Biological Control最新文献

{"title":"Feeding niches drive different responses to plant defenses in two closely related species of classical biological control herbivores","authors":"Jasleen Kaur ,&nbsp;Lucia Navia ,&nbsp;Emily Kraus ,&nbsp;Octavio Menocal ,&nbsp;Philip G. Hahn","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105794","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105794","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biological invasions threaten global ecosystems and economies, highlighting the need for sustainable management approaches like classical biological control (CBC), which involves releasing natural enemies from their native range. While releasing multiple natural enemies may enhance the CBC effectiveness, their interactions with host plant defenses remain poorly understood. This study explored the interactions between two congeneric specialist herbivores introduced to control <em>Dioscorea bulbifera</em> (air potato) in Florida, USA: <em>Lilioceris cheni</em> (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), primarily a leaf feeder, and <em>L. egena</em>, primarily a bulbil (aerial reproductive structures) feeder. We examined whether foliar herbivory by <em>L. cheni</em> or induced defenses by jasmonic acid (JA) or salicylic acid (SA) influenced <em>L. egena</em>’s feeding behavior and performance on bulbils. We conducted feeding assays to measure bulbil consumption and its relationship with pupal and adult mass as performance indicators. We used dose-dependent assays to test how varying concentrations of diosgenin, a key saponin defense compound in <em>D. bulbifera</em>, influenced the feeding and survival of both beetle species. Results indicated no significant differences in <em>L. egena</em> bulbil feeding across treatments; however, SA-treated plants produced significantly heavier pupae and adults than controls. Dose-response assays revealed non-linear, hump-shaped feeding and survival patterns in <em>L. cheni</em>, while <em>L. egena</em>’s feeding and survival decreased with increasing saponin concentrations. These findings suggest that the beetles respond differently to plant defenses while occupying distinct feeding niches, likely allowing for additive impacts on <em>D. bulbifera</em>. This study contributes to understanding plant defenses in CBC and informs strategies to optimize biocontrol programs for managing invasive species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 105794"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144090629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification and biocontrol of the key pathogenic fungus inhibiting tuber expansion in Rehmannia glutinosa from Henan Province","authors":"Mingzi Shi ,&nbsp;Wang Zhou ,&nbsp;Yikai Zhou ,&nbsp;Yicai Yao ,&nbsp;Yuhe Wang ,&nbsp;Mengxiang Luo ,&nbsp;Sen Zhang ,&nbsp;Yuqi Zhang ,&nbsp;Mingdao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105798","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105798","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Rehmannia glutinosa</em> (<em>R. glutinosa</em>) is a characteristic medicinal crop indigenous to Henan Province, China. The suppression of tuber expansion caused by continuous cropping obstacles (CCOs) remains a persistent challenge in <em>R. glutinosa</em> cultivation. Studies have revealed that CCOs increase the abundance of pathogenic fungi in rhizosphere soil. However, the key pathogenic fungus responsible for CCOs induced tuber growth inhibition in Henan Province remains unidentified<em>.</em> In this study, the key pathogenic fungus was isolated and identified by combining plate co-culture, pot experiments and metagenomic analysis. Further, the antagonistic strain targeting the key pathogenic fungus was obtained using biocontrol strategy. The result indicated that <em>Fusarium oxysporum</em> DC7 (<em>F. oxysporum</em> DC7) could be identified as the key pathogenic fungus. <em>F. oxysporum</em> DC7 significantly inhibited the fresh weight and dry weight of <em>R. glutinosa</em> tubers by 75.64% and 88.97%. Metagenomics analysis revealed that the relative abundance of <em>F. oxysporum</em> obviously enriched in consecutively monoculture rhizosphere soil, which was consistent with the trend of the severity of CCOs. <em>Aspergillus terreus</em> FL13 (<em>A. terreus</em> FL13) was further identified as the antagonistic strain against <em>F. oxysporum</em> DC7. Biocontrol experiments confirmed that <em>A. terreus</em> FL13 effectively alleviated the inhibitory effect induced by <em>F. oxysporum</em> DC7. In addition, <em>F. oxysporum</em> DC7 caused detrimental alterations to the soil microenvironment, leading to significant reductions in total phosphorus and organic matter. <em>A. terreus</em> FL13 exhibited the capacity to restore the compromised soil microenvironment. In conclusion, this study