Pest Species Research Articles

Endophytic Bacteria and Fungi Associated with Polygonum cuspidatum in the Russian Far East

Polygonum cuspidatum, alternatively known as Fallopia japonica or Reynoutria japonica, is a perennial herb belonging to the Polygonaceae family. Commonly called Japanese knotweed or Asian knotweed, this plant is native to East Asia, particularly in regions such as Korea, China, and Japan. It has successfully adapted to a wide range of habitats, resulting in it being listed as a pest and invasive species in several countries in North America and Europe. This study focuses on analysing the composition of the bacterial and fungal endophytic communities associated with Japanese knotweed growing in the Russian Far East, employing next-generation sequencing (NGS) and a cultivation-based method (microbiological sowing). The NGS analysis showed that the dominant classes of endophytic bacteria were Alphaproteobacteria (28%) and Gammaproteobacteria (28%), Actinobacteria (20%), Bacteroidia (15%), and Bacilli (4%), and fungal classes were Agaricomycetes (40%), Dothideomycetes (24%), Leotiomycetes (10%), Tremellomycetes (9%), Pezizomycetes (5%), Sordariomycetes (3%), and Exobasidiomycetes (3%). The most common genera of endophytic bacteria were Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Parabukholderia, Sphingomonas, Hydrotalea, Methylobacterium-Metylorubrum, Cutibacterium, and Comamonadaceae, and genera of fungal endophytes were Marasmius, Tuber, Microcyclosporella, Schizothyrium, Alternaria, Parastagonospora, Vishniacozyma, and Cladosporium. The present data showed that the roots, leaves, and stems of P. cuspidatum have a greater number and diversity of endophytic bacteria and fungi compared to the flowers and seeds. Thus, the biodiversity of endophytic bacteria and fungi of P. cuspidatum was described and analysed for the first time in this study.

Recent Advances in Biopesticide Research and Development: A Focus on Microbial: A Review

Biopesticides are pest control products derived from natural sources such as microbes, macro-organisms (insects and pathogens), plant extracts, and certain minerals. Many biopesticides are considered environmentally safe and can complement or substitute conventional chemical pesticides. They can also be highly specific or broad spectrum with a unique mode of action controlling a wide range of pest species. Due to their target-specificity and low to no environmental residuality, biopesticides conform to the 3 pillars of Climate-Smart Agriculture, the Sustainable Development Goals, and ultimately, the Paris Agreement. This review focuses largely on microbial biopesticides derived from fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes. It discusses (i) the various microbial biopesticide formulations, (ii) the mode of microbial biopesticide action, (iii) the factors that affect the potential efficacy of biopesticides, (iv) challenges to the adoption of microbial biopesticides, and (v) the role of microbial biopesticides in Integrated Pest Management programs. Finally, advancements in application techniques, as well as future research directions and gaps are highlighted.

Modelling time-temperature-dependent mortality of pest flies in cold storage to support the management of trade-related biosecurity risks

AbstractCold treatment with rigorous regulatory oversight is often mandated to manage horticultural trade-related biosecurity threats, such as invasive, cold-sensitive fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). Cold treatment schedules, developed through rigorous laboratory experiments, require a set temperature and duration to ensure at least a probit 8.7 (99.99%) mortality rate, regardless of infestation likelihood. This threshold is costly to demonstrate for each pest and commodity combination and the resultant treatment may be harmful to fruit quality. Moreover, these stringent schedules do not account for cold-induced mortality already occurring in commercial supply chains. We developed a predictive temperature-dependent mortality function using 28 published cold treatment studies of pest fly species to support more flexible and proportionate use of cold treatment. The daily mortality rate was unaffected by the duration of cold exposure (0–20 days). The mortality rate varied primarily by pest species (10 species) and developmental stage (eggs and larval stages), and to a lesser extent by temperature (0–7 °C) and host (13 fruit types). Our model mostly predicted fewer days to meet probit 9.0 mortality compared to empirical results from large-scale studies, suggesting these studies can be overly conservative. By leveraging previous empirical studies, our model enables estimation of temperature-dependent daily mortality for unstudied pest developmental stage host–temperature combinations, which can then be empirically validated through targeted studies. It is hoped these results will shift cold treatment usage from highly regulated, fixed temperature treatments with a target mortality rate requirement to a more flexible approach that accounts for existing commercial supply chain practices and infestation likelihood in produce.

