Push–pull plants in wheat intercropping system to manage Spodoptera frugiperda

Insects rely on chemosensory perception, mainly olfaction, for the location of mates, food sources, and oviposition sites. Plant-released volatile compounds guide herbivorous insects to search for and locate their host plants, further helping them to identify suitable positions for oviposition. The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (S. frugiperda) was found to invade China in 2019 and has since seriously threatened multiple crops, particularly maize and rice. However, the chemical and molecular mechanisms underlying oviposition preference in this pest are not fully understood. Here, the oviposition preference of S. frugiperda on maize and rice plants was investigated.GC-EAD and GC-MS/MS techniques were used to identify the antennally active volatiles from maize and rice plants. The attraction and oviposition stimulation of identified components to female adults were tested in both laboratory and field settings. The odorant receptors (ORs) on female antennae were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and their functions evaluated by RNAi. Ten and eleven compounds of maize and rice plants, respectively, were identified to possess electrophysiological activity from headspace volatiles. Among these compounds, (Z)-3-hexenyl-acetate specifically presented in maize volatiles was found to play a critical role in attracting females and stimulating oviposition compared to rice volatiles. Among the cloned ORs on the antennae of both sexes, SfruOR23 with highly female-biased expression mediated the responses of females to (Z)-3-hexenyl-acetate. Knockdown of SfruOR23 using RNAi markedly reduced the electrophysiological response of female antennae and oviposition preference to the compound.(Z)-3-Hexenyl-acetate is a key volatile mediating the host and oviposition preference of S. frugiperda on maize. The olfactory receptor of (Z)-3-hexenyl-acetate was identified to be SfruOR23, which is mainly expressed in the antennae of S. frugiperda. 

https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12915-023-01642-x

A green leaf volatile, (Z)-3-hexenyl-acetate, mediates differential oviposition by Spodoptera frugiperda on maize and rice

Insects rely on olfaction to guide a wide range of adaptive behaviors, including mate and food localization, mate choice, oviposition site selection, kin recognition, and predator avoidance.1 In nocturnal insects, such as moths2 and cockroaches,3 mate finding is stimulated predominantly by long-range species-specific sex pheromones, typically emitted by females. During courtship, at close range, males in most moth species emit a blend of pheromone compounds from an everted, often large, pheromone gland. While long-distance communication with sex pheromones has been remarkably well characterized in thousands of moth species,2,4 close-range chemosensory sexual communication remains poorly understood. We reveal that in the moth Chloridea virescens, the male pheromone consists of three distinct classes of compounds: de novo biosynthesized alcohols, aldehydes, acetates, and carboxylic acids that resemble the female's emissions; newly identified compounds that are unique to the male pheromone, such as aliphatic polyunsaturated hydrocarbons; and sequestered plant secondary compounds and hormone derivatives, including methyl salicylate (MeSA). Thus, males employ a mosaic pheromone blend of disparate origins that may serve multiple functions during courtship. We show that two olfactory receptors in female antennae are tuned to MeSA, which facilitates female acceptance of the male. Because MeSA is emitted by plants attacked by pathogens and herbivores,5 the chemosensory system of female moths was likely already tuned to this plant volatile, and males appear to exploit the female's preadapted sensory bias. Interestingly, while female moths (largely nocturnal) and butterflies (diurnal) diverged in their use of sensory modalities in sexual communication,6 MeSA is used by males of both lineages. 

A mosaic of endogenous and plant-derived courtship signals in moths

Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a pest with an amazing appetite, damages many crops and causes great losses, especially maize. Understanding the differences in different maize cultivars’ responses to S. frugiperda infestation is very important for revealing the mechanisms involved in the resistance of maize plants to S. frugiperda. In this study, a comparative analysis of two maize cultivars, the common cultivar ‘ZD958’ and the sweet cultivar ‘JG218’, was used to investigate their physico-biochemical responses to S. frugiperda infestation by a pot experiment. The results showed that the enzymatic and non-enzymatic defense responses of maize seedlings were rapidly induced by S. frugiperda. Frist, the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of infested maize leaves were significantly increased and then decreased to the level of the control. Furthermore, compared with the control leaves, the puncture force values and the total phenolics, total flavonoids, and 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one contents of infested leaves were significantly increased within a certain time. The superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities of infested leaves were significantly increased in a certain period of time, while the catalase activities decreased significantly and then increased to the control level. The jasmonic acid (JA) levels of infested leaves were significantly improved, whereas the salicylic acid and abscisic acid levels changed less. Signaling genes associated with phytohormones and defensive substances including PAL4, CHS6, BX12, LOX1, and NCED9 were significantly induced at certain time points, especially LOX1. Most of these parameters changed greater in JG218 than in ZD958. Moreover, the larvae bioassay showed that S. frugiperda larvae weighed more on JG218 leaves than those on ZD958 leaves. These results suggested that JG218 was more susceptible to S. frugiperda than ZD958. Our findings will make it easier to develop strategies for controlling S. frugiperda for sustainable maize production and breeding of new maize cultivars with increased resistance to herbivores.

