Tomato Cultivars Resistant or Susceptible to Spider Mites Differ in Their Biosynthesis and Metabolic Profile of the Monoterpenoid Pathway.

The two-spotted spider mite (TSSM; ) is a ubiquitous polyphagous arthropod pest that has a major economic impact on the tomato () industry. Tomato plants have evolved broad defense mechanisms regulated by the expression of defense genes, phytohormones, and secondary metabolites present constitutively and/or induced upon infestation. Although tomato defense mechanisms have been studied for more than three decades, only a few studies have compared domesticated cultivars' natural mite resistance at the molecular level.

Effects of radiation on inherited sterility in the European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana).

Background: The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an alternative, environmentally friendly method for controlling insect pests. In the Lepidoptera, a low dose of gamma irradiation causes inherited sterility (SIT-IS), leading to full sterility in females but only partial sterility in males, which successfully compete with wild males for mates. This study examined the effect of a low radiation dose (150 Gy) on the fitness parameters of male and female Lobesia botrana, a polyphagous and major pest of vineyards found in the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.