Demographic analysis of insect reproductive levels, patterns and heterogeneity: case study of laboratory strains of three Hawaiian tephritids

Reproductive data were collected on individually-held adult oriental fruit flies, Dacus dorsalis, melon flies, Dacus cucurbitae, and Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata including age-by-parity relations, birth interval, frequency distribution of individual egg production levels and the concentration of reproduction among females in a cohort. Specific findings include: i) delay in reproductive peaks in a cohort after eclosion is due almost entirely to the variance in attainment of reproductive maturity among individuals; ii) low reproductive output of reproductively mature melon flies is due mostly to long birth intervals; iii) high egg production in both the medfly and the oriental fruit fly is due to their consistency of egg laying levels and frequency (short birth intervals). Discussion stresses the importance of viewing reproduction, not as a singular and discrete life history trait, but as consisting of subcomponents of daily parity, cumulative parity and birth interval.

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Résumé Les informations sur la reproduction ont été obtenues à partir d'adultes de Dacus dorsalis, D. cucurbitae, C. capitata, élevés individuellement. Elles portent sur les paramètres suivants: distribution par âge en fonction de la fécondité, échelonnement des pontes, distribution des niveaux quotidiens de ponte, fréquence des pondeuses par cohorte.Différents caractères spécifiques ont été mis en évidence: 1) La variabilité de la date d'apparition de la maturité reproductive est pour l'essentiel responsable du retard dans les dates de reproduction maximale; 2) De 30 à 50% des femelles de D. dorsalis âgées de 10 jours pondent plus de 50 oeufs/jour pendant les deux semaines qui suivent, tandis que seulement 10 à 20% des femelles des deux autres espèces parviennent à pondre cette quantité d'oeufs à n'importe quel âge; 3) D. cucurbitae ayant atteint sa maturité pond environ pendant 40% des jours (c.à.d. chaque 2,5 j), tandis que les deux autres espèces pondent au moins quelques oeufs pendant 80% des jours (c.à.d. chaque 1,25 j); 4) La production élevée d'oeufs de C. capitata et de D. dorsalis est due à la régularité de leur niveau de ponte et à la fréquence (faible espacement); 5) Les fractions des effectifs qui ont pondu au moins 600 oeufs en 30 jours étaient approximativement de 0,8, 0,7, et 0,4 pour D. dorsalis, C. capitata, D. cucurbitae; 6) 50% des femelles de chacune des trois espèces contribuent en gros pour 65% à la ponte.

     

Role of isovaleroyl lipids in channeling of sound in the porpoise melon

Physical properties (e.g. specific gravity, adiabatic compressibility and sound velocity) of lipids isolated from tissues from contiguous areas of the fatty melon of an echo-locating porpoise (Delphinus delphis) were determined to elucidate relations between lipid composition and structure, and sound transmission in the head. Lipid content varied greatly within the melon (13.6–77.6% of the tissue weight) and triacylglycerols (80–100%) were the major lipid components. This lipid class was composed of diisovaleroylglycerides (triacylglycerols containing two isovaleroyl moieties and a long-chain acyl moiety), monoisovaleroyldiacylglycerols and triacylglycerols consisting of long-chain acids. The lipid-rich (>45%) areas in the melon contained a high proportion (>45% of total triacylglycerols) of diisovaleroylglycerides. There were gradations of sound velocities within the melon; the lowest sound velocities were associated with high concentrations of diisovaleroylglycerides (<1400 m/s) and the highest with high concentrations of long-chain triacylglycerols. Assuming an average sound frequency of 75 kHz, and considering dimensions of melon (path length and width of 12–14 cm and 5 cm, respectively), a forward radiating lobe of 15–25 degrees is produced. Thus, the deposition of lipids of different acoustic properties in a three-dimensional matrix within the porpoise melon results in a lens for the projection of sound into the marine environment.     

Effects of diet and host access on fecundity and lifespan in two fruit fly species with different life‐history patterns

The reproductive ability of female tephritids can be limited and prevented by denying access to host plants and restricting the dietary precursors of vitellogenesis. The mechanisms underlying the delayed egg production in each case are initiated by different physiological processes that are anticipated to have dissimilar effects on lifespan and reproductive ability later in life. The egg‐laying abilities of laboratory‐reared females of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata Wiedmann) and melon fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett) from Hawaii are delayed or suppressed by limiting access to host fruits and dietary protein. In each case, this is expected to prevent the loss of lifespan associated with reproduction until protein or hosts are introduced. Two trends are observed in each species: first, access to protein at eclosion leads to a greater probability of survival and a higher reproductive ability than if it is delayed and, second, delayed host access reduces lifetime reproductive ability without improving life expectancy. When host access and protein availability are delayed, the rate of reproductive senescence is reduced in the medfly, whereas the rate of reproductive senescence is generally increased in the melon fly. Overall, delaying reproduction lowers the fitness of females by constraining their fecundity for the remainder of the lifespan without extending the lifespan. © 2013 The Royal Entomological Society     

甜瓜果实糖含量相关性状QTL分析

以高糖栽培亲本自交系‘0246’为母本,低糖野生亲本自交系‘Y101’为父本,通过杂交得到了含135个单株的甜瓜远缘F2群体,分别测定甜瓜果实果糖、葡萄糖和蔗糖含量,将三者之和作为总糖含量,进行遗传连锁图谱构建及QTL分析。结果表明:(1)构建的甜瓜果实遗传图谱包含14个连锁群,覆盖基因组长度726.30cM,标记间平均距离为12.74cM。(2)检测到与总糖含量和果糖含量相关的QTL位点各1个,分别命名为Ts3.1和Fru4.1,贡献率分别为14.89%和13.02%,分布于第3、4连锁群,LOD值分别为3.60和3.10。2个QTL位点均为正向加性遗传,分别对增加总糖和果糖含量表现为增效累加效应。研究结果为开展甜瓜糖含量相关基因精细定位和克隆研究奠定了基础。     

