Distribution Of Pests Research Articles

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Depression Among Adult Population in Silkamba Town, Ethiopia, A Community Based Cross Sectional Study

Since rice crop production relatively is recent activities in Ethiopia, the incidence and distribution of insect pests and their natural enemy in the study area has not been recognized. Field surveys were conducted in 2018 and 2019 rainy season to generate baseline information on the type of pests prevailing in rice crop. The survey was conducted in South Gondar, three districts. Insect pests were determined by visual search for damages done by insects throughout the field. The current survey found that more than 13 insect pest of namely, stalk eyed fly, stem borer, leaf hopper as leaf/stem feeding and rice bug and sting bugs are among grain sucking insect pest, and whorl maggot, cricket, grass hopper and termite also found in the study area. Furthermore, our study found that a new insect in the study area named as creatonatus sp . which feed on rice leaf. Additionally, the study found that more than 6 natural enemies of rice insect pests. Some of the natural enemies are damselfly, dragonfly and spider, beetle, lacewing and wasps found dominantly in the study area. This study is the first report to explore the presence of these above maintained insect pest and natural enemy in the rice growing area of south Gondar. It then requires adequate knowledge about all mentioned insects yield loss on rice production. The infestation level of natural enemy on rice insect should be checked and farmers should be awared regarding to importance of these natural enemy for rice insect pest control. Keywords : rice insects, natural enemy, incidence, south Gondar DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/11-9-03 Publication date: May 31 st 2021

Resistance status of lepidopteran soybean pests following large-scale use of MON\xa087701\u2009\xd7\u2009MON\xa089788 soybean in Brazil

Widespread adoption of MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean, expressing Cry1Ac Bt protein and glyphosate tolerance, has been observed in Brazil. A proactive program was implemented to phenotypically and genotypically monitor Cry1Ac resistance in Chrysodeixis includens (Walker). Recent cases of unexpected injury in MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean were investigated and a large-scale sampling of larvae on commercial soybean fields was performed to assess the efficacy of this technology and the distribution of lepidopteran pests in Brazil. No significant shift in C. includens susceptibility to Cry1Ac was observed eight years after commercial introduction of this technology in Brazil. F2 screen results confirmed that the frequency of Cry1Ac resistance alleles remains low and stable in C. includens. Unexpected injury caused by Rachiplusia nu (Guenée) and Crocidosema aporema (Walsingham) in MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean was detected during the 2020/21 season, and studies confirmed a genetically based alteration in their susceptibility to Cry1Ac. MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean remains effective against Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner), C. includens, Chloridea virescents (Fabricius) and Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) in Brazil. However, there is evidence of field-evolved resistance to MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean by the secondary soybean pests R. nu and C. aporema.

Potential distribution and biosecurity risks from three economically important plant‐parasitic nematodes

AbstractThe plant‐parasitic nematodes (PPNs), Heterodera zeae, Hirschmanniella oryzae and Meloidogyne graminicola, are economically important pests of major grain crops. Each of these species is still absent from the majority of countries, so there is great concern about their spread. However, the areas particularly at risk of invasion and the potential global distributions of these nematode pests are yet to be identified. This paper identifies these areas, together with the main factors that could facilitate establishment in new areas using CLIMEX models. Parameterised using published studies of species phenology and global species distributions, the models correctly identified the areas invaded recently by M. graminicola and H. zeae. The vast majority of the areas of the world under wheat, rice and maize were identified as suitable for the nematodes. The nematodes are not yet established in many of these areas, suggesting that biosecurity measures may be particularly warranted to prevent the spread of these species to the new suitable areas identified. Intensive cropping systems under irrigation were identified as being at much greater risk than rain‐fed cropping systems. The potential detrimental effects from introduction and local spread of PPNs in irrigation water could undermine suggested potential gains from using irrigation to increase world food production and meet increasing demand. These results mean that biosecurity measures for PPNs are justified.

