Temperature modulation of behavioural thresholds controlling male moth sex pheromone response specificity

ABSTRACT. The response specificity of male Oriental fruit moths, Grapholita molesta (Busck) and pink bollworm moths, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), to different blends and doses of pheromone is altered dramatically by temperature. When acclimated and tested in a flight tunnel at 20^oC males of both species exhibit a high degree of specificity, with peak response levels occurring to a narrow range of blend-dose combinations close to the natural blend. When tested at 26^oC, however, males exhibit a significantly lower degree of specificity, with peak response occurring to a broader range of treatments. The change in response specificity results from shifts in behavioural threshold effects influencing plume orientation and initiation of upwind flight, as well as from arrestment of upwind flight, occurring later in the flight sequence. The observed changes in male behaviour suggest that the effect of temperature is directly on neural pathways involved in the perception of odour, and not simply the result of an increase in motor activity or a significant change in the release rate of the pheromone. The results support the threshold hypothesis for pheromone perception (Roelofs, 1978) as a general principle in the Lepidoptera, but also show that the degree of response specificity can be significantly affected by temperature.     

Asymmetric impacts of two herbivore ecotypes on similar host plants

1. Ecotypes may arise following allopatric separation from source populations. The simultaneous transfer of an exotic plant to a novel environment, along with its stenophagous herbivore, may complicate more traditional patterns of divergence from the plant and insect source populations. 2. The present study evaluated herbivory effects by two Cyrtobagous salviniae ecotypes on two species of Salvinia: the larger S. molesta and the smaller S. minima. Evaluations were based on relative growth rates, biomass production, coverage, and nutrient cycling in a series of complementary and comparative laboratory and outdoor tank experiments. 3. In general, the experiment results indicated that the smaller Florida ecotype of C. salviniae impacted both Salvinia species more than the larger Brazil ecotype. Herbivory, especially by the Florida ecotype, also improved water quality and accelerated nutrient cycling by increasing the rates of litterfall from the standing crops of salvinia. 4. The smaller size of the Florida ecotype may be adaptive by allowing maximal exploitation of host plants via internal larval feeding, which presumably reduces predation risk while increasing damage to the plant. These findings provide support for relying on the suppressive effects of the Florida ecotype in Florida, rather than introducing the Brazil ecotype to counter new infestations of S. molesta.     

莱阳地区梨园、桃园、混栽桃梨园梨小食心虫发生规律

为明确莱阳地区不同栽培模式下单植梨园、单植桃园、混植桃梨园的梨小食心虫Grapholitha molesta(Busck)发生规律,2009—2012年采用性诱芯法对以上果园梨小食心虫的发生规律进行探究并利用有效积温模型预测其发生代数。结果表明:梨小食心虫在莱阳地区一年可发生4代;第1³代主要发生在桃园,发生时间为4—8月上旬,第4代主要发生在梨园,发生时间为8月中下旬或9月初,为害一直可持续到10月中旬。梨小食心虫在不同寄主上发生时间不同,除第一代发生比较整齐之外,其他世代发生时间不统一,尤其是梨园。单植梨园和单植桃园的梨小食心虫都能单独完成发育世代,但数量有差异。通过比较其差异显著性,单植桃园13代主要发生在桃园,发生时间为4—8月上旬,第4代主要发生在梨园,发生时间为8月中下旬或9月初,为害一直可持续到10月中旬。梨小食心虫在不同寄主上发生时间不同,除第一代发生比较整齐之外,其他世代发生时间不统一,尤其是梨园。单植梨园和单植桃园的梨小食心虫都能单独完成发育世代,但数量有差异。通过比较其差异显著性,单植桃园1³代明显多于第4代,单植梨园第4代明显多于第13代明显多于第4代,单植梨园第4代明显多于第1³代。     

