Experimental simulation of transmission of an obligate aphid pathogen with aphid flight dispersal

The wide dispersal of Entomophthorales-caused mycoses that usually regulate aphid populations is most likely to be associated with the flight of infected alates. This hypothesis was examined via simulated flight and postflight colonization of Myzus periscae alates exposed to spore showers of Pandora neoaphidis, a common obligate aphid pathogen prevalent world wide. A total number of 407 alates were showered in different batches, then individually flown in a computer-monitoring flight mill system and reared on cabbage leaves for 14-day free reproduction and contagious infection within progeny colonies at 20-23 degrees C. On average, 80.6% of them flew 2.6 km in 1-5 h, survived 3.2 days, produced 5.3 nymphs, and transmitted their infection to progeny successfully. However, 9.8% of the flown alates left no progeny although they survived at least 1 day prior to mycosis while the rest were not mycosed, producing significantly more nymphs during the first week. The flight distances of the infected (0.01-10.2 km) or uninfected alates (0.1-8.3 km) were exponentially correlated to the flight time (r( 2) >or= 0.98). When grouped by the flight ranges of <1.0, 1.0-3.0, 3.0-5.0 and >5.0 km, the number of live aphids and the proportion of mycosed individuals per progeny colony over colonization days fit well to a complex logistic model (r( 2) = 0.984) and modified Gompertz model (r( 2) = 0.978) respectively. Both models included flight distance, postflight survival time, premycosis fecundity and primary infection rate as independent variables to affect the developmental rates. The results highlight the significant role of infected alates in the wide dispersal of P. neoaphidis-caused mycoses among aphids.     

Effects of pea aphid secondary endosymbionts on aphid resistance and development of the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi: a correlative study

In order to reduce parasite‐induced mortality, hosts may be involved in mutualistic interactions in which the partner contributes to resistance against the parasite. The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae), harbours secondary bacterial endosymbionts, some of which have been reported to confer resistance against aphid parasitoids. Although this resistance often results in death of the developing parasitoid larvae, some parasitoid individuals succeed in developing into adults. Whether these individuals suffer from fitness reduction compared to parasitoids developing in pea aphid clones without symbionts has not been tested so far. Using 30 pea aphid clones that differed in their endosymbiont complement, we studied the effects of these endosymbionts on aphid resistance against the parasitoid Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), host–parasitoid physiological interactions, and fitness of emerging adult parasitoids. The number of symbiont species in an aphid clone was positively correlated with a number of resistance measurements but there were also clear symbiont‐specific effects on the host–parasitoid interaction. As in previous studies, pea aphid clones infected with Hamiltonella defensa Moran et al. showed resistance against the parasitoid. In addition, pea aphid clones infected with Regiella insecticola Moran et al. and co‐infections of H. defensa–Spiroplasma, R. insecticola–Spiroplasma, and R. insecticola–H. defensa showed reduced levels of parasitism and mummification. Parasitoids emerging from symbiont‐infected aphid clones often had a longer developmental time and reduced mass. The number of teratocytes was generally lower when parasitoids oviposited in aphid clones with a symbiont complement. Interestingly, unparasitized aphids infected with Serratia symbiotica Moran et al. and R. insecticola had a higher fecundity than unparasitized aphids of uninfected pea aphid clones. We conclude that in addition to conferring resistance, pea aphid symbionts also negatively affect parasitoids that successfully hatch from aphid mummies. Because of the link between aphid resistance and the number of teratocytes, the mechanism underlying resistance by symbiont infection may involve interference with teratocyte development.     

烟蚜茧蜂对蚜虫信息素及烟草挥发物的触角电位反应

利用触角电位(EAG)技术测定了烟蚜茧蜂(Aphididius gifuensis)对蚜虫性信息素(荆芥醇和荆芥内酯)和报警信息素(反-β-法尼烯)以及烟草挥发性物质的电生理反应.结果表明:雌蜂和雄蜂对蚜虫性信息素、报警信息素、烟草挥发物均有反应,但雌雄蜂对这些化学信息物质的嗅觉敏感性存在差异,雌蜂对荆芥醇、荆芥内酯、顺-3-己烯-1-醇、反-2-己烯醛、水杨酸甲酯和里那醇的EAG反应都大于雄峰,证明雌雄蜂在利用寄主栖境中信息化学物质方面存在不同的策略,它们分别识别了不同的有关寄主的化学指纹图;烟蚜茧蜂对烟草气味组分具有不同的敏感性,对绿叶气味组分的EAG反应要强于对萜类化合物的反应,绿叶气味组分很有可能在其寻找桃蚜的过程中发挥远距离定向作用.     

