Pest Management Science最新文献

The advent of integrated insect pest management and the later concepts around insecticide resistance management (IRM) were in response to the ecological impacts of insecticides and the field failures of the 1960s and the early 1970s to the then available insecticides due to resistance. Insecticide resistance has gone from a curiosity during the 1940s to 1950s to an important consideration and potential driver for the discovery and development of new insect control agents. Views concerning insecticide resistance can be seen as a series of eras: phenomenon, documentation, modeling, IRM conceptualization and then implementation. The need for insect control agents possessing efficacy against resistant pest insects along with the favorable environmental attributes to meet the increasingly stringent regulatory requirements have led to the continuing emphasis on the discovery and development of new pest insect control options, including new insecticides. As such, insecticide resistance can be seen as an important driver for the discovery of new insect control agents. The present review examines the evolution of interest in and then response to insecticide resistance (including IRM) and the subsequent impact on the development of new insect control agents. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Methyl eugenol (ME) is widely used in the male annihilation technique (MAT) for controlling Bactrocera dorsalis. However, the emergence of ME non-responsive males in the field may threaten MAT efficacy. This study aimed to evaluate the reproductive performance of ME non-responsive males to better understand their potential impact on control strategies.

Results: We assessed mating competitiveness among four male groups, including ME-responsive and ME non-responsive strains under different ME treatments. Females preferred ME-exposed and ME-fed males, with significantly longer mating durations and higher fecundity observed in the ME-exposed group. However, the highest hatching rate was found in the ME-deprived group. ME non-responsive males showed comparable mating and reproductive performance to ME-fed males.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that ME non-responsive males retain reproductive capacity comparable to ME-fed males and may persist in the field under MAT pressure. While ME exposure enhances male competitiveness, excessive field concentrations may inadvertently benefit males without trap entry. These insights highlight potential limitations of ME-based MAT and suggest the need to reassess its long-term efficacy in B. dorsalis management. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The parasitoid wasp Fopius arisanus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a solitary egg endoparasitoid of tephritid fruit flies. In this study, we identified the volatile released from the tree-attached mangoes without damage and with oviposition by the oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) in field conditions, and investigated their roles in mediating foraging behavior of this parasitoid species.

Results: Ten volatile compounds released by mangoes elicited electrogram responses in antennae or ovipositors of F. arisanus. Among them, α-pinene, d-limonene, β-myrcene, (E)-β-ocimene and ethyl (E)-4-decenoate, individually as well as in a blend attracted female wasps. Likewise, β-myrcene, 3-carene, (E)-β-ocimene, terpinolene and ethyl (E)-4-decenoate, individually, and in a blend attracted male wasps. For female F. arisanus, the blend and ethyl (E)-4-decenoate are primarily detected through their antennae, whereas d-limonene and β-myrcene are mainly perceived via ovipositors. (E)-β-Ocimene appears to be detected by either the antennae or ovipositor, whereas α-pinene is sensed through both organs. Significantly more female individuals landed on the oviposition substrate treated with Blend 3 compared to the paraffin oil control, and the number of wasps exhibiting oviposition behavior was significantly higher in the treatment group during specific time intervals.

Conclusion: The oviposition-induced blend of mango volatiles [α-pinene, d-limonene, β-myrcene, (E)-β-ocimene and ethyl (E)-4-decenoate] mediates the foraging behavior of female F. arisanus, and serves as a targeted attractant to enhance its field performance against Tephritidae species. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, is a polyphagous pest with long-distance migration capabilities. It has been a major crop pest in southeastern China since the 1980s, but only emerged as a significant pest in northwestern China (Xinjiang) over the past decade. As a consequence of intensive insecticide use, this pest has developed serious resistance. Although insecticide resistance has been documented in southeastern populations, data on the current resistance status, particularly in Xinjiang populations, remain limited.