桃园中食心虫单一性诱芯及其复合配置的诱蛾效率比较

【目的】明确两种食心虫性诱芯复合配置的诱蛾效果,提高其监测或防治效率及其绿色环保化水平,为果树生产中食心虫的高效监测和绿色防控提供科学依据。【方法】田间系统调查研究了梨小食心虫(以下简称"梨小")、桃小食心虫(以下简称"桃小")单一性诱芯及其复合配置3种处理的诱蛾效率,并利用"Y"型嗅觉仪比较研究了其间梨小雄蛾趋向性的差异。【结果】(1)梨小和桃小性单一诱芯及其复合配置对梨小均具有引诱作用,其诱蛾总量依次为8 238.33、1 451.67、8 321.67头/诱捕器,其中第1、2、3代时复合配置诱蛾量最大,越冬代和第4代时梨小单一性诱芯诱蛾量最大,而各世代桃小单一性诱芯诱蛾量均最低。梨小单一性诱芯及其复合配置均监测到5个梨小发生高峰,且峰期基本一致,但复合配置的峰日诱蛾量均较高;桃小单一性诱芯仅监测到3个梨小发生高峰,且峰日诱蛾量亦较低。(2)桃小单一性诱芯及其复合配置对桃小均具有引诱作用,其诱蛾总量依次为4.00、2.33头/诱捕器,而梨小单一性诱芯对桃小无引诱作用。(3)"Y"型嗅觉仪研究发现,梨小食心虫对梨小和桃小各单一性诱芯及其复合配置均具有趋向作用,其趋向率依次为50.67%、8.67%、53.33%。【结论】梨小和桃小单一性诱芯复合配置对梨小诱捕量有微增效作用,而对桃小诱捕量有一定干扰作用,但影响均不显著。据此,该复合配置可用于桃园中梨小和桃小的监测与防控。     

印楝素乳油对梨小食心虫的防控效果研究

【目的】探索0.3%印楝素乳油对梨小食心虫Grapholita molesta的控制效果。【方法】根据梨小食心虫的生物习性,采用浸渍法和浸虫法对梨小食心虫1日龄、3日龄、5日龄的卵和3龄、5龄幼虫进行了杀虫活性测定,采用药膜法对梨小食心虫初孵幼虫进行毒力测定,并通过田间试验测定0.3%印楝素乳油对梨小食心虫的控制效果。【结果】0.3%印楝素乳油对梨小食心虫1日龄、3日龄和5日龄卵的致死中量分别为6.5195、4.5789、6.6268 mg/L,对初孵幼虫的致死中量为6.0495 mg/L,效果较好,而对3龄和5龄幼虫几乎没有杀伤作用。使用有效成分为2.0 mg/kg~3.0 mg/L的印楝素乳油在田间进行梨小食心虫防治试验时,药后5 d和10 d的防治效果在63.18%~76.22%之间,至药后15 d时,防效则下降到27%以下,果实受害明显,表明该药剂已失去控制作用。【结论】印楝素乳油不能作为防治梨小食心虫的专用药剂,仅可在其发生危害的初期,防治其他害虫时,作为兼治的药剂来使用。     

梨小食心虫幼虫龄数和龄期的划分

【目的】为明确梨小食心虫Grapholitha molesta(Busck)幼虫的发育状况,以便进行预测预报及采取防治措施。【方法】试验对幼虫头壳宽、上颚宽、体长和体宽4项指标进行测量。【结果】头壳宽和上颚宽符合Dyar法则和Crosby法则并呈现明显的线性回归关系,可作为龄期划分的重要指标,确定其龄期为5龄。室内26℃温度下饲养幼虫历期约为15 d,1~4 d为1龄期、4~7 d为2龄期、6~10 d为3龄期、8~12 d为4龄期、11~15 d为5龄期。【结论】幼虫刚毛、体色、斑纹也可作为龄期划分辅助参考方法,体长和体宽变异性较大,不宜作为幼虫龄数划分的标准。     

寄主植物挥发物对梨小食心虫受孕雌虫的引诱作用初探

梨小食心虫Grapholita molesta(Busck),是一种世界性的蛀果害虫。利用产卵选择试验研究了15种寄主植物挥发物对梨小食心虫受孕雌虫的产卵引诱活性。室内试验表明:受孕雌虫对不同挥发物的产卵选择趋性不同,其中对叶醇和己酸丁酯表现出明显的产卵选择趋性。为验证寄主挥发物对受孕雌虫的实际诱捕效果,进行了田间诱捕试验。结果发现,挥发物中己酸丁酯、苯甲腈、叶醇、E-2-己烯醛以及乙酸己酯诱捕到的雌虫均为受孕雌虫,显著高于空白对照及其他物质,其中己酸丁酯的平均诱捕量最多,苯甲腈次之,E-2-己烯醛、乙酸己酯这两种物质的平均诱捕量分别为第三、第四,叶醇的诱捕量低于乙酸己酯,其余物质的诱捕量均较低。综合室内及田间试验结果发现,寄主植物挥发物对受孕雌虫的引诱作用也随它们之间的作用距离表现出一定的差异性。     

