Experience-induced preference for oviposition repellents derived from a non-host plant by a specialist herbivore

Foraging adults of phytophagous insects are attracted by host-plant volatiles and supposedly repelled by volatiles from non-host plants. In behavioural control of pest insects, chemicals derived from non-host plants applied to crops are expected to repel searching adults and thereby reduce egg laying. How experience by searching adults of non-host volatiles affects their subsequent searching and oviposition behaviour has been rarely tested. In laboratory experiments, we examined the effect of experience of a non-host-plant extract on the oviposition behaviour of the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella, a specialist herbivore of cruciferous plants. Naive ovipositing DBM females were repelled by an extract of dried leaves of Chrysanthemum morifolium, a non-host plant of DBM, but experienced females were not repelled. Instead they were attracted by host plants treated with the non-host-plant extract and laid a higher proportion of eggs on treated than on untreated host plants. Such behavioural changes induced by experience could lead to host-plant range expansion in phytophagous insects and play an important role in determining outcome for pest management of some behavioural manipulation methods.

Mortality of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera, Plutellidae) by parasitoids in the Province of Santa Fe, Argentina

Mortality of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera, Plutellidae) by parasitoids in the Province of Santa Fe, Argentina. Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera, Plutellidae) larvae cause severe economic damage on cabbage, Brassica oleracea L. variety capitata (Brassicaceae), in the horticultural fields in the Province of Santa Fe, Argentina. Overuse of broad spectrum insecticides affects the action of natural enemies of this insect on cabbage. The objectives of this work were to identify the parasitoids of P. xylostella and to determine their influence on larva and pupa mortality. Weekly collections of larvae and pupae were randomly conducted in cabbage crops during spring 2006 and 2007. The immature forms collected were classified according to their developmental stage: L1 and L2 (Ls = small larvae), L3 (Lm = medium larvae), L4 (Ll = large larvae), pre-pupae and pupae (P). Each individual was observed daily in the laboratory until the adult pest or parasitoid emergence. We identified parasitoids, the number of instar and the percentage of mortality of P. xylostella for each species of parasitoid. Parasitoids recorded were: Diadegma insulare (Cresson, 1875) (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov, 1912) (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov, 1912) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) and an unidentified species of Chalcididae (Hymenoptera). Besides parasitoids, an unidentified entomopathogenic fungus was also recorded in 2006 and 2007. In 2006, the most successful parasitoids were D. insulare and O. sokolowskii, while in 2007 only D. insulare exerted a satisfactory control and it attacked the early instars of the pest.

Seleção de isolados de Beauveria bassiana potenciais para o controle da traça-das-crucíferas

A traça-das-crucíferas, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), é considerada a principal praga das brássicas no mundo, sendo o uso de inseticidas o método mais usado para o seu controle. Assim, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi selecionar isolados de Beauveria bassiana com viabilidade para utilização no controle da traça-das-crucíferas. Dezessete isolados e um produto comercial de B. bassiana foram testados. Lagartas de segundo ínstar da traça-das-crucíferas foram pulverizadas com suspensão de conídios na concentração de 10(7) conídios mL-1. Para o bioensaio de concentração letal (CL) sete concentrações espaçadas em escala logarítmica foram testadas. Os isolados CCA/UFES-4, 18, 31 e 35 foram selecionados para o bioensaio de CL por causarem mortalidade confirmada superior a 90%. O isolado padrão ESALQ-447 e o produto comercial tiveram resultados semelhantes e também foram selecionados para o bioensaio de CL. Com base nas estimativas da CL50, os isolados CCA/UFES-4, 18, 31, ESALQ-447 e o produto comercial podem ser selecionados para utilização no controle da traça-das-crucíferas.

Interactions of Bacillus thuringiensis bioinsecticides and the predatory stink bug Podisus nigrispinus to control Plutella xylostella

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Temperature-dependent phenology of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Temperature-dependent population growth of diamondback moth (DBM) Plutella xylostella (L.), a prolific insect pest of crucifer vegetables, was studied under six constant temperatures in the laboratory. The objective of the study was to predict the impacts of temperature changes on the population of DBM at high-resolution scales along altitudinal gradients and under climate change scenarios. Non-linear functions were fitted on the data for modeling the development, mortality, longevity and oviposition of the pest. The best-fitted functions for each life stage were compiled for estimating the life table parameters of the species by stochastic simulations. To quantify the impacts on the pest, three indices (establishment, generation and activity) were computed using the estimates of life table parameters and temperature data obtained at local scale (current scenario 2013) and downscaled climate change data (future scenario 2055) from the AFRICLIM database. To measure and represent the impacts of temperature change along the altitude on the pest; the indices were mapped along the altitudinal gradients of Kilimanjaro and Taita Hills, in Tanzania and Kenya, respectively. Potential impact of the changes between climate scenarios 2013 and 2055 was assessed. The data files included in this database were utilized for the above analysis to develop temperature dependent phenology of Plutella xylostella to assess current and future distribution along eastern African Afromontanes.

