Plant phylogeny determines host selection and acceptance of the oligophagous leaf beetle Cassida rubiginosa.

Background: Predicting the host range of biocontrol agents is important for the safe and effective implementation of biocontrol of weeds. In this study, we examined the phylogenetic pattern of host selection and acceptance by the biocontrol beetle, Cassida rubiginosa. The beetle was released in New Zealand for control of Cirsium arvense, its primary host plant, but has potential to attack many Cardueae (thistles and knapweeds) species.

Plant-Mediated Behavioural Avoidance of a Weevil Towards Its Biological Control Agent.

New Zealand pastures largely comprising ryegrass species (Poales: Poaceae) are worth $19.6B and are subject to major pest impacts. A very severe pest is the Argentine stem weevil (Kuschel) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Chemical residue trends for Australian and New Zealand wool.

Textile consumer trends towards improved product safety and high environmental standards have significantly influenced regulators in key consumer markets. The apparel wool industry sector has responded to regulators, and for three decades the Australia and New Zealand wool industries have managed advancements in ectoparasiticides and improved sheep treatments targeting high environmental, animal health and welfare standards leading to safe wool products. Australian and New Zealand chemical residue data from greasy wool have been consolidated and analysed for organophosphate, synthetic pyrethroid, insect growth regulator, neonicotinoid, macrocyclic lactone and spinosad active.

Wool fiber curvature is correlated with abundance of K38 and specific keratin-associated proteins.

Curvature in mammalian fibers, such as wool and human hair, is an important feature of the functional trait of coat structure-it affects mechanical resilience and thermo-insulation. However, to examine the relationship between fiber curvature, ultrastructure and protein composition fiber diameter variability has to be minimal. To achieve this we utilised the progeny of straight-wool domestic sheep mutant rams (crimp mutants) and wild-type ewes.

Identification of Diverse Toxin Complex Clusters and an eCIS Variant in Serratia proteamaculans Pathovars of the New Zealand Grass Grub () and Manuka Beetle ( Spp.) Larvae.

The grass grub endemic to New Zealand, Costelytra giveni (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), and the manuka beetle, Pyronota festiva and P. setosa (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), are prevalent pest species. Through assessment of bacterial strains isolated from diseased cadavers of these insect species, 19 insect-active Serratia proteamaculans variants and a single Serratia entomophila strain were isolated.

Assessment of toxicity and persistence of Yersinia entomophaga and its Yen-Tc associated toxin.

Background: The insect-pathogenic bacterium Yersinia entomophaga MH96 is currently under development as a microbial pesticide active against various pasture and crop pests such as the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella and the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigeria. To enable nonrestricted field trials of Y. entomophaga MH96, information on the persistence and nontarget effects of the bacterium and its Yen-Tc proteinaceous toxin are required.

Potential for a biopesticide bait to control black beetle, Heteronychus arator (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Background: Yersinia entomophaga is an entomopathogenic bacterium that is active against scarab beetles, among other insects. In New Zealand, the African black beetle, Heteronychus arator (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), is a major pest of pastures and arable crops but very few control options exist and no insecticides are registered for use in established pastures.

Results: In laboratory bioassays, H.

Multi-parameter evaluation of the effect of processing conditions on meat protein modification.

Evaluating the interconnecting effects of pH, temperature and time on food proteins is of relevance to food processing, and food functionality. Here we describe a matrix-based approach in which meat proteins were exposed to combinations of these parameters, selected to cover coordinates in a realistic processing space, and analyzed using redox proteomics. Regions within the matrix showing high levels of protein modification were evaluated for oxidative and other modifications.

The wool proteome and fibre characteristics of three distinct genetic ovine breeds from Portugal.

Wool properties and commodity value vary considerably between breeds. In Portugal, three major ovine groups exist: Churros, Bordaleiros and Merinos. This work studies the effect of the ovine genotype on the wool proteome of such groups.

Development of a Yersinia entomophaga bait for control of larvae of the porina moth (Wiseana spp.), a pest of New Zealand improved grassland systems.

Background: Porina is the common name for moths and larvae of the genus Wiseana (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae), some of which are significant pasture pests in New Zealand. Because of environmental concerns and the non-target effects of insecticide control measures, biological alternatives for the control of insect pests such as porina are required.

