Golden apple snails(GAS) are native to warm regions such as Central and South America and Southeast Asia, and were first introduced as a high-protein food. GAS are omnivorous and have a habit of eating plants submerged in water, so they have been used for eco-friendly weed control in rice fields since 1992. When the GAS was first introduced, it was thought that it would be impossible to overwinter in Korea. However after 2000, overwintering individuals were founded and damage to rice occurred and the development of means to control GAS has been required. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of an eco-friendly pest control agent using Styrax japonicus that grow naturally in Korea. As a result of exposing GAS to S. japonicus fruit powder, a 100% molluscicidal effect was confirmed at 66.7ppm. To investigate the duration of effect, treatment was performed at the same concentration and molluscicidal effect of more than 90% was up to 3 days after treatment. The killing effect of each part of the S. japonicus was compared, and the seed extracts showed no killing effect at all concentrations, while the sarcocarp extracts showed a 100% killing effect up to 33.3ppm, and the fruit extracts showed a 100% killing effect up to 200ppm.

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Western Hemisphere is now annually arrives in Korea. In this study, we developed loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, one of the main merits of which is a rapid identification of target species. Five among 11 FAW-specific loci tested successfully provided a consistent reaction when ten FAWs, which were collected from eight localities in four countries were tested, whereas the 13 non-target species were not amplified. To increase in-field applicability of the method all life stages, reaction time, and different periods after death was tested using the quick extracted DNA. Our FAW diagnostic protocol can be completed within 30 min, from the process of extracting genomic DNA from an egg or a 1st instar larva to species determination.

지난 2022년 제주도 애월읍 일대에서 콩 해충으로 알려진 콩은무늬밤나방(Ctenoplusia agnata) 성충이 검거세 미밤나방(Agrotis ipsilon)의 성페로몬 트랩에 대량으로 포획되었다. 검거세미밤나방 트랩은 목적 해충에 대한 포획 효율을 조사하기 위해 세 구성 성분, (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate, (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate를 3:1 비율로 고정하고 (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate를 0, 1, 6, 10, 15로 각각 비율을 달리한 미끼를 사용하였다. 각 조성별 콩은무늬밤나방 성충 포획수를 비교한 결과, (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate가 첨가되지 않은 트랩에서 주당 평균 약 17.96마리로, 가장 많은 수의 개체가 포획된 것으로 확인되었다. 반면, (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate가 가장 많이 함유된 트랩에서 주당 평균 약 2.5마리로 가장 적은 개체가 포획된 것으로 파악되었다. 이에 (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate의 비율이 증가할 수록, 포획되는 콩은무늬밤나방의 개체 수가 감소되는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 검거세미밤나방 미끼의 주성분인 Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate는 기존의 콩은무늬밤나방 유인 성분 중 하나이기도 하여 해당 성분의 구성비가 유인에 영향을 미쳤다는 것을 예측할 수 있다. 추후에 해당 트랩들과 시판 중인 콩은무늬밤나방 성페로몬 트랩을 설치하 여 포획 양상을 비교할 필요성이 요구된다.

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is one of the most important agricultural pests. Therefore, we screened fifteen compounds from natural products for their spatial repellent and oviposition deterrent activities against T. urticae in the laboratory by using two-choice and no-choice tests. In the bridge two-choice test, nine compounds showed the spatial repellent effects on T. urticae at 20 mg dose, resulting in reduced numbers of eggs. Among the nine compounds, at 2 mg dose, two compounds were selected as having more spatial repellent activity than the others. The two compounds also showed spatial repellent and oviposition deterrent effects in the two-choice test from hosts. In the no-choice test from a host, the spatial repellent effects of the two compounds to T. urticae were significantly stronger than that of controls. These results suggest that the findings can be used as potential agents for the prevention and population control of T. urticae in the field.