Non-linear physiological responses to climate change: the case of Ceratitis capitata distribution and abundance in Europe

Understanding how climate change might influence the distribution and abundance of crop pests is fundamental for the development and the implementation of pest management strategies. Here we present and apply a modelling framework assessing the non-linear physiological responses of the life-history strategies of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Wiedemann) to temperature. The model is used to explore how climate change might influence the distribution and abundance of this pest in Europe. We estimated the change in the distribution, abundance and activity of this species under current (year 2020) and future (years 2030 and 2050) climatic scenarios. The effects of climate change on the distribution, abundance and activity of C. capitata are heterogeneous both in time and in space. A northward expansion of the species, an increase in the altitudinal limit marking the presence of the species, and an overall increase in population abundance is expected in areas that might become more suitable under a changing climate. On the contrary, stable or reduced population abundances can be expected in areas where climate change leads to equally suitable or less suitable conditions. This heterogeneity reflects the contribution of both spatial variability in the predicted climatic patterns and non-linearity in the responses of the species’ life-history strategies to temperature.

Distribution of Fly Pests in a Farm in Plateau State, Nigeria

An evaluation of fly pests of cattle was conducted in Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology (FCAH&PT) Farm, Chaha Village, Jos South Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria between August and October, 2020. Samples were collected from the farm weekly for three months. A total of nine hundred and nineteen (919) adult dipterous flies comprising fifteen species in eight genera across the three sub-orders were caught and identified using aerial sweeping hand net, light trapping and aerial insecticide spray. Phlebotomus papaltasi (44.18%) was the most prevalent while Simulium damnosum (0.22%) was the least. Others were Musca domestica (17.73%), Stomoxys calcitrans (11.43%), Culicoides species (10.99%), Musca autumnalis (10.23%), mosquitoes – Anopheles gambiae/Culex quequinfasciatus (4.89%) and Tabanus species (0.33%). The haematophagous flies (72.04%) out-numbered the non-haematophagous flies (27.96%) and the number of females collected/caught 780 (84.87%) were higher than the males 139 (15.13%). The highest collections were made in October (353 representing 38.41%) while September had the lowest (263 /28.62%). The study established the presence of fly pests in the farm and recommends that appropriate control measures should be put in place to forestall any disease outbreak.

Spatial Associations of Key Lepidopteran Pests With Defoliation, NDVI, and Plant Height in Soybean

In soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, production, losses to, and control costs for insect pests can be significant limiting factors. Although the heterogeneity of pests has typically been ignored in traditional field management practices, technological advancements have allowed for site-specific pest management systems to be developed for the precise control of pests within a field. In this study, we chose to determine how the in-field distributions of the larvae of three major lepidopteran pests [velvetbean caterpillar Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), soybean looper Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and green cloverworm Hypena scabra (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) (Fabricius)] were spatially associated with defoliation, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and plant height in soybean. Spatial analysis by distance indices (SADIE) of data from two South Carolina soybean fields in 2017 and 2018 revealed a limited number of spatial aggregations for insect datasets. However, 14% and 6% of paired plant-insect datasets were significantly associated or dissociated, respectively. NDVI was found to be more associated with pest distributions than soybean plant heights and defoliation estimates, and the majority of all plant-insect associations and dissociations occurred in the first 4 wk of sampling (late July-early August). If changes are to be implemented regarding how a pest is managed, critical factors explaining the spatial distribution of pests must be identified. Results from this study advocate for the relationship between early-season distributions of pests and important plant variables such as NDVI to be further investigated to better determine the strength of the correlations across years and sites.

Climate warming promotes pesticide resistance through expanding overwintering range of a global pest

Climate change has the potential to change the distribution of pests globally and their resistance to pesticides, thereby threatening global food security in the 21st century. However, predicting where these changes occur and how they will influence current pest control efforts is a challenge. Using experimentally parameterised and field-tested models, we show that climate change over the past 50 years increased the overwintering range of a global agricultural insect pest, the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), by ~2.4 million km2 worldwide. Our analysis of global data sets revealed that pesticide resistance levels are linked to the species’ overwintering range: mean pesticide resistance was 158 times higher in overwintering sites compared to sites with only seasonal occurrence. By facilitating local persistence all year round, climate change can promote and expand pesticide resistance of this destructive species globally. These ecological and evolutionary changes would severely impede effectiveness of current pest control efforts and potentially cause large economic losses.

