Entomopathogenic fungi are expected to play a role as great biological control agents in the global bio-pesticide market in the future. The first step is the collection of fungal isolates and it should be a platform for the development of highly effective biopesticides. In this work, we constructed a fungal library using a mealworm pathogenecity-based fungal collection method and further characterized some isolates with high virulence. A phylogenetic tree was generated, and of the isolates 17 isolates’ biological features were characterized, such as morphology, virulence against several insect, stability of conidia for heat, production of biologically active materials, such as enzymes. This work reports an attractive entomopathogenic fungal library including the information of effective isolates in pest management.
RNAi (RNA interference) is a tool for silencing of target genes through sequence-specific manner. Spodoptera exigua belongs to Noctuidae family of Lepidoptera and is serious threat to crops of economic importance. One of S. exigua chymotrypsin gene (SeCHY2) was cloned into the L4440 vector to produce sequence specific dsRNAs (double-stranded RNAs). Recombinant L4440 vectors were transformed into Escherichia coli strain HT115 (DE3). Oral delivery of bacterially expressed dsRNA gave significant larval mortality. Quantitative real-time PCR results showed that expression level of target SeCHY2 gene in the larval gut tissue was significantly down-regulated. Pretreatment with an ultra-sonication and heating to disrupt bacterial cell wall/membrane significantly increased the insecticidal activity of the transformed bacteria
Increasing Lepidopteran pests such as Helicoverpa armigera are emerging pests of corn in Korea. They cause huge yield losses and deteriorate the quality of corn crop. We monitored the four major lepidopteran pests in major highland corn growing areas of Korea by employing sex pheromone trap during 2012 to 2015 for understanding those population dynamics. Among these species, H. armigera was found to be the main pest based on the damage intensity (80 ~ 90% of total damage). Some effective insecticides were selected such as Indoxacarb etc. Optimal timing of spraying was estimated at around 70 days after planting (earing season) to control H. armigera. Additional, two species of parasitoids (Therion circumflexum and Ophioninae sp.) was identified from H. armigera. However, more extensive survey for natural enemies is needed to set the natural enemy based control program.
Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) causes a highly serious disease in tomatoes in many countries. The most important thing in management is the prevention of virus transmission. TYLCV had been known to be only transmitted by a vector, the sweetpotato whitelfy, Bemisia tabaci. However, we identified two other important routes of TYLCV transmission into tomatoes. It is seed-transmissible. Many seeds available in domestic and global markets were infected by TYLCV. It is also infective into various weeds and other horticultural crops and transmit virus through vector insects. Therefore, we need a new strategy for the virus and vector management.
Negative effects of insecticides on non-target organism can be reduced by using selective and less toxic insecticides. We assessed the effect of subsequent application of flonicamid and Beauveria bassiana GHA on pests and natural enemies in soybean fields by recording their density in 6-8 d interval. Flonicamid controlled Aphis glycines Matsumura in 6 day after spray (DAS). Nymphs of Riptortus pedestris (F.) were also reduced by 46 and 48% in 12 and 19 DAS, respectively. Application of B. bassiana reduced R. pedestris nymph 50% in 16 DAS whereas adult R. pedestris, Medythia nigrobilineata Motschulsky and A. glycines were not significantly reduced in treated fields. Ladybird beetles, syrphid flies, hymenopteran wasps, and parasitism rate of R. pedestris eggs were not different between the treatment and control. These results suggest that flonicamid and B. bassiana showed less negative effect on the natural enemies and effective against aphids and nymphs stage of R. pedestris.
The superfamily Coccoidea, known as scale insects, are economical pests of agricultural, ornamental, and greenhouse plants, as well as highly intercepted insects in quarantine inspection. However, their faunal study have been poorly conducted in Myanmar. During recent field investigations in Myanmar, we collected thirty-seven new records: Coccidae (17), Diaspididae (4), Eriococcidae (1), Monophlebidae (4), Ortheziidae (1) and Pseudococcidae (10). In this study, total eighty-eight species in 15 families of scale insects are listed from Myanmar. Diagnoses and photographs are provided with keys to the Burmese scale insects. Also, the economical importance for each major pests is discussed.
