Jaipal S. Choudhary

Identification and evaluation of cultivable gut bacteria associated with peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The aim of the present study was to identify the cultivable gut bacteria associated with peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata, and evaluate their potential to attract adults of B. zonata. Based on culture-dependent characterization methods and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, bacteria were identified as members of family Enterobacteriaceae (BZM1, Klebsiella oxytoca), Microbacteriacea (BZM2, Microbacterium spp.) and Nocardiaceae (BZM4, Rhodococcus spp.). Molecular phylogeny placed Klebsiella oxytoca within gram negative γ-proteobacteria whereas, Microbacterium spp. and Rhodococcus spp. were clustered under gram positive Actinobacteria group in family Microbacteriacea and Nocardiaceae, respectively. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison with the available NCBI database sequences further confirmed the characterizations of bacterial symbionts. Population of these bacterial species increased significantly up to the 11th day after emergence of adults and thereafter it remains constant. Among 3 bacterial symbionts, metabolites produced from K. oxytoca had the highest attraction to the B. zonata adult females over metabolites produced from other bacteria and their combinations in field bioassay. The B. zonata adult male flies attracted to metabolites produced from each bacterial symbionts alone and their combinations were less in number with comparison to the B. zonata adult females. The present study provides the first description of the attractancy potential of metabolites produced by gut microbial community of B. zonata in open field condition. This study results may prompt the development of a female-targeted population control strategy for this fly.

New report of Neozygites sp. infecting red spider mite Tetranychus urticae infesting French bean from Eastern Plateau and Hill region, India

An anamorphic entomopathogenic fungus Neozygites sp. belonging to the Family Neozygitaceae was found infecting the tetranychid mites Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) for the first time in Eastern Plateau and Hill region of India in the month of October 2011. The report of entomopathogenic fungus could be of help in managing acaricide resistant mites.

New report of Hirsutella sp. infecting mango hopper Idioscopus clypealis from Chotanagpur Plateau, India

An entomopathogenic fungus belonging to the genus Hirsutella was found infecting the mango hopper, Idioscopus clypealis (Lethierry) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), for the first time in India in September 2011. The report of a natural control agent of mango hopper during the off season has special significance because its outbreak depends upon its residual hibernating population.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Idioscopus nitidulus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Abstract The complete mitogenome of Idioscopus nitidulus (Cicadellidae) was sequenced. It comprises 15,287 base pairs (bp), including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and a control region. The phylogenetic analyses based on concatenated thirteen protein-coding genes of mitogenomes recover the monophyly of Auchenorrhyncha (Fulgoromorpha + Cicadomorpha) and Sternorrhyncha as a sister group to Auchenorrhyncha. The complete mitogenome sequence of Idioscopus nitidulusis available in the GenBank with accession number: KR024406.

Genetic analysis of Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae) populations from India based on cox1 and nad1 gene sequences

Abstract The peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata, is among the most serious and polyphagous insect pest of fruit crops in many parts of the world under genus Bactrocera. In the present study, the genetic structure, diversity and demographic history of B. zonata in India were inferred from mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase 1 (nad1) sequences. The efficiency of DNA barcodes for identification of B. zonata was also tested. Genetic diversity indices [number of haplotypes (H), haplotype diversity (Hd), nucleotide diversity (π) and average number of nucleotide differences (k)] of B. zonata populations across India maintain high level of genetic diversity without isolation by distance among the geographic regions. Non-significant negative correlation between pairwise Fst and geographic distance suggests a high level of gene flow among studied populations of B. zonata. The possibility of sudden expansion of B. zonata revealed through mismatch distribution analysis as well as negative Tajima’s D and Fu’s Fs values further supported by star-like network of haplotypes. DNA barcoding analysis suggests that B. zonata specimens can be clearly differentiated from other species with 100% accuracy of identification. Therefore, cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) barcode sequences generated in the present study could be a valuable source for the rapid identification and global population genetic study of B. zonata.

Phenology Modelling and GIS Applications in Pest Management: A Tool for Studying and Understanding Insect-Pest Dynamics in the Context of Global Climate Change

Intensification of agricultural yield losses due to pest aggravation in the context of global climate change has been the key focus of ecological research. In this regard, interest in forecasting models is now days growing radically among entomologists to predict the environmental suitability for new and invading agricultural insect pests. This chapter describes the approaches for development of temperature-based phenology models that helps in understanding insect behaviour and physiology under diverse environmental conditions. A few suitable illustrations are provided on how phenology models can be used for simulating variability in insect development times through stochastic and deterministic simulation functions with inclusion of temperature as a main predictor of insect development. Further, discussions were also included on linking of phenology models with geographic information systems (GIS) for mapping pest population growth potentials according to real-time or interpolated temperature data, as a tool for pest risk assessments in different agro-ecological regions and to support the development of management strategies. The concepts and approaches underlying simulation of age-stage-structured populations using cohort-updating and rate summation principle and the use of geostatistical algorithms integrated in GIS for risk mapping are described briefly.

