Control Of Agricultural Pests Research Articles

Silver and copper-oxide nanoparticles prepared with GA3 induced defense in rice plants and caused mortalities to the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)

BackgroundNanoparticles have been employed as nanopesticides for pest control in agriculture. However, the harmful effects of their chemical synthesis on human and environmental health have resulted in increased use of green synthetic approaches, including the use of plant extracts. The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (BPH), is a severe pest of rice plants (Oryza sativa L.), especially in Asia. It is usually controlled chemically but has developed resistance against many insecticides. ResultsIn this study, we synthesized metallic silver (Ag-NPs) and copper-oxide (CuO-NPs) nanoparticles using the exogenous phytohormone, gibberellic acid (GA3), as a reducing agent. We then sprayed them separately on rice plants and BPH together and evaluated their effects on the plants and insects. SEM and TEM images showed that the synthesis was successful, indicated by the sizes (25–60 nm), uniform shape and spherical and cubical structures of Ag-NPs, as well as by the rugby sheet-like of CuO-NPs with lateral sizes of 150–340 nm and thickness of 30–70 nm. Independent applications of the nanoparticles and GA3 on rice plants induced different volatile profiles, of which the highest number emitted was under Ag-NPs, including the highest emission of linalool. Transcriptome analysis showed that Ag-NPs-treated rice plants showed different transcriptome profiles compared to the control, 24 h after treatment, including the upregulation of the linalool synthase gene, genes of plants transcription factors such as WRKY, bHLH and NAC and other genes involved in plant defense responses. In all treatments, the mortality rate of BPH increased with an increase in NPs concentrations over time but was prominent under Ag-NPs treatment. The LC50 values for Ag-NPs and CuO-NPs decreased with an increase in time. Also, the nanoparticles increased the activities of protective enzymes (POD, SOD and CAT), inhibited that of detoxification enzymes (A-CHE, ACP and AKP), and reduced total protein concentrations in the BPH. ConclusionsThese results show that synthesizing nanoparticles using phytohormones may be a safer and environmentally friendly option, which also holds promise for controlling the BPH in rice production.

Mechanism of autophagy induced by low concentrations of chlorantraniliprole in silk gland, Bombyx mori

Chlorantraniliprole (CAP) is widely used in the control of agricultural pests, and its residues can affect the formation of silkworm (Bombyx. mori) cocoon easily. To accurately evaluate the toxicity of CAP to silkworms and clarify the mechanism of its effect on silk gland function, we proposed a novel toxicity evaluation method based on the body weight changes after CAP exposure. We also analyzed the Ca2+-related ATPase activity, characterized energy metabolism and transcriptional changes about the autophagy key genes on the downstream signaling pathways. The results showed that after a low concentration of CAP exposed for 96 h, there were CAP residues in the silk glands of B. mori, the activities of Ca2+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.01), and the activation of AMPK-related genes AMPK-α and AMPK-β were up-regulated by 6.39 ± 0.02-fold and 12.33 ± 1.06-fold, respectively, reaching a significant level (P ≤ 0.01)). In addition, the autophagy-related genes Atg1, Atg6, Atg5, Atg7, and Atg8 downstream AMPK were significantly up-regulated at 96 h (P ≤ 0.05). The results of immunohistochemistry and protein expression assay for autophagy marker Atg8 further confirmed the occurrence of autophagy. Overall, our results indicate that CAP exposure leads to autophagy in the silk gland of B. mori and affects their physiological functions, which provides guidance for the evaluation of toxicity of low concentration environmental CAP residues to insects.

