Life Sciences Commons^™

Corn Rootworm: Biology, Ecology, Behavior, And Integrated Management, Lance J. Meinke, Joseph L. Spencer

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Species of the beetle genus Diabrotica (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) are native to North and South America, with their greatest diversity occurring in neotropical areas [1]. Little is known about the biology and ecology of many of the 400 described species, with current knowledge primarily limited to the small number of species that are pests in agricultural systems [1,2]. This Special Issue focuses primarily on key economically important pest species, i.e., D. virgifera virgifera LeConte, D. speciosa (Germar), D. balteata (LeConte), and D. viridula (F.).

Phylogenomics Of Tetraopes Longhorn Beetles Unravels Their Evolutionary History And Biogeographic Origins, Nayeli Gutiérrez‑Trejo, Matthew H. Van Dam, Athena W. Lam, Gonzalo Martínez‑Herrera, Felipe A. Noguera, Thomas J. Weissling, Jessica L. Ware, Víctor H. Toledo‑Hernández, Frederick W. Skillman Jr., Brian D. Farrell, Oscar Pérez‑Flores, Lorenzo Prendini, James M. Carpenter

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Tetraopes longhorn beetles are known for their resistance to milkweed plant toxins and their coevolutionary dynamics with milkweed plants (Asclepias). This association is considered a textbook example of coevolution, in which each species of Tetraopes is specialized to feed on one or a few species of Asclepias. A major challenge to investigating coevolutionary hypotheses and conducting molecular ecology studies lies in the limited understanding of the evolutionary history and biogeographical patterns of Tetraopes. By integrating genomic, morphological, paleontological, and geographical data, we present a robust phylogeny of Tetraopes and their relatives, using three inference methods with …

Honey Bee Colony Behavior And Ontogeny Are Adversely Affected When Exposed To A Pesticide-Contaminated Environment, Rogan Tokach, Autumn H. Smart, Carol Fassbinder-Orth, Chandler Fong, Judy Wu-Smart

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Honey bees exhibit age polyethism and thus have a predictable sequence of behaviors they express through developmental time. Numerous laboratory studies show exposure to pesticides may impair critical honey bee behaviors (brood care, foraging, egg-laying, etc.) that adversely affect colony productivity and survival. There are fewer studies that examine the impacts of pesticides in natural field settings, especially given the challenges of implementing treatment groups and controlling variables. This study helps address the need for impact studies on pollinators under field conditions to assess the consequences of chemical overuse and dependency in agricultural and urban landscapes. To assess the impact …

Resistance Management And Integrated Pest Management Insights From Deployment Of A Cry3bb1+ Gpp34ab1/Tpp35ab1 Pyramid In A Resistant Western Corn Rootworm Landscape, Lance J. Meinke, Jordan D. Reinders, Timothy B. Dang, Jeffrey T. Krumm, Clinton D. Pilcher, Matthew W. Carroll, Graham P. Head

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

In Nebraska USA, many populations of western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, now exhibit some level of resistance to all corn rootworm-active Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) proteins expressed in commercial hybrids. Therefore, a study was conducted in northeast Nebraska from 2020–2022 to reevaluate current corn rootworm management options in continuous maize (consecutive planting for ≥2 years). Results from on-farm experiments to evaluate a standard soil-applied insecticide (Aztec® 4.67G) in combination with non-rootworm Bt or rootworm-active Bt pyramided maize (Cry3Bb1 + Gpp34Ab1/Tpp35Ab1) are reported within the context of WCR Bt resistance levels present. Corrected survival from Bt pyramid single-plant …

Disruption Of The Sorghum Circadian Clock Impacts Sorghum-Sugarcane Aphid Interaction Dynamics And Aphid Feeding Behavior, Kumar Shrestha, Prince Zogli, Lise Pingault, Sajjan Grover, Juan Betancurt Cardona, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Circadian clocks play a pivotal role in orchestrating metabolic rhythms in response to environmental stress. Sorghum bicolor (sorghum), a multipurpose cereal crop, suffers severe growth and yield reduction due to feeding by sugarcane aphids (SCA; Melanaphis sacchari), which are phloem-feeding pests. Previously, it has been shown that sorghum utilizes a multitude of defense mechanisms to curb SCA colonization. However, our understanding of the impact of circadian clock on sorghum-aphid interaction dynamics is limited. To explore this, a time-series transcriptomics was conducted on sorghum plants in disrupted circadian rhythm with and without SCA infestation. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a total of …

