Sugar preferences of western corn rootworm larvae in a feeding stimulant blend

Feeding behaviour, feeding intensity and staying behaviour of neonate western corn rootworm larvae (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) were evaluated in response to synthetic feeding stimulant blends to determine larval preferences among the three maize root sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) in the active blend and to determine whether any single sugar can substitute for the 3-sugar combination in a feeding stimulant blend. These experiments demonstrated the strong affinity that western corn rootworm larvae have for the natural sugars found in maize roots and also showed that sucrose is the most preferred of the three primary maize root sugars. The blend containing sucrose at 30 mg/ml elicited feeding that was not significantly different than the natural glucose:fructose:sucrose blend. In subtraction bioassays, removal of sucrose from the blend resulted in significantly fewer larvae feeding. When the three-sugar blend was substituted with one of the number of various mono-, di-or trisaccharides, fewer larvae fed on all of the treatments compared to the blend with sucrose, except for the blend with maltose. In feeding choice tests, larvae preferred a blend containing sucrose over blends with either glucose or fructose, but larvae chose equally between a blend with sucrose and a blend containing the three-sugar mixture found in maize roots. Based on these results, a feeding stimulant blend with glucose (30 mg/ml), fructose (4 mg/ml) and sucrose (4 mg/ml) elicits the strongest feeding response, but sucrose alone, in amounts equivalent to the total maize root sugar concentration (30 mg/ml), could serve as a substitute for the 3-sugar mixture in a synthetic feeding stimulant blend

Effects of Cold Storage on Nondiapausing Eggs of the Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, became much easier to research with the development of a nondiapausing rootworm strain. In the event that the eggs cannot be used immediately researchers have been known to delay egg hatch by storing the eggs at low temperatures. It is not well known how this technique could affect egg hatch or larval development, which could alter the results of an experiment. To test for this nondiapausing eggs of the western corn rootworm were stored at low temperatures to test for potential negative effects on hatch and larval development. Eggs were stored in either soil or agar and placed in refrigerators set to 4 or 8.5°C. Nondiapausing eggs were exposed to the cold for 1, 2, or 4 wk and then placed in a chamber set to 25°C. Eggs were then tested for average hatch percentage in Petri dishes and average larval recovery from containers with seedling corn. Results showed a significant reduction in percent hatch for eggs stored at 4°C for 4 wk. Larval recovery was significantly reduced in eggs stored for 4 wk at both 4 and 8.5°C. Within the treatments tested, egg storage for less than 4 wk in soil at 8.5°C provided the best hatch and larval recovery. Researchers wishing to store eggs may use these results to improve their rearing or testing of western corn rootworm

Effects of temporal variation in temperature and density dependence on insect population dynamics

Understanding the effects of environmental variation on insect populations is important in light of predictions about increasing climatic variability. This paper uses the univoltine western corn rootworm (WCR, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) as a case study and employs deterministic and stochastic modeling to evaluate how insect population dynamics is shaped by density-dependent survival and annual variation in temperature, which are key in regulating insect populations. Field data showed that larval survival varied significantly between years but was constant for a range of densities. Survival dropped only beyond a threshold density, a feature resembling generalized Ricker functions used in modeling density-dependent survival due to scramble competition for resources. We used soil temperature data for 20 yr to model annual variation in developmental time and survival. The deterministic model, where the developmental time was same across years, showed that though survival was high and did not change for a range of densities (i.e., density-independent survival), predicted densities were large enough that strong density dependence could occur in the field (i.e., predicted densities fall in the region where survival drops sharply) and that populations could exhibit stable equilibrium, cycles, etc. Interestingly, populations with lower density-independent survival were less likely to produce stable equilibrium compared to populations with higher density-independent survival. We found that population densities were at stable equilibrium when both mean developmental time and fertility were relatively low or when developmental time and fertility were relatively high. This in turn implies that, in warmer regions, where mean developmental time will be lower, stability is more likely for insect populations with low fertility; species in warmer regions will experience cyclical and unstable dynamics when fertility is high. While increase in the mean developmental time reduces overall survival, increasing variation in developmental time could increase mean survival, a consequence of the Jensen’s inequality, since survival was a concave decreasing function of developmental time. Hence, both mean and variability in temperature affect the dynamics of insect populations. Finally, we found that stochastic variation in soil temperature produced large variation in predicted population densities that could potentially enhance or diminish the effect of density dependence