베리류의 주요 해충인 벗초파리(Drosophila suzukii)는 주로 냄새감각을 이용하여 기주식물을 찾아 과실에 산란하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 벗초파리의 안테나에는 수많은 냄새감각기(olfactory sensilla)들이 존재하며, 이들 냄새감각기들이 벗초파리의 기주탐색에 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 판단된다. 곤충의 안테나에 존재하는 냄새감각세포들의 반응을 측정하는 GC-EAD(gas chromatography–electroantennographic detection) 기술을 사용하여 체리, 딸기, 블루베리 등에서 포집한 추출물로부터 벗초파리에 냄새활성을 나타내는 물질들을 동정하였다. 이 연구를 통하여 2-pentanol, propyl acetate, 2-ethylhexanal을 포함한 18 여개 물질들이 벗초파리의 냄새감각기에 큰 활성을 보이는 것으로 확인되었다. 본 연구 결과는 유인제 등 벗초파리의 방제에 친환경적으로 사용될 수 있는 신호화학물질(semiochemical)의 개발에 유용한 정보가 될 것으로 사료된다
Effects of temperature on development and ovipistion of Amblyseius eharai, were examined at 11 constant temperatures (18.0, 20.1, 21.6, 24.0, 24.1, 27.4, 28.6, 30.2, 32.0, 33.2 and 35.9 °C), and six constant temperatures (18.0, 21.6, 24.1, 27.4, 30.2 and 33.2 °C) by using Tetranychus urticae as prey. Developmental rates were fitted with a nonlinear Briere 1 model, which estimated optimal temperatures for the development as 30.6 °C for total immature stage. In a linear model, the lower thresholds and thermal requirements (DD) were 13.2 °C (71.94 DD) for total immature stage. Fecundity was well described with the Extreme value function, which indicated optimal temperatures for the oviposition as 24.3 °C. Overall, findings herein provide comprehensive data and explanations on the temperature-dependent development and oviposition of A. eharai, and prove the probability of A. eharai as a good biological agent for T. urticae in early or late crop seasons, and/or at low temperature cultivation farm lands.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (AtMT) has been widely used for generation of fungal transformants and recently applied to Beauveria bassiana. In this study to comprehend how the AtMT promoter influences on the expression of selection marker (hygromycin B resistance gene; hph), two different Ti-Plasmids were constructed: pCeg (gpdA promoter-based) and pCambia-egfp (CaMV 35S promoter-based). Putative transformants were subjected to the PCR, RT-PCR and qRT-PCR to inspect the T-DNA insertion rate and gene expression level. In conclusion, more than 80% of the colonies succeeded in AtMT transformation and the hph expression level of AtMT/pCeg colonies was higher than that of AtMT/pCambia-egfp colonies. This result can provide useful information on the AtMT of B. bassiana, especially antibiotics susceptibility and promoter-dependant expression level.
Potato tuber moth (PTM), phthorimaea operculella, invaded into Korea in 1968 but recently expanding the distribution possibly due to climate change. Ten insecticides were evaluated against the neonates and eggs of PTM. Vial contact test for neonates and dipping for eggs were conducted. LT50 at recommended dose and LC50 at 24 h were determined. Shortest LT50 was observed for fenthion (0.37 h) whereas longest LT50 from spinetoram (13.56 h). LC50 at 24 h was lowest in Abamectin (0.0052 ppm) followed by Emamectin benzoate (0.0084 ppm). Cartap hydrochloride significantly inhibited hatchability of 1, 2, 3, 4 day-old eggs (95.7, 94.0, 94.2, 89.8 % respectivly). Our result indicated that cartap hydrochloride was effective against both neonate and eggs of PTM.
담배가루이(Bemisia tabaci)는 600여 종 이상의 넓은 기주 범위를 가지며, 특히 토마토에는 토마토황화잎말림바이러 스(TYLCV: Tomato yellow leaf curl virus)를 매개하여 심각한 피해를 입히는 흡즙성 해충이다. 본 연구에서는 지역에 따른 담배가루이의 유전적 유연관계를 확인하기 위해 기 개발된 8개의 microsatellite marker(Dalmon et al., 2008)를 사용하여 국내 17개 지역 및 인도네시아 2개 지역의 토마토에서 채집한 담배가루이 암컷 성충의 단편분석을 통해 지역 간의 유전적 다양성을 비교하였다. 그 결과 19개 지역에서 평균 allele는 1.875~9.000, 평균 Observed heterozygosity(HO)는 0.134~0.734, 평균 Expected heterozygosity(HE)는 0.184~0.751, 평균 Inbreeding coefficient(FIS)는 0.023~0.880의 범위로 나타났으며, 이러한 유전자형 데이터를 이용하여 유전적 클러스터를 분석한 결과 총 2개의 클러스터로 나눌 수 있었다. 본 연구를 통해 지역 별 다양한 환경 조건에 따라 유전적 구조의 차이가 다르게 나타나는 것을 확인하였으며, 유전적 유연관계 분석을 통해 국·내외 담배가루이 개체군의 유전적 특성을 밝힐 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.
