Pest Of Vegetables Research Articles

Evaluation of Different Chemical Insecticides and Biopesticides Against Vegetable Leaf Miner, Liriomyza Sativae in Tomato

Vegetable leaf miner once considered as a secondary pest is now emerging as a primary pest of vegetables including tomato. It is also considered as an A1quarantine pest. Two experiments were performed to evaluate the efficacy of various insecticides against vegetable leaf miner in entomology laboratory and central farm of Sher- e- Bangla Agricultural University during October, 2019 to April, 2020. Seven insecticides such as Imidachloprid, Lamda cyhalothrin, Emamectin benjoate, Spinosad, abamectin, Matrine, azadirachtin at recommended dosages were evaluated to control vegetable leaf miner at both laboratory and field condition. In case of laboratory experiment, treatments were evaluated using leaf dip technique in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. In field study the treatments were laid in a completely randomized block design with three replications using Tomato as a host plant. Among all the tested chemical and bio pesticides, Proclaim 5SG ) @ 1.0g L-1 water, Tracer 45SC @ 0.4 ml L-1water and Vertimec 018 EC@ 1.2 ml L-1water were most effective against Liriomyza leaf miner in both condition. Thus three timely sprays of any one of these pesticides viz. Proclaim 5SG, Tracer 45SC and Vertimec 018 EC at recommended dosages could be helpful to reduce the infestation of vegetable leaf miner. SAARC J. Agric., 22(2): 227-238 (2024)

Diversity in Thrips palmi: exploration of genetic and ecological heterogeneity.

Thrips palmi Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), an impactful pest in Southeast and East Asia, spread to Africa, Oceania, and the Americas in the past decades. Besides being a principal pest of vegetables, legumes, fibre, and ornamental crops, T. palmi serves as the vector for several plant viruses that cause substantial economic losses. The impact of intraspecies heterogeneity in the evolution of pesticide-resistant, host-specific, and geo-ecological strains is known for several thrips species. The present study aims to explore the genetic basis of the intraspecies heterogeneity of T. palmi populations if any. The genetic diversity within T. palmi has been recognized by 35 microsatellite markers, sequencing mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtCOI), and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) markers. A total of 93 populations were collected from diverse ecological niches of India. Out of which 20 populations were identified as T. palmi. A total of 286 mtCOI and 66 ITS2 sequences of T. palmi originating from different parts of the world including the sequences generated in this study were considered to ascertain the genetic diversity. All the collected Indian populations are clustered into two distinct ancestries in Structure analysis, with a predominant inclination towards Ancestry II. A high intraspecific diversity of global populations of T. palmi up to 19% based on mtCOI sequences and 15% in ITS2 sequences is indicative of the presence of cryptic species. Phylogenetic analyses and haplotype networking clustered the global population of T. palmi into five lineages. Restricted gene flow was anticipated among the major lineages of T. palmi. The results suggest the existence of reproductively isolated populations due to potential geographical barriers. Excess of rare alleles suggested a recent selective sweep or population expansion after a recent bottleneck that seeks a further evolutionary understanding of T. palmi population globally, and its introduction and ecesis in new areas. The study proposes that T. palmi populations across the globe represent a species complex with broader genetic boundaries and reproductive isolation that suggest further taxonomical appraisal.

Molecular and Biochemical Mechanisms of Scutellum Color Variation in Bactrocera dorsalis Adults (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) is an invasive fruit and vegetable pest, infesting citrus, mango, carambola, etc. We observed that the posterior thoracic scutella of some B. dorsalis adults are yellow, some light yellow, and some white in China. Compared with the B. dorsalis races with a yellow scutellum (YS) and white scutellum (WS), the race with a light-yellow scutellum (LYS) is dominant in citrus and carambola orchards. To reveal genetic correlates among the three races, the genomes of 22 samples (8 with YS, 7 with LYS, and 7 with WS) were sequenced by high-throughput sequencing technology. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) annotation showed that there were 17,580 non-synonymous mutation sites located in the exonic region. Principal component analysis based on independent SNP data revealed that the SNPs with LYS were more similar to that with YS when compared with WS. Most genes associated with scutellum color variation were involved in three pathways: oxidative phosphorylation, porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, and terpenoid backbone biosynthesis. By comparing the sequences among the three races, we screened out 276 differential genes (DGs) in YS vs. WS, 185 DGs in LYS vs. WS, and 104 DGs in YS vs. LYS. Most genes determining color variation in B. dorsalis scutella were located on chromosomes 2-5. Biochemical analysis showed that β-carotene content in YS and LYS was significantly higher than that in WS at any stage of adult days 1, 10, and 20. No significant differences were observed in cytochrome P450 or melanin content in YS, LYS, or WS. Our study provides results on aspects of scutellum color variation in B. dorsalis adults, providing molecular and physiological information for revealing the adaptation and evolution of the B. dorsalis population.

