Systems metabolic engineering of microorganisms for natural and non-natural chemicals

Growing concerns over limited fossil resources and associated environmental problems are motivating the development of sustainable processes for the production of chemicals, fuels and materials from renewable resources. Metabolic engineering is a key enabling technology for transforming microorganisms into efficient cell factories for these compounds. Systems metabolic engineering, which incorporates the concepts and techniques of systems biology, synthetic biology and evolutionary engineering at the systems level, offers a conceptual and technological framework to speed the creation of new metabolic enzymes and pathways or the modification of existing pathways for the optimal production of desired products. Here we discuss the general strategies of systems metabolic engineering and examples of its application and offer insights as to when and how each of the different strategies should be used. Finally, we highlight the limitations and challenges to be overcome for the systems metabolic engineering of microorganisms at more advanced levels.     

New trends in microbial technology

Microbial technology includes not only the production of materials in bioreactors, or the production of new catalysts by genetic engineering but extends to aspects of both human and animal health care, waste and pollution management, enhanced oil recovery, mineral leaching, advanced plant breeding, diagnostics and analytical equipment, biosensors, bioelectronics and renewable energy system based on biomass feedstocks. National strategies of industrialized countries are being developed which identify microbial technology as a substantial factor in the attainment of industrial and economic goals. Although extremely promising microbial technology is not a quick fix and its application will only arise as a result of systematic programme of research and development. Such programme requires a broad base of disciplinary underpinning in molecular biology, genetics and bioengineering. The development of expertise of this kind in the tertiary educational institutions is the essential starting point. It should be developed by appropriate programmes and networking systems.     

试论拓宽生物防治范围，发展虫害可持续治理

该文针对我国生物防治资源极其丰富和农民经济实力薄弱的特点,结合我国微孢子虫治蝗和苹果园植被多样化持续治理虫害的成果,论述了应如何发展和拓宽具有我国特色的害虫生物防治,进一步提高综合防治水平,促进农业可持续发展。     

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。     

Insect pest management in African agriculture: Challenges in the current millenium

Pest management on a global scale experienced a total revolution after World War II when synthetic organic compounds were in agriculture and public health. However, it soon became apparent that there were many limitations in the use of chemicals for pest management. In agriculture, problems of pest resurgence, secondary pest outbreaks, pest resistance and adverse effects of pesticides on the environment, including human poisoning and toxicity to other non-target organisms, led to the search for alternative approaches to the pest outbreak problem. The 1960s produced new ideas on integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, followed by intensification of the search for biological control agents, which could be incorporated into IPM programmes. New application technologies were developed in the 1970s and 1980s and ecological approaches to the pest problem were spearheaded in the developed world in the 1990s, with extensive studies focused on the whole ecosystem. Important advances in crop production have also taken place in Africa in this century, involving adoption of high yielding varieties, fertilizer application, intensification of crop protection approaches, less shifting cultivation and more mono-cropping systems. However, these advances have led to increasing pest problems which unless tackled imaginatively and intelligently, they could become the most important constraint in crop production in the present millennium. Africa has entered the current millennium with relatively underdeveloped agriculture on a global scale and little investment in research on new pest management technologies that could be used to reduce crop losses. We are still highly dependent on pesticides for pest management. Therefore, the greatest challenges in agriculture in Africa will be the switch from a pesticide based mode of reducing losses due to pests to one that is ecosystem based, making use of insect management techniques which are ecologically and economically sound. Specifically, some of the major challenges in pest management in agriculture in Africa include; (i) reducing the dependence on pesticides, thus avoiding the limitations observed in the past 50 years; (ii) overcoming ignorance of the pest species and their associated community of parasites and predators which has dire consequences on the whole ecosystem; (iii) keeping out exotic pests, which in this millennium have had a devastating blow on the production of some crops and (iv) developing indigenous technologies for pest management (IPM, biocontrol, etc.) and making available to farmers materials for pest management which are affordable, safe, effective and environmentally friendly (e.g. microbial, botanicals, pheromones, genetically engineered products etc.). Both legislative and quarantine measures will have a significant role to play in pest management in the next millennium, but only when practised on a wider geographical area. Information technology (IT) will affect the way we acquire and make use of pest management strategies. Africa is therefore faced with the challenge of building up and improving its infrastructure and expertise on IT if it is to benefit pest management on the continent.     

