Evidence of Sibling Species in the Brown Planthopper Complex (Nilaparvata lugens) Detected from Short and Long Primer Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Fingerprints

The inheritance of 31 amplicons from short and long primer RAPD was tested for segregating ratios in two families of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, and they were found to be inherited in a simple Mendelian fashion. These markers could now be used in population genetics studies of N. lugens. Ten populations of N. lugens were collected from five locations in Malaysia. Each location had two sympatric populations. Cluster and principal coordinate analyses based on genetic distance along with AMOVA revealed that the rice-infesting populations (with high esterase activity) at five localities clustered together as a group, and Leersia-infesting populations (with low esterase activity) at the same localities formed another distinct cluster. Two amplicons from primers OPD03 (0.65 kb) and peh#6 (1.0 kb) could be considered diagnostic bands, which were fixed in the Leersia-infesting populations. These results represent evidence of a sibling species in the N. lugens complex.     

Development and use of EST-SSR markers for assessing genetic diversity in the brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål)

To assess genetic diversity in populations of the brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens St?l) (Homoptera: Delphacidae), we have developed and applied microsatellite, or simple sequence repeat (SSR), markers from expressed sequence tags (ESTs). We found that the brown planthopper clusters of ESTs were rich in SSRs with unique frequencies and distributions of SSR motifs. Three hundred and fifty-one EST-SSR markers were developed and yielded clear bands from samples of four brown planthopper populations. High cross-species transferability of these markers was detected in the closely related planthopper N. muiri. The newly developed EST-SSR markers provided sufficient resolution to distinguish within and among biotypes. Analyses based on SSR data revealed host resistance-based genetic differentiation among different brown planthopper populations; the genetic diversity of populations feeding on susceptible rice varieties was lower than that of populations feeding on resistant rice varieties. This is the first large-scale development of brown planthopper SSR markers, which will be useful for future molecular genetics and genomics studies of this serious agricultural pest.     

灰稻虱的饲养和饲毒

灰稻虱的饲养 ,虫源可从田间直接捕获繁殖 ,饲料用稻、麦、稗均可 ,但以稗草为最佳。饲毒须用低龄若虫在罹病小麦或水稻上吸毒 3天以上 ,无毒虫饲毒后须经过 1 5天以上的循徊期后才能用于感染接种。所用的带毒病株可直接从田间寻获 ,若需自己制备 ,可将通过了循徊期的带毒灰稻虱接种到麦苗或稻苗 (3～ 5叶期为宜 )上传毒 ,待病苗症状表现后用于饲毒。本文详细介绍了 1～ 3代灰稻虱饲养饲毒的方法和步骤。     

Influence of pymetrozine on feeding behaviors of three rice planthoppers and a rice leafhopper using electrical penetration graphs

Pymetrozine reportedly inhibits feeding of plant sap-sucking insects, such as aphids and brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens (St?l)). By using electrical penetration graph (EPG), this study was conducted to investigate any differential effect of pymetrozine on the feeding behaviors of four major rice sap-sucking insect species, 1) N. lugens, 2) white-backed planthopper (Sogatella furcifera (Horváth)), 3) small brown planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus (Fallen)), and 4) green rice leafhopper (Nephotettix cincticeps Uhler). On pymetrozine-free TN1 rice plants, white-backed planthopper and small brown planthopper showed a significantly less activity in the phloem phases than brown planthopper or green rice leafhopper while green rice leafhopper engaged in relatively more xylem ingestion than brown planthopper, white-backed planthopper, and small brown planthopper. On the plants treated with 100 mg liter(-1) of pymetrozine, all four insect species showed significant increases, in total duration of nonprobing and significant decreases in the activities in phloem tissue, while all species showed similar feeding behavior during the pathway and xylem phases. This study revealed that, regardless of whether the insects on untreated plants spent more time feeding on phloem than xylem (brown planthopper) or more time on xylem than phloem (green rice leafhopper) or similar times on phloem and xylem (white-backed planthopper and small brown planthopper), their feeding behavior was disturbed by pymetrozine and exhibited similar patterns of sharp decline in activity in the phloem tissue and a significant increase the nonprobing.     

