Knockdown of the ecdysone receptor disrupts development and causes mortality in the melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae.

Autor: Ahmad S; School of Plant Protection, Department of Pesticide Science, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China., Jamil M; School of Plant Protection, Department of Pesticide Science, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China., Jaworski CC; Université Côte d'Azur, INRAE, UMR ISA, Nice, France., Wu Y; School of Plant Protection, Department of Pesticide Science, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China., Palma-Onetto V; Departamento de Química Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile., Lyu B; Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Haikou, China., Luo Y; School of Plant Protection, Department of Pesticide Science, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Insect molecular biology [Insect Mol Biol] 2023 Dec; Vol. 32 (6), pp. 738-747. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Aug 30.
DOI: 10.1111/imb.12867
Abstrakt: Cucurbits are important economic plants that are attacked by numerous pests, among which the melon fly Zeugodacus cucurbitae is extremely problematic. New sustainable pest control strategies are necessary to replace chemical insecticides that are harmful to the environment, human health and nontarget species. The RNA interference (RNAi) technology is one of the most promising tools due to high efficiency and species specificity. We developed an RNAi strategy targeting the ecdysone receptor (ECR) of Z. cucurbitae, which plays an important role in moulting and reproduction. We identified, described and isolated the ECR gene of Z. cucurbitae and measured its expression pattern across developmental stages and tissues. ZcECR knockdown via dsZcECR ingestion caused a significant larval mortality and abnormal phenotypes in pupae and adults. About 68% of larvae fed with a dsZcECR-treated diet failed to enter the pupal stage and died. In addition, ZcECR knockdown dramatically reduced pupal weight (by 3.24 mg on average) and fecundity (by about 23%). RNAi targeting the ECR gene is therefore a promising method to control Z. cucurbitae, paving the way for the development of novel sustainable and highly specific control strategies.
(© 2023 Royal Entomological Society.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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