Carabidae population dynamics and temporal partitioning: response to coupled neonicotinoid-transgenic technologies in maize.

Insecticidal Bt crops and seed treatments represent additional pest management tools for growers, prompting ecological studies comparing their impact on farm system inputs and effects to nontarget organisms compared with conventional practices. Using high taxonomic and temporal resolution, we contrast the dominance structure of carabids and dynamics of the most abundant species in maize (both sweet and field corn) agroecosystems using pest management tactics determined by the purchase of seed and application of pyrethroid insecticides. In the seed-based treatments, sweet corn contained Cry1Ab/c proteins, whereas field corn contained the coupled technology of Cry3Bb1 proteins for control of corn rootworm and neonicotinoid seed treatments aimed at secondary soil-borne pests. The insecticide treatments involved foliar pyrethroids in sweet corn and at-planting pyrethroids in field corn. The carabid community, comprised of 49 species, was dominated by four species, Scarites quadriceps Chaudoir, Poecilus chalcites Say, Pterostichus melanarius Illiger, and Harpalus pensylvanicus DeGeer, that each occupied a distinct temporal niche during the growing season. Two species, Pt. melanarius and H. pensylvanicus, exhibited differences between treatments over time. Only H. pensylvanicus had consistent results in both years, in which activity densities in field corn were significantly higher in the control in July and/or August. These results, along with laboratory bioassays, led us to hypothesize that lower adult captures resulted from decrease in prey availability or exposure of H. pensylvanicus larvae to soil-directed insecticides-either the neonicotinoid seed treatment in the transgenic field corn or an at-planting soil insecticide in the conventional field corn.

Lipid, polyamide, and flavonol phagostimulants for adult western corn rootworm from sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) pollen.

Adult Diabroticites including western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, consume pollen of corn, squash, sunflower, and other species. Short-chain neutral amino acids in methanol-water extracts of pollen have been previously identified in our laboratory as strong phagostimulants for Diabrotica. Bioassay-driven fractionation was used to characterize the interacting lipid and midpolarity phagostimulants for adult WCR in Giant Gray Stripe sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., pollen. Lipids rich in omega3-linolenic acid including triglycerides, free fatty acids, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidic acids, and phosphatidylcholines were highly phagostimulatory. Other important phagostimulatory components included a hydroxycinnamic acid-polyamine amide, N(1),N(5),N(10)-tri[(E)-p-coumaroyl]spermidine, and a flavonol, quercetin beta-3-O-glucoside. The structural characteristics of these phagoactive compounds and their role in the pollinivory specialization of rootworm beetles are discussed.

Identification of sensilla involved in taste mediation in adult western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte).

A group of sensilla present on the maxillary galea of adult western corn rootworm,Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) beetles has been identified morphologically and physiologically to be involved in taste mediation. There are approximately 15 chemosensory hairs on each galea. Bilateral removal of these structures resulted in a significantly reduced consumption of a strongly phagostimulant triterpenoid, cucurbitacin B, and led to increased ingestion of a phagodeterrent alkaloid, strychnine. Electrophysiological responses obtained via tip-recording of galeal chemosensilla with submillimolar concentrations of host and nonhost plant compounds resulted in dose responses overlapping with the effective behavioral ranges. Cucurbitacin B was found to evoke chemosensory responses at levels as low as 0.1µM. Sinceγ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an agonist. (-)-ß-hydrastine and strychnine are antagonists, and cucurbitacin B has been proposed to act at a separate modulatory site of classical synaptic GABA and glycine receptor-channel complexes, results reported here raise the possibility that there are peripheral chemosensory receptor sites that may resemble, functionally and structurally, synaptic receptor sites in the central nervous system.

Distribution and antifeedant associations of sesquiterpene lactones in cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) on western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte).

Seven antifeedant sesquiterpene lactones (STLs), 4,5-dihydroniveusin A, argophyllin B, argophyllin A, 15-hydroxy-3-dehydrodesoxytifruticin, niveusin B, 1,2-anhydridoniveusin A, and an unidentified epoxide, in cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) have been quantified by a highperformance thin-layer chromatography and UV-reflectance scanning densitometry analysis. Age-related expression of STL content in sunflower reveals a heretofore undescribed pattern in which nonpolar STLs such as 15-hydroxy-3-dehydrodesoxytifruticin predominate up to an age of three weeks, but are subsequently displaced by polar STLs, especially argophyllin A, through later foliar stages and anthesis. This leaf pattern of STL ontogeny is maintained in three widely differentH. annuus cultivars (Giant Gray Stripe, Royal Hybrid 2141, Hybrid 7111), which in turn had similar total contents of STLs. Antifeedant activity for western corn rootworm was positively correlated with STL content, particularly with argophyllin A and its isomer argophyllin B, in respective tissue extracts. Enhanced amounts of highly antifeedant argophyllins, especially in newly grown leaf and floral tissues yielding sunflower progeny, strongly suggest that these epoxy-STLs are a chemical defense against insect herbivory.

