Pest Management Science最新文献

{"title":"Leaf reflectance indices for quantifying Colorado potato beetle damage to potato, Solanum tuberosum (Solanaceae)","authors":"Ikponmwosa Egbon, Aaron Buzza, Andrei Alyokhin","doi":"10.1002/ps.71487","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.71487","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND Rapid response to pests is central to precision agriculture, where measuring crop reflectance may help quantify pest populations. We aimed to determine whether Colorado potato beetle damage changes reflectance of potato plants and, in turn, predict potato yields. Our first greenhouse experiment evaluated changes in canopy reflectance following Colorado potato beetle defoliation and mechanical defoliation on a whole plant. The second experiment was on excised potato leaves. The third experiment tested changes in reflectance due to a commonly used neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid. Additionally, reflectance at varied defoliation levels, and how both reflectance and defoliation predict tuber yields were assessed for two growing seasons in the field. The reflectance indices [the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the normalized difference red edge (NDRE)] were measured with a handheld sensor, defoliation was visually assessed, and tubers were weighed for yield. RESULTS In the greenhouse, leaf damaged by beetle caused significant reduction in NDVI compared to the mechanically damaged plants and the control plants within 1 day due to changes in canopy structure and leaf color, while changes in NDRE were less pronounced. Imidacloprid treatment did not affect NDVI but NDRE was reduced 20 days after planting. In the field, both NDVI and NDRI were predictive of potato yields, which were strongly associated with mid‐season defoliation. CONCLUSION Defoliation by Colorado potato beetle, but not imidacloprid, changed NVDI and, to a smaller extent, NDRE. Both indices predicted potato tuber yields afield, with the stronger relationship detected for NDVI, therefore these indices are useful predictors of Colorado potato beetle damage to potato crops. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.","PeriodicalId":218,"journal":{"name":"Pest Management Science","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149374221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insecticidal gel bait formulations against the poultry litter beetle, Alphitobius diaperinus : integrating toxicological and behavioral analyses","authors":"Vinita Gupta, Dylan Brown, Nobuaki Mizumoto, Arthur Appel, Nannan Liu","doi":"10.1002/ps.71456","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.71456","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND The poultry litter beetle, <jats:italic>Alphitobius diaperinus</jats:italic> , is an important pest of poultry production systems, yet commercial insecticidal gel baits have not been systematically evaluated for its management. We evaluated 10 gel bait formulations against adults from five beetle populations under no‐choice and food‐choice conditions (50 mg formulation per arena), assessing mortality over 14 days (336) h and short‐term bait related and post‐exposure responses in separate behavioral assays. RESULTS Emamectin benzoate and fipronil formulations generally produced the most rapid declines in survival, with LT <jats:sub>50</jats:sub> values commonly near or below 24 h, whereas abamectin B1 showed substantial but greater population‐ and feeding‐dependent variation. Boric acid produced slower, progressive mortality, while several neonicotinoid‐based formulations and indoxacarb produced slower, more variable, or incomplete mortality; for several baits in particular beetle populations, LT <jats:sub>50</jats:sub> was not reached within 336 h. Alternative food generally delayed mortality and increased variability in bait performance. During 8–10 h behavioral observations, imidacloprid produced more frequent behavioral signs of intoxication and knockdown, particularly in the Nash [NC] population (6/15 beetles reached knockdown), whereas only 1/15 boric acid‐exposed beetles in each population reached knockdown despite observed bait interaction. CONCLUSION Gel‐bait performance against adult <jats:italic>A. diaperinus</jats:italic> depends on formulation, population, and feeding context. Integrating mortality kinetics with behavioral observations showed that acute impairment does not necessarily predict longer‐term mortality. These findings identify promising bait formulations for field validation and potential incorporation into poultry integrated pest management programs. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.","PeriodicalId":218,"journal":{"name":"Pest Management Science","volume":"88 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149374242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reduced susceptibility of Cry1Ac ‐ and Cry2Ab ‐resistant Helicoverpa armigera to transgenic Bt maize events and associated changes in midgut receptor gene expression","authors":"Huan Yu, Bing Liu, Guoping Li, Wenhui Wang, Caihong Zhang, Jinrong Tang, Xianming Yang, Zaw Lin Naing, Gemei Liang","doi":"10.1002/ps.71476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.71476","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND Large‐scale cultivation of transgenic Bt crops effectively controls target pests but increases the risk of resistance evolution. Polyphagous pests such as <jats:italic>Helicoverpa armigera</jats:italic> may evolve resistance to Bt crops, and cross‐resistance among Bt proteins could hasten this process. This study evaluated the susceptibility of Cry1Ac‐resistant (BtR1.8, BtR3.6) and Cry2Ab‐resistant (2Ab5.0, 2Ab30) <jats:italic>H</jats:italic> . <jats:italic>armigera</jats:italic> to three Bt maize events (assessed with leaf, silk, and kernel), DBN9936 (expressing Cry1Ab), DBN3601T (Cry1Ab + Vip3Aa), and Ruifeng 125 (Cry1Ab/Cry2Aj). RESULTS Compared with the susceptible 96S strain, both Cry1Ac‐ and Cry2Ab‐resistant strains exhibited significantly reduced susceptibility to all three Bt maize events. In diet‐incorporated bioassays with lyophilized leaf powder, resistance rations based on EC <jats:sub>50</jats:sub> (the concentration preventing 50% of larvae from reaching the third instar within 7 days) ranged from 3.44‐ to 8.84‐fold for Cry1Ac‐resistant strains and from 2.20‐ to 9.53‐fold for Cry2Ab‐resistant strains (&gt;12.81‐fold for 2Ab30 on Ruifeng 125). Bioassays using fresh silk and kernels confirmed significantly lower mortality in resistant strains compared with 96S. Notably, pyramided events (DBN3601T and Ruifeng 125) demonstrated higher insecticidal efficacy against resistant larvae than the single‐trait DBN9936, particularly in strains with lower resistance levels. Following Bt maize consumption, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) analysis revealed significant downregulation of midgut receptor genes, including <jats:italic>ABCC2</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>ABCC3</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>ABCA2</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>APN1</jats:italic> , and <jats:italic>APN2</jats:italic> . Specifically, <jats:italic>ABCC2</jats:italic> was significantly downregulated in Cry1Ac‐resistant strains, and both <jats:italic>ABCC2</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>ABCA2</jats:italic> were downregulated in Cry2Ab‐resistant strains. CONCLUSION These results show that laboratory‐selected Cry1Ac/Cry2Ab‐resistant <jats:italic>H</jats:italic> . <jats:italic>armigera</jats:italic> have reduced susceptibility to Cry1Ab‐expressing maize tissue and to the pyramided events tested. Lower transcript levels of <jats:italic>ABCC2</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>ABCA2</jats:italic> were associated with the resistant phenotypes, but the direct association with the reduced susceptibility was not tested. Because the strains were selected in the laboratory, these findings provide information relevant to, but cannot be directly extrapolated to, insect resistance management strategies for Bt maize in China. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.","PeriodicalId":218,"journal":{"name":"Pest Management Science","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149374223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predator‐associated microbiomes as hidden modulators of pesticide‐compatible biological control in agroecosystems","authors":"Jana Niedobová, Tamara Wijacki, Anna Faltýnková","doi":"10.1002/ps.71483","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.71483","url":null,"abstract":"Beneficial arthropod predators are central components of integrated pest management, yet their performance in crop systems is often variable because predator efficacy depends on interactions among host traits, prey availability, intraspecific and interspecific interactions, pesticide exposure and environmental stressors. Predator‐associated microbiomes, including gut microbiota, tissue‐resident bacteria and facultative or obligate endosymbionts, represent an overlooked functional layer that may influence predator nutrition, stress physiology, reproduction, behaviour, dispersal and pesticide tolerance. This review synthesizes evidence from spiders, ladybird beetles, green lacewings, earwigs and predatory Heteroptera, with emphasis on traits that determine biological pest control under agroecosystem pressure. A central contribution is an evidence hierarchy that distinguishes descriptive, associative, experimental, mechanistic and field‐level evidence. The strongest predator‐specific associations currently come from spiders, where tissue‐resident microbial assemblages have been linked to the spider insecticide survival, predicted detoxification pathways and physiological resilience under chemical stress; however, causal microbial mechanisms remain insufficiently tested. In other predator groups, microbiome‐associated patterns suggest plausible microbial contributions to predator performance, but experimentally validated microbiome‐mediated effects remain limited and are often inferred from symbiont surveys, diet‐induced shifts in predator‐associated microbiomes, reproductive manipulation and functional prediction. We argue that pest management research should move from descriptive microbiome profiling toward causal tests linking microbial taxa and functions to