/pdf/different-responses-of-two-maize-cultivars-to-spodoptera-1lhaor1w.pdf

Different responses of two maize cultivars to Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae infestation provide insights into their differences in resistance

Simple Summary The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith), is an invasive pest that feeds on a wide range of host plants, especially maize, threatening agricultural production and food security in China. Thus, understanding its host plant preferences is of great significance for its population prediction and management. In this study, the oviposition preferences of S. frugiperda on ten special maize and ten common maize varieties were tested, and the larval development, adult reproduction, and population parameters of S. frugiperda were also examined. Generally, S. frugiperda oviposited and completed its life cycle across all maize cultivars. However, S. frugiperda females preferred the special maize varieties over common maize varieties for oviposition. Moreover, faster growth, higher pupal weight, S. frugiperda adult fecundity, net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) occurred on the special maize varieties. However, the lowest oviposition preference, R0, r, λ, and longest T occurred on Zhengdan 958, suggesting that Zhengdan 958 is a less suitable host compared to the other tested maize varieties. Our findings can provide a reference for the detection of population dynamics and rational planting of maize and help to refine laboratory rearing protocols. Abstract Host plants play an important role in the growth, development, and reproduction of insects. However, only a few studies have reported the effects of maize varieties on the growth and reproduction of S. frugiperda. In this study, a free-choice test was used to evaluate the oviposition preferences of female adults on ten common maize varieties and ten special maize varieties. The population fitness of S. frugiperda on six different maize varieties was also examined using the age-stage, two-sex life table method. The results showed that S. frugiperda oviposited and completed its life cycle across all maize cultivars. Moreover, the S. frugiperda females exhibited a significantly higher oviposition preference on the special maize varieties than on the common maize varieties. The highest number of eggs and egg masses occurred on Baitiannuo and the lowest on Zhengdan 958. The egg + larval stage, preadult, pupal stage, adult, APOP, TPOP, and total longevity of S. frugiperda were significantly shorter on the special maize varieties than on the common maize varieties. The fecundity, oviposition days, pupal weight, and hatching rate of S. frugiperda were significantly higher on the special maize varieties than on the common maize varieties. Specifically, S. frugiperda had the highest fecundity, female, and male pupal weight on Baitiannuo. Moreover, the net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) of S. frugiperda were the greatest on Baitiannuo, whereas the shortest mean generation time (T) occurred on Zaocuiwang. The lowest R0, r, and λ, and longest T occurred on Zhengdan 958, suggesting that Zhengdan 958 is a non-preferred host plant compared to the other tested maize varieties. The findings of this study can provide a reference for the rational planting of maize and provide basic scientific information for the management of S. frugiperda.

/pdf/oviposition-preference-and-age-stage-two-sex-life-table-2q2s56rs.pdf

Oviposition Preference and Age-Stage, Two-Sex Life Table Analysis of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Different Maize Varieties

Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a major global pest of many crops, including maize (Zea mays). This insect is known to use host plant-derived volatile organic compounds to locate suitable hosts during both its adult and larval stages, yet the function of individual compounds remains mostly enigmatic. In this study, we use a combination of volatile profiling, electrophysiological assays, pair-wise choice behavioral assays, and chemical supplementation treatments to identify and assess specific compounds from maize that influence S. frugiperda host location. Our findings reveal that methyl salicylate and (E)-alpha-bergamotene are oviposition attractants for adult moths but do not impact larval behavior. While geranyl acetate can act as an oviposition attractant or repellent depending on the host volatile context and (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT) is an oviposition deterrent. These compounds can also be attractive to the larvae when applied to specific maize inbreds. These data show that S. frugiperda uses different plant volatile cues for host location in its adult and larval stage and that the background volatile context that specific volatiles are perceived in, alters their impact as behavioral cues.

Zea mays Volatiles that Influence Oviposition and Feeding Behaviors of Spodoptera frugiperda

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Zea mays Volatiles that Influence Oviposition and Feeding Behaviors of Spodoptera frugiperda