Comparison of dispersal ability between the green leafhoppers,Nephotettix virescens andN. cincticeps (hemiptera: Cicadellidae) by tethered flight

Dispersal propensity of green leafhoppers was compared between a tropical species, Nephotettix virescens, and a temperate species, N. cincticeps. The flight ability was measured with tethered flight technique under laboratory conditions (25°C, 16L-8D). The pre-flight period was shorter and the flight duration was longer in N. virescens than in N. cincticeps in both sexes. No significant correlations were found between the flight activity and morphometric characters for either of the two species. The results suggested that dispersal propensity of N. virescens is higher than that of N. cincticeps.     

Rice Resistance to Planthoppers and Leafhoppers

For over 50 years, host-plant resistance has been regarded as an efficient method to reduce yield losses to rice caused by delphacid and cicadelid hoppers. Already a number of resistant rice varieties have been developed and deployed throughout Asia. To date, over 70 hopper resistance genes have been identified in rice; however, less than 10 genes have been deliberately introduced to commercial rice varieties. Currently, due to recent brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens [Stål]) and whitebacked planthopper (Sogatella furcifera [Horvath]) outbreaks occurring at an unprecedented scale, researchers are working toward a second generation of resistant varieties using newly identified gene loci and applying new molecular breeding methods. This paper reviews advances in the identification of resistance genes and QTLs against hoppers in rice. It collates all published information on resistance loci and QTLs against the major rice planthoppers and leafhoppers and presents information on gene locations, genetic markers, differential varieties, and wild rice species as sources of resistance. The review indicates that, whereas progress in the identification of genes has been rapid, considerable tidying of the information is required, especially regarding gene nomenclature and resistance spectra. Furthermore, sound information on gene functioning is almost completely lacking. However, hopper responses to resistance mechanisms are likely to be similar because a single phenotyping technique has been applied by most national and international breeding programs during germplasm screening. The review classifies genes occurring at two chromosome regions associated with several identified resistance loci and highlights these (Chr4S: BphR-R and Chr12L: BphR-R) as general stress response regions. The review calls for a greater diversity of phenotyping methods to enhance the durability of resistant varieties developed using marker-aided selection and emphasizes a need to anticipate the development of virulent hopper populations in response to the field deployment of genes.     

GENE SILENCING BY PARENTAL RNA INTERFERENCE IN THE GREEN RICE LEAFHOPPER,Nephotettix cincticeps (HEMIPTERA: CICADELLIDAE)

RNA interference (RNAi) has been widely used for investigating gene function in many nonmodel insect species. Parental RNAi causes gene knockdown in the next generation through the administration of double‐strand RNA (dsRNA) to the mother generation. In this study, we demonstrate that parental RNAi mediated gene silencing is effective in determining the gene function of the cuticle and the salivary glands in green rice leafhopper (GRH), Nephotettix cincticeps (Uhler). Injection of dsRNA of NcLac2 (9 ng/female) to female parents caused a strong knockdown of laccase‐2 gene of first instar nymphs, which eventually led to high mortality rates and depigmentation of side lines on the body. The effects of parental RNAi on the mortality of the nymphs were maintained through 12–14 days after the injections. We also confirmed the effectiveness of parental RNAi induced silencing on the gene expressed in the salivary gland, the gene product of which is passed from instar to instar. The parental RNAi method can be used to examine gene function by phenotyping many offspring nymphs with injection of dsRNA into a small number of parent females, and may be applicable to high‐efficiency determination of gene functions in this species.     

How to analyze long-term insect population dynamics under climate change: 50-year data of three insect pests in paddy fields

We can precisely predict the future dynamics of populations only if we know the underlying mechanism of population dynamics. Long-term data are important for the elucidation of such mechanisms. In this article we analyze the 50-year dynamics of annual light-trap catches of three insect pest species living in paddy fields in Japan: the rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae); the green rice leafhopper, Nephotettix cincticeps (Uhler) (Hemiptera: Deltocephalidae); and the small brown planthopper, Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). We separate the long-term dynamics into two components by using locally weighted scatterplot smoothing: (1) the underlying dynamics of populations, and (2) the influence of the past changes in the environment. The former component is analyzed by response surface analysis and vector autoregression to evaluate the nonlinearity of density-dependence and the inter-specific influence of density, respectively. On the basis of these analyses, we perform the state-space model analyses. The state-space model selected by Akaikes information criterion indicates that the observed number of light-trap catches of C. suppressalis and N. cincticeps in summer increases with increasing temperatures in the previous winter. It also indicates that the influence of temperature is not carried over to the next year. We utilize the selected model to predict the impact of global warming on these species, by substituting the temperature predicted by a general circulation model.     

