Frontiers in insect science最新文献

{"title":"Short-term temperature fluctuations show minimal effects on worker gut microbiota in <i>Bombus terrestris</i> under controlled conditions.","authors":"Nuria Blasco-Lavilla, Andrés García-Reina, Alejandro López-López, Pilar De la Rúa","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1867923","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1867923","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Insect symbionts are key contributors to many physiological traits of their hosts. The bumblebee microbiota is mainly composed of a few taxa that, although not necessary for their survival, present a long history of coevolution with their hosts, and contribute to their nutrition and defense against pathogens. Mutualistic interactions with endosymbionts can be affected by environmental factors, such as temperature. Bumblebees have the particularity of thermoregulating their nests, which might help the maintenance of these mutualisms. The aim of this study was to analyze how environmental temperature stress affects bumblebee's microbiota composition both within the nest environment and without the effect of colony thermoregulation. We exposed <i>Bombus terrestris</i> workers to environmental temperatures of 9 or 38 °C (within the range of temperatures of the species habitat) for five days, both within their original colonies and in small microcolonies. Then, we returned all workers to 28°C (control temperature) for five additional days to study if microbiota composition could be restored after thermal stress in case of changes. Analyses of microbiota composition indicated that temperature treatment had a significant effect on the workers, whereas the colony environment had a significant effect on the workers after the recovery period. <i>Post-hoc</i> analyses indicated that the heat treatment had a greater effect on microbiota composition than the cold treatment, but none of them were significant. Our results point to a robustness of bumblebee microbiota to temperature changes. Bumblebee symbionts could have adapted to temperature changes as a result of their exposure to very variable temperatures during queen hibernation, foraging, brood incubation and <i>ex vivo</i> phases outside nests.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"6 ","pages":"1867923"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13562292/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148957798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Tropilaelaps mercedesae</i>: an emerging global threat to apiculture - a comprehensive review.","authors":"Mojtaba Esmaeily, Sunho Kwon, Esmaeil Babaeian, Chuleui Jung","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1871985","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1871985","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Honey bees (<i>Apis</i> spp.) are key pollinators in agricultural and natural ecosystems; however, their populations are declining due to multiple interacting stressors and their synergistic effects, including parasitic mites. While <i>Varroa destructor</i> is widely recognized as the primary global driver of colony losses, mites of the genus <i>Tropilaelaps</i>, particularly <i>Tropilaelaps mercedesae</i>, are emerging as a serious and still underestimated threat. Native to Asia and naturally associated with wild hosts such as <i>Apis dorsata</i>, <i>T. mercedesae</i> has successfully transitioned to managed <i>Apis mellifera</i> colonies and is now widespread across much of Asia. Recent reports from Central Asia and the Caucasus and western Eurasian regions (including Georgia and Russia) indicate that this species is undergoing an ongoing westward expansion toward Europe. Its biological traits-including an extremely short reproductive cycle, obligate dependence on sealed brood, high dispersal capacity, and the potential to transmit viruses such as deformed wing virus (DWV)-facilitate rapid population growth and severe colony-level damage, particularly in <i>A. mellifera</i>, which lacks effective behavioral defenses against this mite. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the taxonomy, morphology, life cycle, host-parasite interactions, geographic distribution, and spread of <i>Tropilaelaps</i> mites, with emphasis on <i>T. mercedesae</i>. It also evaluates available diagnostic approaches, including brood-based methods, adult bee-based methods, and natural mite-fall techniques. Furthermore, evidence on chemical and biotechnical control strategies is summarized, and their strengths, limitations, and integration within an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) framework are discussed. Overall, current findings highlight the urgent need to strengthen surveillance, standardize diagnostic protocols, and develop sustainable control strategies to prevent the global spread of <i>Tropilaelaps</i> mites.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"6 ","pages":"1871985"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13555608/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148922500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The efficacy of commercially available essential oil-based candles as spatial repellents against <i>Aedes aegypti</i> mosquitoes - do they actually repel?","authors":"April D Lopez, Claudia J Galvan, F Omar Holguin, Christopher J Sroka, Immo A Hansen","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1917728","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1917728","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Spatial mosquito repellents contain volatile compounds that disrupt mosquito host seeking behavior. Some essential oils have been shown to be effective spatial repellents against biting insects. In this study, we acquired seven batches of commercially available candles containing mixtures of essential oils. Six of these candle labels claim that they repel mosquitoes. We used a taxis cage assay to evaluate the spatial repellency against <i>Aedes aegypti</i> mosquitoes of these and two control candles without essential oils. We used Headspace Solid-phase Microextraction Gas Chromotography-Mass Spectrometry analysis to identify