Man-Miao Yang

CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE, SPECTRAL PROPERTIES, AND PIGMENT COMPOSITION OF GALLS ON LEAVES OF MACHILUS THUNBERGII

The objectives of this study were to characterize the fluorescence and spectral reflectance patterns of galled and nongalled portions of leaves of Machilus thunbergii and to understand changes in metabolism subsequent to gall development on the leaf surface. The results showed that the reflectance values of galls at 280 nm (R280) and 320 nm (R320) were greater than those for normal leaves; this was hypothesized to minimize ultraviolet light damage. The lower photochemical reflectance index and higher red-green ratio in galls than leaves indicated that xanthophyll cycle pigments and the anthocyanin content were higher in galls than in leaves. In contrast, the lower adjusted normalized difference vegetation index (aNDVI) and cold hard band for galls indicated lower maximum quantum efficiencies for photosystem II (Fv/Fm), chlorophyll contents, and pigment-protein complexes in galls than in leaves. Overall, the fluorescence and reflectance analyses suggested that insect infestations reduce photosynthetic efficiency. In addition, there were highly significant and positive relationships between Fv/Fm and both the photosynthetic reflectance index and the cold hard band, indicating that gall infections induced physiological changes that were detected using both reflectance spectra and fluorescence.

Irradiation for Postharvest Control of Quarantine Insects

Interest in the use of irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment for agricultural commodities is growing worldwide, particularly since publication of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) standard that endorses and facilitates trade based on this disinfestation method. Irradiation is broadly effective against insects and mites at doses that do not compromise quality of most commodities. Unlike other disinfestation techniques, irradiation does not need to kill the pest immediately to provide quarantine security, and therefore live but sterile or not viable insects may occur with the exported commodity making inspection for the target pests redundant. Generic irradiation treatments have been approved in the USA to control broad groups of insects in all commodities. The approved generic doses are 150 Gy for tephritid fruit flies and 400 Gy for all insects except Lepidoptera pupae and adults (which may require higher doses). Generic irradiation treatments will accelerate the approval of irradiation quarantine treatments for specific crops and expedite new trade in agricultural products because research will no longer be needed for each quarantine pest and commodity. The availability of generic treatments makes irradiation an attractive option compared with other quarantine treatments.

Four New Species of Dryocosmus gallwasps from Taiwan (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini)

Four new species of oak gallwasps of the genus Dryocosmus: D. pentagonalis, D. triangularis, D. carlesiae, and D. testisimilis are described from Taiwan. They induce galls on one species of Castanopsis and one species of Lithocarpus (Fagaceae). Data on the diagnosis, distribution, and biology of the four new species is given. A key for Dryocosmus species identification of Taiwan is provided. Final comments discuss the polyphyletic nature of the Dryocosmus genus, emphasizing the urgent need for its revision.

Life time deficiency of photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes CP1, A1, AB1, and AB2 in two cecidomyiid galls derived from Machilus thunbergii leaves

Two kinds of cecidomyiid galls induced by Daphnephila on Machilus thunbergii Sieb. & Zucc. leaves at various developmental stages, i.e., young, growing, and mature, were analyzed for their biochemical composition of photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes located in thylakoid membranes using the Thornber and MARS electrophoretic fractionation systems. Both kinds of galls were totally deficient in the pigment-protein complexes CP1, and A1, AB1, and AB2 through the whole period of gall formation. Immunoblotting of antibody against light-harvesting complex 2b (LHC2b) apoprotein confirmed this deficiency in gall’s lifetime, which never recovered under any condition. Electron microscopy demonstrated that already at the early developmental stage the gall chloroplasts had thylakoid morphology like that in a normal leaf.

Diversity, richness, and patterns of radiation among gall-inducing psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) in the Orient and Eastern Palearctic

Abstract Psyllids, or jumping plant lice, which induce diverse and exquisite galls — from simple leaf-margin rolls to complex two-tier galls — in the Orient and eastern Palearctic, have not been comprehensively documented. Considering their richness and diversity, this article consolidates and discusses patterns of congruence and radiation among the psyllids of the two biogeographical regions.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Aeolesthes oenochrous (Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae): an endangered and colorful longhorn beetle

Abstract Aeolesthes oenochrous (Fairmaire), a large and colorful longhorn beetle, is an endangered species in Taiwan. Its complete mitogenome, 15,747 bp, shows a typical coleopteran organization, containing 13 protein coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes and one A + T rich region. Two protein coding genes, i.e. COI and ND1, have the atypical start codon of AAT and TTG, respectively. The third nucleotide position of codons shows extremely low guanine content. In the A + T rich region, there were two poly-T stretches with 14 and 13 thymine each. These two poly-T stretches were clarified by the cloning method.

Eight new species of Cycloneuroterus Melika & Tang gallwasps from Taiwan and mainland China (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini)

Eight new species of cynipid gallwasps, Cycloneuroterus abei Melika & Tang, C. ergei Tang & Melika, C. gilvus Melika & Tang, C. globosus Melika & Tang, C. jianwui Tang & Melika, C. lohsei Melika & Tang, C. tumiclavus Tang & Melika, C. uraianus Tang & Melika, from Taiwan and mainland China are described. Descriptions, diagnoses, biology, and host associations for the new species and a key to all Cycloneuroterus species are given. All taxa are supported by morphological and molecular data. Seven newly described species induce galls on Quercus subgenus Cyclobalanopsis, while one, C. uraianus, induces galls on Castanopsis. This is the first Cycloneuroterus species known to associate with Castanopsis.

