Natural Enemy Pest Research Articles

Dynamic analysis of a delayed pest-natural enemy model: Triple effects of non-monotonic functional response, additional food supply and habitat complexity

Considering the food diversity of natural enemy species and the habitat complexity of prey populations, a pest-natural enemy model with non-monotonic functional response is proposed for biological management of Bemisia tabaci. The dynamic characteristics of the proposed model are analyzed. In addition, considering that the conversion from prey to predator has a certain time lag rather than instantaneous, a time delay is introduced into this model, and it is shown that the Hopf bifurcation occurs at the interior equilibrium when the time delay is used as the bifurcation parameter. Furthermore, the values of the parameters that determine the direction of the Hopf bifurcation as well as the stability of the periodic solution are calculated. In order to illustrate the theoretical analysis results, numerical simulations and validation are carried out to demonstrate the effects of non-monotonic functional response, additional food supply and habitat complexity.

Dual effects of additional food supply and threshold control on the dynamics of a Leslie–Gower model with pest herd behavior

Bemisia tabaci is a major agricultural pest and recognized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as the second largest pest in the world. This paper aims to study the management of Bemisia tabaci from theoretical aspects. Firstly, considering the omnivorous nature of natural enemy species and pest herd behavior, a Leslie–Gower type pest-natural enemy model with additional food supply and non-differentiable rational uptake function is put forward, and the effects of additional food supply and aggregation efficiency on the dynamical behavior of the system are analyzed. Secondly, for the slowness of pest control by natural enemy species, a threshold control strategy is adopted to prevent the spread of Bemisia tabaci by spraying a certain intensity of insecticides and releasing a certain number of natural enemies. The complex dynamics of the system induced by the threshold control are discussed such as the existence of predator-extinction periodic solution, the existence and stability of coexisting order-1 periodic solution. Thirdly, from the perspective of cost control, an optimization problem is constructed based on the existence of the order-1 periodic solution, and the optimal control threshold, control strength and control frequency are determined. At last, to illustrate the theoretical results more intuitively, the numerical simulations in MATLAB program are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and practical significance of the control measures. The results of this study provide a reference for the scientific and reasonable management of Bemisia tabaci and is helpful to realize the sustainable development of agricultural production.

Knockdown of vitellogenin receptor based on minute insect RNA interference methods affects the initial mature egg load in the pest natural enemy Trichogramma dendrolimi.

Vitellogenin receptor (VgR) plays a crucial role in oogenesis by mediating endocytosis of vitellogenin and a portion of the yolk proteins in many insect species. However, the function of VgR in minute parasitoid wasps is largely unknown. Here, we applied Trichogramma dendrolimi, a minute egg parasitoid, as a study model to investigate the function of VgR in parasitoids. We developed RNA interference (RNAi) methods based on microinjection of prepupae in T. dendrolimi. RNAi employs nanomaterial branched amphipathic peptide capsules (BAPC) as a carrier for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), significantly enhancing delivery efficiency. Also, artificial hosts without medium were used to culture the injected prepupae in vitro. Utilizing these methods, we found that ovarian growth was disrupted after knockdown of TdVgR, as manifested by the suppressed development of the ovariole and the inhibition of nurse cell internalization by oocytes. Also, the initial mature egg load in the ovary was significantly reduced. Notably, the parasitic capacity of the female adult with ovarian dysplasia was significantly decreased, possibly resulting from the low availability of mature eggs. Moreover, ovarian dysplasia in T. dendrolimi caused by VgR deficiency are conserved despite feeding on different hosts. The results confirmed a critical role of TdVgR in the reproductive ability of T. dendrolimi and provided a reference for gene functional studies in minute insects.

Sliding dynamics of a Filippov ecological system with nonlinear threshold control and pest resistance

By applying the integrated pest management strategy to address pest control problems, Filippov pest-natural enemy systems have been extensively studied. However, little attention has been paid to pest changing rate and pest resistance in these studies. Therefore, this paper proposes a complex and more realistic Filippov pest-natural enemy system with curved discontinuity boundary by considering Beddington–DeAngelis functional response and pest resistance, as well as incorporating pest changing rate in the threshold control index. Based on the relevant theory of the Filippov system, we analyze a sextic equation and obtain that the proposed Filippov system can have at most six sliding segments. By using qualitative techniques, we discuss the sliding segment and pseudo-equilibrium bifurcations. Numerically, we investigate the local and global sliding bifurcations. It can be detected that one new local sliding bifurcation occurs, which could be called the pseudo-Hopf bifurcation but differs from the traditional pseudo-Hopf bifurcation as it involves two sliding segments with opposite stabilities and generates a sliding limit cycle. We also discover two interesting global sliding bifurcations with novel bifurcation processes, which may be termed triple limit cycle bifurcations as they both relate to the appearance of three nested limit cycles.