Comparative Efficacy of Organic Based Management Modules against Different Stages of Myzus persicae Suzler on Capsicum under Polyhouse Condition in Kashmir Valley, India

To evaluate the comparative efficacy of organic based management modules were carried out against different stages of green peach aphid, Myzus persicae Sulzer on capsicum crop under polyhouse condition. The nymphal population reduction was highest as compared to the three forms of aphids, the alate population reduction was showed lowest by all treatments Similarly, in case of apterous form, the reduction was quite low as compared to nymphal population but higher than the apterous population of M. persicae. With the concerned of organic based management module, the highest reduction of total aphid population was observed against Azadirachtin @ 0.03% followed by Neem Seed Kernel Extract (NSKE) @ 5 % as compared to standard check (Thiacloprid 21.7 SC) @ 0.4ml/L. As a result, the azadirachtin @ 0.03% being an organic product is considered safe to the environment and be recommended for management of vegetable pests as an important component of eco-friendly management.

Assessing the Impact of Tephritid Fruit Flies on Diverse Fruit and Vegetable Crops in West Bengal's Terai Agro-ecological Region

The flies belong to the family Tephritidae of the Insect order Diptera and are referred to as Fruit flies because they infest various fruits and vegetables. Globally, Dacinae fruit flies of the genus Bactrocera Macquart are one of the most important pests of fruits and vegetables. A study was conducted during 2021, to assess the association of tephritids with different fruits and vegetables like Ber, Citrus, Guava, Mango, Bottle gourd, Cucumber and Pumpkin. A total of nine species were collected by installing traps comprising of sex attractants such as Cue-lure, Methyl Eugenol and by rearing from Infested fruits. Among nine, six species were collected through cue-lure traps namely Zeugodacus tau (Walker), Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coq.), Bactrocera rubigina (Wang and Zhao), Zeugodacus caudatus (Fabricus), Bactrocera divenderi (Maneesh, Hancock and Prabhakar) and Dacus longicornis (Wiedemann). Two species were collected through methyl eugenol traps namely Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and Bactrocera zonata (Saunders). Four species namely Zeugodacus tau (Walker), Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coq.), Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and Bactrocera minax (Enderlein) were recovered from infested fruits of ber, citrus, bottle gourd, cucumber and pumpkin. Species richness in different fields was maximum in citrus and from the recovery of infested fruits maximum in ber. Species composition of Z.tau was maximum in pumpkin, and bottle gourd and B. dorsalis were maximum in mango, guava, ber and citrus. Species composition of Z. tau were recovered maximum from infested pumpkin and cucumber, Z. cucurbitae were recovered maximum from infested bottle gourd and B. dorsalis were recovered maximum from infested ber and citrus fruits. Relative abundance of Z. tau was recorded maximum in pumpkin and bottle gourd and B. dorsalis was recorded maximum in mango, guava, ber and citrus. A relative abundance of Z. tau was recovered maximum in pumpkin and cucumber-infested fruits, Z. cucurbitae were recovered maximum from bottle gourd-infested fruits and B. dorsalis were recovered maximum from ber and citrus-infested fruits. In different fields, species evenness was observed maximum in citrus and from recovery of infested fruits maximum in ber.

Knockdown of the ZcVgR Gene Alters the Expression of Genes Related to Reproduction and Lifespan in Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) Under Extreme Heat Conditions.

Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) is an important migratory vegetable pest. Previous research has demonstrated that short-term high temperatures induce differential expression of the vitellogenin receptor (ZcVgR) gene, reducing the number of eggs laid and the lifespan of female Z. cucurbitae. In this paper, we used Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) quantitative proteomics and Illumina high-throughput sequencing to determine the proteomic and transcriptomic information of female Z. cucurbitae after siRNA-mediated silencing of the target gene (ZcVgR) to gain a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanism of this gene in the regulation of reproduction and lifespan. The findings demonstrated that following the target gene's silencing, the ZcVgR gene's transcriptional expression was significantly downregulated, and there was no significant difference in protein level. The transcriptome and proteome had a low correlation; when the ZcVgR gene was silenced, vitellogenin-1 (ZcVg1), juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase (JHEH), troponin C (TnC), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and other related genes were downregulated at the transcriptional level. By silencing the ZcVgR gene, transcriptionally level immune-related pathways were activated and energy metabolism-related pathways were inhibited; protein-level glycometabolism and phagosome pathways were activated, while phototransduction-fly and autophagy-animal pathways were inhibited. The findings of this study might offer a theoretical foundation for integrated management of Z. cucurbitae in the summertime.

