Aphid–ant mutualism: how honeydew sugars influence the behaviour of ant scouts

Honeydew is the keystone on which ant–aphid mutualism is built. The present study investigates how each sugar identified in Aphis fabae Scopoli honeydew acts upon the feeding and the laying of a recruitment trail by scouts of the aphid‐tending ant Lasius niger Linnaeus, and thus may enhance collective exploitation by the ant mutualists. The feeding preferences shown by L. niger for honeydew sugars are: melezitose = sucrose = raffinose > glucose = fructose > maltose = trehalose = melibiose = xylose. Although feeding is a prerequisite to the launching of trail recruitment, the reverse is not necessarily true: not all ingested sugar solutions elicit a trail‐laying behaviour among fed scouts. Trail mark laying is only triggered by raffinose, sucrose or melezitose, with the latter sugar being specific to honeydew. By comparing gustatory and recruitment responses of ant foragers to sugar food sources, the present study clarifies the role of honeydew composition both as a source of energy and as a mediator in ant–aphid interactions. Lasius niger feeding preferences can be related to the physiological suitability of each sugar (i.e. their detection by gustatory receptors as well as their ability to be digested and converted into energy). Regarding recruitment, the aphid‐synthesized oligosaccharide (melezitose) could be used by ant scouts as a cue indicative of a long‐lasting productive resource that is worthy of collective exploitation and defence against competitors or aphid predators.     

印楝素与脂肪酸甲酯联合使用对豆蚜的防治效果

本文对新疆博州豇豆豆蚜Aphis craccivora (Koch)田间消长规律进行调查,研究了0.3%印楝素与脂肪酸甲酯喷雾助剂联合对豆蚜的防治效果,并对豆蚜天敌消退率进行了调查。结果表明,在博州,豆蚜以卵在苦豆子和苜蓿上越冬,3月下旬至4月初开始孵化,5月上中旬出现有翅蚜在杂草上繁殖蔓延,5月中旬开始迁入棉花上危害,6月中旬陆续迁入豇豆上危害,7月上中旬在豇豆上达到危害高峰时期,7月中下旬慢慢迁入苜蓿地,9月中旬出现性蚜,9月下旬-10月中旬在苜蓿和杂草上产卵越冬。施药后1 d,20%啶虫脒可湿性粉剂1 000倍液对豆蚜的防效最高,达到82.91%; 施药后3 d,20%啶虫脒可湿性粉剂1 000倍液防效仍最高为97.92%;施药后7 d,0.3%印楝素乳油60 mL/667m2+脂肪酸甲酯喷雾助剂1 000倍液防效达97.38%,显著高于其他处理。总体来说,在豇豆豆蚜发生期施用1次0.3%印楝素+脂肪酸喷雾助剂防治豇豆豆蚜,防效好、持效期长,对豇豆及蚜虫天敌安全性较好。     

Kinase-dead mutation: A novel strategy for improving soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode Heterodera glycines

Protein kinases phosphorylate proteins for functional changes and are involved in nearly all cellular processes, thereby regulating almost all aspects of plant growth and development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. We generated two independent co-expression networks of soybean genes using control and stress response gene expression data and identified 392 differentially highly interconnected kinase hub genes among the two networks. Of these 392 kinases, 90 genes were identified as “syncytium highly connected hubs”, potentially essential for activating kinase signalling pathways in the nematode feeding site. Overexpression of wild-type coding sequences of five syncytium highly connected kinase hub genes using transgenic soybean hairy roots enhanced plant susceptibility to soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines) Hg Type 0 (race 3). In contrast, overexpression of kinase-dead variants of these five syncytium kinase hub genes significantly enhanced soybean resistance to SCN. Additionally, three of the five tested kinase hub genes enhanced soybean resistance to SCN Hg Type 1.2.5.7 (race 2), highlighting the potential of the kinase-dead approach to generate effective and durable resistance against a wide range of SCN Hg types. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that kinase-dead mutations do not alter protein cellular localization, confirming the structure–function of the kinase-inactive variants in producing loss-of-function phenotypes causing significant decrease in nematode susceptibility. Because many protein kinases are highly conserved and are involved in plant responses to various biotic and abiotic stresses, our approach of identifying kinase hub genes and their inactivation using kinase-dead mutation could be translated for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance.     

Soybean aphid resistance genes in the soybean cultivars Dowling and Jackson map to linkage group M

The soybean aphid [Aphis glycines Matsumura] is an important pest of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] in North America. Single dominant genes in the cultivars ‘Dowling’ and ‘Jackson’ control resistance to the soybean aphid. The gene in Dowling was named Rag1, and the genetic relationship between Rag1 and the gene in Jackson is not known. The objectives of this study were to map the locations of Rag1 and the Jackson gene onto the soybean genetic map. Segregation of aphid resistance and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in F _2:3 populations developed from crosses between Dowling and the two susceptible soybean cultivars ‘Loda’ and ‘Williams 82’, and between Jackson and Loda, were analyzed. Both Rag1 and the Jackson gene segregated 1:2:1 in the F _2:3 populations and mapped to soybean linkage group M between the markers Satt435 and Satt463. Rag1 mapped 4.2 cM from Satt435 and 7.9 cM from Satt463. The Jackson gene mapped 2.1 cM from Satt435 and 8.2 cM from Satt463. Further tests to determine genetic allelism between Rag1 and the Jackson gene are in progress. The SSR markers flanking these resistance genes are being used in marker-assisted selection for aphid resistance in soybean breeding programs. Trade and manufacturers’ names are necessary to report factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and the use of the name by USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable.     

