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.     

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。     

Genetic control of Plutella xylostella in omics era

Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is a specialist pest on cruciferous crops of economic importance. The large‐scale use of chemical insecticides for the control of this insect pest has caused a number of challenges to agro‐ecosystems. With the advent of the omics era, genetic pest management strategies are becoming increasingly feasible and show a powerful potential for pest control. Here, we review strategies for using transgenic plants and sterile insect techniques for genetic pest management and introduce the major advances in the control of P. xylostella using a female‐specific RIDL (release of insects carrying a dominant lethal gene) strategy. Further, the advantages of gene drive developed in combination with sex determination and CRISPR/Cas9 systems are addressed, and the corresponding prospects and implementation issues are discussed. It is predictable that under the policy and regulation of professional committees, the genetic pest control strategy, especially for gene drive, will open a new avenue to sustainable pest management not only for P. xylostella but also for other insect pests.     

Tea: Biological control of insect and mite pests in China

Tea is one of the most economically important crops in China. To secure its production and quality, biological control measures within the context of integrated pest management (IPM) has been widely popularized in China. IMP programs also provide better control of arthropod pests on tea with less chemical insecticide usage and minimal impact on the environment. More than 1100 species of natural enemies including about 80 species of viruses, 40 species of fungi, 240 species of parasitoids and 600 species of predators, as well as several species of bacteria have been recorded in tea ecosystems in China. Biological and ecological characteristics of some dominant natural enemies have been well documented. Several viral, bacterial, and fungal insecticides have been commercially utilized at large scale in China. Progress in biological control methods in conjunction with other pest control approaches for tea insect pest management is reviewed in this article. Knowledge gaps and future directions for tea pest management are also discussed.     

Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses in pest management

Abstract

Economics is the study of how people allocate scarce resources among competing needs. It is applicable to pest control because managers must often make difficult choices about how to allocate a limited budget among many possible control programmes. Therefore, pest managers are required to make economic decisions, and pest management is not an exclusively biological problem. Economics offers a structured theoretical framework within which pest management issues can be critically examined, and offers quantitative tools to decision-makers faced with complex choices.

Economic theory suggests that individual selfinterested land owners are unlikely to provide pest management services at a level acceptable to the community. This line of analysis provides a justification for active Government involvement in the provision of pest management services. Quantitative tools developed by applied economists assist with the identification of socially desirable public policies, and suggest profitable areas of future research.     

Developing CRISPR-based sex-ratio distorters for the genetic control of fruit fly pests: A how to manual

Agricultural pest control using genetic-based methods provides a species-specific and environmentally harmless way for population suppression of fruit flies. One way to improve the efficiency of such methods is through self-limiting, female-eliminating approaches that can alter an insect populations' sex ratio toward males. In this microreview, we summarize recent advances in synthetic sex ratio distorters based on X-chromosome shredding that can induce male-biased progeny. We outline the basic principles to guide the efficient design of an X-shredding system in an XY heterogametic fruit fly species of interest using CRISPR/Cas gene editing, newly developed computational tools, and insect genetic engineering. We also discuss technical aspects and challenges associated with the efficient transferability of this technology in fruit fly pest populations, toward the potential use of this new class of genetic control approaches for pest management purposes.     

RNAi在害虫防治中应用的重要进展及存在问题

RNAi是目前最有可能应用于害虫绿色防控的新技术。2017年6月,美国环境署(EPA)批准了国际上第一例表达昆虫双链RNA(dsRNA)的抗虫转基因玉米MON87411,掀起了利用RNAi技术进行害虫防治研究新的热潮。但是,目前RNAi在害虫防治中的应用还存在一些问题,例如有效靶标基因筛选和应用策略,鳞翅目昆虫对RNAi的敏感性以及双链RNA在环境中的稳定性等等。本文系统总结了RNA干扰现象发现20年来,该技术在害虫防治领域的研究及应用概况,并对RNAi技术应用的可行性、应用方法、存在问题和目前的一些解决办法进行了比较详细的综述。通过对近期研究结果的综合分析发现,dsRNA进入某些鳞翅目昆虫中肠或血淋巴后,被相关核酸酶降解可能是其RNAi效率较低的首要原因。通过对dsRNA进行脂质体修饰,纳米粒子包埋可以在一定程度上解决dsRNA降解的问题,进而提高RNAi效率。     