Neonicotinoid Residues in Earthworms and Ground Beetles under Intensive Sugar Beet Production: Preliminary Study in Croatia

Neonicotinoids are pesticides widely used for pest control in agriculture with undesirable effects on pollinators. However, other beneficial insects are exposed to insecticides that are not lethal to them but may accumulate and affect their vital characteristics. The objective of this study was to determine neonicotinoid residues in two types of beneficial soil organisms. The first group includes ground beetles (family: Carabidae, order: Coleoptera). They are important in the food web within existing ecosystems, especially in agricultural areas. The second group includes earthworms (family: Lumbricidae, order: Opisthopora) as humifiers, important members of the soil fauna. Fauna was collected at two sugar beet growing areas in Croatia under intensive sugar beet management. Ground beetles were collected from six plots of sugar beet fields treated with imidacloprid and thiamethoxam or left untreated with neonicotinoids. Earthworms were collected from the eight fields involved in four-year sugar beet crop rotation (sugar beet, maize, soybean, oilseed rape). Detection of neonicotinoid residues was performed by LC-MS/MS, SPE-QuEChERS method. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.001 mg/kg. In ground beetles, the highest concentration of imidacloprid was detected at 0.027 mg/kg, while the residues of thiamethoxam and clothianidin were below LOQ. The highest concentration of imidacloprid in earthworms was 0.2141 mg/kg, while residues of thiamethoxam did not exceed 0.0008 mg/kg. This is the first study of this kind on Croatian territory and provides a valuable first insight into the ecotoxicological status of beneficial soil fauna. More comprehensive studies are needed to assess the extent of accumulation in and to take further steps regarding conservation programs for beneficial soil organisms.

A comprehensive review on electrochemical and optical aptasensors for organophosphorus pesticides.

There has been a rise in pesticide use as a result of the growing industrialization of agriculture. Organophosphorus pesticides have been widely applied as agricultural and domestic pest control agents for nearly five decades, and they remain as health and environmental hazards in water supplies, vegetables, fruits, and processed foods causing serious foodborne illness. Thus, the rapid and reliable detection of these harmful organophosphorus toxins with excellent sensitivity and selectivity is of utmost importance. Aptasensors are biosensors based on aptamers, which exhibit exceptional recognition capability for a variety of targets. Aptasensors offer numerous advantages over conventional approaches, including increased sensitivity, selectivity, design flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. As a result, interest in developing aptasensors continues to expand. This paper discusses the historical and modern advancements of aptasensors through the use of nanotechnology to enhance the signal, resulting in high sensitivity and detection accuracy. More importantly, this review summarizes the principles and strategies underlying different organophosphorus aptasensors, including electrochemical, electrochemiluminescent, fluorescent, and colorimetric ones.

FAR knockout significantly inhibits Chilo suppressalis survival and transgene expression of double-stranded FAR in rice exhibits strong pest resistance.

Chilo suppressalis is one of the most prevalent and damaging rice pests, causing significant economic losses each year. Chemical control is currently the primary method of controlling C. suppressalis. However, the indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides increases pest resistance, pollutes the environment and poses a significant health threat to humans and livestock, highlighting the need to find safer, more pest-specific and more effective alternatives to pest control. Plant-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) is a promising agricultural pest control method that is highly pest-specific and has less of an impact on the environment. Using multi-sgRNAs/Cas9 technology to delete Fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) of C. suppressalis in the G0 generation, we show that downregulating FAR transcription may significantly increase the mortality rate and darken the epidermis of C. suppressalis compared with the control. Subsequently, we developed dsFAR transgenic rice lines using Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation and then screened three strains expressing dsFAR at high levels using transcriptional level analysis. Using transgenic rice stems, a laboratory feeding bioassay indicated that at least one line (L#10) displayed a particularly high level of insect resistance, with an insect mortality rate of more than 80%. In the field trials, dsFAR transgenic rice displayed high levels of resistance to C. suppressalis damage. Collectively, these results suggest the potential of a new environment-friendly, species-specific strategy for rice pest management.

