To monitor sequential changes in diversity and abundance of moth community in forest, moth samples were weekly collected by light traps at nine survey sites from 2001 in Korea. Among these, samples collected at Osan from 2001 to 2006 and belonged to Notodontidae and Sphingidae (Lepidoptera) were selected for analysis. Diversity and equitability were estimated by Simpson's index. A total number of Notodontidae collected during the period were 47 species and 970 individuals. In case of Sphingidae, 27 species and 346 individuals were collected during the period. In 2001 and 2004, more than 10 species belonged to Notodontidae were collected from June to August whereas less than 10 species were collected from June to August in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. In case of Sphingidae, more than 9 species were collected from June and August in 2001 and 2004 whereas less than 8 species were collected from June and August in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. Interestingl y, total abundance of the two families had similar trends. The number of species was possibly related to the total abundance.
In soil ecosystems, chemicals are often found as mixtures. Therefore, the toxicity data generated by single toxicity tests are inadequate for assessing the potential risk of complex mixtures of chemicals for soil ecosystems. In the present study, the mixture toxicity of copper and manganese on the reproduction of Paronychiurus kimi were assessed using a Toxic Unit approach (1TU=EC50). The concentrations of each metal in the mixture were summed as follows: TUmixture = CCu/EC50 of Cu + CMn/EC50 of Mn, where CMetal are the concentrations of copper and manganese in the mixture. From the Sum TU based dose-response relationships, sum of a toxicunit (TU50) at 50% reduction for the mixture (EC50mix) was calculated. The binary mixture toxicity was defined as being concentration additiv (EC50mix=1TU) or as being more or less than additive (EC50mix<1TU or 1>TU, respectively). Also, values of the mixture (TUi) at i% reduction found were predicted to get more insight regarding the relationship between mixture toxicity and various effect levels (ranging from EC10 to EC90). The toxicities of copper and manganese mixtures were less than additive at the EC10 level, whereas more than additive at the EC90 level. These findings imply that the effect levels are important for determining the toxicity of metal mixtures.
We investigated mating conditions about care temperature of queen before mating, mating period, and number of queen per mating cage to improve mating rate of Bombus terrestris. Among 19℃, 22℃ and 25℃, care temperatures of queen before mating, queen cared at 19℃ was more effective than those at 22℃ and 25℃ in death rate during care and mating periods, and colony development. In case of mating period, oviposition rate and preoviposition periods at queen mated during 3 days were 89.3% and 11.4 days, respectively, which was higher and earlier than those of queen mated during 5 days and 7 days. The rate of worker emergence, colony foundation and progeny-queen production at 3 daysmated queen were also 2.0-11.6% higher than those at queen mated during 5 days and 7 days. In number of queen per mating cage, the rate of worker emergence, colony foundation and progeny-queen production queen mated at mating cage with 10 queens and 30 males were 41.5%, 25.9% and 23.2%, respectively. These values correspond to 1.5-6.8 folds those queen mated at cage with 20 queens and 30 queens. Therefore, we supposed that care temperature favorable for B. terrestris queen was 19℃ and the period need to mating was 3 days, and the number of queen per mating cage (55× 45× 65㎝) was 10.
This study was conducted to improve the effect of environment-friendly Tetranychus urticae pesticide through the development of Tetranychus urticae biopesticide using the plant extract. Tested extracts were fig leaf extract, viburnum erosum extract; besides Sophora flavescens Ait extract, Derris root extract, Tobacco leaf extract, and they were proved to be the caricidal effect of two spotted spider mite adults by spraying on the French bean leaf inoculated for Tetranychus urticae with each concentration; 500ppm, 200ppm, 100ppm, 50ppm. In the control treatments, caricidal effect was compared with only ‘Eungsami’ (500ppm, 200ppm, 100ppm, 50ppm), of which the main ingredient as environment-friendly organic material is, and distilled water.
