Challenges facing arthropod biological control: identifying traits for genetic improvement of predators in protected crops

Biological control is an efficient pest control method but there are still limitations that are hindering its wider adoption. Genetic improvement of biological control agents (BCAs) can help to overcome these constraints, but the choice of key attributes for better performance that need to be selected is still an open question. Several characteristics have been suggested but the harsh reality is that selective breeding of BCAs has received a lot of attention but resulted in very little progress. Identifying the appropriate traits to be prioritized may be the first step to reverse this situation. In our opinion, the best way is to look at the factors limiting the performance of key BCAs, especially generalist predators (pesticide compatibility, prey‐density dependence, non‐suitable crops, and extreme environmental conditions), and according to these challenges, to choose the attributes that would allow BCAs to overcome those limitations. The benefits of selection for higher resistance to toxins, whether artificially applied (pesticides) or plant produced (plant defenses); increased fitness when feeding on non‐prey food (supplemented or plant‐derived); and better adaptation to extreme temperature and humidity are discussed. In conclusion, genetic improvement of BCAs can bring about new opportunities to biocontrol industry and users to enhance biocontrol resilience. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry     

西藏八角莲叶斑病鉴定及其生物学特性研究

从西藏农牧学院药材基地的西藏八角莲(Dysosma sayuensis Ying)发病叶片上分离得到病原菌,对病原菌进行形态特征观察、致病性测定及其生物学特性研究。结果表明,八角莲叶斑病为八角莲上一种新病害,其病原菌为壳针孢属(Septoriasp.)真菌。该菌能利用多种碳源和氮源,其中以山梨醇为最适碳源,蛋白胨为最适氮源,在无碳源和氮源条件下,菌丝生长不良,长势较差;菌丝生长最适温度为20～30℃;最适pH为7～9;不同光照条件对菌丝生长无显著影响。本试验明确了引起西藏八角莲叶斑病的病原,为该病的深入研究和防治提供了依据。     

Biological Control of Sclerotinia Diseases of Rapeseed by Aerial Applications of the Mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans

Indoor and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of applying the mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans to the aerial parts of rapeseed plants at the flowering stage to control sclerotinia diseases caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Under controlled conditions, a petal inoculation technique was used to determine the effect of conidial suspensions of C. minitans on suppression of sclerotinia leaf blight. Results showed that C. minitans was effective in inhibiting infection initiated by ascospores of S. sclerotiorum on flower petals by restricting mycelial growth of the pathogen. Suppression of lesion development was related to the conidial concentration of C. minitans, with larger lesions at low concentration (5×10³conidia ml⁻¹), but smaller lesions at high concentration (5×10⁴ conidia ml⁻¹ or higher). When C. minitans-treated rapeseed leaves were inoculated with mycelia of S. sclerotiorum, C. minitans failed to prevent infection of leaves, but caused a significant reduction in number of sclerotia produced on the diseased leaves. No significant difference in efficacy was detected between the two isolates of C. minitans, LRC 2137 and Chy-1, on the two rapeseed cultivars, Westar (spring type) and Zhongyou 821 (winter type). Results of field trials showed a significant reduction of stem rot of rapeseed in four (1997, 1999, 2003 and 2004) out of five years by aerial application of C. minitans, compared with controls. No significant difference in suppressive efficacy was observed between the treatments of C. minitans (10⁶ conidia ml⁻¹), C. minitans (10⁶ conidia ml⁻¹) + benomyl (50 μg ml⁻¹) and benomyl (100 μg ml⁻¹) in 2003, and between the treatments of C. minitans (10⁶ conidia ml⁻¹), C. minitans (10⁶ conidia ml⁻¹) + vinclozolin (100 μg ml⁻¹) and vinclozolin (500 μg ml⁻¹) in 2004. Sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum collected from diseased plants in plots treated with C. minitans in 1999, 2000 and 2003, or with C. minitans + benomyl in 2003 were infected by C. minitans at frequencies ranging from 21.3 to 54.5%. This study concludes that aerial spraying of C. minitans is an effective method for controlling sclerotinia diseases of rapeseed.     

甘肃省南瓜白粉病菌对己唑醇抗性诱导及抗性菌株生物学性状研究

为了解甘肃省裸仁美洲南瓜白粉菌对己唑醇敏感性及抗性产生情况,采用小株喷雾法对采自兰州、武威、景泰等地的20个南瓜白粉菌菌株对己唑醇的敏感性进行了测定,利用紫外诱导、药剂驯化、先紫外后药剂驯化三种方法对敏感菌株进行了抗药性诱导,并对抗性突变菌株的生物学性状及其对丙环唑、氟硅唑、腈菌唑和戊唑醇的交互抗性进行了研究。结果表明20个南瓜白粉菌菌株对己唑醇的敏感性存在一定差异,EC50值在17.77~285.54μg/mL范围内;与其他两种诱导方法相比药剂驯化方法获得的抗性突变菌株的抗性倍数最高,为8.94倍。敏感菌株和抗性突变菌株孢子萌发的最佳时间分别为36h和48h;抗性突变菌株产孢量和致病力明显高于敏感菌株;适合度测定表明抗性突变菌株与敏感菌株之间存在竞争力,孢子萌发率、芽管个数之间差异显著,菌丝分支数、产孢量之间差异不显著;抗性突变菌株在抗性突变菌株和敏感菌株混合比例为80∶20的群体中,存在频率比较稳定,连续培养7代后仍占85.69%;己唑醇抗性突变菌株对丙环唑、氟硅唑、腈菌唑和戊唑醇4种药剂未表现出交互抗性。研究结果可为甘肃省防治南瓜白粉病提供理论依据。     

