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Insects
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Arthropod Interactions and Pest Management in Fruit and Vegetable Crops
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Arthropod Interactions and Pest Management in Fruit and Vegetable Crops

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 16354

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. George N. Mbata

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA
Interests: insect biology; behavior; crop and post-harvest IPM; biological control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alvin M. Simmons

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Charleston, SC 29414, USA
Interests: insect bionomics; host–plant resistance; biocontrol; biorationals; IPM
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Beneficial insects, including pollinators and natural enemies, coincide with pest insects in fruit and vegetable ecosystems. The pests associated with fruits and vegetables cause severe losses through fruit and plant damages, defoliation, and transmission of plant diseases. A complete loss of crops could occur if insect infestations are left unchecked. Balancing the mitigation of pest infestations with the conservation of pollinators and natural enemies is an essential part of sustainable agriculture. The need to conserve pollinators has become more urgent given the association of pesticide applications with the beehive colony collapse disorder (CCD). We invite manuscripts that are focused on studies of arthropod dynamics, pollinators, and beneficial insects in fruit and vegetable ecosystems. In addition, manuscripts on the IPM (integrated pest mangement) of fruit and vegetable crops invloving pesticides, natural enemies, biopesticides, and other IPM stretegies will be considered.     

Prof. Dr. George N. Mbata
Dr. Alvin M. Simmons
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. Insects 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

  • vegetables
  • fruits
  • pests
  • IPM
  • pollinators
  • natural enemies
  • pesticides
  • biopesticides
  • agroecosystem

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3322 KiB  
Article
Combined Jasmonic Acid and Ethylene Treatment Induces Resistance Effect in Faba Bean Plants Against Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
by Yu-Lian Jia, Tao Zhang, Jun-Rui Zhi, Lu Tuo, Wen-Bo Yue, Ding-Yin Li and Li Liu
Insects 2022, 13(11), 1073; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13111073 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1533
Abstract
Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a serious invasive pest in China. In this study, we determined whether exogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET) treatments could induce resistance against F. occidentalis in faba bean plants. First, we investigated the effects of different [...] Read more.
Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a serious invasive pest in China. In this study, we determined whether exogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET) treatments could induce resistance against F. occidentalis in faba bean plants. First, we investigated the effects of different concentrations of JA or ET alone on F. occidentalis and then assessed the effects of optimal concentrations of JA and ET combined. Our results showed that the optimal concertation of JA was 2 mmol/L and ET was 0.5 mmol/L. JA + ET mixture showed the greatest inhibitory effect in terms of oviposition and feeding. JA with ET was found to induce changes in the activities of lipoxygenase (LOX), allene oxide synthase (AOS), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), 1-aminocyclopropane 1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS), and trypsin inhibitor (TI). This treatment also activated or inhibited the relative expression levels of LOX1, ACO2, ACS2, and AP2/ERF. Treatment of faba bean plants with JA and ET significantly prolonged F. occidentalis development and adult preoviposition period, significantly reduced per-female oviposition, and altered male longevity and offspring demographic parameters. These results indicate that JA with ET can induce defenses against the growth and development of F. occidentalis in faba bean plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropod Interactions and Pest Management in Fruit and Vegetable Crops)
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18 pages, 2500 KiB  
Article
Antibiotic Treatment Reduced the Gut Microbiota Diversity, Prolonged the Larval Development Period and Lessened Adult Fecundity of Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
by Xuan Zhang, Xing Wang, Zikun Guo, Xueying Liu, Ping Wang, Xiangqun Yuan and Yiping Li
Insects 2022, 13(9), 838; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13090838 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2725
Abstract
Grapholita molesta, the oriental fruit moth, is a serious pest of fruit trees with host transfer characteristics worldwide. The gut microbiota, which plays a crucial part in insect physiology and ecology, can be influenced by many elements, such as antibiotics, temperature, diet, [...] Read more.
Grapholita molesta, the oriental fruit moth, is a serious pest of fruit trees with host transfer characteristics worldwide. The gut microbiota, which plays a crucial part in insect physiology and ecology, can be influenced by many elements, such as antibiotics, temperature, diet, and species. However, the effects of antibiotics on G. molesta gut microbiota are still unclear. In this study, we selected five common antibiotic agents to test the inhibition of G. molesta gut microbiota, and found ciprofloxacin shown the best antibacterial activity. After feeding 1 μg/mL of ciprofloxacin, the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria decreased significantly, while that of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes increased. PICRUSt2 analysis indicated that most functional prediction categories were enriched in the G. molesta gut, including amino acid transport and metabolism, translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, transcription, cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis, and energy production and conversion. Finally, ciprofloxacin feeding significantly affected larval growth, development, and reproduction, resulting in prolonged larval development duration, shortened adult longevity, and significantly decreased single female oviposition and egg hatchability. In addition, we isolated and purified some culturable bacteria belonging to Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and cellulase-producing bacteria from the G. molesta midgut. In brief, our results demonstrate that antibiotics can have an impact on G. molesta gut bacterial communities, which is beneficial for host growth and development, as well as helping female adults produce more fertile eggs. These results will thus provide a theoretical reference for developing new green control technology for G. molesta. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropod Interactions and Pest Management in Fruit and Vegetable Crops)
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12 pages, 1322 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Entomopathogenic Nematodes against Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
by Gul Rehman and Muhammad Mamoon-ur-Rashid
Insects 2022, 13(8), 733; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13080733 - 16 Aug 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2102
Abstract
Entomopathogenic nematodes play a pivotal role as biocontrol agents for different species of insect pests, including the red palm weevil. In the current investigation, the infective capabilities of four species of entomopathogenic nematodes, including Hetrerorhabditis bacteriophora, Steinernema feltiae, Steinernema glaseri, [...] Read more.
Entomopathogenic nematodes play a pivotal role as biocontrol agents for different species of insect pests, including the red palm weevil. In the current investigation, the infective capabilities of four species of entomopathogenic nematodes, including Hetrerorhabditis bacteriophora, Steinernema feltiae, Steinernema glaseri, and Steinernema carpocapsae, were evaluated against larvae, pupae, and adult red palm weevil under laboratory and field conditions. The pathogenic potential of selected nematode species was assessed based on dissection and adult emergence of weevils. Our results indicated that S. carpocapsae and H. bacteriophora, with a respective 94.68 and 92.68% infection rate, were the most effective EPN species against red palm weevil larvae. Focusing on adult emergence, the aforementioned EPNs were comparatively less pathogenic and resulted in 63.60 and 60.20% infested pupae, respectively. It is noted that adult emergence is the better option to evaluate the pathogenic potential of EPNs, compared with the dissection of insects. The S. carpocapsae was found to be most effective against the 6th instar larvae of the red palm weevil and caused 100% mortality at 240 h after treatment. On the other hand, S. glaseri and S. feltiae were found to be the least pathogenic and caused 70 and 76% mortality, respectively. All of the evaluated nematode species were found to be highly infective under field conditions. The S. carpocapsae was found to be the most pathogenic, causing 83.60% mortality of the red palm weevil. However, the tested nematodes were found most effective against larvae, followed by adult weevils, but their effect was minimal against the pupae of red palm weevils. Based on these findings, we conclude that the S. carpocapsae and H. bacteriophora could be used as a sustainable option for the efficient management of the red palm weevil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropod Interactions and Pest Management in Fruit and Vegetable Crops)
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19 pages, 3105 KiB  
Article
Live Drosophila melanogaster Larvae Deter Oviposition by Drosophila suzukii
by Trisna D. Tungadi, Bethan Shaw, Glen Powell, David R. Hall, Daniel P. Bray, Steven J. Harte, Dudley I. Farman, Herman Wijnen and Michelle T. Fountain
Insects 2022, 13(8), 688; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13080688 - 29 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2301
Abstract
The worldwide invasive insect pest, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (spotted-wing Drosophila), lays eggs in soft and stone fruit before harvest. Hatched larvae cause fruit collapse and significant economic losses. Current control methods rely primarily on foliar insecticide applications, which are not sustainable long-term [...] Read more.
The worldwide invasive insect pest, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (spotted-wing Drosophila), lays eggs in soft and stone fruit before harvest. Hatched larvae cause fruit collapse and significant economic losses. Current control methods rely primarily on foliar insecticide applications, which are not sustainable long-term solutions due to regulatory restrictions and the risk of insecticide resistance developing. We showed before that D. suzukii were deterred from laying eggs on artificial media previously visited by its sister species—Drosophila melanogaster. In the current study, laboratory choice test experiments were conducted to identify which D. melanogaster life stage (eggs, larvae, or adult) deterred D. suzukii oviposition. We demonstrated that the presence of live D. melanogaster larvae on the egg-laying media consistently deterred D. suzukii oviposition. Drosophila melanogaster cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) were examined as candidate for the oviposition deterrent. CHCs of larval and adult D. melanogaster and D. suzukii were analyzed. In both species, the composition of the CHCs of larvae was similar to that of adults, although quantities present were much lower. Furthermore, the CHC profiles of the two species were markedly different. However, when assayed as deterrents in the laboratory choice test experiment, CHC extracts from D. melanogaster did not deter oviposition by D. suzukii. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropod Interactions and Pest Management in Fruit and Vegetable Crops)
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Review