An improved aphid electroantennogram

Excised antennae have been used to record aphid electroantennograms (EAGs) but these preparations have small, rapidly declining responses and a short usable life. An improved EAG technique is described and evaluated using alate virginoparae of the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae, and a series of plant volatiles. EAG recording with fine-tip glass electrodes inserted into the surface of the intact antenna of a whole insect preparation gave stable EAG peaks of a few mV and EAG peak amplitude decreased by only 22% over an 8 hour recording period. The EAG responses showed typical dose-dependent characteristics. There was variation in EAGs from different preparations, so normalisation of the EAG responses against a standard stimulus is still necessary. The thirty compounds tested elicited an EAG response profile largely similar to that reported previously from excised antennae. EAG responses recorded with the electrode at three different positions, between the 5th-6th (A), 4th-5th (B), and 3rd-4th (C) antennal segments, were smaller when recorded closer to the head. Position B produced larger EAG responses than those at C although there was no olfactory receptor between position B and C.     

Semiochemicals for aphid control

The ‘Inclusion of Nature in Self' scale (INS) was applied to monitor shifts in reported connectedness with nature within the framework of a school-based environmental education programme. One hundred and twenty-three German students (sixth-graders) participated in a one-day module, which included hands-on indoor (classroom) and outdoor (nearby woods) implementation. Additionally, a control group (n?=?116) did not participate in our intervention at all. Seven types of shifts in students' subjective connectedness with nature before and after project participation were analysed and discussed. Individual initial connectedness and a variety of short- and long-term connectedness shifts indicate the necessity of a needs-oriented environmental education. The reliability of the INS scale as a rapid assessment for improving school-based fieldwork settings is confirmed.     

紫外辐射诱导桃蚜DNA变异

利用微卫星标记技术分析了不同剂量紫外线诱导下桃蚜(Myzus persicae)的DNA变异与分子多态性.根据3种引物的扩增图谱测出反映遗传变异程度的参数——多态位点率和基因多样度,并进行了方差分析和聚类分析.结果表明,不同紫外线照射时间(2、4和6 h)和照射强度(15、30和45 W)处理后,F₁代桃蚜产生可遗传的变异致使F₂代的DNA发生变异,且变异大小是由辐射时间和强度共同决定的 .F₂代对照与2 、4 和6 h的处理平均多态位点率之间差异显著.对于平均基因多样性,除2 h处理外其余处理均与对照差异显著,且2 h 处理低于对照;根据遗传距离将桃蚜分为对照、2 h(15和30 W)和其余处理3大类群,此聚类分析与前述方差结果一致.     

Ant–aphid mutualism: the influence of ants on the aphid summer cycle

There are few longtime studies on the effects on aphids of being tended by ants. The aim of this study is to investigate how the presence of ants influences settling decisions by colonizing aphids and the post‐settlement growth and survival of aphid colonies. We conducted a field experiment using the facultative myrmecophile Aphis fabae and the ant Lasius niger. The experiment relied on natural aphid colonization of potted plants of scentless mayweed Tripleurospermum perforatum placed outdoors. Ants occurred naturally at the field site and had access to half of the pots and were prevented from accessing the remainder. The presence of winged, dispersing aphids, the growth and survival of establishing aphid colonies, and the presence of parasitoids were measured in relation to presence or absence of ants, over a period of five weeks. The presence of ants did not significantly influence the pattern of initial host plant colonization or the initial colony growth, but ant‐tended aphids were subject to higher parasitism by hymenopteran parasitoids. The net result over the experimental period was that the presence of ants decreased aphid colony productivity, measured as the number of winged summer migrants produced from the colonized host plants. This implies that aphids do not always benefit from the presence of ants, but under some conditions rather pay a cost in the form of reduced dispersal.     

Parasitism of soybean aphid by Aphelinus species on soybean susceptible versus resistant to the aphid