吡虫啉对褐飞虱DNA甲基化多态性的影响

为了探知基因组甲基化是否参与了昆虫抗药性, 本研究在室内对褐飞虱 Nilaparvata lugens连续9个世代的3龄若虫施用吡虫啉, 用AFLP检测褐飞虱抗性产生过程中DNA甲基化多态性的变化。利用25对AFLP引物共获得120个位点, 其中15个位点呈现甲基化多态性, 共获得78条多态性条带。根据多态性条带在不同世代样本中出现的多少计算多态性条带比例, 其中最高比例出现在G5代（10.26%）, 最低比例出现在G6代（1.28%）。多态性条带在不同世代间比例的变化趋势表明, 褐飞虱对吡虫啉的筛选产生快速应答。在筛选早期（G1, G2和G3）世代间DNA甲基化多态性比例差异相对较小, 变化范围在3.85%～6.41%之间; 在筛选中期（G4, G5和G6）世代间比例差异较大, 变化范围在1.28%～10.26%之间; 在筛选后期（G7, G8和G9）世代间比例差异相对较小, 变化范围在5.13%～7.69%之间。结果说明, 吡虫啉的连续施用能够诱导褐飞虱基因组产生甲基化变异, 初步揭示甲基化在褐飞虱抗药性产生过程中参与了基因组的表达调控。     

Fine mapping of the rice Bph1 gene, which confers resistance to the brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens stal), and development of STS markers for marker-assisted selection

The brown planthopper (BPH) is a major insect pest in rice, and damages these plants by sucking phloem-sap and transmitting viral diseases. Many BPH resistance genes have been identified in indica varieties and wild rice accessions, but none has yet been cloned. In the present study we report fine mapping of the region containing the Bph1 locus, which enabled us to perform marker-aided selection (MAS). We used 273 F8 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between Cheongcheongbyeo, an indica type variety harboring Bph1 from Mudgo, and Hwayeongbyeo, a BPH susceptible japonica variety. By random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis using 656 random 10-mer primers, three RAPD markers (OPH09, OPA10 and OPA15) linked to Bph1 were identified and converted to SCAR (sequence characterized amplified region) markers. These markers were found to be contained in two BAC clones derived from chromosome 12: OPH09 on OSJNBa0011B18, and both OPA10 and OPA15 on OSJNBa0040E10. By sequence analysis of ten additional BAC clones evenly distributed between OSJNBa0011B18 and OSJNBa0040E10, we developed 15 STS markers. Of these, pBPH4 and pBPH14 flanked Bph1 at distances of 0.2 cM and 0.8 cM, respectively. The STS markers pBPH9, pBPH19, pBPH20, and pBPH21 co-segregated with Bph1. These markers were shown to be very useful for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in breeding populations of 32 F6 RILs from a cross between Andabyeo and IR71190, and 32 F5 RILs from a cross between Andabyeo and Suwon452.     

Benefits and potential trade‐offs associated with yeast‐like symbionts during virulence adaptation in a phloem‐feeding planthopper

Insect herbivores form symbioses with a diversity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. A role for endosymbionts during host feeding on nutrient‐poor diets – including phloem – is now supported by a large body of evidence. Furthermore, symbiont‐herbivore associations have been implicated in feeding preferences by host races (mainly aphids) on multiple plant species. However, the role of symbionts in mediating herbivore preferences between varieties of the same plant species has received little research attention despite the implications for virulence adaptation to resistant crops. This study investigates the role of yeast‐like symbionts (YLS) in virulence adaptation and host plant switching among populations of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), that were selected on various rice [Oryza sativa L. (Poaceae)] lines differing in their resistance against herbivores. Planthopper fitness (nymph weight) declined where YLS densities were depleted through heat treatment. However, compared to normal symbiotic planthoppers, the depletion of symbionts did not generally change the relative fitness of planthoppers (each ‘adapted’ to a single natal host) when switched to feed on a range of rice lines (exposed hosts). In some cases, this occurred despite differences in YLS density responses to the various hosts. Furthermore, we detected no fitness costs associated with YLS in adapted populations. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that, whereas YLS are essential for planthopper nutrition, changes in YLS density play little role during virulence adaptation and host plant switching by the brown planthopper.     

