生防真菌分生孢子抗氧化能力与多糖含量的关系

作为重要的丝孢类昆虫病原真菌,球孢白僵菌和玫烟色棒束孢因其易于生产和环境友好等优点而在害虫生防防治中受到广泛青睐。为初步探求孢子耐氧化力及其与孢子多糖含量的关系,球孢白僵菌和玫烟色棒束孢11株菌经胁迫后的残存指数随氧化剂H2O2浓度增加而减小。所有菌株的残存指数均能良好地与Logistic方程拟合,并计算出各菌株在氧化胁迫条件下的半致死浓度。结果显示玫烟色棒束孢孢子的耐氧化力强于球孢白僵菌。两种真菌的分生孢子耐氧力与各自多糖含量呈现良好线性正相关。培养基碳源成分和浓度变化可影响球孢白僵菌孢子耐氧化力,但耐氧化力与多糖含量依旧呈现线性正相关。由此可见,生防真菌分生孢子的耐氧化力的确与多糖积累有关,并在一定程度上受培养条件的调节。研究结果有望为提高生防真菌孢子环境稳定性提供新的策略。     

Pest-Suppression Potential of Midwestern Landscapes under Contrasting Bioenergy Scenarios

Biomass crops grown on marginal soils are expected to fuel an emerging bioenergy industry in the United States. Bioenergy crop choice and position in the landscape could have important impacts on a range of ecosystem services, including natural pest-suppression (biocontrol services) provided by predatory arthropods. In this study we use predation rates of three sentinel crop pests to develop a biocontrol index (BCI) summarizing pest-suppression potential in corn and perennial grass-based bioenergy crops in southern Wisconsin, lower Michigan, and northern Illinois. We show that BCI is higher in perennial grasslands than in corn, and increases with the amount of perennial grassland in the surrounding landscape. We develop an empirical model for predicting BCI from information on energy crop and landscape characteristics, and use the model in a qualitative assessment of changes in biocontrol services for annual croplands on prime agricultural soils under two contrasting bioenergy scenarios. Our analysis suggests that the expansion of annual energy crops onto 1.2 million ha of existing perennial grasslands on marginal soils could reduce BCI between -10 and -64% for nearly half of the annual cropland in the region. In contrast, replacement of the 1.1 million ha of existing annual crops on marginal land with perennial energy crops could increase BCI by 13 to 205% on over half of the annual cropland in the region. Through comparisons with other independent studies, we find that our biocontrol index is negatively related to insecticide use across the Midwest, suggesting that strategically positioned, perennial bioenergy crops could reduce insect damage and insecticide use on neighboring food and forage crops. We suggest that properly validated environmental indices can be used in decision support systems to facilitate integrated assessments of the environmental and economic impacts of different bioenergy policies.     

应用罩笼法定量评价天敌对麦蚜的控害作用

【目的】定量分析麦田自然天敌对麦蚜的控制作用。【方法】系统调查和罩笼接虫法。【结果】龟纹瓢虫Propylaea japonica Thunberg是麦蚜的主要天敌。在麦蚜发生平稳期、盛发期、消退期,自然天敌对麦蚜有稳定的控制作用,控害指数分别为35%、42%和32%。【结论】在制定麦蚜的防治策略时,应充分考虑自然天敌的控害作用,加强对自然天敌的保护利用。     

Natural enemies of Tuta absoluta in the Mediterranean basin,Europe and South America

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) represents a global threat to commercial tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production, both in open field and greenhouse. Native to South America, it spread over the Mediterranean Basin, Europe, Africa and part of Asia in only 12 years, and currently it is reported in over 80 countries. Biological control is one of the options for its control and a large number of natural enemies has been reported in association with the pest, both in the areas of origin and of introduction. The egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum, in South America, and the mirid predators Macrolophus pygmaeus and Nesidiocoris tenuis, in Europe and the Mediterranean basin, are used as commercial biocontrol agents. Even if several natural enemies might be promising candidates for biocontrol, their potential role in quantitative pest reduction has been seldom established under practical tomato production conditions.

