The evolution of insect metallothioneins.

Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins that are important in the chelating and detoxification of toxic heavy metals. Until now, the short length and the low sequence complexity of MTs have hindered the inference of robust phylogenies, hampering the study of their evolution. To address this longstanding question, we applied an iterative BLAST search pipeline that allowed us to build a unique dataset of more than 300 MT sequences in insects.

Mating Disruption of Chilo suppressalis From Sex Pheromone of Another Pyralid Rice Pest Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker), and the rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenée, are two of the most destructive lepidopteran pests in rice. Since these two pyralid insects overlap in their occurrence in rice paddy fields, farmers prefer to set their pheromone-baited traps together in the rice fields for their monitoring. However, our field observation demonstrated that no male adult of C.

Bioaccumulation of Cadmium Affects Development, Mating Behavior, and Fecundity in the Asian Corn Borer, .

Heavy metal pollution is becoming an increasingly serious problem in agricultural ecosystems. Heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) accumulate in the food chain and may lead to detrimental effects on the physiological functions of living organisms, including herbivorous insects. One such example is the Asian Corn Borer, (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Identification and Gene Expression Analysis of the Pheromone Biosynthesis Activating Neuropeptide Receptor (PBANR) From the Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Pheromonal communication is important in insect mate finding and reproduction. Identifying components of pest insect pheromone system is a first step to disrupt pest insect reproduction. In this study, we identified and cloned the pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide receptor (PBANR) from the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), which is one of the most damaging pests of corn and other crops in parts of Asia and Australia.

[Effects of conservation tillage on soil water condition and winter wheat yield in farmland].

Conservation tillage is one of the most important agricultural management measures on soil water conservation and crop yield increments. Based on long-term experiment during 2011 to 2016, effects of different tillage treatments, including conventional tillage, no-tillage and subsoiling treatments, on soil water condition, crop yield and water use efficiency were analyzed. The results showed that the average and relative soil water conservation rate was 7.

HPLC Separation of 2-Ethyl-5(6)-methylpyrazine and Its Electroantennogram and Alarm Activities on Fire Ants ( Buren).

2-Ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine (EDMP) was an alarm pheromone component isolated from the mandibular gland of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren. Several pyrazine analogues have been previously found to elicit significant alarm responses in S. invicta workers.

Simple Strategy for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Avian Influenza A H7N9 Virus Based on Intensity-Modulated SPR Biosensor and New Generated Antibody.

In 2013 a new reassortant avian influenza A H7N9 virus emerged in China, causing human infection with high mortality. An accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for controlling the outbreaks of the disease. We therefore propose a simple strategy for rapidly and sensitively detecting the H7N9 virus using an intensity-modulated surface plasmon resonance (IM-SPR) biosensor integrated with a new generated monoclonal antibody.

[Circadian rhythm of emergence and reproduction of Micromelalopha troglodyta (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae)].

Micromelalopha troglodyta (Graeser) is one of serious defoliators of poplars. In order to explore the occurrence regularity of emergence and reproductive behavior of M. troglodyte, which could provide references to the application of ecological control techniques, the circadian rhythms of emergence, calling, mating and oviposition were studied at (27 ± 1) degrees C and (60 ± 10)% RH under a 14L:10D photoperiod.

Quantitative analysis of alkaloidal constituents in imported fire ants by gas chromatography.

A method based on silica gel chromatography and GC-MS/GC-FID analyses was developed for the quantitation of alkaloidal compounds in imported fire ants, Solenopsis richteri, S. invicta, and their hybrid found in the southern United States. The cis and trans alkaloids from fire ant body extracts were successfully separated by silica gel chromatography, identified by GC-MS, and quantitated by GC-FID.

Molecular characters and expression analysis of the gene encoding eclosion hormone from the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis.

Using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), the cDNA encoding eclosion hormone (EH) was cloned from the brain of Ostrinia furnacalis. The full Osf-EH cDNA is 986 bp and contains a 267 bp open reading frame encoding an 88 amino acid preprohormone, which including a hydrophobic 26 amino acid signal peptide and a 62 amino acid mature peptide. The mature Osf-EH shows high identity with Manduca sexta (95.

Enhancement of attraction to sex pheromones of Spodoptera exigua by volatile compounds produced by host plants.

We measured the effects of exposure to volatile compounds produced by host plants on the rate of capture of male Spodoptera exigua using synthetic sex pheromones. Exposure to volatile compounds stimulated strong electroantennographic responses of male S. exigua.

EAG and behavioral responses of Helicoverpa armigera males to volatiles from poplar leaves and their combinations with sex pheromone.

Electroantennogram (EAG) evaluation of selected compounds from wilted leaves of black poplar, Populus nigra, showed that phenyl acetaldehyde, methyl salicylate, (E)-2-hexenal elicited strong responses from male antennae of Helicoverpa armigera. When mixed with sex pheromone (Ph), some volatiles, e.g.