• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.131-137
• /
• 2009

Plant defensins are small (5-10 kDa) basic peptides thought to be an important component of the defense pathway against fungal and/or bacterial pathogens. To understand the role of plant defensins in protecting plants against the brown planthopper, a type of insect herbivore, we isolated the Brassica rapa Defensin 1 (BrD1) gene and introduced it into rice (Oryza sativa L.) to produce stable transgenic plants. The BrD1 protein is homologous to other plant defensins and contains both an N-terminal endoplasmic reticulum signal sequence and a defensin domain, which are highly conserved in all plant defensins. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of the defensin domain of various plant defensins, we established that BrD1 belongs to a distinct subgroup of plant defensins. Relative to the wild type, transgenic rices expressing BrD1 exhibit strong resistance to brown planthopper nymphs and female adults. These results suggest that BrD1 exhibits insecticidal activity, and might be useful for developing cereal crop plants resistant to sap-sucking insects, such as the brown planthopper.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.125-133
• /
• 2015

Entomopathogenic fungi have been studied to develop for biological control agents as an alternative to chemical control agents in insect pest management. Two Lepidopteran insects, Spodoptera exigua and Plutella xylostella, are serious insect pests infested various crops, but not effectively controlled by commercial chemical pesticides due to its high insecticide resistance. A fungal isolate was isolated from S. exigua larvae collected from green onion field in Andong, Korea. To identify the fungal isolate, 18srRNA sequence for internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and ${\beta}$-tubulin regions were sequenced. The ITS and ${\beta}$-tubulin sequence were highly matched to Beauveria bassiana and morphological characteristics also was fit to known B. bassiana. Finally, isolated fungus has identified as B. bassiana and named B. bassiana ANU1. The result of bioassay, median lethal concentrations were $2.7{\times}10^3$ and $0.9{\times}10^3conidia/ml$ and medial lethal times were 65.6 and 60.8 h to S. exigua and P. xylostella, respectively. B. bassiana ANU1 showed high pathogenicity to two insect pests from $20^{\circ}C$ to $30^{\circ}C$ at 50% relative humidity (RH) and more than 40% RH at $25^{\circ}C$ with $10^7conidia/ml$ of concentration.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.19-28
• /
• 2017

Polydnaviruses (PDVs) are a group of double-stranded DNA viruses symbiotic to some endoparasitoid wasps. Cotesia plutellae bracovirus (CpBV) is a PDV symbiotic to an endoparasitoid wasp, C. plutellae, parasitizing young larvae of Plutella xylostella. An early expressed gene, CpBV-ELP1, plays an important role in the parasitism by suppressing host cellular immunity by its cytotoxic activity against hemocytes. This study aimed to test its oral toxicity against insect pest by expressing it in a recombinant tobacco plant. A recombinant CpBV-ELP1 protein was produced using a baculovirus expression system and secreted to cell culture medium. The cell cultured media were used to purify CpBV-ELP1 by a sequential array of purification steps: ammonium sulfate fractionation, size exclusion chromatography, and ion exchange chromatography. Purified rCpBV-ELP1 exhibited a significant cytotoxicity against Spodoptera exigua hemocytes. CpBV-ELP1 was highly toxic to the fifth instar larvae of S. exigua by injection to hemocoel. It also showed a significant oral toxicity to fifth instar larvae of S. exigua by a leaf-dipping assay. CpBV-ELP1 was cloned into pBI121 vector under CaMV 35S promoter with opaline synthase terminator. Resulting recombinant vector (pBI121-ELP1) was used to transform Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404. The recombinant bacteria were then used to induce callus of a tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum Xanthi) leaves and subsequent generation (T1) plants were selected. T1 generation tobacco plants expressing CpBV-ELP1 gave significant insecticidal activities against S. exigua larvae. These results suggest that CpBV-ELP1 gene can be used to control insect pests by constructing transgenic crops.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.53-57
• /
• 1999