Adaptive relationships of epoxide hydrolase in herbivorous arthropods.

Epoxide hydrolase catalyzes a simple hydrolysis of reactive cyclic ethers that may otherwise alkylate and impair critical proteins and nucleic acids required for life. Although much less studied than the cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases that produce epoxides, differences in subcellular, tissue, pH, substrate, and inhibitor specificities argue for at least three forms of insect epoxide hydrolase. Increasing numbers of epoxides are being identified as plant allelochemicals, antifeedants, and essential hormones or precursors for herbivorous arthropods, and in many cases an associated alkene to diol pathway of metabolism is found. A role for epoxide hydrolase in arthropod-plant interactions is strongly supported by species comparisons and by age-activity and induction studies. Two major limitations for study in biochemical ecology of epoxide hydrolase are the lack of an effective in vivo inhibitor and a range of commercially available radiolabeled substrates for the enzymes.

Mutagenic potency of some conjugated nitroaromatic compounds and its relationship to structure.

The mutagenicities of 12 conjugated non-fused nitroaromatic compounds and 1 amino analogue were determined in strains TA100 and TA98 of Salmonella typhimurium. Reversions by p-nitroaromatics increased in the order of the acetophenone, benzaldehyde, styrene, chalcone, cinnamic acid and stilbene indicating the importance for mutagenic potency of extended conjugation to the p-nitrophenyl substituent. Highest mutagenicity was found with alpha-substituted 4-nitrostyryl derivatives of which the phenyl derivative (31 revertants per nmole in TA100) was the most active. Generally, the TA100 strain was more sensitive than TA98 to these mutagens and S9 treatment was unnecessary for activity, although 4-nitrochalcone required S9 activation. Para-nitro isomers of the cinnamic acids and chalcones were much more active than the corresponding ortho and meta isomers. The 4-aminocinnamic acid analogue was inactive suggesting that complete reduction in Salmonella of 4-nitrocinnamic acid to an active amino derivative is not response for the high mutagenicity of the former. Mutagenicity of these p-nitrostyryl compounds may be explained by the covalent interaction of the electrophilic benzylic carbon with Salmonella DNA.

Structure-mutagenicity relationships of chalcones and their oxides in the Salmonella assay.

31 p-monosubstituted chalcones (E-1, 3-diphenylpropene-1-one) and the corresponding oxides (E-1-benzoyl-2-phenyloxirane) were tested for mutagenic activity on two strains of Salmonella typhimurium (TA98 and TA100) with and without rat liver microsomal and cytosolic enzymes. Highest mutagenicity (3.0 revertants/nmole in either strain) was seen with the 4-nitrochalcone, especially after S9 activation. Epoxidation, in general, increased the mutagenic activity of the respective chalcone. Benzoyl (4') substituted chalcones and their oxides with an electron-withdrawing substituent (e.g., nitro, fluoro) usually had higher activity than their phenyl (4) substituted counterparts, whereas the converse was the case with electron-donating substituents (e.g., acetamido, methoxy). Further multiple factorial analysis revealed that increasing hydrophilicity as indicated by the Hansch pi parameter, and resonance electronic contributions were more important than other factors including steric terms in explaining the mutagenicity of these compounds. Mutagenic effects of some chalcone oxides, particularly the 4-methoxy derivative, were markedly decreased by S9 treatment. The consequence of the weak-to-moderate mutagenicity of these compounds to dietary intake of hydroxylated and methoxylated chalcones is discussed.

Epoxide forming and degrading enzymes in the spider mite, Tetranychus urticae.

Enzymes associated with the epoxidation and epoxide hydration or glutathione conjugation pathway occurred in the herbivorous mite, Tetranychus urticae. Epoxidation of aldrin was primarily microsomal, required NADPH, was associated with a NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, and was inhibited by CO, 1-phenylimidazole and piperonyl butoxide. Trans- and cis-epoxide hydrolases resided mostly in the microsomal fraction but were localized also in the cytosol. These activities were differentially inhibited by 1,2-epoxy-3,3,3-trichloropropane, and chalcone and 4-phenylchalcone oxides. In vitro and in vivo rates of aldrin epoxidation were very similar indicating that in vitro artifacts were not impairing full enzyme measurement. This was further confirmed in experiments with enzyme stabilizers.

Detoxification enzyme differences between a herbivorous and predatory mite.

The detoxification capabilities of the predatory mite Amblyseius fallacis and its herbivorous prey Tetranychus urticae are fundamentally different. The activities of mixed-function oxidase and trans-epoxide hydrolase are higher in the prey than in the predator; those of cis-epoxide hydrolase and glutathione transferase are lower; and esterase activity is similar. Dissimilarities may be related both to differing adaptations to plant allelochemicals and to the higher respiration rate of the predator. Hydrolytic and conjugating reactions appear more important than oxidative pathways in imparting organophosphate resistance to these acarines. These resistances provide insecticide selectivity favorable to the predator and improved integrated pest control.