Population genetic structure of cotton pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene sequences from India

Abstract Pink bollworm (PBW), Pectinophora gossypiella is one of the most destructive pest’s globally inflicting huge economic losses in cotton even during later stages of crop growth. In the present investigation, the population genetic structure, distribution, and genetic diversity of P. gossypiella in cotton growing zones of India using partial mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase-I (COI) gene was addressed. The overall haplotype (Hd), number of nucleotide differences (K), and nucleotide diversity (π) were 0.3028, 0.327, and 0.00047, respectively which suggest that entire population exhibited low level of genetic diversity. Zone-wise clustering of population revealed that central zone recorded low level of Hd (0.2730) as compared to north (0.3619) and south (0.3028) zones. The most common haplotype (H1) reported in all 19 locations could be proposed as ancestral/original haplotype. This haplotype with one mutational step formed star-like phylogeny connected with 11 other haplotypes. The phylogenetic relationship studies revealed that most haplotypes of populations are closely related to each other. Haplotype 5 was exclusively present in Dharwad (South zone) shared with populations of Hanumangarh and Bathinda (North zone). The result indicated that there is no isolation by distance effect among the Indian populations of PBW. The present study reports a low genetic diversity among PBW populations of India and H1, as ancestral haplotype from which other haplotypes have evolved suggests that the migration and dispersal over long distance and invasiveness are major factors.

Biology, morphology and DNA barcodes of Tessaratoma javanica (Thunberg) (Hemiptera: Tessaratomidae).

Tessaratoma javanica (Thunberg) (Hemiptera: Tessaratomidae) an important sucking pest of litchi is studied for supplementing information on its biology, morphometrics of life stages and mtCOI (DNA barcodes). More details generated on the study add to the description of stages namely egg, 1st to 5th nymphal instars and adults. The evaluation of morphometrics of the life stages reveal that the progression of growth is more during 2nd to 3rd nymphal stages, and these are critical as far as the growth and development is concerned. The life cycle takes about 141.7±4.25 days; eggs last for 12.81±1.4 days with 97.14±2.86% hatchability; and duration of 1st , 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th nymphal instars were 11.69±0.58, 7.23±0.2, 8.63±0.55, 13.04±0.55 and 26.31±0.97 days, respectively. In addition mtCOI analyses have been done employing standard 658 bp barcode fragments facilitating molecular diagnostics of the adults and other life stages and the phylogenetic tree with available sequence in the GenBank.

Substrate Decomposing Fungi of Mushroom and their Management by Some Common Fungicides

Four substrate decomposing fungi (Trichoderma harzianum, Papulaspora byssina, Sclerotium rolfsii and Penicillium chrysogenum) were isolated from the Pleurotus florida mushroom bed which were prevailing continuously in the growing season which cause severe yield losses of mushrooms in Eastern Plateau and Hill Region (EP&HR). An in vitro experiment was designed to see the effect of some common fungicides viz., Carbendazim, Mancozeb and Ridomil-MZ which are widely used in the mushroom cultivation were tested on 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1% concentrations to see the effect on substrate decomposing fungi and mycelial proliferation of P. florida. It was found that the Redomil-MZ showed strong antifungal efficacy against S. rolfsii, P. byssina and P. florida which inhibited 100% of the mycelial growth at very low concentration (0.05%). Moreover, Carbendazim was also showing strong antifungal properties which inhibited >80% growth of the T. harzianum, P. byssina at the same concentration (0.05%). But P. florida, S. rolfsii and P. chrysogenum were unaffected against all the test concentrations. Mancozeb inhibits 100% growth of P. chrysogenum at all the test concentrations but the growth of P. byssina >80 growth was arrested at 0.05% but the mycelial growth of P. florida was also inhibited up to 30% at 0.1% concentration.

Torrubiella pruinosa, a teliomorph of an entomopathogenic fungus Hirsutella versicolor of mango hopper (Idioscopus clypealis) from India

Torrubeilla pruinosa, a teliomorph of an anamorphic entomopathogenic fungus Hirsutella versicolor on mango hopper (Idioscopus clypealis) was observed. On the infected mango hopper, tiny pin head signs of ascomata were observed. Ascomata of T. pruinosa is pale brown or tawny brown, crowded, immersed in stroma, wall dark golden brown, 260–320 × 230–260 μm, asci clavate, hyaline and thin walled. The ascospores of T. pruinosa are fusiform, distoseptate with a faint tint of pigmentation, 17.5–25.0 × 5.0–7.5 μm. The anamorph stage of H. versicolor fungal hyphae is hyaline, septate and profusely branched, and conidiogenous (phialides) cells are hyaline, pear-shaped and smooth-walled with single or double sterigmata and rarely, multiple sterigmata. Each sterigmata bears single conidia which are hyaline, oval to pear-shaped.