Since climatic suitability indices predict a high probability for continued invasion by T. absoluta, mainly in China and the USA, there is an urgent need for new control options. In order to minimise the use of broad spectrum insecticides, biocontrol techniques should be considered. As tomato is produced seasonally, augmentative biocontrol seems to be the most effective control option, but pest reduction might be optimised by adding conservation biocontrol, and by combining biocontrol within IPM programmes.

Here, an overview of predators and parasitoids of T. absoluta in South American and Euro-Mediterranean regions, and their biological control efficacy under laboratory, semi-field and field conditions is provided.     

Success of classical biocontrol agent Torymus sinensis within its expanding range in Europe

Torymus sinensis Kamijo (Hymenoptera, Torymidae), a classical biocontrol agent of chestnut gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae), was released in Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary in 2015. Following the introduction, the research of parasitism rates and population genetic indices on 40 different sites was performed to monitor and evaluate the success of establishment. The observed parasitism rates were unexpectedly high and negatively correlated with the distance from westernmost locality, while population genetic indices showed that populations of T. sinensis did not suffer from bottleneck‐induced founder effect phenomenon. Moreover, lack of genetic differentiation demonstrates that all populations share similar genetic structure, which could be shaped only by high levels of gene flow. We conclude that T. sinensis established viable and genetically diverse populations and successfully spread naturally from Italy across Slovenia to Croatia and Hungary.     

保护地土传病害枯萎病和疫霉病生防菌剂的田间试验

为了克服保护地栽培作物的连作障碍,针对筛选的拮抗引起土传病害的枯萎病菌和疫霉病菌的微生物菌种进行了混合生防菌剂的制备,测定了制备菌剂中的菌体数量和抑菌活性;在人工接种的条件下研究了制备菌剂的生防效果;在保护地中试验了混合菌剂对枯萎病和疫霉病的防效。结果表明:制备的单菌剂中含有的活菌体数量能达到108 cfu/g以上,混合菌剂中每个菌种的活菌体数量能达到105 cfu/g,并且菌剂的粗提物中存在明显的抑制枯萎病菌和疫霉病菌的抑菌物质。在人工接种盆栽试验中单菌剂和混合菌剂对枯萎病和疫霉病均有一定的防效,其中混合菌剂对两种病害的防效均达到80%以上。混合菌剂田间实验对枯萎病和疫霉病防效能达到70%以上。     

Stakeholder survey reveals priorities for African boxthorn biocontrol research in Australia

ABSTRACT

Insufficient engagement with stakeholders and regulators has been identified as a limiting factor for effective adoption of biocontrol globally. A survey was conducted to engage stakeholders affected by African boxthorn, to ask them about their perceived impacts of the weed and management expectations from biocontrol. Management objectives gleaned from the survey now guide selection and evaluation of candidate biocontrol agents for African boxthorn in Australia. Surveys such as this are an inexpensive way to understand how biocontrol can most effectively intersect with stakeholder perceptions and management priorities, and are likely to facilitate the acceptance and adoption of biocontrol.     

What makes a successful biocontrol agent? A meta-analysis of biological control agent performance

We qualitatively reviewed the biocontrol literature in two major journals, Biological Control and Environmental Entomology, over the past 10 years by scoring 878 studies into 11 biocontrol-oriented questions. Quantitative meta-analyses were then used on data from 145 studies to examine the effects of different types of biocontrol agents (parasitoids, predators, and pathogens) on several attributes of weed and pest populations. Results for our qualitative review showed that most biocontrol studies were focused on lepidopteran pests, and that parasitoids were the most common biocontrol agents used. Our quantitative review showed that, for weeds, biocontrol agents significantly reduced weed biomass (−82.0%), flower (−98.9%), and seed production (−89.4%). For pests, our quantitative review showed that biocontrol agents significantly reduced pest abundance by 130% compared to control groups, increased parasitism (+139.0%) and increased overall pest mortality (+159.0%) compared to targets not exposed to biocontrol agents. Effects on pest mortality tended to be stronger for parasitoids than predators, although reductions caused in pest abundance were much stronger when predators were used as biocontrol agents. Addition of two or more biocontrol agents increased mortality by 12.97% and decreased pest abundance by 27.17% compared to single releases. Separate sets of meta-analyses demonstrated that the negative impacts of biocontrol on non-target species were much smaller than those for target species, although adverse effects of biocontrol on non-target organisms are based on small sample sizes and should be interpreted with caution. Our results also showed that biocontrol efficacy tended to be higher when agents were generalists than when they were specialists. Large fail–safe numbers found for most of the estimated effects indicate the robustness of the results found for the efficacy of biological control programs.     

