Assessment of trap plants to regulate numbers of the European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis, on late-season strawberries

Various species of plants in the family Asteraceae were shown to be hosts for the European tarnished plant bug Lygus rugulipennis and one, Matricaria recutita, was chosen as a potential trap plant for adults of this capsid species on their migration into fields of late-season strawberries from other host plants in July. There was a delay in the build-up of populations of nymphs of L. rugulipennis on strawberries surrounded by a barrier strip of M. recutita compared to those without a barrier, but overall there were no consistent reductions in populations of the pest. Numbers of L. rugulipennis on the trap plant were small until late August. In a similar experiment using an alternative trap plant, Medicago sativa, no significant reductions in the numbers of L. rugulipennis were found on strawberries with the trap barrier, despite large numbers of the pest insect being found on this trap plant.Although predatory arthropods such as spiders, Orius spp., and nabids, and hymenopterous parasitoids were found on the trap plants, there was no indication that they became more numerous on the strawberry plots inside these barriers than on those without surrounding trap plants.     

棉田绿盲蝽微生物多样性研究

昆虫在长期的进化过程中与其体内微生物形成了互利共生的关系,共生微生物参与调节寄主的多种生命活动,例如生殖、代谢等。在黄河流域棉区绿盲蝽Apolygus lucorum是棉花的主要害虫之一。为明确绿盲蝽体内共生菌的种类与群落结构,通过HiSeq平台对棉田绿盲蝽体内共生菌的16S rRNA基因V3～V4区进行高通量测序,分析绿盲蝽体内共生菌的种类与多样性。结果显示,变形菌门Proteobacteria(89.18%)、放线菌门Actinobacteria(2.99%)、厚壁菌门Firmicutes(2.48%)为绿盲蝽的3个优势菌门。在属水平上立克次氏体Rickettsia(32.86%)、欧文氏菌属Erwinia(20.21%)为优势菌群。本文初步明确了绿盲蝽体内微生物群落的组成和动态变化,为进一步研究绿盲蝽与共生菌的相互作用提供了基础,为今后从共生菌出发防治绿盲蝽提供新思路。     

温度和光周期对绿盲蝽滞育诱导的影响

为了阐明环境因子对绿盲蝽Apolygus lucorum Meyer-Dür卵滞育诱导作用,测定了3个温度和6个光周期组合处理对绿肓蝽的滞育诱导和绿盲蝽光周期感应的敏感虫态,系统调查了绿肓蝽在不同温度和不同光照组合下所产卵的孵化率.结果表明:绿盲蝽的敏感虫态为1龄若虫;在17℃,20℃和23℃3个不同温度下,光照时间小...     

Stage-dependent feeding behavior by western tarnished plant bugs influences flower bud abscission in cotton

Unexplained variability in the relationship between the number of herbivores in a field and the amount of crop damage can arise if there is a large amount of variation among herbivore individuals in the amount of feeding damage each generates. In California, populations of the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus Knight (Heteroptera: Miridae), produce highly variable levels of damage to cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum L.) (Malvaceae), even when found at low densities. Because L. hesperus populations are also highly variable in their overall stage structure, we hypothesize that differences in crop damage might result from varying impact by each L. hesperus stage on cotton flower buds (termed squares). Laboratory measurements of L. hesperus mouth‐parts and distance to anther sacs, a preferred feeding site, revealed that 1st?3rd instar L. hesperus nymphs will not be able to feed on anther sacs of larger squares (over 8 mm in length) but will be able to feed on squares that are most sensitive to L. hesperus damage (<7 mm). Because even the 1st instars can feed on the most sensitive ‘pinhead’ squares, size constraints do not rule out damaging effects from the youngest L. hesperus. Laboratory observations revealed that later developmental stages, and adults, spend more time feeding on cotton squares relative to 2nd and 3rd instars. In addition, a field experiment revealed no effect of 2nd instars on square retention (relative to control cages) but did reveal a significant decrease in square retention generated by adult L. hesperus (4th instar L. hesperus resulted in an intermediate level of square retention). In a final study we sampled L. hesperus stage structure and density across 38 cotton fields. Multiple regression revealed that the densities of 1st?3rd instars of L. hesperus are not correlated with anther sac damage or square retention. However, in 2 years 4th and 5th instars were positively correlated with anther sac damage and negatively correlated with square retention. In the a third year, adult L. hesperus showed correlations in the same direction, across fields and across sites within fields. Overall, these results suggest that the adults and the largest nymphs of L. hesperus (4th and 5th instars) are particularly damaging to cotton squares, with the 1st?3rd instars of L. hesperus causing little damage to plants.     

授粉用明亮熊蜂的人工饲养技术

为提高授粉用熊蜂人工繁育效率,降低生产成本,对明亮熊蜂Bombus lucorumL.人工饲养中诱导蜂王产卵和人工控制下的交配2个技术环节进行了研究。结果表明,采用诱导器和伴饲2~3只蜜蜂工蜂的诱导方法,蜂王产卵率和蜂群成群率最高,成群时间最短;使用塑料诱导器和木制诱导器的效果没有显著差异。将8~9日龄的蜂王和11~12日龄的雄蜂放入交配笼时,其交配成功率最高。交配笼内的蜂王数量应控制在30只/m3左右。在晴天,交配笼放置在室外(758 000 lux),其交配成功率最高;在阴天,交配笼应放在交配室内,并开启荧光灯照明(35 000 lux),其交配成功率最高。     