identified the key pathogenic fungus responsible for inhibiting tubers expansion in <em>R. glutinosa</em> cultivated in Henan Province and established an effective biocontrol strategy to mitigate this agricultural challenge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 105798"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144108213","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is pre-emptive classical biological control feasible for Aleurocanthus woglumi in Europe?","authors":"Panagiotis G. Milonas,&nbsp;Maria-Vasiliki Giakoumaki","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105795","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105795","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Citrus blackfly, <em>Aleurocanthus woglumi</em> Ashby (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a major pest of <em>Citrus</em> spp that originated from south-east Asia and spread in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Citrus blackfly has not yet dispersed either in the Mediterranean basin or in Europe where it could become a devastating pest for citrus crops in these areas. It is a regulated quarantine species for the EU. Successful classical biological control programs were implemented in the past in areas invaded by <em>A. woglumi</em>. Therefore, potential biocontrol agents have been identified and could be used for classical biological control in newly invaded areas. European citrus is threatened by the potential introduction of <em>A. woglumi</em> and classical biological control would be an effective mitigation measure should an incursion occurs. With classical biological control programs being notoriously delayed due to necessary risk assessments, the concept of pre-emptive biological control prior to the introduction of an invasive pest enables the deployment of management strategies prior the pest’s introductory phase to enable elimination and/or minimization of its impact on the invaded area. Following specific guidelines that recently became available, we assess the feasibility of pre-emptive biological control for <em>A. woglumi</em>, taking into account the particular characteristics of European agriculture. We focus on two parasitoid species that have been successfully used in the past for classical biological control programs against <em>A. woglumi</em> in other parts of the world. We conclude that pre-emptive biological control for <em>A. woglumi</em> is feasible and citrus industries in Europe and the Mediterranean basin would benefit from it should the introduction of <em>A. woglumi</em> occur.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 105795"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144116815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatial distribution shifts of Batocera horsfieldi (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and its natural enemies in China under climate change: Implications for biological control","authors":"Liang Zhang ,&nbsp;Chaokun Yang ,&nbsp;Ping Wang ,&nbsp;Guanglin Xie ,&nbsp;Wenkai Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105797","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105797","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the increasing impact of climate change on global ecosystems, the ranges of species are undergoing significant changes. The aim of this study was to assess the potential suitable areas for <em>Batocera horsfieldi</em> (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and its natural enemies, <em>Dendrocopos major</em> (Piciformes: Picidae) and <em>Scleroderma guani</em> (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), in the context of climate change and to explore the feasibility of pre-emptive classical biological control strategies. Predictions by ecological niche modelling combined with current and future bioclimatic factors showed that under future climate scenarios, the suitable areas for <em>B. horsfieldi</em> showed a gradual contraction, while the suitable areas for <em>D. major</em> and <em>S. guani</em> were expanding. In addition, by analyzing the overlap of the suitable areas of the three species, we found that in the future, there is a significant spatial overlap in the suitable distribution areas of natural enemies and pests, which provides new possibilities for biological control. This study provides new perspectives for pre-emptive biological control in the future, emphasizes the importance of screening and obtaining approval for releasing natural enemies after the arrival of the pest, especially in the context of the uncertainty caused by climate change, and provides a scientific basis for the development of integrated prevention and management strategies to deal with the threats posed by <em>B. horsfieldi</em> in the future. The results of this study can help to reduce the agro-ecological