Intestinal bacteria modulate the foraging behavior of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae).

The gut microbiome of insects directly or indirectly affects the metabolism, immune status, sensory perception and feeding behavior of its host. Here, we examine the hypothesis that in the oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis, Diptera: Tephritidae), the presence or absence of gut symbionts affects foraging behavior and nutrient ingestion. We offered protein-starved flies, symbiotic or aposymbiotic, a choice between diets containing all amino acids or only the non-essential ones. The different diets were presented in a foraging arena as drops that varied in their size and density, creating an imbalanced foraging environment. Suppressing the microbiome resulted in significant changes of the foraging behavior of both male and female flies. Aposymbiotic flies responded faster to the diets offered in experimental arenas, spent more time feeding, ingested more drops of food, and were constrained to feed on time-consuming patches (containing small drops of food), when these offered the full complement of amino acids. We discuss these results in the context of previous studies on the effect of the gut microbiome on host behavior, and suggest that these be extended to the life history dimension

Data from: Essential oil optimizes the susceptibility of Callosobruchus maculatus and enhances the nutritional qualities of stored cowpea Vigna unguiculata

The intensive use of synthetic pesticides in cowpea storage has led to the development of resistance by Callosobruchus maculatus and subsequent degradation of the grains quality. In an attempt to circumvent these constraints, we investigated the susceptibility of C. maculatus to 2, 3-Dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate (DDVP) and Lippia adoensis essential oil (EO) and then assessed the variations in the proportions of nutritional values of treated grains 150 days after storage. The survival rate was recorded after 5 generations. The resistance index and biochemical parameters of grains were determined according to previously described techniques. The survival rate (SR) and resistance index (RI50 and RI95) significantly increased in DDVP treatments (r=0.889; p=0.018) proportionally with damage whereas in EO treatments, those values remained lower although showed a slight but not significant variations (p=0.0764) throughout generations. DDVP stored grains yielded higher crude protein values, but lower carbohydrates, tannins, phenolics and minerals compared to EO. Eighteen amino acids were detected in EO treated grains and 14 in DDVP which was devoid of albumin and prolamin. EO could therefore represent a safe alternative bio-pesticide to cope with the insect resistance and enhance the nutritional qualities of stored cowpea seeds

Electronic supplementary materials (ESM 2) from Essential oil optimizes the susceptibility of Callosobruchus maculatus and enhances the nutritional qualities of stored cowpea Vigna unguiculata

ESM2.Calculation formulas and experimental procedure

Electronic supplementary materials (ESM 1) from Essential oil optimizes the susceptibility of Callosobruchus maculatus and enhances the nutritional qualities of stored cowpea Vigna unguiculata

ESM1.Lab mortality and FAO protein referenc