Conventional sampling plan for the green leafhopper Empoasca kraemeri in common beans

Abstract:  A conventional sampling plan for the leafhopper Empoasca kraemeri Ross & Moore (Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is presented based on samples from 51 commercial fields. The research encompassed three phases. The first phase had the objective of determining the most suitable leaf to be used as a precise and representative sampling unit. In the second phase of the project, the available sampling methods for E. kraemeri were compared, including the approach identified in the first phase. In the third phase, the theoretical frequency distribution of the sampling data was assessed and the number of samples necessary for the sampling plan was established. The best leaves to sample adult leafhoppers were the fourth and the fifth from the apex, while the best leaf for sampling nymphs was the fifth from the apex. The best sampling technique for nymphs and adults was the beating of the apical leaves against a plastic tray. The sampling data obtained with this technique were fit to a negative binomial distribution with common aggregation parameter for adults ( K _common = 1.04) and nymphs ( K _common = 0.47). This sampling plan required 16.8 and 31.2 min to be carried out at an expense of US$ 0.31 and US$ 0.54 for sampling adults and nymphs in a field, respectively.     

Knowing your enemies: Integrating molecular and ecological methods to assess the impact of arthropod predators on crop pests

The importance of natural enemies as the foundation of integrated pest management (IPM) is widely accepted, but few studies conduct the manipulative field experiments necessary to directly quantify their impact on pest populations in this context. This is particularly true for predators. Studying arthropod predator–prey interactions is inherently difficult: prey items are often completely consumed, individual predator–prey interactions are ephemeral (rendering their detection difficult) and the typically fluid or soft‐bodied meals cannot be easily identified visually within predator guts. Serological techniques have long been used in arthropod predator gut‐contents analysis, and current enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are highly specific and sensitive. Recently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for gut‐contents analysis have developed rapidly and they now dominate the diagnostic methods used for gut‐contents analysis in field‐based research. This work has identified trophic linkages within food webs, determined predator diet breadth and preference, demonstrated the importance of cannibalism and intraguild predation within and between certain taxa, and confirmed the benefits (predator persistence) and potential disadvantages (reduced feeding on pest species) of the availability of alternative nonpest prey. Despite considerable efforts to calibrate gut‐contents assays, these methods remain qualitative. Available techniques for predator gut‐contents analysis can provide rapid, accurate, cost‐effective identification of predation events. As such, they perfectly compliment the ecological methods developed to directly assess predator impacts on prey populations but which are imperfect at identifying the key predators. These diagnostic methods for gut‐contents analysis are underexploited in agricultural research and they are almost never applied in unison with the critical field experiments to measure predator impact. This paper stresses the need for a combined approach and suggests a framework that would make this possible, so that appropriate natural enemies can be targeted in conservation biological control.     

Insect inventories in a mango‐based agroforestry area in Bangladesh: foraging behavior and performance of pollinators on fruit set

Insect species inventories along with pest prevalence, foraging behavior of pollinators and their effect on fruit set of mango were studied in a mango‐based agroforestry area in Bangladesh during January to June 2013. Of 1751 collected insects, 11 species in five orders and nine families were pests, 13 species in six orders and eight families were predators and eight species belonging to three orders and seven families were found as pollinators. The pests exerted significantly higher abundance but lower diversity than pollinator, predator and other insects. The pollinator richness was found to be lowest but showed higher as well as similar diversity to other category insects. Three pest species prevailed throughout the season and hoppers showed significant abundance. Among the predators, ants were most abundant. Sulphur butterfly and syrphid fly revealed statistically identical and higher abundance than other pollinators. During the flowering season, pests were dominant and the abundance of insects was observed to peak at 11.00 h. The pollinators differed in their landing duration on flowers and their activity led to higher levels of fruit set. This study provides baseline information on insect abundance in an agroforestry system, which stresses the importance of conservation of beneficial insects.     

棉田非靶标害虫发生丰度与气象因子的关联性分析

【背景】近年来,全球气候条件不断变化,其对农田生态系统和病虫草害发生的影响较大。【方法】于2009~2013年在河南安阳田间小区系统调查了转基因棉田和非转基因棉田主要害虫种群丰度,结合5年间本地气象因素,分段分析了影响棉田主要害虫发生的关键气象因子及其关键影响时期。【结果】不同害虫发生危害的关键气象因子及其关键影响时期不同,且不同害虫种群丰度与气象因子及其影响时期有不同的相关性。影响棉蚜的关键性气象因子是1~8月的平均气温,与相对湿度和降雨量相关性较低;影响棉叶蝉的关键气象因子是1~4月的降雨量,其次是1~8月的相对湿度,而平均气温与其相关性很低;5~8月降雨量对烟粉虱有一定的抑制作用,平均气温和相对湿度对其无显著影响;影响棉蓟马的关键气象因子是平均气温,其次是5~8月相对湿度,降雨量与棉蓟马丰度相关性较低;平均气温、相对湿度和降雨量与盲蝽种群丰度的相关性很低,其发生危害可能是多种气象因子协同作用的结果。【结论与意义】本研究结果可为气候变化条件下棉田主要害虫的预测预报和防御提供理论依据。     

