Abstract
Simple SummaryOver 90 million acres of US cropland are planted with corn, Zea mays, annually. The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, causes significant economic damage by feeding on corn roots and the insect has populations that have adapted to nearly all management techniques in some regions. Additional tools are needed. Significant research on the basic biology of this pest has added new possibilities. Here, we summarize research that we believe has potential for future management of this major pest.The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, is resistant to four separate classes of traditional insecticides, all Bacillius thuringiensis (Bt) toxins currently registered for commercial use, crop rotation, innate plant resistance factors, and even double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting essential genes via environmental RNA interference (RNAi), which has not been sold commercially to date. Clearly, additional tools are needed as management options. In this review, we discuss the state-of-the-art knowledge about biotic factors influencing herbivore success, including host location and recognition, plant defensive traits, plant-microbe interactions, and herbivore-pathogens/predator interactions. We then translate this knowledge into potential new management tools and improved biological control.
Highlights
Management of the western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) in maize cropping systems has a long, complex history
western corn rootworm (WCR) have developed resistance to four separate classes of traditional insecticides, all Bacillius thuringiensis (Bt) toxins currently registered for commercial use, crop rotation, and even to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and innate plant resistance traits [7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17]
entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs)-infected cadavers induce plant resistance against leaf pathogens through volatile chemical cues [228,229], this strategy may be valuable for integrated pest management (IPM)
Summary
Management of the western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) in maize cropping systems has a long, complex history. 1909 [1], western corn rootworm (WCR) populations rapidly expanded eastward as corn was planted, reaching New England and, more recently, through multiple establishments and subsequent spread, European regions [2,3,4]. We highlight the status and potential of several prospective tools based on recent advances in the understanding of the biology and chemical ecology of the pest. These tools include push-pull strategies, plant defenses and nutrition, beneficial plant-microbial partners, and microbial control agents
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