Just over 20 years since the RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism was unraveled in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the first RNAi-based pest control applications are close to commercialization. One of the most alluring aspects of this technology is its predicted minimal impact on the environment, due to high target selectivity and the short persistence of the active molecules in the environment.

Climate change models predict that the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves will increase in the next decades. Heat waves can have profound impact on the reproduction of biocontrol agents ranging from postponing oviposition to manipulating offspring quantity via egg number and quality via egg size. Such species-specific responses of biocontrol agents to heat stress may also affect their

The invasive spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, is a major pest of fruit crops worldwide. Management of D. suzukii relies heavily on chemical control in both organic and conventional systems, and there is a need to develop more sustainable management practices. We evaluated the efficacy of three colors of plastic mulches at reducing populations of D. suzukii in fall-bearing raspberry and

Evolution of the spread strategies of plant pathogens may be described using the vector manipulation hypothesis (VMH), which posits that pathogens can enhance their transmission to new host plants through their effects on mobile vectors. Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) transmitted by aphid vectors in wheat has become increasingly important as a model pathosystem. However, the role of alate aphids

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), commonly known as whitefly or sweet potato whitefly, causes feeding-related injuries to plants, and transmits more than 200 different plant viruses, including Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV). Control of B. tabaci is therefore one of the key measures in the comprehensive prevention and control of ToCV outbreak in tomato fields. Many insects rely on the hydrolysis of trehalose

The invasive, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a severe economic insect pest native to East Asia. A strong effort has been made to identify natural egg parasitoids of H. halys in invaded regions, but parasitism rates reported from these studies have been inconsequentially low. To determine the species composition, phenology, and efficiency of egg parasitoids in the native region of H

Successful management of invasive forest pests with sustainable approaches, such as biological control, is critical to the restoration of the affected or damaged forest ecosystems. Several parasitoids introduced from Northeast Asia were released between 2015 and 2017 in several northeastern states of the USA for biocontrol of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis. Using life tables

Trioza erytreae is one natural psyllid vector of Candidatus liberibacter, the causal agent of the citrus greening disease (HLB). Since its introduction in 2014 into the Iberian Peninsula, T. erytreae was able to spread continuously toward southern coastal regions of Portugal and northern coastal regions of the Cantabric sea in Spain. Identifying key areas of potential colonization by the psyllid vector

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major pest of maize crops and others row crops on the American continent, and this pest has spread to Africa and Asia. Such lepidopteran pest presents resistant populations to synthetic insecticides and to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins and, consequently, new (bio) insecticides with distinct modes of action are

Whiteflies are sap-sucking insects responsible for high economic losses. They colonize hundreds of plant species and cause direct feeding damage and indirect damage through transmission of devastating viruses. Modern agriculture has seen a history of invasive whitefly species and populations that expand to novel regions, bringing along fierce viruses. Control efforts are hindered by fast virus transmission

Bemisia tabaci is an important pest affecting agricultural and horticultural crops worldwide and comprises a complex of cryptic species. In China, the introduction of the two invasive cryptic species, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED), has considerably affected the ecological niche of the native cryptic species. Based on occurrence records obtained through field surveys and high-resolution

The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), has invaded most Afro-Eurasian countries and is threatening worldwide tomato production. Various strategies have been developed and implemented to manage this pest. Here, we present a timely review on the up-to-date development and practical implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) programs for tomato crops

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a polyphagous insect pest feeding on many host plants, including some major crops such as corn and rice. This pest has also developed resistance to many insecticides. Recent genome and transcriptome sequencing efforts identified 117–425 P450 genes in the FAW, but their function in detoxifying plant toxins and insecticides is largely unknown. This study

Insecticide resistance survey is an in-situ biomonitoring method to assess potential impact of pesticides that exhibit direct economic consequences when leading to control failure of insect pest species. Nonetheless, the latter phenomenon is frequently neglected. Their spatial dependence and mapping are also seldom considered and when complexes of related pest species are involved, such as the rice

The tomato borer Tuta absoluta is a major pest of tomato mainly controlled by chemical insecticides. However, development of resistance to specific chemical classes has made control of the pest extremely difficult. Emamectin benzoate belongs to the avermectin mode of action and to date, low or no resistance levels against this insecticide have been documented. Recently, reduced efficacy of emamectin

