Insect pest management in the age of synthetic biology

Arthropod crop pests are responsible for 20% of global annual crop losses, a figure predicted to increase in a changing climate where the ranges of numerous species are projected to expand. At the same time, many insect species are beneficial, acting as pollinators and predators of pest species. For thousands of years, humans have used increasingly sophisticated chemical formulations to control insect pests but, as the scale of agriculture expanded to meet the needs of the global population, concerns about the negative impacts of agricultural practices on biodiversity have grown. While biological solutions, such as biological control agents and pheromones, have previously had relatively minor roles in pest management, biotechnology has opened the door to numerous new approaches for controlling insect pests. In this review, we look at how advances in synthetic biology and biotechnology are providing new options for pest control. We discuss emerging technologies for engineering resistant crops and insect populations and examine advances in biomanufacturing that are enabling the production of new products for pest control.     

Intergrated pest management in Swiss apple orchards: Stability and risks

In recent years, a system of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has been introduced in many Swiss apple orchards. It is based on monitoring pests and natural enemies, on a package of selective pesticides and on biological control of phytophagous mites by typhlodromids. Some natural control has also been introduced for aphids and leafrollers. Stability of this approach is offered by natural control and by monitoring. Risks exist in two fields: Selective pesticides may disappear due to resistance and to other undesirable side effects. Outbreaks of secondary pests occur and will continue to do so in the future. In the past few years populations of scale insects and of Grapholita prunivorana (Rag.) have built up to damaging levels in some regions.     

Insect clocks: implication in an effective pest management

Abstract

Circadian rhythms are endogenous, and synchronize biological functions at the most suited time of the day. Insects like other organism display a wide array of circadian functions, which are controlled by a central timing system, in coordination with the peripheral clocks found in many tissues. Many insect behaviours including locomotion, courtship, mating, egg laying and photoperiodism, are influenced by the circadian systems. In this mini-review, we briefly describe the involvement of circadian clocks in various physiological processes and correlate their functions in insect life, focusing on lepidopteran pests (major group of Indian crop pests) and discuss their role(s) in the development of effective pest management strategy.     

芽胞杆菌防治烟草病虫害的研究进展

烟草病虫害严重影响烟草产业的可持续发展,更为安全的生物防治方法已成为烟草病虫害防治研究的热点领域。芽胞杆菌属(Bacillus)是一类比较理想的生防微生物,在植病生物防治领域显示出了广阔的应用前景。本文论述了芽胞杆菌属细菌的生物学特性及其在烟草黑胫病、赤星病、青枯病、炭疽病、根黑腐病、花叶病、白粉病、烟草斜纹夜蛾和甲虫等烟草病虫害防治中的应用。     

Bt棉花害虫综合治理研究前沿

自1996年以来,全球Bt(Bacillus thuringiensis)棉花应用规模迅速增长,目前已占棉花种植总面积的60%左右,主要种植国家包括美国、澳大利亚、中国、印度和巴基斯坦等。大量研究表明,Bt棉花的大面积种植有效控制了多种靶标害虫的发生危害,从而大幅度减少了化学杀虫剂的使用量;化学杀虫剂的减少使用导致一些非靶标害虫的发生危害明显加重。针对Bt棉花生产中呈现出的害虫新问题,各国分别发展了由农业防治、生物防治、化学防治等不同措施构成的防控技术体系。     

Future prospects for application of insect pathogens as a component of integrated pest management in tropical root crops

Insect pests and phytophagous mites cause a considerable loss to tropical root crops in the field. Major pests include the sweet potato weevil Cylas puncticollis, cassava mealybug Phenacoccus manihoti, cassava green spider mite Mononychellus tanajoa, yam beetle Heteroligus meles, and taro hornworm Hippotion celerio. Field and laboratory evaluation experiments indicate that entomopathogenic microorganisms may be adequately used in the management of insect and mite pests in root crops. The highest promise probably lies with fungal pathogens (Beauvaria bassiana, Hirsutella thompsonii, Metarhizium anisopliae, Nomuraea rileyi, Entomophthora thaxteriana, and E. parvispora), but bacterial (Bacillus thuringiensis), microsporidian (Nosema locustae) nematode (Steinernema feltiae) and even viral (Baculoviruses) pathogens may be exploited in an integrated pest management programme of tropical root crop pests.     