外源γ-氨基丁酸调控甜瓜叶绿体活性氧代谢应对短期盐碱胁迫

以甜瓜品种‘金辉1号’为试材,采用深液流水培法,研究外源γ 氨基丁酸(GABA)对短期盐碱胁迫下甜瓜幼苗叶绿体活性氧代谢的调控作用.结果表明: 盐碱胁迫显著提高了甜瓜叶绿体内光合色素、丙二醛(MDA)和过氧化氢(H₂O₂)含量及超氧阴离子(O^-_·2)产生速率;增加抗坏血酸(AsA)和谷胱甘肽(GSH)等抗氧化物质含量;明显抑制H⁺-ATP酶(H⁺-ATPase)和H⁺ 焦磷酸酶(H⁺-PPiase)活性.外源叶面喷施GABA有效抑制了盐碱胁迫引起的叶绿体内O^-_·2、H₂O₂和MDA的积累,缓解了光合色素增加的趋势;显著提高SOD和AsA GSH循环各个酶的活性,增加了AsA和GSH库,降低了AsA/DHA和GSH/GSSH比值,增强了H⁺-ATPase和H⁺-PPiase 活性.表明外源GABA能加快叶绿体内活性氧代谢,促进AsA-GSH循环的运转,维持细胞膜的渗透性,进而缓解了盐碱胁迫引起的氧化伤害.     

A single amino acid substitution in the movement protein enables the mechanical transmission of a geminivirus

Begomoviruses of the Geminiviridae are usually transmitted by whiteflies and rarely by mechanical inoculation. We used tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), a bipartite begomovirus, to address this issue. Most ToLCNDV isolates are not mechanically transmissible to their natural hosts. The ToLCNDV-OM isolate, originally identified from a diseased oriental melon plant, is mechanically transmissible, while the ToLCNDV-CB isolate, from a diseased cucumber plant, is not. Genetic swapping and pathological tests were performed to identify the molecular determinants involved in mechanical transmission. Various viral infectious clones were constructed and successfully introduced into Nicotiana benthamiana, oriental melon, and cucumber plants by Agrobacterium-mediated inoculation. Mechanical transmissibility was assessed via direct rub inoculation with sap prepared from infected N. benthamiana. The presence or absence of viral DNA in plants was validated by PCR, Southern blotting, and in situ hybridization. The results reveal that mechanical transmissibility is associated with the movement protein (MP) of viral DNA-B in ToLCNDV-OM. However, the nuclear shuttle protein of DNA-B plays no role in mechanical transmission. Analyses of infectious clones carrying a single amino acid substitution reveal that the glutamate at amino acid position 19 of MP in ToLCNDV-OM is critical for mechanical transmissibility. The substitution of glutamate with glycine at this position in the MP of ToLCNDV-OM abolishes mechanical transmissibility. In contrast, the substitution of glycine with glutamate at the 19th amino acid position in the MP of ToLCNDV-CB enables mechanical transmission. This is the first time that a specific geminiviral movement protein has been identified as a determinant of mechanical transmissibility.     

乙烯对网纹甜瓜花器官及花粉结构和活力的影响

以网纹甜瓜‘西域1号'为材料,于幼苗三叶一心期喷施浓度为150 mg/L的乙烯利诱导主蔓形成两性花,以清水为对照,比较乙烯处理后形成的主蔓、侧蔓和对照侧蔓两性花,以及处理与对照雄花外观形态、解剖结构及花粉表面超微结构间的异同,并对其花粉活力进行了测定,以明确乙烯对甜瓜花器官形态及花粉结构和活力的影响.结果表明:乙烯诱导形成的主蔓两性花外观形态和解剖结构与对照侧蔓两性花没有差异,花粉超微结构相似,但存在部分畸形花粉,花粉活力仅为70%左右,显著低于其他花粉的活力,但其雌蕊发育正常,授粉后可正常结实.研究证实,乙烯处理对主蔓雄花及侧蔓两性花器官形态及花粉结构和活力无显著影响.     

瓜实蝇的有效积温及其在中国的年发生代数预测

瓜实蝇Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett是世界上重要的检疫性害虫,通过在14、18、22、26、30、34℃温度下孵化和饲养实验,测定该虫卵、幼虫、蛹、产卵前期、世代的发育起点温度和有效积温分别是8．0982℃、4．5245℃、4．5245℃、7．4751℃、10．0019℃和28．8506、162．7462、145．7249、166．5126、503．8343日度。根据该虫的致死温度和有效积温模型,运用数学分析和地理信息系统技术,预测了瓜实蝇在中国的适生区和年发生代数,结果表明：该虫可在中国48．96％地区发生（气象站点所代表的地区）,1年发生2-12代,以4～6代为主。     

AgNO3对网纹甜瓜试管苗再生和玻璃苗产生的影响

以网纹甜瓜品种‘中蜜1号’为试材,在其不同培养阶段添加不同浓度AgNO3,检测不定芽的诱导率和增殖率、玻璃苗发生率和生根情况的结果表明,添加AgNO3后,子叶的愈伤组织诱导率下降,添加70μmol·L^-1AgNO3可促进不定芽的诱导,50～60μmol·L^-1AgNO3明显促进不定芽增殖,并完全抑制玻璃苗的产生,添加50μmol·L^-1AgNO3的生根最好。