Simple diagnostic kits for monitoring insecticide susceptibility of beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hiibner) were developed and applied to the field populations. The operation of the kits was based on the correlations between enzyme activities of esterase (EST) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and the insecticide susceptibilities. Four different kinds of diagnostic kits (ED, EM, AD, and AM) were designed and classified by diagnostic enzymes (E for esterases and A for acetylcholinesterase) and inhibitors (D for dichlorvos and M for monocrotophos). Diagnostic inhibitor concentrations were 1 mM for ED, 10 mM for EM, 100 mM for AD, and 100 mM for AM. Resistant larvae which were not inhibited by the diagnostic amounts of insecticides developed positive staining (red color), but susceptible~ s howed negative (no color). An insect was used for both EST and AChE diagnostic kits, but different in their samples: hemolymph for EST and the head for AChE. These four diagnostic kits were applied to 1 1 different populations which showed variations of insecticide susceptibilities. Four kits were different in the capability discriminating the insecticide susceptibilites according to insecticides: ED to bifenthrin, AD to methomyl, and ED and AM to chlorpyrifos-methyl. These diagnostic devices can be used for insecticide-resistance management program for this insect pest. It also provide a technical guide to insect pest management for farmers, directors, and researchers.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.56 no.4
• /
• pp.395-402
• /
• 2017

Overuse of synthetic pesticides caused negative side-effects such as environmental contamination, development of insect pests' resistance, and effects on non-target organisms. Plant origin substances without/or with low mammalian toxicity have been considered as promising alternatives to the synthetic pesticides. Fumigant toxicity of the essential oil of Iranian Yarrow, Achillea millefolium L., was investigated against a cosmopolitan stored-product insect pest: saw-toothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis L.). Chemical profile of this essential oil was studied by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Tested concentrations were significantly effective to the mortality of insect pest. A positive correlation between essential oil concentrations and pest mortality were realized. LC50 value (lethal concentration needed to 50% mortality) was achieved as $17.977(16.195{\pm}20.433){\mu}l/l$ air. The main components were 1,8-Cineole (13.17%), nerolidol (12.87%), ${\alpha}$-cubebene (12.35%), artemisia ketone (6.69%), ${\alpha}$-terpineol (5.27%), alloaromadendrene oxide (4.71%) and borneol (3.99%). Terpenic compounds including monoterpene hydrocarbons (8.19%), monoterpenoids (44.23%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (21.69%) and sesquiterpenoids (22.24%) were 96.35% of the total identified compounds. Results indicated that the terpene-rich A. millefolium essential oil may be considered as a safe bio-agent in the O. surinamensis management.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.101-108
• /
• 2008

The Agrobacterium-mediated transformation has been successfully used method to introduce foreign genes into some monocotyledonous as well as a large number of dicotyledonous plants genome, We developed transgenic Chinese cabbage plants with insect-resistance gene, modified CryIAc, by Agrobacterium-transformation and confirmed transgene copy number by Southern blot analysis. We confirmed that twenty-nine out of 46 transgenic Chinese cabbage plants have single copy of CryIAc. To obtain the sequences information on the transferred DNA (T-DNA) integration into plant genome, we analyzed left border (LB) flanking sequences by genome walking (GW) PCR method. Out of 46 transgenic Chinese cabbage plants examined, 37 carried the vector backbone sequences. This result indicates that the transfer of the vector backbone from the binary vectors resulted mainly from inefficient termination of LB site. Analysis of T-DNA LB flanking region of 9 transgenic Chinese cabbage plants without vector backbone revealed that all LB ends were not conserved and nucleotides up to 36bp from the LB cleavage site were deleted.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.327-335
• /
• 2001

In order to establish a whitefly control system using conventional groups of insecticide(carbamate, organophosphorus and pyrethroid insecticides), three alternative application methods were designed on the medium growth stage of cucumber. To discriminate the effectiveness of these sequences observed were the residual activity of insecticides, frequency of insecticide applications, residue of insecticides in cucumber leaves, development of insecticide resistance in whitefly, and yield of fruits. Spraying furathiocarb, a carbamate insecticide, was very effective in reducing the frequency of application for the control of white flies. The effectiveness of furathiocarb was enhanced by the potentiation process to carbofuran, the long residual activity, and the lower development rate of insecticide resistance. Methion, an organophosphorus insecticide, did not show resistance development after successive use but resulted in short residual activity. However, other organophosphates, profenofos and phenthoate, lost their activity by the resistance development. Decreasing activity was common to pyrethroids, deltamethrin and zetacypermethrin due to resistance. From these results it could be drawn a conclusion that furathiocarb, a carbamate insecticide, was the most desirable among conventional insecticide groups for the management of greenhouse whitefly population on the cucumber. To prevent an outbreak of the insect pest by various cause, it was recommended to choose acetamiprid, a nicotinoid, which showed very good control efficacy to the resistance insects to conventional insecticides.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.338-344
• /
• 1992