Differential gene expression in response to eCry3.1Ab ingestion in an unselected and eCry3.1Abselected western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) population

Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, the western corn rootworm (WCR) is one of the most destructive pests in the U.S. Corn Belt. Transgenic maize lines expressing various Cry toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis have been adopted as a management strategy. However, resistance to many Bt toxins has occurred. To investigate the mechanisms of Bt resistance we carried out RNA-seq using Illumina sequencing technology on resistant, eCry3.1Ab-selected and susceptible, unselected, whole WCR neonates which fed on seedling maize with and without eCry3.1Ab for 12 and 24 hours. In a parallel experiment RNA-seq experiments were conducted when only the midgut of neonate WCR was evaluated from the same treatments. After de novo transcriptome assembly we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Results from the assemblies and annotation indicate that WCR neonates from the eCry3.1Ab-selected resistant colony expressed a small number of up and down-regulated genes following Bt intoxication. In contrast, unselected susceptible WCR neonates expressed a large number of up and down-regulated transcripts in response to intoxication. Annotation and pathway analysis of DEGs between susceptible and resistant whole WCR and their midgut tissue revealed genes associated with cell membrane, immune response, detoxification, and potential Bt receptors which are likely related to eCry3.1Ab resistance. This research provides a framework to study the toxicology of Bt toxins and mechanism of resistance in WCR, an economically important coleopteran pest species

Patterns of Microbiome Composition Vary Across Spatial Scales in a Specialist Insect

Microbial communities associated with animals vary based on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Of many possible determinants affecting microbiome composition, host phylogeny, host diet, and local environment are the most important. How these factors interact across spatial scales is not well understood. Here, we seek to identify the main influences on microbiome composition in a specialist insect, the western corn rootworm (WCR; Diabrotica virgifera virgifera), by analyzing the bacterial communities of adults collected from their obligate host plant, corn (Zea mays), across several geographic locations and comparing the patterns in communities to its congeneric species, the northern corn rootworm (NCR; Diabrotica barberi). We found that bacterial communities of WCR and NCR shared a portion of their bacterial communities even when collected from disparate locations. However, within each species, the location of collection significantly influenced the composition of their microbiome. Correlations of geographic distance between sites with WCR bacterial community composition revealed different patterns at different spatial scales. Community similarity decreased with increased geographic distance at smaller spatial scales (~25 km between the nearest sites). At broad spatial scales (>200 km), community composition was not correlated with distances between sites, but instead reflected the historical invasion path of WCR across the United States. These results suggest bacterial communities are structured directly by dispersal dynamics at small, regional spatial scales, while landscape-level genetic or environmental differences may drive community composition across broad spatial scales in this specialist insect.This article is published as Paddock KJ, Finke DL, Kim KS, Sappington TW and Hibbard BE (2022) Patterns of Microbiome Composition Vary Across Spatial Scales in a Specialist Insect. Front. Microbiol. 13:898744. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.898744. Works produced by employees of the U.S. Government as part of their official duties are not copyrighted within the U.S. The content of this document is not copyrighted

Optimizing Egg Recovery From Wild Northern Corn Rootworm Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica barberi Smith & Lawrence (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is one of the most important insect pests in the U.S. Corn Belt. Efforts to obtain eggs from wild northern corn rootworm populations using techniques developed for other rootworm species have been unsuccessful due to lack of oviposition. In 2016, we evaluated four oviposition media in choice tests within each of three female densities in 30.5 × 30.5 × 30.5 cm BugDorm cages. The number of eggs laid per female was significantly affected by female density and the interaction of female density × oviposition media, but oviposition was relatively poor in all oviposition media (1.2 eggs per female when averaging the three female densities and all oviposition media). Single females were also evaluated in nonchoice assays in 6 cm × 6 cm × 8 cm clear plastic boxes and averaged up to 108 eggs per female depending on the oviposition media. In 2017, the cumulative number of eggs laid per female in boxes with one female was not significantly different from the number of eggs laid per female in boxes with 3 females. In 2018, the cumulative number of eggs laid per female was not significantly different between female densities of 1, 3, 5, or 10 females per box. Total egg production per box therefore increased as female density increased. More than 27,000 wild northern corn rootworm eggs were collected from just 190 females when collected relatively early in the field season. We now have an efficient and robust system for obtaining eggs from wild northern corn rootworm females