risks and promote the development of sustainable agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 105797"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144072037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conditioning the biocontrol agent Trissolcus japonicus on rearing hosts and plant-herbivore microcosms affects its foraging behaviour","authors":"Lucrezia Giovannini ,&nbsp;Elena Chierici ,&nbsp;Giuseppino Sabbatini Peverieri ,&nbsp;Pio Federico Roversi ,&nbsp;Gabriele Rondoni ,&nbsp;Eric Conti","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105796","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105796","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pre-adult conditioning on rearing hosts and adult conditioning on plant-herbivore cues can induce phenotypic plasticity in parasitoids. This is particularly important in pre-emptive biocontrol, when parasitoids may be mass reared on alternative hosts prior to the arrival of the target pest. We evaluated how rearing the egg parasitoid <em>Trissolcus japonicus</em> (Ashmed) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) on its exotic target host, <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> (Stål), or on the alternative host, <em>Dolycoris baccarum</em> L. (both Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), affects its foraging behaviour. Parasitoid females were tested naïve (without prior exposure to plant-host cues), or after one week of conditioning on a microcosm consisting of a <em>Vicia faba</em> L. plant continuously exposed to feeding by either stink bug. In the olfactometer, parasitoids reared on <em>H. halys</em> did not respond innately to either microcosm, but conditioned parasitoids were attracted to the same type of microcosm used for conditioning. Parasitoids reared on <em>D. baccarum</em> exhibited innate attraction to the corresponding microcosm, whereas conditioning induced positive response only to <em>H. halys</em>. In arrestment arena, <em>T. japonicus</em> preferred <em>H. halys</em> adult traces, regardless of the rearing host. Further studies should evaluate parasitoid responses in different ecologically relevant scenarios, also considering plants bearing stink bug eggs and the potential oviposition reward for parasitoids during conditioning. Our results suggest that, once pre-release approval is granted, <em>T, japonicus</em> can be reared on the alternative host in preparation for its release at the first detection of the target host, and that prior conditioning on host-associated cues would likely ensure parasitoid long-distance location of the target population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 105796"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144116820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A foliar spray made from two Streptomyces spp suppresses Sclerotinia stem rot on canola and inhibits other fungal pathogens","authors":"Louise F. Thatcher ,&nbsp;Cathryn O’Sullivan ,&nbsp;Cindy Myers ,&nbsp;Nick Pain ,&nbsp;Hudson Coates ,&nbsp;Margaret M. Roper","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An Actinobacteria collection isolated from wheat roots for Fusarium crown rot disease control was screened <em>in vitro</em> and <em>on planta</em> for suppression of fungal pathogens of canola and identified two potent broad-spectrum <em>Streptomyces</em> species strains. Antifungal activity from these strains completely inhibited <em>in vitro</em> growth of <em>Sclerotinia sclerotiorum</em>, both when tested using agar plate competition assays or using culture filtrates derived from liquid cultures. Both strains also inhibited growth of the canola pathogens <em>Leptosphaeria maculans</em> and <em>Rhizoctonia solani</em> in plate assays. Microscopy studies found the <em>Streptomyces</em> sp. strains colonised root and leaf tissues of canola seedlings. In seedling-based studies when applied as a foliar spray, cultures or culture filtrates from both strains prevented development of <em>Sclerotinia</em> leaf lesions. In a mature plant glasshouse pot study, foliar spraying of the cultures or culture filtrates significantly decreased <em>Sclerotinia</em> stem lesion and sclerotia development, with culture filtrates providing a higher level of disease control. In dual sprays applied at two flowering stages, an 87–99 % and 100 % reduction of stem lesions or sclerotia development respectively were recorded on plants sprayed with culture filtrate compared to untreated controls; this was equivalent to disease protection provided by a commercial chemical fungicide control. Grain yields in those treatments increased by 30–49 % relative to controls infected with <em>Sclerotinia</em> without protection. The two <em>Streptomyces</em> sp. strains and their culture filtrates identified in this study have potential for biocontrol applications that