转cry1Ab/vip3H+epsps基因粳稻对非靶标害虫稻叶蝉田间种群的影响

转基因作物可能带来的风险之一是对非靶标生物尤其是非靶标植食者产生潜在的影响。本研究采用吸虫器取样法, 通过在浙江长兴2地点3年的试验评价了新型抗虫/耐除草剂转cry1Ab/vip3H+epsps基因粳稻（G6H1）及其亲本对照（秀水110, XS110）对稻叶蝉田间种群动态的影响。结果表明： 叶蝉类主要有黑尾叶蝉Nephotettix cincticeps (Uhler)、 二点叶蝉Cicadula fascifrons (Stål)和电光叶蝉Deltocephalus dorsalis Motschulsky组成, 其中黑尾叶蝉是优势种。虽然3种叶蝉的种群密度随着地点和年份的不同有所不同, 但是转基因水稻对3种叶蝉种群密度的年度变化均没有显著性影响。少数年份, 黑尾叶蝉成虫、 若虫及其两者总密度的时间动态在转基因水稻和对照田之间存在差异, 大多数年份, 趋势一致且无显著差异 （P>0.05）。另外, 二点叶蝉和电光叶蝉种群的时间动态在转基因水稻和对照田之间也相似。综合评价认为, 本供试转基因水稻品系G6H1对稻田稻叶蝉种群无明显的负面影响。     

RNA interference‐mediated knockdown and virus‐induced suppression of Troponin C gene adversely affect the behavior or fitness of the green rice leafhopper,Nephotettix cincticeps

The green rice leafhopper, Nephotettix cincticeps, is a major rice pest in Southeast Asia and Southern China. Novel control strategies must be explored to control the rice pest. Behavior or fitness regulation of insect by modulating the Troponin C (TnC) may be a novel strategy in the comprehensive management of the insect pest. However, characterizations and functions of TnC, especially regarding effect of its RNA interference‐mediated gene knockdown on the behavior or fitness of N. cincticeps remain unknown. Here, we successfully cloned and characterized TnC gene from N. cincticeps (Nc‐TnC). We demonstrated that Nc‐TnC ubiquitously transcribed at all development stages and special tissues in adult insects, with relative higher levels at the adult stage and in the intestinal canal. Microinjection‐ or oral membrane feeding‐based transient knockdown of Nc‐TnC adversely affected the performance or fitness, such as the decreased survival, feeding capacity, weight, and fecundity of N. cincticeps. Furthermore, we revealed that the expression of Nc‐TnC was suppressed by its interaction with rice dwarf virus‐encoded nonstructural protein 10, which ultimately affected detrimentally the corresponding parameters of the performance or fitness of N. cincticeps. In conclusion, our data deepen understanding of Nc‐TnC functions during the development of and viral infection in N. cincticeps. It imply Nc‐TnC may serve as a potential target for N. cincticeps control in future.     