The impact of resource limitation on the pest-natural enemy ecosystem with anti-predator behavior and fear effect

Research on agricultural pest control data indicates that the actual effectiveness of insecticides may exhibit slight variations, influenced by factors such as the type and quantity of pests. Additionally, the development of resistance by pests, as a result of adaptation to the environment, can impact the precision of pest control strategies. Hence we suggest implementing a nonlinear pulse state-dependent feedback control system, considering resource limitations, to investigate the influence of varying pesticide fatality rates on pest outbreaks. This paper takes into account the fear effect and anti-predator behavior to accurately portray the farmland ecosystem. We assessed the phase set and Poincaré map under the conditions for the existence of order-k (where k=1,2,3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$k=1,2,3$\\end{document}) periodic solutions and examined their stability behavior. Remarkably, the system exhibited diverse bifurcation phenomena associated with pesticide-related parameters. Furthermore, the system demonstrated a multistability phenomenon involving the coexistence of the order-1 periodic solution and the limit cycle. This suggests that altering control strategies can disturb the initial coexistence status of pests and natural enemies. It also underscores that resource limitations can indeed impact the outbreak patterns and frequencies of pests. In addition to the variability in pesticide fatality rates, the inclusion of natural enemy releases in the nonlinear pulse strategy contributes to the model exhibiting complex dynamic characteristics. All these findings are substantiated by numerical simulations.

Impulsive Effects and Complexity Dynamics in the Anti-Predator Model with IPM Strategies

When confronted with the imminent threat of predation, the prey instinctively employ strategies to avoid being consumed. These anti-predator tactics involve individuals acting collectively to intimidate predators and reduce potential harm during an attack. In the present work, we propose a state-dependent feedback control predator-prey model that incorporates a nonmonotonic functional response, taking into account the anti-predator behavior observed in pest-natural enemy ecosystems within the agricultural context. The qualitative analysis of this model is presented utilizing the principles of impulsive semi-dynamical systems. Firstly, the stability conditions of the equilibria are derived by employing pertinent properties of planar systems. The precise domain of the impulsive set and phase set is determined by considering the phase portrait of the system. Secondly, a Poincaré map is constructed by utilizing the sequence of impulsive points within the phase set. The stability of the order-1 periodic solution at the boundary is subsequently analyzed by an analog of the Poincaré criterion. Additionally, this article presents various threshold conditions that determine both the existence and stability of an order-1 periodic solution. Furthermore, it investigates the existence of order-k (k≥2) periodic solutions. Finally, the article explores the complex dynamics of the model, encompassing multiple bifurcation phenomena and chaos, through computational simulations.

Optimal control of susceptible mature pest concerning disease-induced pest-natural enemy system with cost-effectiveness

Abstract This article addresses the pressing issue of pest outbreaks in India, which poses significant challenges for farmers and ecologists. A novel system is proposed for effective control that leverages natural enemies. Here, the pests are classified into juveniles and mature individuals, further categorized as susceptible or infected. The study introduces harvesting, incorporating external efforts and natural phenomena, in a pest-epidemic prey–predator system featuring a prey-stage structure. The model reveals three equilibria: trivial, boundary (indicating the absence of natural enemies), and interior equilibria. Notably, the trivial equilibrium is consistently unstable. As demonstrated by stability analysis, the survival or extinction of natural enemies hinges on control variables, including the harvesting rate, disease transmission rate, and natural death rate. Local stability is assessed using the Routh–Hurwitz criterion, while global stability is explored through the Lyapunov method. Furthermore, optimal control theory and Pontryagin’s maximum principle are applied for model optimization, unveiling crucial optimality conditions and determining the optimal harvesting rate for susceptible mature prey. Numerical computations validate theoretical insights, offering valuable guidance for formulating policies that optimize the control of susceptible adult pests within a disease-induced pest-natural enemy system, ensuring sustained cost-effectiveness.

RNA interference against the putative insulin receptor substrate gene IRS1 affects growth and development in the pest natural enemy Pardosa pseudoannulata.