The caricidal effect of tested extracts to the two spotted spider mite adult was the highest in the Sophora flavescens Ait extract and Tobacco leaf extract over 90%, and comparatively low in the Derris root extract. When the caricidal effect of ‘Eungsami’ was compared with two spotted spider mite adults with each concentration, ‘Eungsami’(500ppm) and Tobacco leaf extract(500ppm) were very excellent as each 95.5%, 98.7% in treated concentration. The effect of Sophora flavescens Ait extract was also high as 96.5%. In the low concentration(50ppm), Sophora flavescens Ait extract was 45.8%, Tobacco leaf extract was the most effective as 53.8%.
The effects of pollens of Bt Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris), expressing the insecticidal protein Cry1Ac toxin (Bt Chinese cabbage) on Bombix mori larvae, were determined in laboratory studies. When reared on an artificial diet containing pollens of Bt Chinese cabbage, decreased survival rate and body weight of B. mori larvae were observed. ELISA test using Cry1Ac-antibody implied that the Cry toxin was detected not only in the whole body and alimentary canal but also in the hemolymph and remaining body parts, suggesting that the ingested Cry1Ac protein is distributed inside the body through epithelial membrane of the midgut of B. mori. Taken together, it was suggested that the pollens of Bt Chinese cabbage adversely affect non-target insect B. mori larvae.
A new Bacillus subtilis isolate showed high anti-fungal activities (more than 80% control efficacy) against several plant diseases such as rice blast (Magnaporthe grisea), tomato gray mold (Botrytis cinerea), tomato late blight (Phytophthora infestans) and wheat leaf rust (Puccinia recondita). We tried to confer an insecticidal activity to this B. subtilis isolate for constructing a recombinant strain which has dual functions, anti-fungal and insecticidal activity. The insecticidal cry1Ac gene of B. thuringiensis was constructed under its own promoter in a minimal E. coli-B. thuringiensis shuttle vector (pHT1K-1Ac). The plasmid, pHT1K-1Ac was introduced into B. subtilis isolate by electroporation and the transformant was confirmed by PCR with cry1Ac specific primers. B. subtilis transformant produced a parasporal inclusion in the cells as in B. thuringiensis and the size of that protein was appox. 130 kDa. The insecticidal activity of the transformant was checked against lepidopteran pest, Plutella xylostella. This result suggests that this recombinant B. subtilis strain shows the possibility of controlling harmful insect pests as well as plant fungal diseases simultaneously at one crop, and both culture broth and harvested cells of this strain can be used as individual biological control agents separately for integrated crop protection.
In view of the recently increased interest in developing plant-origin insecticides are an alternative to chemical insecticides. This study was undertaken to assess the larvicidal potential of the two (H52C1 and H5C) compounds from Asarum sieboldii Miq. against dengue vector Aedes aegypti. Among the two compounds, compound I (H52C1) was most active than the compound II (H5C) against third instar larvae of Ae. aegypti. The LC50 value of the compound I was 2.03 (95% CL, 1.51-2.76) and the compound II was 10.66 (95% CL, 9.23-12.42). These findings would be useful in promoting research aiming at the development of new agents for mosquito larval control based on bioactive chemical compounds from plant origin.
To develop an advanced baculovirus insecticide with additional advantages, such as higher toxicity and recovering to wild-type baculovirus, a novel recombinant baculovirus, NeuroBactrus was constructed. Bacillus thuringiensis crystal protein gene (cry1-5) and an insect-specific neurotoxin gene (AaIT) were introduced into Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus genome by fusion of polyhedrin-cry1-5-polyhedrin under the control of poyhedrin gene promoter, and by fusion of orf603 partial genes and AaIT under the control of early promoter of ORF3006 from Cotesia plutellae bracovirus. About 150 kDa of Polyhedrin-Cry1-5-Polyhedrin fusion protein expressed by NeuroBactrus was occluded into the polyhedra, and activated as about 65 kDa of crystal protein when treated with trypsin. RT-PCR analysis indicated that transcription of AaIT gene occurs by 2 h postinfection (p.i.) and increased at 16 h p.i.. NeuroBactrus showed high toxicity against Plutella xylostella larvae and significant reduction in median lethal time (LT50) against Spodoptera exigua larvae compared to those of wild-type AcNPV. Re-recombinants derived from NeuroBactrus, NBt-Del5 (deleted cry1-5), NBt-DelA (deleted AaIT) and NBt-Del5A (deleted cry1-5 and AaIT; wild-type baculovirus) were generated in serial passages in vitro. This result showed that the NeuroBactrus could be transferred to wild-type baculovirus along with serial passages by the homologous recombination between two polyhedrin genes and two partial orf603 genes.
