Naturally occurring plant toxins, such as benzoates, have been shown to have insecticidal effects on some pest insects. In this study three commercially available benzoates, methyl benzoate (MB), ethyl benzoate (EB), and vinyl benzoate (VB), were assessed for their contact toxicity against Aphis gossypii Glover and its lacewing predator Chrysoperla carnea Stephens. Toxicity of 1% MB, EB, and VB showed 100%, 85% and 60% mortality of A. gossypii at 24 h. In addition, a mixture of MB and EB showed higher synergistic effect than mixtures of MB+VB or EB+VB against A. gossypii. Toxicity at 1% concentration of three benzoates against A. gossypii showed lower toxicity against the larvae of C. carnea after 72 h of exposure than A. gossypii. Our result suggest that benzoates have high potential as environmentally safe biopesticides for A. gossypii control.

토양해충의 포식성 천적인 뿌리이리응애[Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley)]를 이중박스 시스템을 활용하여 대량생산할 수 있는 방법을 개발하였다. 사육상자는 외부(22 L, 54 × 36 × 18 cm3) 및 내부(6.5 L, 31 × 22 × 11 cm3)로 구성된 플라스틱상자이다. 내부상자에는 뿌리이리 응애의 은신처 역할을 하는 왕겨(4 L)를 담았다. 외부상자에는 물을 1 L 채우고 그 위에 내부상자를 넣고 외부상자 덮개를 덮었다. 이 시스템은 포식성응애의 탈출을 막고 은신처의 습도를 유지할 수 있다. 천적의 먹이원으로서 긴털가루응애[Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank)]를 쌀겨에 사육하였으며, 뿌리이리응애와 마찬가지로 2중상자에서 증식시켰다. 천적응애상자에 주 1회 먹이응애를 제공하면서 25 ± 1℃, 상대습도 60 ± 10% 조건에서 사육하였다. 뿌리이리응애의 밀도는 4주에 3배로 증가하였으며 최종적으로 약 12만 마리/상자(4 L)였다. 이 방법은 간단한 뿌리이리 응애 대량사육기술로서 토양해충의 생물적 방제에 큰 도움이 될 것으로 판단한다.

토양해충의 포식성 천적인 뿌리이리응애[Stratiolaelapsscimitus(Wo mersley)]를 이중박스 시스템을 활용하여 대량생산할 수 있는 방법을 개발하였다. 사육상자는 외부(22L, 54×36×18 cm3)및 내부상자(6.5L, 31×22×11 cm3)로 구성된 플라스틱상자이다. 내부상자에는 뿌리이리응애의 은신처 역할을 하는 왕겨(4L)를 담았다. 외부상자에는 물을 1L 채우고 그 위에 내부상자를 넣고 외부상자 덮개를 덮었다. 이 시스템은 포식성응애의 탈출을 막고 은신처의 습도를 유지할 수 있다. 천적의 먹이원으로서 긴털가루응애[Tyrophagusputrescentiae(Sch rank)]를 쌀겨에 사육하였으며, 뿌리이리응애와 마찬가지로 2중상자에서 증식시켰다. 천적응애상자에 주 1회 먹이응애를 제공하면서 25±1℃, 상대습도 60±10% 조건에서 사육하였다. 뿌리이리응애의 밀도는 4주에 3배로 증가하였으며 최종적으로 약 12만마리/상자(4L)였다. 이 방법은 간단한 뿌리이리응애 대량사육기술로서 토양해충의 생물적 방제에 큰 도움이 될 것으로 판단한다.

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and its vector insect, the sweet potato whitefly Bemisia tabaci, are major threats to tomato and pepper production in all around world. Since the last three decades, both B. tabaci and TYLCV have been invaded into many countries via different routes. Our studies showed that various geminiviruses including TYLCV can be transmissible by seeds as well as whiteflies. Furthermore, commercially developed resistant tomato strains against TYLCV infection can serve as TYLCV reservoirs and potentially influence on TYLCV epidemics. Therefore, transmission pathways through both insect vectors and seeds should be concerned for suitable management of geminiviruses and whiteflies.

Geminiviruses are plant-infecting viruses with monopartite or bipartite single-stranded circular DNA genomes. They are known to be mediated by insects such as whiteflies, treehoppers, leafhoppers or aphids and can cause devastating plant diseases in a wide range of economically significant crops worldwide. In Korea, occurrence of geminiviruses were reported officially after the 2000s. Although Honeysuckle yellow vein virus (HYVV) and Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV) were identified from honeysuckle and sweet potato in 2004 and 2006 respectively, these viruses did not spread and cause much concern for geminiviruses. In 2008, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) that has caused severe tomato production loss in many subtropical and tropical countries was first reported in tomato plants cultivated in Tongyeong. TYLCV rapidly spread through the country and has been continuously reported from tomato cultivating areas in Korea. In addition to TYLCV, Tobacco leaf curl virus and Sweet potato golden vein associated virus have occurred. In recent years, new geminiviruses including Papaya leaf curl Guangdong virus (PaLCGdV) and Euphorbia leaf curl virus (EuLCV) have been introduced. Newly emerging geminiviruses from tropical and subtropical countries are due to increased demand for various fruits and vegetables, and climate change. In addition, there are reports that some geminiviruses including TYLCV can be transmitted by infected seeds. Therefore it is important to study on epidemiology of virus introduction and spread among the countries and within country.

