<10 km) y temporales (<5 años) cortas. Además, los análisis ambientales fueron basaron principalmente en datos a corto plazo (meteorológicos) y se concentraron sólo en algunos países. Variables ambientales como la temperatura, las precipitaciones y el viento fueron ampliamente estudiadas y tuvieron efectos negativos generalizados sobre distintos aspectos biológicos y ecológicos de las abejas melíferas. Además, las reservas alimenticias, las interacciones planta-polinizador, la mortalidad, la expresión génica y el metabolismo se vieron afectados negativamente. Entre los vacios de conocimiento cabe mencionar la falta de estudios a nivel de colmenar y apicultor, la escasez de estudios de predicción y percepción, la escasa representación de las grandes escalas espaciales y a mediano plazo, el déficit de análisis climáticos y la escasa comprensión de los impactos potenciales de plagas y enfermedades. Por último, las repercusiones del cambio climático en la apicultura mundial siguen siendo un tema emergente, que debe estudiarse en los distintos países. Esto se debe principalmente a sus diversos efectos sobre las abejas melíferas y a la necesidad potencial de aplicar medidas de adaptación para mantener esta actividad crucial en escenarios medioambientales complejos.

From a local descriptive to a generic predictive model of cereal aphid regulation by predators.

The temporal dynamics of insect populations in agroecosystems are influenced by numerous biotic and abiotic interactions, including trophic interactions in complex food webs. Predicting the regulation of herbivorous insect pests by arthropod predators and parasitoids would allow for rendering crop production less dependent on chemical pesticides. Curtsdotter et al. (2019) developed a food-web model simulating the influences of naturally occurring arthropod predators on aphid population dynamics in cereal crop fields. The use of an allometric hypothesis based on the relative body masses of the prey and various predator guilds reduced the number of estimated parameters to just five, albeit field-specific. Here, we extend this model and test its applicability and predictive capacity. We first parameterized the original model with a dataset with the dynamic arthropod community compositions in 54 fields in six regions in France. We then integrated three additional biological functions to the model: parasitism, aphid carrying capacity and suboptimal high temperatures that reduce aphid growth rates. We developed a multi-field calibration approach to estimate a single set of generic allometric parameters for a given group of fields, which would increase model generality needed for predictions. The original and revised models, when using field-specific parameterization, achieved quantitatively good fits to observed aphid population dynamics for 59% and 53% of the fields, respectively, with pseudo-R2 up to 0.99. But the multi-field calibration showed that increased model generality came at the cost of reduced model reliability (goodness-of-fit). Our study highlights the need to further improve our understanding of how body size and other traits affect trophic interactions in food webs. It also points up the need to acquire high-resolution data to use this type of modelling approach. We propose that a hypothesis-driven strategy of model improvement based on the integration of additional biological functions and additional functional traits beyond body size (e.g., predator space search or prey defences) into the food-web matrix can improve model reliability.

Herbicide Stress Inducesbeetle Oviposition on Red Maples.

Flatheaded borers (FHB; Chrysobothris spp.), are woodboring-beetles that lay their eggs in the bark and cambium of deciduous trees in North America. Females often target stressed host-plants for oviposition. The reason why is unknown; however, stressed plants often suffer various induced phytochemical changes that may enhance larval infestation success depending on the stressor such as induced upregulation of defenses, reallocation of nutrients, and changes to volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. To understand attraction of FHB to specific stress-induced changes, we analyzed phytochemical changes associated with stress treatments and attractiveness maple trees to FHB. Trees were stressed by: (1) chemical stress (pelargonic acid herbicide), (2) physical stress (physically removing leaves), and (3) physical stress (removing portions of bark near the root crown). After reflush of defoliated trees, bark tissues where FHB larvae feed were analyzed for nutritional changes (carbon and nitrogen), anti-nutritive changes (polyphenols and tannins) and emissions of foliar VOCs. At the end of the growing season, trees were assessed for FHB larval presence and oviposition attempts. There were more larvae and oviposition attempts on trees stressed by herbicide application. Compared to other treatments, herbicide-stressed trees had greater nitrogen and total polyphenol concentrations. Greater nitrogen may play a role in the fitness of feeding larvae, and the greater polyphenol concentration may stimulate female oviposition in the herbicide stressed trees. Females may be able to locate the herbicide-stressed trees by using volatile cues such as increases in limonene, α-farnesene, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT) and hexenyl acetate.