Contrary effects of jasmonate treatment of two closely related plant species on attraction of and oviposition by a specialist herbivore

Elevated jasmonic acid (JA) concentrations in response to herbivory can induce wounded plants to produce defences against herbivores. In laboratory and field experiments we compared the effects of exogenous JA treatment to two closely related cabbage species on the host-searching and oviposition preference of the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella. JA-treated Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris) was less attractive than untreated Chinese cabbage to ovipositing DBM, while JA-treatment of common cabbage (B. oleracea) made plants more attractive than untreated controls for oviposition by this insect. Similar effects were observed when plants of the two species were damaged by DBM larvae. In the absence of insect-feeding, or JA application, Chinese cabbage is much more attractive to DBM than common cabbage. Inducible resistance therefore appears to occur in a more susceptible plant and induced susceptibility appears to occur in a more resistant plant, suggesting a possible balance mechanism between constitutive and inducible defences to a specialist herbivore.

Susceptibility of different insect pupae to the bacterial symbiont, Xenorhabdus nematophila, isolated from the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae

Cells of the bacterial symbiont Xenorhabdus nematophila from the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae entered the pupae of Plutella xylostella after 15 minutes treatment with suspensions containing the bacterial cells. Secretions of Xenorhabdus nematophila, in either broth or water, were found lethal to the pupae of P. xylostella when applied in moist sand. The bacterial symbiont Xenorhabdus nematophila was found lethal to the pupae of greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella), beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua), diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) and black vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) in the absence of the nematode vector and the cells of X. nematophila entered the haemocoele of the pupae.

Effects of a sex-ratio distorting endosymbiont on mtDNA variation in a global insect pest

Background: Patterns of mtDNA variation within a species reflect long-term population structure, but may also be influenced by maternally inherited endosymbionts, such as Wolbachia. These bacteria often alter host reproductive biology and can drive particular mtDNA haplotypes through populations. We investigated the impacts of Wolbachia infection and geography on mtDNA variation in the diamondback moth, a major global pest whose geographic distribution reflects both natural processes and transport via human agricultural activities. Results: The mtDNA phylogeny of 95 individuals sampled from 10 countries on four continents revealed two major clades. One contained only Wolbachia-infected individuals from Malaysia and Kenya, while the other contained only uninfected individuals, from all countries including Malaysia and Kenya. Within the uninfected group was a further clade containing all individuals from Australasia and displaying very limited sequence variation. In contrast, a biparental nuclear gene phylogeny did not have infected and uninfected clades, supporting the notion that maternally-inherited Wolbachia are responsible for the mtDNA pattern. Only about 5% (15/306) of our global sample of individuals was infected with the plutWBI isolate and even within infected local populations, many insects were uninfected. Comparisons of infected and uninfected isofemale lines revealed that plutWBI is associated with sex ratio distortion. Uninfected lines have a 1:1 sex ratio, while infected ones show a 2:1 female bias. Conclusion: The main correlate of mtDNA variation in P. xylostella is presence or absence of the plutWBI infection. This is associated with substantial sex ratio distortion and the underlying mechanisms deserve further study. In contrast, geographic origin is a poor predictor of moth mtDNA sequences, reflecting human activity in moving the insects around the globe. The exception is a clade of Australasian individuals, which may reflect a bottleneck during their recent introduction to this region.

Suitability of Arabidopsis thaliana as a model for host plant-Plutella xylostella-Cotesia plutellae interactions

Successful pest management is often hindered by the inherent complexity of the interactions of a pest with its environment. The use of genetically characterized model plants can allow investigation of chosen aspects of these interactions by limiting the number of variables during experimentation. However, it is important to study the generic nature of these model systems if the data generated are to be assessed in a wider context, for instance, with those systems of commercial significance. This study assesses the suitability of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. (Brassicaceae) as a model host plant to investigate plant-herbivore-natural enemy interactions, with Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), the diamondback moth, and Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid of P. xylostella. The growth and development of P. xylostella and C. plutellae on an A. thaliana host plant (Columbia type) were compared to that on Brassica rapa var. pekinensis (L.) (Brassicaceae), a host crop that is widely cultivated and also commonly used as a laboratory host for P. xylostella rearing. The second part of the study investigated the potential effect of the different A. thaliana background lines, Columbia and Landsberg (used in wider scientific studies), on growth and development of P. xylostella and C. plutellae. Plutella xylostella life history parameters were found generally to be similar between the host plants investigated. However, C. plutellae were more affected by the differences in host plant. Fewer adult parasitoids resulted from development on A. thaliana compared to B. rapa, and those that did emerge were significantly smaller. Adult male C. plutellae developing on Columbia were also significantly smaller than those on Landsberg A. thaliana.