The Response of Insects and Weeds within the Crop to Variation in Sowing Density of Canola

The relationships between weeds and insects in canola stands with different seeding rates are not fully understood. Varying seeding rates in canola crops can create different conditions that affect both weed and insect populations and their interactions. The aim of this work was to determine the response of weeds and insects of selected taxa to different densities of canola stand densities and to clarify the interactions between weeds and insects in canola stands. The field experiment was conducted on a plot located in the cadastral area of the municipality of Pěnčín (Moravia, Czech Republic). The results show that a reduced canola sowing rate of oilseed rape leads to increased weed infestation, which is dominated by one taxon (Papaver rhoeas L.). The increase in weed infestation of canola stands is not reflected in an increase in the diversity of captured insects. Increased canola seeding rate improves weed suppression but increases the number of canola pest insects. A higher number of plants and more canola biomass increase the food supply and, thus, make the stand more attractive to canola pests. The taxon Brassicogethes aeneus dominated the pests species spectrum. Changing the seeding rate of canola results in a response in weed and insect populations. The standard recommended seeding rate is optimal in terms of competitive suppression of weeds and the occurrence of pests and trapped insects. Increasing or decreasing the seeding rate of rapeseed does not bring any benefits in terms of pest regulation or biodiversity. However, the results obtained indicate an interesting weed–insect interaction in the conditions of canola stands.

Farmed crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) raised with dermestids (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) suffer from reduced and delayed growth, but not enough to explain reports of dramatic yield loss.

The mass production of insects for food and feed is an expanding North American industry. Facilities that mass rear insects are at risk of pest infestations because the optimal environmental conditions for rearing beneficial species may also support the development of pest species. Here, we present the first recorded results detailing the interactions between dermestids and farmed crickets. Cricket farms have reported extremely low harvest yield during heavy dermestid infestations, but the exact reasons for this low yield are unknown. Many dermestid larvae are covered in dense, detachable, barbed setae called hastisetae, which are used by the larvae as an active trapping system against arthropod predators. We designed a series of experiments to test the hypotheses that a dermestid pest of cricket farms, black larder beetle (Dermestes ater DeGeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)), may be directly impacting Gryllodes sigillatus Walker (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) yield through the physical effects of hastisetae ingestion and/or indirectly impacting cricket yield through competition for fishmeal, a primary source of protein in conventional cricket feed. Our predictions that G. sigillatus life history and survival would be negatively affected by dermestids were largely refuted. Females fed infested diets grew less mass, but not smaller body size, compared to females fed uninfested diets. We also found that while G. sigillatus experienced delayed growth early in life after living with dermestids, they were able to tolerate living with, and consuming, dermestid larvae. We discuss how these findings have led to new hypotheses concerning how dermestid infestations drive reductions in cricket farm yield.

Past, present and future of the two-spotted stink bug (Perillus bioculatus) in Europe revealed by citizen science

The introduction of the Nearctic predaceous stink bug species, (Perillus bioculatus) was attempted multiple times in various countries throughout Europe to mitigate the damage caused by the invasive and harmful pest species, the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata). Though these attempts were thought to be unsuccessful for decades, more recent data elucidated that the species have established small self-sustaining populations in the Balkans Peninsula, Southern Russia, and Türkiye and recently began to expand. In the past years, the European range of the species reached Eastern Europe. After the first individuals were found in Hungary in October 2023 a citizen science campaign was launched to investigate the distribution of the species in the country. By June 2024 it became evident that the species is established throughout the country. Furthermore, observations regarding beetle larvae and moth caterpillars as alternative prey were reported supporting the previous assumptions that the naturalization and expansion of the species in Europe is facilitated by dietary drift. Here, we summarize the knowledge on the European presence of the two-spotted stink bug and formulate hypotheses regarding its future distribution and the impact of the species on the insect communities of the newly colonized areas.