This test has been carried out to clear the effectiveness of pyrethroid insecticides to the Diamond back moth, that was complained by a farmer. The results obtained are summarized as follows. Effectiveness of Pyrethroids to suceptable strain and the results of chemical anaysis on the ingredients of pyrethroikds were normal at recommended concentrations. The effect ualue of pyrethroid by which the blocks were only one time treated was 57-59%, whereas the blocks sprayed 4 consecutive times of pyrethroid didn't show any effectiveness as shown in larval increasing rate of 489-552%. Among the results of field test conducted from 1990 to 1991 at 7 area, Dae Gu area showed the highest Effectiveness as 95-98%. However, Pyong Taek area, showed the least effectiveness as 0% in effect value. The resistant population which was collected at Tae kwan Ryung area was resurrected susceptability as much as JMC, in case of Placing it in non-treatment environment, whereas the pupulation which was revealed to pyrethroids for 6 genetations showed as much as 341-544 times of resistance compared with JMC. The non-effectiveness of pyrethroids to Diamondback moth which was complainted by a certain farmer named Mr Ju, was clearly resulted by the development of insect resistance. In Korea, the resistance of Diamondback moth to pyrethroids has developed in some area, as well as the resistance of pyrethroids has developed according to the continuous use of Insecticides, and the susceptability resurrected by stopping the use of pyrethroids. The result from this test would suggest that the pyrethroid insecticides should be applied in turb with other insecticides.

• Journal of the Korean Society of International Agriculture
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.491-496
• /
• 2011

Breeding for pear resistance to pear psylla (Cacopsylla pyricola) is one of important objective of the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science breeding program. One hundred thirty three accessions from 15 Asian, Chinese and European pear species were investigated for their resistance against pear psylla. The pear psylla resistance was determined based on the following four characteristics: overwintering adult population, the number of eggs and nymphs, and the degree of soot. The different pear species showed varied resistance to pear psylla. Pyrus calleryana and P. betulaefolia indicated the highest antixenosis as ovipositional preference and antibiosis as nymphal feeding and were the most resistant genetic resources. Likewise the European pears (P. communis), 'Conference' and 'Cascade', exhibited little occurrence and damage by pear psylla. These were proved to be promising genetic materials for breeding resistant cultivars because they had good fruit quality and showed resistance to pear paylla. The observed population of overwintering adult, the number of eggs and nymphs of psylla had significant correlation each other.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.63 no.1
• /
• pp.33-42
• /
• 2024

The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae is a representative agricultural insect pest that is polyphagous and causes serious damage to tobacco, potatoes, peppers, cabbage, and peaches. In this study, we analyzed the level of development of insecticide resistance to λ-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid, and flupyradifurone and the point mutations (R81T, L1014F, M918L) in 12 field populations of M. persicae. In addition, the expression level of CYP6CY3, a cytochrome P450 gene, was analyzed through qRT-PCR. As a result, λ-cyhalothrin showed high resistance ratio (RR) of > 200 in all 12 populations. Imidacloprid and flupyradifurone showed high RR of >200 in YS, UR, HY, and WJ populations. The R81T was detected in approximately 50%, L1014F in approximately 33.3%, and M918L in 100% of the 12 populations. Additionally, the expression level of subunit CYP6CY3 was highest in imidacloprid-resistant population (YS). These results suggest that M918L point mutation can be used as λ-cyhalothrin-resistance molecular diagnostic and R81T point mutation and the high expression of CYP6CY3 can be used as imidacloprid-resistance molecular diagnostic markers.