Influence Of Microbes In Mediating Sorghum Resistance To Sugarcane Aphids, Edith Ikuze, Stephanie Cromwell, Paul A. Ayayee, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Gut microbiomes profoundly influence insect health and mediate interactions between plant hosts and their environments. Insects, including aphids, harbour diverse obligate symbionts that synthesize essential nutrients and facultative symbionts that enhance host fitness in specific ecological contexts. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is a significant cereal crop cultivated worldwide that has been negatively affected by the presence of an invasive piercing-sucking insect pest, the sugarcane aphid (SCA; Melanaphis sacchari). We previously identified SC265 and SC1345 as the resistant and susceptible sorghum lines, respectively, among the founder nested association mapping (NAM) population. Here, using these resistant and susceptible lines, we …

Maize Terpene Synthase 1 Impacts Insect Behavior Via The Production Of Monoterpene Volatiles Β-Myrcene And Linalool, Jessica P. Yactayo-Chang, Geoffrey T. Broadhead, Robert J. Housler, Marcio F.R. Resende Jr., Kashish Verma, Joe Louis, Gilles J. Basset, John J. Beck, Anna K. Block

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Plant-derived volatiles are important mediators of plant-insect interactions as they can provide cues for host location and quality, or act as direct or indirect defense molecules. The volatiles produced by Zea mays (maize) include a range of terpenes, likely produced by several of the terpene synthases (TPS) present in maize. Determining the roles of specific terpene volatiles and individual TPSs in maize-insect interactions is challenging due to the promiscuous nature of TPSs in vitro and their potential for functional redundancy. In this study, we used metabolite GWAS of a sweetcorn diversity panel infested with Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) to identify …

Importance Of Sanitation For Stored-Product Pest Management, Georgina Bingham, David W. Hagstrum

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Sanitation is essential for the cost-effective pest management of stored-product insects. The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 led to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tightening regulatory standards, and many local surveys, courses and conferences were organized to prepare the industry for these new regulations. Sanitation removes insects and residual food, which may also provide shelter for insects, with heat treatments and insecticide applications. The number of insects removed by cleaning may be reduced as the number of available hiding places increases. Decreased sanitation negatively affects the efficacy of most other pest management practices, with means of 1.3- …

Using Genetic Comparisons Of Populations From Arizona, Mexico, And Texas To Investigate Fall Armyworm Migration In The American Southwest, Rodney N. Nagoshi, Ashley E. Tessnow, Yves Carrière, Jeff Bradshaw Dr., Kyle Harrington, Gregory A. Sword, Robert L. Meagher

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Fall armyworm (FAW) is a global agricultural pest, causing substantial economic losses in corn and many other crops. Complicating efforts to control this pest is its capacity for long distance flights, which has been described in greatest detail for the central and eastern sections of the United States. FAW infestations are also routinely found in agricultural areas in southern Arizona, which lie beyond the western limits of the mapped migratory pathways. Climate suitability analysis found that the affected Arizona locations cannot support permanent FAW populations, indicating that these FAW most likely arise from annual migrations. A better understanding of this …

Disruption Of Semiochemical-Mediated Movement By The Immature Trogoderma Variabile Baillon And Trogoderma Inclusum Le Conte (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) After Exposure To Long-Lasting Insecticide-Incorporated Netting, Sabita Ranabhat, Michael J. Domingue, Luke Lebar, Georgina Bingham, Kun Yan Zhu, William R. Morrison Iii

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Highly mobile stored product insects may be able to readily orient in response to food cues and pheromones to attack durable commodities at each link of the postharvest supply chain. A 0.4% deltamethrin-incorporated long-lasting insecticide-incorporated netting (LLIN) is a successful novel preventative integrated pest management (IPM) tactic to intercept dispersing insects after harvest. However, it is unknown whether exposure to LLIN may affect olfaction and orientation to important semiochemicals by immature stored product dermestids, therefore the aim of this study was to assess whether exposure to LLIN disrupts the normal olfactory and chemotactic behavior of warehouse beetle, Trogoderma variabile …