Insulin signalling pathways play crucial roles in regulating growth and development in insects, but their effects on the growth and development of Arachnids, such as spiders, have rarely been studied. As a valuable pest natural enemy in agricultural fields, the molecular mechanisms of insulin signalling pathway-mediated growth and development of the wolf spider, Pardosa pseudoannulata, are of particular interest. In this study, we identified and characterized six insulin signalling pathway genes - InR, InR2, IRS1, PI3K1, PI3K2, and PDK - in Pardosa pseudoannulata. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction results were used to analyse the relative expression levels of the six genes in different developmental instars and tissues, and in response to starvation treatment. In addition, the function of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS1) gene was investigated using RNA interference technology, which found that IRS1 significantly influenced nutrient content, developmental duration, body weight, and gonad development. This study revealed the roles of six key insulin signalling pathway genes in Pardosa pseudoannulata, and in particular the importance of the IRS1 gene in regulating growth and development in the spider. The results lay the foundation for further research on the internal regulation mechanisms of growth and development in Araneae species, and also provide a reference for the artificial breeding of spiders. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dynamics of a non-smooth pest-natural enemy model with the threshold control strategy

Pest issues have always been the focus of attention in agriculture. The Integrated Pest Management(IPM) method is currently the most popular way to be applied for pest control. In this study, according to the IPM strategy, we regard pest quantity as a threshold index and extend the Leslie-Gower model into a non-smooth Filippov system through combining chemical and biological control. To maintain the pest population at or below the given economic threshold(ET), we investigate the global dynamics of the proposed model, including the existence of sliding mode and various equilibria, sliding dynamics and bifurcations, and global stability of equilibria. The result shows that desired equilibria can be globally stable under some conditions, meaning that our control tactics work. In particular, the case where our strategy fails to be effective arouses interest. In the end, the biological implications of the results are discussed and given in detail.

Smelling danger: Lady beetle odors affect aphid population abundance and feeding, but not movement between plants

Predator-prey interactions are complex ecological interactions that influence community structure and function. Predators affect prey density directly by consuming and removing prey from the environment. Additionally, predators can elicit non-consumptive effects in prey which influence prey survival by altering prey behavior and physiology. Key to understanding the consequences of non-consumptive effects for prey populations is determining mechanisms of detection of predation risk. With insects, olfactory cues are commonly used to convey information. It has been shown that insect prey may eavesdrop on predator odor cues as a means to determine predation risk. Herein, we assessed whether the volatile odors of the predatory insect Harmonia axyridis (multicolored Asian lady beetle) affect the behavior (feeding and dispersal behaviors) and performance (population abundance) of aphids (Myzus persicae). Aphids reduced phloem ingestion when feeding in close proximity to lady beetle cues, however, predator odors did not drive aphids to relocate on plants or to disperse across plants away from the odor source. The lack of dispersal we observed is in contrast to studies that show increased aphid movement in the presence of predators that can make physical contact with the aphids. We also found that lady beetle odor cues had a population-level effect on aphids, with 25% reduction in aphid population abundance in the presence of the odor cues. This study highlights that anti-predator strategies may differ depending on the mechanism of detection of predation risk (i.e. olfactory versus physical stimuli), or the context in which they experience them, and raises the question of whether anti-predator responses observed are maladaptive or beneficial to aphid survival. These conclusions are critical for both our basic understanding of the mechanisms driving predator-prey interactions as well as providing insight into pest-natural enemy interactions within agricultural landscapes.

Dynamics analysis of a non-smooth Filippov pest-natural enemy system with time delay

Dynamics analysis of a non-smooth Filippov pest-natural enemy system with time delay

Effects of additional food availability and pulse control on the dynamics of a Holling-($ p $+1) type pest-natural enemy model

<abstract><p>In this paper, a novel pest-natural enemy model with additional food source and Holling-($ p $+1) type functional response is put forward for plant pest management by considering multiple food sources for predators. The dynamical properties of the model are investigated, including existence and local asymptotic stability of equilibria, as well as the existence of limit cycles. The inhibition of natural enemy on pest dispersal and the impact of additional food sources on system dynamics are elucidated. In view of the fact that the inhibitory effect of the natural enemy on pest dispersal is slow and in general deviated from the expected target, an integrated pest management model is established by regularly releasing natural enemies and spraying insecticide to improve the control effect. The influence of the control period on the global stability and system persistence of the pest extinction periodic solution is discussed. It is shown that there exists a time threshold, and as long as the control period does not exceed that threshold, pests can be completely eliminated. When the control period exceeds that threshold, the system can bifurcate the supercritical coexistence periodic solution from the pest extinction one. To illustrate the main results and verify the effectiveness of the control method, numerical simulations are implemented in MATLAB programs. This study not only enriched the related content of population dynamics, but also provided certain reference for the management of plant pest.</p></abstract>