The rate of resistant pest emergence has accelerated due to the continuous use of pesticides. Therefore, it is important to formulate insecticide resistance management measures and effective control methods for pest. Bemisia tabaci, a greenhouse pest, causes direct damage to crops such as growth inhibition and leaf discoloration at all developmental stages except for eggs. It also indirectly damages plants by secreting honeydew, which covers surrounding leaves and fruits, leading to sooty mold development. In this study, eight insecticides with high usage rates, categorized by their mode of action, were selected. Samples of Bemisia tabaci were collected from six regions, and resistance analysis were conducted. The results showed that Flonicamid exhibited a resistance ratio of 8.91 in Sejong, while Pyriproxyfen showed a high resistance ratio of 63.56 in Gunwi. Fluxametamide, Spinetoram, Cyantraniliprole, Dinotefuran, Pyridaben, and Milbemectin displayed resistance ratio ranging from 0.02 to 1.14 in most regions, except for Flonicamid and Pyriproxyfen.

The honey bee, Apis mellifera, has a defense system, including detoxification, antioxidation, and immunity pathways, against external stimulation such as chemicals, stress, and pathogens. However, pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids and butenolids, have been recently reported to alter physiological changes in honey bee. In this study, we investigated the expression levels of eight genes categorized into detoxification (CYPQ3), antioxidation (CAT and SOD2), and immune system (Abaecin, Apidaecin, Defensin1, Defensin2, and Hymenoptaecin), in five tissues (Head, Thorax, Gut, Fat body, and Carcass) of honey bee treated with three pesticides (Acetamiprid, Imidacloprid, and Flupyradifurone) using quantitative real-time PCR. Gene expression patterns was varied depending on the type of pesticides and tissues. However, among eight genes, the expression levels of CYPQ3 was notably induced, but those of AMPs were generally reduced by all pesticides tested in this study in five tissues. These suggest that CYPQ3-mediated detoxification pathway is induced, but AMP-mediated immune system might be disrupted when honey bee is exposed to neonicotinoids and butenolid.

Pesticides are indispensable in contemporary agriculture but are mainly attributed to honey bee population decline. In order to understand the approximate physiological response to pesticides, honey bees were exposed to seven pesticides (Acetamiprid, Imidacloprid, Flupyradifurone, Carbaryl, Fenitrothion, Amitraz, and Bifenthrin), and expression changes of the genes categorized into four physiological functions (insecticide targets, immune-, detoxification-, and reactive oxygen species response-related gene) were analyzed in the head and abdomen of honey bee exposed to pesticides using quantitative PCR. Based on the heat map analysis, immune-related genes seem to be more up-regulated by pesticide exposure in head than abdomen. Among detoxification genes, only cytochrome P450 families were up-regulated in head. Interestingly, regardless of the insecticide target, expressions of Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor beta 1 and Acetylcholinesterase 1 were notably induced by pesticide exposure in head. Heat map analysis expressing the transcription profiles of various genes in the head and abdomen of the honey bee exposed to various pesticides can be used to diagnose pesticide damage in honey bees in the future.

The adult of honey bee, Apis mellifera, performs an age-dependent division of labor with nurse bees and foragers. Foragers fly outside the hive to collect pollen and nectar, while nurses feed and care for the larvae and queen inside the hive. Foragers are considered to be frequently exposed to agrochemicals, although nurses, stayed inside the hive, are potentially exposed to pesticides through application of miticides and pesticidecontaminated food provided by forager. Therefore, physiological effects of pesticides to nurses should be elucidated to understand the adverse effects of the chemicals on entire honey bee colony. In this study, we investigated the expression changes of the genes associated with labor division (task genes) and the nursing behavior of nurse bees fed four pesticides: acetamiprid (ACE), carbaryl (CB), imidacloprid (IMI), and fenitrothion (FEN). When nurses were exposed to ACE, IMI, and FEN, expression levels of task genes were up- and down-regulated, and their nursing behaviors were also suppressed and enhanced, respectively. CB did not alter the gene expression levels, however increased nursing behavior. These suggest the potential of pesticide that breaks the balance of labor distribution in honey bee colony.