Do aphids actively search for ant partners?

The aphid–ant mutualistic relationships are not necessarily obligate for neither partners but evidence is that such interactions provide them strong advantages in terms of global fitness. While it is largely assumed that ants actively search for their mutualistic partners namely using volatile cues; whether winged aphids (i.e., aphids’ most mobile form) are able to select ant‐frequented areas had not been investigated so far. Ant‐frequented sites would indeed offer several advantages for these aphids including a lower predation pressure through ant presence and enhanced chances of establishing mutuaslistic interactions with neighbor ant colonies. In the field, aphid colonies are often observed in higher densities around ant nests, which is probably linked to a better survival ensured by ants’ services. Nevertheless, this could also result from a preferential establishment of winged aphids in ant‐frequented areas. We tested this last hypothesis through different ethological assays and show that the facultative myrmecophilous black bean aphid, Aphis fabae L., does not orientate its search for a host plant preferentially toward ant‐frequented plants. However, our results suggest that ants reduce the number of winged aphids leaving the newly colonized plant. Thus, ants involved in facultative myrmecophilous interactions with aphids appear to contribute to structure aphid populations in the field by ensuring a better establishment and survival of newly established colonies rather than by inducing a deliberate plant selection by aphid partners based on the proximity of ant colonies.     

高温胁迫及其持续时间对棉蚜死亡和繁殖的影响

为探索高温胁迫对棉蚜的影响,室内采用叶子圆片培养基饲养棉蚜的方法,研究不同温度(32,34,36,38,40℃)、不同处理时间(1,2,4,6h)对棉蚜死亡和繁殖的影响.结果表明:棉蚜每日死亡率可用互补重对数模型较好地拟合.随着温度的升高和持续天数的延长,棉蚜累计死亡率呈上升趋势,38 ℃条件下其累计死亡率明显迅速上升.棉蚜半数致死温度随着每天高温处理时间的增加和高温持续天数的延长而降低,且第1-2天下降明显.棉蚜繁殖率随着温度的升高呈下降趋势,每天处理时间不同其繁殖率规律不同,但均是在38℃时下降最多.38℃可能是棉蚜耐高温能力的拐点.研究结果为提高棉蚜种群预测准确性、科学决策最佳化学防治时间提供依据.     

四种猎物对南方小花蝽生长发育和繁殖的影响

南方小花蝽是多种猎物的天敌,为评价西花蓟马、二斑叶螨、蚕豆蚜和腐食酪螨饲养南方小花蝽的效果,研究了南方小花蝽取食四种猎物时的生长发育和繁殖情况。结果表明南方小花蝽取食腐食酪螨时若虫只能发育到5龄,4龄若虫累计存活率仅为6.8%。其它3种猎物均可使南方小花蝽正常生长发育和繁殖,其中南方小花蝽取食西花蓟马时生长发育时间最短,繁殖率最高;取食二斑叶螨时生长发育时间最长,繁殖率最低。取食西花蓟马的南方小花蝽净生殖率、内禀增长率和周限增长率明显高于其它两种猎物。用3种猎物连续饲养南方小花蝽两代,以蚕豆蚜和二斑叶螨为猎物时南方小花蝽的未成熟期、成虫的寿命、繁殖情况和生命参数在第一代和第二代之间都有所不同,但以西花蓟马为食料时南方小花蝽第一代和第二代之间生长发育和繁殖情况没有明显的差异。以上结果表明在供试猎物中西花蓟马对南方小花蝽实验种群的增长最有利。     

Field‐level effects of preventative management tactics on soybean aphids (Aphis glycines Matsumura) and their predators

A 2‐year field experiment was conducted in northern Illinois to evaluate the effects of host plant resistance and an insecticidal seed treatment (thiamethoxam) on soybean aphids, Aphis glycines Matsumura and their predators. Densities of soybean aphids varied between the 2 years of the experiment. During both years, resistant plants experienced fewer cumulative aphid days than susceptible plants. Populations of soybean aphids on resistant plants rarely exceeded the economic injury level of 250 soybean aphids per plant. The use of thiamethoxam reduced cumulative aphid days in 2007, but not in 2008. Although soybean aphids reached densities that were sufficient to cause yield‐loss for untreated and susceptible plants, no yield‐benefit was associated with using the two management tactics in either year. This latter finding suggests that densities of soybean aphids need to be greater and sustained for a longer period of time than what we observed if the two management tactics are expected to provide a yield‐benefit. Monitoring natural enemies revealed that densities of key aphidophagous predators were relatively unaffected by host plant resistance or thiamethoxam; the effect of these management tactics on densities of predators, as well as the effectiveness of the method used to sample predators, is discussed.