Susceptibility of northern corn rootworm (\u3ci\u3eDiabrotica barberi\u3c/i\u3e) populations to Cry3Bb1 and Gpp34/Tpp35Ab1 proteins in seedling and diet overlay toxicity assays

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 concentrations of Cry3Bb1 (0.4, 4.0, and 40.0 μg/cm2) and Gpp34/Tpp35Ab1 (previously called Cry34/35Ab1; 1.4, 14.0, and 140.0 μg/cm2). The 2019 population from Meeker Co., Minnesota (MN-2019), exhibited the lowest mortality to Cry3Bb1 and also had nominally lowest mortality to Gpp34/Tpp35Ab1 at the highest concentrations tested in diet toxicity assays. Percent second instar was also highest for larvae of the Minnesota population surviving Cry3Bb1. In seedling assays, MN and IA-2018 populations exhibited the highest proportion survival and dry weight to both proteins expressed in corn. No significant differences in mortality, percent second instar, and dry weight were observed at the highest concentration for both proteins among the populations collected in in 2020. Most D. barberi populations were still highly susceptible to Cry3Bb1 and Gpp34/Tpp35Ab1 proteins based on diet and seedling assays, but resistance appears to be developing in some D. barberi populations. Now that methods are available, resistance monitoring may also be needed for D. barberi in some regions

Little Things

We present LITTLE THINGS (Local Irregulars That Trace Luminosity Extremes, The HI Nearby Galaxy Survey) that is aimed at determining what drives star formation in dwarf galaxies. This is a multi-wavelength survey of 37 Dwarf Irregular and 4 Blue Compact Dwarf galaxies that is centered around HI-line data obtained with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) Very Large Array (VLA). The HI-line data are characterized by high sensitivity (less than 1.1 mJy/beam per channel), high spectral resolution (less than or equal to 2.6 km/s), and high angular resolution (~6 arcseconds. The LITTLE THINGS sample contains dwarf galaxies that are relatively nearby (less than or equal to 10.3 Mpc; 6 arcseconds is less than or equal to 300 pc), that were known to contain atomic hydrogen, the fuel for star formation, and that cover a large range in dwarf galactic properties. We describe our VLA data acquisition, calibration, and mapping procedures, as well as HI map characteristics, and show channel maps, moment maps, velocity-flux profiles, and surface gas density profiles. In addition to the HI data we have GALEX UV and ground-based UBV and Halpha images for most of the galaxies, and JHK images for some. Spitzer mid-IR images are available for many of the galaxies as well. These data sets are available on-line.Comment: In press in A

Plant defense resistance in natural enemies of a specialist insect herbivore

Plants defend themselves against herbivores through the production of toxic and deterrent metabolites. Adapted herbivores can tolerate and sometimes sequester these metabolites, allowing them to feed on defended plants and become toxic to their own enemies. Can herbivore natural enemies overcome sequestered plant defense metabolites to prey on adapted herbivores? To address this question, we studied how entomopathogenic nematodes cope with benzoxazinoid defense metabolites that are produced by grasses and sequestered by a specialist maize herbivore, the western corn rootworm. We find that nematodes from US maize fields in regions in which the western corn rootworm was present over the last 50 y are behaviorally and metabolically resistant to sequestered benzoxazinoids and more infective toward the western corn rootworm than nematodes from other parts of the world. Exposure of a benzoxazinoid-susceptible nematode strain to the western corn rootworm for 5 generations results in higher behavioral and metabolic resistance and benzoxazinoid-dependent infectivity toward the western corn rootworm. Thus, herbivores that are exposed to a plant defense sequestering herbivore can evolve both behavioral and metabolic resistance to plant defense metabolites, and these traits are associated with higher infectivity toward a defense sequestering herbivore. We conclude that plant defense metabolites that are transferred through adapted herbivores may result in the evolution of resistance in herbivore natural enemies. Our study also identifies plant defense resistance as a potential target for the improvement of biological control agents