Transcriptome profile analysis of the accompanying migratory parasitic wasp Aenasius bambawalei(=Aenasius arizonensis girault)(Hymenoptera:Encyrtidae):Genes related to fertilization involved at different stage of ovary development

Age-related declines in fertilization success have been reported for a wide range of species.The fertilization of parasitic wasps is closely related to egg production and sperm storage.Aenasius bambawalei(Hymenoptera:Encyridae)is a key parasitic wasp of the important invasive mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis(Hemiptera:Pseudococcidae).The female offspring ratio of this parasitic wasp was declined with parental age in mass rearing under laboratory conditions.To investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in the reproduction of A.bambawalei,an extensive analysis of the impact of age on transcriptome profile of mated ovaries of this wasp was performed by comparing the gene expression profiles of various maternal ages:the early stage(ES),the intermediate stage(IS),and the advanced stage(AS).In total,358 differentially expressed genes were identified,with 17.60%(63 genes)of the changes associated with greater expression in fertilization.Moreover,the expression of serine protease 47 precursor,serine protease inhibitor 3/4,glucose dehydrogenase,fatty acyl-CoA reductase 1-like,major royal jelly,and acyl-CoA delta(11)desaturase-like was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative(RT-qPCR).The results showed that fertilization related genes exhibited a stage-specific pattern.Egg production and sperm storage genes in A.bambawalei were significantly modified in the transcriptome,providing a starting point for the genetic dissection of fertilization.

Range expansion of the invasive cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley: An increasing threat to agricultural and horticultural crops in China

The globally invasive cotton mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley,has recently invaded several Chinese regions,and continues to expand its range.This mealybug is a polyphagous insect pest,with at least 200 host plants from 63 families,including cotton,food crops,fruits,ornamental plants,tobacco,and vegetables.Here,we describe the first finding of P.solenopsis in Shandong Province,and investigate the abundances of its natural enemies(predator Coccinella septempunctata L.and parasitoid Aenasius bambawalei Hayat).All three species were detected from ornamental and weed species in Linyi,Shandong,in September 2018,and were positively identified using DNA barcoding.BLAST analysis revealed significant identity(99.38-100%) between sequences of P.solenopsis obtained in this study and those published in the past.This invasive pest represents a major potential threat to agri-horticulture in Shandong,which is a key province of China for production and export of many vegetables,flowers,fruits,and other crops.This mealybug species has a wide range of potential distribution in Shandong and is easily dispersed with agricultural and horticultural transport products.Further monitoring and management strategies are required to limit the spread of this pest species.