Bt crystal proteins, encoded by cry genes, are a group of insecticidal proteins unique in the Gram-positive and spore-forming bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis. These cry genes are widely applied as one of the most successful candidates for constructing transgenic crops resistant to pest insects. In our previous report, we found Cry1-5 had high insecticidal activity against Spodoptera larvae although its amino acid sequences showed high similarity (95.6%) to those of Cry1Ac which had low activity. In comparison with Cry1Ac, Cry1-5 had 12 different residues on domain I and II. In order to convert these residues to Cry1-5 randomly, 10 mutagenic primers were designed. Through multi site-directed mutagenesis, we mutated the modified cry1Ac gene by plant codon usage in pOBI-Modcry1Ac based on cry1-5 and constructed 63 mutant cry genes. Among them, 10 mutant cry genes on domain II were selected and their recombinant proteins were expressed by baculovirus expression system. From bioassay results to P. xylostella and S. exigua, we found some mutants have high insecticidal activities to be applicable to transgenic crops.
Root zone application of several systemic insecticides was tested for control of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), in Vietnam and Korea. In Vietnam, the results indicated that carbofuran showed the highest nymphal mortality in all experiments, followed by imidacloprid and carbosulfan. When the insecticides were applied on 10-day old rice, carbofuran was shown almost 100% N. lugens mortality at six days after treatment and the efficacy was extended to twelve days after application. In Korea, various root-zone application methods were tested with carbofuran and carbosulfan. The results showed that carbofuran was the most active in reducing the egg hatching rates. When root-zone treated on 40-50 day-old rice in a greenhouse, no nymphs were hatched in carbofuran treated pots, while average of 20 nymphs were emerged in carbofuran broadcasting pots. Especially the number of nymphs emerged in carbosulfan foliar spray was 54 nymphs per pot even at the eight day after application, which was higher than in control pots. This is the first study ever demonstrated the high egg mortality of N. lugens on rice due to the root-zone application of insecticides.
This study was carried out to evaluate toxicities of two formulations (microemulsion, ME and wettable powder, WP) for acetamiprid+etofenprox against aphids (Aphis gossypii), thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) on the cucumber greenhouse and whiteflies (Trialeurodes vaporariorum and Bemisia tabaci Qbiotype) on the tomato greenhouse. The activities of two formulations were evaluated by testing residual effect and toxicities against eggs, nymphs and adults of whiteflies in the laboratory, and control effect in the greenhouse against whiteflies, aphids and thrips. All trials were tested at the recommended concentration(RC) and a half concentration of RC of each formulation. In the laboratory trials against eggs and nymphs of whiteflies, the effect of ME was more effective than that of WP and showed more than 80% ovicidal activities, and 40%~60% larvicidal activities on the 3rd instars nymph of whiteflies at the recommended and its half concentrations. On the residual effect against the adults of the two whitefly species, WP formulation was more effective than ME and showed more than 70% mortality at the 5th day after treatments of recommended concentrations. In the field trials, the effects of ME against whiteflies and thrips were more excellent than those of WP. On the other hand, the effect of WP against aphids was more excellent. These results indicate that the formulation of insecticide can be played an important role in the control strategy of the pest in field.