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, is native to Asia, but during the last decade it has invaded North America, where it has spread to most soybean growing regions and become the most important insect pest of soybean. Current control of soybean aphid relies primarily on insecticides, but alternatives to insecticidal control are being explored, especially host plant resistance and biological control, which may interact positively or negatively. Research on host plant resistance to the soybean aphid has revealed six genes that affect resistance. We measured the impact of the two most studied resistance loci, Rag1 and Rag2, on two parasitoid species: Aphelinus glycinis, a recently described species from Asia, which is being introduced into the USA to control the soybean aphid, and Aphelinus certus, also from Asia but accidentally introduced into the USA. Resistance did not affect oviposition by either parasitoid species. However, resistance did reduce successful parasitism by A. glycinis, with each resistance allele causing a two-fold reduction in number of mummified aphids. The resistance alleles did not affect adult emergence, sex ratio, or the size of A. glycinis. For A. certus, the Rag1 resistance allele had no effect on parasitism, while the Rag2 resistance allele reduced parasitism four-fold. On the other hand, the Rag1 resistance allele increased the frequency of males among progeny and decreased female size of A. certus. Despite the reduction in parasitism, these parasitoids are nonetheless able to parasitize the soybean aphid on resistant soybean, which means that they should still contribute to the management of soybean aphid on resistant varieties.     

Effect of a co-occurring aphid on the susceptibility of the Russian wheat aphid to lacewing predators

Previous field experiments indicated that the presence of the bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.), on perennial grasses can decrease the effectiveness of predatory lacewings, Chrysoperla plorabunda (Fitch), in reducing populations of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko). We tested the hypothesis that R. padi deflects predation away from D. noxia because it feeds in sites that are more accessible to predators. We quantified the behavior of lacewing larvae on crested wheatgrass plants bearing either D. noxia alone or an equal mixture of D. noxia and R. padi. On non-flowering plants, R. padi typically occurred on leaf sheaths or open blades, and was encountered and captured more often than D. noxia, which usually fed within immature, rolled leaves. Overall time-budgets of lacewings did not differ between the pure-D. noxia and mixed-species treatments, but >75% of the time spent consuming aphids in the mixed-species treatment was devoted to R. padi. On flowering plants, D. noxia usually aggregated on the flag leaf below the inflorescence, whereas R. padi occurred mostly on leaf sheaths. Predators again captured R. padi more often than D. noxia, and spent more time consuming aphids in the mixed-species treatment than in the pure-D. noxia treatment. These behavioral observations support the hypothesis that non-target prey can hamper the short-term effectiveness of biological-control agents against D. noxia.     

Predatory hoverflies select their oviposition site according to aphid host plant and aphid species

The hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus De Geer (Diptera: Syrphidae) is an abundant and efficient aphid‐specific predator. Several aphidophagous parasitoids and predators are known to respond positively to aphid‐infested plants. Semiochemicals from the latter association usually mediate predator/parasitoid foraging behavior toward sites appropriate for offspring fitness. In this study, we investigated the effect of aphid host plant and aphid species on foraging and oviposition behavior of E. balteatus. Behavioral observations were conducted using the Noldus Observer v. 5.0, which allows observed insect behavior to be subdivided into different stages. Additionally, the influence of aphid species and aphid host plant on offspring fitness was tested in a second set of experiments. Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris and Megoura viciae Buckton were equally attractive for E. balteatus whereas Aphis fabae Scopoli (all Homoptera: Aphididae) were less attractive. These results were correlated with (i) the number of eggs laid, which was significantly higher for the two first aphid species, and (ii) the fitness of hoverfly larvae, pupae, and adults. Two solanaceous plant species, Solanum nigrum L. and Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae), which were infested with Myzus persicae Sulzer (Homoptera: Aphididae), were also compared using the same approach. Discrimination between these two M. persicae host plants was observed, with S. tuberosum being preferred as an oviposition site by the predatory hoverfly. Larval and adult fitness was correlated with the behavioral observations. Our results demonstrated the importance of the prey–host plant association on the choice of the oviposition site by an aphid predator, which is here shown to be related to offspring fitness.     

蚜虫诱导的植物免疫反应

在植物与昆虫长期的互作过程中,植物建立起一系列精密而又复杂的防御机制以应对昆虫取食为害,并且能够识别不同取食类型昆虫的效应因子作出不同的防御应答。最近研究揭示了许多植物与蚜虫之间相互抗争的分子机制,这不仅包括植物激素介导的诱导防御途径、植物先天免疫系统和基于gene-for-gene的R抗性识别和作用机制,而且还包括蚜虫在取食过程中分泌的唾液成分,它有助于蚜虫取食韧皮部组织,抑制植物病原相关分子模式激活的免疫反应(Pathogen-associated molecular patterns triggered immunity,PTI)防御,以及被植物核苷酸结合位点区-亮氨酸重复序列区(NBS-LRR)膜受体识别激活效应因子免疫反应(ETI)防御等方面。本文综述了蚜虫诱导的植物防御途径、蚜虫诱导的植物免疫反应、蚜虫效应因子的鉴定与功能分析三方面的最近研究进展,提出了未来发展的研究方向。这些基于病原微生物提出的"zig-zag"模型为进一步理解植物先天免疫、诱导防御系统和蚜虫唾液腺组分的互作提供新理论支撑,为揭示了植物与蚜虫抗性互作的分子机制及有效安全地防治害虫提供了新思路。     

