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Agronomy
Special Issues
Recent Trends towards Genetics-Based Methods for Pest Management in Agroecosystems
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Recent Trends towards Genetics-Based Methods for Pest Management in Agroecosystems

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Pest and Disease Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 4743

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lanzhi Han

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: new methods or techniques for pest management; integrated pest management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Fajun Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: plant–insect relationships; plant resistance to pests; environmental entomology and climate change biology; insect physiology and insect ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In agro-ecosystems, many insects are key pests that cause serious economic losses to agricultural production. Therefore, pest management is crucial for protecting food security. Conventional control methods, particularly the use of chemical insecticides, have often failed to prevent the enormous damage caused by insect pests. As a result, genetics-based methods for pest management have been developed as alternative control options to chemical insecticides.

The main purpose of this Special Issue is to present current trends in genetics-based methods for pest management in agroecosystems, with the aim of outlining the broad potential for applying such techniques or methods in the field.

This Special Issue covers a range of topics related to genetics-based methods or techniques for pest management in agroecosystems. It includes the development of insect-resistant genetically modified (IRGM) crops using techniques such as RNAi, CRISPR/Cas9 editing, or other genetically modified methods. The Special Issue also explores the control efficacy and ecological risks of IRGM crops in field applications, as well as the use of genetic diversity in insect-resistant crops for pest management. In addition, traditional genetic breeding techniques for developing variety or cultivar resistance in crops are included. Genetically sterile insect techniques, which involve the mass release of sterile insects are also studied. Emerging areas of research, such as transgenic insects and the use of biopesticides from genetic control methods such as siRNA, are also explored in this Special Issue.

This Special Issue welcomes all kinds of papers related to genetics-based methods for pest management, including research articles, short communications, reviews, and method introductions.

Prof. Dr. Lanzhi Han
Prof. Dr. Fajun Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • insect-resistant genetically modified crops
  • RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9 editing methods
  • traditional genetic breeding techniques
  • diversity application of insect-resistant crops
  • genetically sterile techniques for insect pests
  • transgenic insects
  • biopesticides

