Asian citrus psyllid (ACP, Diaphorina citri) is the vector for the bacteria, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), that causes Huanglongbing (HLB, citrus greening disease). Although studies have reported proteomic and transcriptomic responses within the psyllid midgut after CLas infection, these analyses have been limited and have not examined correlated expression profiles in relation to CLas infection. With a comprehensive psyllid RNAseq data from the Citrus Greening Expression Network (CGEN), a total of 743 genes (Official Gene Set v3, OGSv3) were determined as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to CLas infection. Forty-one modules of co-expressed genes were identified using a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The functional analysis of infection-associated modules showed that genes involved in muscle contraction, peptidase and iron binding activities were correlated, which may correspond to enhanced vector dispersal, altered feeding/digestion, and sequestering free iron. Additional associated modules identified that Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum processes may be a signal indicating altered intracellular protein consumption during infection. This study provides a novel understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in CLas-psyllid interaction which can be potential targets for disrupting CLas transmission.

Dung beetle activity in the soil is essential for soil health and play a vital role in any ecosystem. Diversity within a dung beetle assemblage in a particular ecosystem can indicate the sustainable functioning of this system. Monitoring the dung beetle assemblage in an area can designate the ecological status of an area. Using dung beetles can therefore indicate whether the conservation agriculture systems are beneficial for soil health and as a result will improve the overall biodiversity in the system. In the case of crop ecosystems, the presence of a diverse dung beetle assemblage can increase soil health in this system resulting in yield increase of the crop. Dung beetle diversity was determined on Free State farms in agro-ecosystems across different cultivation practices. The study areas were the Vrede and Reitz areas in the North-Eastern Free State. Conservation agriculture (CA) systems were compared with Conventional agriculture (CT) systems in these areas. Seasonal (October, January, May, July) monitoring of dung beetle diversity for the period 2018-2020 was done in crop ecosystems by using dung baited pitfall traps.

The forestry sector occupies a prominent place among the economic segments in Brazil, with the cultivation of Eucalyptus sp. Among the numerous insects that can damage eucalyptus crops, the Saturniidae family has been noted as a secondary and main pest. The objective is to describe some bionomic aspects of Cerodirphia opis (Schaus, 1892) and to identify its natural enemies in the laboratory. Larvae were collected in stands of Eucalyptus sp. and raised in nylon mesh cages. Biological parameters were obtained under temperature conditions: 25 ± 1ºC, RH 80 ± 10% and 14-hour photophase, with daily observations. Only 11% of viability was observed in the larval stage. 32 males and 7 females were obtained, which represents a sex ratio of 0.18. The length of male pupae ranged from 20.57 mm to 26.46 mm, width ranged from 8.28 to 11.07 mm and weight from 0.31 to 1.930 g. The females were 10.42 to 12.85 mm, 8.28 to 11.07 mm and 1.91 to 1.93 g respectively. The parasitoid of larvae Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) was found as a natural enemy, being the first recorded in Saturniidae.

An overview of the twisted-wing insects for the South-Eastern Belarus is provided. Our own researches (2016–2021) of species compositions of the twisted-wing insects in South-Eastern Belarus were executed in different biotopes on the territory of Gomel area. Five species from two families – Hylecthrus rubi Saunders, 1850, Stylops hammella Perkins, 1918, S. melittae Kirby, 1802, S. thwaitesi Perkins, 1918 and Paraxenos sphecidarum (Dufour, 1837) – have been recorded. Collection data for each species are presented and their known distribution and biology briefly discussed.

Correct management of protected areas is one of the key factors in biodiversity conservation. Routine surveys in Mincio Natural Park resulted in the finding of a population of Zeuneriana marmorata (Fieber, 1853), listed as EN (Endangered) by IUCN in the Red List of European Orthoptera. Other known populations were known only for NE Adriatic coast in Italy and inland in Slovenia. We assume that the current presence of this species is what remains of a larger metapopulation living in the wet habitats of the plains around the North Adriatic Sea.Causes of range fragmentation are supposed, current threats outlined and possible conservation actions proposed.

Cereal grains are part of the most important alimentary sources for humans and must be safely stored, as contamination by living organisms, such as insects and fungi, causes quantitative and qualitative losses. Tribolium castaneum is one of the most common insect pests of stored products, and may also produce benzoquinones as a defensive action. This insect presence makes the products more susceptible to the spread of fungi, such as Aspergillus flavus, which alters the quality of the grains and may produce mycotoxins, such as aflatoxins. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of adults of T. castaneum presence on a mycotoxigenic strain of this fungi development and production of mycotoxins, as well as the influence of the fungi on insect adults. Maize flour was exposed to: T. castaneum adults; spores of A. flavus; both organisms; and only maize as control. In all assays, except control, AFB₁ and total aflatoxins content were above the accepted limit for human food. The ability of these organisms, to thrive under the same conditions and the chemical compounds released by them, makes the interaction between T. castaneum and A. flavus a subject with great importance to the stored maize safety.