Sublethal and transgenerational effects of tetraniliprole on the tomato pinworm Phthorimaea (=Tuta) absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Invasive pest species of economic importance often require intensive pesticide use, leading to recurrent problems of pesticide resistance. Such is the case with the tomato pinworm, Phthorimaea (=Tuta) absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), requiring the use of new insecticidal compounds for their management. Tetraniliprole, a novel insecticide effective against lepidopteran, coleopteran, and dipteran pests, is a potential alternative against the tomato pinworm. This study investigates the sublethal effects of tetraniliprole on the development and reproduction of the parental (F0) and progeny (F1) generations of P. absoluta while exploring the underlying mechanisms. Sublethal tetraniliprole exposure extended larval duration and reduced pupation rate, emergence rate, hatchability, and fecundity in both the F0 and F1 of P. absoluta. Additionally, the life-table parameters of the F1 generation were significantly altered, with decreases in net reproductive rate (R0) and increases in the mean generation time (T), leading to decreases in the intrinsic rate of population growth (r). The relative fitness of F1 insects exposed to tetraniloprole was reduced compared to unexposed insects (0.63 and 0.49, respectively). Furthermore, the mRNA expression levels of reproduction-related genes such as TaVg and TaVgR were down-regulated in the tetraniliprole-exposed insects. Finally, insect exposure to tetraniloprole increases the activity of the antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GSTs), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Taken together, these findings suggest that sublethal concentrations of tetraniloprole adversely affect both the development and reproduction of P. absoluta, providing a foundation for optimizing pest control strategies.

Important Insect Pests on Cabbage in Lao PDR

This study was conducted in Xiengkhouang province, Vientiane province, Saravane province, Champasak province, Vientiane Capital, and Plant Protection Center, from January to March 2017. The aims of study were to investigate to major insect pests on cabbage and compared the efficacy of Jeevatu, Jeevatu+botanical pesticide and chemical pesticide to control Diamondback moth in laboratory condition. The study was divided into two treatments: 1) survey important insect pests of cabbage in 3 purposive sampling areas (field)/village, 10 points/rai, and 3 cabbages/point to identify insect pests and survey the life cycle of Diamondback moth of cabbage, and 2) conduct the efficacy experiment of Jeevatu, Jeevatu+botanical pesticide and chemical pesticide to Diamondback moth in laboratory. The experiment was done by Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 5 treatments and 4 replications. The survey showed that there are 8 species of insect pests on cabbage and the most important species is Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) which was found in all provinces that had been survey than followed by striped flea beetle (Phyllotreta striolata), cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae), cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapae), taro caterpillar (Spodoptera litura), cabbage webworm (Hellula undalis), cabbage looper (Trichoplasia ni) and flea beetle (phyllotreta cruciferae). Life cycle of Diamondback moth was investigated in that laboratory, and it showed that the total of life cycle took about 14-21 days that included 3-5 days for egg stage, 8-12 days for lavae stage, 3-4 days for pupae stage, and 13-31 days of bebeing mature. The efficacy of Jeevatu+Sugar apple leaf extracts, Jeevatu+Neem extracts, and Jeevatu with water for control Diamondback moth indicated that after 5 days sprayed, the mortality percentage was up to 90%, 80% and 57% respectively. For chemical sprayed for 2 days, the mortality percentage was up to 100%. The results of this study showed that the Jeevatu+botanical pesticide can be used as a substitute for substituting chemical in preventing the control Diamondback moth.

Have native insect pests associated with a native crop in Maine declined over the past three to five decades?

Abstract Lowbush blueberry is an important berry crop in Maine (USA), Quebec and the Maritime provinces of Canada. The other economically important crops in Maine are potato, dairy and organic mixed vegetable produce. Lowbush blueberry is a complex of 1–4 Vaccinium species, primarily dominated by Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton. All but one of the insect pest species in this crop system are native to the regions where it is managed in North America. Insect decline has been shown to be a recent global phenomenon although it has rarely been studied in agricultural ecosystems. Long‐term datasets of insect species abundances are a powerful tool for insect population trends. To determine if native insect pests have declined over the past several decades in Maine lowbush blueberry, we surveyed three native species. All surveys were conducted in commercial blueberry fields; although, none of the sample sites were sprayed with insecticides. Insect pest sampling comprised two surveys (1961–2014 and 1998–2017) conducted on the larval stage of the blueberry maggot fly (Rhagoletis mendax Curran), one survey (1981–2016) on the larval stage of the blueberry spanworm (Itame argillacearia (Packard)), and one survey (1983–2019) on the larval stage of the blueberry flea beetle (Altica sylvia Malloch). Based upon the analysis of our long‐term population‐level datasets, we found no evidence that insect decline has occurred in this native blueberry insect pest complex intimately associated with the lowbush blueberry, a native crop plant in North America, despite recent documentation of rapid climate change occurring in the lowbush blueberry production areas.

