Bactrocera oleae is the main pest in olive groves, and its management requires a sustainable perspective to reduce the use of chemical products. Landscape context is being considered as an important driver of pest reduction, but results on B. oleae show inconsistency to date. Most of landscape-pest control studies focus on the dynamics of the pests within the focal crop, ignoring these dynamics in

The commercial utilization of genetically modified crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal toxins requires careful assessment of the potential impact on non-target organisms. To assess the potential ecological impact of the Bt insect-resistant cotton variety A26-5 (expressing the Cry1Ac/1Ab protein), we tested whether there was transmission of Cry1Ac toxin through the food chain from

Brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) (BPH) is a devastating migratory rice pest in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions. Insecticide-induced population resurgence is a concern for BPH control. Exposure to low/sublethal concentrations of insecticides has resulted in increased reproduction and fitness as well as insecticide tolerance in many insects. Nitenpyram, a neonicotinoid insecticide

Intracellular symbiosis impacts many aspects of insect biology, and disruption of these symbioses is a novel insect-pest-control strategy. Horizontally transferred genes (HTGs) are critical for insect-intracellular symbiont association, representing candidate molecular targets for symbiosis disruption. However, few studies have tested this in the laboratory and under field conditions. Biotin and lysine

The management of economically important lepidopteran pests has relied heavily on chemical and Bt-bio pesticides since 1940s, which has led to multiple recurring issues in resistance and environment. In this study, to search for a genetic-based control alternative with a distinctively different mode of action, we carried out a toxicological characterization of miR-34-5p, a highly conserved lepidopteran

Ecological niche models have proved to be a powerful tool in assessing invasiveness risk of alien species, allowing the optimization of control strategies. Vespa velutina (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) is an invasive species with strong ecological, economical and health impacts in Europe after it was first reported in France in 2004. It was detected for the first time on a Mediterranean island (Mallorca,

Classical biological control, i.e., the introduction of natural enemies from an invasive pest’s area of origin, has been proposed repeatedly to control the spotted wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii in the Americas and in Europe. Results from surveys in Asia and laboratory experiments suggest the parasitoid G1 Ganaspis cf. brasiliensis as a suitable biological control agent. To study the host specificity

Trichogramma spp. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) are generalist egg parasitoids widely used as biological control agents, yet with limited efficacy against Tuta absoluta (Meyrick; Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), a key pest of tomato. Olfactory cues related to the host-plant complex influence the searching behavior in parasitoids. Studies have shown that female Trichogramma spp. can learn odor cues affecting

Generalist predators are increasingly used in biological pest control for greenhouse crops, as they control multiple pests and persist in crops even when prey is scarce. However, some of these predators may cause plant damage due to their omnivorous feeding behaviour. In many European regions, the omnivorous predator Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is considered to be a serious tomato

There are two main limitations for sprayable RNA pesticide development: delivery efficiency and synthetic cost of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). We previously constructed a nanocarrier-based transdermal dsRNA delivery system and a novel bacteria-based hairpin RNA (hpRNA) expression system to solve these challenges. Herein, as a subsequent exploration of RNA pesticide (sprayable ds/hpRNA for pest control)

Two cryptic species of the Bemisia tabaci species complex, MEAM1 (Middle East-Asia Minor 1) and MED (Mediterranean), are highly destructive herbivores. Attack by herbivorous insects often induces defense responses in plants, including the accumulation of toxic secondary metabolites, the synthesis of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) and defensive proteins, and the release of volatile organic

Reproductive Interference occurs when interactions between individuals from different species disrupt reproductive processes, resulting in a fitness cost to one or both parties involved. It is typically observed between individuals of closely related species, often upon secondary contact. In both vertebrates and invertebrates, Reproductive Interference is frequently referred to as ‘Satyrisation’. It

The parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) is often released to manage lepidopteran pests in cotton crops. However, growers rely on multiple insecticide applications to manage cotton pests. A harmonious integration of control tactics is required for proper pest management, and the use of selective insecticides (i.e., those promoting effective pest control while causing

Climate change will cause drastic fluctuations in agricultural ecosystems, which in turn may affect global food security. We used ecological niche modeling to predict the potential distribution for four cereal aphids (i.e., Sitobion avenae, Rhopalosiphum padi, Schizaphis graminum, and Diurphis noxia) and their three natural enemy insects (i.e., Harmonia axyridis, Episyrphus balteatus, and Aphidius

Surface treatment is commonly used in controlling the red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren. In the present study, the behavioral responses of S. invicta workers to surfaces treated with insecticides were investigated. Toxicological tests showed that beta-cypermethrin had the highest contact toxicity (with the lowest LC50 value) among nine tested insecticides, followed by thiamethoxam, fipronil

The corn leafhopper Dalbulus maidis causes corn production losses mainly by acting as vector of pathogenic mollicutes and virus. Transgenic technologies that encode insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are focused on the management of lepidopteran larvae in transgenic plants that traditionally express only one Bt allele. Adding another allele in transgenic plants is a recent and promising

Fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda is considered the main defoliating insect pest of maize in many countries. Silicon (Si) applied to plants has been shown to increase the resistance to insects, especially in grasses such as maize. This study characterized the effects of Si fertilization regarding priming, induced resistance, and tolerance to FAW in a landrace variety and hybrid of maize. Si

Root-knot nematodes are among the most dangerous plant pathogens. Biological control is a safer and effective way to manage such pests. In this context, bacterial strain KMS-6 was isolated from nematode-affected soil of the research field, CCS HAU, Hisar. It was subjected to morphological and biochemical characterization. The bacterium produced 14.02 ± 0.03 µg/ml of IAA and showed a cyanogenic activity

Herbivorous insects have evolved various anti-predator defences, including morphological, behavioural, and immune defences, which can make biocontrol of herbivorous pests challenging. Silicon (Si) accumulation in plants is a potent physical defence against mandibulate insects. However, it remains uncertain how Si affects the anti-predator defences of insect herbivores and plant defences following herbivory

The indirect effect of seminatural habitats on pest suppression has been widely studied in agricultural landscapes. By contrast, the role of crop diversity on pest suppression by predators has seldom been explored, particularly using molecular gut-content analysis (MGCA). In addition, differences between early- and late-season effects of landscape complexity on pest control, crucial to ensure season-long

It has become clear that omnivorous predators can induce plant defences that affect the performance and host plant choice of herbivores. They are also known to induce the production of plant volatiles that can affect the behaviour of herbivores searching for plants. These volatiles may also affect the searching behaviour of other predators, which was investigated here. The predatory mite Phytoseiulus

Low winter temperatures severely stress newly arriving insect species. Adaptive evolutionary changes in cold tolerance can facilitate their establishment in new environments. Ambrosia artemisiifolia, a noxious invasive plant, occurs throughout China. Ophraella communa, a biological control agent of A. artemisiifolia, mainly occurs in southern China. However, in 2012, it established populations in Beijing

Combinations of entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) species are sometimes more or less effective than individual species for the management of insect pests. We hypothesized that these outcomes are due in part to dispersal rates that differ when EPN species are conspecific or heterospecific. Dispersal rates of three heterorhabditid species, six steinernematid species, and mixtures of some were assessed

Silicon (Si) enhances rice resistance to various insect herbivores. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Whereas the salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway plays a vital role in plant defense responses to sucking insects, its role in Si-enhanced rice resistance has not been investigated. Si transporter mutant OsLsi1 and mutants with antisense expression of ICS (as-ics) and NPR1 (as-npr1)