Susceptibility Of Northern Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica Barberi) Populations To Cry3bb1 And Gpp34/Tpp35ab1 Proteins In Seedling And Diet Overlay Toxicity Assays, Adriano E. Pereira, Man P. Huynh, Kyle J. Paddock, Ryan W. Geisert, Veronica Calles Torrez, Janet J. Knodel, Daniel J. Moellenbeck, Jordan D. Reinders, Lance J. Meinke, Sharon K. Schneider, Thomas A. Coudron, Kent S. Shelby, Bruce E. Hibbard

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica barberi Smith & Lawrence (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a major pest of maize in the United States Corn Belt. Recently, resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize was reported in North Dakota and increased use of Bt maize hybrids could facilitate resistance evolution in other maizeproducing states. In this study, susceptibility to Bt proteins was evaluated in wild D. barberi populations from 8 fields collected in 5 different states (Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and North Dakota). Field populations were compared to a susceptible D. barberi colony in seedling and diet toxicity assays conducted with 3 …

Hilling As A Cultural Control Strategy For Soybean Gall Midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), Anthony Justin Mcmechan, Joana Schroeder De Souza, Natasha Umezu, Pragya Gupta, Gabriela Inveninato Carmona

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Soybean gall midge, Resseliella maxima Gagné, was recently identified as a new species causing significant injury to soybean and is currently found in 164 counties across 7 midwestern states (NE, IA, SD, MN, MO, ND, and KS). Infestation of soybean begins in late spring, when adults emerge from last year’s soybean field. Infestation of a new soybean crop depends on the presence of fissures which start to form at the base of the soybean plant around the V2 stage. Field observations indicate that these fissures are only present below the cotyledonary nodes or in the area within 3–5 cm above …

Re‑Using Food Resources From Failed Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera L.) Colonies And Their Impact On Colony Queen Rearing Capacity, Rogan Tokach, Autumn H. Smart, Judy Wu-Smart

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

For over a decade, beekeepers have experienced high losses of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies due to a variety of stressors including pesticide exposure. Some of these chemical stressors may residually remain in the colony comb and food resources (pollen and nectar) of failed colonies and be later re-used by beekeepers when splitting and building back new colonies. The practice of re-using comb from previously perished colonies (termed “deadout”) is common in beekeeping practice, but its role in affecting colony health is not well understood. Here, we evaluate the impact of reused, pesticide-contaminated “deadout” combs on colony function …

Editorial. In: Chaboo Cs, Schmitt M (Eds) Research On Chrysomelidae 9, Caroline S. Chaboo, Michael Schmitt

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

This is volume 9 in the series ‘Research on Chrysomelidae (RoC-9)’. This started from RoC-1 in 2008, named as a series to reflect the dream of Pierre Jolivet for a long tradition into the future. This dream was built on previous special volumes of Chrysomelidae research that emerged largely through Jolivet’s efforts since 1988 (‘Biology of Chrysomelidae’) and from various international symposia. For example, ‘Special Topics in Leaf Beetle Biology’, edited by David Furth, emerged from the International Congress of Entomology held in Iguassu, Brazil in 2000.

Temporal Transcriptomic Profiling Elucidates Sorghum Defense Mechanisms Against Sugarcane Aphids, Heena Puri, Sajjan Grover, Lise Pingault, Scott E. Sattler, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background The sugarcane aphid (SCA; Melanaphis sacchari) has emerged as a key pest on sorghum in the United States that feeds from the phloem tissue, drains nutrients, and inflicts physical damage to plants. Previously, it has been shown that SCA reproduction was low and high on sorghum SC265 and SC1345 plants, respectively, compared to RTx430, an elite sorghum male parental line (reference line). In this study, we focused on identifying the defense-related genes that confer resistance to SCA at early and late time points in sorghum plants with varied levels of SCA resistance.