植物介导的害虫RNA干扰

摘要: 应用植物介导的昆虫RNAi进行害虫防治近10年来受到了广泛的关注,其作用机理包括两个阶段,首先是害虫靶标基因dsRNA在植物体内的表达、运输和贮存,然后是害虫取食该植物后,dsRNA特异性抑制害虫体内靶标基因的表达。目前,植物介导的昆虫RNAi主要针对鳞翅目、鞘翅目和同翅目害虫,可以引起害虫生长发育的异常,导致死亡/繁殖力下降,甚至影响到其子代的生长。影响植物介导昆虫RNAi效率的因素主要包括害虫靶标基因的选择、dsRNA靶定位点及长度、植物表达dsRNA载体的结构和转基因植物的遗传转化方式等。植物介导昆虫RNAi防治害虫的策略也面临着潜在的安全性问题,如转基因植物安全性和RNAi潜在脱靶性等。随着植物介导昆虫RNAi技术的成熟,该方法有望成为害虫防治的新策略。     

Feasibility,limitation and possible solutions of RNAi‐based technology for insect pest control

Abstract Numerous studies indicate that target gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) could lead to insect death. This phenomenon has been considered as a potential strategy for insect pest control, and it is termed RNAi‐mediated crop protection. However, there are many limitations using RNAi‐based technology for pest control, with the effectiveness target gene selection and reliable double‐strand RNA (dsRNA) delivery being two of the major challenges. With respect to target gene selection, at present, the use of homologous genes and genome‐scale high‐throughput screening are the main strategies adopted by researchers. Once the target gene is identified, dsRNA can be delivered by micro‐injection or by feeding as a dietary component. However, micro‐injection, which is the most common method, can only be used in laboratory experiments. Expression of dsRNAs directed against insect genes in transgenic plants and spraying dsRNA reagents have been shown to induce RNAi effects on target insects. Hence, RNAi‐mediated crop protection has been considered as a potential new‐generation technology for pest control, or as a complementary method of existing pest control strategies; however, further development to improve the efficacy of protection and range of species affected is necessary. In this review, we have summarized current research on RNAi‐based technology for pest insect management. Current progress has proven that RNAi technology has the potential to be a tool for designing a new generation of insect control measures. To accelerate its practical application in crop protection, further study on dsRNA uptake mechanisms based on the knowledge of insect physiology and biochemistry is needed.     

Influence of the public's perception,attitudes, and knowledge on the implementation of integrated pest management for household insect pests

Households are mini‐ecosystems that provide a variety of conditions in which a variety of insect species can develop. Whether these insects are considered pests, largely depends on the perception, attitudes, and knowledge of the human inhabitants of the house. If considered unacceptable, residents can attempt to manage the insects themselves, or hire a professional. A pest management professional can provide a quick‐fix solution, often relying on the sole use of insecticides, or a sustainable solution through integrated pest management (IPM). In this review, it is discussed how the public's perception, attitudes, and knowledge affect the implementation of IPM in the household through the following steps: inspection, identification, establishment of a threshold level, pest control, and evaluation of effectiveness. Furthermore, recent and novel developments within the fields of inspection, identification, and pest control that allow to address pest infestations more effectively are described and their implementation in the household environment is discussed. In general, pest management in the household environment is reactive instead of pro‐active. The general public lacks the knowledge of the pest insects’ biology to identify the species, perform a proper inspection and identify causes of pest presence, as well as the knowledge of the available tools for monitoring and pest control. The percentage of individuals that seek professional aid in identification and pest control is relatively low. Moreover, the perception of and attitudes towards household insects generally result in low threshold levels. Current developments of methods for monitoring, identification, and control of insect pests in the household environment are promising, such as DNA barcoding, matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight and RNA interference. Efforts should be strengthened to alter the perception and attitude, and increase the knowledge of the non‐professional stakeholders, so that correct pest management decisions can be taken.     

Current status of the management of fall webworm,Hyphantria cunea: Towards the integrated pest management development

The fall‐webworm (FWW), Hyphantria cunea, is a highly polyphagous insect pest that is native to North America and distributed in different countries around the world. To manage this insect pest, various control methods have been independently evaluated in the invaded areas. Some of the control methods have been limited to the laboratory and need further study to verify their effectiveness in the field. On the other hand, currently, integrated pest management (IPM) has become a promising ecofriendly insect pest management option to reduce the adverse effect of insecticides on the environment. The development of an IPM for an insect pest must combine different management options in a compatible and applicable manner. In the native areas of the insect pests, there are some recommended management options. However, to date, there is no IPM for the management of the FWW in the newly invaded areas. Therefore, to develop an IPM for this insect pest, compilation of effective management option information is the first step. Thus, believing in the contribution of an IPM to the established management strategies, the chemical, biological, natural enemy, sex pheromone, and molecular studies regarding this insect were reviewed and potential future research areas were delineated in this review study. Therefore, using the currently existing management options, IPM development for this insect pest should be the subject of future research in the newly invaded areas.     