Methyl benzoate (MB) is a natural compound in many plants and shows insecticidal toxicity against various insect pests. We determined contact, fumigant, and repellent activities of MB against the sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci and the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Complete contact mortality was obtained by 4% MB. Contact mortality at 2% MB into eggs, 4th instar nymphs and adults were 69.4%, 91.6% and 80%, respectively. Fumigation of 2% MB killed 95% of adults. In addition, treatment of 4% MB repelled 60% adults. There was no significant different between two species. Our results suggest that MB has high potential as an natural pesticide for sustainable pest management in crop production.

Fungus gnat, Bradysia impatiens is the most serious pest of different vegetable crops, mushroom and ornamental crops. In this study, we compared the control efficacy of two entomopathogenic nematode; Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabdistis indica in Bradysia impatiens last instar maggots at 25℃ in laboratory. Our present study shows that, nematode infection and reproduction both were higher in the warm adapted nematode H. indica than the cold adapted S. carpocapsae. Therefore, entomopathogenic nematode H. indica can be use for control the Badysia impatiens as the efficient biological control agent.

The genus Aphidius is one of the largest groups of aphid parasitoids. Aphidius colemani is most common and commercially available for the aphid control. Recently, the mummies of Rhopalosiphum padi were collected from barley banker plants in Yecheon. Nucleotide sequence analysis identified its parasitoid as A. transcaspicus, which is morphologically similar to A. colemani. Interspecific variation of both COI and ITS2 between two species was 5.13 and 10.73%, respectively. Intraspecific variations of both COI and ITS2 of A. transcaspicus was 1.85 and 4.96%, respectively. We assume the barley banker plants for A. colemani were contaminated by A. transcaspicus. Thus, precise identification of natural enemies is required for more effective pest control.

Bemisia tabaci is a vector of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) but Trialeurodes vaporariorum is not. To determine the effect of TYLCV acquisition on vector and non-vector, we compared various physiological characteristics between two species. Our results showed that TYLCV acquisition significantly affected B. tabaci but not T. vaporariorum. The B. tabaci increased susceptibility against thermal stress but weakened chill coma recovery, shortening of longevity, low fecundity and abbreviated developmental time by virus acquisition. At the molecular level, B. tabaci increased hsp70 and hsp90 levels by TYLCV ingestion. However, T. vaporariorum did not shown any changes of those characteristics. Therefore, the physiological manipulation of TYLCV was specific to vector species but not non-vector species.

Bemisia tabaci is a species complex consisting of at least 40 species which are morphologically indistinguishable. Althoughgenetic diversity of B. tabaci have been studied in many countries, its information is lack in Bangladesh. The COI sequencewas determined from 91 samples collected in Bangladesh and the phylogenetic relationship was constructed. Four crypticspecies (Asia I, Asia II-1, Asia II-5 and Asia II-10) were present in different regions. While both Asia I and Asia II-1was widely distributed in all around the country, Asia II-5 was central and southern regions, and Asia II-10 was onlyin the central region. Otherwise, our results showed that Asia II-5 had the highest haplotype and nucleotide diversity.Genetic groups of B. tabaci in Bangladesh were most similar with those of Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, China, and Indiabut did not show any aggressive cryptic species such as MED and MEAM-1.

The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci is one of the most serious pests in the greenhouse. They can infest variouscrop plants even in high warm greenhouse condition in summer. To understand the effect of heat acclimation ability ofB. tabaci, mortality was determined at various temperature conditions of the greenhouse. Adult whiteflies survived evenin 63°C in tomato greenhouse. The median lethal temperature (LT50) of the greenhouse colony was 59.9°C however LT50of the lab colony was 47.6°C. The relative expression level of heat shock proteins (hsp23, hsp70 and hsp90) were significantlylower in the greenhouse colony compare to the lab colony. This result suggests B. tabaci has very high thermal adaptability(acclimation) and its mechanism is associated with heat shock protein system.

Aphidius colemani has been used as commercially available natural enemies for the aphid control. However, some siblingspecies are difficult to distinguish their morphology even though they have different parasitic characteristics. Recentlywe identified overwintering parasitoids inside the aphid mummies at the pepper greenhouse in Yecheon. The nucleotidesequence analysis identified as A. transcaspicus which is morphologically similar with A. colemani. Those genetic differencesof COI and ITS2 sequences were 4.36-4.84% and 2.65-5.84%, respectively. While A. colemani is useful for the controlof Aphis gossypii and Myzus persicae, A. transcaspicus parasitize various species belongs to the genera Hyalopterus, Melanaphisand Rhopalosiphum. Thus, precise diagnosis of natural enemies is required for the successful pest control.