Biocontrol potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria against plant disease and insect pest.

Biological control is a promising approach to enhance pathogen and pest control to ensure high productivity in cash crop production. Therefore, PGPR biofertilizers are very suitable for application in the cultivation of tea plants (Camellia sinensis) and tobacco, but it is rarely reported so far. In this study, production of a consortium of three strains of PGPR were applied to tobacco and tea plants. The results demonstrated that plants treated with PGPR exhibited enhanced resistance against the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae (PstDC3000). The significant effect in improving the plant's ability to resist pathogen invasion was verified through measurements of oxygen activity, bacterial colony counts, and expression levels of resistance-related genes (NPR1, PR1, JAZ1, POD etc.). Moreover, the application of PGPR in the tea plantation showed significantly reduced population occurrences of tea green leafhoppers (Empoasca onukii Matsuda), tea thrips (Thysanoptera:Thripidae), Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintanca) and alleviated anthracnose disease in tea seedlings. Therefore, PGPR biofertilizers may serve as a viable biological control method to improve tobacco and tea plant yield and quality. Our findings revealed part of the mechanism by which PGPR helped improve plant biostresses resistance, enabling better application in agricultural production.

Phenology and habitat associations of the invasive Asian longhorned tick from Ohio, USA.

Geographically expanding and invading ticks are a global concern. The Asian longhorned tick (ALT, Haemaphysalis longicornis) was introduced to the mid-Atlantic US between 2010 and 2017 and recently invaded Ohio, an inland state. To date, ALTs in the US have been associated with livestock exsanguination and transmission of the agent of bovine theileriosis. To inform management, studies describing tick ecology and epidemiology of associated disease agents are critical. In this study, we described phenology, habitat and host associations, and tested for agents of medical and veterinary concern at the site of the first known established ALT population in Ohio, where pesticide treatment was applied in early fall 2021. In spring-fall 2022, we sampled wildlife (small mammals) and collected ticks from forest, edge, and grassland habitats. We also opportunistically sampled harvested white-tailed deer at nearby processing stations and fresh wildlife carcasses found near roads. Field-collected ALTs were tested for five agents using real-time PCR. We found that ALT nymphs emerged in June, followed by adults, and concluded with larvae in the fall. ALTs were detected in all habitats but not in wildlife. We also found a 4.88% (2/41) prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum across ALT adults and nymphs. Host and habitat associations were similar to other studies in the eastern United States, but two potential differences in phenology were identified. Whether ALTs will acquire more endemic disease agents requires further investigations. Our findings provide the first evidence regarding ALT life history from the Midwest region of the United States and can inform exposure risk and guide integrated management.

Pathogens of the oak processionary moth Thaumetopoea processionea: Developing a user-friendly bioassay system and metagenome analyses for microorganisms.

The oak processionary moth (OPM) Thaumetopoea processionea is a pest of oak trees and poses health risks to humans due to the urticating setae of later instar larvae. For this reason, it is difficult to rear OPM under laboratory conditions, carry out bioassays or examine larvae for pathogens. Biological control targets the early larval instars and is based primarily on commercial preparations of Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki (Btk). To test the entomopathogenic potential of other spore-forming bacteria, a user-friendly bioassay system was developed that (i) applies bacterial spore suspensions by oak bud dipping, (ii) targets first instar larvae through feeding exposure and (iii) takes into account their group-feeding behavior. A negligible mortality in the untreated control proved the functionality of the newly established bioassay system. Whereas the commercial Btk HD-1 strain was used as a bioassay standard and confirmed as being highly efficient, a Bacillus wiedmannii strain was ineffective in killing OPM larvae. Larvae, which died during the infection experiment, were further subjected to Nanopore sequencing for a metagenomic approach for entomopathogen detection. It further corroborated that B.wiedmannii was not able to infect and establish in OPM, but identified potential insect pathogenic species from the genera Serratia and Pseudomonas.

Long-term impact of rearing substrates on susceptibility to insecticides and metabolic enzyme activities in the house fly Musca domestica.