Genetic diversity of Brazilian Bacillus thuringiensis isolates with toxicity against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolates native to Maranhão (BtMA) that are highly toxic to Aedes aegypti larvae and seven standard subspecies of Bt were analyzed for genetic diversity using the rep-PRC technique with BOX, ERIC, REP, MB1, and GTG5 markers. The rep-PCR technique is considered an extremely reliable, reproducible, fast and highly discriminatory technique that may be used even among populations of the same species. These five markers revealed a total of 38 polymorphic DNA fragments for 30 BtMA isolates. Eight groups were obtained with the dendrogram generated through Pearson's correlation analysis, with four groups formed only with BtMA isolates and four comprised of isolates of BtMA and the standard subspecies toxic to dipterans and lepidopterans. Despite the high genetic diversity of BtMA, a low correlation between the collection site, gene content and mortality against A. aegypti larvae was evidenced. The clustering of the standard subspecies of Bt that were toxic against dipterans with BtMA isolates confirm the mosquitocidal action of the native isolates from Maranhão, and they can be used as an alternative for A. aegypti control and other insects of medical importance and for the control of agricultural pests.

Fabrication of an Environmentally Friendly 2D MXene‐Avermectin Hybrid Nanopesticide for Use Against Spodoptera Frugiperda

AbstractMXenes family are novel two‐dimensional (2D) materials that have been widely used in many fields such as cancer therapy, imaging, sensing, and electrochemistry due to their excellent photothermal and loading properties. Herein, A Ti3C2 nanosheets (MXene) as a carrier for insecticide was reported. Nanocomposites were formulated by adsorbing the most widely used insecticidal substance, avermectin, onto MXene (MXene@AV). It takes full advantage of the loading and photothermal capabilities of MXene and the broad‐spectrum insecticidal properties of avermectin to provide a more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative. The results show that MXene@AV exhibits excellent stability and photothermal capability, with a photothermal conversion efficiency as high as 39.84 %. The combination of photothermal contact killing and poisoning enables it to show strong lethality and sustained efficacy against the common pest Spodoptera frugiperda. Therefore, MXene@AV, an insecticide with MXene as a carrier, has the potential to be applied to agricultural pest control.

Chilli thrips rose management using an Amblyseius swirskii or Amblydromalus limonicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) pepper banker plant

AbstractBanker plant systems can enhance biological control of arthropod pests in protected agriculture if they facilitate the persistence of beneficial organisms by providing them with persistent habitats or supplemental food such as pollen or nectar. Ornamental pepper banker plants infested with either the predatory phytoseiid mites Amblyseius swirskii (Athias‐Henriot) or Amblydromalus limonicus (Garman and McGregor) were tested under greenhouse conditions in Florida, USA, for management of the chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood on Double Knock Out® roses. After two 6‐week studies, performed from October to December 2019 and 2020, both mite species reduced populations of S. dorsalis on roses to nearly undetectable levels (<1 thrips/leaf) compared with predator‐free controls. There was no difference in the mean number of thrips on leaves between the two mite species treatments. Lower S. dorsalis numbers observed on roses when mites were present led to significantly reduced foliar damage assessed as the degree of tissue scarring from S. dorsalis feeding compared with the control. This study may provide rose growers in Florida an alternative option for managing S. dorsalis populations on roses, a typically unsuitable plant for maintaining mite populations.

Transcriptome analysis of emamectin benzoate caused midgut damage by inducing oxidative stress, energy metabolism disorder and apoptosis in gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar).

