RNAi‐mediated plant protection against aphids

Aphids (Aphididae) are major agricultural pests that cause significant yield losses of crop plants each year by inflicting damage both through the direct effects of feeding and by vectoring harmful plant viruses. Expression of double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) directed against suitable insect target genes in transgenic plants has been shown to give protection against pests through plant‐mediated RNA interference (RNAi). Thus, as a potential alternative and effective strategy for insect pest management in agricultural practice, plant‐mediated RNAi for aphid control has received close attention in recent years. In this review, the mechanism of RNAi in insects and the so far explored effective RNAi target genes in aphids, their potential applications in the development of transgenic plants for aphid control and the major challenges in this regard are reviewed, and the future prospects of using plant‐mediated RNAi for aphid control are discussed. This review is intended to be a helpful insight into the generation of aphid‐resistant plants through plant‐mediated RNAi strategy. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of organic‐farming‐compatible insecticides on four aphid natural enemy species

BACKGROUND: The toxicities of pyrethrins + rapeseed oil, pyrethrins + piperonyl butoxide (PBO), potassium salts of fatty acids and linseed oil were assessed in the laboratory on the parasitic wasp Aphidius rhopalosiphi (Destefani‐Perez), the ladybird Adalia bipunctata (L.), the rove beetle Aleochara bilineata (Gyll.) and the carabid beetle Bembidion lampros (Herbst.). The methods selected were residual contact toxicity tests on inert and natural substrates. RESULTS: Both the pyrethrin products led to 100% mortality in the adult parasitic wasps and ladybird larvae on glass plates and plants. The pyrethrins + PBO formulation was toxic for B. lampros on sand and natural soil, but the pyrethrins + rapeseed oil formulation was harmless for this species. Insecticidal soaps were harmless for all these beneficial species. None of the tested products significantly affected the parasitism of the onion fly pupae by A. bilineata. CONCLUSION: The results indicated the potentially high toxicity of natural pyrethrins for beneficial arthropods. Although this toxicity needs to be confirmed in field conditions, the toxicity levels obtained in the laboratory were similar to or higher than those of several synthetic insecticides known to be toxic in the field. Insecticidal soaps could be considered as an alternative for aphid control in organic farming in terms of selectivity. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Activity of the botanical aphicides 1,5‐diphenyl‐1‐pentanone and 1,5‐diphenyl‐2‐penten‐1‐one on two species of Aphididnae

1,5‐Diphenyl‐1‐pentanone (A) and 1,5‐diphenyl‐2‐penten‐1‐one (B) are natural products extracted for the first time from Stellera chamaejasme. Laboratory bioassay showed that the two products have strong contact activity and very good anti‐feedant activity against Aphis gossypii and Schizaphis graminum. Both products showed dose‐dependent relationships for both forms of activity against the two aphids, the contact activity of B being about twice that of A. Both products were inferior to methomyl in contact activity but superior in anti‐feedant activity against the two aphids. This is the first report of aphicidal activity in these two compounds, which may represent a new class of aphicide. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

伯氏嗜线虫致病杆菌蛋白酶抑制剂Xbpi-1对豌豆蚜Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris生物活性的研究

蛋白酶抑制剂是一类能够抑制蛋白水解酶活性的小分子蛋白质,在昆虫肠道内通过抑制蛋白酶的活性,可以干扰昆虫的正常生长和发育。本文利用体外重组表达的蛋白酶抑制剂Xbpi-1,研究了Xbpi-1对豌豆蚜Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris的杀虫活性及其生化机制。结果表明,取食含蛋白酶抑制剂Xbpi-1浓度为50、200、400、800μg·mL^-1人工饲料的豌豆蚜,96h后的校正死亡率分别为2．1％、9-4％、19．7％和50．9％,虫重分别减少12_3％、20．3％、25．7％和33．7％。生化测定结果表明,4种浓度处理的豌豆蚜体内总蛋白酶、氨肽酶、胰蛋白酶、胰凝乳蛋白酶的活性均有显著降低,浓度为800μ·mL^-1时,其酶活性分别降低了29．6％、26．1％、23．5％和23．8％。本研究结果说明,蛋白酶抑制剂Xbpi-1对豌豆蚜具有较好的生物活性,为进一步开发应用于豌豆蚜等刺吸式害虫的防治提供了理论依据。     

Intra-specific variation and inheritance of BYDV-PAV transmission in the aphid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sitobion avenae</Emphasis>