Musca domestica Linnaeus is a devastating insect pest of medical and veterinary importance with reports of resistance development to commonly used insecticides worldwide. Rearing substrates usually play a crucial role in determining susceptibility to insecticides and control of insect pests. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of five rearing substrates of M. domestica on its susceptibility to different insecticides and activities of metabolic enzymes. After 30 generations of rearing, susceptibility of M. domestica to tested insecticides, viz., malathion, pirimiphos-methyl, alpha-cypermethrin, deltamethrin, methomyl, propoxur, spinetoram, and chlorfenapyr had evident differences. Musca domestica reared on hen liver exhibited reduced susceptibility to all insecticides followed by the strain reared on poultry manure. However, M. domestica reared on milk-based diet showed the highest susceptibility to tested insecticides followed by the strain reared on manures of buffalo and horse. In addition, M. domestica reared on different substrates exhibited significant differences (p < 0.01) in the activities of glutathione S-transferase (GST), cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase, and carboxylesterase (CarE). Overall, hen liver and poultry manure strains exhibited higher activities of metabolic enzymes than those of the milk-based diet, buffalo, and horse manure strains. In conclusion, the data of the present study exhibited a significant effect of rearing substrates on the susceptibility to insecticides and activities of metabolic enzymes in M. domestica. These results could be helpful for the sustainable management of M. domestica on different hosts by selecting appropriate insecticides.

Mixed insect pest populations of Diaspididae species under control of oligonucleotide insecticides: 3'-end nucleotide matters.

Diaspididae are one of the most serious small herbivorous insects with piercing-sucking mouth parts and are major economic pests as they attack and destroy perennial ornamentals and food crops. Chemical control is the primary management approach for armored scale infestation. However, chemical insecticides do not possess selectivity in action and not always effective enough for the control of armored scale insects. Our previous work showed that green oligonucleotide insecticides (olinscides) are highly effective against armored and soft scale insects. Moreover, olinscides possess affordability, selectivity in action, fast biodegradability, and a low carbon footprint. Insect pest populations undergo microevolution and olinscides should take into account the problem of insecticide resistance. Using sequencing results, it was found that in the mixed populations of insect pests Dynaspidiotus britannicus Newstead and Aonidia lauri Bouche, predominates the population of A. lauri. Individuals of A. lauri comprised for 80% of individuals with the sequence 3'-ATC-GTT-GGC-AT-5' in the 28S rRNA site, and 20% of the population comprised D. britannicus individuals with the sequence 3'-ATC-GTC-GGT-AT-5'. We created olinscides Diasp80-11 (5'-ATG-CCA-ACG-AT-3') and Diasp20-11 (5'-ATA-CCG-ACG-AT-3') with perfect complementarity to each of the sequences. Mortality of insects on the 14th day comprised 98.19 ± 3.12% in Diasp80-11 group, 64.66 ± 0.67% in Diasp20-11 group (p < 0.05), and 3.77 ± 0.94% in the control group. Results indicate that for maximum insecticidal effect it is necessary to use an oligonucleotide insecticide that corresponds to the dominant species. Mortality in Diasp80-11 group was accompanied with significant decrease in target 28S rRNA concentration and was 8.44 ± 0.14 and 1.72 ± 0.36 times lower in comparison with control (p < 0.05) on the 10th and 14th days, respectively. We decided to make single nucleotide substitutions in Diasp20-11 olinscide to understand which nucleotide will play the most important role in insecticidal effect. We created three sequences with single nucleotide transversion substitutions at the 5'-end - Diasp20(5')-11 (A to T), 3'-end - Diasp20(3')-11 (T to A), and in the middle of the sequence - Diasp20(6)-11 (6th nitrogenous base of the sequence; G to C), respectively. As a result, mortality of mixed population of the field experiment decreased and comprised 53.89 ± 7.25% in Diasp20(5')-11 group, 40.68 ± 4.33% in Diasp20(6)-11 group, 35.74 ± 5.51% in Diasp20(3')-11 group, and 3.77 ± 0.94% in the control group on the 14th day. Thus, complementarity of the 3'-end nucleotide to target 28S rRNA was the most important for pronounced insecticidal effect (significance of complementarity of nucleotides for insecticidal effect: 5' nt < 6 nt < 3' nt). As was found in our previous research works, the most important rule to obtain maximum insecticidal effect is complete complementarity to the target rRNA sequence and maximum coverage of target sequence in insect pest populations. However, in this article we also show that the complementarity of 3'-end is a second important factor for insecticidal potential of olinscides. Also in this article we propose 2-step DNA containment mechanism of action of olinscides, recruiting RNase H. The data obtained indicate the selectivity of olinscides and at the same time provide a simple and flexible platform for the creation of effective plant protection products, based on antisense DNA oligonucleotides.

