Location: Office of International Research Engagement and Cooperation
2024 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Discover, identify and initiate the development of new biological control agents for citrus psyllid [NP304, C3, PS 3A]
Sub-objective 1.A: Setup malaise traps to collect insects in representative geographical locations in Yunnan and Guangdong provinces in China.
Sub-objective 1.B: Apply DNA metabarcoding technology for high throughput analysis of the collected samples, establish corresponding DNA barcode database.
Sub-objective 1.C: Use sentinel and wild egg masses/ nymphs of citrus psyllid to examine parasitism and the species composition of natural enemies.
Sub-objective 1.D: Field survey and collecting predators observed to be actively feeding on ACP, and parasitoids emerging from ACP.
Objective 2: Evaluate the biocontrol potential of biocontrol agents of citrus psyllid under laboratory and field conditions and develop the technology of mass rearing. [NP304, C3, PS 3B 3C]
Sub-objective 2.A: Evaluate the biocontrol potential of biocontrol agents of citrus psyllid under laboratory and field conditions.
Suitability and preference of predators.
Sub-objective 2.B: Develop the technology for mass rearing of some biocontrol agents.
Approach
Survey for, collect and identify natural enemies of agricultural and landscape
pests. Make field collections, establish laboratory colonies when needed, and ship candidate agents to the U.S. for further evaluation. Conduct preliminary host specificity tests on promising parasites, predators, and beneficial microorganism. Collect, colonize, and ship to the U.S., candidates found to be safe. Cooperate with USDA and State laboratories in future collections for shipment and evaluation for release. Collect natural enemies attacking pests at differing host densities and climatic zones. All natural enemies selected for shipment will be sent directly to State or Federal quarantine facilities in the U.S. for further evaluation. Both Chinese and American scientists share the same right of obtaining biological control agents collected from the two countries. Assist in obtaining the necessary regulatory agency permissions for exporting live material from China.
Progress Report
Objective 1: Local collaborators and Sino-ABCL research scientists have set up malaise traps in the potato growing areas of Yunnan provinces in China. Yunnan is one of the main potato producing provinces in China. There is rich insect biodiversity in Kunming city in Yunnan, where humid climatic conditions predominate. The potato continuous cropping field was selected as the experimental sites. Insects were sampled using Malaise traps deployed in potato growing areas. Over the 49-week collection period, a total of 249 samples were gathered. Upon returning to the laboratory, the ethanol in the collection bottles was replaced to ensure optimal preservation of the samples for subsequent molecular analysis.
Objective 2: Sino-ABCL started sequencing and DNA metabarcoding the samples collected from potato growing areas. Widespread interest in metabarcoding has resulted in data proliferation and the development of computational tools to aid data analysis. One such tool, mBRAVE, the Multiplex Barcode Research and Visualization Environment, is a data storage and analytics platform with standardized pipelines and a sophisticated web interface designed to transform raw data collected from high throughput sequencing into biological insights. mBRAVE integrates common analytical methods and links to the barcode of life data system (BOLD) for access to reference datasets. The current study analyzed the composition of insect communities in potato growing areas using DNA metabarcoding followed by data analysis on BOLD and mBRAVE. The species revealed by taxonomic sequences matches on BOLD were then searched in the literature to allow their classification into pest, parasitoid, predator, or pollinator. It is a valuable resource for exploring new biological control agents and monitoring invasive pests.
Objective 3: Predators including lady beetle, lacewing and Arma chinensis were collected for the research of predation and evaluation of biocontrol potential as well as synergistic use with insecticides. Sino-ABCL researchers accessed the sensitivity of the predatory A. chinensis and phytophagous Halyomorpha halys to imidacloprid by evaluating respiratory, metabolic, locomotor, and reproductive performance and revealed that H. halys is significantly more sensitive to the insecticide imidacloprid than A. chinensis. The current study suggested its potential safety for A. chinensis as a biological control agent and it was crucial for ensuring compatibility in pest management.
Objective 4: Sino-ABCL researchers continue to develop the technology of mass rearing biological agents. Large numbers of high-quality biological control agents are fundamental prerequisites to successful integration of augmentative biological control and thus, to the success of mass rearing programs. Several predator colonies are maintained in Sino-ABCL, including Arma chinensis , lacewing, and lady beetle. Sino-ABCL researchers developed artificial diets for these predators and improved the rearing apparatus and environmental conditions accordingly. Studies on evaluation of the quality indicators for the mass rearing of biological agents were also conducted.
Accomplishments
1. Using DNA metabarcoding to assess insect diversity in potato growing areas. Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a staple crop important in global food security. However, the insect communities remain poorly characterized. The current study aimed to explore insect diversity in potato fields in Yunnan Province. Five Malaise traps were strategically deployed to capture insect samples. In total, 245 samples were collected over 49 weeks, and DNA metabarcoding was performed on bulk samples. The generated sequences were curated and analyzed using the Barcode of Life Data System and the Multiplex Barcode Research, and Visualization Environment. This research provides valuable insights for barcoding local biodiversity and developing regional reference libraries and presents a comprehensive dataset of insect biodiversity within potato agroecosystems, encompassing 1,707 taxonomic sequences linked to known insect taxa.
2. Analysis of insect biodiversity from four different types of grassland in Inner Mongolia based on DNA metabarcoding. Insects, as an important component of grassland ecosystems, playing a crucial role in maintaining the functionality and stability of grassland ecosystems. The difficulties in insect taxonomy, such as the limitations of traditional morphological methods and the shortage of knowledgeable taxonomists, have been overcome by powerful DNA barcoding tools. The current study conducted an in-depth analysis of insect biodiversity from four different types of grassland in Inner Mongolia based on DNA metabarcoding. This highlights the ongoing need to enhance and expand the DNA barcode reference library. Among the 14 identified arthropod orders, the insect order Diptera is the most detected in all types of grassland. These results indicate that DNA metabarcoding is a valuable tool for improving taxonomic understanding and biodiversity assessment in grassland insect biodiversity monitoring, providing data support for exploration for biological control agents in different types of grasslands.