To assess the feasibility of farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPS), a key enzyme in juvenile hormone biosynthesis, as a target for RNA interference (RNAi)-based control of pest mites, double-stranded RNA targeting FPPS (dsFPPS) was designed using the dsRNAEngineer online platform. The bioactivity of dsFPPS against two agriculturally important pest mites, Tetranychus urticae and Tetranychus evansi, was evaluated with microinjection. The expression levels of FPPS in mites after dsFPPS injection were determined by quantitative real-time PCR, and the safety to non-target organisms, Neoseiulus californicus and Harmonia axyridis, was assessed by feeding and microinjection assays. The results showed that after dsFPPS injection, FPPS transcript levels in T. urticae and T. evansi were significantly reduced by 91.80% and 83.09%, respectively. Deutonymphs of both mite species failed to molt normally and died, with mortality rates of 76.97% and 84.32%, respectively. After feeding on or microinjection dsFPPS, N. californicus and H. axyridis developed normally, indicating no significant effects on these natural enemies. These findings demonstrate that dsFPPS has high lethality against pest mites while being safe for non-target organisms. The FPPS gene can therefore serve as an ideal target for RNAi-based control of pest mites and has potential for development as a novel environmentally friendly acaricide.

Potato Solanum tuberosum is a cornerstone food crop in China. However, its production is significantly compromised by various pests and diseases, including late blight, early blight, black scurf, blackleg, grubs, aphids, and weeds. Consequently, the scientific and judicious application of pesticides is essential for ensuring both yield and quality. As of March 20, 2025, a total of 804 pesticide products have been registered in China for potato cultivation, comprising 497 fungicides, 128 herbicides, 109 insecticides, and 70 plant growth regulators. This review evaluates the current status of these registrations, identifies the prevailing challenges, and proposes optimization strategies to enhance integrated pest management, promote the rational use of pesticides, and facilitate the sustainable development of the potato industry.

To clarify the detoxification metabolism and environmental adaptation mechanisms of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) physiological race CYR34, members of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene family were identified based on the their nucleotide sequence and GFF3 annotation files of CYR34. Bioinformatics analyses were conducted on the physicochemical properties of the encoded proteins, chromosomal localization, phylogenetic relationships, and cis-acting elements in the promoter regions. In addition, the temporal expression patterns of GST family genes during urediniospore germination and host infection were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed that six GST genes (GST1-GST6) were identified in CYR34. The encoded proteins ranged from 187 to 207 amino acids in length, all containing conserved GST domains and being distributed on three chromosomes. A total of 26 types of cis-acting elements were detected in the promoter regions. During urediniospore germination, GST1, GST3, GST4, GST5, and GST6 all reached relatively high expression levels at 24 hours post inoculation (hpi), among which GST5 showed the greatest up-regulation, reaching 9.04-fold that of the control group. During wheat infection by CYR34, GST4 and GST6 generally exhibited an upward expression trend, with GST4 reaching its highest expression level at 48 hpi, 3.14-fold that of the control group. These results indicate that the GST genes in CYR34 may participate in the regulation of environmental adaptation and detoxification metabolism during urediniospore germination and infection.