maintain or improve crop productivity, reducing the need for chemical disease control in agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 105793"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144072365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Versatile role of Bacillus velezensis: Biocontrol of Fusarium poae and wireworms and barley plant growth promotion","authors":"Magdalena Knežević ,&nbsp;Marina Dervišević ,&nbsp;Marina Jovković ,&nbsp;Galina Jevđenović ,&nbsp;Jelena Maksimović ,&nbsp;Aneta Buntić","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105789","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105789","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The major losses in cereal production are most commonly caused by phytopathogenic fungi and insect larvae, indicating the need for sustainable pest control management. Although bacterial bioinoculants offer an eco-friendly alternative for plant protection and growth promotion (PGP), their effects on <em>Fusaium poae</em> and <em>Agriotes lineatus</em> larvae have not been comprehensively studied yet. To find an effective biological control agent against these pests, <em>Bacillus</em> strains were isolated from soil and tested for PGP and biocontrol traits, including the presence of antibiotic and toxin-coding genes. Out of eleven strains, <em>B. velezensis</em> BHC 5.6 showed a wide range of PGP and biocontrol abilities, while the presence of <em>fenD, bmyB, srfAA, spaS</em> genes was also detected. Only two strains, <em>P. megaterium</em> BHC 5.5 and B. <em>velezensi</em>s BHC 5.6, showed antifungal effect against <em>F. poae</em> with inhibition percentage of 62% and 67%, respectively. The highest insecticidal effect against wireworms was recorded for <em>B. velezensis</em> BHC 5.6 (56.67%) and <em>B. safensis</em> BHC 11.4 (43.33%). The PGP activity of <em>B. velezensis</em> BHC 5.6 was also confirmed in a pot experiment, where an increment of barley yield was recorded both for infected (17.09%) and uninfected barley seeds (10.12%). This is the first time demonstrating that the <em>B. velezensis</em> BHC 5.6 could be used for integrated pest management of <em>F. poae</em> and <em>A. lineatus</em> larvae in barley and for plant growth promoting. Therefore, the implementation of this strain could contribute to the food safety in sustainable agricultural practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 105789"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biological control and mechanism characterization of endophytic Bacillus velezensis SJ22 against bulb rot of Fritillaria taipaiensis P. Y. Li","authors":"Shijie Wang ,&nbsp;Keke Chen ,&nbsp;Mian Wei ,&nbsp;Le Zhou ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Guo ,&nbsp;Jiaxiang Zhang ,&nbsp;Langjun Cui ,&nbsp;Yi Qiang","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105792","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105792","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bulb rot in <em>Fritillaria taipaiensis</em> P. Y. Li, caused by <em>Fusarium</em> spp., is a destructive soil-borne disease that severely affects the yield and quality of <em>F. taipaiensis</em>. Chemical fungicides are currently the primary means of controlling this disease; however, their use poses risks to human health and the environment. Biological control is thus a preferable alternative to counteract the threats associated with pathogens. In this study, an endophytic bacterium, designated SJ22, was isolated from bulb tissue of <em>F. taipaiensis</em>, and it exhibited significant antagonism against <em>Fusarium</em> spp., with inhibition rates on plates ranging from 84.35% to 89.96% and a control rate of 73.38% in pot experiments. Morphological observations and phylogenetic analyses identified the isolate SJ22 as <em>Bacillus velezensis</em>. Furthermore, the antifungal mechanisms of SJ22 include the inhibition of spore germination, alteration of hyphal morphology, and disruption of cell membrane integrity. Its volatile organic compounds exhibited broad-spectrum antifungal activity <em>in vitro</em>, with an inhibition rate of 28.36% to 59.12%, and demonstrated significant control efficacy <em>in vivo</em>. Transcriptome analysis revealed that SJ22 induced systemic resistance in <em>F. taipaiensis</em> by upregulating defense-related genes, primarily through enhancing the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and promoting the salicylic acid/ethylene signaling pathway to induce the production of pathogenesis-related proteins and increase the activity of defense-related enzymes. In summary, we isolated an endophytic bacterium that exerts its biocontrol function through both inhibiting pathogen growth and inducing resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 105792"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Whole