Termite bait products that contain chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs) protect structures from subterranean termites via colony elimination. A hallmark of CSI baits is their dose-independent lethal time, as workers exposed to a CSI do not die until they initiate the molting process. Due to this mode of action and termite behaviors such as trophallaxis and cannibalism, a relatively small quantity of

Native to Southeastern Asia, the ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus compactus is invasive worldwide. Its invasion is favoured by its cryptic lifestyle, symbiosis with a fungus that facilitates a broad range of host plants, and predominant sib-mating reproduction. X. compactus invaded Africa more than a century ago and the Americas and Pacific Islands in the middle of the twentieth century. It was not detected

Reducing the damage caused by feral cats (Felis catus) to wildlife, livestock and human health is a key objective for many land managers and human health agencies globally. The lack of safe and efficacious lethal control tools in many regions, however, makes the control of feral cats and their impacts challenging. We performed a baiting trial in central Queensland to measure the efficacy and safety

Birds provide important ecosystem services in many ecosystems, including important pest control effects on productive systems. The typically low bird diversity observed in intensive agricultural landscapes renders them more susceptible to pests that cause important economic losses. Although these pests have traditionally been controlled using chemical methods, recent work suggests that bird-mediated

The tomato red spider mite, TRSM, Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae), is an invasive tomato pest in several countries, with potential to reduce yield by up to 90% in Africa. Solanum habrochaites, access PI 134417 is a wild tomato genotype resistant to several arthropod pests, including TRSM. There is an interest in increasing the resistance of a tomato genotype (Solanum lycopersicum

Two Asian longhorn beetles, Anoplophora glabripennis and Anoplophora chinensis, are among the most serious alien invasive species attacking forest and urban trees, both in North America and Europe. Major efforts have been put into preventing further entry and establishment of the two species as well as promoting their successful eradication. Here, we review these efforts, their progress and outcome

We developed a mechanistic, stage-structured model simulating the phenology of Popillia japonica. The model simulates the influence of soil temperature on the larval diapause termination and on the development rate function of post-overwintering larvae and pupae. Model parameters are estimated based on literature evidence for pupae development and on a parameterisation process that allows estimating

We evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects of azoxystrobin, cyhalofop-butyl, and thiamethoxam on Telenomus podisi after spraying rice plants in a greenhouse, as well as the degradation kinetics of these compounds over time. Pesticides were sprayed at 50 and 100% of the maximum field recommended concentration for the crop (MFRC). At 0, 5, 10, and 20 days after application of the treatments (DAAT)

The sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a major pest of sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) (Glumiflorae: Poaceae) in Brazil and has been controlled efficiently with the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Addition of a silicon source to the soil induces resistance to insect pests in the host plant and can be integrated with other pest-management

Insects are known to be negatively impacted by noise from anthropogenic sources. Recently, pest control methods have been developed using specific airborne (sound) and substrate-borne vibratory signals. However, there is limited information available on the effects of non-specific vibrations on pest insects, especially those not known to use sound or vibration for communication. Here, we tested whether

Rhyzopertha dominica and Tribolium castaneum are key pests of stored grains globally. These two species often occur together in infestations, and are seldom found outside the agricultural environment. Understanding the movement of these beetle pests is crucial for the development of management strategies, in particular to prevent the spread of phosphine resistance, which is a serious issue in many

Roots can recruit beneficial microorganisms to suppress plant pathogens. However, conventional and organic practices differently shape the soil microbiome and consequently the root protection. Here, we investigated the suppressive activity of soil microbiome against the root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne incognita in horticultural areas under organic or conventional practices and the microbiome profiles

The invasive stink bug Halyomorpha halys, native to East Asia, is a severe agricultural pest of worldwide importance, and chemical insecticides are largely sprayed for its control. Negative impact and failures of chemical pest management led to consider classical biological control as one of the most promising methods in a long-term perspective. The Asian egg parasitoid Trissolcus japonicus is the

The bark beetle Ips typographus is the most destructive insect pest in Norway spruce-dominated forests. Its potential to establish multiple generations per year (multivoltinism) is one major trait that makes this beetle a severe pest. Ips typographus enters diapause to adjust its life cycle to seasonally changing environments. Diapause is characterized by developmental and reproductive arrest; it prolongs