Results We used RNA-sequencing approach to …

Ecology And Host Manipulation By An Egg-Larva Parasitoid Of Chrysodeixis Includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Daniel V.C. Neves, Renata R. Pereira, Julia N.D. Campos, Rodrigo S. Ramos, Paulo A.S. Junior, Daiane G. Carmo, Marcelo C. Picanço

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Parasitoids are among the main natural enemies of crop pests. Copidosoma truncatellum (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is a parasitoid of Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Plusiinae), which is an important pest of soybean, bean, cotton, sunflower, tomato and potato. Copidosoma are parasitoids of lepidopteran egg-larva, especially those of the subfamily Plusiinae. The embryonic development of the Copidosoma parasitoid begins in the lepidopteran egg, and this development extends to the beginning of the host larval stage of the parasitized lepidopteran. However, the rate of parasitism is a complex ecological relationship affected by climatic elements and age of the host. Thus, the present study …

A Synopsis Of The New World Genera Of Phileurini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae), With English And Spanish Keys To The Genera, Brett C. Ratcliffe, Ronald D. Cave

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The 22 genera of New World Phileurini are briefly reviewed and characterized, and English and Spanish keys to all the genera are provided for the first time, thus facilitating generic identifications. Chiliphileurus Endrödi (a junior synonym of the Asian genus Eophileurus Arrow), Moraguesia Dechambre (transferred to Oxyligyrus Arrow in the tribe Pentodontini), and Platyphileurus Ohaus (transferred to the tribe Oryctini) are no longer part of the New World phileurine fauna. The monobasic Phileucourtus Dechambre is considered a junior synonym of Hemiphileurus Kolbe.

Measuring Bee Effects On Seed Traits Of Hybrid Sunflower, Gary J. Brewer, Kentaro Miwa, Kathy Hanford

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

In hybrid sunflower, bee pollination can improve productivity, but the contribution of bees to productivity may be over or underestimated. To estimate bee effects (seed trait gains from exposure to bees during anthesis), single capitula are commonly covered with a porous material to exclude bees. However, depending on the exclosure porosity, estimates of the magnitude of bee effects will vary. In two studies, porosity size and bee effect gains in two sunflower types were tested. In the exclosure study, Delnet exclosures severely reduced seed set and exclosures with larger porosities and had smaller and similar effects. However, since a few …

Effects Of Smartstax® And Smartstax® Pro Maize On Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera Leconte) Larval Feeding Injury And Adult Life History Parameters, Jordan D. Reinders, William J. Moar, Graham P. Head, Safeer Hassan, Lance J. Meinke

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Field-evolved resistance of the western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, to Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) proteins Cry3Bb1 and Cry34/35Ab1 (now classified as Gpp34Ab1/Tpp35Ab1) expressed in the pyramid SmartStax^® has been documented in areas of the United States (U.S.) Corn Belt. SmartStax^® PRO is a recently registered rootworm-active pyramid containing the same Bt proteins expressed in SmartStax^® plus DvSnf7 dsRNA. Little to no published data is available comparing efficacy of the technologies or potential effects of dietary exposure on adult WCR fitness. Therefore, experiments were conducted to compare effects of adult WCR dietary exposure to SmartStax …

Extended Sentinel Monitoring Of Helicoverpa Zea Resistance To Cry And Vip3aa Toxins In Bt Sweet Corn: Assessing Changes In Phenotypic And Allele Frequencies Of Resistance, Galen P. Dively, Tom P. Kuhar, Sally V. Taylor, Helene Doughty, Kristian Holmstrom, Daniel O. Gilrein, Brian A. Nault, Joseph Ingerson-Mahar, Anders Huseth, Dominic Reisig, Shelby Fleischer, David Owens, Kelley Tilmon, Francis Reay-Jones, Pat Porter, Jocelyn Smith, Julien Saguez, Jason Wells, Caitlin Congdon, Holly Byker, Bryan Jensen, Chris Difonzo, William D. Hutchison, Eric Burkness, Robert Wright, Michael Crossley, Heather Darby, Tom Bilbo, Nicholas Seiter, Christian Krupke, Craig Abel, Brad S. Coates, Bradley Mcmanus, Billy Fuller, Jeffrey Bradshaw, Julie A. Peterson, David Buntin, Silvana Paula-Moraes, Katelyn Kesheimer, Whitney Crow

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Transgenic corn and cotton that produce Cry and Vip3Aa toxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are widely planted in the United States to control lepidopteran pests. The sustainability of these Bt crops is threatened because the corn earworm/bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), is evolving a resistance to these toxins. Using Bt sweet corn as a sentinel plant to monitor the evolution of resistance, collaborators established 146 trials in twenty-five states and five Canadian provinces during 2020–2022. The study evaluated overall changes in the phenotypic frequency of resistance (the ratio of larval densities in Bt ears relative to densities in non-Bt ears) …