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16 pages, 291 KiB  
Review
A Review of Insect Pest Management in Vegetable Crop Production in Nigeria
by Thomas I. Ofuya, Adeyela I. Okunlola and George N. Mbata
Insects 2023, 14(2), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14020111 - 21 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 6559
Abstract
Insect pest infestations and damage can limit the production of vegetables in the farming systems in Nigeria. This review looks at integrated insect pest management as a possible panacea for resolving insect pest issues in vegetable crops. The main vegetable crops which include [...] Read more.
Insect pest infestations and damage can limit the production of vegetables in the farming systems in Nigeria. This review looks at integrated insect pest management as a possible panacea for resolving insect pest issues in vegetable crops. The main vegetable crops which include okra, tomatoes, chilli peppers, cucumbers, green amaranth, carrots and onions are highlighted. The major insect pests of the various vegetables which include foliage beetles, caterpillars, aphids, fruit flies, stink bugs, and grasshoppers are also mentioned. The various control measures that have been empirically verified for the mitigation of the impact of these insect pests, including the application of synthetic insecticides, modification of agronomic practices, use of resistant varieties, application of botanicals, biological and mechanical controls, are discussed. Studies which have been carried out attempting to integrate two or more of the control strategies for better insect pest control are also reviewed. Strategies that can be put in place for the integrated pest management of vegetable insect pests in Nigeria are considered. Among the IPM (Integrated Pest Management) practices instituted for the mitigation of pest infestations on vegetable crops in Nigeria, intercropping of suitable vegetables in combination with the application of aqueous extracts of Azadirachta indica and Piper guineense seeds under good farm hygiene and sanitation proved to be most successful. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropod Interactions and Pest Management in Fruit and Vegetable Crops)
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