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1649 KiB  
Article
Choice and No-Choice Feeding Assays of Cotton Fleahoppers (Pseudatomoscelis seriatus) on Cotton Expressing the Mpp51Aa2 Protein
by Brady P. Arthur, Charles P.-C. Suh, Benjamin M. McKnight, Megha N. Parajulee, Fei Yang and David L. Kerns
Agronomy 2024, 14(1), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14010084 - 29 Dec 2023
Viewed by 697
Abstract
In Texas, the cotton fleahopper (Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter)) is considered a highly economically damaging pest of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Current control methods rely heavily on foliar chemical insecticides throughout the growing season. Considering the cost of insecticides and the critical [...] Read more.
In Texas, the cotton fleahopper (Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter)) is considered a highly economically damaging pest of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Current control methods rely heavily on foliar chemical insecticides throughout the growing season. Considering the cost of insecticides and the critical timeliness of their application, chemical control methods are often not optimized to reduce potential yield losses. The Mpp51Aa2.834_16 gene in cotton (ThryvOn) has shown effectiveness against thrips and several piercing and sucking mirid insect pests, suggesting it has the potential to mitigate yield losses caused by the cotton fleahopper. Choice and no-choice caged feeding assays were conducted to assess the impact of cotton fleahoppers on ThryvOn cotton square retention under controlled laboratory conditions. In the choice assay, feeding by cotton fleahoppers significantly reduced square retention in the gene-lacking cotton to 46%, while the ThryvOn cotton retained 60% of the squares. In the no-choice assay, cotton fleahopper nymph feeding significantly reduced square retention in the cotton not expressing Mpp51Aa2 to 61%, whereas the ThryvOn cotton was unaffected. Based on the differences in square retention observed in both the choice and no-choice feeding assays, our findings indicate that the Mpp51Aa2 protein influences cotton fleahopper feeding preferences and the susceptibility of cotton plants to damage caused by cotton fleahoppers. Our study offers confirmation of the activity of ThryvOn on cotton fleahoppers observed in the field. The ThryvOn trait’s activity towards cotton fleahoppers is consistent with that found for other mirid pests in cotton. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends towards Genetics-Based Methods for Pest Management in Agroecosystems)
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20 pages, 2503 KiB  
Article
Physiological Response of the Target Stemborer Chilo suppressalis to Elevated CO2 as Reared with Transgenic Bt Rice during Different Plant Growth Stages
by Yanmin Liu, Yanhui Wang, Sihan Li, Boxuan Xie, Geng Chen and Fajun Chen
Agronomy 2023, 13(12), 3000; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13123000 - 06 Dec 2023
Viewed by 713
Abstract
Transgenic Bt rice (abbr. Bt rice) has provided a powerful tactics to control the striped stemborer Chilo suppressalis as one key lepidopteran pest in the paddyfields of China. Globally rising carbon dioxide (i.e., CO2) concentration has been predicted to affect the [...] Read more.
Transgenic Bt rice (abbr. Bt rice) has provided a powerful tactics to control the striped stemborer Chilo suppressalis as one key lepidopteran pest in the paddyfields of China. Globally rising carbon dioxide (i.e., CO2) concentration has been predicted to affect the Cry protein contents in plant tissues of Bt rice and thus might affect its control efficiency to target insect pests. To reveal the resistance ability and the corresponding mechanism of C. suppressalis to Bt rice during different growth stage under elevated CO2 (eCO2), we carried out this experiment to measure the Bt toxin contents in Bt rice stems grown under ambient CO2 (aCO2) (400 ppm) and eCO2 (800 ppm) at seedling, tillering and heading stages, and to observe the larval mortality and bioassay the activity of midgut protease and the expression levels of Bt-toxin-receptor genes, aminopeptidases (APNs) in C. suppressalis larvae. Compared with aCO2, eCO2 increased the Bt-toxin content of Bt rice at seedling stage (+6.66%), and decreased that at heading stages (−13.99%), and significantly reduced the Bt-toxin content at tillering stage (−15.21%). And the larval mortality of C. suppressalis was lower as reared with Bt rice stems during tillering stage grown under eCO2 in contrast to aCO2. In addition, eCO2 significantly increased the activity of total protease, tryptase-like enzyme and aminopeptidase of C. suppressalis larvae fed on Bt rice during seedling stage, and significantly reduced the activity of tryptase-like enzyme and aminopeptidase of C. suppressails larvae fed on Bt rice during tillering and heading stages respectively. Moreover, eCO2 significantly increased the expression level of APN1 and APN5 of C. suppressails larvae fed on Bt rice during seedling stage, and significantly reduced the expression level of APN5 of C. suppressalis larvae fed on Bt rice during tillering and heading stages respectively. In summary, the control efficiency of Bt rice to target insect pests under eCO2 showed a downward trend during tillering and heading stages, and especially during tillering stage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends towards Genetics-Based Methods for Pest Management in Agroecosystems)
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12 pages, 1294 KiB  
Article
Sensitivities of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) Populations in Different Regions of China to Four Bt Proteins
by Yanfang Zhou, Chunmeng Huang, Yi Chen, Lanzhi Han, Jiajian Xie and Xiuping Chen
Agronomy 2023, 13(9), 2415; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13092415 - 19 Sep 2023
Viewed by 787
Abstract
Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, invaded the south of China in December 2018 and has since posed a huge threat to crop production in China. However, transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn can efficiently control the damage caused by FAWs. In fact, the [...] Read more.
Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, invaded the south of China in December 2018 and has since posed a huge threat to crop production in China. However, transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn can efficiently control the damage caused by FAWs. In fact, the Chinese government has issued biosafety certificates for several Bt corn hybrids expressing any one of four Bt proteins, Vip3A, Cry1F, Cry1Ab, and Cry2Ab, or combinations thereof, to control FAWs. These Bt corn events are soon to be commercialized in China. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor and evaluate whether the FAW has developed resistance to any of the Bt corn hybrids planted in fields in China. To address this issue, we collected 11 geographical populations of FAWs and determined the sensitivity of each to the aforementioned four purified Bt proteins as assessed by diet surface overlay bioassays. The ranges for the 50% lethal concentration (LC50) of the four Bt proteins to all FAW populations were as follows: 11.42–88.33 ng/cm2 (for Vip3A), 111.21–517.33 (Cry1F), 135.76–1108.47 (Cry1Ab), and 994.42–5492.50 (Cry2Ab). The corresponding ranges for the 50% growth inhibition concentrations (GIC50) were 1.43–14.86, 2.35–138.97, 1.58–464.86, and 25.01–1266.07 ng/cm2. The lethal effects and growth inhibition effects of the four Bt proteins on FAW were in the same order of Vip3A > Cry1F > Cry1Ab > Cry2Ab. A comparison with published LC50 values of Bt proteins towards sensitive FAW populations revealed that all 11 FAW populations in this study were sensitive to Vip3A, Cry1F, and Cry1Ab. This study provides foundational data for monitoring and controlling the resistance of Bt corn to FAW in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends towards Genetics-Based Methods for Pest Management in Agroecosystems)
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15 pages, 3587 KiB  
Article
RNAi-Mediated Interference with EonuGR1 Affects the Recognition of Phenylacetaldehyde by Empoasca onukii Matsuda (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)
by Ruirui Zhang, Xiaoyue Lun, Yunhe Zhao, Yu Zhang, Yan Cao, Xiangzhi Zhang, Meina Jin, Zhengqun Zhang and Xiuxiu Xu
Agronomy 2023, 13(9), 2221; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13092221 - 25 Aug 2023
Viewed by 938
Abstract
Empoasca onukii Matsuda is a primary pest of the tea plant Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze that severely influences the production and quality of tea products. Gustatory receptors (GRs) are an indispensable part of the E. onukii chemosensory machinery as members of the [...] Read more.
Empoasca onukii Matsuda is a primary pest of the tea plant Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze that severely influences the production and quality of tea products. Gustatory receptors (GRs) are an indispensable part of the E. onukii chemosensory machinery as members of the G-protein coupled receptor family. Insect odor and gustatory receptors are consumingly sensitive and selective sensory receptors to search for foraging, mates, and spawning sites. In this study, the gustatory receptor EonuGR1 was cloned and analyzed bioinformatically, and the expression levels of EonuGR1 in diverse tissues of E. onukii were tested via qRT-PCR. The behavioral response of E. onukii to volatile compounds was determined via RNA interference and Y-tube olfactometer assays to investigate the role of EonuGR1 in the olfactory recognition of E. onukii. The coding sequence length of EonuGR1 was 1062 bp, and the length of the protein encoded by EonuGR1 was 40.52 kD. The highest interference efficiency was observed after 3 h of dsEonuGR1 treatment via root soak treatment. Moreover, the response rates to phenylacetaldehyde at concentrations of 10 and 0.1 µL/mL were significantly downregulated in E. onukii. The responses to phenylacetaldehyde at concentrations of 10 and 100 µL/mL showed a significant decrease after dsEonuGR1 treatment for 12 h in E. onukii. In conclusion, EonuGR1 was highly expressed in the abdomen and functioned in olfactory recognition of the tea plant volatile phenylacetaldehyde by E. onukii. Overall, EonuGR1 has the potential as a gene target for the design of effective control strategies against E. onukii. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends towards Genetics-Based Methods for Pest Management in Agroecosystems)
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13 pages, 2728 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Gut Microbial Community between Bt-Resistant and Susceptible Strains of Ostrinia furnacalis
by Tingting Xu, Yinhao Wang, Yueqin Wang, Sijia Bi, Benjin Hu, Fei Hu and Lina Xu
Agronomy 2023, 13(7), 1923; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13071923 - 20 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 969
Abstract
Bacillus thuringiensis is an effective entomopathogen, and its crystal toxin expressed in transgenic crops has been widely used for pest control. However, insect resistance risk is the main threat to the continued successful utility of Bt crops. Several studies reported the role of [...] Read more.
Bacillus thuringiensis is an effective entomopathogen, and its crystal toxin expressed in transgenic crops has been widely used for pest control. However, insect resistance risk is the main threat to the continued successful utility of Bt crops. Several studies reported the role of midgut microbiota in Bt resistance, but the mechanism remains controversial. In the present study, using high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene, we surveyed the midgut bacterial flora of Ostrinia furnacalis from one Bt-susceptible (ACB-BtS) and two Bt-resistant (ACB-AbR and ACB-FR) strains and explored the mortality of O. furnacalis after eliminating the gut bacteria. Gut bacterial diversity in Bt-resistant strains was significantly lower in Bt-resistant than in Bt-susceptible strains. Ordination analyses and statistical tests showed that the bacterial community of ACB-AbR was distinguishable from ACB-BtS. The genus Halomonas was dominated in ACB-BtS, but the unclassified_Enterobacteriaceae was the most enriched genus in ACB-AbR and ACB-FR. Furthermore, interactions of the bacterial community are more complex in Bt-resistant strains than in Bt-susceptible strains. Moreover, the mortalities of ACB-AbR and ACB-BtS strains treated by the Cry1Ab toxin were significantly reduced after eliminating the gut bacteria. Our findings suggest that Bt stressors structured in the midgut bacterial community and the microbiota have the potential to regulate the Bt-induced killing mechanism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends towards Genetics-Based Methods for Pest Management in Agroecosystems)
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