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Chilli crop is drastically damaged by chilli thrip due to cryptic in nature and difficult to monitor the population till damge symptoms become visible. Simultaneously, this noxious pest mainly controlled by the use of chemicals, which lead to several problems. The main purpose of the present research is to monitor, manage and keep thrip population below economic thresh hold level (ETL) by using various colour (Yellow, Blue, Green & Whitesheets) sticky traps on various trap heights (30, 60,90 & 120 centimeters) were instlled in Randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at fazal stop,Tandoallahyar during March, 2018 for the management of chilli thrip population efficiently. As a results of scouting experiment, it was confirmend that the yellow color sticky trap was significantly attracted highest number of Scirtothrips dorsalis than other sticky traps with significant differences (F=11.58; df=259, P

Biological parameters of the bark beetle, Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) was investigated under different temperature regimes (27, 29, 31 and 35ºC). The females reared at 29°C, lived 30.93±2.36 days for oviposition. The female laid a maximum of 6.71±1.89 eggs per day and a maximum of 6.99±1.33 batches per female. Each batch had an average of 13.78±2.01 eggs. The mean total fecundity recorded was 67.8±4.25 eggs, with a shortest egg incubation period. At 29°C, the duration of the larval stage was 20.17±2.89 days, the pupal stage 5.03±1.11 days, and the life span of the adult insect was 29.44±3.19 days. Significant differences (P

The characterization of petrified wood provides valuable information about paleoclimatology and geological history and helps to reconstruct the past forest flora of different parts of the earth. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anatomical characteristics of fossil wood of the Miocene age collected from the Manchar Formation exposed at Thano Bula Khan, Sindh, Pakistan. In order to carry out a detailed anatomical investigation, three-dimensional sections were prepared using a petrotome. The microscopic analysis allowed us to study vessel size and arrangement, wood parenchyma, fibers, and xylem rays. Based on the comparison between recent and fossil wood, we concluded that the investigated characters are comparable with those of the genus Atalantia Corrêa of the Rutaceae family. Therefore, it was named as Atalantioxylon thanobolensis sp. nov. with reference to the location of Thano Bula Khan from which the fossil wood was collected.

Cotton bollworms cause huge losses and are mainly controlled through the synthetic chemicals, however, chemical control does not always effective due to the larvae’s obscure feeding habit. Therefore, varietal resistance and insect mating disruption by using of sex pheromone and light traps were used in present research. The results revealed overall highest seasonal population of Helicoverpa armigera (3.75±0.37) on cotton SS-32 variety, followed by (2.41±0.17), (2.35±0.21), and (2.00±0.19), IUB-13, Nayab-878, and J-5 Pectinophora gossypiella (3.00 ± 0.72) on cotton variety Nayab-878 followed by population of 2.99±0.27, 2.50±0.31, and 1.65±0.22 on cotton varieties J-5, SS-32 and IUB-13 respectively. In addition, maximum yield production was recorded from J-5 (1025 kg ha-1), followed by Nayab-878 (962 kg ha-1) and IUB-13 (835 kg ha-1), respectively. Results, of field trials revealed overall H. armigera (61.25±5.28/15 sex pheromone traps ha-1) followed by (37.45±6.28/10 ha-1) and (20.79 ± 4.28 /6 ha-1) and P. gossipyilla (58.08±7.58 ha-1) followed by (45.41±4.88/10 ha-1) and (31.45±3.28/6 ha-1) were captured, respectively. Further, lowest infestation level of H. armigera (2.25±0.28%/15 sex pheromone traps ha-1) followed by (6.60±0.80 %/10 ha-1), (6.60±0.80% /10 ha-1) and (20.45±4.80% control plots) and P. gossipyilla (2.10±0.21 %/15 ha-1) followed by (7.41±0.96 %/10 ha-1), (9.45±0.98 % /10 ha-1) and (19.15 ± 4.87 % control plots) were recorded, respectively. On the other hand, maximum number of H. armigera (24.30±4.35 /8 light traps ha-1) followed by (22.00±3.30/6 ha-1) and (17.50±3.12 /4 ha-1) were recorded and P. gossipyilla (24.00±4.28 /6 ha-1) followed by (21.00±3.40 /8 ha-1) and (20.15±2.70 /4 ha-1) were caught, respectively. As results, the lowest infestation level by H. armigera (7.60±1.12 % /6 light traps ha-1) followed by (8.25±1.20 % /8 ha-1), and (10.79±1.80 % /4 ha-1) and (20.45±4.80 % control plots) and P. gossipyilla (6.10±0.90 % /8 ha-1) followed by (7.45±1.15 % /6 ha-1), (8.40±1.38 % /4 ha-1) and (19.15±4.87% control plots) were recorded, respectively. Taken to gather, 10 or 15 sex pheromone traps/hectare and 6 and 10 light traps/ hectare should be installed in cotton crop to reduce the population frequency of bollworm and crop damage tendency in the cotton field for the better production.

Nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) are two most important essential nutrients promoting plant growth and yield traits of all crops. NP fertilizers are easy to use and quick in releasing nutrients. A field experiment was conducted at Oilseed section, Agriculture Research Institute, Tandojam to determine the effects of different doses of NP fertilizers on the time of maturity, vegetative growth and yield and yield related traits of sunflower variety HO-1. The six NP fertilizer levels viz. T1 = 0-0 (control), T2 = 80-40, T3 = 100-50, T4 = 150-50, T5 = 120-50 and T6 = 120-75 NP kg ha-1 were set in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The results revealed that all the parameters of sunflower were significantly affected (P < 0.05) by different NP fertilizer doses. It was observed that maximum 184.25 (cm) plant height, 6.66 (cm) stem girth, 28.19 (cm) head diameter, 1161.92 seeds head-1, 90.33 (g) seed index and 2172.00 (kg ha-1) seed yield was achieved by applying 150-50 NP fertilizer kg ha-1. It was also noted that 150-50 NP kg ha-1 promoted the sunflower crop to mature early by enhancing vegetate growth. The poor performance for all growth, yield and maturity parameters were observed in the treatment where no NP fertilizer was applied (control). It was concluded that growth and seed yield was increased by increasing the application of NP fertilizers up to 150-50 NP kg ha-1 and thus recommended to get better growth and yield performance of sunflower crop in locality

Orthaga achatina (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is the most serious pest in south China of camphor trees, Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl, an important urban tree species. Gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) of the sex pheromone of O. achatina showed three EAD-active components. Coupled gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses identified these as (Z)-11-hexadecenol (Z11-16:OH), (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z11-16:OAc), and (3Z,6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)-tricosapentaene (Z3,Z6,Z9,Z12,Z15-23:H). In field tests using different combinations of the three compounds, male moths were attracted to a mixture of Z11-16:OAc and Z3,Z6,Z9,Z12,Z15-23:H, but less attracted to other blends. Further field tests with different ratios of the two compounds determined the optimal ratio of the binary blend as 500:250. The addition of Z11-16:OH to Z11-16:OAc, or to the binary mixture of Z11-16: OAc and the pentaene did not yield higher catches. This shows that O. achatina uses a mixture of Type I and Type II sex pheromone components. Orthaga achatina is the third Pyraloidea species found to utilize Z3,Z6,Z9,Z12,Z15-23:H as a sex pheromone component.

Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) play important roles in the insect olfaction and other diverse physiological processes. Forty OBP genes have been molecularly identified from Chilo suppressalis (Walker), a notorious rice pest in Asian countries, but little is known about the olfactory function for most of these genes. In the present study, we first determined the tissue expression profiles of 34 OBPs (excluding two general odorant bonding proteins (GOBPs) and four pheromone binding protein (PBPs)) by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), and found that 9 genes (OBP1, 3, 4, 11, 15, 17, 19, 20 and 24) were specifically or predominantly expressed in antennae of both sexes, suggesting their roles in olfaction, while three genes (OBP29, 30 and 32) were almost not expressed in antennae. Focusing on olfactory roles, the ligand specificities of six antenna specifically or predominantly expressed genes were further investigated for 35 plant volatiles, using the fluorescence competitive binding assays. The results revealed that six OBPs displayed different ligand preference, suggesting a differentiation of OBPs in ligand binding spectrum. Of six tested OBPs, OBP3, 11, 17, 19 and 31 showed moderate (Ki = 10.21–19.85 μM) or high (Ki

Pheromone‐binding proteins (PBPs) are thought to bind and transport sex pheromones onto the olfactory receptors on the dendrite membrane of olfactory neurons, and thus play a vital role in sex pheromone perception. However, the function of PBPs has rarely been demonstrated in vivo. In this study, two PBPs (PBP1 and PBP3) of Chilo suppressalis, one of the most notorious pyralid pests, were in vivo functionally characterized using insects with the PBP gene knocked out by the CRISPR/Cas9 system. First, through direct injection of PBP‐single guide RNA (sgRNA)/Cas9 messenger RNA into newly laid eggs, a high rate of target‐gene editing (checked with polled eggs) was induced at 24 h after injection, 21.3% for PBP1‐sgRNA injected eggs and 19.5% for PBP3‐sgRNA injected eggs. Second, by an in‐crossing strategy, insects with mutant PBP1 or PBP3 (both with a premature stop codon) were screened, and homozygous mutants were obtained in the G3 generation. Third, the mutant insects were measured for electroantennogram (EAG) response to female sex pheromones. As a result, both PBP mutant males displayed significant reduction in EAG response, and this reduction in PBP1 mutants was higher than that in PBP3 mutants, indicating a more important role of PBP1. Finally, the relative importance of two PBPs and the possible off target effect induced by sgRNA‐injection are discussed. Taken together, our study provides a deeper insight into the function of and interaction between different PBP genes in sex pheromone perception of C. suppressalis, as well as a valuable reference in methodology for gene functional study in other genes and other moth species.