Automated Vibroacoustic Monitoring of Trees for Borer Infestation.

In previous research, we presented an apparatus designed for comprehensive and systematic surveillance of trees against borers. This apparatus entailed the insertion of an uncoated waveguide into the tree trunk, enabling the transmission of micro-vibrations generated by moving or digging larvae to a piezoelectric probe. Subsequent recordings were then transmitted at predetermined intervals to a server, where analysis was conducted manually to assess the infestation status of the tree. However, this method is hampered by significant limitations when scaling to monitor thousands of trees across extensive spatial domains. In this study, we address this challenge by integrating signal processing techniques capable of distinguishing vibrations attributable to borers from those originating externally to the tree. Our primary innovation involves quantifying the impulses resulting from the fracturing of wood fibers due to borer activity. The device employs criteria such as impulse duration and a strategy of waiting for periods of relative quietness before commencing the counting of impulses. Additionally, we provide an annotated large-scale database comprising laboratory and field vibrational recordings, which will facilitate further advancements in this research domain.

Potato Microbiome: Relationship with Environmental Factors and Approaches for Microbiome Modulation.

Every land plant exists in a close relationship with microbial communities of several niches: rhizosphere, endosphere, phyllosphere, etc. The growth and yield of potato-a critical food crop worldwide-highly depend on the diversity and structure of the bacterial and fungal communities with which the potato plant coexists. The potato plant has a specific part, tubers, and the soil near the tubers as a sub-compartment is usually called the "geocaulosphere", which is associated with the storage process and tare soil microbiome. Specific microbes can help the plant to adapt to particular environmental conditions and resist pathogens. There are a number of approaches to modulate the microbiome that provide organisms with desired features during inoculation. The mechanisms of plant-bacterial communication remain understudied, and for further engineering of microbiomes with particular features, the knowledge on the potato microbiome should be summarized. The most recent approaches to microbiome engineering include the construction of a synthetic microbial community or management of the plant microbiome using genome engineering. In this review, the various factors that determine the microbiome of potato and approaches that allow us to mitigate the negative impact of drought and pathogens are surveyed.

Disparities in Genetic Diversity Drive the Population Displacement of Two Invasive Cryptic Species of the Bemisia tabaci Complex in China.

Within the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) complex, two cryptic species, namely Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED), are important invasive pests affecting global agriculture and horticulture. They were introduced into China sequentially in the mid-1990s and around 2003, respectively. Subsequently, the latter invader MED has outcompeted the earlier invader MEAM1, becoming the dominant population in the field. Although extensive studies have explored the underlying mechanisms driving this shift, the contribution of population genetics remains notably underexplored. In this study, we analyzed the genetic diversity and structure of 22 MED and 8 MEAM1 populations from various regions of China using mitochondrial DNA sequencing and microsatellite genotyping. Our results indicate low and moderate levels of genetic differentiation among geographically separate populations of MED and MEAM1, respectively. Median-joining network analysis of mtCOI gene haplotypes revealed no clear geographic structuring for either, with common haplotypes observed across provinces, although MED had more haplotypes. Comparative analyses revealed that MED presented greater genetic diversity than MEAM1 on the basis of two markers. Furthermore, analysis of molecular variance supported these findings, suggesting that while some genetic variation exists between populations, a significant amount is also present within populations. These findings reveal the population genetics of the two invasive cryptic species of the B. tabaci complex in China and suggest that the disparities in genetic diversity drive the displacement of their populations in the field. This work also provides valuable information on the genetic factors influencing the population dynamics and dominance of these invasive whitefly species.