浅析我国农作物病虫草鼠害成灾特点与减灾对策

农作物病虫草鼠害是我国农业生产的重要生物灾害,是制约高产、优质、高效益农业持续发展的主导因素之一。本文回顾了农业生物灾害综合防治技术在已往农业生产中的减灾作用。针对农作物病虫草鼠发生危害此起彼伏,关键防治技术落后,预警能力差,应用基础研究薄弱等现状,分析了我国生物灾害减灾研究面临的新挑战。从加强投资力度,开展重大病虫害灾变规律、中长期预测预报及综合防治关键技术研究,重视高新技术应用研究等角度指出了持续控制生物灾害的对策与途径。     

Population dynamics and "outbreaks" of diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in Guangdong province, China: climate or failure of management?

Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), became the major pest of Brassica vegetable production in Guangdong, a province in southeastern China, in the late 1980s and has continued to challenge growers, particularly during the spring and autumn. Control has relied on insecticides and, as has happened in other parts of the world, resistance to these has evolved and subsequent field control failures have occurred. We review and summarize the history of diamondback moth management in Guangdong. We show that the geographic distribution of the pest in China is well described by a simple climate niche model. Our model predicts the seasonal phenology and some of the variation in abundance among years in Guangdong. Discrepancies may reflect migration and insecticide use at a landscape level. The scale of the pest problem experienced varies with management practices. Local production breaks, and strict post harvest hygiene are associated with lower pest pressure on large-scale production units. As more and more insecticides become ineffective the need to implement an insecticide resistance management strategy, as well as basic integrated pest management practices, will become more pressing. The potential use and development of a better forecasting system for diamondback moth that will assist these developments is outlined.     

中季稻区稻田害虫—天敌—农药系统的模拟及其优化管理的研究(英文)

本文以中季稻区稻田主要害虫稻飞虱、稻纵卷叶螟和捕食天敌蜘蛛的田间系统调查资料为基础,以害虫—天敌—农药系统为研究对象,应用害虫管理系统工程的原理,处理害虫、捕食天敌与农药三者之间的关系。建立了稻纵叶螟—蜘蛛—甲胺磷和稻飞虱—蜘蛛—甲胺磷两系统优化管理模型,绘制了它们的优化反馈控制策略图,利用微机对系统进行最优监控。使用时输入当前田间害虫与天敌数量,就可对系统作出即时的预测和最优决策。该策略确立的控制害虫的最优性能指标,是使害虫对农作物的为害所造成的损失与防治费用之和最小,并且使害虫和天敌的数量处于系统平衡状态。文中比较分析了该策略与基于经济阈值的常规害虫管理策略,指出了新策略在害虫综合治理中对天敌数量进行控制和管理的作用及其意义。     

SIMULATION AND OPTIMAL MANAGEMENT OF THE PEST-NATURAL ENEMY-INSECTICIDE SYSTEM OF PADDY FIELDS IN MIDDLE SEASON RICE CROPPING REGION*

Abstract Investigations on the pest-natural enemy-insecticide system, including rice leaf roller-spider-tamaron and planthopper-spider-tamaron system, were carried out in the paddy fields in middle season rice cropping region. The relationship among insect pest, natural enemy and insecticide were studied based on the principle of the pest management system engineering. The optimal management models of the two systems were developed. Their diagrams of optimal feedback control strategy were contoured for computer monitoring of the pest-natural enemy-insecticide system. The population densities of pest and natural enemy in the future could be forecasted and the optimal strategy could be made when the current field densities of pest and natural enemy were input into the computer. The optimal performance index, which is a combination of the total cost of using the chemical and the total cost of pest damage to crops, for pest control is minimized. The objective of the system management is to drive the state of the system towards a beneficial equilibrium of the system generally. A comparison of the new IPM strategy with the ordinary strategy based on a single economic threshold is conducted in this paper. The optimal control strategies suggest that both pest and natural enemy populations should be controlled in the integrated pest management.     

浅谈害虫成虫防治技术

目前害虫防治中的一系列问题如害虫幼虫抗药性上升、害虫天敌被大量杀伤、人畜中毒、环境污染与土壤农药残毒日趋严重 ,使以成虫为目标虫态或防治对象而开展的成虫防治策略被广为接受并广泛应用。本文对目前使用的各种成虫防治技术体系进行了概括 ,并列举了成虫防治技术的特点和优点 ,以及进行成虫防治的许多实例。其中信息化合物防治和遗传防治的飞速发展为成虫防治的应用提供了多种途径。     

灰茶尺蠖和茶尺蠖绿色防控技术研究进展

灰茶尺蠖和茶尺蠖作为鳞翅目两个近缘种,是茶园最重要的两种害虫。目前化学农药仍是茶园防治尺蠖的重要手段,容易导致“3R”问题,不利于茶园的可持续发展。本文从农业防治、物理防治、生物防治、化学生态防治和化学防治五个方面就灰茶尺蠖和茶尺蠖的绿色防控进行了综述。强调加强茶园田间管理和尺蠖监测预警,合理布局茶树品种,强化保护利用茶园本土天敌,科学高效地协调使用核型多角体病毒、性诱、灯诱等技术,从而实现对灰茶尺蠖和茶尺蠖的绿色防控技术集成应用,减少其对茶树的危害,为茶园优质安全生产提供强有力的保障。     

农业组织与有害生物风险管理研究综述

随着全球气候变暖、农药滥用、外来有害生物入侵等因素,我国农业病虫害逐年呈快速增长之势。而以广大农户家庭、合作组织、农业企业为单元的社会灾害管理系统是生物灾害管理体系中重要的组成部分,但却存在着规模分散、管理混乱等问题。有害生物是公共品,具有外部性的特征,而我国分散化的管理组织形式,不利于对有害生物的统一治理。现阶段我国关于农业组织化对有害生物防控影响的文献较少,为此,通过分别梳理农业组织风险管理和有害生物风险管理的研究进展,探讨不同农业组织风险管理、有害生物风险管理、有害生物造成的经济损失以及有害生物综合治理的方法与模式。在未来的研究中,应进一步加强不同农业组织对有害生物防控效果、有害生物造成经济损失的影响因素、不同农业组织对有害生物"统防统治"参与行为的研究,通过农业组织化防控治理体系的改革,提升有害生物的防控效率,以更好的为政府相关部门决策提供必要的参考依据。     

Theory,Technology, and Practice of Site-Specific Insect Pest Management

Insects are usually unevenly distributed throughout an area in nature. Despite this knowledge, analytical methods and technology have limited insect pest management to uniform management decisions in the field. Recently, the methods and technology to map and analyze insect spatial distribution have been developed to a level where the uneven nature of insect populations can be considered for application of pest management tactics. This new approach to insect management is termed site-specific pest management. Site-specific pest management utilizes spatial information about pest distribution to apply control tactics only where pest density is economically high within a field. This review will detail the current status of site-specific insect pest management in agriculture, technological requirements, its limitations, and future potential.     

Genetic Transformation of Crops for Insect Resistance: Potential and Limitations

Transgenic resistance to insects has been demonstrated in plants expressing insecticidal genes such as δ -endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), protease inhibitors, enzymes, secondary plant metabolites, and plant lectins. While transgenic plants with introduced Bt genes have been deployed in several crops on a global scale, the alternative genes have received considerably less attention. The protease inhibitor and lectin genes largely affect insect growth and development and, in most instances, do not result in insect mortality. The effective concentrations of these proteins are much greater than the Bt toxin proteins. Therefore, the potential of some of the alternative genes can only be realized by deploying them in combination with conventional host plant resistance and Bt genes. Genes conferring resistance to insects can also be deployed as multilines or synthetic varieties. Initial indications from deployment of transgenics with insect resistance in diverse cropping systems in USA, Canada, Argentina, China, India, Australia, and South Africa suggest that single transgene products in standard cultivar backgrounds are not a recipe for sustainable pest management. Instead, a much more complex approach may be needed, one which may involve deployment of a combination of different transgenes in different backgrounds. Under diverse climatic conditions and cropping systems of tropics, the success in the utilization of transgenics for pest management may involve decentralized national breeding programs and several small-scale seed companies. While several transgenic crops with insecticidal genes have been introduced in the temperate regions, very little has been done to use this technology for improving crop productivity in the harsh environments of the tropics, where the need for increasing food production is most urgent. There is a need to develop appropriate strategies for deployment of transgenics for pest management, keeping in view the pest spectrum involved, and the effects on nontarget organisms in the ecosystem.     

甘肃苹果蠹蛾的发生现状与研究进展

苹果蠹蛾是果园最重要的害虫之一,1987年入侵甘肃敦煌,2005年苹果蠹蛾在河西地区严重发生。各地先后开展了一系列的防控与监测工作,并对苹果蠹蛾的发生规律及防治技术进行了大量的研究。本文就甘肃苹果蠹蛾的发生历史、为害与防控现状及其生物学、生态学及防治技术方面的研究进展进行概述,以期为全国苹果蠹蛾的防控提供参考。     

从生物工程技术认识植物保护研究的发展趋势

本文从生物工程技术研究角度讨论了植物保护的发展和应用,提出了植物病虫害防治方法应多样化,完善、充实植物保护系统工程。认识到植保工作与植物遗传、生理、生化相结合,特别是对分子生物学领域的开拓和利用,多元化的研究。开僻经济、有效、无公害的病虫害管理途径,为提高农业生产的经济效益和社会效益服务。     