Using life stage-structured matrix models to determine natural enemy:pest release ratios for augmentative biological control

Augmentative biological control (ABC) is crucial for the integrated pest management (IPM) of greenhouse pests. The proper calculation of natural enemy:pest release ratio (NEPRR) stands out among the various challenges of ABC. Often, most NEPRR calculations only take into account the predation/parasitism efficiency of natural enemies, while disregarding pest population growth capacity, population structure and/or economic thresholds. In a model system consisting of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley parasitizing eggs of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) on greenhouse tomatoes, we investigated whether a stage-structured Lefkovitch matrix could be used to determine suitable NEPRRs. The results suggested that these matrix models can potentially provide more precise and realistic predictions of NEPRRs since they account for differential pest population growth over time as a response to natural enemy action. The matrix models could also allow us to choose an adaptable NEPRR based on parameters such as the period the grower wishes to keep the pest population below economic threshold.     

Successes and challenges of managing resistance in Helicoverpa armigera to Bt cotton in Australia

Bt cotton has been gradually released and adopted by Australian growers since 1996. It was initially deployed in Australia primarily to control the polyphagous pest Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), which in the 1990s became increasingly difficult to control due to widespread resistance to synthetic chemical insecticides. Bt-cotton has become a key tool in a program of integrated pest management for the production system that reduces pesticide dependence and the problems associated with its use. Herein we overview the deployment of Bt cotton in Australia including its performance and the approaches used to prolong the evolution of resistance to it by H. armigera. An integral component of this approach is monitoring resistance in this pest. We outline resistance screening methods, as well as the characteristics of resistant strains of H. armigera that have been isolated from field populations, or selected in the laboratory. We then highlight the successes and challenges for Bt cotton in Australia by way of discussing adaptive resistance management in light of potential changes in resistance.     

Biocontrol of Pests of Apples and Pears in Northern and Central Europe - 3. Predators

Predators of apple and pear pests in northern and central Europe and their use as biological control agents are reviewed. Many natural enemy species are specialized feeders and are able to respond to the population dynamics of particular pest species. The most oustandingly successful example of this is the use of phytoseiid mites, particularly Typhlodromus pyri , against phytophagous pest mites in apple. This mite management strategy is now widespread throughout European apple growing regions. Another example is the use of Anthocoris nemoralis against pear psyllids, Cacopsylla pyricola and C. pyri . Several groups of naturally occurring polyphagous predators, such as chrysopids, coccinellids, syrphids and spiders, also prey on a number of pest species in orchards, contributing generally to the reduction in pest populations. However, they are unlikely alone to prevent pest damage fully and reliably. In seeking biological control opportunities for a particular pest, these polyphagous natural enemies are unlikely to be a high priority. An exception, due to its abundance in orchards, is the common earwig, Forficula auricularia , although this predator may also cause some fruit injury. Another option to consider when reviewing possibilities for biological control in orchards is the introduction of biological control agents. The success rate of this approach, using arthropod predators to control pests of field crops, has been generally poor. Furthermore, mass production methods for predators are likely to be difficult and very costly. The biological supplies industry is constantly seeking culture techniques, largely for arthropod biological control agents of pests of protected crops. It is possible that some future advance may be relevant to orchards, though currently available predators do not appear promising. A careful economic appraisal of the feasibility of use of any potential biological control agent would be prudent before embarking on research.     

Myths, models and mitigation of resistance to pesticides

Resistance to pesticides in arthropod pests is a significant economic, ecological and public health problem. Although extensive research has been conducted on diverse aspects of pesticide resistance and we have learned a great deal during the past 50 years, to some degree the discussion about ''resistance management'' has been based on ''myths''. One myth involves the belief that we can manage resistance. I will maintain that we can only attempt to mitigate resistance because resistance is a natural evolutionary response to environmental stresses. As such, resistance will remain an ongoing dilemma in pest management and we can only delay the onset of resistance to pesticides. ''Resistance management'' models and tactics have been much discussed but have been tested and deployed in practical pest management programmes with only limited success. Yet the myth persists that better models will provide a ''solution'' to the problem. The reality is that success in using mitigation models is limited because these models are applied to inappropriate situations in which the critical genetic, ecological, biological or logistic assumptions cannot be met. It is difficult to predict in advance which model is appropriate to a particular situation; if the model assumptions cannot be met, applying the model sometimes can increase the rate of resistance development rather than slow it down. Are there any solutions? I believe we already have one. Unfortunately, it is not a simple or easy one to deploy. It involves employing effective agronomic practices to develop and maintain a healthy crop, monitoring pest densities, evaluating economic injury levels so that pesticides are applied only when necessary, deploying and conserving biological control agents, using host-plant resistance, cultural controls of the pest, biorational pest controls, and genetic control methods. As a part of a truly multi-tactic strategy, it is crucial to evaluate the effect of pesticides on natural enemies in order to preserve them in the cropping system. Sometimes, pesticide-resistant natural enemies are effective components of this resistance mitigation programme. Another name for this resistance mitigation model is integrated pest management (IPM). This complex model was outlined in some detail nearly 40 years ago by V. M. Stern and colleagues. To deploy the IPM resistance mitigation model, we must admit that pest management and resistance mitigation programmes are not sustainable if based on a single-tactic strategy. Delaying resistance, whether to traditional pesticides or to transgenic plants containing toxin genes from Bacillus thuringiensis, will require that we develop multi-tactic pest management programmes that incorporate all appropriate pest management approaches. Because pesticides are limited resources, and their loss can result in significant social and economic costs, they should be reserved for situations where they are truly needed--as tools to subdue an unexpected pest population outbreak. Effective multi-tactic IPM programmes delay resistance (= mitigation) because the number and rates of pesticide applications will be reduced.     