黑尾叶蝉卵黄原蛋白受体基因cDNA的克隆、序列分析及表达模式

【目的】卵黄原蛋白受体(vitellogenin receptor,VgR)属于低密度脂蛋白受体,通过介导内吞作用为发育中的卵母细胞摄取卵黄原蛋白,为胚胎发育提供营养物质,在昆虫生殖过程中发挥关键作用。为研究黑尾叶蝉Nephotettix cincticeps VgR(NcVgR)基因的生理功能及其在生殖中的作用,本研究克隆并解析了NcVgR基因的序列,并对其时空表达进行了研究。【方法】根据黑尾叶蝉转录组数据信息,利用RT-PCR克隆了NcVgR基因,并进行了生物信息学分析;利用实时荧光定量PCR研究了不同发育时期、成虫不同组织NcVgR的表达水平。【结果】NcVgR c DNA序列全长6 676 bp,开放阅读框长度5 568 bp,编码1 855个氨基酸,预测编码蛋白的分子量为206 k D,N端前17个氨基酸为信号肽。序列分析显示,NcVgR具有低密度脂蛋白家族的5个经典保守域,即:配体结合域(ligand-binding domain,LBD)、表皮生长因子前体同源域(EGF-precursor homology domain,EGFP)、O-糖链结构域(O-linked sugar domain,OLSD)、跨膜域(transmembrane domain,TMD)和胞质尾域(cytoplasmic domain)。系统发育分析表明,NcVgR与褐飞虱N.lugens VgR亲缘关系最近。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,NcVgR转录起始时间为5龄若虫,羽化后转录水平逐渐上升,至羽化后8 d达到峰值,随后下降。有意思的是,随着黑尾叶蝉产卵,NcVgR转录水平再次上升,至羽化后16 d达到最高水平。组织定位结果显示,NcVgR在黑尾叶蝉雌成虫卵巢中特异性高表达,而在雌成虫脂肪体和肠道中微量表达,在雌成虫脑及雄成虫中均未检测到表达。【结论】NcVgR在黑尾叶蝉雌成虫卵巢中特异性表达,并且不同发育时期具有不同的表达量,这为研究黑尾叶蝉的生殖调控机理提供了分子信息。     

Life tables and population parameters of the green leafhopper,Nephotettix cincticeps (Uhler), in the southwestern district of Japan with special reference to the first generation on foxtail grass

The three year (1988–1990) life tables of Nephotettix cincticeps were constructed, and the daily survival rate and longevity of female adults were estimated by Hokyo and Kiritani's (1967) method for the overwintering and the first-generations on the foxtail grass in Okayama, southwestern Japan. The life tables and the population parameter values estimated were compared with those in the other generations on rice. The FARMCOP suction sampler was employed to survey the population density. The durations of pre-ovarial maturation of female adults of the 1st generation on foxtail grass and rice seedling were similar. Longevity of adults of the overwintering and the first generations which emerged on the wild host was longer than that of the other generations (2nd and 3rd generations) on the rice plants. Fecundity of females decreased successively as the generation proceeded and it became lowest in the final 3rd generation. Only about 3.5 percent of first-instar nymphs of the 1st generation emerged as adults in the fallow field. The survival rate of nymphs on foxtail grass was always lower in comparison with that on rice plants. However, the survival rates of nymphs on foxtail grass and rice seedling were not significantly different from each other under laboratory conditions. In the fields, senescence of foxtail grass occurred in the midst of nymphal period of the 1st generation. The survival rate of nymphs on foxtail grass decreased with the increasing in the nymphal density. Abundance of spiders during the 1st generation was higher than that in the early stage of rice plants.     

Dispersal kernel of green rice leafhopper estimated from truncated data

Characterizing dispersal kernels from truncated data is important for managing and predicting population dynamics. We used mark-recapture data from 10 previously published replicated experiments at three host plant development stages (seedling, tillering, and heading) to estimate parameters of the normal and exponential dispersal kernels for green rice leafhopper, Nephotettix cincticeps (Uhler). We compared classic statistical methods for estimating untruncated distribution parameters from truncated data with maximum likelihood (MLE) and the method of statistical moments for simulated and empirical data. Simulations showed that both methods provided accurate parameter estimates with similar precision. The method of moments is algebraically complex, but simple to calculate, while the MLE methods require numerical solutions of nonlinear equations. Simulations also showed that accurate, precise estimates of the parameters of the untruncated distributions could be attained even under severe truncation with sufficient numbers of recaptures. Both diffusivity and the exponential mean were higher with later plant growth stage, showing that insects moved farther and faster at the heading stage. Precision of the estimates was not strongly related to percent capture, size of the experimental field, or the number of leafhoppers captured. The leptokurtic exponential kernel fit the data better than the normal kernel for all the experiments. These results support an alternative explanation for the strong density-dependent population regulation of this species at the heading stage. Instead of leafhopper density per se, the increase in movement at this stage could integrate the populations in the separate fields, leveling densities throughout the landscape.