Temperature is an important environmental factor in agriculture, affecting individual organisms and the entire farmland ecosystem. Global warming has become more tangible, which may negatively affect pest biological control due to the generally weak thermal tolerance of natural enemies. The mirids Cyrtorhinus lividipennis and Tytthus chinensis (Insecta: Hemiptera: Miridae) are important natural predators

Sulfoxaflor, a novel sulfoximine insecticide, has been widely used to control sucking insect pests. In order to investigate the resistance mechanisms and potential adaptive costs (e.g., in feeding behavior and life history) associated with sulfoxaflor resistance, a sulfoxaflor-resistant (Sul-R) A. gossypii strain with 40.19-fold resistance was established by laboratory selection. This Sul-R strain

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is a highly destructive insect pest of several crop plants and threatening global food security. The current Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) data set was analysed to predict the potential worldwide distribution of FAW under present and future climate change scenarios in 2050 and 2070 under Shared Socioeconomic Pathway

Characterizing the olfactory responses of insect pests is critical for developing biological control options and pest management strategies in the field. Such responses form the basis for evaluating interactions between plants and insects, as well as providing evidence to support the use of non-crop plant types in pest suppression tactics. To evaluate the potential aversion or attraction of Bemisia

Decision making in pest management is a challenging task. While pest dynamics are often quite uncertain, such decisions are often based on tenuous assumptions of certainty (economic injury levels and marginal utility approximations). To overcome such assumptions and adequately consider uncertainty, we apply decision analysis to evaluate management strategies used by farmers in the Colombian Caribbean

The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is an invasive insect-borne pathogen, which causes lethal diseases to important crops including olives, citrus, almonds and grapes as well as numerous forest, ornamental, and uncultivated plants. Outbreaks of Xf-related plant diseases are currently occurring in the Mediterranean region, causing substantial losses to various agricultural sectors. Several models

The widespread use of pesticides along with the simplification of the landscape has had undesirable effects on agroecosystems, such as the loss of biodiversity and the associated ecosystem service biological control. How current production systems can be remodelled to allow for a re-establishment of biological pest control, while preserving productivity, is a major challenge. Here, we tested whether

Yield loss caused by insect pests remains a substantial problem in agriculture. Chemical control, with potential negative effects on non-target organisms, is still the main tool for pest management. For pest species with limited dispersal capacity, rotation of the crop in time and space has potential as an alternative management measure. This is particularly important in organic farming, where most

The absence of natural enemies in newly invaded areas is a key factor in the successful invasion of alien species. Whether a specific parasitoid can be domesticated to attack a nonnatural host that has no reported parasitic enemies in invasive areas remains unclear. Here, we analyzed two invasive mealybugs (PSS-Phenacoccus solenopsis and PSI-Phenacoccus solani) and a specific parasitoid of P. solenopsis

Because rats are commensal organisms that depend on human activities for food, shifts in human behavior will have pronounced effects on local rat populations. In the spring of 2020, social distancing measures were implemented globally to curtail the spread of SARS-CoV-2. This presented a unique opportunity to obtain information regarding the immediate effects of shifts in human behavior on rat populations

Intraguild predation (IGP)–the predation of a natural enemy species upon another one sharing a prey species–is relatively frequent in both natural and agroecosystems. This may reduce pest control and the establishment of predator populations during mass release of biological control agents or in multi-predator systems due to increased mortality of predators. IGP is exacerbated in isolated and space-limited

The multicolored Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Col, Coccinellidae), is recognized as one of the most invasive insects in the world. It has reduced the native coccinellids populations in several areas, and it is considered a threat for biodiversity at large. A significant trait, favoring its invasiveness and its dominance over indigenous ladybeetles, is intraguild predation (IGP). IGP

Plant domestication has commonly reduced levels of secondary metabolites known to confer resistance against insects. Chili pepper is a special case because the fruits of different varieties have been selected for lower and higher levels of capsaicin, the main compound associated with defence. This may have important consequences for insect herbivores and their natural enemies. Despite the widespread

The invasive Vespa velutina has been widely referred as an effective predator of honeybees. Despite the potential risk to pollination services provision and honey production, there is no accurate quantification and assessment of its real consequences for honeybees. To date, the identification of the honeybee and other insects in the diet of V. velutina has been investigated by direct observation of

Some plant protection organizations use biosurveillance to identify heightened risks from exotic plant pests or generally inform safeguarding. Biosurveillance programs typically focus on individual species but accumulate useful trend data over time. We extracted information from 1,612 articles from PestLens, which has collected open-source reports about plant pests exotic to the USA since 2007. The