Dynamics of a class of nonlinear pest–natural enemy discrete model

The inappropriate use of insecticides may lead to disastrous pest outbreaks. Aiming at avoiding the outbreak of pests by optimizing the control strategies, we propose a novel mathematical model based on the idea of pulse in this study, namely, a discrete‐time model of pest–natural enemies, which considers the implementation of spraying insecticides within the time interval between two generations of pests. We first investigate the existence and stability of fixed points, and then using the central manifold theory, we proved that the system can exist period‐doubling bifurcation. The main theoretical results are verified by numerical simulations. The experiments show that if the insecticidal time is within a certain range, the lower insecticidal rate stimulates the growth of pests and natural enemies, while the larger insecticidal rate can inhibit the growth of pests and natural enemies. In addition, the effects of pest growth rate, timing of pesticide spraying, and pesticide intensity on the system are comprehensively discussed. The main research provides good reference significance to choose an appropriate time to prevent pest outbreaks.

An Integrated Eco-Epidemiological Plant Pest Natural Enemy Differential Equation Model with Various Impulsive Strategies

We established a mathematical model based on the sense of biological survey in the field of agriculture and introduced various control methods on how to prevent the crops from destructive pests. Basically, there are two main stages in the life cycle of natural enemies like insects: mature and immature. Here, we construct a food chain model of plant pest natural enemy. In natural enemies, there are two stages of construction. Also, we consider three classes of diseases in the pest population, namely, susceptible, exposed, and infectious in this proposed work. In order to categorize the considered models into the class of Impulsive Differential Equations (IDEs), in our study, we specifically consider two ecosystems, which define the impact of control mechanisms on the impulsive releasing of virus particle natural enemies and infectious pests at particular time. Additionally, the importance of spraying virus particles in pest control is discussed; then, we obtain two types of periodic solutions for the system, namely, plant pest extinction and pest extinction. By utilizing the small amplitude perturbation techniques and Floquet theory of the impulsive equation, we obtain the local stability of both periodic solutions. Moreover, the comparison technique of IDE shows the sufficient conditions for the global attractivity of a pest extinction periodic solution. With the assistance of the comparison results, we draw a numerical calculation for the addressed models. Finally, we extend the study of the two models for pest management models: with and without the existence of virus particle.

Landscape Complexity has Mixed Effects on an Invasive Aphid and Its Natural Enemies in Sorghum Agroecosystems.

Landscapes with more complex composition and configuration are generally expected to enhance natural enemy densities and pest suppression. To evaluate this hypothesis for an invasive aphid pest of sorghum, Melanaphis sorghi Theobald (Hemiptera: Aphididae), sampling in sorghum fields for aphids and natural enemies was conducted over two years in a southern U.S. coastal production region. Landscape composition and configuration of crop and noncrop elements were assessed using correlation and multivariate regression modeling to detect relationships with insects at different spatial scales. Significant models found more complex landscape configuration, particularly the amount of habitat edges, was associated with increased aphid and natural enemy abundance. Composition associated with noncrop habitats had the opposite effect. Numerical response of natural enemies was taxa dependent, with parasitism lower as landscape complexity increased, while predator numerical response was not affected by landscape complexity. These results indicate landscape complexity may increase both aphid and natural enemy abundance, but with decreasing parasitism and little association with predator numerical response. These relationships are likely contingent on overall environmental suitability to aphid population increase as results were less evident in the second year when average aphid abundance regularly exceeded the economic threshold. This study supports the importance of configuration, especially habitat borders, as a critical metric for determining pest-natural enemy dynamics within a large-scale cereal agroecosystem.

A State-Dependent Impulsive Nonlinear System with Ratio-Dependent Action Threshold for Investigating the Pest-Natural Enemy Model

Based on the Lotka–Volterra system, a pest-natural enemy model with nonlinear feedback control as well as nonlinear action threshold is introduced. The model characterizes the implementation of comprehensive prevention and control measures when the pest density reaches the nonlinear action threshold level depending on the pest density and its change rate. The mortality rate of the pest is a saturation function that strictly depends on their density while the release of natural enemies is also a nonlinear pulse term depending on the density of real-time natural enemies. The exact impulsive and phase sets are given. The definition and properties of the Poincaré map corresponding to the pulse points on the phase set are provided. We investigate the existence and stability of boundary and interior order-1 periodic solution. The theoretical analysis developed in the present paper combined with nonlinear controlling measures as well as nonlinear action threshold methods and techniques laid the foundation for the establishment and analysis of other state-dependent feedback control models.

Bottom-Up Forces in Agroecosystems and Their Potential Impact on Arthropod Pest Management.