稻鸭共作对水稻条纹叶枯病发生规律的影响

由灰飞虱传毒危害的水稻条纹叶枯病是近年来在我国部分稻作区严重发生的病毒病害.作为稻作生产生态实践模式之一的稻鸭共作技术对稻田病虫草具有显著的控制效应,然而目前还没有关于稻鸭共作对灰飞虱和条纹叶枯病影响的报道.因此,于2004～2005年在南京农业大学东台试验场进行了田间实验,共设计了4个处理,分别为常规稻作区（不养鸭、施药）、稻鸭共作区（养鸭、不施药）和秧田期覆盖防虫网、栽后大田稻鸭共作区（秧田覆盖防虫网、栽后稻田养鸭、不施药）和对照区（不养鸭、不施药）.结果表明：稻鸭共作以及秧田期覆盖防虫网、栽后大田稻鸭共作处理对灰飞虱有显著的控制效应,因此也显著降低了两处理在水稻整个生长期间条纹叶枯病的发病率;稻鸭共作处理对条纹叶枯病的综合防效为79.44﹪,略高于常规稻作78.82﹪的防效,而秧田期覆盖防虫网、栽后大田稻鸭共作处理对稻田灰飞虱和条纹叶枯病的防治效果最好,对条纹叶枯病的防效超过94.01﹪.总之,通过以上试验结果可知,稻鸭共作尤其是秧田期覆盖防虫网、栽后稻鸭共作处理为防治条纹叶枯病提供了一条安全高效的生态控制途径.     

Strain-specific detection of introduced Beauveria bassiana in agricultural fields by use of sequence-characterized amplified region markers

Field studies on the efficacy and persistence of an introduced strain of Beauveria bassiana for insect control require detection assays to differentiate the non-native strain from indigenous populations. In this study we developed strain-specific molecular markers based on polymerase chain reaction amplification of sequence-characterized amplified regions (SCAR) in combination with dilution plating on semi-selective medium to detect and estimate density of propagules of a commercial strain of B. bassiana (strain GHA) in field samples. Using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, unique fragments that distinguished GHA from other strains of B. bassiana were obtained. Three amplicons, OPA-14(0.44), OPA-15(0.44), and OPB-9(0.67), generated with RAPD primers were cloned and sequenced and used as bases for designing SCAR primers OPA14 F/R(445), OPA15 F/R(441), and OPB9 F/R(677), respectively. All three SCAR primers were highly sensitive, capable of detecting 100pg B. bassiana GHA genomic DNA, and thus could be used to detect varying levels of the fungus in the field.     

Characterization of native <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> strains by PCR-RAPD based fingerprinting

Seventy isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis were isolated from soil samples collected from cotton fields. These isolates were characterized by randomly amplified poylmorphic DNA (RAPD) markers to determine their genetic diversity pattern based on their source of origin. Different random decamer primers were used for RAPD amplification, which generated a total of 1935 fragments; of these 1865 were polymorphic and 68 monomorphic. The primers OPA03, OPA08, OPD14, OPD19, OPD20, OPE17 and OPD19 produced 100% polymorphic fragments, whereas primers OPC06, OPC20 and OPD17 produced 20, 31 and 17 monomorphic fragments, respectively. When the RAPD banding pattern data was subjected to dendrogram construction, the 70 isolates fell into two separate clusters, cluster I and cluster II, which includes 26 and 44 B. thuringiensis isolates, respectively. These two main clusters were further divided into four subclusters at Eucledian distance of 150 and 80% similarity index. All primers showed amplification and indicated the good diversity of B. thuringiensis isolates. The RAPD pattern showed 4–10 bands per isolate, with MWt in the range of 0.4–3.5 Kb and an average of 193.5 fragments were produced per primer. The primer OPE17 was found to be the most discriminatory as it produced 286 polymorphic bands.     

Superinfection of Laodelphax striatellus with Wolbachia from Drosophila simulans

Wolbachia are maternally inherited, intracellular alpha-proteobacteria that infect a wide range of arthropods. They manipulate the reproduction of hosts to facilitate their spread into host populations, through ways such as cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), parthenogenesis, feminization and male killing. The influence of Wolbachia infection on host populations has attracted considerable interest in their possible role in speciation and as a potential agent of biological control. In this study, we used both microinjection and nested PCR to show that the Wolbachia naturally infecting Drosophila simulans can be transferred into a naturally Wolbachia-infected strain of the small brown planthopper Laodelphax striatellus, with up to 30% superinfection frequency in the F(12) generation. The superinfected males of L. striatellus showed unidirectional CI when mated with the original single-infected females, while superinfected females of L. striatellus were compatible with superinfected or single-infected males. These results are, to our knowledge, the first to establish a superinfected horizontal transfer route for Wolbachia between phylogenetically distant insects. The segregation of Wolbachia from superinfected L. striatellus was observed during the spreading process, which suggests that Wolbachia could adapt to a phylogenetically distant host with increased infection frequency in the new host population; however, it would take a long time to establish a high-frequency superinfection line. This study implies a novel way to generate insect lines capable of driving desired genes into Wolbachia-infected populations to start population replacement.     