Odorant sensitivity and selectivity play a crucial role in insects for finding host plants, mates and oviposition sites. General odorant binding proteins (GOBPs) are thought to be involved in the detection of general odorants released by foods and host plants. However, recent studies suggest GOBPs may also play some role in detection of sex pheromones. In the present study with the rice striped stem borer Chilo suppressalis (Walker) real time quantitative PCR (qPCR) measurements showed that both GOBP genes were specifically expressed in the antennae of both sexes, proposing their important roles in olfaction. To examine their specific functions, binding affinities to three sex pheromones and 35 plant volatiles were measured using fluorescence competitive binding assays. As a result, both GOBPs showed very strong binding affinities (Ki = 0.33–1.50 μM) to all three sex pheromone components (Z11–16:Ald, Z9–16:Ald and Z13–18:Ald). In addition, GOBP1 and GOBP2 displayed high binding affinities (Ki

Sex pheromones are crucial for communication between females and males in moths, and pheromone receptors (PRs) play a key role in peripheral coding of sex pheromones. During the last decade, many PR candidates have been identified based on transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis, but their detailed functions remain mostly unknown. Here, focusing on four PR candidates of Athetis dissimilis (AdisOR1, AdisOR6, AdisOR11 and AdisOR14) identified in a previous study, we first cloned the full-length cDNAs and determined the tissue expression profiles by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The results revealed that expression of three of these genes were male antennae-specific, while AdisOR11 was similar in expression between male and female antennae. Furthermore, the expression level of AdisOR1 was much higher than those of the other three genes. Then, functional analysis was conducted using Xenopus oocyte system. AdisOR1 responded strongly to the sex pheromone component Z9–14:OH and the potential pheromone component Z9,E12–14:OH, suggesting its important role in the sex pheromone perception; AdisOR14 showed specificity for Z9,E12–14:OH; while AdisOR6 and AdisOR11 did not respond to any of the pheromone components and analogs tested. Taken together, this study contributes to elucidate the molecular mechanism of sex pheromone reception and provides potential targets for development of OR based pest control techniques in A. dissimilis.

Three different pheromone binding proteins (PBPs) can typically be found in the sensilla lymph of noctuid moth antennae, but their relative contributions in perception of the sex pheromone is rarely verified in vivo. Previously, we demonstrated that SlitPBP3 plays a minor role in the sex pheromone detection in Spodoptera litura using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. In the present study, the roles of two other SlitPBPs (SlitPBP1 and SlitPBP2 ) are further verified using the same system. First, by co-injection of Cas9 mRNA/sgRNA into newly laid eggs, a high rate of target mutagenesis was induced, 51.5% for SlitPBP1 and 46.8% for SlitPBP2 as determined by restriction enzyme assay. Then, the homozygous SlitPBP1 and SlitPBP2 knockout lines were obtained by cross-breeding. Finally, using homozygous knockout male moths, we performed electrophysiological (EAG recording) and behavioral analyses. Results showed that knockout of either SlitPBP1 or SlitPBP2 in males decreased EAG response to each of the 3 sex pheromone components (Z9,E11-14:Ac, Z9,E12-14:Ac and Z9-14:Ac) by 53%, 60% and 63% (for SlitPBP1 knockout) and 40%, 43% and 46% (for SlitPBP2 knockout), respectively. These decreases in EAG responses were similar among 3 pheromone components, but were more pronounced in SlitPBP1 knockout males than in SlitPBP2 knockout males. Consistently, behavioral assays with the major component (Z9,E11-14:Ac) showed that SlitPBP1 knockout males responded in much lower percentages than SlitPBP2 knockout males in terms of orientation to the pheromone, along with reduction in close range behaviors such as hairpencil display and mating attempt. Taken together, this study provides direct functional evidence for the roles of SlitPBP1 and SlitPBP2, as well as their relative importance (SlitPBP1 > SlitPBP2) in the sex pheromone perception. This information is valuable in understanding mechanisms of sex pheromone perception and may facilitate the development of PBP-targeted pest control techniques.

The high sensitivity of the olfactory system is essential for feeding and oviposition in moth insects, and some chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are thought to play roles in this system by binding and carrying hydrophobic odorants across the aqueous sensillar lymph. In this study, to identify the olfactory CSPs from a repertoire of 21 CSP members in the notorious rice pest Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), tissue expression patterns were firstly examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). It showed that CSP2 was antennae specific and seven more CSPs (CSP1, 3, 4, 6, 15, 16, and 17) were antennae biased in expression, suggesting their olfactory roles; while other CSPs were multiple-tissue expressed and non-antennae biased, suggesting other functions for these genes. To further determine the ligand binding specificity, three putative olfactory genes (CSP1–3) were expressed in Escherichia coli cells, and binding affinity of these three recombinant CSP proteins were measured for 35 plant volatiles by the ligand binding assays. CSP1 and CSP2 exhibited high binding affinities (Ki ≤ 10.00 µM) for four (2-tridecanone, benzaldehyde, laurinaldehyde and 2-pentadecanone) and two (2-heptanol and (+)-cedrol) host plant volatiles, respectively; the three CSPs also showed moderate binding affinity (Ki = 10.01–20.00 µM) for 16 plant volatiles. Our study suggests that the three CSPs play essential roles in the perception of host plant volatiles, providing bases for the elucidation of olfactory mechanisms in this important pyralid pest.