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10-Minute Paper

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

PBT: Toxicology

Development of novel insect control tools for sucking insect pest of cotton (Phenacoccus solenopsis) by the exploitation of naturally occurring bioactive genes in the female reproductive secretions of parasitic Hymenoptera

Sunday, November 5, 2023
1:54 PM - 2:06 PM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Maryland 3-4
In-Person
“Bioinsecticides” are biologically based toxins that in contrast to broad-spectrum chemical pesticides, can target specific pest species and reduce adverse impacts on food safety, non-target organisms, and the environment. These may be biocontrol and natural products from organisms such as parasitic wasps that prey upon and suppress important pest insects. A host-parasitoid relationship between Cotton mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae) (an important sucking insect pest of cotton, causing significant crop losses in Pakistan) and its parasitoid, Aenasius arizonensis (Girault) (=Aenasius bambawalei Hayat) (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae) was investigated with the objective of those reproductive secretions of female parasitic wasp injected at oviposition in their host insects is a rich source of toxic/virulent genes for the development of novel insect control tools through integrated approaches of functional and molecular studies. Isolated immunosuppressive bioactive genes were found to be involved in paralysis, and developmental arrest of the host insects, therefore, this preliminary work provides a baseline study for further in-depth analysis of bioactive genes through an integrated approach of functional, molecular, genomics, and proteomics of bioactive peptides. The experimental approach of our work has generated novel information of key importance for opening new frontiers in the field of sustainable insect control programs.