Green guardians: Harnessing biopesticides for sustainable vegetable pest management

Insect pests pose significant challenges to vegetable crops, causing not only economic losses but also compromising the quality of our food. Shockingly, up to 20 % of globally produced goods fall victim to these insidious invaders. While chemical insecticides have historically bolstered food production, they come with notable drawbacks, including handling risks, residue concerns and negative impacts on non-target species and the environment.Though they have not yet completely replaced chemical insecticides, biopesticides are becoming key in reducing pesticide overuse and promoting safer, residue-free food and environments. Derived from plants and microorganisms, biopesticides offer a safer alternative, ranging from plant extracts to microbial agents such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and nematodes. Additionally, insect hormones and semiochemicals, along with silica-based mineral products like activated clay and rice husk, contribute to eco-friendly pest control solutions. Cutting-edge nano biopesticides also deliver unparalleled pest control with precision targeting and excellent environmental credentials.In this comprehensive exploration, we delve deep into the myriad forms of biopesticides, their commercial availability, modes of action and the advantages and disadvantages in vegetable pest management. Crucially, we illuminate the path toward integrating biopesticides into holistic pest management strategies, which can lead to healthier crops, increased yields and more sustainable agricultural practices. By emphasizing biopesticides, we can promote environmental safety and support a greener future in agriculture.

Biological Control of Aphids in China: Successes and Prospects.

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects, and many are notorious pests of field crops, vegetables, fruit trees, ornamental plants, and trees. In China, there is an increasing emphasis on utilizing biological control agents, including aphidopathogenics, and selective pesticides for the management of aphids. In particular, preventive integrated pest management strategies with early interventions reduce the financial and environmental costs associated with treatments of outbreaks. Decades of progress have proved that biological control is a cost-effective and environmentally safe control option. Here, we review the history and progress of aphid control, with an emphasis on major natural enemies, mass-rearing, and conservation, and provide two successful cases, constraints, and future perspectives on aphid biological control in China.

Farmers' Perceptions and Practices in Managing Vegetable Pests and Pesticide Use in the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia: In the Case of the Koga Irrigation System

This experiment was carried out to assessment of farmers’ perceptions, knowledge, and current management practices on the major pests among vegetable growers in the Koga irrigation system, Ethiopia. Understanding the farmers’ awareness and pest management is essential for designing a research agenda, and awareness creation. The survey was carried out from November 2020 to March 2021 in Koga irrigation, with a total of 63 vegetable growers. A semi-structured questionnaire was used. Almost all farmers in the study area overwhelmingly depend on pesticides to control the pests on their vegetable crops. Profenofos, Dimethoate, and Lambda-cyhalothrin were dominantly and commonly used insecticides in the study area with different trade names for more than two vegetables. There are two common and widely used fungicides named Metalaxyl-M 68 %WG and Mancozeb regarding disease control. The farmers used wrong application techniques, inappropriate spraying, wrong storage practices, and protective measure of pesticides. This wrong perception and practice could be associated with their limited knowledge about pesticides and related activities. Hence, it is recommended that government or non-governmental organizations should focus to improve the misuse and misperception of farmers in pesticide use, including personal and environmental protection through education and community intervention.

Attract and kill: testing the potential of an entomopathogenic fungus to convert a trap crop into a dead-end trap crop against a soil-borne pest of vegetables

Attract and kill: testing the potential of an entomopathogenic fungus to convert a trap crop into a dead-end trap crop against a soil-borne pest of vegetables

Overwintering potential of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Austria.