Bottom-up effects are major ecological forces in crop-arthropod pest-natural enemy multitrophic interactions. Over the past two decades, bottom-up effects have been considered key levers for optimizing integrated pest management (IPM). Irrigation, fertilization, crop resistance, habitat manipulation, organic management practices, and landscape characteristics have all been shown to trigger marked bottom-up effects and thus impact pest management. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the role of bottom-up effects in pest management and the associated mechanisms, and discuss several key study cases showing how bottom-up effects practically promote natural pest control. Bottom-up effects on IPM also contribute to sustainable intensification of agriculture in the context of agricultural transition and climate change. Finally, we highlight new research priorities in this important area. Together with top-down forces (biological control), future advances in understanding ecological mechanisms underlying key bottom-up forces could pave the way for developing novel pest management strategies and new optimized IPM programs.

Dynamics analysis of a Filippov pest control model with time delay

The most critical factor for increasing crop production is the successful resistance of pests and pathogens which has massive impacts on global food security. Therefore, Filippov systems have been used to model and grasp control strategies for limited resources in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Extensive studies have been done on these systems where the evolution is governed by a smooth set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). As far as we know the time delay has not been considered in these systems, which we mean that a set of delay differential equations (DDEs). With this motivation, a Filippov prey–predator (pest–natural enemy) model with time delay is introduced in this paper, where the time delay represents the change of growth rate of the natural enemy before releasing it to feed on pests. The threshold conditions for the stability of the equilibria are derived by using time delay as a bifurcation parameter. It is shown that when the time delay parameter passes through some critical values, a periodic oscillation phenomenon appears through Hopf bifurcation. Further, by employing Filippov convex method we obtain the equation of sliding motion and address the sliding mode dynamics. Numerically, we demonstrate that the time delay plays a substantial role in discontinuity-induced bifurcation. More precisely, one can get boundary focus bifurcation from boundary node bifurcation through variation of the value of the time delay. Moreover, the time delay is used as a bifurcation parameter to obtain sliding–switching and sliding–grazing bifurcations. In conclusion, a Filippov system with time delay can give new insights into pest control models.

Dynamics of a density-dependent predator-prey biological system with nonlinear impulsive control.

Spraying insecticides and releasing natural enemies are two commonly used methods in the integrated pest management strategy. With the rapid development of biotechnology, more and more realistic factors have been considered in the establishment and implementation of the integrated pest management models, such as the limited resources, the mutual restriction between pests and natural enemies, and the monitoring data of agricultural insects. Given these realities, we have proposed a pest-natural enemy integrated management system, which is a nonlinear state-dependent feedback control model. Besides the anti-predator behavior of the pests to the natural enemies is considered, the density dependent killing rate of pests and releasing amount of natural enemies are also introduced into the system. We address the impulsive sets and phase sets of the system in different cases, and the analytic expression of the Poincaré map which is defined in the phase set was investigated. Further we analyze the existence, uniqueness, global stability of order-1 periodic solution. In addition, the existence of periodic solution of order-k (k≥2) is discussed. The theoretical analyses developed here not only show the relationship between the economic threshold and the other key factors related to pest control, but also reveal the complex dynamical behavior induced by the nonlinear impulsive control strategies.

Optimization of Nitrogen Fertilizer Application Enhances Biocontrol Function and Net Income.

The intensive use of nitrogen fertilizer has been a common approach for pursuing higher crop yields. However, the ecological effects of such use on the tritrophic interactions (crop-insect pest-natural enemy) and on the ecological and economic benefits of such use are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of low, medium, and high levels of nitrogen fertilizer inputs (70, 140, and 280 kg/ha/yr) on cereal aphid (Sitobion avenae Fabricius [Hemiptera: Aphididae], Schizaphis graminum Rondani [Hemiptera: Aphididae], and Rhopalosiphum padi L. [Hemiptera: Aphididae]) abundance, primary parasitism rates, crop yield, and net income in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum [Poales: Poaceae] cv. Zhou 22) for 2 yr. A higher input of nitrogen fertilizer significantly enhanced the abundance of cereal aphids, while their primary parasitism rates (26.9 ± 3.5% in 2018 and 24.9 ± 4.5% in 2019) were highest at the medium nitrogen level. The performance of participants in the wheat-aphids-parasitoids system was likewise mediated by the nitrogen fertilizers. Meanwhile, wheat yield significantly increased with moderate increases in the nitrogen level, although overuse of nitrogen fertilizer did not significantly further enhance wheat yield. Finally, we found either low or overuse of nitrogen fertilizers resulted in lower net income than did medium nitrogen fertilization. These results demonstrate the need to reevaluate and adjust fertilizer use to optimize the eco-economic and sustainable management of agroecosystems.