Factors affecting aphid infestation of chrysanthemums

Large differences exist between chrysanthemum cultivars in their susceptibility to attack by Myzus persicae (Sulz.). This is due to a repellent factor which increases in the leaves as they age, but which varies from one cultivar to another. Aphid population growth is retarded, or even prevented, on resistant cultivars. If susceptible and resistant plants are in contact, the rate of population increase will be the same on both, but numbers will remain proportionately lower on the resistant cultivars. For instance, aphid numbers are normally forty times as high on B.G.A. Tuneful as on Portrait. Aphids appear to select the cultivar or region of plant most suitable for reproduction (usually apical and basal leaves) but, as the plants and population grow, the aphids continually redistribute themselves. Within the limits of normal growing practice, cultural and environmental conditions have little effect on the aphids. Brachycaudus helichrysi (Kaltenbach) and Aphis fabae Scop, have similar varietal preferences but, unlike Myzus persicae, they avoid senescent leaves and only colonize the apex.     

Effects of temperature on aphid phenology

Daily samples between 1964 and 1991 from suction traps throughout Great Britain were used to study the migration phenologies of five aphid species: Brachycaudus helichrysi, Elatobium abietinum, Metopolophium dirhodum, Myzus persicae and Sitobion avenae, and their relationship with temperature. Regression relationships have been established between characteristics of aphid phenology and temperature, latitude and longitude for each species. There were differences between species in the period for which temperature was most strongly associated with aphid phenology. The study indicates that temperature, especially winter temperature, is the dominant factor affecting aphid phenology, for all five species. A 1 °C increase in average winter temperature advanced the migration phenology by 4–19 days depending on species. Effects of temperature on the aphid phenology are similar between holocyclic and anholocyclic species, unlike the effects of temperature on date of first flight record which have been previously shown to be important only in anholocyclic species.     

Diapause induction in aphid parasitoids

Diapause is one of the adaptations that insects have evolved for the synchronisation of their life cycle with seasonal climatic changes and resources. In aphid parasitoids, univoltine species have an obligatory, genetically determined diapause. Polyvoltine species, on the other hand, use a variety of abiotic (temperature, photoperiod) and biotic (host insect or/and host plant) signals for the induction of diapause. We present an overview of the role of these environmental cues in diapause induction in specialist and generalist aphid parasitoids, and discuss possible endocrine factors that may be involved in diapause induction.     

Dietary influences on aphid polymorphism

Polymorphism in aphids is the general rule. The occurrence and succession of their different morphs in nature has been related to numerous factors. Whereas some of these factors may already influence the morph of the generation exposed to them, others express themselves only in subsequent generations. Major, and sometimes exclusive, importance has been attached to environmental temperature and daylength acting directly on the aphids to induce the production of sexual morphs, and to interactions between aphids in the development of winged individuals or in the production of alate progeny.Although various physiological conditions of the hostplants of aphids have for decades been implicated in the development of winged populations, unequivocal evidence that hostplants do play a role in morph determination has not until recently been obtained. Evidence that dietary factors are indeed involved is currently being obtained by using chemically defined artificial diets.Although non-dietary factors may largely determine which of several genetically possible morphs predominantly express themselves, it is now quite clear from the studies to be reported that dietary factors can have a modifying and sometimes even a dominant effect on the processes affecting the morphological expression of aphids.

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Zusammenfassung Polymorphismus ist bei den Aphiden die Regel. Das Auftreten und die Aufeinanderfolge ihrer verschiedenen Morphen in der Natur ist auf zahlreiche Faktoren bezogen worden. Während einige dieser Faktoren bereits die Morphen der Generation zu beeinflussen vermögen, die ihnen ausgesetzt ist, kommen andere erst in den folgenden Generationen zum Ausdruck. Überwiegende und manchmal ausschließliche Bedeutung wurde der Umgebungstemperatur und der Tageslänge zugemessen, die direkt auf die Induktion der Erzeugung von Sexualformen wirken, sowie den Wechselwirkungen zwischen Blattläusen bei der Entwicklung geflügelter Individuen oder bei der Produktion einer geflügelten Nachkommenschaft.Obwohl verschiedene physiologische Zustände der Wirtspflanzen der Blattläuse seit Jahrzehnten mit der Entwicklung geflügelter Populationen in Zusammenhang gebracht worden sind, wurde ein unumstößlicher Nachweis, daß Wirtspflanzen tatsächlich eine Rolle bei der Morphendetermination spielen, bis vor kurzem nicht erbracht. Nachweise, daß Nahrungsfaktoren tatsächlich mitspielen, wurden fortlaufend bei der Benutzung chemisch definierter künstlicher Diäten erhalten.Obwohl Nicht-Nahrungsfaktoren weitgehend bestimmen können, welche der verschiedenen genetisch möglichen Morphen vorwiegend zur Verwirklichung kommen, so geht doch aus den hier vorliegenden Untersuchungen nunmehr völlig klar hervor, daß Nahrungsfaktoren eine modifizierende, manchmal sogar eine beherrschende Wirkung auf die Prozesse ausüben können, welche die morphologische Ausbildung der Blattläuse beeinflussen.