목화진딧물(Aphis gossypii)은 고추 재배 초기, 감로 배출을 통하여 잎 표면의 그을음병을 발생시켜 광합성 유발과 작물의 상품성을 저하시킨다. 본 연구에서는 8개의 초위성체 마커(Vanlerberghe-Masutti et al., 1999)를 활용하여 국내 18지역 및 인도네시아 5지역의 고추에서 채집한 목화진딧물의 단편분석을 통해 지역 간의 유전적 유연관계 및 다양성을 분석하였다. 그 결과, 23지역에서 나타난 평균 대립유전자 수 (NA)는 2.750~6.375, 평균 이형접합도 관측치(HO)는 0.425~0.878, 평균 이형접합도 기대치(HE)는 0.354~0.719, 그리고 평균 근친교배(FIS)는 –0.810~0.166의 범위로 나타났다. 근친교배(FIS) 값이 negative으로 나왔다는 것은 근친교배율이 매우 낮은 것을 의미한다. 23지역의 유전적 클러스터 분석 결과, △K의 값은 2로 확인 되었다. 이러한 결과는 조사 지역 개체군간 유전적 구조의 차이가 존재함을 나타내며 개발된 목화진딧물 초위성체 마커가 국내 목화진딧물 개체군의 유전적 구조를 분석하는 데 있어 하나의 좋은 기준이 될 수 있음을 시사한다.
Nitric oxide (NO) is an immune mediator in several insects. In addition, eicosanoids mediate various immune responses in response to microbial challenges. This study focuses on cross-talk between two immune mediators. Nitric oxide synthase (SeNOS) of Spodoptera exigua was predicted in its cDNA sequence by interrogation to the transcriptomes and validated by RT-PCR against developmental stage and larval tissues. RNA interference (RNAi) of SeNOS suppressed nodule formation of S. exigua larvae against heat-killed Xenorhabdus hominickii. RNAi of SeNOS also suppressed NO levels in fat body and hemocytes along with suppression of PLA2 activity. NOS-specific inhibitor, L-NAME, also inhibited PLA2 activity, but its enantiomer, D-NAME, did not. However, PLA2 of dexamethasone or oxindole did not suppress NO levels in the immune tissues. In addition, X hominickii did not inhibit up-regulation of NO levels. These results suggest that NO signal activates PLA2 to produce eicosanoids to mediate immune responses
Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) hydrolyzes phospholipids at sn-2 position to release free fatty acids. PLA2 consists of a superfamily mainly categorized as secretory PLA2 (sPLA2), cellular Ca 2+ -dependent PLA2 (cPLA2), and cellular Ca 2+ -independent PLA2 (iPLA2). We are the first to report iPLA2 in insect. Here an objective of our study is to purify a recombinant iPLA2 protein (SeiPLA2) of Spodoptera exigua using bacterial expression system. An open reading frame of SeiPLA2 was cloned into an expression vector and then transformed into Escherichia coli BL21. Over-expression with IPTG yielded recombinant SeiPLA2 (rSeiPLA2), which was then purified by an affinity chromatography using Ni-NTA column. The purified rSeiPLA2 gave significant PLA2 activity using a pyrene substrate. Its activity was inhibited by an iPLA2 specific inhibitor (BEL), but not by sPLA2 inhibitor (BPB) or cPLA2 inhibitor (MAFP
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) induces oxidation against various biomolecules including fatty acids. Calcium-independent cellular phospholipase A2 (iPLA2) has been known to function maintenance of fatty acids in phospholipids in mammals. An insect iPLA2 (Pi-iPLA2) was predicted from transciptomes of the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella. It was expressed in all developmental stages from egg to adult. RNA interference (RNAi) against Pi-iPLA2 was performed with specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) with more than 70% efficiency in reduction of its expression. Under this RNAi condition, P. interpuctella exhibited developmental retardation with significant accumulation of lipid peroxidation measured by the amount of melondialdehyde
Swarming alates of termite Macrotermes sp. has been accepted as food among people of Benishangul Gumuz zone in west Ethiopia bordering with Sudan. The preference seems to be for the reproductive caste. We assessed the nutritional composition of nymph and alate of Macrotermes sp. of Ethiopia. The adult contained higher amino acids (31%) compared to nymph (21%). However, the distribution of amino acids in the protein was similar (ap. 4:6 essential to non-essential amino acids). Both stages tend to have high fat contents (50%). Fat supplement could be a possible reason behind the human consumption of termites. Beside the bio-prospection of termite as food or oil source, termite foraging would have important evolutionary biology due to their significant amount of energy-yielding nutrients which could presumably be critical resource for development of larger brained hominines.