An overview of alien, invasive Microlepidoptera species, potential pests in agri- horti- or silviculture, recently found in Hungary

AbstractAlong with climate change, or by transportation of agricultural products, such as fruits and ornamental plants, their alien insect pests have also started to appear in Hungary. Although these pest species are sometimes sparsely studied, their biology and interactions with their host plants provide key information for monitoring their spread and identifying their vulnerable points, targets for developing methods preventing their overpopulation. In this review article we have collected data on newly emerged moth species recently found in Hungary that might threaten plantations in Hungary in the near future.

Complexities in the Implementation and Maintenance of Integrated Pest Management in Potato.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is an educated and systematic effort to use multiple control techniques to reduce pest damage to economically acceptable levels while minimizing negative environmental impacts. Although its benefits are widely acknowledged, IPM is not universally practiced by farmers. Potato farming, which produces one of the most important staple crops in the world, provides a good illustration of the issues surrounding IPM adoption. Potatoes are attacked by a complex of insect pests that can inflict catastrophic crop losses. Potato production has gone through the processes of consolidation and intensification, which are linked to increased pest problems, particularly selection for insecticide-resistant pest populations. While use of insecticides remains the most common method of pest control in potatoes, other techniques, including crop rotation and natural enemies, are also available. In addition, there are effective monitoring techniques for many potato pests. However, reliable economic thresholds are often lacking. Potato ecosystems are complex and diverse; therefore, the knowledge necessary for developing ecologically based pest management is not easily obtained or transferable. Furthermore, potato systems change with the arrival of new pest species and the evolution of existing pests. Modern technological advances, such as remote sensing and molecular biotechnology, are likely to improve potato IPM. However, these tools are not going to solve all problems. IPM is not just about integrating different techniques; it is also about integrating the efforts and concerns of all stakeholders. The collaboration of farmers and scientists in agricultural research is needed to foster the development of IPM systems that are appropriate for grower implementation and thus more likely to be adopted. Additional emphasis also needs to be placed on the fact that not only does IPM decrease degradation of the environment, but it also improves the economic well-being of its practitioners.

An efficient zero-labeling segmentation approach for pest monitoring on smartphone-based images

Timely and precise farm inspection, which involves the identification and recognition of harmful insects and diseases, is crucial for safeguarding crop production. Traditional vision-based pest recognition methods typically require extensive annotated data for each pest species and a lengthy training process. This approach is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to human error. Zero-shot learning offers a potential solution by enabling pest segmentation and control without requiring explicit training data. This study supports farmers in automatically identifying ten common pests and their precise locations in real-world outdoor environments. The zero-shot pest segmentation is based on a hybrid approach combining Explainable Contrastive Language-Image Pre-training (ECLIP) and Segment-Anything (SAM). Moreover, an optimized super-resolution model and various data augmentation methods are implemented to improve the quality of the dataset. Lastly, a mask post-processing step is applied to remove highly overlapping segmented masks and noise blobs caused by the complex background. The mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 66.5 % on the validation set demonstrates the potential of zero-shot methods for automated pest segmentation during farm inspections. This research lays the foundation for accurate pest monitoring systems capable of adapting to new pests, ultimately improving agricultural productivity.

Semiochemical-baited traps as a new method supplementing light traps for faunistic and ecological studies of Macroheterocera (Lepidoptera)

Attractivity and selectivity of two types of traps with synthetic, long-lasting, bisexual generic attractants were compared to conventional light traps to promote their wider use, as an easy-to-use standardised method for entomology. The targeted herbivorous Macroheterocera species playing important role in ecosystems as food source for higher trophic levels (e.g. predatory arthropods, birds and mammals), while other hand they can cause significant economic loss in agriculture. Data on their population dynamic and composition of their assemblages are necessary for both nature conservation and efficient pest management. Light- and semiochemical-baited traps with semisynthetic- (SBL = the acronym stands for semisynthetic bisexual lure) and synthetic lures (FLO = the acronym stands for floral lure of synthetic floral compounds) were used in species rich area of West Ukraine, and in all 10,926 lepidopterans trapped were identified. The attractivity of the light trap was highest with 252 species caught, while traps with semiochemicals captured 132 species including 28 exclusively caught only by them. The qualitative selectivity of light vs. semiochemical-baited traps differed considering both taxa and habitat preferences in such a way that they completed each-other. Differences in quantitative selectivity were also proved even in case of pest species. The parameters of methods varied depending on the phenological phases of the studied assemblages. Considering the revealed attractivity and selectivity, the parallel use of the two methods can offer improved reliable data for conservation biology and pest management.