Vector-borne plant virus transmission is a complex mechanism. Plant viruses modify development and behavior of vectorinsects in a positive, negative, or neutral manner. Bemisia tabaci transmits Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) whichis a virus that seriously damaged tomato cultivars all around the world. We compared several behavioral and physiologicalcharacteristics between non-viruliferous (NV) and TYLCV-viruliferous (V) of whiteflies. When B. tabaci acquired TYLCV,total life span was shorter and fecundity was lower than NV ones. V whiteflies were more susceptible to thermal stressby increasing hsp mRNA levels but higher in mortality by either heat or cold shocks. Further, V whiteflies increasedthe rates of plant sap probing and light attraction behaviors than NV ones. Our results provide insights to understandvector’s role in relation to the acquisition and transmission of plant viruses.

The toxicity of neem extracts that induce abnormality and lethality is strongly enhanced by the ingestion rather than surface contact. Oral toxicity of neem extracts was analyzed using a plant sapping pest Bemisia tabaci. When adults were allowed to ingest various doses (0, 5, 10, and 50 ppm) of azadirachtin diluted in 20% sugar solution in a double-layered parafilm chamber for 72 h, mortality was 12.5, 77.5, 97.5, 100%, respectively. When a cucumber leaf which has many nymphs were submerged into the solution of neem extract, adult eclosion was decreased to 87.0, 16.6, 16.1, and 6.6%, respectively. Further, when neem extracts were irrigated into the tomato cultivar the average number of nymphs per leaf was decreased to 60.3% in comparison with the untreated control. These result suggest that systemic treatment of neem extracts was effective for the control of whiteflies as well as other sucking insect pests.

The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a serious pest and virus vector of many crops. To understand thermal tolerance of B. tabaci at molecular level, effects of rapid and acclimated thermal stress were analyzed by measuring mRNA levels of two heat shock proteins (hsp), hsp23 and hsp90, of B. tabaci using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Mortality of adult whiteflies were 65.5% by 45°C for 1 h but 100% by 50°C for 1 h. However, mortality by subsequent exposures to 35°C for 1 h then 45°C for 1 h was 43.3%. Comparison between rapid and acclimated heat shock treatments showed that different patterns between hsp23 and hsp90 levels. At acclimated condition, hsp90 was higher but hsp23 was lower than rapid heat shock. The results suggest that the heat acclimation response is possibly advantageous to whiteflies that are often exposed to drastic temperature fluctuations.

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.

The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is a serious pest and vector of various virus causing economic losses in a variety of vegetables in Bangladesh as well as worldwide. In the present study, the mtCOI sequence of B. tabaci was analysed using 70 samples collected from different host plants at 12 districts of Bangladesh. Phylogenetic analysis was shown genetic divergence of our samples was 0.12 – 13.97%. There was three independent clusters such as Asia I, Asia II-1 and Asia II-5 genetic groups. Sequence diversity among three groups was 13.97%, 15.07% and 9.67%. Geographic diversity, for example, Asia I distributed in Central and Northern parts, Asia II-5 Central and Southern parts but Asia II-1 were present everywhere in Bangladesh. There was no B and Q aggressive biotypes in Bangladesh. Most Asia I and II was distributed in southeastern countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, China and India. Our results provide understanding of genetic diversity of B. tabaci in southeast area.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a rapid, specific, cost-effective detection method by amplifying nucleic acid under isothermal conditions. In this study, we used LAMP for detection of Hamiltonella defensa that lives as a facultive endosymbiont of whitefly ‘Bemisia tabaci’. We designed the Hamiltonella-specific primers by targeting 16S ribosomal RNA gene and validated the specificity of one primer set. To find the optimum temperature for our primer set, the LAMP reaction was held at the temperature, 60℃, 62℃ and 65℃. As a result, 62℃ was the optimum reation temperature for LAMP reaction. Specificity of primer set was tested by the reaction to both Trialeurodes vaporariorum and B. tabaci. After the whole procedure, the amplicons by LAMP were visualized by adding SYBR Green to the reaction tube.

The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is one of the most important sap sucking pests causing economic losses in a variety of vegetables in Bangladesh and as well as around the world. In the present study, the mtCOI sequence of B. tabaci was analysed using samples collected from different host plants (Potato, Brinjal, Tomato, Sweet potato, Bean) from district Gazipur, Patuakhali, Rajshahi and Nilphamari of Bangladesh. Phylogenetic analysis of our samples and relative sequences of B. tabaci in NCBI database was shown three independent clusters. Samples in Bangladesh were most similar with those of Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, China and India but did not show any B and Q aggressive biotypes.

Differential gene regulation is crucial for development. Indianmeal moth is a global pest of stored and processed food products. Here, we determined the whole developmental expression patterns of 13 genes (shsp, hsp70, grp78, and hsp90), ecdysone receptor (EcR), ultraspiracle (USP), hemolin, β-1,3-glucan recognition protein (βgrp), prophenoloxidase (ProPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thioredoxin peroxidase (Tpx), and two hexamerin storage protein genes (SP1 and SP2) related to growth, stress, metabolism, and host defense. We also studies effects of Bracon hebetor envenomation on these gene expressions to explore their role in host regulation. We found unexpected transcriptional peaks especially hsps which were high in egg and adult stages. This study provides comprehensive understanding about development and parasitoid regulation at molecular level.