Emamectin benzoate (EMB) is a semisynthetic bioinsecticide, which has been widely used in the control of forestry and agricultural pests. However, the mechanism of its toxic effects on the non-neural tissues has been rarely reported. Here, we explored the mechanism of the midgut damage induced by EMB in gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) in order to better understand the toxicological mechanism of EMB. Our results confirmed that EMB caused damage to the midgut of gypsy moth by inducing apoptosis. Transcriptome showed that 1469, 650 and 950 genes were significantly differentially expressed in the midgut of gypsy moth after 24, 48 and 72 h of EMB exposure, and oxidative stress, energy metabolism disorder and apoptosis may be related to the toxic effects of EMB. The indicators related to oxidative stress, energy metabolism and apoptosis were further examined. The results showed that EMB could cause oxidative stress by increasing ROS level and inhibiting antioxidant enzymes (P < 0.05), such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), which in turn causes mitochondria injury. Subsequently, energy metabolism was inhibited by downregulating the activities and mRNA level of energy metabolism enzymes. Furthermore, the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway was activated, triggering apoptosis, and eventually causing midgut injury in gypsy moth. Our results indicated that EMB caused damage to midgut by inducing oxidative stress, energy metabolism disorder and apoptosis in gypsy moth. Our findings shed new light on the toxicological mechanism of EMB on non-neural tissues from oxidative stress, energy metabolism and apoptosis perspectives. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Single nucleotide polymorphism markers in Heterorhabditis bacteriophora associated with virulence at low temperature

Summary The entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, is an important biological control agent worldwide. Industrially produced EPN need to meet the climatic requirements for the control of pests in field agriculture in autumn and spring when temperatures are low. For this trait (virulence at low temperature), previous EPN improvement attempts relied on phenotypic selection and the selected trait had low stability. The use of molecular markers can increase the efficacy of EPN breeding by tracking traits associated with specific genotypes. To date, fewer than 200 polymorphic and reproducible sequence-tagged molecular markers in H. bacteriophora have been reported. Here, we enhanced the palette of highly polymorphic genetic markers for this EPN by applying genotyping by sequencing (GBS). By analysing 48 H. bacteriophora homozygous wild-type inbred lines from different origins, we determined 4894 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with at least one polymorphism along the tested set. For validation, we designed robust PCR assays for seven SNPs, finding 95% correspondence with the expected genotypes along 294 analysed alleles. We phenotyped all lines for their virulence at low temperature (15°C) against mealworm and observed infectivity ranging from 38 to 80%. Further, we carried out association analyses between genotypic and phenotypic data and determined two SNPs yielding potential association with H. bacteriophora virulence at low temperature. The use of these candidate SNPs as breeding markers will speed up the generation of strains better adapted to low temperature in this species. The generated set of lines and SNP data are a versatile tool applicable for further traits in this EPN.

Characterization and Evaluation of Indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis Isolate T352 against Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith)

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Berliner is a ubiquitous soil bacterium with commercial bio pesticidal value and widely used for effective control of various important agricultural insect pests. Invasion of Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) into India caused potential yield loss in maize production, and also it threats the cultivation of other related crops. This study was aimed to characterize and evaluate the pathogenic activity of indigenous Bt isolate T352 against fall armyworm (FAW), S. frugiperda. The Bt isolate T352 was creamy white in colour and had irregular shaped flat colonies with undulated margin. Bipyramidal shape of parasporal inclusions was found in isolate T352. The isolate produced protein bands of ̴ 130 kDa and ̴ 65 kDa size in SDS PAGE analysis. PCR screening also confirmed the presence of cry1Ab, cry1Ac, cry2Aa, cry2Ab and vip3A genes. During probit analysis, isolate T352 exhibited the LC50 of 1.927 µg/ml as against 0.421µg/ml in positive standard strain HD- 1 based on mortality observed at 72 h after treatment in leaf disc bioassay with spore crystal mixtures.

The larval saliva of an endoparasitic wasp, Pteromalus puparum, suppresses host immunity

In the lengthy co-evolution between insects and their animal or plant hosts, insects have evolved a wide range of salivary strategies to help evade host defenses. Although there is a very large literature on saliva of herbivorous and hematophagous insects, little attention has been focused on the saliva of parasitoid wasps. Some parasitoid species are natural enemies that effectively regulate insect population sizes in nature that they are applied for biological control of agricultural pests. Here, we demonstrate the influence of the endoparasitoid, Pteromalus puparum, larval saliva on the cellular and humoral immunity of its host. Larval saliva increases mortality of hemocytes, and inhibits hemocyte spreading, a specific cellular immune action. We report that high saliva concentrations inhibit host cellular encapsulation of foreign invaders. The larval saliva also inhibits melanization in host hemolymph. The saliva inhibits the growth of some bacterial species, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro. This may promote larvae fitness by protecting them from infections. Insight into such functions of parasitic wasp saliva provides a new insight into host-parasitoid relationships and possibly leads to new agricultural pest management technologies.