VapormateTM, the new gas formation of ethyl formate(EF) with carbon dioxide, is an MB(methyl bromide) alternative fumigant for grains and perishable commodities especially to control quarantine pest. To gain systematic efficacies of VapormateTM, vaporized gases in Tedlar bag were collected from liquefied gases in cylinder. Vaporized gases were used for collecting efficacy data to Tetranychus urticae, two-spotted spider mite, for 6hr at 26± 1℃. When applied 25, 51, 77 and 102 ml/L of vaporized gas for 6hr, mortality of T. urticae female adult were 83.3, 97.8, 100, and 100%, respectively, at 24hr after fumigation. Also, at 77 and 102 ml/L of vaporized gas for 4hr treatment at 26± 1℃, the mortality of T. urticae female was 96.7 and 97.8%, respectively. This preliminary result may help to understand further scaled-up VapormateTM fumigation applied with different type of commodities.
Pine wilt is the most important disease of pine trees in Korea, Japan and China. The pathogen causing this disease, the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophylus), is transmitted vectored by adults of some cerambycid beetle species and the Japanese pine sawyer, Monochamus alternatus, is the major vector species in Korea. Although chemical insecticides have been used to kill vector insect and thus prevent transmission of the pathogen, the efficacy is not good. In Japan, to control this insect, an entomopathogenic fungus was studied and developed as an insecticide. This is thought to be the convenient and effective method to control M. alternatus. Recently, there are several reports about the pinewood nematode is vectored by also the pine sawyer, M. saltuarius, in Korea. The objective of this study, therefore, was to isolate and identify entomopathogenic fungi from M. saltuarius cadaver to control it. We collected the cadaver of M. saltuarius and then screened several fungi colonies. The pathogenicity of each fungus was tested using oak longicorn beetle, Moechotypa diphysis, as substitutive insect. M. diphysis is also serious pest to various trees in forest. As the result, only one of them showed high pathogenicity against M. diphysis. Selected fungus was identified by microscopic examination and DNA analysis. Pathogenicity was also evaluated to M. saltuarius.
Accurate estimation of insect density is essential for effective pest management. A simple robotics and image processing system were combined to automatically recognize the density of whiteflies. Subsequently the robot arm was utilized to spray the pesticides in the area of infestation in a minimized amount. The estimated densities of samples in the laboratory condition were in accordance with the actual values. The detection system was efficient when the whitefly densities were at medium to high levels. The results of the present study indicate that the robotic and image processing integration system described here would be useful for evaluating the population dynamics.
As indigenous aphid parasitoid, Aphelinus varipes kill aphids for feeding in addition to parasitization. Because of this characteristic of A. varipes, this parasitoid may have the possibility of biological control agent against aphids. So we have evaluated traits such as daily paratization, total parasization, number of aphids killed by host feeding, sex ratio, development time, pupal mortality of A. varipes parasitizing green peach aphid, Myzus persicae. At 25°C and 16L:8D, longevity, total paratization and host feeding of A. varipes female was 11.0, 25.3, and 63.3 days, respectively. And development time of male and female, sex ratio (M:F), pupa mortality of offspring of A. varipes were 12.0 days, 12.5 days, 0.88, and 11.6%, respectively. However, because these results are not enough to estimate potential of A. varipes as biological control agents/factors, other factors such as host suitability (Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Aulacorthum solani), effect of temperature, and host seeking behavior of A. varipes continually will be investigated.
Pine sawyer beetle, Monochamus saltuarius preferred the feed on fresh twig of Korean white pine trees (Pinus koraiensis) than one-year old and two-year twig. It means that the current twig is appropriate to increase the lifespan and reproduction of this insect. In a bioassay after fractionated the hexane layer from the water layer, the hexane layer did not show feeding response; however, the water layer was preferred in the order of fresh twig>one-year twig>two-year old twig. By HPLC analysis, we identified three kinds of sugar, namely, fructose, sucrose, glucose. The quantity of fructose was the highest in fresh twig followed by one-year and two-year old twig. In the preference test using each standard sample, the order was fructose>sucrose>glucose at 10, 30 μg/filterpaper, and fructose>sucrose >glucose at 50μg/filterpaper. From the above result, fructose plays an important role as a feeding stimulant for pine sawyer adult.