中国红树林生态系统主要害虫种类、 防控现状及成灾原因

红树林湿地是中国东南沿海的关键生态系统之一。近年来, 我国红树林陆续出现多种害虫种群暴发成灾的现象, 使红树林湿地的可持续利用面临严重挑战。本文归纳了近20年来中国红树林生态系统的主要害虫种类, 危害较严重的有海榄雌瘤斑螟Acrobasis sp., 毛颚小卷蛾Lasiognatha cellifera, 丽绿刺蛾Latoia lepida, 白囊袋蛾Chalioides kondonis, 蜡彩袋蛾Chalia larminati和小袋蛾Acanthopsyche subferalbata等; 对红树林虫害的防控现状进行总结, 目前开展的防控工作主要以生物农药、 昆虫生长调节剂、 昆虫天敌等生物防治方法为主, 结合灯光诱杀等物理防治手段的运用, 对暴发期的害虫种群可以取得较好的控制效果; 并从红树林生态系统健康水平和昆虫群落多样性等方面对害虫种群的成灾原因进行初步探讨; 最终提出以虫害可持续控制为目标的红树林生态系统生境调控策略, 以期为提高红树林湿地虫害管理水平以及促进红树林的可持续发展提供重要的理论参考和科学指导。     

A review of chemical control options for invasive social insects in island ecosystems

Social insects present unique challenges to chemically based management strategies, especially because fast‐acting compounds commonly applied for many pest insects may not be the most effective for colony elimination. The reproductive caste of a colony is the most protected from direct damage by insecticides, and compounds that cause rapid mortality among foragers frequently do not impact the reproductive members or even markedly reduce overall colony size. With recent bans on persistent insecticides that previously have been used to control social insects, especially termites, new compounds must be used. Island and coastal ecosystems are particularly sensitive to the effects of widespread pesticide use and concerns about unintentional water pollution and runoff are common, and international attention is being paid to developing sustainable pesticide options for agricultural and urban pest insects in particularly sensitive environments. Given the precarious status of many native insects and arthropods care must be taken to minimize exposure to potentially harmful insecticides and the non‐target impacts of these chemicals. However, recent developments in the synthesis and discovery of highly selective insecticides with low mammalian and non‐target toxicity provide viable alternatives to the broad‐spectrum persistent organochlorine insecticides that have been largely deregistered. Novel technologies, particularly synthetic analogues of biologically active compounds, yield new chemical control options and management strategies for island and other sensitive ecosystems; case studies from Australia, the Galapagos Islands and New Zealand highlight current challenges and successes.     

Predicting the efficacy of virally-vectored immunocontraception for managing rabbits

Models were developed to examine the efficacy of immunocontraception as an alternative control method for pest rabbits. The models simulated the dynamics of rabbit populations structured by age and sex, and helped identify the benefits of an integrated pest management strategy that includes immunocontraception and lethal control. Virally vectored immunocontraception (VVIC) using a sterilising myxoma virus reduced the long-term density of rabbits. However, our models indicated that the efficacy of VVIC is much less than using lethal methods of management currently available (e.g. poison baiting). Nevertheless, in areas where lethal control cannot be used, a sterilising strain of myxoma may be a useful tool for rabbit management, but competition between sterilising and non-sterilising strains will reduce the overall efficacy of VVIC. Regardless of how effective poisoning is at reducing rabbit numbers, the benefits in terms of increased pasture availability and wool growth may not outweigh the costs incurred by a poisoning campaign. In our analysis the most cost-effective control remains natural epizootics of myxomatosis since they do not incur a cost to the landholder. There is likely to be some small additional benefit to releasing a sterilising strain of myxoma, and landholders may need to supplement this with baiting under some circumstances (e.g. above average breeding season or areas where myxomatosis occur infrequently).