Study of detoxification of methyl parathion by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) non-thermal plasma at gas-liquid interface：mechanism and bio-toxicity evaluation

Methyl parathion (MP) as an organophosphorus pesticide has been used in the control of agricultural pests and diseases. Due to its high toxicity and persistence in the environment, MP may pose threat to human health when it is released into environmental water. For MP treatment, people have found that oxidative degradation of MP may generate some intermediates which are more toxic than MP itself, such as methyl paraoxon. Herein, we proposed a new method of applying dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) non-thermal plasma technology to treat MP in aqueous solution, and investigated the influences of different gases, pH value, discharge voltage/power, and main active species on the MP removal efficiency. In particular, the safety of DBD treatment was concerned with analysis of the biological toxicity of the byproducts from the DBD oxidation, and the DBD-induced degradation together with the involved mechanism was explored therein. The results showed that the production of toxic intermediates could be effectively suppressed or avoided under certain treatment conditions. As such, this work demonstrates that the proper application of DBD plasma technology with necessary caution can detoxify methyl parathion effectively, and also provides a practical guide for low-temperature plasma application in treatment of various organophosphorus pesticides in agricultural wastewater.

Şeftali bahçesinde damla sulama yöntemi ile toprağa uygulanan yerel entomopatojen nematodların kalıcılığının belirlenmesi

The period of persistence of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) in soil is an important factor in the success of biological control efforts. In this study, the persistency of four native Turkish entomopathogenic nematode species, Steinernema feltiae (Filipjev), S. carpocapsae (Weiser), S. affine (Bovien) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Poinar), was investigated in a peach orchard after their application with a drip irrigation system in Çanakkale Province, Turkiye, in 2018 and 2019. The EPNs were applied at the rate of 50 IJs/cm2. After application, the persistency of the EPNs was determined with soil sampling on a monthly basis. EPN persistence in the soil was 90 days and 150 days in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Additionally, the persistency of the EPNs in soil after their application varied, depending on environmental factors. The longer survival of EPNs in soil after application is important for the increase of the efficiency of EPNs against pests. It was concluded that the local EPN species have potential for use in the biological control of agricultural pests.

A Novel Gelatin-Based Sustained-Release Molluscicide for Control of the Invasive Agricultural Pest and Disease Vector Pomacea canaliculata

Pomacea canaliculata, one of the 100 most destructive invasive species in the world, and it is an important intermediate host of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The molluscicides in current use are an effective method for controlling snails. However, most molluscicides have no slow-release effect and are toxic to nontarget organisms. Thus, these molluscicides cannot be used on a large scale to effectively act on snails. In this study, gelatin, a safe and nontoxic substance, was combined with sustained-release molluscicide and was found to reduce the toxicity of niclosamide to nontarget organisms. We assessed the effects of gelatin and molluscicide in controlling P. canaliculata snails and eggs. The results demonstrated that the niclosamide retention time with 1.0% and 1.5% gelatin sustained-release agents reached 20 days. Additionally, the mortality rate of P. canaliculata and their eggs increased as the concentration of the niclosamide sustained-release agents increased. The adult mortality rate of P. canaliculata reached 50% after the snails were exposed to gelatin with 0.1 mg/L niclosamide for 48 h. The hatching rate of P. canaliculata was only 28.5% of the normal group after the treatment was applied. The sustained-release molluscicide at this concentration was less toxic to zebrafish, which means that this molluscicide can increase the safety of niclosamide to control P. canaliculata in aquatic environments. In this study, we explored the safety of using niclosamide sustained-release agents with gelatin against P. canaliculata. The results suggest that gelatin is an ideal sustained-release agent that can provide a foundation for subsequent improvements in control of P. canaliculata.