X-ray Computed Tomography Analysis of Internal Injuries of Selected Fruits

X-ray digital imaging has been widely used as a non-invasive approach to assess internal information of biological materials. This technique, compared with the conventional method using X-ray film, has become a preeminent tool to study biological tissues and its applications in food or agricultural science has increased significantly in recent years. With the Radon transform introduced in 1917 and the rapid developments in computer technology, the so-called computed tomography (CT) has been developed to visualize the internal structure of objects in 3-dimensional (3D) volume rendering such as internal morphology of human body for clinical diagnosis. This research applied X-ray CT to reconstruct the internal 3D structure of selected fruits, and utilized this technique to examine the pest infestation as well pathological infestation internal of apples and peaches. A prototype X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) scanning system was developed with a maximum resolution of 1280 pixels over a 512 mm long detector. Maximum voltage of the X-ray tube was 90 kV, maximum current was 110uA, and exposure time ranged from 10 to 1000 ms. We used X-ray CT to reconstruct the cross-sectional images of selected fruits and analyze degrees of injuries inside fruits, especially resulting from pest insects. Although X-ray 2D digital images have been applied in quarantine inspection to prevent propagation of alien pests in imported fruits, 3D CT volume rendering yields more detailed information of the spatial-temporal proliferation of internal injuries due to either pest infestation or pathological infestation. The experimental results visualized the development of internal injury or tunnels caused by the fruit fly larvae, which allow us to better understand the lifecycle and activities of larvae within the fruit. This underlying information is useful in implementing practical quarantine or inspection procedures of imported fruits to avoid exotic pest invasion. This paper also introduces the detailed image processing algorithm to create image slice through the sinogram stacked from line-scan projections, and the procedure of 3D reconstruction of internal morphology from multiples slices. The factors affecting the quality of image slice along with the implementation of the mechanical device for the automatic acquisition of X-ray line-scan projection data are also presented.

Diversity, Biology, and Nutritional Adaptation of Psyllids and their Galls in Taiwan

Psyllids, or jumping plant lice, are a group of sternorrhynchous Hemiptera. They are highly host specific sucking insects, and many of them form galls. In Taiwan, a revision and some supplemental works of psyllid taxonomy were done in the 1980s. In these publications, 18 species of psyllids were noted as being gall formers. Our survey, as of 1996 found a total of 98 types/species of psyllid galls, and many of them are new species/records. The host range of these gall forming psyllids belongs to a wide spectrum of vascular plants, consisting of 28 families, 45 genera, and 89 species. Galls are most abundant on Lauraceae and Myrtaceae. The psyllid galls as a whole are highly diverse in both gall shape and galling position, but they are mainly species specific. Life histories and the differentiation between gall tissue of several galling psyllids on Machilus, Cinnamomum (Lauraceae) and Ficus (Moraceae) are studied and compared. In these psyllid galls, different from normal plant tissue, phloem in the vesicular bundles is oriented closer to the larval chamber than the xylem in the enclosed type of galls. The psyllid species Trioza shuiliensis which induce globular galls on the leaves of Machilus japonica var. kusanoi were used as a model system for testing the nutritional hypothesis of gall adaptation. The results of this investigation support the nutritional sink hypothesis.

New species of cynipid inquilines of the genus Saphonecrus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) from the Eastern Palaearctic, with a re-appraisal of known species world-wide.

Fifteen new species of cynipid inquilines, Saphonecrus chinensis Tang & Schwéger, S. gilvus Melika & Schwéger, S. globosus Schwéger & Tang, S. leleyi Melika & Schwéger, S. lithocarpii Schwéger & Melika, S. longinuxi Schwéger & Melika, S. morii Schwéger & Tang, S. nantoui Tang, Schwéger & Melika, S. nichollsi Schwéger & Melika, S. pachylomai Schwéger, Tang & Melika, S. robustus Schwéger & Melika, S. saliciniai Melika, Tang & Schwéger, S. shanzhukui Melika & Tang, S. symbioticus Melika & Schwéger, and S. taitungi Schwéger, Tang & Melika, from the Eastern Palaearctic are described. Descriptions, diagnoses, biology, and host associations for the new species, and a key to Palaearctic Saphonecrus species are given. All new taxa form distinct units as demonstrated by the molecular phylogenetic analyses of Palaearctic Saphonecrus species. The status of some earlier described Saphonecrus species is discussed also. The Synergini genus Lithonecrus Nieves-Aldrey & Butterill, 2014 is synonymized with Lithosaphonecrus Tang, Melika & Bozsó, 2013. Three Saphonecrus species are transferred to Synergus: Synergus brevis (Weld) comb. nova, Synergus hupingshanensis (Liu, Yang & Zhu) comb. nova, and Synergus yukawai (Wachi, Ide & Abe) comb. nova. Synophrus vietnamensis Abe, Ide, Konishi & Ueno is transferred to Lithosaphonecrus: Lithosaphonecrus vietnamensis Abe, Ide, Konishi & Ueno), comb. nova. The current number of valid Saphonecrus species worldwide is 36.