Experts know more than just facts: eliciting functional understanding to help prioritise weed biological control targets

Prioritising investments in classical weed biological control (biocontrol) is a common decision-making challenge: biocontrol programmes can yield substantial benefits but are typically long-term and costly, and the outcome uncertain. Experts are often relied upon to help, but their role is generally restricted to providing facts and judgements to populate an existing prioritisation model, which in turn receives little scrutiny. We developed and applied a new prioritisation framework to guide biocontrol investment decisions by livestock industries that required eliciting experts’ functional understanding (including their in-depth knowledge of the theoretical and practical drivers of weed biocontrol programmes). This consultative and transparent framework drew on expertise from most biocontrol practitioners in Australia through a structured workshop, and the literature. Each of the 75 weed taxa considered was placed in a matrix according to their impact (current or potential) and the prospects of biocontrol achieving pre-defined management goals. There was considerable knowledge uncertainty regarding potential impacts, which is of concern when making pre-emptive investments. Feasibility (likelihood of finding host-specific agents) and likelihood of success (management goals being met, assuming that host-specific agents are available) of biocontrol were both assessed as low for 51 % of taxa. Predicted barriers to successful biocontrol were diverse and idiosyncratic, suggesting that application of more quantitative prioritisation approaches would be challenging. A short-list of 13 weed taxa was identified for further consideration as biocontrol targets, based on the trade-off between potential impact and prospects for biocontrol. Research priorities emerged from the prioritisation process that would maximise investment outcomes for each taxon. Only two short-listed taxa are new targets, reflecting the maturity of the biocontrol discipline targeting weeds of livestock industries in Australia. Accessing the in-depth functional understanding of experts resulted in explicit characterisation of the barriers to successful biocontrol and if/how they might be overcome, improved characterisation of uncertainty, and provided directed guidance for investment. Such an approach would be readily applicable to analogous decision-making challenges in other sectors and countries.     

Is the ability of biocontrol fluorescent pseudomonads to produce the antifungal metabolite 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol really synonymous with higher plant protection?

The antifungal compound 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (Phl) contributes to biocontrol in pseudomonads, but whether or not Phl(+) biocontrol pseudomonads display higher plant-protecting activity than Phl(-) biocontrol pseudomonads remains to be demonstrated. This issue was addressed by assessing 230 biocontrol fluorescent pseudomonads selected from a collection of 3132 bacterial isolates obtained from 63 soils worldwide. One-third of the biocontrol pseudomonads were Phl(+) and almost all Phl(+) isolates also produced hydrogen cyanide (HCN). The only Phl(+) HCN(-) strain did harbor hcn genes, but with the deletion of a 134 bp hcnC fragment corresponding to an ADP-binding motif. Statistical analysis of biocontrol isolate distributions indicated that Phl production ability was associated with superior disease suppression activity in the Pythium-cucumber and Fusarium-tomato pathosystems, but this was also the case with HCN production ability. However, HCN significance was not as strong, as indicated both by the comparison of Phl(-) HCN(+) and Phl(-) HCN(-) strains and by correlation analyses. This is the first population-level demonstration of the higher plant-protecting activity of Phl(+) biocontrol pseudomonads in comparison with Phl(-) biocontrol pseudomonads.     