明亮熊蜂繁育室内印度谷斑螟的形态特征与生物学特性

明亮熊蜂Bombus lucorum L.是一种重要的温室果菜传粉昆虫,印度谷斑螟Plodia interpunctella(Hbner)是危害明亮熊蜂繁育的主要害虫之一。2年的研究结果表明,印度谷斑螟的形态特征与危害蜜蜂巢房的大蜡螟Gallerie mellonellaL.和小蜡螟Achroia grisella Fabricius明显不同。印度谷斑螟以饲喂熊蜂的花粉为载体传播进熊蜂繁育室,在熊蜂繁育室内可以连续繁殖,1年发生6～8代,且世代重叠。印度谷斑螟幼虫主要以蜂群内的剩花粉为食,当花粉不足时,就开始取食巢房和蜂蛹,对熊蜂的规模化繁育危害较大,每年的5～8月、11～2月为危害高峰期。印度谷斑螟的发育受环境和食物的影响很大,在温度为28℃、相对湿度为60%熊蜂繁育室内,印度谷斑螟的卵期为4d,幼虫期为19～23d,蛹期为11d,成虫期为4～20d。成虫羽化后3～4h即可进行交配,雌蛾交配后当天就开始产卵,产卵期4～10d不等,平均产卵量107.8粒。在熊蜂繁育室消毒期间,食物短缺,印度谷斑螟幼虫进入休眠状态,各龄幼虫均可发生休眠现象。印度谷斑螟不危害蜜蜂,在蜜蜂巢房中不能存活。     

南疆棉田盲蝽类害虫种群数量动态

2002 ~2004年研究了南疆地区棉花盲蝽类害虫的发生和种群动态及棉花品种的影响。结果表明,危害棉花的盲蝽类害虫有牧草盲蝽Lygus pratensis(L.)和苜蓿盲蝽Adelphocoris lineolatus(Goeze) ,其中牧草盲蝽为主要为害种类,其数量占盲蝽类害虫的99.93 %。2002,2003和2004年,牧草盲蝽最高密度分别为56.0,105.3和53.7头/百株,而苜蓿盲蝽3年中最高密度<0.1头/百株。对转基因抗虫棉GK19(表达Cry1A杀虫蛋白)、SGK321(表达Cry1A/CpTI杀虫蛋白)和普通棉花泗棉3号、石远321的研究表明2种盲蝽在不同品种上的季节性数量动态没有显著性差别。     

Seasonal periodicity of enteric nitric oxide synthesis and its regulation in the snail, Helix lucorum

Abstract. The snail Helix lucorum has been used as a model to study the adaptation of a nitric oxide (NO)‐forming enteric neural network to the long‐term resting period of summer estivation or winter hibernation. Quantification of the NO‐derived nitrite established that NO formation is confined to the nitric oxide synthase (NOS)‐containing myenteric network of the mid‐intestine. In active snails but not in resting snails, NO production could be enhanced by the NOS substrate l ‐arginine (l ‐ARG, 1 mM). We followed the enteric NO synthesis in a snail population kept at natural conditions for 1 year. Our findings indicate that NO synthesis was depressed in July during entry to the estivation, had a peak in autumn before hibernation, and finally was reduced during hibernation. Monoamines (histamine, serotonin, and adrenalin) could inhibit the NO liberation in active snails. Cofactors of NOS (β‐NADPH, β‐NAD, FAD, FMN, Ca²⁺, TH4) did not alter the low nitrite production in hibernating snails. We conclude that enteric NO synthesis in H. lucorum has a regular seasonal periodicity following the annual physiological cycles of terrestrial snails. During estivation or hibernation, NOS activity is blocked. Monoamines, the levels of which are elevated during hibernation, can trigger decreased NOS activity. The reduced activity of NOS cannot be restored by the administration of NOS cofactors; therefore, their absence cannot be the cause of the temporarily blocked L‐ARG/NO conversion ability of NOS.     

Comparative analysis of the reproductive biology of two Peristenus species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), biological control agents of Lygus plant bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Peristenus digoneutis Loan and Peristenus stygicus Loan, parasitoids of the European tarnished plant bug Lygus rugulipennis Poppius, are established in the United States for biological control of native North American Lygus species, and are being considered for deliberate release in Canada. High lifetime fecundity of parasitoids is considered a desirable attribute of biological control agents and therefore, an understanding of parasitoid reproductive biology is required. In the present study, the potential lifetime fecundity of both agents was compared under laboratory conditions to estimate the potential impact of Peristenus species on Lygus. Synovigenic P. digoneutis and P. stygicus females oviposited most actively in the first two weeks of their lifetime, with a maximum average daily oviposition rate after five days. The maximum number of eggs laid per day was 83 eggs for P. stygicus, and 36 eggs for P. digoneutis. P. digoneutis has an average potential lifetime fecundity of 385 ± 35 SE eggs produced over 22 ± 3 SE days. In contrast, P. stygicus females have a 50% higher mean potential lifetime fecundity reaching 782 ± 65 SE eggs over 28 ± 1 SE days. A positive correlation between lifetime fecundity and body size was found only for P. stygicus, and both species showed a significant relationship between lifetime fecundity and oviposition period. The present study demonstrates that the fecundity of P. digoneutis and P. stygicus is considerably higher than previously reported. Based on these findings, P. stygicus appears to be the most effective biological control agent for Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) when only fecundity is taken into consideration.