a putative list of volatile organic compounds emitted by heated candle wax. We subsequently correlated individual compounds with spatial repellency. Three types of candles, containing mixtures of various essential oils, showed strong repellent efficacy compared to the controls, while the other three types did not produce significant repellency. The volatile organic compound composition varied between the different types of candles. Candles that were efficient mosquito repellents contained relatively high concentrations of essential oils. We identified several volatile organic compounds that are positively associated with mosquito repellency. The results of this study show that the efficacy of essential oil-based candles as mosquito repellents is based on their formulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"6 ","pages":"1917728"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13555344/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148922451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thermal performance curves and age-stage, two-sex life table of <i>Dermatophagoides farinae</i> (Acari: Pyroglyphidae): baseline data for climate change impact assessment.","authors":"Zhimin Xu, Xu Zhang, Zhibin Lin, Huiquan Lin, Yongwen Lin, Haiming Cai","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1913734","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1913734","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>House dust mites (HDMs) are major indoor allergens worldwide, with <i>Dermatophagoides farinae</i> being one of the most prevalent species. Temperature is a key driver of mite development, but the thermal biology of HDMs remains poorly characterized. Despite the medical importance of house dust mites, comprehensive thermal performance data across ecologically relevant temperature ranges remain limited, particularly for upper thermal thresholds that will become increasingly relevant under climate warming.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We evaluated the development, survival, and fecundity of <i>D. farinae</i> under five constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C) at 75 ± 5% relative humidity using the age-stage, two-sex life table framework.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Developmental duration decreased significantly from 15 to 30°C but increased at 35°C due to thermal inhibition. The shortest pre-adult development time was 19.14 days at 30°C, while the longest was 68.98 days at 15°C. Egg-to-adult survival was highest at 25°C (88.6%) and lowest at 35°C (35.7%). The net reproductive rate (R₀) peaked at 25°C (33.96 offspring per female), whereas the intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) was highest at 30°C (0.0598 day^-1), reflecting the differential contributions of fecundity versus developmental speed to population performance. <i>D. farinae</i> exhibits optimal development at 25-30°C, with severe thermal stress above 35°C.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These baseline thermal performance data provide essential parameters for population models aimed at assessing climate change impacts. Our results suggest that climate warming may initially increase HDM populations in temperate regions but could restrict their distribution in areas where thermal thresholds are exceeded. These findings provide baseline data for assessing allergen exposure risks under future climate scenarios.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"6 ","pages":"1913734"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13534001/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148882160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Screening, optimization and artificial recombination of dsRNA fragments for RNAi-mediated pest resistance in <i>Apolygus lucorum</i>.","authors":"Juan Luo, Qianqian Guo, Ruyi Hu, Mengjun Zhang, Guirong Wang, Bin Yang","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1912427","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1912427","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>RNA interference (RNAi) is an eco-friendly strategy for pest management, with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as the core functional component. In this study, three RNAi target genes (<i>Ubx</i>, <i>wupA</i> and <i>Dpp</i>) with strong lethal effects on <i>Apolygus lucorum</i> were screened via microinjection. The 7-day cumulative mortalities were 56.67 ± 3.33% for ds<i>Ubx</i>, 94.44 ± 1.11% for ds<i>wupA</i> and 92.22 ± 1.11% for ds<i>Dpp</i>. We optimized dsRNA sequences by removing conserved sequences in non-target organisms based on homology alignment and off-target risk analysis. The optimized fragments <i>dswupA-OTE</i> and <i>dsDpp-OTE</i> still exhibited high insecticidal activity, with 7-day cumulative mortalities of 77.78 ± 2.94% and 70.00 ± 1.93%, respectively. We also evaluated the effects of dsRNA length and target sites on RNAi efficiency and screened potent short dsRNA fragments. Novel artificially recombinant dsRNAs were constructed by assembling effective short fragments from different genes, which retained strong insecticidal activity despite shorter sequence length. This study verifies the feasibility of multi-target recombinant dsRNA for pest control and provides a theoretical basis for developing multi-gene RNAi technologies against <i>A. lucorum</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"6 ","pages":"1912427"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13529733/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148877140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"No single host is optimal: effects of fruit species on development and adult performance in <i>Anastrepha fraterculus</i> (Diptera: Tephritidae).","authors":"Franco Pacelli, María Josefina Ruiz, Francisco Devescovi, Ana Laura Nussenbaum, Micaela Soledad Garbalena, Guillermo Enrique Bachmann, Fabián Horacio Milla, María Teresa Vera, Diego Fernando Segura","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1832786","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1832786","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Many phytophagous insects