Results: Using a food preference assay and time-lapse photography, a range of low-cost food ingredients were assessed for their palatability to porina larvae.

Assessment of Yersinia entomophaga as a control agent of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella.

The application of the biocontrol bacterium Yersinia entomophaga as a foliar spray was assessed for its efficacy against larvae of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. The bacterium was applied as either a broth suspension, or as a biopolymer-based gel foliar spray and compared with commercial insecticides Dipel (Bacillus thuringiensis) and Spinosad. The performance of Y.

Serratia proteamaculans Strain AGR96X Encodes an Antifeeding Prophage (Tailocin) with Activity against Grass Grub (Costelytra giveni) and Manuka Beetle (Pyronota Species) Larvae.

A highly virulent strain, AGR96X, exhibiting specific pathogenicity against larvae of the New Zealand grass grub (; Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and the New Zealand manuka beetle ( and ; Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), was isolated from a diseased grass grub larva. A 12-day median lethal dose of 4.89 × 10 ± 0.

Does White Clover () Abundance in Temperate Pastures Determine (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Larval Populations?

To determine if host plant abundance determined the size of clover root weevil (CRW) larval populations, a study was conducted over 4 years in plots sown in ryegrass () (cv. Nui) sown at either 6 or 30 kg/ha and white clover () sown at a uniform rate of 8 kg/ha. This provided a range of % white clover content to investigate CRW population establishment and impacts on white clover survival.

Dispersal of the Invasive Pasture Pest Heteronychus arator into Areas of Low Population Density: Effects of Sex and Season, and Implications for Pest Management.

African black beetle, Heteronychus arator (Scarabaeidae), is an exotic pest of pastures in northern New Zealand. Both adults and larvae feed on pasture grasses. Adults disperse by walking (short range) or flying (long range).

Evolution of Specialization of Cassida rubiginosa on Cirsium arvense (Compositae, Cardueae).

The majority of herbivorous insects are specialized feeders restricted to a plant family, genus, or species. The evolution of specialized insect-plant interactions is generally considered to be a result of trade-offs in fitness between possible hosts. Through the course of natural selection, host plants that maximize insect fitness should result in optimal, specialized, insect-plant associations.

Temperature-Dependent Galleria mellonella Mortality as a Result of Yersinia entomophaga Infection.

The bacterium Yersinia entomophaga is pathogenic to a range of insect species, with death typically occurring within 2 to 5 days of ingestion. Per os challenge of larvae of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) confirmed that Y. entomophaga was virulent when fed to larvae held at 25°C but was avirulent when fed to larvae maintained at 37°C.

Mapping the accessibility of the disulfide crosslink network in the wool fiber cortex.

The disulfide bond network within the cortex of mammalian hair has a critical influence on the physical and mechanical characteristics of the fiber. The location, pattern, and accessibility of free and crosslinked cysteines underpin the properties of this network, but have been very difficult to map and understand, because traditional protein extraction techniques require the disruption of these disulfide bonds. Cysteine accessibility in both trichocyte keratins and keratin associated proteins (KAPs) of wool was investigated using staged labeling, where reductants and chaotropic agents were used to expose cysteines in a stepwise fashion according to their accessibility.

Effect of cooking on meat proteins: mapping hydrothermal protein modification as a potential indicator of bioavailability.

Thermal treatment of meat proteins induces a range of observable and molecular-level changes. In order to understand and track these heat-induced modifications at the amino acid level, various analytical techniques were used. Changes were observed both in the soluble and in the insoluble fractions after hydrothermal treatment of minced beef samples.

Pathology of Yersinia entomophaga MH96 towards Costelytra zealandica (Coleoptera; Scarabaeidae) larvae.

The bacterium Yersinia entomophaga was isolated from larvae of the New Zealand grass grub, Costelytra zealandica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), found in soil. Following ingestion of a lethal dose of bacteria, larvae of C. zealandica reduced feeding activity and movement.

Intensive cattle grazing affects pasture litter-fall: an unrecognized nitrous oxide source.

The rationale for this study came from observing grazing dairy cattle dropping freshly harvested plant material onto the soil surface, hereafter called litter-fall. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines include NO emissions during pasture renewal but do not consider NO emissions that may result from litter-fall. The objectives of this study were to determine litter-fall rates and to assess indicative NO emission factors (EFs) for the dominant pasture species (perennial ryegrass [ L.