Minerals in edible insects:a review of content and potential for sustainable sourcing

In response to the rapid increase in world population and subsequent demands for food,edible insects represent an alternative food source for humans that is rich in proteins,amino acids and minerals.Entomophagy is a tradition in many countries including China and Thailand,and edible insects have attracted a lot of attention in Western World due to their suitable nutrient composition,high mineral content(e.g.,Fe,Zn,Ca,Mg)and potential use as a supplement in human diet.In this study,we surveyed mineral content in seven insect orders and 67 species of mass produced and wild-harvested edible insects.The total content of essential elements in edible insects was very high in Tenebrio molitor,Bombyx mori,and Zonocerus variegatus.The heavy metal content(summarized for eight species)was below the maximum limit allowed for safe consumption.Sustainable supply of minerals derived from insect biomass is complicated due to the high variations of mineral content in insects and the potential of its change due to processing.

Enhancing forest insect outbreak detection by integrating tree-ring and climate variables

Annual tree rings are widely recognized as valuable tools for quantifying and reconstructing historical forest disturbances.However,the influence of climate can complicate the detection of disturbance signals,leading to limited accuracy in existing methods.In this study,we propose a random under-sampling boosting(RUB)classifier that integrates both tree-ring and climate variables to enhance the detection of forest insect outbreaks.The study focused on 32 sites in Alberta,Canada,which documented insect outbreaks from 1939 to 2010.Through thorough feature engineering,model development,and tenfold cross-validation,multiple machine learning(ML)models were constructed.These models used ring width indices(RWIs)and climate variables within an 11-year window as input features,with outbreak and non-outbreak occurrences as the corresponding output variables.Our results reveal that the RUB model consistently demonstrated superior overall performance and stability,with an accuracy of 88.1%,which surpassed that of the other ML models.In addition,the relative importance of the feature variables followed the order RWIs>mean maximum temperature(Tmax)from May to July>mean total precipita-tion(Pmean)in July>mean minimum temperature(Tmin)in October.More importantly,the dfoliatR(an R package for detecting insect defoliation)and curve intervention detec-tion methods were inferior to the RUB model.Our findings underscore that integrating tree-ring width and climate vari-ables as predictors in machine learning offers a promising avenue for enhancing the accuracy of detecting forest insect outbreaks.

31 Plant Species against Blood Feeding and Disease Vectors Insects: Beyond Anti-Insect Properties, Unvalued Opportunities and Challenges for Health and Sustainability

Plants with bioactive properties are greatly useful in preventing and controlling blood-sucking and disease-vector invertebrates, particularly in developing countries and low-income communities. Their application is a promising alternative to synthetic compounds whose use remains a health, environmental, and economic challenge. However, many are still unknown and unvalued, while others are becoming ignored and threatened. The main objective of this ethnobotanical study is to identify and characterize indigenous and locally grown plants against blood-sucking and disease-vector insects. Salient opportunities and challenges of using these plants are documented and discussed. Semi-structured interviews, using a prepared questionnaire, were conducted with 228 informants. The consensus index (CI) was calculated to analyze the reliability of the collected information. The identified 31 anti-insect plant species belong to 20 botanical families, four morphological categories, and six habitat types. They can be categorized as insecticidal plants (42% of the total), insect repellent (42% of the total), and both insecticidal and insect repellent (16% of the total). More than 54% of these are still abundant in the study area, while about 35.5% have become rare and difficultly accessible. Based on the numerical importance of related anti-insect plant species, the seven targeted blood-sucking insects range in the following decreasing order: Jiggers (16 species) > Fire Ants (9 species) > Flies (8 plants) > Mosquitoes (4 species) > Fleas (2 species) > Bedbugs (1 species) > lice (0 species). The three most commonly used plants, with the highest confirmation indices, are Tetradenia riparia (ICs = 0.712), Eucalyptus globulus subsp. maidenii (ICs = 0.302), and Solanum aculeastrum (ICs = 0.288). The antimicrobial role of many locally grown anti-insect plants and the multiple other associated valorization possibilities are ignored by most informants. Domesticating, propagating, protecting, and promoting the sustainable use of these plants would be an appropriate route for their conservation and continued availability.