develop within discrete and non-renewable resources, such as fruits, making host choice a critical determinant of offspring performance. In tephritid fruit flies, host fruit quality can strongly influence development, survival, and adult reproductive traits, yet no single host may optimize all life-history parameters. Here, we evaluated the effects of six host fruit species-native and exotic-on larval development and adult performance of the South American fruit fly <i>Anastrepha fraterculus</i>, a highly polyphagous and economically important pest. Under controlled laboratory conditions, we quantified developmental time, pupal survival, adult size, ovary development, male sexual maturation, and starvation resistance. Host species significantly affected all measured traits, revealing pronounced trade-offs among life-history parameters. Guava, a native host, supported the fastest larval development but produced smaller adults with reduced ovary development and lower starvation resistance. Feijoa, another native host, behaved similarly to guava, although pupal mortality was higher and sexual maturation faster than in guava. Peach and plum consistently yielded larger adults with well-developed ovaries and higher overall performance, whereas loquat generally resulted in poorer outcomes across several traits. Grapefruit induced prolonged larval development but promoted early male sexual maturation. Heatmap and PCA analyses confirmed that no single host maximized performance across all traits. These results challenge the assumption that native hosts necessarily confer superior fitness and suggest a decoupling between host use in nature and host suitability under laboratory conditions. Our findings highlight the complexity of host-insect interactions in polyphagous fruit flies and suggest that different host species may be selectively advantageous depending on ecological context and demographic needs. Understanding these trade-offs is essential for predicting population dynamics and improving integrated management strategies for <i>A. fraterculus</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"6 ","pages":"1832786"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13526955/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148868749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative transcriptomic analysis of functional and metabolic changes in mass-reared and wild <i>Anastrepha ludens</i> Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae).","authors":"Carlos Eduardo Aguilar-Castillo, Obdulia Lourdes Segura-León, Juan Cibrián-Tovar, Héctor González-Hernández, Juan Núñez-Farfán, Brenda Torres-Huerta","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1913379","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1913379","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Mass rearing for the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) may induce transcriptomic changes that influence post-release performance. We compared head transcriptomes of two mass-reared <i>Anastrepha ludens</i> strains, Bisexual and Tap-7, with wild individuals associated with their preferred natural host, sweet orange.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>RNA-seq data were analyzed to assess transcriptomic differentiation, differential gene expression, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, and chemosensory gene expression profiles among the three groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Principal component analysis clearly separated the mass-reared strains from wild host-associated individuals. More than 1,300 differentially expressed genes were identified per strain, with gene repression predominating and enrichment of functions related to translation, cellular energy metabolism, RNA processing, and metabolic regulation. Both mass-reared strains shared signatures of metabolic adjustment but also displayed strain-specific patterns. The Bisexual strain showed signatures associated with stress response, immunity, and mitochondrial quality control, whereas Tap-7 showed enrichment of pathways related to calcium regulation, secretion, detoxification, and folate metabolism. Both strains also exhibited reorganization of chemosensory gene expression, including conservation of receptors and co-receptors such as <i>Ir25a, Ir68b, Ir85a, Or74a</i>, and <i>SNMP1</i>, together with convergent downregulation of odorant-binding proteins, particularly <i>Obp56a</i>-like and members of the <i>Obp99</i> clade.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These results indicate that mass-reared <i>A. ludens</i> strains exhibit a distinct head transcriptomic state relative to wild host-associated flies. The shared and strain-specific expression patterns suggest that mass rearing may be associated with metabolic and sensory changes relevant to post-release performance. The identified sensory and metabolic markers provide candidates for future behavioral, electrophysiological, and physiological evaluation of fruit fly strains used in SIT programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"6 ","pages":"1913379"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13527029/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148868751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Salivary gland microbiome of <i>Anopheles gambiae</i>: a mini-review of acquisition, composition, and functional significance.","authors":"Celestina O Olafusi, Israel S Afolabi, Olubanke O Ogunlana","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1911294","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1911294","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The salivary gland (SG) is the final barrier for <i>Plasmodium</i> transmission to humans but remains comparatively understudied relative to the midgut microbiome. This review synthesizes current knowledge on SG microbiome acquisition routes, composition, and functional significance. Acquisition may occur via larval filter feeding, vertical (egg smearing), transstadial, or horizontal transmission during blood feeding, though their relative contributions are unknown. Compositional studies show Gram-negative genera <i>Serratia</i>, <i>Elizabethkingia</i>, <i>Acinetobacter</i>, <i>Pseudomonas</i>, and <i>Asaia</i> predominate; <i>Plasmodium</i> infection correlates with increased <i>Serratia</i> and decreased <i>Elizabethkingia</i> abundance. While immune-related genes (e.g., cecropins, defensin, GNBP, SRPN6) expressed in the SG may be modulated by resident bacteria, direct evidence of their effect on sporozoite invasion remains lacking. Gram-negative bacteria trigger Toll, Imd, and JAK-STAT pathways, but emerging evidence suggests the SG may mount a distinct, locally independent immune response compared to the systemic pathway. Paratransgenesis using <i>Asaia</i> shows promise, yet SG-targeted effector delivery remains untested. Ecological pressures common in West Africa, including agricultural pesticides, insecticide resistance, and larval water contamination, may influence mosquito-associated bacteria, but no studies explicitly link these to the SG microbiome. Significant knowledge gaps persist, notably the absence of field studies in high-burden regions like Nigeria and the lack of experimental manipulation to establish causality. Addressing these priorities is critical to determine whether the SG microbiome can be exploited as a transmission-blocking target.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"6 ","pages":"1911294"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13527467/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148868803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel dsRNA designs increase the stability and bioefficacy of RNAi-based pesticides for <i>Varroa destructor</i>.","authors":"Biko K Muita, James E Damayo, Emily J Remnant, Neil A Smith, Ian K Greaves, Amol B Ghodke, Nagalingam Kumaran, John M K Roberts","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1868457","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1868457","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Varroa destructor</i> is a major global pest of the European honey bee, and RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a promising technology for the development of effective control tools. However, the efficacy of RNAi-based approaches remains highly variable, due in part to the rapid degradation and inefficient delivery of exogenously applied double stranded RNA (dsRNA) This study investigated whether advanced dsRNA molecular designs could improve dsRNA stability, processing, and biological outcomes in the honey bee-<i>Varroa</i> mite pathosystem. Loop-ended dsRNA (ledRNA) constructs incorporating either G-U wobble base-pairing or asymmetric bulge modifications were designed to target two <i>Varroa</i> genes: the chitin-binding protein <i>Peritrophin-A-like (Pero)</i> and the neuropeptide crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (<i>CHH</i>). Stability assays, immersion and indirect feeding bioassays, and small RNA sequencing were used to evaluate dsRNA persistence, RNAi activity, and biological efficacy compared to conventional dsRNA. The advanced designs exhibited double the stability in sucrose feeding solutions and within adult bees compared with conventional dsRNA. In immersion and indirect feeding bioassays, these designs produced variable but enhanced effects on target gene silencing (~36-86% reduction) and mite mortality (~32-56% increase) when compared with conventional dsRNA. Small RNA sequencing revealed effective processing of the advanced dsRNA designs, with complete siRNA coverage of the target region, 22-24 nt peak size classes and antisense strand bias. Together, these results demonstrate that advanced dsRNA molecules have increased stability, effective processing, and strong efficacy in <i>V. destructor</i> under laboratory conditions, supporting further investigation of structurally optimized dsRNA designs for field hive applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"6 ","pages":"1868457"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13527466/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148868781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Traits analysis of an aphid-killing <i>Pantoea agglomerans</i> strain for use in biological control.","authors":"Alisa Hamidović, Nell Ghisdal, Linda Dhondt, Inès Pons, Thomas Dagbert, Mey Jerbi, Jérôme Ambroise, Bertrand Bearzatto, Jean-Luc Gala, Thierry Hance, François Renoz","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1896449","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2026.1896449","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In crop pest control, microbial bioinsecticides are considered promising for overcoming the critical limitations of traditional chemical pesticides regarding environmental and health impact. In this study, we report a strain of <i>Pantoea</i> agglomerans (ELIV) lethal to black bean aphid Aphis fabae: we investigated the effects of this bacterium on aphids and host plants to test its potential as a natural insecticide.</p><p><strong>Methods and results: </strong>We found that the entomopathogenic properties of <i>P. agglomerans</i> ELIV occur only through ingestion via oral infection assays, with no pathogenicity by contact observed via spraying tests. The bacterium does not appear to circulate within the plant after watering, remaining at the root level and having only slight effects on tested plant growth parameters. Genome analysis of <i>P. agglomerans</i> ELIV reveals its richness in genes encoding virulence factors, particularly iron-chelating siderophores, possibly explaining its ability to rapidly kill infected insects.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Overall, our results present the strengths and limitations of the species <i>P. agglomerans</i> for the development of new bioinsecticides. Although the use of <i>P. agglomerans</i> may be of limited interest for controlling piercing-sucking insects as they feed internally, it may be relevant against chewing insect pests, e.g. lepidopteran caterpillars and beetles.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"6 ","pages":"1896449"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13522146/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148852268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}