Abstract
BackgroundSpodoptera frugiperda is a serious pest that causes devastating losses to many major crops, including corn, rice, sugarcane, and peanut. Camptothecin (CPT) is a bioactive secondary metabolite of the woody plant Camptotheca acuminata, which has shown high toxicity to various pests. However, the effect of CPT against S. frugiperda remains unknown.ResultsIn this study, bioassays have been conducted on the growth inhibition of CPT on S. frugiperda larvae. Histological and cytological changes were examined in the midgut of larvae fed on an artificial diet supplemented with 1.0 and 5.0 µg/g CPT. The potential molecular mechanism was explored by comparative transcriptomic analyses among midgut samples obtained from larvae under different treatments. A total of 915 and 3560 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from samples treated with 1.0 and 5.0 µg/g CPT, respectively. Among the identified genes were those encoding detoxification-related proteins and components of peritrophic membrane such as mucins and cuticle proteins. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses indicated that part of DEGs were involved in DNA replication, digestion, immunity, endocrine system, and metabolism.ConclusionsOur results provide useful information on the molecular basis for the impact of CPT on S. frugiperda and for future studies on potential practical application.
Highlights
Spodoptera frugiperda is a serious pest that causes devastating losses to many major crops, including corn, rice, sugarcane, and peanut
CPT inhibits S. frugiperda larval growth To examine any adverse effect of CPT against S. frugiperda, third-instar larvae were fed on artificial diets containing 0, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10, 20, and 30 μg/g CPT, respectively
CPT causes structural damages in S. frugiperda larval midgut After 7 days of feeding, the larvae from the control group developed to sixth instar larvae, while the larvae treated with CPT grew slowly, and developed only into fourth or fifth instars
Summary
Spodoptera frugiperda is a serious pest that causes devastating losses to many major crops, including corn, rice, sugarcane, and peanut. Camptothecin (CPT) is a bioactive secondary metabolite of the woody plant Camptotheca acuminata, which has shown high toxicity to various pests. The effect of CPT against S. frugiperda remains unknown. The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an important insect pest worldwide. The insect can feed on at least 353 plant species including major crops such as corn, rice, soybeans, sugar cane, and cotton [1,2,3]. Effective insecticides for controlling S. frugiperda include pyrethroids, diacyl hydrazides, diamides, and benzoylureas [6]. Extensive application of insecticides caused problems including arise of populations with
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