Characterization and Identification of Proteolytic Bacteria From the Gut of the Velvetbean Caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The characterization and identification of proteolytic bacteria from the gut of the velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis) were the objectives of this study. Twelve aerobic and anaerobic isolates of proteolytic bacteria were obtained from the caterpillar gut in calcium caseinate agar. The number of colony forming units (CFUs) of proteolytic bacteria was higher when the bacteria were extracted from caterpillars reared on artificial diet rather than on soybean leaves (1.73 +/- 0.35 X 10(3) and 0.55 +/- 0.22 X 10(3) CFU/mg gut, respectively). The isolated bacteria were divided into five distinct groups, according to their polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment-length polymorphism profiles. After molecular analysis, biochemical tests and fatty acid profile determination, the bacteria were identified as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus gallinarum, Enterococcus mundtii, and Staphylococcus xylosus. Bacterial proteolytic activity was assessed through in vitro colorimetric assays for (general) proteases, serine proteases, and cysteine proteases. The isolated bacteria were able of hydrolyzing all tested substrates, except Staphylococcus xylosus, which did not exhibit serine protease activity. This study provides support for the hypothesis that gut proteases from velvetbean caterpillar are not exclusively secreted by the insect cells but also by their symbiotic gut bacteria. The proteolytic activity from gut symbionts of the velvetbean caterpillar is suggestive of their potential role minimizing the potentially harmful consequences of protease inhibitors from some of this insect host plants, such as soybean, with implications for the management of this insect pest species.

Influência de genótipos de couve (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC.) na biologia de Plutella xylostella (L., 1758) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, avaliar a influência de alguns genótipos de couve (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC.) no desenvolvimento de Plutella xylostella (L., 1758) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Os genótipos avaliados foram: Manteiga de Ribeirão Pires I-2620, Roxa I-919, Manteiga de São José, Manteiga de Monte Alegre, Pires 2 de Campinas, Couve Comum, Couve de Arthur Nogueira 2, Couve de Arthur Nogueira 1. Lagartas recém-eclodidas foram mantida em discos foliares de 8 cm de diâmetro para cada genótipo. Foram analisados os seguintes parâmetros: duração e viabilidade das fases larval e pupal, longevidade e fecundidade de adultos, utilizando análises paramétricas e de agrupamentos para interpretação dos dados. Observou-se um prolongamento em dias no ciclo de P. xylostella, aumento no peso de pupa e maiores valores de viabilidade e fecundidade, durante a segunda geração. O genótipo Couve de Arthur Nogueira 2 foi menos favorável ao desenvolvimento de P. xylostella nas duas gerações, e Couve Comum demonstrou maior influência negativa ao inseto na segunda geração. Manteiga de Ribeirão Pires I-2620 foi o mais suscetível nas duas gerações, agrupando com este na segunda geração Pires 2 de Campinas e Manteiga de São José.

Associação do óleo de mamona com Beauveria bassiana no controle da traça-das-crucíferas

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência, a estabilidade, a forma de aplicação e a compatibilidade do óleo de mamona com o fungo entomopatogênico Beauveria bassiana no controle da traça-das-crucíferas, Plutella xylostella. No primeiro experimento, foram avaliadas a eficiência, a estabilidade após 70 dias de armazenamento e a forma de aplicação do óleo de mamona. No segundo experimento, foi avaliada a compatibilidade do óleo de mamona com B. bassiana. A atividade inseticida do óleo de mamona é instável ao longo do tempo. O óleo de mamona é compatível com B. bassiana no controle de P. xylostella.

Capacidade reprodutiva e preferência da traça-das-crucíferas para diferentes brassicáceas

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi comparar diferentes cultivares de brassicáceas em relação à capacidade reprodutiva e preferência para alimentação e oviposição da traça-das-crucíferas. Os experimentos foram realizados utilizando-se as cultivares de repolho Midori, Chato-de-Quintal, híbridos da Top Seed® - Agristar (TPC 308, TPC 681 e TPC 668), couve-flor Bola de Neve, couve brócolis Ramoso Piracicaba Precoce e couve Manteiga da Geórgia, sendo esta última utilizada como padrão de suscetibilidade. Por meio dos dados biológicos de P. xylostella foram estimados os parâmetros necessários para a construção de tabela de vida de fertilidade, para comparação das cultivares testadas em relação à capacidade reprodutiva da praga. em gaiolas de criação da traça-das-crucíferas foram colocados quatro quartos de folha, dois a dois, que justapostos formavam um círculo de 8 cm de diâmetro, confrontando-se os materiais dois a dois. As partes foram dispostas equidistantemente, para realização do teste de dupla chance de escolha (preferência para alimentação e oviposição) e de múltipla chance de escolha, confrontando todos os substratos (preferência para alimentação). As cultivares que proporcionaram melhor desenvolvimento e reprodução para a traça-das-crucíferas foram couve Manteiga da Geórgia e couve brócolis. Para preferência alimentar constatou-se alta suscetibilidade em couve Manteiga e TPC 681 e para preferência de oviposição alta preferência para couve-flor Bola de Neve. Com isso, sugere-se a divisão das cultivares estudadas em quatro classes distintas: repolho Midori como moderadamente resistente (MR); couve-flor Bola de Neve e repolho Chato-de-Quintal como suscetíveis (S); couve brócolis, TPC308, TPC681 e TPC668 como moderadamente suscetíveis (MS); e couve Manteiga como altamente suscetível (AS).