Enhancing pest control in annual crops by conservation of predatory Heteroptera

Conservation biological control (CBC) combines a diverse set of actions aiming to enhance pest regulation by the provision of pest natural enemies’ preservation in the crop environment. This is accomplished through appropriate implementation practices and the creation of infrastructures of non-crop vegetation. On most annual crops, omnivorous heteropteran predators comprise the main assemblage of native natural enemies. Their populations, when protected from pesticides, have shown a high potential in biological control. Aiming to promote their functioning in CBC, efforts targeted to modify the crop environment are focusing on the determination of their non-crop host plants that can support the predators’ persistence as well as the emigration of these predators to the nearby crops. Nonetheless, relatively few studies seek to collect essential and adequately verified data for the practical implementation of CBC approaches. In this review, the advances already developed are illustrated, the shortcomings are discussed and the future research needs are highlighted in an effort to intensify efforts for CBC developments on annual crops.     

昆虫化学信息物质及其在害虫综合治理上的应用

本文阐述了昆虫化学信息物质的定义和分类,昆虫的化学通讯原理,以及利用化学信息物质在害虫综合治理上的应用。     

Insect cell culture and applications to research and pest management

Building on earlier research, insect cell culture began with the successful establishment of one cell line from pupal ovarian tissue. The field has grown to the extent that now over 500 insect cell lines have been established from many insect species representing numerous insect orders and from several different tissue sources. These cell lines are used as research tools in virology, in studies of signaling mechanisms to study insect immunity, hemocyte migration, and to test hypotheses about gene expression, and in screening programs designed to discover new insecticide chemistries. Virology research is revealing fundamentally new information on virus/host cell interactions. Studies in gene expression are uncovering signal transduction pathways that are new to insect science. Research is leading to the development of high-speed screening technologies that are essential in the search for new insect pest management tools. A few insect cell lines are, in routine industrial processes, designed to produce proteins of biomedical significance. Both primary cell cultures and established lines are used in basic biological studies to reveal how insect cells work. This review is designed to briefly cover the history of insect cell culture, recount some recent advances in the field, and offer a vision of the future of insect cell culture.     

我国农业害虫综合防治研究现状与展望

害虫综合防治作为农业生产的一项重要策略,在农业可持续发展中具有举足轻重的作用。近年来,针对我国害虫防治所存在的技术需求,科技部等部门先后通过973计划、863计划、科技支撑计划和农业行业专项等对重要害虫防治研究立项支持。通过这些项目的实施,我国建成了一支由国家和省级科研单位和大学组成的专业科研队伍和研究平台,对害虫监测预警技术、基于生物多样性保护利用的生态调控技术、害虫生物防治技术、化学防治技术、抗虫转基因作物利用技术等方面的研究取得了一系列的重要进展,研究建立了棉花、水稻、玉米、小麦和蔬菜等作物重要害虫的综合防治技术体系,并在农业生产中发挥了重要作用。以基因工程和信息技术为代表的第二次农业技术革命的到来,推动了害虫综合防治的理论发展,为害虫综合防治技术的广泛应用提供了新的机遇。地理信息系统、全球定位系统等信息技术和计算机网络技术的应用,提高了对害虫种群监测和预警的能力和水平,转基因抗虫作物的商业化种植等技术的应用显著增强了对害虫种群的区域性调控效率。针对产业结构调整和全球气候变化所带来的害虫新问题,进一步发展IPM新理论与新技术将成为我国农业昆虫学研究的重要方向之一。     