The effect of insecticide application by dropleg sprayers on pollen beetle parasitism in oilseed rape

Dropleg sprayers apply pesticides below the flower horizon of oilseed rape plants and thus reduce unwanted side effects on pollinating insects. Whether this technique benefits parasitoids of seed and pollen feeding insect pests has not been studied earlier. To answer this question, we first assessed the vertical distribution of pests and parasitoids using a portable aspirator. In addition, parasitism rates of pollen beetle, Brassicogethes aeneus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), by the larval parasitoid Tersilochus heterocerus Thomson (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were compared in conventional and dropleg sprayed fields over four years (2016–2019), using the neonicotinoids thiacloprid and acetamiprid. Our results show that seed and pollen feeders were mainly found in the flowering canopy, while the predominant location of parasitoids was species-specific. Among pollen beetle parasitoids, Phradis interstitialis Thomson (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) was more abundant below flowering canopy (63% of total catch), whereas T. heterocerus was mainly caught in the flowering canopy (84% of total catch). In the spraying experiments, average parasitism rates of pollen beetles by T. heterocerus ranged between 55 and 82% in the untreated controls. In the dropleg spray treatments, parasitism rates did not differ significantly from control levels, with the exception of thiacloprid application in 2019. In contrast, conventional spray applications resulted in a reduction of parasitism rates by up to 37% compared to the control for at least one of the insecticides in three out of four years. The impact of conventional application differed between years, which may be explained by the temporal coincidence between spray application and the immigration of parasitoids into the crop. We conclude that dropleg spraying exerts lower non-target effects on the main biological control agent of pollen beetle.

Modeling current and future potential distributions of desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål) under climate change scenarios using MaxEnt

Climate changes indulge the spread of pests outside their active range by increasing, decreasing, or shifting appropriate climatic conditions and niche of a particular species. Modeling the future potential distribution of pests using MaxEnt under different climate change scenarios is an effective method for prevention and management protocol. This study was conducted to predict the potential distribution of Schistocerca gregaria in future for better management plans based on two socio-economic pathways (SSPs) for 2050 and 2070. To evaluate the predictive performance of the model, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used. We used 226 occurrence records and 9 bioclimatic variables to simulate the current and future distributions of S. gregaria. The precision of the MaxEnt model was highly significant, with mean AUC value ranging from 0.929 to 0.940 for all of the evaluated models. The jackknife test showed that Bio 11 and Bio18 contributed 51.4% and 17.3% to the MaxEnt model. A total of 2,557,856 km 2 (1.69%) area were recognized as high potential habitats of S. gregaria. However, in 2050 and 2070 high-potential areas would decrease for both of the SSP scenarios.

Research and Development of Insect Situation Data Intelligent Cloud Platform Using Geographic Information System

With the changes in climate, pest varieties and resistance to pesticides, pests have shown frequent and recurring characteristics, making the supply of major agricultural products and food security facing severe challenges. The key to preventing and controlling pests is to correctly identify the pests and then apply the correct drugs and doses. This paper uses cloud computing, artificial intelligence and big data technology to build a cloud platform for identification and early warning of pest situation. Users use smartphones as terminals to accurately identify crop pests and form a complete crop pest distribution database, which is conducive to grasping the rules of pest occurrence. It is conducive to targeted pest control and is conducive to improving the efficiency of pesticide application control, thereby increasing crop yields.

First report of the bay sucker Trioza alacris Flor (Triozidae: Hemiptera) in Tunisia

AbstractIn June 2016, abnormal growth and rolling of young leaves of bay laurel, Laurus nobilis, were observed in private gardens and in ornamental nurseries near Sousse (Tunisia). Symptomatic plants were examined, and insects present on leaves were collected and identified as the bay sucker Trioza alacris Flor (Hemiptera: Triozidae). Information on the nature of the damage caused and a review of pest distribution are provided. The predatory bug Anthocoris nemoralis was also observed feeding on T. alacris colonies.