Vector efficiency of 44 clonal lines (clones) of Sitobion avenae belonging to 31 different genotypes (distinct patterns for five microsatellite loci) originating from Western France was evaluated by transmitting the isolate PAV4 of BYDV-PAV to barley seedlings. Variation in transmission rates from 3.7% to 92.5% was observed, with significant effects of the aphid clone, of the plant species on which clones were collected, and of the reproductive mode of the clones. When genotypes are considered instead of clones, a continuum in transmission rates was observed. A subset of S. avenae clones was tested for transmission of one (10 clones) and 13 (4 clones) other BYDV-PAV isolates, and a clear clone effect modulated by an isolate effect was observed. Crosses were made between clones with different vectoring phenotypes and their F1 progeny were tested for PAV4 transmission. The narrow sense heritability of the PAV transmission character was rather high in the F1 families (h²=0.5) and the segregation analyses suggested an oligo/polygenic determinism of this character. The possibility of generating new transmission variants by sexual reproduction and its consequences on transmission mechanism studies and on BYD epidemics are discussed.     

Management of yellow dwarf disease in Europe in a post‐neonicotinoid agriculture

Barley/cereal yellow dwarf viruses (YDVs) cause yellow dwarf disease (YDD), which is a continuous risk to cereals production worldwide. These viruses cause leaf yellowing and stunting, resulting in yield reductions of up to 80%. YDVs have been a consistent but low‐level problem in European cereal cultivation for the last three decades, mostly due to the availability of several effective insecticides (largely pyrethroids and more recently neonicotinoids) against aphid vectors. However, this has changed recently, with many insecticides being lost, culminating in a recent European Union (EU) regulation prohibiting outdoor use of the neonicotinoid‐insecticide compounds. This change is coupled with the growing challenge of insecticide‐resistant aphids, the lack of genetic resources against YDVs, and a knowledge deficit around the parameters responsible for the emergence and spread of YDD. This means that economic sustainability of cereal cultivation in several European countries including France and United Kingdom is now again threatened by this aphid‐vectored viral disease. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the YDV pathosystem, describe management options against YDD, analyse the impacts of the neonicotinoid ban in Europe, and consider future strategies to control YDV. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry     

Bioactivity of essential oils from leaves and bark of Laurelia sempervirens and Drimys winteri against Acyrthosiphon pisum

BACKGROUND: The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), is a cosmopolitan pest that attacks a wide range of legume crops and vectors important plant virus diseases. In this project, essential oils from the leaf (L) and bark (B) of Laurelia sempervirens (Ruiz & Pavón) Tul. (L) and Drimys winteri JR Forster & G Forster (D) were extracted, and their deterrent and insecticidal activities were tested under laboratory conditions. RESULTS: By use of GC‐MS, safrole was found as the main constituent in LL and LB oils, while the main constituents were more diverse in DL and DB oils. In the deterrent bioassays with A. pisum under choice conditions, the four oils were active, with LL being the most active, followed by LB, DB and DL. The respective deterrence indices were 1.0, 0.89, 0.87 and 0.46 when aphids were exposed for 24 h to 4 µL mL^?1. Although there was no aphid mortality when oils were sprayed on faba bean leaves before aphid infestation, there was 58 and 42% mortality when settled aphids were directly sprayed with 4.0 µL mL^?1 of LL and LB respectively; DB and DL oils caused ≤18% mortality. In a third series, the essential oils of LL and LB caused 100% mortality when applied at a dose of 64 µL L^?1 air by fumigation to faba bean plants infested with A. pisum; at the same dose, DB and DL oils caused 68 and 63% mortality respectively. When fumigation was limited to 2 h, the respective LC₅₀ values for LL and LB oils were 10.6–14.3 µL L^?1 air and 9.8–13.2 µL L^?1 air. CONCLUSION: Because of their high deterrent and insecticidal activities, the essential oils from leaf and bark of L. sempervirens may be explored as potential natural aphicides. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Triterpene saponins of Quillaja saponaria show strong aphicidal and deterrent activity against the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum

BACKGROUND: Saponins are a class of secondary plant metabolites consisting of a sugar moiety glycosidically linked to a hydrophobic aglycone (sapogenin) that often possess insecticidal activities. Four saponins were selected: two triterpene saponins, Q. saponaria saponins and aescin, and two steroidal saponins, digitonin and diosgenin. Their effects were investigated on an important pest species and a model piercing‐sucking insect, the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. The triterpene Q. saponaria saponins bark saponin received special attention because of its high activity. Aphids were challenged by oral and contact exposure to demonstrate aphicidal activities, and in choice experiments to support use as a natural deterrent. RESULTS: When aphids were exposed to supplemented artificial diet for 3 days, a strong aphicidal activity was recorded for three of the four saponins, with an LC₅₀ of 0.55 mg mL^?1 for Q. saponaria saponins, 0.62 mg mL^?1 for aescin and 0.45 mg mL^?1 for digitonin. The LT₅₀ values ranged between 1 and 4 days, depending on the dose. For diosgenin, only low toxicity (14%) was scored for concentrations up to 5 mg mL^?1. In choice experiments with treated diet, a deterrence index of 0.97 was scored for Q. saponaria saponins at 1 mg mL^?1. In contrast, direct contact showed no repellent effect. Spraying of faba bean plants with Q. saponaria saponins resulted in an LC₅₀ of 8.2 mg mL^?1. Finally, histological analysis in aphids fed with Q. saponaria saponins demonstrated strong aberrations of the aphid gut epithelium, and exposure of midgut CF‐203 cell lines to Q. saponaria saponins in vitro confirmed the cytotoxic effect. CONCLUSIONS: The present insect experiments provide strong evidence that saponins, as tested here with triterpene Q. saponaria saponins, can be useful as natural aphicides and deterrents. Furthermore, the insect midgut epithelium is suggested to be a primary target of saponin activity.Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Cucumber mosaic virus infection of chickpea stands: temporal and spatial patterns of spread and yield‐limiting potential

Patterns of spread and yield losses were examined when migrant aphid vectors transmitted Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) within chickpea (Cicer arietinum) plots. When numbers of chickpea plant infection foci were varied to provide initial infection incidences of 0·3–2%, rate of virus spread and its final incidence increased in proportion to initial virus incidence and pathogen progress curves reflected a polycyclic pattern of spread. Chickpea seed yields decreased by 44–45% when CMV incidence reached 61–74% at final assessment in plots with simulated 1–2% initial incidence. In chickpea plots with or without introduced lupin plant infection foci, cumulative spatial data for diseased plants were assessed using spatial analysis by distance indices (sadie ). When CMV spread within a plot, infection was concentrated in large patch clusters and was consistent with comprehensive localized spread around primary infection foci. When introduced infection foci were absent, there was more diffuse spread with many isolated clusters. In individual plants that developed CMV symptoms at different growth stages, shoot and pod dry weight were reduced by 60–65% and 77–79% (early infection) and 44 and 66% (late infection), respectively. Seed yield losses were 78–80% (early) and 65–67% (late), and reduction in 50‐seed weight was 20–25% regardless of time of infection, so seed number was reduced more by early than late infection. Infection also reduced seed quality as, in addition to smaller seed size, seed coats were discoloured and malformed: the proportions of malformed seeds were 9–11% (early), 3–6% (late) and 0·5% (healthy).     

Expression of defence‐related genes in stems and leaves of resistant and susceptible field pea (Pisum sativum) during infection by Phoma koolunga

The differential expression of 13 defence‐related genes during Phoma koolunga infection of stems and leaves of susceptible versus resistant field pea (Pisum sativum) was determined using qRT‐PCR. Expression, in terms of relative mRNA level ratios, of genes encoding ferredoxin NADP oxidoreductase, 6a‐hydroxymaackiain methyltransferase (hmm6), chalcone synthase (PSCHS3) and ascorbate peroxidase in leaves and stems differed during 6–72 hours post‐inoculation (hpi) and reflected known host resistance levels in leaves versus stems. In comparison to the susceptible genotype, at 24, 48 and 72 hpi, two genes, hmm6 (122.43‐, 206.99‐ and 32.25‐fold, respectively) and PSCHS3 (175.00‐, 250.13‐ and 216.24‐fold, respectively), were strongly up‐regulated in leaves of the resistant genotype, highlighting that resistance against P. koolunga in field pea is governed by the early synthesis of pisatin. At 24 hpi, leaves infected by P. koolunga showed clear differences in expression of target genes. For example, the gene encoding a precursor of the defensin ‘disease resistance response protein 39’ was substantially down‐regulated in leaves of both the susceptible and the resistant genotypes inoculated with P. koolunga. This contrasts with other studies on another pea black spot pathogen, Didymella pinodes, where this same gene is strongly up‐regulated in leaves of resistant and susceptible genotypes. The current study provides the first understanding of defence‐related genes involved in the resistance against P. koolunga, opening novel avenues to engineer new field pea cultivars with improved leaf and stem black spot disease resistance as the basis for developing more effective and sustainable management strategies.