褐飞虱刺吸诱导的水稻一些防御性酶活性的变化

褐飞虱刺吸导致稻株体内丙二醛含量迅速上升,表明褐飞虱刺吸引起了水稻植株膜脂的过氧化;抗虫和感虫品种植株体内脂氧合酶(LOX)、脂氢过氧化物裂解酶(HPL)、苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)的活性均显著升高;而过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性在抗虫品种稻株体内明显受抑制,H2O2含量提高,但在感虫品种植株体内CAT的活性略有提高,H2O2含量略有下降.对抗虫品种植株不同器官的测定结果表明,褐飞虱刺吸对PAL和H2O2的影响是系统性的,而对LOX的影响则仅局限于褐飞虱刺吸部位的茎杆中.     

Rice Ragged Stunt Oryzavirus: role of the viral spike protein in transmission by the insect vector

A 39 kDa protein, known as the viral spike protein or one of the protein components forming the viral spike, encoded by genomic segment 9 (S9) of Rice Ragged Stunt Oryzavirus (RRSV) was obtained by enzymatic cleavage of a fusion protein expressed by S9 cDNA in bacteria with proteinase factor Xa. The feeding of an insect vector — the rice brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) on purified expressed 39 kDa protein before the inoculation of the insects on diseased rice plants could completely inhibit the vector transmission ability of the insect. The presence of a 32 kDa insect cell membrane protein which could bind to 39 kDa viral spike protein indicated that the inhibition might be resulted from the competition in the interactions of 39 kDa protein and intact virus with the virus receptors on the insect cells. These results suggest that the spike proteins of the plant reoviruses are essential for the virus infection in the interactions of virus, insect vectors and host plants. These results are also useful in the practical applications.     

Plant virus infection modifies plant pigment and manipulates the host preference behavior of an insect vector

Insect-borne plant viruses may modify the phenotype of their host plants and thus influence the responses of insect vectors. When a plant virus modifies host preference behavior of a vector, it can be expected to influence the rate of virus transmission. In this study, we examined the effect of Maize Iranian mosaic virus (MIMV) infection on host preference behavior of the nymphs and adults of its vector, the small brown planthopper, Laodelphax striatellus Fallén (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), feeding on barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L., Poaceae). We found that both viruliferous nymphs and adults significantly preferred healthy plants, whereas non-viruliferous planthoppers preferred virus-infected barley. Further investigations revealed significant reductions in the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of infected barley leaves. Based on these results, a possible association between insect host preferences and the pigment contents of the plants was observed. In summary, we suggest that host preference of L. striatellus could be affected by the propagative plant virus, possibly through association of this modification with some phenotypic traits of infected plants. These effects may have a critical impact on MIMV transmission rate, with significant implications for the development of virus epidemics.     

利用小RNA深度测序技术检测灰飞虱病毒种类

灰飞虱是一种重要农业害虫,作为病毒介体,可以传播多种植物病毒引起水稻、小麦和玉米等粮食作物病毒病害。目前对于灰飞虱体内昆虫病毒种类尚缺乏系统认识,难以开展利用昆虫病毒防治灰飞虱相关研究工作。为挖掘灰飞虱体内昆虫病毒资源,本文通过小RNA深度测序技术对灰飞虱所携带的病毒种类进行分析鉴定。结果显示,测序数据比对得到13种病毒,涉及8个病毒科和2种未分类病毒。除占据优势的水稻条纹病毒外,其余均为专性寄生的昆虫病毒,包括5种正链RNA病毒、2种单链DNA病毒和5种双链DNA病毒。在这些病毒中,发现了一种与果蝇A病毒较相似的新病毒,克隆出其依赖RNA的RNA聚合酶(RdRP)基因1-1 932位核酸序列,经Blast比对和系统进化分析,在氨基酸序列中发现RdRP掌型亚结构域保守区呈现复制酶置换四体病毒科(Permutotetraviridae)病毒所具有的“C-A-B”排列样式,确定该病毒是一种新的类复制酶置换四体病毒,暂命名为Laodelphax striatellus permutotetra-like virus(LsPLV)。这是首次在半翅目昆虫中发现类复制酶置换四体病毒。本研究表明灰飞...     