植草带宽度对蜘蛛和步甲群落动态及比邻玉米田害虫发生的影响

农田边界植草带是农田系统各斑块间生物物种迁移和群落演替、物质和能量交换的主要区域,对维持农业生物多样性及提高农田生产力具有重要意义。基于作物-害虫-天敌互作有机整体对植草带宽度的响应,选取不同宽度植草带(2 m、4 m、6 m)及其比邻农田并以对应宽度作物边界作为对照,采用地表陷阱法对蜘蛛和步甲进行取样调查,探究植草带宽度对蜘蛛和步甲种群结构、迁移扩散规律以及对农田害虫控制潜力的影响。结果表明:植草带内蜘蛛和步甲个体数均显著高于对照条带,4 m、6 m植草带的蜘蛛和步甲多度显著高于2 m植草带,且物种丰富度和多度显著高于其对照条带。此外,不同宽度植草带蜘蛛和步甲群落存在较高的异质性,蜘蛛和步甲群落结构差异显著;在4 m和6 m植草带及其比邻玉米田内,蜘蛛和步甲多度在植草带和植草带与比邻玉米田交界处显著高于农田内部,且随距离的增加,蜘蛛物种多度呈显著降低趋势,植草带宽度和距离共同决定蜘蛛和步甲的空间分布;Monte Carlo检验结果表明,植草带宽度、植被Margalef指数对农田中蜘蛛和步甲群落结构的影响均达到显著水平,蜘蛛主要优势科和步甲主要优势种主要分布在6 m植草带比邻玉米田内;4 m、6 m植草带比邻的玉米田中蜘蛛和步甲对玉米害虫的益害比显著高于2 m植草带比邻的玉米田,且4 m、6 m植草带显著增加了玉米籽粒的百粒重及比邻农田的玉米总产量。本研究对植草带涵养捕食性天敌预防害虫发生的最适宽度进行探索,综合考虑植草带耕地占用、天敌涵养和生物控害潜力等因素,确定4 m宽度植草带是具有推广价值的农田边界模式。     

昆虫几丁质酶及其在害虫防治中的应用

几丁质是昆虫重要的结构性组分,在昆虫生长发育的各个时期都需要一定量的几丁质来维持其代谢平衡.昆虫几丁质酶可以降解昆虫体壁和围食膜中的几丁质,作为一种潜在的生物杀虫剂在害虫防治方面具有广阔的应用前景.随着对昆虫几丁质酶研究的不断深入,目前已克隆到了30余种昆虫几丁质酶,并应用于转基因作物和基因工程微生物中,对害虫具有一定...     

Insect reactions to light and its applications to pest management

Insects are able to see ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Nocturnal insects are often attracted to light sources that emit large amounts of UV radiation, and devices that exploit this behavior, such as light traps for forecasting pest outbreaks, and electric insect killers, have been developed. Some diurnal species are attracted to yellow; yellow pan traps are used for conducting surveys for pest outbreaks and yellow sticky plates are used for pest control. Lamps that give off yellow illumination have been used effectively to control the activity of nocturnal moths and thus reduce damage to fruit, vegetables, and flowers. Covering cultivation facilities with film that filters out near-UV radiation reduces the invasion of pests such as whiteflies and thrips into the facilities, thus reducing damage. Reflective material placed on cultivated land can control the approach of flying insects such as aphids. Future development and use of new light sources such as light-emitting diodes is anticipated for promoting integrated pest management.     

