The corn leafhopper Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is an important corn pest in most of tropical and subtropical America. This leafhopper has a rich natural enemy complex of which parasitoids and pathogens are the most studied; knowledge on its predators is limited. We noted the presence of the native assassin bug Zelus obscuridorsis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) predating diverse motile insects, including the corn leafhopper, on corn plants cultivated in household vegetable gardens in San Miguel de Tucumán (Argentina); in order to verify its predatory actions, we exposed lab-bred individuals of D. maidis to adults of Z. obscuridorsis. The predators were starved for 24 h before trials in which the corn leafhopper in different developmental stages were exposed. Zelus obscuridorsis is highly skilled in catching specimens in motion, but it was not able to prey on eggs. The predator was capable to catch and prey on nymphs and adults.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects6020508 | DOI Listing |
PLoS One
January 2025
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.
Ruvbl1 (also known as TIP49, Pontin) encodes an ATPase of the AAA+ protein superfamily involved in several cellular functions, including chromatin remodeling, control of transcription, and cellular development (motility, growth, and proliferation). While its role has been well established in model organisms including vertebrates and invertebrates (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Fungi (Basel)
November 2024
Department of Entomology and Acarology, "Luiz de Queiróz" College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), Piracicaba 13418-900, Brazil.
is a genus of entomophthoralean fungi often associated with insect epizootics, particularly in phytophagous hemipterans. Encapsulation has become a promising strategy for improving the shelf life and sporulation of these fungi post-application. This study aims to (i) compare the virulence of the submerged propagules and primary conidia of sp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlant Signal Behav
December 2025
Department of Food Science & Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, Times Institute, Multan, Pakistan.
Wheat is the third most widely consumed cereal in the world, after maize and rice. However, it is regularly attacked by the wheat aphid (), causing considerable damage to wheat crops. The acetylcholinesterase enzyme, which plays a key role in the transmission of the synaptic cholinergic signal, has emerged as a promising target for the development of pest control strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeotrop Entomol
December 2024
Embrapa Soja, P.O. Box 4006, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
The crop system of soybean (summer)-maize (fall/winter) succession has been adopted widely in the Neotropics. It inadvertently provides food to stink bugs between crops, forming "green-bridges," which favor Diceraeus melacanthus (Dallas) outbreaks. Attempts to control these outbreaks, usually occurring at the end of the soybean cycle and the beginning of the maize cycle, were made by spraying insecticides at the time of soybean desiccation in addition to insecticide seed treatment on maize, but apparently it has been insufficient to provide acceptable control.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeotrop Entomol
December 2024
Department of Plant Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
This study addresses the challenge of predicting Dalbulus maidis (DeLong & Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) density in cornfields by developing an artificial neural network (ANN). Over two years, we collected data on meteorological variables (atmospheric pressure, air temperature, dew point, rainfall, relative humidity, solar irradiance, and wind speed), plant age, and density of D. maidis in cornfields located in two Brazilian biomes (Atlantic Forest and Brazilian Tropical Savannah).
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