This study was aimed to determine if there was any effect of chronic heat exposures and heat acclimation on the thermal thresholds and on the abundance of symbiotic bacteria of cereal aphids Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) and Sitobion avenae (F.). Aphid clones were randomly collected from the wheat fields and were reared in laboratory under controlled conditions. Thermal tolerance indices (chronic, basal and acclimated CTmax) were determined for five-day old apterous female aphids. Real time quantitative-PCR was used to assess the total eubacterial (16S) and aphid-specific bacterial symbiont gene abundance in aphids. Averagely, R. padi were more tolerant to chronic heat exposure (to 31 °C) and its CTmax values were 1.0°C higher than S. avenae. Aphid-specific symbiont genes abundance per aphid was almost similar for both of the species. Moreover, for both species, temperature-tolerant aphids exhibited significantly higher symbiont genes than the susceptible aphids. Likewise, thermal tolerance of both aphid species were found correlated with the gene abundance of total symbionts (16S), Buchnera aphidicola, Serratia symbiotica, Hamiltonella defensa, Regiella insecticola, Rickettsia spp. and Spiroplasma spp., suggesting their potential role in conferring thermal tolerance to these aphids

Drosophila obscura is a very common fruit fly inhabiting European forests. This species has a large number of mitochondrial haplotypes of Cyt b gene. We used experimental lines of D. obscura to test the adaptive significance of intra-population variability of the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) and selective forces that maintain it. We chose three isofemale lines with distinct mitochondrial haplotypes of Cyt b gene from each of the two populations sampled in Serbia. Using backcrossing, we created nine experimental lines for each population with all combinations of mtDNA haplotypes and nuclear genetic backgrounds (nuDNA). Individuals of both sexes were tested separately for desiccation resistance at two temperatures. Cox proportional hazards model, with four factors: mtDNA, nuDNA, sex and temperature was used to analyze the survival data. In some comparisons we noticed significant effect of mtDNA on desiccation resistance, while all of them showed significant effect of interaction between mitochondrial and nuclear genome. Temperature in interaction with mtDNA or mito-nuclear genotype more frequently showed significant effect on desiccation resistance compared to sex in interaction with mtDNA or mito-nuclear genotype. Our result show adaptive significance of intra-population variation of mtDNA and importance of interactions between mitochondrial and nuclear genome on fitness. Temperature specific mito-nuclear interaction rather than sex-specific selection on mito-nuclear genotypes maintains mtDNA variability in this model species.

Field crops rely on managed and wild bee pollinators, raising concerns about world food security. In North America alone, 4,000 native bee species, provide over US$1.5 billion each year from bee pollinated crops. Wild entpollinatology constitute a great part of bio-diversity. In US, the nationwide annual production value of wild pollinators was estimated over $1.5 billion; the worth of wild bee pollination in insect pollinated crops would be much more. Pollinator declines could translate directly into reduced production in many crops, and that wild species contribute substantially to pollination of most crops. By pollinating just a handful of crops, wild bees contribute over $1.5 billion annually.In this article, after realizing the significance of wild bees, we highlight to manage wild native bee pollinators to act as co-actors to honey bees in enhancing the global crop production.

Intercropping (a farming practice involving two or more crop species, growing together and coexisting for a time) is one of the important cultural practices in pest management and is based on the principle of reducing insect pests by increasing the diversity of an ecosystem. To evaluate the impact of additive series intercropping kidney bean with some aromatic plants on different biological stages (eggs, immatures, and adults) of two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) the experiment was carried out in a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with five treatments included kidney bean pure stand, kidney bean+Coriander (100+50) kidney bean+ajwain, (100+50) kidney bean+basil, (100+50) and (100+50) kidney bean+dill and three replicates in the cropping year 2020-21, Lorestan province, Iran. The results showed that the intercropping system significantly influencesd on the different life stages of TSSM, e.g., the minimum and the maximum number of eggs, immatures, and adults of TSSM were found in kidney bean+basil (3.880, 4.103, 1.113) and pure bean (7.783, 7.107, 2.33) treatments, respectively. Also, the correlation test results showed a significant negative relationship between the number of eegs, immatures, and adults with kidney bean yield. Moreover, the highest yield (2756 kg/ha^-1) and Land Equivalent Ratio (1.43) were recorded in kidney bean+basil. Finally, can be expressed intercropping kidney beans with some aromatic plants proved to be an eco-friendly strategy in the reduction of TSSM population in kidney bean farmland.