Predicting the Potential Global Distribution of the Plum Fruit Moth Grapholita funebrana Treitscheke Using Ensemble Models

The plum fruit moth, Grapholita funebrana Treitschke, is one of the most significant borer pests, often causing huge economic losses in fruit production. However, the potential distribution range of this economically important pest is still poorly understood. For this study, we simulated an ensemble species distribution model to predict the spatiotemporal distribution pattern of G. funebrana at a global scale. The results show that the suitable habitats for this moth, under current environmental conditions, are mainly distributed in Europe; East Asia, including China and Japan; Central Asia; and some parts of America. In future projections, the suitable habitats are predicted to generally expand northward, while the suitable area will remain unchanged overall. However, the area of highly suitable habitat will decrease to only 17.49% of that found under current conditions. None of the nine factors used were revealed to be predominant predictors in terms of contributing to the model, suggesting that the integrated effects of these variables shape G. funebrana’s distribution. In this study, the distribution range that has been predicted, especially for the regions with a highly suitable habitat, poses a high risk of G. funebrana outbreaks, highlighting the urgency of pest management. Moreover, in the United States of America (USA) and Japan (for which G. funebrana distributions were not previously recorded), especially in areas highly suitable for this moth, monitoring and quarantine measures should be strengthened to prevent the colonization and further dispersal of this pest, as seen with its close relative G. molesta, which has become a cosmopolitan pest species, migrating from its native region (East Asia) to other continents, including the Americas.

Changing Nepali children’s attitudes toward conservation through a participatory education program

Abstract People’s attitude toward wildlife is known to affect the success of conservation programs. Public education can increase support for conservation measures by providing the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions, improve pro-environmental behaviour and potentially enlist participation. To that end, we developed a participatory conservation education program in Nepal with a target audience of secondary school students. Our lessons emphasized ecological balance by highlighting the roles of individual species, including the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). This species presents a challenge for educating the public about maintaining balance in nature, because although an important seed disperser and species of religious significance, macaques are frequently involved in human-wildlife conflict and considered a pest species. We evaluated the impact of our program by surveying students from six socioeconomically similar schools, four that participated in our program and two that had not. Our questionnaire was comprised of knowledge questions about local wildlife and conservation issues, an open-ended listing exercise to determine species preferences, and statements that elicited students’ opinions regarding empathy toward animals. Knowledge about and attitude toward wildlife, including M. mulatta, were greater in students that participated in the program. More importantly, these students were more likely to understand the role individual species play in a balanced ecosystem, how human behaviour can negatively impact wildlife, and how they could participate in conservation efforts. Gender was not a factor in any response. We discuss the merits of using a participatory learning platform in a standalone education program that has long-term purpose, funding, and buy-in.

Field studies of synthetic food-based attractants for detecting invasive fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

True fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae) threaten the production and international trade of many fruit and vegetable crops. Many fruit fly-free regions operate trapping programs for the detection of these invasive pests, and food baits are an important component of detection trapping. A torula yeast-borax (TYB) solution has been widely used as a food bait, but it has a relatively short field longevity and is generally replaced every 1–2 weeks. Dry synthetic food-based attractants, consisting of ammonium acetate, putrescine, and trimethylamine, have been developed and appear to be effective for several months. Initially, the three components were presented in individual sachets within a trap, but to ease handling ‘all-in-one’ dispensers have been developed that contain all three components. While a logistical improvement, there are few data that compare captures between the standard TYB solution and these combination dispensers. This study presents the results of field experiments assessing the relative effectiveness of three ‘all-in-one’ dispensers of synthetic food-based attractants (i.e., Scentry food cones, Suterra Unipaks, and Susbin Difusors) in trapping three major pest species of tephritid fruit flies in Hawaii. The data presented here indicate that, with respect to C. capitata, the Difusor lures performed as well as TYB, while the Unipaks and food cones were significantly less attractive than TYB. With respect to B. dorsalis and Z. cucurbitae, none of the synthetic baits tested was as effective as TYB. Thus, among the baits studied here, TYB was most effective in attracting all three of the target species.