Potential analysis of grass endophytes Neotyphodium as biocontrol agents

Many grasses in the subfamily Pooideae develop symbioses with Neotyphodium fungal endophytes, which exist widely in nature. The stably symbiotic relationship not only ensures accessible nutrients required by Neotyphodium fungal endophytes, but also significantly increases the resistance of host grasses to biological stresses through the production of secondary metabolites. Previous studies show that infected grasses with endophytic fungi have prominently enhanced resistance to pests, plant diseases, companion plants and other biological stresses. Grass endophytic fungi show remarkable resistant to at least 79 species of pests from three classes; arachnida, nematode and insecta, and to at least 22 species of pathogenic fungi. Although the biotechnological application of endophytic fungi in grass breeding for variety selection and quality improvement has progressed well, opportunities remain for further exploring the use of fungal endophytes among different host grasses coupled with the examination of genetic stability of Neotyphodium in novel host grasses. In the future application of endophytic fungi as a bio-control method, researchers should not only consider specificities of host grasses, but also need to have comprehensive analysis and knowledge about the mutual relationships among grasses, endophytic fungi and ecological environments, which will help use endophytic fungi to better serve humanity.     

Genetic structure of cherry fruit fly (Rhagoletis cingulata) populations across managed,unmanaged, and natural habitats

The cherry fruit fly (CFF), Rhagoletis cingulata Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae: Trypetini), is endemic to eastern North America and Mexico, where its primary native host is black cherry [Prunus serotina Ehrh. (Rosaceae)]. Cherry fruit fly is also a major economic pest of the fruit of cultivated sweet (Prunus avium L.) and tart (Prunus cerasus L.) cherries. Adult CFF that attack wild black cherry and introduced, domesticated cherries in commercial and abandoned orchards are active at different times of the summer, potentially generating allochronic isolation that could genetically differentiate native from sweet and tart CFF populations. Here, we test for host‐related genetic differences among CFF populations in Michigan attacking cherries in managed, unmanaged, and native habitats by scoring flies for 10 microsatellite loci. Little evidence for genetic differentiation was found across the three habitats or between the northern and southern Michigan CFF populations surveyed in the study. Local gene flow between native black cherry, commercial, and abandoned orchards may therefore be sufficient to overcome seasonal differences in adult CFF activity and prevent differentiation for microsatellites not directly associated with (tightly linked to) genes affecting eclosion time. The results do not support the existence of host‐associated races in CFF and imply that flies attacking native, managed, and unmanaged cherries should be considered to represent a single population for pest management purposes.     

Population dynamics of Anarsia lineatella in relation to crop damage and the development of economic injury levels

Developing a relationship between pest abundance and damage to crops is essential for the calculation of economic injury levels (EILs) and to anticipate informed management decisions. Field studies were conducted for three successive years (2005, 2006 and 2007) in peach orchards of northern Greece to examine relationships between densities of Anarsia lineatella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) populations and peach (Prunus persica) yields. According to a linear regression model, the increase in moth’s densities during the 1st flight resulted in a significant reduction in yield (y = 0.436x + 10.22, R² = 0.635, d.f. = 2,11, P < 0.05). Correlation of male moths captured during the 2nd flight and observed yield loss was significant (y = 0.5231x + 17.204, R² = 0.792, d.f. = 2,11, P < 0.05). Moreover, according to a linear model by counting the number of shoot strikes, during the first observation period, a forthcoming yield loss can be estimated (y = 27.389x?6.304, R² = 0.711, d.f. 2,11, F = 22.09, P < 0.05). A significant relationship was observed between the numbers of the 2nd generation larvae and yield loss (y = 163x, R² = 0.890). Regression coefficient of the above function represents yield loss per pest and was applied in the calculation of EIL’s and fixed Economic thresholds (ET’s). In addition, parameter of the price commodity was estimated for 2009 by applying stochastic autoregressive moving average model. By integrating above information, EIL and fixed ET estimated as 112 larvae and 84 larvae per sampling unit for a mean value (€4/0.1 ha) of cost management tactics and a 90% efficacy.     

The relationships between Apocrita wasp populations and flowering plants in Maine's wild lowbush blueberry agroecosystems

This was the first study to have surveyed the spatial and temporal structure of Apocrita wasps in lowbush blueberry fields, a unique native agricultural landscape in Maine and eastern Canada. The relative abundances of wasps associated with lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) were investigated in 33 blueberry fields throughout Washington County, Maine, USA. Native wasps were captured during the springs and summers of 1997 and 1998 in Malaise traps erected along a transect in each field. Vegetation sampling was also conducted along these transects to quantify available floral resources. Data indicate the abundance of the total wasp community was positively associated with the abundance of sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia L.). Relationships between trap capture of 13 wasp morphospecies and other flowering weeds were also investigated. Most taxa in 1998 were positively associated with one or more of the following flowering plants: bunchberry (Cornus canadensis L.), bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera P. Mill.), dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium L.), sheep laurel, and witherod (Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides L.). Similar results were not evident in 1997 because the method used to sample vegetation was not as extensive as that used in 1998. However, sheep laurel was positively associated with the wasp genera Microplitis spp. and Phanerotoma spp. during both years.