Regulatory impact on insect biotechnology and pest management

The application of insect biotechnology is promising for the development of environmentally compatible pest management solutions. As we have refined and enhanced genetic engineering techniques in several insect species that cause significant economic loss and public health injury, it has become clear that insect biotechnology will move forward as one of the key tools of pest management in agriculture and in the human environment. Well characterized genetic elements can be manipulated toward specific aims and maintain a viable insect, albeit one with diminished capacity to exchange genetic material, vector a virus or bacterium, or complete its life cycle. Despite this degree of knowledge and precision, there remain unanswered questions regarding environmental fate, release and public acceptance of this technology. The uncertainty surrounding any novel technology inevitably increases the level of regulatory scrutiny associated with its use. Although the term “insect biotechnology” has many connotations, it certainly includes the genetic modification of symbiotic or commensally associated microbes as a means of delivering a trait (e.g. a toxin) to manage plant and human diseases and insect pests. The distinction between this paratransgenic approach and direct genetic modification of insect pests is an important one biologically as well as from a regulatory standpoint. The regulatory framework for microbial applications to agriculture is in many instances in place; however, we must strive to forge the development of guidelines and regulations that will foster deployment of insect biotechnologies.     

Engineering precision into variable biological systems

Technology change stimulates the expectations of society and seeks to satisfy its demands. Continuing advances in electronics and information technology over the last 20 years have responded to the challenge posed by the environmental impacts of agricultural production systems. Future agriculture will require precision techniques to assemble information and achieve increasingly precise and responsive management practices in order to reduce wasteful inputs, and meet the social and economic pressures for safe high quality food at lower cost. Biosystems engineering, an interdisciplinary science linking biology, physics, engineering and mathematics, can provide understanding and then innovative precision solutions for agriculture. Public and industry investment will be needed to achieve the necessary goals of lower environmental impact, and precision techniques will make a signi. cant contribution. Worldwide, the availability of tools that allow accurate control of inputs and traceable management of food production will contribute to sustainable food production for all. The vision is of systems that utilise sensing methods and mathematical models of the biological process, and link them through to control algorithms that realise practical benefits. Tools to measure spatial variation in crop yield will draw on statistical models to interpret complex variation and provide robust information to justify variable input management. Machine vision will interpret complex natural scenes, leading to real‐time control, and biosensors will be incorporated into automated systems for sensing animal fertility status, leading to automatic monitoring of animal health and welfare.     

昆虫杆状病毒表达系统的研究进展与应用

昆虫杆状病毒表达载体系统具有安全性好、重组蛋白表达量高、能同时表达多个基因、重组蛋白翻译后加工完整等特点,因而得到了广泛的应用。随着重组杆状病毒构建技术的不断发展,昆虫杆状病毒表达载体系统的操作在逐渐简化,重组杆状病毒获得的效率也在不断提高。昆虫细胞培养技术的改进和转基因昆虫细胞系的发展,进一步推动了昆虫杆状病毒表达载体系统在商品化药物、治疗性抗体、生物农药研发和基因治疗中的应用。尽管仍存在着重组蛋白降解的问题,但随着分子生物学技术的发展,对杆状病毒载体的研究与改造也会更加深入,未来昆虫杆状病毒表达载体系统的应用将更为广泛。     

东北—蒙东经济区绿色植保在实施“一带一路”倡议中面临的挑战与发展

东北—蒙东地区包括辽宁、吉林、黑龙江和内蒙古东部五盟市,是我国东北地区对外经贸、科技和文化交流的重要窗口,也是我国粮食生产最集中的地区之一。该地区农业管理水平和灾变应对能力相对滞后,多种重要入侵性和迁飞性有害生物在东北省区间和与其接壤的国家间重叠或交替发生,导致农产品产量和质量下降,严重影响了我国农产品的国际贸易量。随着我国"一带一路"倡议的实施,上述问题势必日益突出,如何保证东北省区粮食生产安全,促进农产品国际贸易发展是我们共同面临的巨大挑战。本文重点阐述了东北—蒙东地区全链式有害生物预警、智能化监测和绿色防控技术体系,在此基础上,拟整合东北—蒙东地区有害生物综合治理优势力量,重点联合俄罗斯、韩国等周边国家植物保护机构、科研人员及技术推广人员共建东北—蒙东地区国际植保联盟,构建农业安全生产的生态屏障。