GROUND BEETLES (COLEOPTERA: CARABIDAE) IN DIFFERENT AGROECOSYSTEMS OF SOUTHEAST KAZAKHSTAN

The recent study on ground beetles (Carabidae) was carried out in 2020 over five different agroecosystems, i.e., alfalfa, barley, corn, soybean, and triticale, at the Kaskelen Experimental Farm, Southeast Kazakhstan. Overall, 38 species of ground beetles related to 24 genera were identified. From these, the Harpаlus rufipes, Poecilus cupreus, and P. versicolor were the dominant ones in the different agroecosystems. Most of the ground beetles are general predators and useful as entomophages. These beetles and their larvae exterminate various agricultural pests. However, the presence of P. versicolorand P. cupreus suggests a threat to the crops. Those species have a mixed diet and are also known as economically significant pests, of which the most famous is the ground beetle Zabrus morio. Different agroecosystems have shown different distributions of ground beetle species, indicating the influence of cultivated crops on the formation of the ground beetle community. Findings from the study could provide the basis for designing crop management programs after promoting the presence of ground beetles that can contribute to the prevention and control of agricultural pests.

Toxicity of chemical pesticides commonly used in maize to Trichogramma ostriniae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), an egg parasitoid of Asian corn borer

Chemical pesticides are largely applied worldwide for the control of agricultural pests, and often cause lethal and sublethal side effects on natural enemies. To determine the compatibility of chemical pesticides, commonly used by maize growers, with Trichogramma ostriniae, the toxicities of four herbicides (pendimethalin, topramezone, glyphosate, and atrazine), three insecticides (imidacloprid, emamectin benzoate, and ethiofencarb), and three fungicides (propiconazole, benzoyl cyclazole, and difenoconazole) were tested under laboratory conditions, measuring residual toxicity to T. ostriniae adults, their lethal effects on the parasitoid’s eggs inside the host egg, and on the reproduction of the parasitoid’s female offspring. Three tested pesticides including ethiofencarb, glyphosate, and benzoyl cyclazole were slightly harmful to T. ostriniae adults, whereas the other seven pesticides were moderately harmful. The pesticide residues of ethiofencarb, and emamectin benzoate, showed slightly persistence of toxicity to T. ostriniae adults, in contrast to the remaining pesticides. Glyphosate, emamectin benzoate, imidacloprid, ethiofencarb, and propiconazole were classified as harmless, causing < 30% reduction in emergence rate of wasps from host eggs, while atrazine, pendimethalin, topramezone, benzoyl cyclazole, and difenoconazole were classified as slightly harmful, causing 31–52% reduction in parasitoid emergence rates. Furthermore, the number of eggs subsequently laid by T. ostriniae females that had emerged from parasitized host eggs treated with atrazine was significantly reduced compared to which of untreated parasitized host eggs. No negative effects were observed with atrazine treatment on the emergence rates of F1 wasps, their wing deformity rates and sex ratios. The data presented here indicate that the safety interval between pesticide applications and releases of T. ostriniae wasps is 2–3 weeks, which provide valuable information in designing a sound maize integrated pest management program that combines chemical pesticide applications with augmentative releases of T. ostriniae wasps.

First Comprehensive Analysis of Both Mitochondrial Characteristics and Mitogenome-Based Phylogenetics in the Subfamily Eumeninae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae).