Twenty-Three Years of Insect Pollinator-Dependent Crop Studies in Agro-Ecological Zones of Cameroon (2011-2020)

Cultivation of pollinator-dependent crops has expanded globally, increasing our reliance on insect pollination. This essential ecosystem service is provided by a wide range of managed and wild pollinators whose abundance and diversity are thought to be in decline, threatening sustainable food production. In Cameroon, several studies on pollinator-dependent crops carried out in different agro-ecological zones (AEZ) have been published in national and international journals, in order to present the importance and impact of flowering insects on fruit and seed yields of plant species. We proposed to produce a review article highlighting the different flowering insects and their importance for different plants according to AEZ, without however focusing on the quality of the journal (predator or non-predator) and how the different insects were identified (scientific names given in the publications). Thus, from 1997 to 2020, we collected 116 published papers from which only 26 were kept for this review. The results show that Hymenoptera, including the Apidae, followed by Megachilidae, are the most excellent pollinators of plant species in Cameroon, and they are present in different agro-ecological zones. The majority of publications focused on bees, particularly the honeybee Apis mellifera.

A Review on Characteristics, Extraction Methods and Applications of Renewable Insect Protein

Due to the expected rise in the world population,an increase in the requirements for quality and safety of food and feed is expected,which leads to the growing demand for new sources of sustainable and renewable protein.Insect protein is gaining importance as a renewable material for several reasons,reflecting its potential contribu-tions to sustainability,resource efficiency,and environmental conservation.Some insect species are known to be able to efficiently convert organic waste into high-value products such as protein,requiring less land and water compared to traditional livestock.In addition,insect farming produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions,contri-buting to mitigating climate change.Insects are considered as a major potential alternative to animal or plant protein due to their many nutritional benefits,including high protein,mineral,and vitamin contents.On average,the protein content of insects ranges between 35%and 60%dry weight,which exceeds plant protein sources,such as cereal,soybeans,and lentils.As the acceptance of insect protein grows and technologies advance,the food and feed industries continue to explore and expand their applications,offering consumers diverse and sustainable pro-tein choices.In this review,we discuss the recentfindings relating to insect protein focusing on its characteristics,extraction methods,applications,and opportunities along with some trade-offs and uncertainties.

Social Cost Analysis of Biological Control Technology for Crop Diseases and Insect Pests

With the rapid development of modern agriculture,the prevention and control of crop diseases and insect pests has become an important part to ensure the safety of agricultural production,the quality of agricultural products and the safety of agricultural ecological environment.Although the effect of traditional chemical prevention and control technology is remarkable,the health risks and environmental problems brought by it should not be ignored.As a green and environmentally friendly means of prevention and control,biological prevention and control technology has gradually become a hot research topic and a trend of agricultural production.This paper is intended to comprehensively evaluate the social costs of biological control technologies for crop diseases and pests,including the health risks reduced,environmental improvements,economic benefits,and barriers to promotion,and put forward corresponding policy recommendations.

Analysis of Economic Benefits Brought by Industrialization of Natural Enemy Insects

In the field of biological control of agricultural and forestry pests,natural enemy insects play an important role,constituting the core of modern integrated pest management(IPM)strategy,providing solid support for the zero growth goal of chemical pesticide use,and helping the sustainable development of green agriculture.The rise of the natural enemy insect industry has become a key driver of the transformation of green agriculture,injecting vitality into the sustainability and ecological protection of agriculture.With the increasing concern about food safety,environmental protection and ecological balance all over the world,the application scope of natural enemy insects as biological control means is constantly expanding.Its unique ecological adaptability and environmentally friendly characteristics help to reduce dependence on chemical pesticides,ensure the safety of agricultural products and maintain ecological diversity.The purpose of this study is to analyze the current situation of natural enemy insect industry,evaluate its cost and benefit,emphasize its great significance in promoting the transformation of green agriculture,improving production efficiency and promoting ecological protection by drawing lessons from foreign successful experiences,and explore an efficient and sustainable new agricultural development model.

Resistance Analysis of the Binary Insect-resistant Transgenic Soybean to Heliothis viriplaca

[Objective] The aim of the research was to analyze the resistance of binary insect-resistant transgenic soybean to Heliothis viriplaca.[Method]In this experiment, resistance analysis of the stabilized binary insect-resistant transgenic soybean to Heliothis viriplaca was conducted in lab and in field conditions.[Result] The results indicated that the leaves of insect-resistant transgenic soybeans T5-150 and T5-195 showed lighter damage than those of non-transgenic soybeans. Meanwhile, the Heliothis viriplaca larvae fed on leaves of these two transgenic soybeans were characterized by less leaf consumption, shortening survival day, slower development and less pupation.[Conclusion]It was concluded that insect-resistance of transgenic soybean to Heliothis viriplaca was increased dramatically and the research provided a reference for selecting binary insect-resistant transgenic soybean to Heliothis viriplaca.

Studies of Transgenic Hybrid Poplar 741 Carrying Two Insect-resistant Genes

Partially modified Bt Cry1Ac gene and the arrowhead proteinase inhibitor (API) gene were used to construct a plant transformation vector pBtiA and this construct was transferred into the genome of the hybrid poplar 741 [ Populus alba L.×( P. davidiana Dode+ P. simonii Carr.)× P. tomentosa Carr.] by Agrobacterium _ mediated transformation. Ten kanamycin resistant plants have been regenerated. Upon insect bioassay using Clostera anachoreta (Fabricius), three of the examined plants were demonstrated to be highly resistant to the testing insects. The mortality of insect larvae on one plant was higher than 90% in 6 days after infestation and the growth of the survival larvae were seriously inhibited. Results of PCR and Southern blot analysis indicated that both Bt Cry1Ac gene and API gene were integrated as a single copy into the genomes of these three plants when Cry1Ac gene fragment was used as the probe. Protein dot blot immunoassay and ELISA analysis revealed that at least the Cry1Ac protein was produced in these three transgenic plants and the expression levels were estimated to be approximately 0.015% of the leaf total soluble protein. This is the first report on insect resistant transgenic hybrid poplar 741 that expresses two insecticidal protein genes.

Insect Resistance of Different Tissues of Transgenic Cotton to Spodoptera exigua(Hbner)

[Objective] The aim was to learn the resistance of different tissues and organs of transgenic cotton to Spodoptera exigua （Hbner）. [Method] Flowers,the 1st,the 3rd,the 6th and the 14th leaves from the top of 33B,GK12 and SGK321 were used to feed S. exigua neonates respectively. Survival larvae and dead ones were counted on the 3rd,the 7th,the 10th,the 16th and the 19th day; meanwhile,the pupae amount was recorded,and the pupae weight was measured at the 24th h after pupation. [Result] The survival curves,pupation rates and pupae weights of S. exigua feeding on different tissues of transgenic cotton were not significantly different from those of S. exigua feeding on the corresponding tissues of conventional cotton; pupation rate of S. exigua feeding on different leaves of the same cotton variety were not significantly different from each other,but all higher than that of S. exigua feeding on the flowers of that cotton; and there were no differences among pupation weights of S. exigua feeding on different leaves or flowers of the same cotton variety. [Conclusion] Transgenic cotton showed weak resistance to S. exigua. Hence,in the transgenic cotton fields,more attention should be paid to occurrence trend of S. exigua and its control.

Exploitation and Utilization of Insect Protein Feed Resources

The insect is the animal protein feed resource potential, the rapid repro- duction, large quantity, high protein content, and most species of insects can be used as livestock feed utilization, development of insect as feed resources, to pro- mote the development of China＇s animal husbandry and feed industry, has important significance.

Test of Insect-Resistance of Transgenic Poplar with CpTI Gene

Both non-transgenic hybrid triploid poplars [ (Populus tomentosa×P.bolleana)×P.tomentosa ] and transgenic ones expressing cowpea trypsin inhibitor were cut at the base of the stem to produce auxoblasts, and used as source of leaves for insect feeding trials performed on 3 major insect species of poplar, the forest tent caterpillar ( Malacosoma disstria L.), gypsy moth ( Lymantria dispar L.) and willow moth ( Stilpnotia candida Staudinger). The height and basal diameter of trees were measured by the end of that year (2000). The results indicated that the growth elements of transgenic poplars were not interfered by the incorporation of the CpTI gene. Intriguingly, the height and basal diameter of the clone TG04 were much greater than that of the control. The transgenic foliage consumed by insects induced the increase of larval mortality, and decrease of larval wet weight gain, faecal output, pupal weight and egg deposition. Among them 3 transgenic clones, TG04, TG07 and TG71 received special attention for their outstanding insect resistance compared with other transgenic clones, which showed that the CpTI gene in them was expressed more actively and stably than in others.

Biological Safety Evaluation of White Insect Tea in Guizhou

[Objective] The biological safety of white insect tea in Xifeng County of Guizhou Province was evaluated in order to provide a scientific basis for the development of white insect tea. [Method] Acute toxicity test in mice, Ames microbiological test and mouse bone marrow polychromatic erythrocyte micronucleus test were done with wild white inset tea produced in Xifeng County. At the same time, the contents of six kinds of limit pollutants were determined, including Pb,Cr,Cd,Hg,As,and F-. [Result] The results showed that white insect tea had LD505.0 g/kg（BW）in acute toxicity test, negative response in Ames test and microkernel test. In addition, the contents of Pb,Cr,Cd,Hg,As,and F- in the white inset tea were 2.20,1.06,0.46,0.09,0.71,21.50 mg/kg, much less than the national standard of tea （GB2762-2005,NY 659-2003）. [Conclusion] The white insect tea produced in Xifeng County of Guizhou Province is non-toxic, and good for human as beverage.

Study on Pollinating Insects of Astragalus membranaceus (Ficsh) Bunge

[Objective The aim was to study species and pollinating characters of Astragalus membranaceus(Ficsh)Bunge pollinating insects and lay a theory foundation for the breeding of Astragalus membranaceus(Ficsh)Bunge.[Method] With Astragalus membranaceus(Ficsh)Bunge as research object,the species of pollinating insect and pollination behavior were investigated.[Result] There were 16 pollinating insect species,among which,Bombus ignitus,Bombus lucoru,Apis sp.,Betasyrphus serarius(wiedemann)and Colias erate(Esper)we...

Advances in Research on the Structure and Diversity Variation of Insect Communities in Wetland

The species diversity, structure and dynamic rules of insect communities in wetland can provide data of the insects for the protection, utilization and monitor- ing of wetland, which is an essential link to maintain the healthy ecological system of the wetland and protect the biodiversity in the wetland. A systematic study on the composition and succession of insect communities in the wetland, as well as the indication of insect groups can provide a theoretical basis for wetland protection and management, and thus promote the development of regional economy and en- vironmental protection.

Observation of the Morphology during Development of Encyrtus sasakii (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) in the Body of its Host Scale Insect Eulecanium kuwanai

Observed and compared the morphological characters of various instars of Encyrtus sasakii Ishii parasitized in Eulecanium kuwanai Kanda. Microphotographs were taken of the bodies. Study shows that： Encyrtus sasakii Ishii reproduces annually and overwinters as pupa in their host. Besides the individual differences resulting from development, the 1st and 2nd instar larvae have long breath pedicles in the end of abdomen, and with the larva molting during development, the exuvia accumulate at the end of the body, form a hollow sac called caudal sac that cover the breath pedicle during 3rd and 4th instar larvae. The scutulis of females are yellow, and foreside of wings is light fumed with a dark blotch covered by dense black thick hairs. While the males are black brown, the wing is light in color without a dark blotch.

Effects of Insect Acoustic and Music Acoustic Frequency on the Growth of 6 Kinds of Vegetables

[Objective] The aim was to study the effects of different acoustic frequency of insect sound （IS） and insect-music mixed sound （MS） treatment on the growth of 6 kinds of vegetables.[Method] The insect acoustic group,insect-music mixed group and normal control group were designed to determine the related indices of 6 kinds of vegetables in unified management regularly.[Result] After different acoustic frequency treatment,besides soybean plant height,dry root weight of cabbage and greengrocery,there was significant difference of plant height,fresh weight and dry weight between the other vegetables and control.Under acoustic frequency treatment,the growth situations of six kinds of vegetables were better than control.In the growth period,acoustic frequency treatment could promote height growth （except soybean） and edible part yield.[Conclusion] Both of IS and MS could promote the plant growth,but their effects had difference.

Application of Self-propelled Boom Sprayers for Control of Rice Insects and Diseases

Comparisons were performed between self-propelled boom sprayer and traditional mechanis, such as knapsack sprayer and sprayer-duster, stretcher-type powered sprayer, as well as single rotor unmanned sprayer and multi-rotor un- manned sprayer. The effects on rice injury, lodging, and rehabilitation were conclud- ed and drug uniform distribution, sedimentation and prevention effects were ana- lyzed. The results showed that the self-propelled boom sprayer is characterized by high degree of automation, convenient operation, high adaptability, and high work efficiency. What＇s more, the sprayed fog quality is better, and fog distribution is more uniform. During the work process, fog loss would be diminished substantially, improving work efficiency and cutting down drug and water. It is notable that the underpart of the sprayer can be widely applied to plant protection in large-scale ar- eas in Jiangsu Province, significantly advancing whole-process mechanization of rice production.

Species and Diversity Analysis of Flower-visiting Insects of Asian Sacred Lotus in Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei Provinces

[Objective]This study aimed to investigate the community structure, species and quantities of flower-visiting insects of seed lotus in main producing ar-eas of Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei provinces. [Method] Using sample area survey and netting method in the fixed points to investigate species and quantities of Asian sacred lotus, the species diversity of different locations was evaluated by diversity indices （H′）, evenness indices （J） and dominant concentration indices （C）. [Result] Apis mel ifera, Apis cerana cerana, Xylocopa （Koptortosoma） sinensis, Xylocopa （s.str.） valga and Xylocopa （Al oxylocopa） appendiculata, al of which belong to order Hy-menoptera were the main pol inators of lotus. Temperature was the main factor which influenced the foraging behaviors of flower-visiting insects. The daily activities of X. （s.str.） valga and X. （Al oxylocopa） appendiculata were bimodal, and that of A. mel-lifera, A. cerana cerana and X. （s.str.） valga were unimodal. The percentage of wild pol inators in Linxiang of Hunan Province and Xianning of Hubei Province were only 20.59% and 3.90% respectively, and there were six species of flower-visiting insects in Linxiang and three in Xianning. The percentages of wild pol inators in Shicheng of Jiangxi Province and the lotus garden in Huazhong Agricultural University were 55.61% and 90.40% respectively, and the flower-visiting insects belonged to 13 and 12 species respectively. The diversity index （H′） and evenness index （J） were listed here in a decreasing order： Shicheng of Jiangxi ＆gt;lotus garden in Huazhong Agricul-tural University＆gt;Linxiang of Hunan ＆gt;Xianning of Hubei. The sequence of dominant concentration indices （C） was Shicheng of Jiangxi ＆lt;the lotus garden in Huazhong Agricultural University＆lt;Linxiang of Hunan＆lt;Xianning of Hubei. The diversity indices （H′）, evenness indices （J） and dominant concentration indices （C） of each sample location were consistent. [Conclusion] The species and quantities of Asian sacred lotus vary in different ecological areas. The species and quantities of Linxiang in Hunan Province and Xianning in Hubei Province are rare. The increase of lotus production must depend on bee pol ination.

Irradiation Dose for the Insect Disinfestation and Mildew Control of Peanut

The bulk peanuts were used as the materials. After ）,-ray irradiation of different doses, the peanuts were stored up at room temperature, and the degree of pest infection and gradient of mould infection were observed regularly. The results showed that insects began to appear in the unirradiated peanuts in 2 months, while after 4 months, the pest infection rate increased with the prolonged storage time, and the pest infection rate reached up to 58%-100% after 6 months of storage. However, the irradiated peanuts did not suffer from the pest infection throughout the storage. The unirradiated peanuts were contaminated by moulds after three months of storage, while the peanuts with an irradiation dose of 0.3-0.5 kGy were mildewed after 6 months of storage, while those with an irradiation dose of 1.0, 4.0 kGy had no mould after 12 months of storage. Combined with relevant international and national standards as well as the findings of scholars at home and abroad, the minimum effective irradiation dose for insect disinfestations of peanuts was 0,3 kGy, and the minimum effective irradiation dose for mildew control was 1.0 kGy, while the maximum tolerance dose was 4.0 kGy.