Use of microsatellite markers to assess the competitive ability of nontoxigenic Aspergillus flavus strains in studies on biocontrol of aflatoxins in maize in Thailand

Many nontoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus have been used in studies on biocontrol by competitive exclusion, but assessing their competitive ability is difficult. This paper reports on the use of a microsatellite marker technique for assessing competitiveness. The chosen microsatellite markers were able to differentiate, at an individual level, between the four biocontrol strains used in a study on the biocontrol of aflatoxins in maize in Thailand. The microsatellite markers were then used to determine which of the four biocontrol strains used were identical with 86 nontoxigenic strains of A. flavus taken from dried maize samples produced in that study. Fifty-one of the 86 strains (59%) were identified as one of the four biocontrol strains, with another four likely to be so. Analysis of microsatellites in A. flavus strains taken from dried samples at the conclusion of a field trial was shown to be of value in understanding the competitive ability of the specific strains used for biocontrol. This method provides an objective assessment of the competitiveness of biocontrol strains.     

M60家族肽酶参与调控蜡质芽胞杆菌AR156防治南方根结线虫病的作用机制

【背景】南方根结线虫(Meloidogyne incognita)寄主范围广泛,能侵染茄科、豆科、葫芦科等蔬菜,对世界农业生产造成了严重危害,每年造成的损失可高达数百亿美元。蜡质芽胞杆菌(Bacillus cereus) AR156是一种革兰氏阳性杆状细菌,对于南方根结线虫引起的土传病害有较好的防治效果,并且已经完成了全基因组测序。【目的】了解AR156对南方根结线虫的生防机理,寻找与生防功能相关的基因,进行遗传功能基因的分析。【方法】构建蜡质芽胞杆菌AR156 miniTn10随机插入突变体文库,通过对南方根结线虫致死率和温室防病试验进行筛选,找到与AR156生防能力相关的突变体,鉴定相关功能基因,并对产蛋白酶活性、定殖能力、生物膜形成和游动性等方面进行检测。【结果】与AR156野生型相比,转座子插入位点在M60家族肽酶的突变体BC41产蛋白酶活性下降,植物根围定殖能力减弱,生物膜形成能力和游动性受到影响,从而导致其防治南方根结线虫的能力降低。【结论】通过对生防相关功能基因的分析,初步明确M60家族肽酶在蜡质芽胞杆菌AR156防治南方根结线虫的过程中发挥重要作用。     

Use of molecular techniques to elucidate the mechanisms of action of fungal biocontrol agents: a review

Biological control of fungal plant pathogens appears as an attractive and realistic approach, and numerous microorganisms have been identified as biocontrol agents. There have been many efforts to understand the mechanisms of action of fungal biocontrol agents. Microbiological, microscopic, and biochemical techniques applied over many years have shed light on these mechanisms without fully demonstrating them. More recently, the development of molecular techniques has yielded innovative alternative tools for understanding and demonstrating the mechanisms underlying biocontrol properties. To date, more than 70 publications describe the use of molecular techniques for this purpose. They describe work exploiting targeted or non-targeted gene isolation, gene expression profiling, gene inactivation and/or overexpression, the study of regulatory factors. This work has shed considerable light on mechanisms underlying biocontrol properties. It has also fully demonstrated a number of targeted action mechanisms of some biocontrol agents. This review describes the techniques used in such studies, with their potential and limitations. It should provide a guide for researchers wanting to study the molecular basis of the biocontrol in diverse biocontrol agents.     

Genetic diversity and biocontrol potential of fluorescent pseudomonads producing phloroglucinols and hydrogen cyanide from Swiss soils naturally suppressive or conducive to Thielaviopsis basicola-mediated black root rot of tobacco