Cryptotympana atrata belongs to the family Cicadidae, has long been recognized as a damaging plant-sucking pest, and is distributed in East Asian countries. In addition, their cries cause direct harm to us through noise pollution and also reported twig damage in the forest environments. In this study, we isolated strains of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium that occurred from C. atrata collected this year. Here, we provide the morphological character and molecular phylogenetic relationship of this species. This is the first record of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium viridulum isolated from C. atrata in Korea and provides a candidate strain with potential use for biological agents.

Bombyx mandarina (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), the presumed ancestor of B. mori, has long been a subject of study to illustrate the geographic relationships in connection with origin of B. mori. We report 97 mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequences of B. mandarina collected from Korea and Japan. Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses showed that all individuals of B. mandarina collected in Korean localities formed a strong group together with all individuals originated from northern China (mainly north of the Qinling-Huaihe line) and some of southern China. This group was placed as the sister group to B. mori strians suggesting that this group had been served as an immediate progenitor for B. mori.

Goniaceritae is the most speciose supertribe of the subfamily Pselaphinae with more than 3,000 species worldwide. Brachyglutini is the only tribe within New Zealand Goniaceritae, comprised of 8 genera. Physobryaxis Hetschko is monotypic genus of the subtribe Brachyglutina. Although the adults of P. inflatus is close to the members of genus Gastrobothrus Broun, 1882, it is characterized by median antebasal fovea and antebasal sulcus on pronotum. In this study, we report six species of Physobryaxis examining 21 specimens. Illustrations of the habitus, diagnostic characters including male genitalia, and key to the species are also provided. Additionally, we present a distributional map divided into areas based on Crosby’s code.

The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is the world-wide agriculture pest and has the ability to become resistant to many pesticides. Hence, we conducted behavioral tests on apterous and alate aphids for series compounds from natural products by using a two-choice test, a no-choice test, a host choice test and electroantennography (EAG). As a result, we found 3 out of 30 compounds for apterous aphids and 2 out of 15 compounds for alate aphids, both of which showed powerful repellent effects on these aphids. In this study, we suggest that our findings could be useful and eco-friendly spatial repellents for controlling cotton aphid.

To mitigate the intrusion of insect pests, behavioral modifications using repellents are commonly employed. Among their active ingredients, plant essential oils have gained prominence as safer alternatives to synthetic repellents. However, the absence of rigorous scientific efficacy testing have been undermined the reliability of these essential oil based repellent products. Previous studies have highlighted that the observed repellency in bioassays are strongly influenced by the testing environment. Our research introduces three distinct laboratory-scaled repellency test methods – spatial repellency, choice repellency in a closed and opened environment – to evaluate prevalent insect repellent products. Notably, we observed significant variations in repellency percentages among products. The most effective product from each method was identified, and its active ingredients were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively, by GC-MS analyses. To determine the applicability of these methods in selecting active ingredient concentrations, individual active ingredient components underwent dose-response testing. Our findings suggest that, when selected appropriately, these three methods can be applied for the development and evaluation of potent essential oil based repellent products.

The cherry tree borer, Synanthedon bicingulata (Staudinger, 1887), is considered as a tree boring pest boring into cambium layer and weakens the tree. Cherry trees, the host species of S. bicingulata, are the most abundant ornamental trees in South Korea. However, there has been insufficient study conducted on ornamental trees compared to orchards. The study aimed to investigate the injury patterns caused by their larvae based on height and direction they faced. Since life cycle of S. bicingulata in Gangwon province had not been surveyed, occurrence pattern was also investigated using sex attractant. Injury patterns of 253 cherry trees in Chuncheon, were surveyed in April 2023. As a result, the injury occuring under 1 m in height was 2.61 times more extensive than injury between 1m and 2m in height of trunk. Also, the injury on the south-faced trunks was 2.68 times larger than on the north-faced trunks.

Glyphosate, a worldwide most used herbicides, can have complex implications for terrestrial ecosystems, extending beyond its intended target, weed control. This study investigated the cascading effects of glyphosate application on both plant and collembolan communities. Our findings reveal that glyphosate application can reduce the richness of plant communities, and these effects can be pronounced in areas with low initial plant diversity. Furthermore, our results confirm that the fluctuations in plant community composition induced by glyphosate application can also impact the richness of collembolan communities. This research highlights the importance of considering both plant and invertebrate communities when assessing the impacts of herbicide use in agroecosystems.