predator performance, pesticide compatibility and field‐scale pest suppression. Incorporating microbiome information and experimentally validated microbial traits into ecotoxicology, mass rearing and conservation biological control could improve the reliability and resilience of predator‐based pest suppression in agricultural landscapes. © 2026 The Author(s). <jats:italic>Pest Management Science</jats:italic> published by John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.","PeriodicalId":218,"journal":{"name":"Pest Management Science","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149374224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis and herbicidal activity of spiro 3‐Acyltetramic acid derivatives as endogenous abscisic acid synthesis regulator and HPPD inhibitors","authors":"Mengjiao Lv, Qikai Zang, Ruixiang Ge, Qing X Li, Pei Lv, Rimao Hua","doi":"10.1002/ps.71470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.71470","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND Potent herbicidal activity of tetramic acid containing compounds call for studying the structure–activity relationship of its derivatives. RESULTS A series of novel 3‐acyl‐5‐spiro tetramic acid derivatives ( C1–C12 , L1–L18 ) were synthesized and evaluated for their herbicidal activities. Herbicidal activity tests showed most compounds exhibited &gt;50% inhibition rate against <jats:italic>Portulaca oleracea</jats:italic> and a certain inhibitory activity against <jats:italic>Echinochloa crusgalli</jats:italic> , comparable to the commercial 2,4‐D. Most L1–L18 compounds had good control efficiencies against <jats:italic>Chenopodium album</jats:italic> under pre‐emergence treatment at 500 g ha <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ; L2 and L3 also exerted outstanding postemergence herbicidal activity against <jats:italic>C. album</jats:italic> , with control rates equivalent to mesotrione. L2 reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in <jats:italic>C. album</jats:italic> and regulated the synthesis of endogenous abscisic acid. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations further verified the stability of the complex formed by compound L2 and <jats:italic>At</jats:italic> HPPD. CONCLUSION The mode‐of‐action and herbicidal activity indicate that L2 is a potential lead compound for further development of novel natural product derived HPPD herbicides. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.","PeriodicalId":218,"journal":{"name":"Pest Management Science","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149374241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nanosilica inhibits development and reproduction by disrupting juvenile hormone biosynthesis and trehalose metabolism in Mythimna separata ","authors":"Yanmei Jia, Chen Jiang, Yi Yan, Huan Zhang, Lei Zhang, Weixiang Lv","doi":"10.1002/ps.71473","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.71473","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND Nanosilica‐induced plant defense responses against herbivorous pests have been extensively documented, the direct effects of nanosilica on insect development and reproduction, together with the underlying mechanisms, remains largely unknown. In this study, we evaluated the effects of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) at three concentrations (50, 100, and 200 mg L <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ) on the development, reproduction, and offspring fitness in <jats:italic>Mythimna separata</jats:italic> , a highly destructive migratory pest. RESULTS Here, we found that exposure to all three MSN concentrations significantly reduced larval survival and impaired both larval development and adult reproduction relative to the control. Transgenerational impairment of offspring development and reproduction was also observed, particularly in the 100 and 200 mg L <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> treatment groups. Transcriptomic analysis and biochemical assays revealed that nanosilica disrupted juvenile hormone (JH) synthesis and trehalose metabolism, leading to lower JH titers, decreased trehalose, glycogen, and triacylglyceride (TAG) contents, smaller lipid droplets, and reduced messenger RNA expression of vitellogenin ( <jats:italic>Vg</jats:italic> ), accompanied by impaired oviposition, including a prolonged preoviposition period, reduced egg production, and a shortened oviposition period. Furthermore, RNA interference‐mediated knockdown of allatotropin ( <jats:italic>AT</jats:italic> ), a key JH biosynthetic gene, significantly decreased JH titers, the levels of trehalose, glycogen, and TAG, and reproductive output through down‐regulating expression of <jats:italic>AT</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>Vg</jats:italic> , and trehalose metabolism genes (including <jats:italic>trehalose</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>glycogenin</jats:italic> ( <jats:italic>GLY</jats:italic> ), <jats:italic>glycogen synthase</jats:italic> ( <jats:italic>GS</jats:italic> ), and <jats:italic>glycogen synthase kinase 3</jats:italic> ( <jats:italic>GSK3</jats:italic> )), suggesting that JH coordinately regulated trehalose metabolism and reproduction in female <jats:italic>M. separata</jats:italic> . <jats:italic>Trehalose</jats:italic> silencing further demonstrated trehalose metabolism directly modulated female reproduction under the condition of nanosilica exposure. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that the JH signaling pathway orchestrates reproductive plasticity in female <jats:italic>M. separata</jats:italic> via trehalose metabolism in response to nanosilica exposure. This advances our understanding of nanosilica‐induced reproductive responses in insects and offer theoretical support for the application of nanosilica in sustainable pest management. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.","PeriodicalId":218,"journal":{"name":"Pest Management Science","volume":"501 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149374222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CYP4G acts beyond the cuticular barrier as a multifunctional regulator coordinating insect development and reproduction","authors":"Huiling Zhou, Shuyan Feng, Chengjun Li, Bin Li","doi":"10.1002/ps.71471","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.71471","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND The insect cytochrome P450 subfamily CYP4G has long been recognized as the terminal oxidative decarbonylase catalyzing cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthesis, and it plays an important role in insecticide tolerance. Whether members of this subfamily also participate in the metabolism of other cuticular constituents or contribute to broader life processes such as postembryonic development and reproduction remains poorly understood. RESULTS We used <jats:italic>Tribolium castaneum</jats:italic> as a model and applied RNA interference‐mediated gene silencing to build a loss‐of‐function model to systematically dissect the biological roles of <jats:italic>TcCYP4G7</jats:italic> . <jats:italic>TcCYP4G7</jats:italic> was markedly enriched in the integument and fat body across all developmental stages. Silencing of <jats:italic>TcCYP4G7</jats:italic> perturbed cuticular chitin metabolism, thinned the cuticle and disorganized its pore canal architecture, thereby lowering body water content under desiccation stress. In parallel, <jats:italic>TcCYP4G7</jats:italic> governed molting and metamorphosis through the 20‐hydroxyecdysone (20E) pathway and modulated reproduction in adult females through the juvenile hormone (JH) pathway. Notably, exogenous 20E injection failed to rescue the pupation defects caused by <jats:italic>TcCYP4G7</jats:italic> depletion. Supplementation with JH substantially ameliorated ovarian atrophy and restored egg laying, yet the resulting eggs remained entirely unable to hatch. CONCLUSION <jats:italic>TcCYP4G7</jats:italic> acts as a multifunctional hub that not only coordinates cuticular metabolism and water balance but also participates in development and reproduction, offering new insights into the functional versatility of insect cuticular metabolic enzymes. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.","PeriodicalId":218,"journal":{"name":"Pest Management Science","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149359541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Host plant species modulate whitefly‐mediated transmission of tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus and viral effects on vector performance","authors":"Yao‐Ji Si, Li‐Wen Wang, Meng‐Xin Hao, Qian‐Zhuo Mao, Jian‐Ping Chen, Jun‐Min Li, Hong‐Wei Shan","doi":"10.1002/ps.71466","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.71466","url":null,"abstract":"Background Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) is an emerging bipartite <jats:italic>Begomovirus</jats:italic> primarily transmitted by the whitefly <jats:italic>Bemisia tabaci</jats:italic> , causing severe yield losses in cucurbit and solanaceous crops. Despite its rapid spread, the differential susceptibility of these crop families and the vector–virus–host interactions driving transmission disparities remain poorly characterized. Results Our field surveys revealed widespread ToLCNDV infection, with high prevalence in cucurbits although infection in solanaceous crops was much less frequent. Subsequent vector transmission experiments demonstrated that <jats:italic>B</jats:italic> . <jats:italic>tabaci</jats:italic> efficiently acquired ToLCNDV from infected melon, tomato and tobacco plants, and that transmission efficiency and viral accumulation were significantly higher in melon plants. Whitefly host adaptability ranked melon &gt; tomato &gt; tobacco, aligning positively with transmission efficiency. Notably, ToLCNDV infection exerted a graded mutualistic effect on whitefly fitness across different plants: survival and reproduction were significantly enhanced on the non‐adaptive host tobacco, reproduction was promoted on the moderately adaptive host tomato, and no significant fitness effects were observed on the highly adaptive host melon. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that differential ToLCNDV transmission on cucurbits <jats:italic>versus</jats:italic> solanaceous crops is collectively shaped by vector host adaptability, host plant antiviral capacity, and virus‐mediated mutualism. Unraveling these mechanisms is crucial for accurately predicting viral epidemic risks and developing effective control strategies. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.","PeriodicalId":218,"journal":{"name":"Pest Management Science","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149359699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Targeting the SCP2 domain of Bx-DAF-22 to identify nematicidal compounds against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.","authors":"Junrui Fu, Zixia Rong, Chaoqiong Liang, Huimin Deng","doi":"10.1002/ps.71468","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.71468","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, causes pine wilt disease (PWD), a devastating forest disease lacking effective and environmentally sustainable control measures. Commercial nematicides face resistance risks and application limitations, demanding novel molecular targets with distinct mechanisms. The thiolase-encoding gene daf-22 participates in ascaroside pheromone biosynthesis, which constitutes a signaling pathway that modulates nematode development in B. xylophilus.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Here, we report that B. xylophilus Bx-DAF-22 uniquely contains a C-terminal sterol carrier protein type-2 (SCP2) domain. In silico molecular docking predicted that the four candidate compounds displayed binding poses and theoretical affinities comparable to those of cholesterol for the SCP2 domain. These small molecules are hypothesized to possess potential competitive binding activity. RNAi-mediated gene knockdown of Bx-daf-22 significantly inhibited nematode growth, reduced neutral lipid accumulation, and increased total cholesterol content in mixed-stage PWN, suggesting a role for this protein in both fatty acid metabolism and sterol homeostasis. Screening an insect SCP2 inhibitor library identified four compounds exhibiting nematicidal activity; at 50 μM for 96 h, all four reduced nematode survival to below 15%. Two compounds (C2 and C3) interacted with recombinant Bx-DAF-22 in 1,8-ANS competitive displacement assays and significantly reduced cholesterol content in vivo.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest that Bx-DAF-22 is a potential molecular target for nematicide discovery, although further rigorous validation is required, and identify two preliminary lead scaffolds from cross-species testing of an insect-derived compound library. Importantly, pharmacological evidence confirming on-target engagement remains absent; substantial structural optimization and multi-level biological validation are needed before any practical consideration against PWD. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":218,"journal":{"name":"Pest Management Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149356999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Design, synthesis and insecticidal activity of isoxazoline derivatives containing a 1,2,4-triazole thioether moiety.","authors":"Xiaolan Ye, Yujia Li, Shunhong Chen, Zhaokai Yang, Jian Wu","doi":"10.1002/ps.71467","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.71467","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Isoxazoline insecticides have attracted considerable attention because of their potent insecticidal activity and potential for further structural optimization.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Using fluxametamide as the lead compound and employing an active substructure hybridization strategy, a total of 28 isoxazoline derivatives (Y1-Y22 and Z1-Z6) were designed and synthesized. Bioassay results showed that several compounds exhibited potential insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella, Spodoptera frugiperda and Ostrinia furnacalis. Specifically, compound Z3 exhibited the lowest nedian lethal concentration (LC₅₀) value against P. xylostella (0.32 μg mL^-1) among the tested compounds, which was lower than that of fluxametamide (LC₅₀ = 1.28 μg mL^-1). Additionally, compound Z2 showed insecticidal activity against S. frugiperda and O. furnacalis, with LC₅₀ values of 1.73 and 1.96 μg mL^-1, respectively. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis suggested that the electronic and steric effects of the substituents were associated with differences in insecticidal activity. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations (MD), density functional theory (DFT) calculations and 3D-QSAR (quantitative SAR) analysis also were used to examine the relationship between the structural features of these compounds and their insecticidal activity, providing preliminary information for subsequent structural optimization.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study showed that isoxazoline derivatives incorporating a 1,2,4-triazole thioether moiety exhibited potential insecticidal activity. In particular, compounds Z2 and Z3 may be considered for further structural optimization. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":218,"journal":{"name":"Pest Management Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149356997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}