Yellow Sticky Cards Reduce the Numbers of (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) Following Augmentative Releases against the Fruit Borers (Lepidoptera: Carposinidae) and (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in a Pear Orchard.

Integrated pest management relies upon mutual compatibility among pest control tactics. The fruit-boring moths and can be devastating pests of pome and stone fruit production. parasitizes the eggs of these pests, preventing their eclosion, but its efficacy can be reduced by other pest control tactics.

Differential susceptibility of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to single versus pyramided Bt traits in Brazilian soybean: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger?

Background: Lepidopteran pest control in agriculture has become heavily dependent on cultivars that express Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins as 'plant-incorporated protectants'. However, populations of Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) in Brazil appear resistant to the Bt traits currently available in commercial soybean cultivars.

Results: This study evaluated S.

The life history consequences of host switching in Ooencyrtus egeria (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a parasitoid of stink bug eggs.

The stink bugs Acrosternum arabicum Wagner and Brachynema germari Kolenati (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) damage developing pistachio nuts in Iran. Ooencyrtus egeria Huang and Noyes (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) parasitizes eggs of both species, alternating between them seasonally. We compared the biological and life history attributes of O.

Sublethal effects of a spiromesifen and abamectin combination on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and its predators Phytoseiulus persimilis and Amblyseius swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiiidae).

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (TSSM), is an important cosmopolitan pest of agricultural crops that is often managed in greenhouses by augmentation of predatory mites in combination with acaricides. Here we examined the transgenerational effects of low lethal concentrations of a widely-used acaricide, Oberon Speed® (a combination of spiromesifen and abamectin), on the life history traits and population growth of T. urticae and two of its predators, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

Tritrophic effects mediate host suitability for two parasitoids of the carob moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), infesting pistachio kernels.

The carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is an important pest of pistachio causing direct damage to nuts during ripening, and in storage. We examined the tritrophic effects of 5 pistachio cultivars, representing the full range of kernel suitability for E. ceratoniae, on 2 larval parasitoids, Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a gregarious, synovigenic, idiobiont, ectoparasitoid, and Venturia canescens Gravenhorst (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a solitary, pro-ovigenic, koinobiont, endoparasitoid.

Intercropping Okra and Castor Bean Reduces Recruitment of Oriental Fruit Moth, (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in a Pear Orchard.

Intercrops can lower pest densities by increasing plant diversity, altering chemical communication in the arthropod community, and integrating well with other IPM tactics. We used two years of field observations and Y-tube olfactometer assays to explore the effects of intercropping a pear orchard with okra and castor bean on the cosmopolitan fruit-boring pest (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Intercropping okra reduced trap catches in the pear orchard in both years, and intercropping with castor bean reduced them in the second year.

Beef color and tenderness response to production systems utilizing additive combinations of growth-promotant technologies.

The objective of this study was to compare the influence of beef production systems using additive combinations of growth-promotant technologies on meat quality. Steer calves ( = 120) were assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: 1) no technology (NT; control), 2) antibiotic treated (ANT; NT plus therapeutic antibiotics, monensin, and tylosin), 3) implant treated (IMP; ANT plus a series of three implants), and 4) beta-agonist treated (BA; IMP plus ractopamine-HCl). Muscle biopsy samples from the longissimus lumborum were extracted from a subset ( = 4 per treatment) of steers to evaluate expression of calpain-1, calpain-2, and calpastatin using real-time RT-PCR.

The gut microbiome of Helicoverpa armigera enhances immune response to baculovirus infection via suppression of Duox-mediated reactive oxygen species.

Background: Baculoviruses such as Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) infect their lepidopteran hosts via the larval midgut where they interact with host immune responses and gut microbiota. Here we demonstrate that gut microbiota proliferating in response to HearNPV infection promote larval immune responses which impede the infection process.

Results: The microbial load of the larval midgut increased following HearNPV infection, due primarily to increases in Enterococcus spp.

Case study: effects of low-stress weaning on calf growth performance and carcass characteristics.

The objective of this study was to compare the influence of two low-stress weaning methods with conventional weaning on post-weaning performance and carcass characteristics of beef steers. Single-sourced steer calves ( = 89) were stratified by body weight (BW) and dam age into three groups in a completely randomized design ( = 29 or 30 steers/treatment): ABRUPT (calves isolated from dams on the day of weaning), FENCE (calves separated from dams via a fence for 7 d prior to completely weaning), and NOSE (nose-flap inserted and calves remained with dams for 7 d prior to completely weaning). At day +7 post-weaning, calves were transported to a commercial feedlot where they received standard step-up and finishing rations typical for a Northern Plains feedlot.