Evaluating the link between predation and pest control services in the mite world

1. Pest regulation by natural enemies has a strong potential to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides in agroecosystems. However, the effective role of predation as an ecosystem service remains largely speculative, especially with minute organisms such as mites.
2. Predatory mites are natural enemies for ectoparasites in livestock farms. We tested for an ecosystem level control of the poultry pest Dermanyssus gallinae by other mites naturally present in manure in poultry farms and investigated differences among farming practices (conventional, free‐range, and organic).
3. We used a multiscale approach involving (a) in vitro behavioral predation experiments, (b) arthropod inventories in henhouses with airborne DNA, and (c) a statistical model of covariations in mite abundances comparing farming practices.
4. Behavioral experiments revealed that three mites are prone to feed on D. gallinae. Accordingly, we observed covariations between the pest and these three taxa only, in airborne DNA at the henhouse level, and in mites sampled from manure. In most situations, covariations in abundances were high in magnitude and their sign was positive.
5. Predation on a pest happens naturally in livestock farms due to predatory mites. However, the complex dynamics of mite trophic network prevents the emergence of a consistent assemblage‐level signal of predation. Based on these results, we suggest perspectives for mite‐based pest control and warn against any possible disruption of ignored services through the application of veterinary drugs or pesticides.

     

A comparative study of integrated pest management strategies based on impulsive control

The paper presents a comprehensive numerical study of mathematical models used to describe complex biological systems in the framework of integrated pest management. Our study considers two specific ecosystems that describe the application of control mechanisms based on pesticides and natural enemies, implemented in an impulsive and periodic manner, due to which the considered models belong to the class of impulsive differential equations. The present work proposes a numerical approach to study such type of models in detail, via the application of path-following (continuation) techniques for nonsmooth dynamical systems, via the novel continuation platform COCO (Dankowicz and Schilder). In this way, a detailed study focusing on the influence of selected system parameters on the effectiveness of the pest control scheme is carried out for both ecological scenarios. Furthermore, a comparative study is presented, with special emphasis on the mechanisms upon which a pest outbreak can occur in the considered ecosystems. Our study reveals that such outbreaks are determined by the presence of a branching point found during the continuation analysis. The numerical investigation concludes with an in-depth study of the state-dependent pesticide mortality considered in one of the ecological scenarios.     

诱集植物在害虫治理中的最新研究进展

诱集植物作为一种传统的害虫治理工具,在农业生产中的应用越来越广泛,其重要性也随着时间推移日益凸显。本文结合国内外研究现状,从特点、应用、优势和发展前景等方面综述了诱集植物在害虫生态控制中的重要作用。同时以香根草为例具体说明了诱集植物的应用方法,为诱集植物的利用与开发提供参考。     

Control of invasive marine invertebrates: an experimental evaluation of the use of low salinity for managing pest corals (Tubastraea spp.)

This study investigated the use of low salinity as a killing agent for the invasive pest corals Tubastraea coccinea and Tubastraea tagusensis (Dendrophylliidae). Experiments investigated the efficacy of different salinities, the effect of colony size on susceptibility and the influence of length of exposure. Experimental treatments of colonies were carried out in aquaria. Colonies were then fixed onto experimental plates and monitored in the field periodically over a period of four weeks. The killing effectiveness of low salinity depended on the test salinity and the target species, but was independent of colony size. Low salinity was fast acting and prejudicial to survival: discoloration, necrosis, fragmenting and sloughing, exposure of the skeleton and cover by biofoulers occurred post treatment. For T. tagusensis, 50% mortality (LC₅₀) after three days occurred at eight practical salinity units (PSU); for T. coccinea the LC₅₀ was 2?PSU. Exposure to freshwater for 45–120?min resulted in 100% mortality for T. tagusensis, but only the 120?min period was 100% effective in killing T. coccinea. Freshwater is now routinely used for the post-border management of Tubastraea spp. This study also provides insights as to how freshwater may be used as a routine biosecurity management tool when applied pre-border to shipping vectors potentially transporting non-indigenous marine biofouling species.     

昆虫生态地理学与入侵危险性害虫控制

昆虫的起源、地质变动、气候、生态环境以及人类活动对昆虫的分布有极其重要的影响．昆虫生态地理学是从种的生态学来阐明昆虫地理分布的规律性的科学,它是害虫检疫的重要基础,在入侵危险性害虫种的鉴定、适生性分析和控制策略特别是生物防治策略的制定等方面有广泛的应用