The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), one of the most important invasive pests of fresh fruits and vegetables from the coastal Mediterranean habitats, is expanding its current geographic distribution to cooler more temperate areas of Europe. Every year since 2010 the fly is detected in the area of Vienna, Austria. However, whether it can establish permanent populations is not known. In this current paper, the capacity of C. capitata to overwinter in Vienna, Austria (48.1° northern latitude) was studied over 2 consecutive winter seasons (2020-2022). Overwintering trials with different life stages (larva, pupa, and adult) of C. capitata were performed in the open field and in the protected environment of a basement without a heating system. Control flies were kept under constant conditions in a climate chamber (25 °C, 60% RH, 14:10 L:D). Our data showed that no life stage of the Mediterranean fruit fly was able to survive the Austrian winter in the open field. However, in the protected environment C. capitata outlived the winter months in all studied life stages at least in small numbers and several surviving females were able to lay eggs at the time of the following fruiting season. Implications of these findings for the ongoing geographic range expansion of the pest in temperate European countries are discussed.

Identification and expression profiles of olfactory-related genes in the antennal transcriptome of Graphosoma rubrolineatum (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

Graphosoma rubrolineatum (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is an important pest of vegetables and herbs (e.g., Umbelliferae and Cruciferae) in China, Siberia, Korea, and Japan. Insects are highly dependent on their olfactory system to detect odorants. However, no molecular-mediated olfactory genes in G. rubrolineatum have yet been identified. In this study, we first established the antennal transcriptome of G. rubrolineatum and identified 189 candidate olfactory genes, including 31 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), 15 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), four sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs),94 odorant receptors (ORs), 23 ionotropic receptors (IRs), and 22 gustatory receptors (GRs). Additionally, phylogenetic trees were constructed for olfactory genes between G. rubrolineatum and other hemipteran insects. We also detected the expression profiles of ten OBPs, five CSPs, two SNMPs, five ORs, four IRs, and four GRs by real-time quantitative PCR. The results revealed that most genes (GrubOBP1/11/31, GrubCSP3/8, GrubSNMP1a/1b, GrubOrco/OR9/11/13, GrubGR1/4/22, GrubIR25/75h/76b/GluR1) were highly expressed in the antennae, GrubOBP13/31 and GrubCSP4/11/12 were highly expressed in the legs, while GrubOBP20 and GrubGR19 were highly expressed in the wings. Our results will enrich the gene inventory of G. rubrolineatum and provide further insight into the molecular chemosensory mechanisms of G. rubrolineatum.

New okra genotypes for the management of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the diverse ecological landscapes of Central Africa.

Various aphid species, including Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), are considered important pests of okra and other vegetables. Previous studies under 1 environment in Cameroon, Central Africa, had found multiple okra genotypes with resistance to A. gossypii. However, the stability and yield performance of the "resistant" genotypes across different environments were unknown. Ten previously identified aphid-resistant okra genotypes along with 1 commercial variety and a local landrace (specific to a given location) were compared during 2 seasons in replicated trials in 4 agro-ecological zones of Cameroon that also represent large areas of Central Africa. Aphid populations and okra yield parameters were evaluated. Breeding values were predicted using a linear mixed model for all data, and genotypes by location interactions were identified. The area under the infestation pressure curve (AUIPC) was calculated using aphid count data and subjected to resistance analysis. The Local-the most susceptible with the highest breeding value (+2.33)-and VI060794-one of the moderately resistant-genotypes had the highest yield per hectare. The only resistant genotype VI036213 had the lowest breeding value (-2.20). Genotype × location interactions were significant for yield, pod width, and plant height, while location variance was significant for all parameters evaluated. When considering that higher aphid densities could lead to greater pesticide use and, therefore higher production and environmental costs, the high-yielding VI060794-with moderate aphid resistance across multiple environments-presents an alternative or substitute for local landraces across multiple agro-ecologies of Cameroon and (by extension) Central Africa.

YOLO-FMDI: A Lightweight YOLOv8 Focusing on a Multi-Scale Feature Diffusion Interaction Neck for Tomato Pest and Disease Detection

At the present stage, the field of detecting vegetable pests and diseases is in dire need of the integration of computer vision technologies. However, the deployment of efficient and lightweight object-detection models on edge devices in vegetable cultivation environments is a key issue. To address the limitations of current target-detection models, we propose a novel lightweight object-detection model based on YOLOv8n while maintaining high accuracy. In this paper, (1) we propose a new neck structure, Focus Multi-scale Feature Diffusion Interaction (FMDI), and inject it into the YOLOv8n architecture, which performs multi-scale fusion across hierarchical features and improves the accuracy of pest target detection. (2) We propose a new efficient Multi-core Focused Network (MFN) for extracting features of different scales and capturing local contextual information, which optimizes the processing power of feature information. (3) We incorporate the novel and efficient Universal Inverted Bottleneck (UIB) block to replace the original bottleneck block, which effectively simplifies the structure of the block and achieves the lightweight model. Finally, the performance of YOLO-FMDI is evaluated through a large number of ablation and comparison experiments. Notably, compared with the original YOLOv8n, our model reduces the parameters, GFLOPs, and model size by 18.2%, 6.1%, and 15.9%, respectively, improving the mean average precision (mAP50) by 1.2%. These findings emphasize the excellent performance of our proposed model for tomato pest and disease detection, which provides a lightweight and high-precision solution for vegetable cultivation applications.