     

Intergenerational acclimation in aphid overwintering

Abstract.  1. When first instar nymphs and adults of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Aphidiae) were maintained in long-term cultures (>6 months) at 20 °C and 10 °C, the LT₅₀ decreased from −8 and −8.8 °C to −16.0 and −13.5 °C, respectively.
2. When aphids from the 20 °C culture were transferred to 10 °C, there was a progressive increase in cold tolerance through three successive generations. Transfer of newly moulted pre-reproductive adults reared at 10 °C for three generations back to 20 °C resulted in a rapid loss of cold hardiness in their nymphal offspring.
3. In all generations reared at 10 °C, first born nymphs were more cold hardy than those born later in the birth sequence. The LT₅₀ of nymphs produced on the first day of reproduction in the first, second and third generations maintained at 10 °C were −14.8, −17.0 and −16.6 °C, respectively. Thereafter, nymphal cold hardiness decreased over the subsequent 14 days of reproduction in each generation at 10 °C with mean LT₅₀ values of −10.3, −12.6 and −14.8 °C, respectively. By contrast, the cold tolerance of first born nymphs of aphids reared continuously at 20 °C did not differ in comparison with later born siblings. The LT₅₀ of adult aphids was also unaffected by ageing.
4. The ecological relevance of these findings is discussed in relation to the overwintering survival of aphids such as S. avenae .     

Intraguild interactions in aphid parasitoids

We reviewed the literature on aphid parasitoids to determine the occurrence, nature and outcome of intraguild interactions. Intraguild interactions were described for larval, pupal and adult aphid parasitoids and by the type of natural enemy (fungus, predator, or parasitoid). They appear to be prevalent in most aphid parasitoid systems and, except for parasitoid-parasitoid interactions, they are mostly asymmetric, with aphidophagous predators and pathogens killing parasitoids. The limited experimental evidence from field studies is insufficient to provide a comprehensive pattern of the consequences of intraguild interactions for aphid parasitoid populations in general and, more specifically, for the efficacy of biological control. However, because intraguild interactions are widespread in aphid-natural enemy communities and mostly detrimental to aphid parasitoids, we conclude that intraguild interactions have a primary effect in driving fluctuations in aphid parasitoid populations. Drawing on case studies, we further argue that intraguild interactions can substantially alter the effectiveness of aphid parasitoids as biological-control agents.     

Behavior of bird cherry-oat aphid and green peach aphid in relation to potato virus Y transmission

Potato virus Y is transmitted to potato in a nonpersistent manner by many aphid species, some of which do not colonize this crop. The behavior of bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) on potato, Solanum tuberosum L., a plant species that is not colonized by this aphid, was described and compared with that of the potato-colonizing green peach aphid, Myzuspersicae (Sulzer). A higher proportion of winged morph of R. padi than M. persicae left the plant, but aphids that stayed in contact with the plant took the same mean time to initiate the first probe and it lasted the same mean time compared with M. persicae. Electronic penetration graph technique was used to study the probing behavior of the aphids during Potato virus Y (family Potyviridae, genus Potyvirus, PVY) transmission tests. Transmission rate decreased from 29 to 8% when the acquisition time increased from 5 min of continuous probing to 1 h with M. persicae, but it remained low (2 and 1%) with R. padi. Most of the difference in transmission rate between acquisition time with M. persicae and between aphid species was related to the change in the time and behavior taking place between the last cell puncture of the acquisition phase to the first cell puncture of the inoculation phase. Results presented here clearly demonstrated the importance of host plant selection and probing behavior in the transmission of nonpersistent plant viruses. They also stress the need to consider the behavior of the aphid in the design of laboratory tests of virus vector efficacy.