Location: Biological Control of Insects Research
Project Number: 5070-30400-001-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated
Start Date: Aug 19, 2025
End Date: Aug 18, 2030
Objective:
Objective 1: Develop strategies to deploy bacterial, fungal, viral and genetic methods to manage insect pests.
Sub-objective 1.A: Characterize the molecular signaling mechanisms underlying agriculturally desirable insect-plant-microbe interactions.
Sub-objective 1.B: Develop and assess the viability and efficacy of microbial-derived pest control methods such as bacterial and yeast sprays, and RNAi-based biopesticide-producing yeasts.
Sub-objective 1.C: Artificial intelligence-based identification of novel insect vectors of viruses for new pest control targets.
Sub-objective 1.D: Develop genetic tools towards the control of agricultural insect pests.
Objective 2: Utilize the olfactory system of insects to manage insect pests.
Sub-objective 2.A: Identify olfactory proteins from the genomes of agriculturally relevant insect pests.
Sub-objective 2.B: Evaluate variation in olfactory gene expression in various life stages, tissues, and interactions of agriculturally relevant pest insects through transcriptomic analyses.
Sub-objective 2.C: Determine the function of olfactory proteins of agriculturally relevant insect pests through production and testing of recombinant protein.
Sub-objective 2.D: Identify molecules that show agonistic or antagonistic activity against insect odorant receptors.
Approach:
1A: Characterize the molecular signaling mechanisms underlying agriculturally desirable insect-plant-microbe interactions.
1B: Develop and assess the viability and efficacy of microbial-derived pest control methods such as bacterial and yeast sprays, and RNAi-based biopesticide-producing yeasts.
1C: Artificial intelligence-based identification of novel insect vectors of viruses for new pest control targets.
1D: Develop genetic tools towards the control of agricultural insect pests.
2A: Sequence the genome of the grape mealybug, Pseudococcus maritimus, and identify members of the olfactory receptor, odorant binding protein and odorant degrading enzyme gene families.
2B: Evaluate the expression of olfactory genes in mealybugs through transcriptomic analyses.
2C: Functionally characterize mealybug olfactory proteins of interest through expression in cell-based or other in-vitro assay systems.
2D: Screen biologically relevant small molecules for activity against a mealybug sex pheromone receptor in cell-based assays.