First report and injury of Delia sanctijacobi (Bigot, 1885) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) on tomato crop in Brazil

The root maggot fly, Delia sanctijacobi (Bigot, 1885) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), is an emerging pest of many vegetables. In this note, we report for the first time the occurrence of D. sanctijacobi damaging the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) culture in Brazil. The occurrence was recorded in a tomato field located in the municipality of Coronel Freitas, Santa Catarina. The damage was characterized by roots consumption, opening of galleries in the stem and plant stand reduction. The first detection of D. sanctijacobi on tomato in Brazil brings an alert to growers and the need of future research about population dynamics and development of management strategies for this species.

Insecticide resistance and characteristics of mutations related to target site insensitivity of diamondback moths in Taiwan

Diamondback moth (DBM, Plutella xylostella) is the most significant pest of cruciferous vegetables as they rapidly develop high-level resistance to many insecticides. Monitoring DBM susceptibility and target-site mutation frequency is essential for pest control. In this study, 10 insecticides were tested on 11 field populations. Frequencies of target-site mutations (including para, ace1, Rdl1, RyR1, and nAChRα6 genes) were estimated by pyrosequencing. Insecticides registered after 2007 for DBM control in Taiwan, i.e., spinetoram, chlorantraniliprole, chlorfenapyr, metaflumizone, and flubendiamide, showed >80% mortality toward several populations; Bacillus thurigiensis, emamectin benzoate, and chlorfluazuron showed medium to low efficacy in all populations; and tolfenpyrad and mevinphos were highly ineffective. Susceptibility to insecticides varied substantially among populations: eight out of nine populations were highly susceptible to spinetoram, but only one was susceptible to flubendiamide. Target-site mutations related to organophosphates, pyrethroids, fipronil, and diamides were detected in all populations, but there were few spinosad and spinetoram mutations. Our three-year field study demonstrated rapid efficacy loss for all insecticides tested, particularly for more toxic insecticides. Skipped-generation selection of a field DBM strain to emamectin benzoate, metaflumizone, chlorantraniliprole, and flubendiamide revealed that mortality rates dropped from 60 to 80% to <10% after 6 generations. Next-generation sequencing was performed to identify possible target gene mutations. A resistance management program that considers the instability of resistance to some chemicals and pertinent data on resistance mechanisms should be established. Identifying compounds to overcome high-frequency field DBM point mutations could be beneficial for pest control.

Influence of host plant on the wing shape of Bactrocera cucurbitae and Bactrocera tau (Diptera: Tephritidae)

ABSTRACT Bactrocera fruit flies are a significant pest of fruits and vegetables. Some of them are polyphagous and show rapid reproduction. Our study evaluated the impact of three host plants: bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula), and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) on the shape and size of the wings of Bactrocera cucurbitae and B. tau by using geometric morphometrics. The wings of females were significantly larger than those of males, and the wings of B. cucurbitae were significantly smaller than those of B. tau. Individuals feeding on different host plants did not differ significantly in wing size. Wing shape differed significantly both between sexes and between species. Differences in wing shape between males and females were larger than differences between B. cucurbitae and B. tau. Wing shape can be used to identify males and females of the two species without errors. Wing shape differed significantly between males of the two species feeding on cucumber and bottle gourd. Wing shape can be used to identify males of B. cucurbitae and B. tau feeding on those two host plants without errors.

