The effects of insecticide seed treatments on the parasitism and predation of Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) in canola.

The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Homoptera: Aphididae), is a major pest of brassica plants, with the ability to transmit > 100 viruses. Although the adoption of Integrated Pest Management is increasing, chemical treatment remains the predominant method used to control M. persicae globally.

Is what you see what you get? The relationship between field observed and laboratory observed aphid parasitism rates in canola fields.

Background: Estimating parasitoid abundance in the field can be difficult, even more so when attempting to quantify parasitism rates and the ecosystem service of biological control that parasitoids can provide. To understand how 'field observed' parasitism rates (in-field mummy counts) of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) translate to 'laboratory observed' parasitism rates (laboratory-reared parasitoid counts), field work was undertaken in Australian canola fields, over the winter growing season.

Results: Overall, laboratory observed parasitism was on average 2.

Economic Injury Levels and Dynamic Action Thresholds for Diuraphis noxia (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Australian Cereal Crops.

The Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia [Kurdjumov, Hemiptera: Aphididae], RWA) was first detected in Australia in 2016 and is threatening an annual cereal industry valued at nearly 10 billion AUD per annum. Considerable uncertainty surrounds the economic risk of D. noxia to Australian cereals, which limits cost-effective farm management decisions.

Lifecycle of the invasive omnivore, Forficula auricularia, in Australian grain growing environments.

Background: The European earwig, Forficula auricularia (L.) (Dermaptera: Forficulidae), is regarded as an important beneficial in many orchard environments but has the potential to be a plant pest in other systems, including to grain crops. Due to its agricultural importance, the lifecycle of F.

Morphological and Molecular Analysis of Australian Earwigs (Dermaptera) Points to Unique Species and Regional Endemism in the Anisolabididae Family.

Dermaptera (earwigs) from the Anisolabididae family may be important for pest control but their taxonomy and status in Australia is poorly studied. Here we used taxonomic information to assess the diversity of southern Australian Anisolabididae and then applied barcodes as well as additional gene fragments (mitochondrial and nuclear) to corroborate classification and assess the monophyly of the putative genera. Anisolabididae morphospecies fell into two genera, Fieber and Burr, based on paramere morphology.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the European Grapevine moth (EGVM) Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).

The Lobesia botrana larvae feed on grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), thereby reducing crop yield and increasing crop susceptibility to fungal and bacterial attacks. We determined the circular mitochondrial genome of L.

Microsatellite and mitochondrial data provide evidence for a single major introduction for the Neartic leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus in Europe.

Scaphoideus titanus, a leafhopper native to North America and invasive in Europe, is the vector of the Flavescence dorée phytoplasma, the causal agent of the most important form of grapevine yellows in European vineyards. We studied 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci and a 623 bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II gene in native S. titanus from north-eastern America and introduced European populations, to elucidate the colonization scenario.

Control of Xiphinema index populations by fallow plants under greenhouse and field conditions.

The dagger nematode Xiphinema index has a high economic impact in vineyards by direct pathogenicity and above all by transmitting the Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV). Agrochemicals have been largely employed to restrict the spread of GFLV by reducing X. index populations but are now banned.

Genetic signature of amphimixis allows for the detection and fine scale localization of sexual reproduction events in a mainly parthenogenetic nematode.

Asexuality is an important mode of reproduction in eukaryotic taxa and has a theoretical advantage over sexual reproduction because of the increased ability to propagate genes. Despite this advantage, hidden signs of cryptic sex have been discovered in the genomes of asexual organisms. This has provided an interesting way to address the evolutionary impact of sex in plant and animal populations.