Biochemical characterisation of digestive proteases and carbohydrases of the pistachio fruit hull borer,Arimania komaroffi Ragonot (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Pistachio fruit hull borer, Arimania komaroffi Ragonot (Lep.: Pyralidae), is one the most important pests of pistachio in Iran. The larvae spin web as well as bore into young fruits, and the infested fruits fall off the trees. The second-generation adult moths appear in August and September, and their offspring feed on the fruit hull. Results indicated the presence of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase and some proteases in the digestive tract of the pest. Highest activities of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, α-galactosidase and β-galactosidase were at pH 10, 7, 7, 6 and pH 6, respectively. Highest activities of trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase of larval midgut were at pH 11. Zymogram analysis of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, tryptic, chymotryptic and elastase using native-PAGE revealed 1, 1, 2, 3, 3 and 2 bands of activity respectively, in A. komaroffi. One band was disappeared in the presence of the inhibitor TLCK, but no further inhibition by the inhibitors TPCK was observed. The results can be of help for designing new strategies for controlling the pistachio fruit hull borer based on natural proteases and carbohydrase inhibitors.