DNA barcode identification of Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen, 1904) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) and other moths affecting cacao in Papua New Guinea

AbstractEconomically important cacao (Theobroma cacao Linnaeus 1753) plantations in South East Asia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) are significantly affected by the cocoa pod borer (CPB) moth. Species identity of the pest is attributed to Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen 1904), a gracillariid moth endemic to Australasian and Oriental tropic regions that has evolved a host preference for introduced cacao. Suspected presence of cryptic CPB biotypes is largely unsupported by earlier genetic work but remains a concern to organisations developing species‐specific lure and/or control tools for managing this pest. We report the use of DNA barcoding to investigate population and species genetic diversity of CPB infecting cacao plantations in PNG at the eastern periphery of the pest's distribution. DNA barcodes from 94.4% of 179 moths from three disjunct PNG provinces (East Sepik, Bougainville and East New Britain) matched to reported C. cramerella sequence accessions. Genetic diversity among C. cramerella in PNG was limited to four closely related haplotypes, two of which were common in PNG and have previously been reported in the Malay Archipelago at different frequencies. We found evidence of significant population genetic structure between mainland and eastern offshore PNG provinces marked by a reduction of genetic diversity at the offshore provinces. We suggest C. cramerella populations in these offshore island provinces likely arose recently from a genetically depauperate cohort of founders from western sources. Ten moths were genetically unmatched to C. cramerella. Of these, six incidentally captured and degraded adults had novel unmatched DNA barcodes. Four larvae infesting cacao pods were genetically matched to Thaumatotibia zophophanes (Turner 1946) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and an undefined Conopomorpha species distantly related to C. cramerella. The extent to which these two additional moth species affect the cacao industry in PNG (and potentially elsewhere) remains unknown. However, their low representation here (<2.3% of samples) indicates they may be of lesser prominence than the widespread C. cramerella. Nevertheless, organisations designing and/or implementing CPB controls tailored specifically for C. cramerella will need to ensure empirical evidence of control efficiency is monitored with respect to species identity of the captured pests.

Prediction of the potential global distribution of the Asian longhorned beetle Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) under climate change

AbstractThe Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an important wood‐boring pest that has caused substantial damage to broadleaf trees in Asia, North America, and Europe. We used the modelling software CLIMEX to project the potential global distribution of ALB based on both historical (1987–2016) and future (2021–2050) climate conditions. ALB has possible hosts in 37 genera, and their known distributions were incorporated into the model to assess their effect on pest distribution. Suitable regions for ALB are predicted to be widely distributed under both historical and future climate conditions, and across all continents except Antarctica. With climate change, climate suitability would increase in the regions north of 30°N and decline in most regions south of 30°N. The area of most climate‐suitable regions would be covered by potential hosts, and optimum hosts would dominate. The possibility of ALB outbreaks in the Northern Hemisphere is much higher than in the Southern Hemisphere, owing to the richer abundance of hosts. These results provide theoretical guidance for developing effective ALB monitoring and mitigation measures.

Spatio-temporal distribution patterns of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in a fine-scale agricultural landscape based on geostatistical analysis