Metabolic reprogramming of Helicoverpa armigera larvae by HearNPV facilitates viral replication and host immune suppression.

Baculoviruses are highly evolved parasites that genetically reprogram the developing phenotype of their host insect to produce a vessel for virus replication and dispersal. Here we show that larvae of Helicoverpa armigera infected with HearNPV accumulate glucose in the midgut, which reduces food consumption and alters the dynamics of pathways governing metabolism and immunity. We used transcriptomics to demonstrate the role of the insulin signalling pathway in regulating the HearNPV infection process.

Physiological Differences Between Seasonal Dimorphs of Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) Elicit Distinct Host Plant Responses, Informing Novel Pest Management Insights.

We examined differences in the physiology and life history between dimorphs of the common pistachio psyllid, Agonoscena pistaciae (Burckhardt and Lauterer) (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae), and how they differ in elicitating host plant production of key metabolites and volatile compounds involved in the recruitment of herbivores and natural enemies. Summer morphs had higher activities of glutathione S-transferase, carboxylesterase, acetylcholinesterase, and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, phenoloxidase, and a higher total protein content compared to winter morphs, whereas the latter had higher amounts of lipid, carbohydrate, and glycogen. Winter morphs were heavier, with a higher chitin content and longer preoviposition period, but greater fecundity and longevity than summer morphs.

Molecular characterization of insulin receptor (IR) in oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), and elucidation of its regulatory roles in glucolipid homeostasis and metamorphosis through interaction with miR-982490.

As an intermediate molecule in the Insulin/Insulin-like growth factor signalling pathway (IIS), the insulin receptor (IR) plays vital roles linking nutritional signals to the downstream regulation of metabolic homeostasis, development, metamorphosis, reproduction and stress responses. In the present study, we describe the molecular characteristics of IR in the cosmopolitan fruit boring pest, Grapholita molesta, and its predicted posttranscription regulator miR-982490, and elucidate its regulatory roles in glucolipid homeostasis and metamorphosis. Phylogenetic and domain analyses indicate that lepidopteran IRs normally cluster within families, and that four main domains are conserved in GmIR and those of other Lepidoptera.

A roadmap for ladybird conservation and recovery.

Ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) provide services that are critical to food production, and they fulfill an ecological role as a food source for predators. The richness, abundance, and distribution of ladybirds, however, are compromised by many anthropogenic threats. Meanwhile, a lack of knowledge of the conservation status of most species and the factors driving their population dynamics hinders the development and implementation of conservation strategies for ladybirds.

Laboratory evaluation of the compatibility of Beauveria bassiana with the egg parasitoid Trichogramma dendrolimi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) for joint application against the oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).

Background: The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana and the egg parasitoid Trichogramma dendrolimi can both contribute to biological control of the global fruit borer Grapholita molesta. To derive insights for optimizing their combined application in augmentation programs, we assayed fungal pathogenicity to both G. molesta (eggs, larvae and adults) and adult parasitoids, and assessed wasp acquisition and transmission of fungal spores following their emergence from B.

Quantitative assessment of wheat quality using near-infrared spectroscopy: A comprehensive review.

Wheat is one of the most widely cultivated crops throughout the world. A great need exists for wheat quality assessment for breeding, processing, and products production purposes. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a rapid, low-cost, simple, and nondestructive assessment method.

A comprehensive review of wheat phytochemicals: From farm to fork and beyond.

The health benefits of whole wheat consumption can be partially attributed to wheat's phytochemicals, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, alkylresorcinols, carotenoids, phytosterols, tocopherols, and tocotrienols. It is of increasing interest to produce whole wheat products that are rich in bioactive phytochemicals. This review provides the fundamentals of the chemistry, extraction, and occurrence of wheat phytochemicals and includes critical discussion of several long-lasting issues: (1) the commonly used nomenclature on distribution of wheat phenolic acids, namely, soluble-free, soluble-conjugated, and insoluble-bound phenolic acids; (2) different extraction protocols for wheat phytochemicals; and (3) the chemistry and application of in vitro antioxidant assays.

FoxO-promoted peroxiredoxin1 expression induced by Helicoverpa armigera single nucleopolyhedrovirus infection mediates host development and defensive responses.