Comparative activity of baculoviruses against the codling moth Cydia pomonella and three other tortricid pests of tree fruit

The granulovirus of Cydia pomonella (L.) (CpGV) offers potential for selective control of codling moth. Two major limitations of CpGV are its narrow host range and lack of persistence in the orchard agroecosystem. The nucleopolyhedroviruses of the alfalfa looper Autographa californica (Speyer) (AcMNPV) and those of the celery looper Anagrapha falcifera (Kirby) (AfMNPV) have broad host ranges. Comparative assays of CpGV, AcMNPV, and AfMNPV against codling moth neonate larvae revealed a 54-93-fold greater susceptibility of codling moth to the granulovirus than to the two nucleopolyhedroviruses based on the LC(50) values for each virus. The LC(50)s for CpGV, AfMNPV, and AcMNPV were 32.7 capsules/mm(2), 1.77 x 10(3) occlusion bodies (OBs)/mm(2), and 3.05 x 10(3)OBs/mm(2), respectively. The LT(50) determined for AfMNPV using an approximate LC(95) of the virus against neonate larvae was 3.6 days. Histological examination of tissues in moribund codling moth larvae that had been treated with AfMNPV revealed the presence of nonoccluded and unenveloped virus rods in midgut tissue. Neither OBs nor signs of infection were detected in other tissues. The activity of AfMNPV was also evaluated in three other tortricid apple pests (obliquebanded leafroller, Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris); Pandemis leafroller, Pandemis pyrusana Kearfott; and the oriental fruit moth, Grapholitha molesta (Busck)). Codling and Oriental fruit moths were significantly more susceptible to AfMNPV than were the two leafroller species.     

Field observations quantifying attraction of four tortricid moths to high-dosage pheromone dispensers in untreated and pheromone-treated orchards

Orientational responses of four species of feral tortricid moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to polyethylene tube dispensers of pheromone were observed in a 0.8 ha apple orchard treated with such pheromone dispensers and in an untreated 0.8 ha orchard. Male oblique‐banded leafrollers, Choristoneura rosaceana (Walker) (mean 7.2 ± 0.4 moths/night during 21 nights), Oriental fruit moths, Grapholita molesta (Busck) (mean 10.5 ± 2.1 during 20 evenings), and the redbanded leafrollers, Argyrotaenia velutinana (Walker) (mean 2.0 ± 1.1 during 14 nights) were observed approaching within 100 cm of their respective polyethylene‐tube pheromone dispensers in the untreated orchard. Furthermore, C. rosaceana (mean 2.0 ± 0.7 during 17 nights) and G. molesta (mean 1.5 ± 0.4 over 20 evenings) came within 100 cm of their respective polyethylene‐tube pheromone dispensers in the pheromone‐treated orchard. Most visits lasted less than 10 s, after which the majority of moths departed by flying upwind. In the untreated orchard, the number of C. rosaceana observed orienting to polyethylene tube dispensers was greater than the number captured in optimized monitoring traps (1.9 ± 0.4) per night of observation. The numbers of A. velutinana (2.0 ± 1.1) or G. molesta (10.5 ± 2.1) attracted to polyethylene‐tube dispensers in the untreated orchard did not differ statistically from the numbers captured in optimized monitoring traps per night of observation. In the pheromone‐treated orchard, the number of C. rosaceana (2.0 ± 0.4) or G. molesta (1.2 ± 0.2) observed orienting to polyethylene‐tube dispensers did not differ statistically from the numbers of male moths of these species captured in optimized monitoring traps per night of observation. No codling moths, Cydia pomonella L. were observed orienting to, or landing near, their respective polyethylene‐tube dispensers in either the untreated or pheromone‐treated orchards, although substantial numbers were captured in monitoring traps per night of observation (6.0 ± 1.7) in the untreated orchard. The attraction of male moths to polyethylene tube dispensers thus occurred in three of the four species observed. These results provide support for the idea that false‐plume‐following is an important component of the mechanisms mediating communicational disruption in moths by polyethylene‐tube dispensers.