Simulating immunosuppressive mechanism of Microplitis bicoloratus bracovirus coordinately fights Spodoptera frugiperda .

Parasitoid wasps control pests via a precise attack leading to the death of the pest. However, parasitoid larvae exhibit self-protection strategies against bracovirus-induced reactive oxygen species impairment. This has a detrimental effect on pest control. Here, we report a strategy for simulating Microplitis bicoloratus bracovirus using Mix-T dsRNA targeting 14 genes associated with transcription, translation, cell-cell communication, and humoral signaling pathways in the host, and from wasp extracellular superoxide dismutases. We implemented either one-time feeding to the younger instar larvae or spraying once on the corn leaves, to effectively control the invading pest Spodoptera frugiperda . This highlights the conserved principle of "biological pest control," as elucidated by the triple interaction of parasitoid-bracovirus-host in a cooperation strategy of bracovirus against its pest host.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2023 Li, Ma, Long, Yan, Peng, Cai, Zhong, Huang, Qiao, Zhou, Cai, Cheng, Zhou, Han, Liu, Zhang, Tang, Meng and Luo.)