genome analysis of antagonistic and plant growth promoting Bacillus halotolerans KFD uncovers its molecular arsenal against the bayoud pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp albedinis","authors":"Aliou Moussa Diouf ,&nbsp;Abdou Lahat Mbaye ,&nbsp;Maimouna Deh ,&nbsp;Mustapha Barakate ,&nbsp;Zineb Rchiad","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105790","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105790","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The bayoud disease stands as a serious threat to date palm cultivation and production in North Africa, particularly in Morocco. Biocontrol agents constitute an eco-friendly alternative solution to this problem, as breeding techniques or the use of chemical pesticides did not yield promising results, leading farmers to burn infected trees to limit the pathogen propagation. In this frame, we screened different bacteria isolated from date palm root surface for their potential to inhibit the pathogen <em>F. oxysporum</em> f.sp. <em>albedinis</em> (Foa). Out of forty tested isolates, one isolate showed promising results against Foa and exhibited as well broad-spectrum antifungal properties. Moreover, this isolate showed plant growth promotion (PGP) traits. We also conducted a greenhouse assay to evaluate the protective effect of our isolate. The result showed that our isolate effectively protected date palm seedlings against Foa. The genome characterization showed that our isolate has a genome size of approximately 3.9 MB and belongs to <em>Bacillus halotolerans</em>. We annotated 11 secondary metabolite gene clusters encompassing six known antifungal clusters, namely bacillibactin, bacilysin, bacillaene, fengycin, surfactin, and plipastatin. Moreover, we identified genes that encode carbohydrate-active enzymes involved in chitinase activities as well as the degradation of glucan in fungal cell walls. The screening of genes linked to plant growth promotion identified genes involved in phosphate metabolism,  indole-3-acetic acid and siderophore production<em>,</em> and free nitrogen fixation.</div><div>Our results show that <em>B. halotolerans</em> KFD represents a potential biocontrol agent that could be used to manage bayoud disease and promote the growth of date palm. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to isolate and decipher the genomic features of a <em>B. halotolerans</em> strain from the rhizosphere of date palm.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 105790"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144108214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of biological control on pest survival and Aspergillus flavus in two stored maize genotypes","authors":"J. Parsons ,&nbsp;M.S. Lopes ,&nbsp;Monica Mezzalama ,&nbsp;J. Riudavets","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105791","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105791","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During storage, maize is attacked by various insect pests that damage its seeds and reduce their quality. A promising approach to control these pests is the use of natural enemies. However, there is limited knowledge about how natural enemies interact with different maize genotypes or generations. Additionally, the presence of storage pests often creates favorable conditions for <em>Aspergillus flavus</em>, one of the most common storage fungi. This study evaluates the biological control of three common storage pests: <em>Sitotroga cerealella, Sitophilus zeamais,</em> and <em>Oryzaephilus surinamensis</em>, by their respective natural enemies: <em>Blattisocius tarsalis, Anisopteromalus calandrae,</em> and <em>Cephalonomia tarsalis.</em> It examines how these biocontrol agents impact pest survival, kernel damage and <em>A. flavus</em> conidia count. These traits are compared across two commercial maize genotypes: a transgenic genotype expressing the insecticidal Cry1Ab protein and its non-transgenic near-isoline counterpart. Commercial seeds are used for both genotypes (F1), along with seeds obtained from field-grown transgenic and near-isoline plants (F2). Our findings demonstrated that natural enemies effectively reduced pest populations and pest-induced kernel damage, particularly in the F2 transgenic genotypes. The presence of <em>A. flavus</em> increased with kernel damage and rising pest populations; however, natural enemies suppressed fungal activity by reducing pest numbers, thereby improving kernel quality. Overall, these findings support the potential of an integrated pest management strategy combining transgenic resistance with biological control to manage pests and <em>A. flavus</em>, thus enhancing maize quality and safety during storage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 105791"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}