Simple SummaryThe subfamily Eumeninae comprises more than 3900 described species and eumenine mitochondrial analyses are almost absent. In order to provide further evidence toward understanding the relationships within the subfamily, the characteristics of 54 eumenine mitogenomes were comparatively analyzed, among which 52 mitogenomes are newly annotated. Meanwhile, using both Maximum-likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI), comprehensive phylogenetic relationship in the subfamily were investigated based on two mitochondrial datasets.The subfamily Eumeninae plays a significant role in the biological control of agricultural pests. However, the characteristics of eumenine mitogenomes that are important molecular markers for phylogenetics are not clearly revealed. Here, 52 eumenine mitogenomes are newly sequenced and annotated, and the phylogenetic relationships of the subfamily are comprehensively analyzed based on 87 vespid mitogenomes. Through the comparative analysis of the 54 eumenine mitogenomes, the gene compositions of about one half of the 54 species match with ancestral insect mitogenome, and remaining others contain two trnM which are highly similar, with 51.86% (Eumenes tripunctatus) to 90.65% (Pseumenes nigripectus) sequence identities, which is unique among the reported mitogenomes of the family Vespidae. Moreover, the translocation trnL1 upstream of nad1 is a common rearrangement event in all eumenine mitogenomes. The results of phylogenetic analyses support the paraphyly of the subfamily Eumeninae and the tribe Odynerini, respectively, and the monophyly of the tribe Eumenini, and verify that the tribe Zethini is a valid subfamily Zethinae. In this study, the relationships between some genera such as Allorhynchium and Pararrhynchium or the taxonomic status of the subgenera such as Eremodynerus and Dirhynchium are found to be confusing and there should be further inquiry with more samples.

Biotechnological Approaches for Host Plant Resistance to Insect Pests.

Annually, the cost of insect pest control in agriculture crosses billions of dollars around the world. Until recently, broad-spectrum synthetic pesticides were considered as the most effective means of pest control in agriculture. However, over the years, the overreliance on pesticides has caused adverse effects on beneficial insects, human health and the environment, and has led to the development of pesticide resistant insects. There is a critical need for the development of alternative pest management strategies aiming for minimum use of pesticides and conservation of natural enemies for maintaining the ecological balance of the environment. Host plant resistance plays a vital role in integrated pest management but the development of insect-resistant varieties through conventional ways of host plant resistance takes time, and is challenging as it involves many quantitative traits positioned at various loci. Biotechnological approaches such as gene editing, gene transformation, marker-assisted selection etc. in this direction have recently opened up a new era of insect control options. These could contribute towards about exploring a much wider array of novel insecticidal genes that would otherwise be beyond the scope of conventional breeding. Biotechnological interventions can alter the gene expression level and pattern as well as the development of transgenic varieties with insecticidal genes and can improve pest management by providing access to novel molecules. This review will discuss the emerging biotechnological tools available to develop insect-resistant engineered crop genotypes with a better ability to resist the attack of insect pests.

Urinary 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) levels and changes in hematological parameters in Korean adult population: A Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) 2012-2014 analysis.

Pyrethroid insecticides have been broadly used as pest control in agriculture and residential spaces, exerting high effectiveness of insecticidal property and relatively low toxicity to humans. Several animal studies suggested that exposure to pyrethroids may induce hematological abnormalities, thereby altering the number of blood cells and resulting in blood disorders. However, no epidemiologic study has reported on the effect of pyrethroid insecticide exposure on hematological changes, except for occupational exposure. This study aimed to investigate the effect of urinary 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) concentrations on hematological parameters in a representative South Korean adult population. We analyzed data from 6296 adults enrolled in the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2012-2014). We employed multiple linear regression analysis to evaluate the association of urinary 3-PBA levels with eight hematological profiles: white blood cells (WBCs), red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). The urinary 3-PBA levels were negatively associated with WBC, RBC, and hemoglobin levels and positively associated with MCV levels. The direction and magnitude of the association between the 3-PBA and hematological parameters varied according to sex and age. The adverse effects of 3-PBA on hematological parameters were distinctive among males aged 60 years and older. In this age group, 3-PBA levels were negatively associated with the WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and MCHC levels among males. This study is the first to verify that urinary 3-PBA concentrations at the levels found in a Korean population are associated with blood parameters. This finding merits further investigation to understand the impact of 3-PBA on human blood function and public health.