Pseudomonas populations producing the biocontrol compounds 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (Phl) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) were found in the rhizosphere of tobacco both in Swiss soils suppressive to Thielaviopsis basicola and in their conducive counterparts. In this study, a collection of Phl+ HCN+Pseudomonas isolates from two suppressive and two conducive soils were used to assess whether suppressiveness could be linked to soil-specific properties of individual pseudomonads. The isolates were compared based on restriction analysis of the biocontrol genes phlD and hcnBC, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR profiling and their biocontrol ability. Restriction analyses of phlD and hcnBC yielded very concordant relationships between the strains, and suggested significant population differentiation occurring at the soil level, regardless of soil suppressiveness status. This was corroborated by high strain diversity (ERIC-PCR) within each of the four soils and among isolates harboring the same phlD or hcnBC alleles. No correlation was found between the origin of the isolates and their biocontrol activity in vitro and in planta. Significant differences in T. basicola inhibition were however evidenced between the isolates when they were grouped according to their biocontrol alleles. Moreover, two main Pseudomonas lineages differing by the capacity to produce pyoluteorin were evidenced in the collection. Thus, Phl+ HCN+ pseudomonads from suppressive soils were not markedly different from those from nearby conducive soils. Therefore, as far as biocontrol pseudomonads are concerned, this work yields the hypothesis that the suppressiveness of Swiss soils may rely on the differential effects of environmental factors on the expression of key biocontrol genes in pseudomonads rather than differences in population structure of biocontrol Pseudomonas subcommunities or the biocontrol potential of individual Phl+ HCN+ pseudomonad strains.     

Effect of Pathogen Isolate, Potato Cultivar, and Antagonist Strain on Potato Scab Severity and Biological Control

Antibiotic-producing Streptomyces spp. have shown potential in biocontrol of potato scab caused by Streptomyces scabies. However, results have been inconsistent among field trials. Pathogen isolate, antagonist strain and potato cultivar were investigated as potential sources of variation in the efficacy of potato scab biocontrol. Biocontrol success varied significantly among pathogen isolates and was not correlated with in vitro sensitivity to antibiotic inhibition. Antagonists also varied in their effectiveness as biocontrol agents, and the relative effectiveness of different antagonists varied among growing seasons. Finally, biocontrol varied among potato cultivars in the field. The diverse origins of significant variation in potato scab biocontrol suggest that consistent control in the field is likely to be difficult to achieve.     

Evidence for rapid evolutionary change in an invasive plant in response to biological control

We present evidence that populations of an invasive plant species that have become re‐associated with a specialist herbivore in the exotic range through biological control have rapidly evolved increased antiherbivore defences compared to populations not exposed to biocontrol. We grew half‐sib families of the invasive plant Lythrum salicaria sourced from 17 populations near Ottawa, Canada, that differed in their history of exposure to a biocontrol agent, the specialist beetle Neogalerucella calmariensis. In a glasshouse experiment, we manipulated larval and adult herbivory to examine whether a population's history of biocontrol influenced plant defence and growth. Plants sourced from populations with a history of biocontrol suffered lower defoliation than naïve, previously unexposed populations, strongly suggesting they had evolved higher resistance. Plants from biocontrol‐exposed populations were also larger and produced more branches in response to herbivory, regrew faster even in the absence of herbivory and were better at compensating for the impacts of herbivory on growth (i.e. they exhibited increased tolerance). Furthermore, resistance and tolerance were positively correlated among genotypes with a history of biocontrol but not among naïve genotypes. Our findings suggest that biocontrol can rapidly select for increased defences in an invasive plant and may favour a mixed defence strategy of resistance and tolerance without an obvious cost to plant vigour. Although rarely studied, such evolutionary responses in the target species have important implications for the long‐term efficacy of biocontrol programmes.     

Evaluating the post-release efficacy of invasive plant biocontrol by insects: a comprehensive approach

We propose a comprehensive program to evaluate the post-release phase of biocontrol programs that use insect herbivores to control invasive plant species. We argue that any release should be done in randomized release and non-release sites and should be followed up by well-replicated sampling and experimental protocols that evaluate the degree of success or failure. These follow-up studies should include landscape scale monitoring across relevant habitat gradients of (1) the abundance of the biocontrol agent, (2) the impact of the biocontrol agent on the target plant species, (3) the potential for non-target effects, and (4) the response of native species and communities to a reduction in the invasive species. We also argue that (5) experimental reductions of the biocontrol agent are required to eliminate the chance that the putative impact of the biocontrol agent is not confounded with other causes. Finally, we describe six scenarios, informed largely by a community ecology perspective, in which a biocontrol agent may decrease the abundance or vigor of the target plant species but not lead to successful control where native communities re-establish. We classify these failure scenarios as either direct or indirect effects of the invasive plant species: Native Source Limitation, Static Competitive Hierarchies, Novel Weapons, Trophic Shifts, Invasive Engineering and Associated Invasives. Overall, we argue that well replicated and landscape-scale post release monitoring programs are required not only to evaluate critically the degree of success and failure of biocontrol programs worldwide but also to provide insights into improving future biocontrol efforts. Handling Editor: Heikki Hokkanen.     