Establishing the distribution of Carpophilus truncatus in Australia using an integrative approach for an emerging global pest

The nitidulid beetle Carpophilus truncatus is rapidly becoming a major pest of nut crops around the world. This insect first infested Australian almonds in 2013 and has since escalated to be the preeminent insect pest for the industry. Data pertaining to C. truncatus distribution are scant, but without awareness of its origin, distribution, and ecological factors that influence distribution, efforts to understand and manage the insect as a pest are stymied. Here, we employ an integrative approach to gain a multifaceted understanding of the distribution of C. truncatus in Australia. Methods employed were (1) reviewing historical records in insect collections to establish the presence of C. truncatus prior to commercial almond horticulture, (2) field trapping of insects to establish presence in regions of interest, (3) laboratory trials to determine the thermal limits of the organism, and (4) correlative species distribution modelling to describe its current distribution. We find that C. truncatus is more widespread across Australia than was previously known, with historical records preceding commercial almond production in Australia by a century. The methods developed in this study can be applied elsewhere in the world where C. truncatus is an emerging pest, or to novel pest species as they arise with increasing frequency in a globalised and warming world.

Successful yeast microencapsulation of fluralaner and its potential as a larvicide for vector control

Fly control for any species is most effectively implemented in the immature stages when insects can be eliminated before emerging as adults capable of transmitting pathogens or becoming nuisance pests. Yet a limited number of insecticide classes are available for treating larval development sites for dipteran pest species. The most recently introduced class of insecticides in the United States (US) is the isoxazolines, including fluralaner. In the US, fluralaner is currently exclusively labeled for use against ectoparasites in companion animals. However, research has shown that it has a wider effective target range beyond ectoparasites and could be developed as an insecticide for vector control. Here we tested a novel, proprietary, yeast microencapsulated (YME) formulation of fluralaner against the larvae of three pest species: Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), Aedes albopictus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae), and Culicoides sonorensis Wirth and Jones (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). These species all naturally consume microorganisms as larvae, including yeasts. Fluralaner was successfully microencapsulated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. YME fluralaner was reconstituted in water at concentrations of 0.00001–0.1 mg/mL (Aedes and Culicoides) or 1–50 mg/mL (Musca) for use in dose-response assays. For each species, the LC50 at 24 h was estimated using probit analyses. YME fluralaner was highly effective against all species tested (Ae. albopictus LC50 = 0.000077 mg/mL; C. sonorensis LC50 = 0.00067 mg/mL; M. domestica LC50 = 2.58 mg/mL). Additionally, laboratory assays were conducted to determine product reapplication rates using LC50 rates. Reapplication rates to maintain <50 % emergence were five weeks (Ae. albopictus) and greater than eight weeks (C. sonorensis). The results presented here indicate YME fluralaner is a promising candidate for controlling larval insects that naturally feed on detritus, thereby bypassing cuticular penetration barriers and safely delivering the active ingredient to the target species.

Suitability of different artificial diets for mass rearing of six lepidopteran pest species

Suitability of different artificial diets for mass rearing of six lepidopteran pest species

TP-Transfiner: high-quality segmentation network for tea pest.

Detecting and controlling tea pests promptly are crucial for safeguarding tea production quality. Due to the insufficient feature extraction ability of traditional CNN-based methods, they face challenges such as inaccuracy and inefficiency of detecting pests in dense and mimicry scenarios. This study proposes an end-to-end tea pest detection and segmentation framework, TeaPest-Transfiner (TP-Transfiner), based on Mask Transfiner to address the challenge of detecting and segmenting pests in mimicry and dense scenarios. In order to improve the feature extraction inability and weak accuracy of traditional convolution modules, this study proposes three strategies. Firstly, a deformable attention block is integrated into the model, which consists of deformable convolution and self-attention using the key content only term. Secondly, the FPN architecture in the backbone network is improved with a more effective feature-aligned pyramid network (FaPN). Lastly, focal loss is employed to balance positive and negative samples during the training period, and parameters are adapted to the dataset distribution. Furthermore, to address the lack of tea pest images, a dataset called TeaPestDataset is constructed, which contains 1,752 images and 29 species of tea pests. Experimental results on the TeaPestDataset show that the proposed TP-Transfiner model achieves state-of-the-art performance compared with other models, attaining a detection precision (AP50) of 87.211% and segmentation performance of 87.381%. Notably, the model shows a significant improvement in segmentation average precision (mAP) by 9.4% and a reduction in model size by 30% compared to the state-of-the-art CNN-based model Mask R-CNN. Simultaneously, TP-Transfiner's lightweight module fusion maintains fast inference speeds and a compact model size, demonstrating practical potential for pest control in tea gardens, especially in dense and mimicry scenarios.