Specific herbivore-induced volatiles defend plants and determine insect community composition in the field

In response to insect attack, plants release complex blends of volatile compounds. These volatiles serve as foraging cues for herbivores, predators and parasitoids, leading to plant-mediated interactions within and between trophic levels. Hence, plant volatiles may be important determinants of insect community composition. To test this, we created rice lines that are impaired in the emission of two major signals, S-linalool and (E)-β-caryophyllene. We found that inducible S-linalool attracted predators and parasitoids as well as chewing herbivores, but repelled the rice brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, a major pest. The constitutively produced (E)-β-caryophyllene on the other hand attracted both parasitoids and planthoppers, resulting in an increased herbivore load. Thus, silencing either signal resulted in specific insect assemblages in the field, highlighting the importance of plant volatiles in determining insect community structures. Moreover, the results imply that the manipulation of volatile emissions in crops has great potential for the control of pest populations.     

Genetic Diversity Analysis of Elite Pearl Millet Inbred Lines using RAPD and SSR Markers

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L) R Br] is one of the widely grown cereal crops in the arid and semi-arid regions of Africa and India. We undertook a study to ascertain the genetic diversity in 21 elite inbreds (parental lines of 13 pearl millet hybrids in India) using 20 Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and 21 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. Based on Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) and unique banding profiles, 6 RAPD primers OPD12, OPA16, OPB6, OPA19, OPB5 and OPB1, and 3 SSR markers Xpsmp2208, Xpsmp2223 and Xpsmp2220, were found to be highly discriminative. The PIC values ranged from 0.28 to 0.48 for the RAPD and from 0.24 to 0.60 for the SSR markers. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis of the combined dataset of RAPD and SSR markers indicated moderate genetic divergence among the elite pearl millet germplasm, besides unraveling the genetic relationships among the male sterile lines and the restorers.     

Two endosymbiotic bacteria, Wolbachia and Arsenophonus, in the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens

The brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens harbors intracellular fungal yeast-like symbionts and endosymbiotic bacteria, with the latter mainly comprising Wolbachia and Arsenophonus. In this study, Wolbachia or Arsenophonus were detected in all 15 brown planthopper populations collected from China and Southeastern Asian countries. Furthermore, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis of the individuals in a population that was infected by both Wolbachia and Arsenophonus showed that each individual was infected by only one of the two symbiotic bacteria. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that both endosymbionts are mainly localized in the mycetocytes of the fat body. Reciprocal crosses between the Wolbachia ⁺ and Arsenophonus ⁺ brown planthopper populations showed that both bacteria were maternally transmitted. Our results showed that the brown planthopper populations are extensively infected by Wolbachia or Arsenophonus, and the two bacteria may be exclusive in each host individual. This finding might be helpful for further studies on the biological functions of the endosymbiotic bacteria and will deepen our understanding of the complicated symbiosis system in this host.     

Expression of BrD1, a plant defensin from Brassica rapa, confers resistance against brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) in transgenic rices

Plant defensins are small (5-10 kDa) basic peptides thought to be an important component of the defense pathway against fungal and/or bacterial pathogens. To understand the role of plant defensins in protecting plants against the brown planthopper, a type of insect herbivore, we isolated the Brassica rapa Defensin 1 (BrD1) gene and introduced it into rice (Oryza sativa L.) to produce stable transgenic plants. The BrD1 protein is homologous to other plant defensins and contains both an N-terminal endoplasmic reticulum signal sequence and a defensin domain, which are highly conserved in all plant defensins. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of the defensin domain of various plant defensins, we established that BrD1 belongs to a distinct subgroup of plant defensins. Relative to the wild type, transgenic rices expressing BrD1 exhibit strong resistance to brown planthopper nymphs and female adults. These results suggest that BrD1 exhibits insecticidal activity, and might be useful for developing cereal crop plants resistant to sap-sucking insects, such as the brown planthopper.