| Popis: |
Insects from several taxonomic orders migrate to resource-rich habitats during unfavorable conditions in their current environment. The silver Y moth, Autographa gamma is a migratory moth and pest on a wide range of cultivated crops. We give a brief review on the life cycle, seasonal migration and chemical communication of the moth. Moreover, we present A. gamma trapping data recorded in pea fields of Southern Sweden and illustrate infestation of field-collected larvae by parasitoids as a group of natural enemies. Finally, we discuss the need of a better understanding on the odour-mediated host plant choice and mate finding of A. gamma and suggest transcriptomic studies and functional characterization of chemosensory receptor genes to understand how their expression governs chemoreception and behavior. Innovative chemo-ecological research and a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying migration, mate- and host finding might lead to the improvement of sustainable methods for control of A. gamma as an important agricultural pest. |