Helicoverpa armigera single nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) has a long coevolutionary history with its host, exerting profound effects on larval development, physiology and immune responses, although the mechanisms mediating these effects remain unclear. We demonstrate that HearNPV infection constrains the growth and development of larvae by inducing high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which increase the expression of forkhead box O transcription factor (FoxO). FoxO upregulates the expression of peroxiredoxin 1 (Prx1) which serves to regulate larval development and immune responses following HearNPV infection.

High temperature exposure reduces the susceptibility of Helicoverpa armigera to its nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) by enhancing expression of heat shock proteins.

Background: High temperatures will occur more frequently with global warming, with potential impacts on the efficacy of biological control agents. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are induced by high temperature, but their possible roles in pest resistance to entomopathogens remain unexplored. We investigated the effects of high temperature (35 °C) on Helicoverpa armigera resistance to H.

Optimization of silver nanoparticle biosynthesis by entomopathogenic fungi and assays of their antimicrobial and antifungal properties.

Entomopathogenic fungi produce extracellular enzymes to facilitate host infection, and these can also reduce metal ions to produce nanoparticles. In the present study, three isolates of Beauveria bassiana (JS1, JS2 and KA75) and one isolate of Metarhizium anisopliae (TT1) were evaluated for their ability to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). In general, the best yields and smallest NP sizes were obtained at 60 °C and pH 7.

The Ecological Significance of Aphid Cornicles and Their Secretions.

Aphid cornicles are abdominal appendages that secrete an array of volatile and nonvolatile compounds with diverse ecological functions. The emission of alarm pheromones yields altruistic benefits for clone-mates in the aphid colony, which is essentially a superorganism with a collective fate. Secreted droplets also contain unsaturated triglycerides, fast-drying adhesives that can be lethal when smeared on natural enemies but more often impede their foraging efficiency.

Accelerating wheat breeding for end-use quality through association mapping and multivariate genomic prediction.

In hard-winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeding, the evaluation of end-use quality is expensive and time-consuming, being relegated to the final stages of the breeding program after selection for many traits including disease resistance, agronomic performance, and grain yield. In this study, our objectives were to identify genetic variants underlying baking quality traits through genome-wide association study (GWAS) and develop improved genomic selection (GS) models for the quality traits in hard-winter wheat.

The transgenerational consequences of maternal parasitism for aphid life history and suitability for subsequent parasitism.

Aphids parasitized in later instars can give birth to several nymphs before their reproduction is curtailed by the developing parasitoid. We examined the life histories of Aphis fabae Scopoli born to mothers parasitized by Lysiphlebus fabarum Marshall, and their suitability as subsequent hosts, to test the 'fecundity compensation' hypothesis. Maternal parasitism negatively impacted life history parameters, resulting in reduced estimates of population increase (rm, R0, and λ), and increased generation time (GT) and doubling time (DT).

Laboratory and field studies supporting augmentation biological control of oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), using Trichogramma dendrolimi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae).

Background: Oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a cosmopolitan pests of fruit trees in temperate regions. Control of G. molesta is challenging because larvae feed in concealed locations and have evolved resistance to many pesticides.

Cattle and carcass performance, and life cycle assessment of production systems utilizing additive combinations of growth promotant technologies.

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of beef production systems utilizing additive combinations of growth promotant technologies on animal and carcass performance and environmental outcomes. Crossbred steer calves ( =120) were stratified by birth date, birth weight, and dam age and assigned randomly to one of four treatments: 1) no technology (NT; control), 2) antibiotic treated (ANT; NT plus therapeutic antibiotics and monensin and tylosin), 3) implant treated (IMP; ANT plus a series of 3 implants, and 4) beta-agonist treated (BA; IMP plus ractopamine-HCl for the last 30 d prior to harvest). Weaned steers were fed in confinement (dry lot) and finished in an individual feeding system to collect performance data.

Linkage mapping evidence for a syntenic QTL associated with flowering time in perennial C rhizomatous grasses and switchgrass.

Flowering in perennial species is directed via complex signalling pathways that adjust to developmental regulations and environmental cues. Synchronized flowering in certain environments is a prerequisite to commercial seed production, and so the elucidation of the genetic architecture of flowering time in and switchgrass could aid breeding in these underdeveloped species. In this context, we assessed a mapping population in and two ecologically diverse switchgrass mapping populations over 3 years from planting.