A detailed knowledge on the spatial distribution of pests is crucial for predicting population outbreaks or developing control strategies and sustainable management plans. The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, is one of the most destructive pests of cruciferous crops worldwide. Despite the abundant research on the species’s ecology, little is known about the spatio-temporal pattern of P. xylostella in an agricultural landscape. Therefore, in this study, the spatial distribution of P. xylostella was characterized to assess the effect of landscape elements in a fine-scale agricultural landscape by geostatistical analysis. The P. xylostella adults captured by pheromone-baited traps showed a seasonal pattern of population fluctuation from October 2015 to September 2017, with a marked peak in spring, suggesting that mild temperatures, 15–25 °C, are favorable for P. xylostella. Geostatistics (GS) correlograms fitted with spherical and Gaussian models showed an aggregated distribution in 21 of the 47 cases interpolation contour maps. This result highlighted that spatial distribution of P. xylostella was not limited to the Brassica vegetable field, but presence was the highest there. Nevertheless, population aggregations also showed a seasonal variation associated with the growing stage of host plants. GS model analysis showed higher abundances in cruciferous fields than in any other patches of the landscape, indicating a strong host plant dependency. We demonstrate that Brassica vegetables distribution and growth stage, have dominant impacts on the spatial distribution of P. xylostella in a fine-scale landscape. This work clarified the spatio-temporal dynamic and distribution patterns of P. xylostella in an agricultural landscape, and the distribution model developed by geostatistical analysis can provide a scientific basis for precise targeting and localized control of P. xylostella.

Areawide mating disruption for vine mealybug in California vineyards

The mealybug, Planococcus ficus (Signoret), is one of the more damaging vineyard pests and an important vector of Grapevine leafroll-associated viruses. Pheromone-mediated mating disruption is a commercially available and environmentally sustainable control tool for P. ficus. Here we report on a three-year areawide study of P. ficus mating disruption in Napa County, California, where pheromone dispensers were deployed across large (53–66 ha) multi-owner sites that were paired with sites that did not receive pheromone. Male P. ficus captures in pheromone traps were correlated with mealybug numbers and crop damage, and were useful in identifying ‘hotspots’ to be targeted with insecticide applications for areawide control. Trap catches at mating disruption sites were far lower than untreated sites, although mealybugs were still present at mating disruption sites. Evidence indicated that mating disruption reduced P. ficus density and spread, particularly in areas with low initial mealybug densities. In the third year, areawide mating disruption was discontinued at the former mating disruption sites and, as evidence of its impact, P. ficus trap captures increased. These results suggest that mating disruption and well-timed, effective insecticide applications play complementary roles, and that monitoring the areawide distribution of pests is a critical component of programs for controlling P. ficus.

Climatic and edaphic characteristics constrain the distribution of the quarantine pestAnastrepha grandis

AbstractThe South American cucurbit fruit fly,Anastrepha grandis(Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is an economically important pest of cucurbits and is classified as a quarantine species in many countries. In Brazil,A. grandishas a limited distribution; it is absent from northern and northeastern Brazil and distributed discontinuously in other parts of the country. To indirectly evaluate the influence of climatic and edaphic variables on the occurrence ofA. grandis, we used data based on 4 years of cucurbit fruit collections from all mesoregions of the state of São Paulo. Our results show evidence thatA. grandisis constrained by a minimum air temperature above 12 °C, low (<20 °C) and high (>29 °C) maximum air temperature, and by low rainfall and relative humidity, occurring at altitudes from 520 to 780 m. More importantly,A. grandiswas not collected in central to western São Paulo, where sandy soil and low soil water availability predominate and the climate is hot and dry. Our findings suggest that soil texture and moisture may be limiting factors for pupal survivorship ofA. grandis, and consequently edaphic characteristics should be taken into account in studies on its geographical distribution. Based on our results, central to western São Paulo state can potentially be classified as an area of low pest prevalence. Moreover, in countries where cucurbit species are cultivated in such conditions, it is not likely thatA. grandiscould become established.

Supply Response Analysis on the Impact of Climate Change on Oil Palm Production in Malaysia