玉蜀黍赤霉有性重组体的诱导及其生物学特性

 本研究以硝酸盐营养缺陷型突变体(nit)和多菌灵抗性为遗传标记,在5个所选菌株中设计了3个玉蜀黍赤霉病菌Gibberella zeae的杂交组合,使各菌株之间进行杂交,从而诱导有性重组体。从各杂交组合的后代中任意挑选出3个有性重组体,比较了这些有性重组体与其亲本在无性和有性阶段的主要生物学性状。结果表明,玉蜀黍赤霉中的nit基因及对杀菌剂多菌灵的抗药性基因可以通过有性杂交的方式重组,即发生了有性重组。有性重组体与其亲本在菌落生长、培养性状和致病性方面没有显著差异;但某些有性重组体中,产孢量和产子囊壳能力方面存在一定差异。总体看来,有性重组体仍然保持了较高的适合度。因此,可以认为有性重组在玉蜀黍赤霉群体对多菌灵抗药性发生发展以及群体遗传进化中可能起着重要的作用。     

Implications of on-farm research for local knowledge related to fruit flies and the weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda in mango production

We interviewed half of the mango-growers in northern Benin, including 15 farmers involved in a regional fruit fly project, and held focus group discussions with women fruit-pickers. They were asked about pest management and their knowledge of a weaver ant, Oecophylla longinoda. All considered low yields due to fruit flies to be the principal constraint upon mango production, estimating economic losses to be between 20 and 45%. None could recognize damage during the first 2 days after fruit fly egg deposition. On-farm research persuaded farmers to stop using insecticides and it also changed negative perceptions of Oecophylla. Over 80% of the farmers involved in on-farm research, compared to 25% of those not involved, reported Oecophylla to be beneficial. All fruit-pickers knew that ants protected mango from fruit flies, with 60% attributing better mango quality in terms of appearance, shelf-life and sweetness to the presence of Oecophylla. Nevertheless, 40% of the pickers still considered weaver ants a nuisance pest during harvest. Ways of reducing this nuisance need to be developed for Oecophylla to gain wider acceptance by mango-growers.     

敌死虫对不同发育阶段烟粉虱的生物活性测定

敌死虫对烟粉虱成虫具有较强的驱避作用 ,99.1%敌死虫200、100、50倍液药后 2h～120h对黄瓜上烟粉虱的驱避率均在90%以上 ,50倍液处理药后3d的驱避率为98%～100%。药剂处理的非洲菊上烟粉虱成虫产卵量显著低于对照。敌死虫对烟粉虱卵具有一定活性 ,致死中量为10468.6mg/kg ;对若虫活性较高 ,对1、2、3龄若虫的致死中量分别为165.81、199.46、232.38mg/kg ,稀释倍数分别为5976、4968、4264倍。     

毛乌素沙地南缘沙区水分入渗特征及其影响因素

水分入渗是土壤水分循环的重要环节。为探明毛乌素沙地生物结皮覆盖沙区水分入渗特征及其影响因素,采用双环法测定不同类型地表(裸沙、浅灰色藻类结皮、黑褐色藻类结皮和藓类结皮,依次用BS、LC、DC和MC表示)水分入渗速率及其土壤理化性质。结果表明:1与BS相比,LC、DC和MC样地初始入渗率分别减少了37.7%、59.2%和73.6%,稳定前平均入渗率分别减少了37.5%、62.2%和81.3%,稳定入渗率分别减少了13.6%、67.4%和78.9%,累计入渗量分别减少了25.8%、61.3%和78.6%。2不同类型地表达到稳定入渗所需的时间在3~8 min;相关性分析结果显示,水分入渗速率与砂粒和土壤容重呈正相关关系,与粉粒、黏粒、结皮厚度、结皮抗剪强度、结皮层容重和有机碳含量呈负相关关系。3主成分分析结果表明,黏粒、结皮抗剪强度和土壤容重是影响该地区水分入渗速率的主要因子。因此,生物结皮在沙丘表面的形成和发育过程中,通过改变土壤的理化性质,减缓了该地区水分入渗速率,增加了降水的径流流失风险。     

新型杀虫剂甲磺虫腙的合成与杀虫活性

以对氯苯甲酰氯、苯甲醚、甲基磺酰氯、水合肼、丁酮等为原料合成了新型杀虫剂甲磺虫腙(试验号:ZJ0967),其化学名称为甲磺酸-4- 苯酯,其结构经1H NMR、MS和元素分析确认。室内生测结果表明,甲磺虫腙对小菜蛾Plutella xylostella、甜菜夜蛾Spodoptera exigua,特别是对粘虫Mythimna sepatara、斜纹夜蛾Prodenia litura表现出良好的杀虫活性。进一步毒力测定表明,甲磺虫腙对斜纹夜蛾的LC50值为8.45(7.69~9.62) mg/L,其杀虫活性与虫酰肼相当,但低于氟啶脲。田间试验结果表明,70%甲磺虫腙WG在有效成分为210~420 g/hm2时,对斜纹夜蛾7 d的防效可达88.6% ~93.9%,未观察到对作物产生药害。     

Problems of implementing compulsory integrated pest management

Compulsory integrated pest management poses a number of challenges and issues for debate. Some of are discussed with reference to European Union requirements set out in Annex III of Directive 128/2009. Requirements on the use of plant protection products bring with them problems with dose reduction in the light of a resistance prevention strategy, the lack of threshold levels, the necessity of chemical treatments and the limited availability of effective products of biological origin. Use of preventive measures of pest control faces barriers related to profitability and a lack of knowledge on the part of farmers. Challenges to control the system, as well as the fact that some legally enforced rules are not suitable for all crops, seem also to be an issue. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry