Regional selection of insecticides and fungal biopesticides to control aphids and thrips and improve the forage quality of alfalfa crops

The efficacies of biological and conventional chemical insecticides against two major insect pests of alfalfa(aphids and thrips)were compared in three sites across China’s alfalfa belt.In addition,the persistence of the residues of chemical insecticides in alfalfa and their influence on the quality of alfalfa hay were examined.Efficacy varied among the different biological and chemical insecticides.The chemical insecticides were significantly more effective than biopesticides in a short time-frame.The efficacy period of biopesticides was significantly longer than that of chemical insecticides,and the corrected mortality rate of aphids in all regions was above 50%at 14 days after application.The analysis of pesticide residues showed that the residual doses of all the pesticides were within the allowed ranges after the safe period.The acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber contents in alfalfa hay were higher and the protein content was lower in chemical insecticide treatments than in biopesticide treatments in Hebei.The relative feeding value of alfalfa hay treated with Metarhizium anisopliae IPP330189 was the highest among the treatments.Compared with chemical insecticides,the yield of alfalfa hay was higher in the biopesticides treatments.Biopesticides show a stronger control effect on insect populations and also a better improvement in the quality of alfalfa hay than chemical insecticides.This study provides a basis for exploring and developing a comprehensive control regime for alfalfa insect pests in the different alfalfa-growing regions in China,and for reducing chemical insecticide usage and improving forage quality.

Research on the Prevention and Control Technology of Rape Aphids

[Objective] The aim was to screen economic and environment-friendly pesticides adaptive to aphid-resistant varieties in main rape growing regions of Yunnan Province.[Method] The effects of 6 pesticides against aphids on 22 Brassica campestris materials of the main breeds in Yunnan Province,the new improved varieties in China and the core breeding materials were tested.[Result] Yunyoushuang 1,Huayou 4,Yunhuayou Early-maturing Variety No.1 and A35 showed better aphid-resistance.An optimum pesticide application strategy was to use Diyaling in sowing time,and interchangeably apply nitenpyram and imidacloprid during flowering and pod formation stages.[Conclusion] The present study had provided an important technical support for sustainable development of rape industry.

Research on the Control Effects of Several Insecticides on Wheat Aphids

[Objective] The aim was to determine control effects of the 6 insecticides and recommended the optimal doses. [Method] In 2014, the control effects of sophocarpidine, pymetrozine, beta-cypermethrin, acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and chlor- pyrifos on wheat aphids were tested, and every pesticide was designed with three doses in Shou County, Anhui Province, to explore the significance of differences on control effects. [Result] The results showed that the control effects of the 6 insecti- cides were satisfied, and the insecticides were safe on wheat. [Conclusion] During initial diseasing stage of aphid, it is recommended to use sophocarpidine soluble concentrate （1.5%）, pymetrozine water dispersible granule （50%）, imidacloprid wet- table powder （25%）, and acetamiprid wettable powder （5%）, and chlorpyrifos missi- ble oil （40%）, cypermethrin missible oil （4.5%） and imidacloprid wettable powder （25%） can be applied in peak-diseasing stage.

Effect of Neoseiulus cucumeiris Carrying Paecilomyces fumosoroseus on the Prevention of Aphids and Spider Mites in Eggplant

Using predatory mites Neoseiulus cucumeris Oudermans dusted with en- tomopathgen Paecilomyces fumosoroseus （Wize） Brown ＆ Smith to control aphids and spider mites is a new idea of biological control. Some studies were conducted to confirm the feasibility of this idea. The germination condition of P. fumosoroseus conidia was determined by the method of different saturated salt solutions applying different humidity in small containers, and the pathogenicity test and the pot experi- ment were also conducted, under a suitable condition. There were 6 treatments for pot experiment as following： （1） CK; （2） releasing 50 N. cucumeds, （3） spraying 20 ml of 10^7 spores/ml conidial suspension; （4） releasing 50 N. cucumeris after spraying 20 ml of 10^7 spores/ml conidial suspension; （5） releasing 20 N. cucumeris dusted conidia of P. fumosoroseus; and （6） releasing 50 N. cucumeris dusted with conidia of P. fumosoroseus. The result showed that the germination condition of P. fu- mosoroseus conidia was 25-30 ℃ and 95%-100% RH, and under this condition, the 10s spores/ml conidia suspension caused a mortality of 86.52% in aphids and 41.78% in predatory mites after ten days. From the pot experiment, the numbers of aphids of treatment （3）, （4）, （6） were close to 0 at the 8th day. This study proved that the predatory mites N. cucumeris dusted with the entomogenous P. fu- mosoroseus could provide satisfactory control on both aphids and spider mites in potted eggplants under suitable temperature and humidity. The predatory mite vec- toring entomopathogen system could provide an economic and labor saving way for aphid control.

VALIDATION AND ANALYSES OF THE SIMPLE METHOD FOR DETERMINING rm OF APHIDS AND MITES

This paper deals with the validation and theoretical analyses of a simple method for calculating the intrinsic rate of increase, rm, of aphids and mites. This method does not require a detailed fecundity table data. The value of rm can be estimated by the simple equation: rm=0.74ln (Md)/d, where d is the time from birth to first reproduction; Md is the number of female offspring produced per original female in 2d. This method was developed by Wyatt and White. We reached the following conclusions from our study: When the parameter, Md is less than 1, this equation is not appropriate for estimating rm of populations; When the parameter, Md is larger than 1 and about 70% or more of the reproductive contribution to the rm is achieved in 2d, the equation is appropriate for calculatng the rm of aphids and mites.As Md decreases, the required reproductive contribution to the rm in 2d corresponding to the constant 0.74 will increase. However, whether 70% or more of reproductive contribution to rm is achieved in 2d still is a problem for whole taxa of aphids and mites. Therefore, further siudy on reproductive distribution will be required for practical application of this method.

Aphids and their transmitted potato viruses: A continuous challenges in potato crops

Aphid is one of the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions.Their piercing-sucking mouthparts and phloem feeding behavior directly damage crops and deplete plant nutrients.Potato(Solanum tuberosum L.)is one of the most important food sources on the planet,and several aphid species,e.g.,Myzus persicae(Sulzer)(green peach aphid)and Macrosiphum euphorbiae(Thomas)(potato aphid)(Hemiptera:Aphididae)colonize potato and transmit several economically important viruses.Aphid-transmitted potato viruses have been emerging all over the world as a very serious problem in potato production,inducing a wide variety of foliar and tuber symptoms,leading to severe yield reduction and loss of tuber quality.In this review,recent advances in understanding the interactions of potato viruses with their hosts,aphid vectors and the environment are described.

Identification of Soybean Resources of Resistance to Aphids

Four soybean [Glycine max （L.） Merr.] cultivars with soybean aphid resistance （Aphis glycines Matsmura）, p189, P203, P574, and P746, were identified in field test, choice test, and non-choice test, The grade of resistance to aphids and the damage index of P189, P203, and P746 were significantly different from the susceptible cultivars （P=0.05）. P574 and P746 showed antibiosis resistance, preventing aphids from reproducing on the plants. P203 showed antixenosis resistance, preventing aphids from reproducing in field test and choice test, but susceptible in non-choice test. Population development on plants was significantly different in field test, choice test, and non-choice test, which was caused by different selective pressures.

Physiology and defense responses of wheat to the infestation of different cereal aphids

Cereal aphids are major insect pests of wheat,which cause significant damages to wheat production.Previous studies mainly focused on the resista nee of differe nt wheat varieties to one specific aphid species.However,reports on the physiology and defense responses of wheat to different cereal aphids are basically lacking.In this work,we studied the feeding behavior of three cereal aphids:the grain aphid,Sitobion avenae(Fabricius),the greenbugs,Schizaphis graminum(Ron dani),and the bird cherry-oat aphid,Rhopalosiphum padi(Linn aeus)on win ter wheat,and the physiology and defense responses of wheat to the infestation of these cereal aphids with focus on how these cereal aphids utilize divergent strategies to optimize their nutrition requirement from wheat leaves.Our results indicated that S.graminum and R.padi were better adapted to penetrating phloem tissue and to collect more nutrition than S.avenae.The harm on wheat physiology committed by S.graminum and R.padi was severer than that by S.avenae,through reducing chlorophyll concentration and interfering metabolism genes.Furthermore,cereal aphids manipulated the plant nutrition metabolism by increasing the relative concentration of major amino acids and percentage of essential amino acids.In addition,different cereal aphids triggered specific defense response in wheat.All of these results suggested that different cereal aphids utilize diverge nt strategies to cha nge the physiological and defe nse resp on ses of their host plants in order to optimize their nutriti on absorption and requireme nt.These fin dings not only exte nd our current knowledge on the insect-pla nt in teractions but also provide useful clues to develop no vel biotech no logical strategies for enhancing the resistance and toleranee of crop plants against phloem-feeding insects.

Reproductive polyphenism and its advantages in aphids:Switching between sexual and asexual reproduction

Reproductive polyphenism,which allows one genotype to produce sexual and asexual morphs,is an extreme case of phenotypic plasticity and is commonly observed in aphids.Aphids are typical species that switch these reproductive modes,and the pathway orientation is triggered by the environmental conditions(mainly photoperiod and temperature).The typical arm ual life of aphids in eludes a successi on of parthenogenetic gen erations duri ng the spri ng and summer and a single sexual generation in autumn.In this review,we describe how the environmental cues orientate the reproductive mode of aphids from photoperiodic perception to endocrine regulation,and how juvenile hormones may act on the target cells(oocytes)to initiate the gametogenesis and embryogenesis in sexual and asexual reproduction.We also discuss the paradox of sex,especially the advantages of sexual reproduction in aphids.With the recent development of genomic resources in aphids,many potential genes involved in the reproductive polyphenism will enter the public's awareness.In particular,we describe a novel RNAi method in aphids,which may provide a molecular technique for determining the developmental fate and multiple reproductive strategies.

Including predator presence in a refined model for assessing resistance of alfalfa cultivar to aphids

The aphid quantity ratio（AQR） is defined as the number of aphids on each cultivar divided by the number of aphids on all cultivars. AQR is based on the correlation between aphid populations and their host plants and is an important tool that has been utilized in evaluating Medicago sativa（alfalfa） cultivar resistance to aphids. However, assessment of alfalfa resistance to aphids can be confused by the presence of aphid predators, causing the assessment of plant resistance to aphids to be based on incorrect aphid population data. To refine the AQR and account for the effect of predators on aphid population assessments, we introduced a parameter ‘α＇, corresponding to the predator quantity ratio, and used αAQR as the ratio to quantify aphid populations. Populations of both aphids（4 species） and their predators（12 species） occurring in 28 M. sativa cultivars were sampled over two years at a research station near Cangzhou, Hebei Province, China. Results showed that the most suitable evaluation period was from May to June, as the aphid population was stable during this period. Compared with the AQR method, the predator population numbers based on the αAQR had a significant inverse relationship with aphid population numbers and the 28 cultivars were clustered into three classes： the resistant class, tolerant class, and susceptible class. In addition, 17 cultivars were reassigned when evaluated using αAQR. All numerical values calculated by αAQR were displayed as a Gaussian distribution, which showed that the 28 cultivars could be clustered into nine groups using a median value（±SE） of 1±0.1. Hence, ongoing alfalfa breeding trials will be assessed using the αAQR to establish a robust system that includes agronomic performance parameters in order to generalize the new method for further studies.

Analysis of Leaf Volatiles of Crabapple (<i>Malus</i>sp.) Individuals in Different Aphids’ Resistance

The aim of this experiment was to analyze the leaf volatiles of crabapple (Malus sp.) individuals at different aphid’s resistance, to ascertain the particular ingredients which has lure or aversion effects on aphid, and to provide reference for finding out a simple method to control effectively aphids. Volatiles of leaves from twenty-one different crabapple individuals were evaluated with the method of head space-solid phase micro-extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Volatiles profiles of them were then compared. There are one hundred eighty-six kinds of volatiles were detected with varied contents found in different individuals. And all plants contain eight kinds of common components: 3-Hexen-1-ol, acetate, (Z)-, 4-Hexen-1-ol, (Z)-, n-Decanal, n-Tetradecane, .alpha.-Farnesene, Diethyl Phthalate, Oxime-, methoxy-phenyl- and Dibenzofuran-, wherein the relative content of higher have 3-Hexen-1-ol, acetate, (Z)- and 4-Hexen-1-ol, (Z)-. Specific volatile substances in high resistance plants contain 3-Hexenal, (Z)- and 2-Hexenal, (E)-. Leaf volatiles differ in twenty-one crabapple individuals. High resistance plants specific volatile substances contains 3-Hexenal, (Z)-, 2-Hexenal, (E)- and other small molecular volatile substances, and no-resistance plants all have .beta.-Farnesene.

Control Effect of Slow-release, Long-acting and Multi-functional New Pesticides on Sugarcane Borders and Woolly Aphids

In order to select the long-acting,low toxic,low-risk and multi-functional new pesticides for the control of sugarcane borders and woolly aphids and precise and efficient application technology,the control effect of 10% monosultap · thiamethoxam granular formulation and 1% Bt · clothianidin granular formulation on sugarcane borders and woolly aphids were studied.The results showed that 10% monosultap·thiamethoxam GR and 1% Bt·clothianidin GR had good control effects on sugarcane borders and woolly aphids.They were ideal slow-release,long-acting,low toxic and multi-functional new pesticides used to control sugarcane borders and woolly aphids.They could be used alternately with other pesticides to delay the emergence and development of pest resistance to pesticides.The best dosage of the two pesticides in the field was 45 kg/hm^2.They could be mixed with fertilizer( 1200-1800 kg/hm^2),scattered in sugarcane ditches or at the base of sugarcane plants,and covered with soil or film from January to July.The control effect on dead heart seedlings damaged by borers could be up to above 79.2%,and the control effect on sugarcane woolly aphids could reach more than 98.8%.In comparison with the control group,the actual yield and sugar content of sugarcane increased by above 41 555 kg/hm^2 and 6.5% respectively.The application of slow-release,long-acting,strong systemic and multi-functional new agents with fertilizer around roots is convenient,precise and efficient,labor-saving,time-saving and environmentally friendly,and is worthy of being widely applied in sugarcane areas.

The Effectiveness of Coccinellids as Natural Enemies of Aphids in Maize, Beans and Cowpeas Intercrop

A field study was conducted in Busia district of Kenya to elucidate the dynamics of ladybirds in mixed stands of maize, beans and cowpeas to determine their efficacy as sole control measures for Aphids. Maize, beans and cowpeas were intercropped using conventional husbandry practices and the general Coccinellid quantified as follows： Colonies of four Coccinellids, starved for 12 hours to enhance feeding on Aphids were assessed. The effects of weather on the abundance of Coccinellids were also investigated and involved collection of meteorological data from the Busia District Agricultural Office （BDAO） and from Busia Farmers Training Centre （BFTC） and relating them to the abundance and predation values. The predator population was most abundant in the mixed stands of maize and beans （2.33 predators/30 Aphids） as compared to their occurrence in pure stands of cowpeas （0.85 predators/30 Aphids）. The genus Cheilomenes spp. was the most ubiquitous predator with a mean of 4.00 individuals/30 Aphids while Hippodamia variegata was the least abundant predator species with a mean of 0.92 individuals/30 Aphids in all the agro-ecosystems. The larvae of Hippodamia variegata were the most bio-efficient, consuming 32.44 Aphids while their adults were the least bio-efficient, consuming 4.22 individuals for a period of 12 hours. The Coccinellids consumed more Aphids at higher aphid densities （24.05 Aphids） than at lower aphid densities （9.44 Aphids） over the same period of time. Rainfall and relative humidity had significant （F = 3.675; P 〈 0.05） effects on the abundance of Coccinellids. Temperature had significant （F = 3.58; P 〈 0.05） effect on the abundance of Coccinellids though at a lower level. Rainfall （r = -0.162） and relative humidity （r = - 0.084） were both inversely correlated with the abundance of Coccinellids. On the other hand, temperature was positively correlated （r = 0.159） with the prevalence of Coccinellids indicating that warmer and drier conditions favoured their multiplication.

Technical Specifications for Integrated Prevention and Control of Yellow Aphids

[Objectives]The purpose was to standardize the scientific prevention and control of yellow aphids and effectively control their occurrence and spread.[Methods]On the basis of consulting domestic and foreign data and standards extensively,a series of related trials were carried out.[Results]Technical specifications for integrated prevention and control of yellow aphids were formulated.[Conclusions]It is of great significance to the healthy and sustainable development of the fruit trees’industry,the implementation of standardized management,the reduction of pesticide uses,and the reduction of damage caused by yellow aphids to fruit trees,and also provides urgent-needed technical support and guarantee for the prevention and control of yellow aphids.

A Preliminary Study on Control Efficiency of New Nicotine Biopesticides against Pomegranate Aphids

In this study, toxicity and control efficiency of three nicotine biopesticides against pomegranate aphids were determined via indoor toxicity test and field effica- cy test, aiming at screening the appropriate reagent for prevention and control of pomegranate aphids. The results of indoor toxicity test showed that LC^o of reagent 1, reagent 2 and reagent 3 reached 10 270, 12 810 and 13 040 mg/L, respectively. The results of field efficacy test showed that control efficacy of reagent 1, reagent 2 and reagent 3 reached 60.52%, 34.60% and 46.99%, respectively. Overall, reagent 1 （91% ultrafine powder of tobacco leaves, 3% silicone oil, 2% sasangua cake, 2% emulsifier, 2% ascorbic acid） exhibited the highest control efficiency against pomegranate aphids, which can be further popularized and utilized.

The biotypes and host shifts of cotton-melon aphids Aphis gossypii in northern China

Aphis gossypfi is a globally distributed species and therefore has a highly variable life cycle. Populations of A. gossypii in northern China exhibit greater genotypic diversity and a broader host range, yet the details of life cycles of different biotypes is still unclear. In this study, the Cytb and 16S gene regions of A. gossypfi collected from 5 common summer hosts and 4 primary hosts were analyzed. A total of 57 haplotypes were obtained from 1 046 individual A. gossyp# sequences. The sequence included 44 variable sites, 27 of which were parsimony informative sites and 17 of which were singleton variable sites. The most frequent 3 haplotypes were found in 896 individuals, representing a total of 85.7% of all individuals and 36 haplotypes were found in 1 individual. A neighbor-joining tree was constructed using 21 haplotypes that were found in more than 2 individuals. Considering the individual host plant, 5 biotypes were identified. Type 1 corresponded exactly to the cucurbit host-race and the other 4 biotypes were found as cotton host-races. Type 3 was the most abundant biotype in cotton fields in northern China.

Impacts of Climate Change on the Occurrence Degree of Cotton Aphids in Huang-Huai-Hai and Yangtze River Basins

[Objective] The aim was to analyze the impacts of climate change （tem- perature and precipitation） on the occurrence degree of cotton aphids. [Method] Ec- onometric models were established to explore the impacts of climate change on the occurrence degree of cotton aphids based on the observation data from 50 counties in Huang-Huai-Hai and Yangtze River basins in 1991-2010, including variables on the occurrence degree of cotton aphids, temperature and precipitation, and other factors. [Result] There were significant differences in the effects of temperature and precipitation changes on the occurrence degrees of cotton aphid in different growth stages, and even in the same growth stage, the cotton aphids had different responses to the changes of temperature and precipitation in different re- gions. [Conclusion] It should give full consideration to the climatic conditions in dif- ferent periods of different regions, and it should adopt proper measures to control the cotton aphids on the basis of figuring out the occurrence rule of cotton aphid, so as to ensure cotton production.

Inter-species mRNA transfer among green peach aphids,dodder parasites,and cucumber host plants

mRNAs are transported within a plant through phloem.Aphids are phloem feeders and dodders(Cuscuta spp.)are parasites which establish phloem connections with host plants.When aphids feed on dodders,whether there is trafficking of mRNAs among aphids,dodders,and host plants and if aphid feeding a匚fects the mRNA transfer between dodders and hosts are unclear.We constructed a green peach aphid(GPA,Myzus persicae)-dodder(Cuscuta austra/is)-cucumber(Cucumis sativus)tritrophic system by infesting GPAs on C.australis,which parasitized cucumber hosts.We found that GPA feeding activated defense-related phytohormonal and transcriptomic responses in both C.australis and cucumbers and large numbers of mRNAs were found to be transferred between C.australis and cucumbers and between C.australis and GPAs;importantly,GPA feeding on C.australis greatly altered inter-species mobile mRNA profiles.Furthermore,three cucumber mRNAs and three GPA mRNAs could be respectively detected in GPAs and cucumbers.Moreover,our statistical analysis indicated that mRNAs with high abundances and long transcript lengths are likely to be mobile.This study reveals the existence of inter-species and even inter-kingdom mRNA movement among insects,parasitic plants,and parasite hosts,and suggests complex regulation of mRNA trafficking.

A study on the interactions among several plant secondary compounds and aphids

The research, focused on the specific interactions among seven plant secondary compounds and aphids, was carried out and the preliminary results showed: (1) 'T-typed tube method' was regarded as the best method compared with others designed to observe the interactions. (2) Cabbage aphid was able to be attracted by laurolene while it was not susceptible to α-pinene, β-pinene and diamylene. (3) Gossypol, a major secondary substance in cotton, was able to be implicated as feeding attractant to cotton aphid. (4) Rutin might be implicated repellent to cotton aphid.

Chemically Mediated Interactions between Grapevine, Aphid, Ladybird, and Ant in the Context of Insect Chemical Ecology

This study simplifies the complex relationship among grapevine plants,aphids,ladybirds,and ants,which is essential for effective pest management and ecological balance.This study investigated the impact of aphid attacks and the presence of ants and ladybirds on the volatile compounds profile released into the chemosphere of the community consisting of the common vine Vitis vinifera,the aphid Aphis illinoisensis,the ladybird Cocci-nella undecimpunctata-and the ant Tapinoma magnum.This study aims to analyze the volatile compounds emitted by the grapevine and surrounding insects in response to these intricate interactions.The extraction of volatile organic compounds(VOCs)was carried out using closed-loop stripping(CLS)and then analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)and principles coordinated analysis(PCA)was performed.The grapevine was exposed to different types and order of treatments,including non-infested,aphid-infested,aphid-infested with ant,aphid-infested with ladybird,and various combinations of ant and ladybird.After the aphid attack,the outcomes uncovered massive alterations in the volatile compound profiles.Infested grapevine displayed distinct emissions of germacrene D,an alcohol,and an alkene compared to non-infested plants.The characteristic VOC profile was the share of infested grapes in the presence of ants,with benzene derivatives and sesquiterpenes dominating the components.The coexistence of ladybirds with ants and aphids resulted in a dif-ferent volatile profile characterized by elevated levels of aldehydes,ketones,α-farnesene,and its hydroxy deriva-tive.It was concluded that the emission of VOCs into the chemosphere of the grapevine communities varied qualitatively and quantitatively depending on the level of the relationship complexity within each community in response to the infestation of grapevines by aphids,the presence of ladybirds as natural predators,and the presence of ant as protector.The grapevine’s status-dependent compounds can serve as indicators of infestation status and contribute to non-destructive early-stage diagnosis of the aphid.