Results: We evaluated resistance in 13 southeastern populations collected in 2023 and five Xinjiang populations collected in 2024 to four insecticides by comparing their median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀s) with those of the reference WH-S strain. All 18 field populations exhibited high-level resistance to emamectin benzoate (EB; 711- to 8790-fold) and chlorantraniliprole (103- to 1422-fold) relative to a susceptible laboratory strain, whereas resistance to broflanilide and chlorfenapyr was absent or limited. Genotyping identified high frequencies of the CYP9A186 F116V (0.55-1.00) and RyR I4743M/K (0.92-1.00) mutations, which are associated with resistance to EB and chlorantraniliprole, respectively. Resistance magnitudes and resistance-allele frequencies were similar in Xinjiang and southeastern China. Furthermore, resistance to EB and chlorantraniliprole has markedly increased over time (from 2009 to 2024) in southeastern populations.

Conclusion: Our results demonstrate widespread, high-level resistance to EB and chlorantraniliprole in S. exigua across China and near-fixation of two major resistance alleles. Although broflanilide and chlorfenapyr currently remain effective alternatives, they should be used judiciously given the ≈10-fold existing variation in susceptibility to both insecticides. Coordinated geographical resistance monitoring and management are needed for S. exigua in China and elsewhere, given its strong migratory and dispersal capabilities. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry toxins have led to problems such as drug resistance in target pests, thereby attracting considerable attention. β-type anti-idiotypic antibody (anti-Id) has been demonstrated to possess characteristics that mimic the structure and activity of antigens, providing a theoretical foundation for designing novel insecticidal genetically engineered antibodies (GEAbs) with similar insecticidal function to Cry toxins. In this study, we innovatively devised an 'idiotype monoclonal antibody (imAb)&dual-receptors'-based screening strategy to rapidly isolate insecticidal simulants (β-type anti-I-GEAbs) of the Cry1Ah toxin against Plutella xylostella (P. xylostella) from the constructed phage display single-chain variable fragment (scFv) library.

Results: The β-type anti-I-GEAb (3A5) was isolated from a Cry1Ah-imAb F(ab)2 fragment immunized rabbit phage scFv library. Subsequently, a mutant (3A5-m6) with binding activity increased 55.58%↑, was captured from the mutagenesis library targeted at the V_L/V_H-CDR1/CDR3 regions of the 3A5-parent. The lethal virulence of the 3A5-m6 against P. xylostella increased by 29.60% compared with that of the 3A5-parent. The lethal virulence of the 3A5-m6 and 3A5-parent reached 48.55% and 37.46% of that of the Cry1Ah toxin against P. xylostella, respectively. The hotspot amino acids involved in the interactions between 3A5-m6 and the P. xylostella midgut receptor Px-ALP were located within V_L-CDR1 (D31/Y32/N34). Regarding the Px-CAD-TBR, the hotspot amino acids were located within V_L-CDR1 (D31/Y32), V_H-CDR1 (Y158), and V_H-CDR3 (Y226), respectively.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates an efficient directional-design strategy for screening novel anti- idiotypic insecticidal antibodies that simulate CryAh toxin against P. xylostella, which broadens feasible paths for the green control of agricultural pests. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, an invasive species, drives pine wilt disease epidemics in coniferous ecosystems. During long-term in vitro subculture, the virulence of this nematode strongly attenuated. In this study, we investigated how sustained mycophagous subculture drives adaptive shifts that reduce B. xylophilus virulence.

Results: In pathogenicity assays, the mortality of Pinus thunbergii seedlings reduced by 70% with 180-day subcultured nematodes compared to non-subcultured in vivo populations. Adult body size (25-49% decrease in length; female: from 1207 to 907 μm; male: from 1348 to 688 μm) and thrashing frequency (by 62.8%) decreased, but female-biased sex ratio increased (from 0.94:1 to 2.08:1). Integrated omics analyses identified 702 differentially expressed genes, with subcultured nematodes exhibiting up-regulation of spliceosome/ribosome biogenesis pathways and down-regulation of phytophagy-associated systems (e.g., G protein-coupled receptor activity and xenobiotic metabolism). Notably, 50 differentially expressed microRNAs target developmental and signal transduction genes, suggesting post-transcriptional regulation of adaptive traits. Metabolomics revealed consumption of defense-linked tyrosine derivatives in vivo and accumulation of growth-promoting metabolites in vitro.

Conclusion: Mycophagy-driven adaptation attenuates phytophagous traits essential for host invasion, such as chemoreception and detoxification machinery, thereby offering promising targets for RNA interference to manage pine wilt disease. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.