Thrips hawaiiensis is a common thrips pest that damages the flowers of various plants. The differing population sizes of T. hawaiiensis among host plants suggest its preference and performance vary among host plants. In this study, the host fitness of T. hawaiiensis for different flowers was assessed through field investigation. The behavioral responses of T. hawaiiensis to the color and volatiles

Pest management strategies relying on agrochemicals could be altered by climate change, because of the temperature-dependent toxicity of the compound involved. Many studies have explored the response of targeted pests to pesticide and temperature. Pesticides are seldom strictly selective and also affect nontarget pests. Surprisingly, the way temperature may shape these side effects of pesticides remains

Finding ways to improve the sexual competitiveness of laboratory reared males have proven beneficial for the sterile insect technique. Exposure to essential oils enhances male mating success in several species of Tephritidae fruit flies. In Anastrepha fraterculus, males exposed to volatile compounds released by fresh guava fruit exhibit an increased courtship frequency and mating success. Here, we

The Bagrada bug, Bagrada hilaris Burmeister (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), an invasive pest of Palearctic origin, has become a problem in the Western Hemisphere, attacking brassica and other crops. The Bagrada bug was first reported in Chile in 2016, and despite the availability of some efficacious synthetic insecticides, B. hilaris is a growing problem. Currently, few international studies have been performed

Spodoptera frugiperda has been reported in China since the beginning of 2019, threatening maize production and raising questions about interactions with indigenous pests on maize. Spodoptera frugiperda is in the same feeding guild as the indigenous species Ostrinia furnacalis, with both pests attacking maize plant tissues such as whorls and tassels. In this study, the interaction of these species was

We assess the effects of changing land use and crop management on alfalfa insect abundance by comparing it in 50 alfalfa fields when they were inserted in landscapes with different proportions of arable crops and orchards. Land use in a buffer of 500 m was assessed, and alfalfa insect abundance was estimated with sticky yellow traps. The number of catches of several herbivores and predators was related

Plant viruses can change hosts in ways that increase vector contacts, virion acquisition, and subsequent vector dispersal to susceptible hosts. Based on this, researchers have proposed that virus-induced phenotypes are the product of adaptations to “manipulate” hosts in ways that increase transmission. Theoretical models of virus spread in crops support this proposition; “manipulative” viruses spread

A correction to this paper has been published:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-021-01393-0

Gram-negative binding proteins (GNBPs) are important in the innate immune system of insects in recognition of fungi pathogen, such as Beauveria bassiana. However, this information in aphids is not clear, which might be exploited to develop a novel aphid control strategy based on integrating RNAi and B. bassiana. Here, we firstly identified two GNBPs, ApGNBP1 and ApGNBP2, using the model aphid Acyrthosiphon

We provide an overview of both traditional and innovative control tools for management of three Xylosandrus ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), invasive species with a history of damage in forests, nurseries, orchards and urban areas. Xylosandrus compactus, X. crassiusculus and X. germanus are native to Asia, and currently established in several countries around the globe. Adult

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-021-01386-z

Successful pest management using parasitoids requires careful evaluation of host-parasitoid interactions. Here, we report the performance of larval ecto-parasitoid wasp, Bracon brevicornis (Wesmael) on important agricultural pests, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) and S. frugiperda (J.E. Smith). Biology of B. brevicornis was studied on different host instars under laboratory and cage setup. In no-choice

The diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella, is an oligophagous pest of cruciferous crops worldwide. Host plants of the DBM possess epicuticular wax, but thick wax is unfavorable to the selection of oviposition sites for female DBMs. How the DBM responds to host plant wax regarding oviposition site selection is largely unknown. The glucosinolates and wax levels in the cotyledons and true leaves

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-021-01376-1

The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is heavily targeted by insecticide applications. Methoxyfenozide is highly effective against T. absoluta with reduced side effects to natural enemies. This work aimed to (1) genetically and biochemically characterize resistance of the T. absoluta GBN population to methoxyfenozide, (2) establish cross resistance

Queensland fruit fly is one of the most economically important horticultural pests in Australia. Sterile insect technique (SIT) is now being reconsidered and upscaled to combat this pest so reliable discrimination of released sterile Q-flies from wild flies in monitoring traps is important for effective SIT operations. Stable isotopes provide a permanent chemical marker to discriminate sterile and