From an evolutionary perspective, it is speculated that termites have evolved to construct tunnels in a manner that optimizes search and transport efficiency. While numerous studies have focused on search efficiency, there has been limited research on transport efficiency due to the challenges associated with direct field observations. To address this challenge, we developed an individual-based model to simulate the transport process. Using the model, we examine the effects of several key variables on transport efficiency, Based on our results, we discuss potential strategies that termites might employ to optimize transport efficiency. In addition, we briefly discuss ways to improve the realism of the model.

기후변화 위기에 대응하기 위하여 대한민국은 2030년까지 신재생연료 혼합비율(Renewable Fuel Standard, RFS)을 3.5%에서 8%까지 상향하기로 결정하였다. 국내에서 제조되는 신재생연료의 원료가 되는 바이오매스의 60%이상이 해외에서 수입하는 실정이며, 2030 탄소중립 및 RE100과 같은 바이오연료 사용증가 정책의 확대로 인하여 국내에서 제조되어 활용가능한 바이오매스의 확보가 절실하게 필요하다. 곤충은 높은 비율의 단백질과 지질을 체내에 저장하는 특징을 가지고 있으며, 곤충의 대량사육을 통하여 지질의 대량생산이 가능할 것으로 판단된다. 본 연구에서는 곤충의 대량사육환경에서 제조되는 지질을 원료로 하여 기후변화에 대응할 수 있는 바이오연료로의 전환 제조가능성을 확인하고자 하였으며, 이를 위하여 촉매공정을 통하여 디젤과 혼합하여 사용할 수 있는 수첨바이오디젤을 제조하여 그 특성을 분석하였다. 그 결과 곤충지질을 활용하여 수첨바이오디 젤로 전환가능함을 확인하였다.

The striped fruit fly (SFF), Zeugodacus scutellata, is an agricultural pest species with a strong and rapid reproductive ability that can cause significant harm. To control the population of these kind of pests, the sterile insect technique (SIT) is being used as one of the effective methods. SIT involves the introduction of sexually transmitted factors that reduce the reproductive capacity of males. This study shows that knocking down the testis-specific serine/threonine protein kinase 1 (Zs-Tssk1) gene alters male fertility and male-initiated types of communication. Since Zs-Tssk1 influences the physiology of the testes, spermatogenesis is also affected, which in turn alters the lifespan of Zs-Tssk1 knock down group in comparison with the control. Based on these results, Zs-Tssk1 may be crucial in reproductive function, and its down-regulation may be helpful in controlling SFF through SIT.

꽃노랑총채벌레(Frankliniella occidentalis)는 고추를 가해하는 주요 병해충 가운데 하나이다. 유충과 성충이 긁어빠는 구기로 잎과 열매에 가해하는 직접피해는 물론이고 일명 칼라병이라 일컬어지는 토마토반점위조바 이러스를 전파하는 간접피해를 주고 있다. 다양한 바이러스 내병성 품종이 농가에서 재배되고 있으나, 칼라병의 발병은 해를 거듭하며 증가하고 있다. 놀라운 사실은 일부 내병성 품종에 대해서 총채벌레의 유인력이 감수성 품종에 비해 높다는 사실이다. 본 연구는 꽃노랑총채벌레에 대한 고추의 항객성 기작을 분석하였다. 총채벌레에 이미 피해를 받은 고추는 다른 총채벌레의 접근을 억제하는 것은 물론이고 천적인 미끌애꽃노린재를 유인하였 다. 이 고추 내부에는 자스모닉산 생합성 관여 유전자의 발현이 증가하였다. 고추가 생산하는 향기성분을 SPME 방식으로 모아 분석한 결과 Green leaf volatile과 terpene류의 증가를 보였다. 시판되는 10개의 고추 품종을 대상으 로 항객성 생물 검정과 향기성분 분석을 실시한 결과 이상의 항객성 기작을 뒷받침하였다. 또한 근권세균 가운데 일부는 고추로 하여금 이러한 항객성을 유도하였다.