This study was performed to investigate the toxicity of 39 registered insecticides to the susceptibility, systemic effect, and residual effect and control effect against Pine sawyer beetle, Monochamus saltuarius. Eleven kinds of chemicals such as fenitrothion, fenthion, phenthoate, phosphamidon, dinotefuran, actamiprid, clothianidin, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam, esfenvalerate + fenitrothion, and fipronil were showed 100% insecticidal activity both in body spray and twig dipping bioassay. Among these chemicals, fenitrothion and fenthion were showed 100 % insecticidal activity when sprayed at 4000 times diluted solutions, and phenthoate, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam and fipronil were showed 100% insecticidal activity when sprayed at 2000 times diluted solution. Root systemic effect was showed 100% mortality in phosphamidon, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and 77.7% in thiacloprid. In residual effect, fenitrothion and thiamethoxam were showed 80% mortality fifteen days after treatment (DAT), and fenthion, phosphamidon, clothianidin were showed 80% mortality ten DAT, fenitrothion, thiamethoxam, fipronil showed 100% mortality in seven DAT, thiacloprid was showed 100% mortality in three DAT. Fenthion and phenthoate were showed 100% mortality one DAT. In the control effect, 6 kinds of chemicals were showed 100% mortality one DAT and all chemicals showed 100% mortality three DAT.
Biotype Q of Sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) was raised in seven tomatoes and eight red pepper varieties; however, biotype B did not grow in red pepper varieties. Rokkusanmaru variety of tomato and Cheongpungdaegun variety of red pepper showed the highest susceptibility to biotype B and Q. HPLC (ELSD Detector) analysis showed that the presence of sugars such as erythritol, xylose, xylitol, fructose, glucose, mannitol, and sucrose in red pepper varieties; erythritol, xylose, fructose, glucose, and mannitol was in tomato varieties. Tomato varieties lacks xylitol and sucrose, which were present in the red pepper varieties. Subsequent bioassay with these two sugars, sucrose did not show significant difference between two biotypes; however, xylitol was showed only repellent effect against B biotype. Therefore, it seems that xylitol may play a key role in the selection of host plant by biotype B of sweetpotato whitefly.
This study was performed to investigate the feeding behavior of sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci using the DC-EPG and the each developmental periods of biotype Q against nine varieties of red pepper. The result was showed that biotype Q did not feed and develop in the Nokkwang variety. In order to analyze the antifeedant, three feeding-preferred varieties (Cheongpungdaegun, Cheonyang, and Sannedeul) and non-preferred variety (Nokkwang) was tested for their sugar compounds using HPLC (ELSD Detector). The detected sugars were erythritol, xylose, xylitol, fructose, glucose, mannitol, and sucrose. In feeding-preferred varieties, the sugar such as erythritol, xylose, and xylitol were present at higher quantity than Nokkwang variety, however, fructose was existed lower quantity than Nokkwang variety. Subsequent bioassay for antifeedant activity, only xylitol showed repelled at lower concentration; however, attracted at higher concentration. Therefore, it is believed that xylitol may play a key role in the variety choice of red pepper by Q biotype of sweetpotato whitefly.
This study was done to evaluate the susceptibility, systemic effect, residual effect and control effect in each developmental stages of biotype Q of sweetpotato whitefly against insecticides, acetamiprid+spinetoram SC and dinotefuran SG. Two insecticides were showed similar activity against the eggs, and showed higher activity in acetamiprid+spinetoram SC against the nymph and adult. In systemic effect, two insecticides have a similar activity. It was showed higher activity in root zone systemic application than leaf zone systemic application. Residual effect was showed higher in acetamiprid+spinetoram SC (92%) than dinotefuran SG (44 %) at seven days after treatment. Control effect was showed all over 90 % activity at tree- and seven days after treatment. Therefore, these insecticides are expected to control the sweetpotato whitefly effectively.