The Diversity of Subterranean Dorylus Ants in the Agricultural Regions of Northern Thailand

Thailand, primarily an agricultural nation, faces significant crop yield losses due to various pests. Members of the Dorylus Fabricius, 1793 ant genus are significant pests of both vegetables and cash crops. Despite extensive research on ant taxonomy in Thailand, a comprehensive understanding of ant diversity remains incomplete, with many species are undiscovered. This study examines the diversity of subterranean Dorylus ants in the agricultural regions of Northern Thailand, predominantly occupied by hill tribes. Ant surveys were carried out in organic vegetable farms located in the Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces of Northern Thailand, by using palm oil baits in sieve buckets. The worker ants were identified through their morphological and molecular characters derived from the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) region of the mitochondrial gene. Our findings revealed that two species, Dorylus laevigatus and D. orientalis, are major Dorylus ants that infest Brassicaceae and Fabaceae vegetable crops. This is the first record of these species infesting Chinese radish (Raphanus sativus L.). In addition, we present the first documentation of D. laevigatus in Pak choi (Brassica chinensis L.), and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Thailand. These pests burrow into the subterranean parts of crop roots, resulting in reduced growth yield. The damage manifests as an unhealthy appearance in the above-ground parts of the crops.

Effects of Ultraviolet-C Exposure on Western Flower Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, and Ornamental Plants

Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (WFT), is one of the most destructive insect pests of vegetables and ornamental crops globally. Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) exposure has been shown to reduce populations of arthropod pests, including whiteflies and two-spotted spider mites, but has not been fully assessed for WFT. The goal of this study was to determine if UV-C radiance could be a viable strategy for inclusion in integrated pest management (IPM) programs for WFT. The objectives were to (1) assess the relationship among UV-C dose (irradiance × duration) and mortality of WFT adults and second instar larvae, (2) determine the effect of UV-C on WFT fecundity and egg hatch, and (3) assess the effect of the WFT lethal dose of UV-C on three WFT-prone ornamental plants. A UV-C dose is measured in Joules, which equals power (watts) × exposure time. A dose-dependent relationship between UV-C exposure and mortality of WFT larvae and adults was observed. At the doses of 0.98 and 0.68 J/cm2 (5 and 4 min exposure, respectively), 50% of the larvae died within 24 and 48 h, respectively. The UV-C dose needed to achieve 50% mortality was higher for adults than larvae, occurring at 5.2 and 4.4 J/cm2 (35 min and 25 min exposure, respectively) within 72 and 120 h, respectively. The number of eggs laid by surviving WFT subjected to UV-C treatment was less than by those that were untreated, and the egg-laying period was significantly shorter among those treated with UV-C. When leaves containing WFT eggs were exposed to UV-C doses known to cause 30–40% mortality in adults, 86–98% fewer eggs hatched compared to untreated controls. Ornamental plants exposed to UV-C doses lethal to eggs, second instars, and adult WFT either showed no damage, or when damage occurred, plants recovered within 14–30 days. Additional studies under controlled greenhouse conditions are needed to elucidate the effectiveness of UV-C radiance against WFT over time and its compatibility with biological control and other IPM practices.

Intelligent field monitoring system for cruciferous vegetable pests using yellow sticky trap images and an improved Cascade R-CNN

Cruciferous vegetables are important edible vegetable crops. However, they are susceptible to various pests during their growth process, which requires real-time and accurate monitoring of these pests for pest forecasting and scientific control. Hanging yellow sticky boards are a common way to monitor and trap those pests which are attracted to the yellow color. To achieve real-time, low-cost, intelligent monitoring of these vegetable pests on the boards, we established an intelligent monitoring system consisting of a smart camera, a web platform and a pest detection algorithm deployed on a server. After the operator sets the monitoring preset points and shooting time of the camera on the system platform, the camera in the field can automatically collect images of multiple yellow sticky boards at fixed places and times every day. The pests trapped on the yellow sticky boards in vegetable fields, Plutella xylostella, Phyllotreta striolata and flies, are very small and susceptible to deterioration and breakage, which increases the difficulty of model detection. To solve the problem of poor recognition due to the small size and breaking of the pest bodies, we propose an intelligent pest detection algorithm based on an improved Cascade R-CNN model for three important cruciferous crop pests. The algorithm uses an overlapping sliding window method, an improved Res2Net network as the backbone network, and a recursive feature pyramid network as the neck network. The results of field tests show that the algorithm achieves good detection results for the three target pests on the yellow sticky board images, with precision levels of 96.5, 92.2 and 75.0%, and recall levels of 96.6, 93.1 and 74.7%, respectively, and an F1 value of 0.880. Compared with other algorithms, our algorithm has a significant advantage in its ability to detect small target pests. To accurately obtain the data for the newly added pests each day, a two-stage pest matching algorithm was proposed. The algorithm performed well and achieved results that were highly consistent with manual counting, with a mean error of only 2.2%. This intelligent monitoring system realizes precision, good visualization, and intelligent vegetable pest monitoring, which is of great significance as it provides an effective pest prevention and control option for farmers.