본 연구는 소나무재선충병의 확산을 막기 위해서 티아클로프리드 약제를 지상연막방제로 살포하였을 때 잣나무림 내 비표적 곤충 군집에 미치는 영향을 평가하기 위해 수행되었다. 2016년 강원대학교 학술림 내 잣나무림에서 처리구간 곤충류의 개체수, 종수 및 종 구성의 유사도를 비교하였다. 이를 위해 함정트랩과 다중깔때기트랩을 설치하여 주기별로 조사하였고, 연무연막 살포 4시간 후에 낙하하는 곤충류 조사를 위해 방수포를 깔아두었다. 약제 살포는 연무연막기를 이용하여 티아클로프리드를 3개 농도로 5월 중순경 1회 살포하였다. 연구 결과, 방수포에 낙하한 곤충의 수는 티아클로프리드 약량 증가에 따라 유의미하게 증가하였지만, 함정트랩과 다중깔때기트랩에 채집된 곤충류의 개체수, 종수 및 종 구성의 유사도에 대한 영향은 미미한 것으로 확인되었다.
남한에 분포하는 우리딱정벌레류는 현재까지 총 6종 20아종이 알려져 있다(Imura et Kezuka, 1992; Park et al., 2013; Rapuzzi, 2015). 우리딱정벌레류의 분류는 수컷의 aedeagus 형태가 중요하게 다루어지고 있다(Kwon et Lee, 1984; Imura, 1997; Rapuzzi, 2015). 그러나 우리딱정벌레류를 포함한 몇몇 딱정벌레아과의 종들은 외부 특징으로 구별하는 것이 거의 불가능하며(Janovska et al, 2013), aedeagus의 형태로 명확한 구분이 어려운 종들이 있다(Kwon et Lee, 1984). 최근 이러한 분류군에서 inflated endophallus의 구조의 연구는 많은 분류학적 문제를 해결하고 있다(Brinev, 2002; Anichtchenko, 2004; Janovska et al, 2013). 국내에서는 Kwon et Lee, 1984에서 처음으로 딱정벌레아과의 endophallus 에 대한 연구가 있었으나 최근까지도 inflated endophallus의 구조에 대한 연구는 부족한 실정이다. 본 연구에서는 남한지역에 분포하는 우리딱정벌레속 6종을 대상으로 inflated endophallus의 형태를 확인하였으며, 그 결과 종간에 endophallus의 형태가 큰 차이가 있음을 확인하였다
본 조사지역인 구미시 환경자원화시설은 경상북도 구미시 산동면 백현리에 위치해 있으며 2011년 완공되었다. 준공기간동안 서식지 훼손과 단절과 같은 요인들로 인해 시설 조성지역 주변의 곤충상이 변했을 거라 사료되어 완공 후 조사를 시행하고 이전 환경영향평가 자료와 비교하였다. 환경영향평가 당시 총 10목 44과 74속 82종이 확인되었고, 2016년 조사결과 총 10목 59과 101속 107종이 확인되었다. 딱정벌레목 36종, 노린재목 22종, 벌목 10종, 잠자리목 9종, 메뚜기목 9종, 매미목 8종, 파리목 7종, 나비목 5종, 그리고 사마귀목 1종 순으로 출현하였으며 출현종 가운데 환경부 보호종 2급이 애기뿔소똥구리 (Copris tripartitus(Waterhouse)) 가 출현하였다. 조사자료 비교결과 환경자원화 시설 완공 후 시공 전보다 출현종수가 다양해졌 다는 것을 확인했다.
We have determined the mitochondrial genome of Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis Morimoto, 1968. The total length of the R. speratus kyushuensis is 15,898 bp with 65.3% A + T content. It consists of 13 protein–coding, 22 tRNA, 2 rRNA genes and an A+T–rich control region. All the protein–coding genes used ATN as start codon. But the stop codons were TAA, TAG, and an incomplete termination codon (T) abutting an adjacent tRNA gene. The A+T–rich control region was 1,105 bp in length with 67.8% A + T content