GMC oxidoreductase, a highly expressed protein in a potent biocontrol agent Fusarium oxysporum Cong:1-2, is dispensable for biocontrol activity

A spontaneous non-pathogenic variant (Cong:1-2) derived from Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans (Cong: 1-1), a causal agent of cabbage yellows, carries biocontrol activity for cabbage yellows. We found a GMC oxidoreductase (ODX1) among the proteins expressed much more in Cong:1-2 than Cong:1-1 by 2D-DIGE comparison. GMC oxidoreductases have been reported to be involved in biocontrol activity of several plant pathogenic fungi. The gene encoding ODX1 in Cong:1-2 was cloned, and targeted disruption of the gene in Cong:1-2 did not affect its biocontrol activity, suggesting that GMC oxidoreductase is dispensable for biocontrol activity in the fungal biocontrol agent.     

Biocontrol bacteria selected by a direct plant protection strategy against avocado white root rot show antagonism as a prevalent trait

Aim: This study was undertaken to study bacterial strains obtained directly for their efficient direct control of the avocado white root rot, thus avoiding prescreening by any other possible mechanism of biocontrol which could bias the selection. Methods and Results: A collection of 330 bacterial isolates was obtained from the roots and soil of healthy avocado trees. One hundred and forty‐three representative bacterial isolates were tested in an avocado/Rosellinia test system, resulting in 22 presumptive protective strains, all of them identified mainly as Pseudomonas and Bacillus species. These 22 candidate strains were screened in a more accurate biocontrol trial, confirming protection of some strains (4 out of the 22). Analyses of the potential bacterial traits involved in the biocontrol activity suggest that different traits could act jointly in the final biocontrol response, but any of these traits were neither sufficient nor generalized for all the active bacteria. All the protective strains selected were antagonistic against some fungal root pathogens. Conclusions: Diverse bacteria with biocontrol activity could be obtained by a direct plant protection strategy of selection. All the biocontrol strains finally selected in this work were antagonistic, showing that antagonism is a prevalent trait in the biocontrol bacteria selected by a direct plant protection strategy. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first report on the isolation of biocontrol bacterial strains using direct plant protection strategy in the system avocado/Rosellinia. Characterization of selected biocontrol bacterial strains obtained by a direct plant protection strategy showed that antagonism is a prevalent trait in the selected strains in this experimental system. This suggests that antagonism could be used as useful strategy to select biocontrol strains.     

Using evolutionary tools to facilitate the prediction and prevention of host‐based differentiation in biological control: a review and perspective

The unprecedented success of biological control (biocontrol) agents led some of the proponents of this technology to promote its use as a panacea for all pest problems. Following an accumulation of non‐target host interactions, because of generalist or new association introductions, techniques to help ensure classical biocontrol agent's success and reduce non‐target interactions were implemented. Even with these new measures in place, public and scientific mistrust and lack of consistency has resulted in increased regulation of biocontrol introductions. This has likely decreased the probability of effective, sustainable control measures being expeditiously implemented. With the current apprehension concerning the safety of biocontrol, we should incorporate the processes (adaptation, selection, etc.) and theoretical concepts of evolutionary biology to predict and enhance the effectiveness of biocontrol. The microevolutionary perspective that involves mutation, drift, selection and gene flow may be a crucial consideration in the realm of biocontrol. Here, we discuss how and why spatial and evolutionary models should be implemented into future risk assessment analyses of potential biocontrol agents. We suggest that it is necessary to re‐assess the approach that has developed over the past approximately 100 years of sustained releases and illuminate them in the context of an evolutionary timescale.