Climate change has significantly impact the economic development and trade of developing countries particularly those largely rely on agriculture. According to the World Bank, oil palm was the main contributor of GDP for Malaysia agriculture. Climate change affects oil palm growth and productivity in a number of ways, including reduction in sex-ration, disrupts the pollination process, abortion of newly produced inflorescence, drops in productivity, and increase in ranges and distribution of pests and diseases. Much of the economic researches devoted to employ production function and Ricardian approach. This study, therefore, focuses to model the effect of climate change on oil palm production by using supply response approach. An annual time series data used for the period of 37 years starting from 1980 until 2016, and Autoregressive Distributed Lags (ARDL) co-integration_-employed in achieving the objective of the study. Six econometric models consisting of linear and non-linear equations were constructed by incorporating temperature and rainfall as proxies for climate variable to estimate the yield response model. The results revealed that oil palm production was very negatively affected by changes in temperature compared to changes in rainfall. Meanwhile, the planted area and own price upsurge the supply of palm oil. The results also indicated that Model 3 and Model 6 were the best model to represent the linear and non-linear effect of climate_change on oil palm production, respectively. Quantifying the impact of climate change on palm oil production can help policy makers and relevant stakeholders to determine the best adaptation and mitigation measures.

Distribution and detectability of mammalian pests in the Waikato Region

ABSTRACT We used systematic arrays of camera traps combined with site-occupancy analyses to estimate the site-specific presence and probability of detection the principal target pests across the three main habitats of Waikato Region, classified by season. Cameras easily identified brushtail possums, hedgehogs, ship rats, wild house mice, and mustelids, i.e., stoats, feral ferrets and weasels taken as a group. The data comprise four sets of estimates, one set of 15 (five targets, three habitats) for each season of the year, total of 60. Of these, only 10 (17%) returned probabilities of detection of more than 50% for that species in that habitat at that season, given that at least one individual was present then. All pest species we monitored were present on pastoral land. Pasture makes up more than half of the land cover of the Waikato, so it supports large numbers even of species that are not abundant in that habitat. Hence, pest control operations intended to conserve indigenous species in protected forests need to allow for the important effects of rapid reinvasions of controlled areas from adjacent pasture.

Expected prevalence of the facultative parasitoid Megaselia scalaris of honey bees in Africa and the Mediterranean region under climate change conditions

The biological invasion with new pests and pest status are highly impacted by future climate change conditions. There are a number of parasitic flies that can infect honey bees causing some economic damages. The information related to the geographical distribution of such parasitic pests is very limited under current and future climate conditions. The facultative parasitoid Megaselia scalaris is the focus of this study. Ecological modeling approach was used to model current and potential future distribution of this fly in Africa and the Mediterranean region. Occurrence records from five countries, six temperature variables, future models for 2050 and 2070, and maximum entropy algorithm in Maxent were used during the analysis. The highest contribution in the model was to annual mean temperature, mean diurnal range, minimum temperature of the coldest month, and the mean temperature of the warmest quarter representing 92.4% of the total percentage. The performance of the model was perfect according to the evaluation analysis. The study maps showed the suitability of current conditions for the prevalence of this fly in various regions in Africa and Europe. Maps for all time points confirmed the occurrence of this pest in North Africa especially Northern parts from Egypt to Morocco, Sub-Saharan Africa, and countries in South Europe. The implications of such prevalence of M. scalaris on beekeeping were discussed.

Environmental niche modelling as tool for pest risk assessment

The article reviews the concept and technology of pest risk assessment for the spread of quarantine species based on ecological and geographical analysis and ecological niche modeling. Using a quarantine species Ipomoea hederacea (L.) Jacq. as an example, we calculated the ecological requirements of the species. The main ecological factors limiting the spread of I. hederacea were determined and the ecological amplitudes of the species in relation to each factor limiting its distribution were quantitatively estimated. We identified ecologically suitable habitats and compiled a map of the ecological-geographical niche of the species using specially created environmental maps based on the obtained data of the ecological limits of the species. Using the map of the ecological-geographical niche, the I. hederacea distribution risk in the regions of the Russian Federation was estimated. Similar maps can be used for basis of quantitative as well as targeted risk assessment of penetration and establishment of harmful organisms. Obtained information will be useful to compile lists of quarantine species, estimate the potential areas of geographic distribution of pests into Russian Federation, and make decisions for introduction of effective phytosanitary measures to prevent the penetration of these invasive organisms. It can also be used as the basis for organizing and conducting phytosanitary monitoring in the Russian Federation.