Arthropod Diversity In Phytotelmata Of Calathea Capitata (Zingiberales; Marantaceae) Host Plants From Peru, Divya Dendi, Timo Förster, Caroline S. Chaboo

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Cryptic habitats are often overlooked in biodiversity surveys. Phytotelmata, or plant pools, are one type of cryptic habitat that supports diverse fauna in a miniature ecosystem. This study surveys the arthropod community of two types of phytotelmata, bracts and leaf rolls, on a single species, Calathea capitata (Ruiz and Pav.) Lindl. (Zingiberales: Marantaceae), from one Amazon site in Peru. Specimens were collected from eight bracts and eight leaf rolls. A total of 55 arthropods (36 adults, 19 juveniles) were found in both phytotelmata types. In the bract samples were found: spiders (Araneae: Corinnidae), beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Erotylidae, Staphylindae), flies (Diptera: …

Potassium Ion Channels As A Molecular Target To Reduce Virus Infection And Mortality Of Honey Bee Colonies, Christopher J. Fellows, Michael Simone‑Finstrom, Troy D. Anderson, Daniel R. Swale

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Declines in managed honey bee populations are multifactorial but closely associated with reduced virus immunocompetence and thus, mechanisms to enhance immune function are likely to reduce viral infection rates and increase colony viability. However, gaps in knowledge regarding physiological mechanisms or ‘druggable’ target sites to enhance bee immunocompetence has prevented therapeutics development to reduce virus infection. Our data bridge this knowledge gap by identifying ATP-sensitive inward rectifier potassium ( K_ATP) channels as a pharmacologically tractable target for reducing virus-mediated mortality and viral replication in bees, as well as increasing an aspect of colony-level immunity. Bees infected with Israeli …

Movement Of Striacosta Albicosta (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae On Transgenic Bt And Non-Bt Maize, Débora G. Montezano, Thomas E. Hunt, Priscila M. Colombo Da Luz, Kelsey Karnik, Stephen D. Kachman, Ana Maria Velez, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Exposure of lepidopteran pests to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins has been shown to affect the behavior of larvae, including increased movement and avoidance of Bt-expressing plants or diet. Therefore, we hypothesized that the behavior of western bean cutworm, Striacosta albicosta (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), an important pest of maize, could be affected when exposed to Bt plants. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a series of artificial arena and on-plant experiments to determine S. albicosta neonate behavior when exposed to Bt and non-Bt plant tissue. Video tracking experiments presented neonate larvae with the choice of Bt or non- …

A Push–Pull Strategy To Suppress Stable Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Attacks On Pasture Cattle Via A Coconut Oil Fatty Acid Repellent Formulation And Traps With M-Cresol Lures, Alexander T. Lehmann, Gary J. Brewer, David J. Boxler, Junwei J. Zhu, Kathy Hanford, David Taylor, James A. Kenar, Steven C. Cermak, Jerome A. Hogsette

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Stable flies [Stomoxys calcitrans (L.)] are economically important pests of cattle and other livestock. As an alternative to conventional insecticides, we tested a push–pull management strategy using a coconut oil fatty acid repellent formulation and an attractant-added stable fly trap.

RESULTS: In our field trials we found that weekly applications of a push–pull strategy can reduce stable fly populations on cattle as well as a standard insecticide (permethrin). We also found that the efficacy periods of the push–pull and permethrin treatments following on-animal application were equivalent. Traps with an attractant lure used as the pull component of the …

Description Of A New Species Of Stenocrates Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini) From Peru And A Revised Catalog Of The Species Of Stenocrates., Brett C. Ratcliffe, Stephane Le Tirant

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

A new species of the South American genus Stenocrates Burmeister, 1847 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini) is described: Stenocrates theryi Ratcliffe & Le Tirant from western Peru. A description, diagnosis, distribution, and illustrations are provided for the new species. A revised catalog of the species of Stenocrates is presented.

Association Of Excessive Precipitation And Agricultural Land Use With Honey Bee Colony Performance, Gabriela M. Quinlan, Rufus Isaacs, Clint R. V. Otto, Autumn H. Smart, Meghan O. Milbrath

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Context From landscape variables to weather, multiple environmental factors affect honey bees and other pollinators. Detailed honey bee colony assessments in a variety of landscape and weather conditions offer the opportunity to develop a mechanistic understanding of how landscape composition, configuration, and weather are associated with colony nutrition, demography, and productivity.

Objectives Our objective was to test if weather and landscape characteristics (e.g., agricultural versus forested land use) are associated with different honey bee colony outcomes (foraged nectar mass, foraged pollen mass, pupal population size, and adult population size change).

Methods We collected detailed colony measurements on over 450 honey …

Sugars And Cuticular Waxes Impact Sugarcane Aphid (Melanaphis Sacchari) Colonization On Different Developmental Stages Of Sorghum, Juan David Betancurt Cardona, Sajjan Grover, Michael J. Bowman, Lucas Busta, Pritha Kundu, Kyle G. Koch, Gautam Sarath, Scott E. Sattler, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Sugarcane aphid (SCA; Melanaphis sacchari) is a devastating pest of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) that colonizes sorghum plants at different growth stages. Leaf surface characteristics and sugars often influence aphid settling and feeding on host plants. However, how changes in cuticular waxes and sugar levels affect SCA establishment and feeding at different development stages of sorghum have not been explored. In this study, two- and six-weekold BTx623 plants, a reference line of sorghum, was used to evaluate plant-aphid interactions. Monitoring aphid feeding behavior using Electrical Penetration Graph (EPG) technique revealed that aphids spent more time in the sieve …

Greenbug Feeding-Induced Resistance To Sugarcane Aphids In Sorghum, Heena Puri, Edith Ikuze, Jessica Ayala, Isabella Rodriguez, Rupesh Kariyat, Joe Louis, Sajjan Grover

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Plants are attacked by multiple insect pest species and insect herbivory can alter plant defense mechanisms. The plant defense responses to a specific herbivore may also contribute to the herbivore growth/survival on plants. Feeding by one insect species can modulate the plant defenses, which can either facilitate or hamper the colonization of subsequent incoming insects. However, little is known about the effect of sequential herbivory on sorghum plants. In this study, we demonstrate that a specialist aphid, sugarcane aphid (SCA; Melanaphis sacchari) grows faster on sorghum than a generalist aphid species, greenbug (GB; Schizaphis graminum). We also determined …

A Draft Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera Genome: Insights Into Control And Host Plant Adaption By A Major Maize Pest Insect, Brad S. Coates, Kimberly K. O. Walden, Dimpal Lata, Neetha Nanoth Vellichirammal, Robert F. Mitchell, Martin N. Andersson, Rachel Mckay, Marcé D. Lorenzen, Nathaniel Grubbs, Yu‑Hui Wang, Jinlong Han, Jing Li Xuan, Peter Willadsen, Huichun Wang, B. Wade French, Raman Bansal, Sammy Sedky, Dariane Souza, Dakota Bunn, Lance J. Meinke, Nicholas J. Miller, Blair D. Siegfried11,, Thomas W. Sappington, Hugh M. Robertson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background Adaptations by arthropod pests to host plant defenses of crops determine their impacts on agricultural production. The larval host range of western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is restricted to maize and a few grasses. Resistance of D. v. virgifera to crop rotation practices and multiple insecticides contributes to its status as the most damaging pest of cultivated maize in North America and Europe. The extent to which adaptations by this pest contributes to host plant specialization remains unknown.

Results A 2.42 Gb draft D. v. virgifera genome, Dvir_v2.0, was assembled from short shotgun reads and scaffolded …

Characterization Of Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Susceptibility To Foliar Insecticides In Northeast Nebraska, Timothy B. Dang, Ana M. Vélez, Arnubio Valencia-Jiménez, Jordan Reinders, Emily E. Stricklin, Matthew W. Carroll, Clinton D. Pilcher, Jeffrey T. Krumm, Graham P. Head, Lance Meinke

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Foliar-applied insecticides are commonly used for adult Western Corn Rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), control in Nebraska but little efficacy data is available. Anecdotal reports of reduced efficacy in areas of northeast Nebraska led to the conduct of this study. Objectives were to (i) evaluate the efficacy of commercial applications of commonly used formulated insecticides (bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorpyrifos, or tank mixes) for WCR control in 7 northeast Nebraska counties during 2019 and 2020 and (ii) conduct adult WCR concentration-response vial bioassays with bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, and dimethoate active ingredients on a subset of field populations. Whole plant counts …