To clarify the community structure characteristics and spatial ecological niche of grasshoppers in three different grassland types in Zhaosu County in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, grasshopper surveys were conducted in temperate grassland, temperate meadow steppe, and alpine meadow steppe using the sweep-net method. Relative abundance, diversity indices, niche indices, community similarity, and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) were used for systematic assessment. The results showed that a total of 20 434 grasshopper individuals were collected, belonging to 24 species, 14 genera, and five families. The dominant species in Zhaosu County were Calliptamus italicus and Omocestus haemorrhoidalis. Specifically, C. italicus was dominant in temperate grassland; C. italicus, Stauroderus scalaris and O. haemorrhoidalis were dominant in temperate meadow steppe; and O. peliopteroides, O. haemorrhoidalis, and Gomphocerus sibiricus were dominant in alpine meadow steppe. Significant differences were observed in the richness, diversity, and evenness indices of grasshopper communities, while no significant difference was found in the dominance index. The richness and diversity indices in alpine meadow steppe were significantly lower than those in the other two grasslands types, whereas the evenness index in the temperate grassland was significantly lower than that in the other two types. Niche analysis indicated that O. ventralis had the widest niche breadth (0.95), while eight species including Omocestus petraeus and Dociostaurus brevicollis, had the lowest niche breadth (0.33). A total of 28 species pairs showed niche overlap values of ≥0.99. Community similarity analysis revealed high similarity between temperate grassland and temperate meadow steppe (similarity coefficient=0.81) and very low similarity with alpine meadow steppe (similarity coefficient=0.22). NMDS analysis demonstrated that grassland type explained 63.6% of the variation in grasshopper community composition. These results indicate significant differences in grasshopper community characteristics among grassland types in Zhaosu County, suggesting that grassland type is the primary factor influencing grasshopper community structure.

To identify the pathogen causing a natural epizootic of white muscardine in Tricentrus sp. in a tea plantation and to evaluate its potential for controlling tea green leafhopper Empoasca onukii, cadaver samples collected from the tea plantation were subjected to isolation, purification, and culture. The taxonomic status of the pathogen was determined based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis using combined sequences of Bloc, RPB1, RPB2, and TEF genes. Population genetic diversity of isolates from different hosts was analyzed using 12 SSR primer pairs. Six strains derived from hosts in Membracidea and Cicadellidae were selected to evaluate their virulence against the 3rd instar nymphs of E. onukii. The results showed that the pathogen causing the natural epizootic of white muscardine in Tricentrus sp. in the tea plantation was B. bassiana. The B. bassiana populations exhibited a high level of genetic diversity, with 100.00% polymorphic loci, a Shannon’s information index of 0.73, and a Nei’s gene diversity index of 0.39. Among the four B. bassiana populations from different hosts, the genetic differentiation coefficient was 0.38 and the gene flow was 0.54, indicating limited genetic exchange among populations. A total of 89 isolates were divided into 31 genotypes and clustered into three groups at a similarity coefficient of 0.68, with group III accounting for 76.40% of the isolates and representing the dominant group. Strain JCPX121 exhibited the highest virulence. After treatment with a conidial suspension at a concentration of 1.0×10⁸ conidia/mL for eight days, the corrected mortality rate of 3rd instar nymphs of E. onukii reached 80.66% and the median lethal time (LT₅₀) was 5.90 d. In summary, strain JCPX121 has the potential to be developed as a biocontrol agent.

To elucidate the cascade effect between the V-type proton ATPase catalytic subunit A (V-ATPase A), a key regulator of cellular energy metabolism, and the autophagy-related gene HcAtg8 in the fall webworm Hyphantria cunea, the HcAtg8 gene was cloned by PCR. The bioinformatic characteristics and phylogenetic relationships were analyzed. The HcAtg8 protein was expressed in vitro using a prokaryotic expression system and detected via Western blot. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the expression of HcAtg8 in different developmental stages and tissues (foregut, midgut, and hindgut). Additionally, after silencing HcV-ATPase A, histopathological changes in midgut tissues related to autophagy and the expression of HcAtg8 were examined. The results showed that the cloned coding region of HcAtg8 was 354 bp in length, encoding 117 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that HcAtg8 clustered closely with BmAtg8 from Bombyx mori, suggesting a close evolutionary relationship. A recombinant expression vector pMAL-c2X-HcAtg8 was constructed, and a 56.4 kD HcAtg8 protein was obtained by prokaryotic expression in vitro, with the highest expression level observed after 8 h of induction. HcAtg8 was expressed across all developmental stages and gut tissues, with the highest expression observed in pupae. Among gut tissues, expression was highest in the midgut. After silencing HcV-ATPase A, the number of autophagosomes in the treated group was 11.0, significantly higher than that in the control group (3.5), representing a 3.1-fold increase. The number of lipid droplets in the treated group was 73.8, significantly higher than that in the control group (12.5), representing a 5.9-fold increase. Silencing HcV-ATPase A disrupted the acidic environment of lysosomes, leading to the accumulation of autophagosomes and related metabolites. qRT-PCR results showed that the expression level of HcAtg8 was 6.1-fold higher than that of the control at 24 h, peaked at 375.2-fold at 48 h, and subsequently decreased to 2.5-fold at 72 h, consistent with the histological observations. These results indicate that silencing HcV-ATPase A leads to the upregulation of HcAtg8 expression and the accumulation of autophagosomes and lipid droplets, thereby disrupting midgut cellular homeostasis, and resulting in cellular dysfunction or death.

Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) are widely cultivated worldwide for their high economic and nutritional value. However, fungal diseases constitute a major biotic constraint limiting the development of the blueberry industry. To date, more than 20 fungal diseases have been reported on blueberry, causing substantial economic losses. This review systematically summarizes the pathogen species, geographic distribution, typical symptoms, and damage severity of major fungal diseases affecting blueberry production. The principal diseases discussed include stem blight, canker, root rot, leaf spot, anthracnose, powdery mildew, gray mould, and fruit rot. Previous studies have shown that severe outbreaks of these diseases may result in yield losses ranging from 20% to 85%. Pathogenic fungi associated with blueberry exhibit high diversity, encompassing over 150 species from more than 20 genera, including Diaporthe, Fusarium, Neofusicoccum, Pestalotiopsis, Phytophthora, Colletotrichum, and Alternaria. In addition, the main transmission routes of these pathogens are summarized. Based on current knowledge, integrated disease management strategies are proposed, including cultural practices, chemical control, and biological control. Furthermore, the current shortcomings in research on blueberry fungal diseases are clarified, particularly in aspects of etiology, disease epidemiology, and resistance breeding. Future work should focus on strengthening studies on pathogen biology, epidemic dynamics, breeding of high-yield, high-quality, and disease-resistant cultivars, and promoting green control technologies centered on agricultural and biological measures. Overall, this review provides both strong theoretical support and targeted practical guidance for the healthy development of the blueberry industry in China.

To clarify the sensitivity of different physiological races of Puccinia triticina (Pt) in Hebei Province to triadimefon, samples of wheat infected with Pt were collected from nine regions in Hebei Province from 2023 to 2024. Single-spore isolation was employed to isolate Pt strains, test hosts were used to identify the physiological races, and the spore germination inhibition method was adopted to determine the sensitivity of physiological races to triadimefon. The resistance differences of physiological races to triadimefon across different regions in Hebei Province were compared, their sensitivity to this fungicide was monitored, and the cross-resistance of different triazole fungicides was investigated, followed by field validation. The results showed that a total of 193 Pt strains were isolated, and 12 physiological races were identified, with THTT and PHTT being the prevalent races. The EC₅₀ of triadimefon against the tested strains ranged from 5.09 to 51.04 μg/mL, and the sensitivity baseline was established as 8.07 μg/mL. Sensitive strains accounted for 97.41% of the total, with only five resistant strains detected, primarily from Handan City and Shijiazhuang City, which should be designated as key areas for fungicide resistance monitoring. No significant cross-resistance was observed between triadimefon and other fungicides sharing the same mechanism of action, including tebuconazole and hexaconazole. Field efficacy trials were conducted to test six commonly used fungicides, demonstrating that 25% pyraclostrobin suspension concentrate exhibited the best control effect with a long duration, making it the preferred fungicide for control. In contrast, 44% triadimefon suspension concentrate exhibited the poorest control efficacy and is recommended for cautious use.

The Moroccan locust Dociostaurus maroccanus is one of the most devastating phytophagous pests worldwide. This study focuses on elucidating the current invasion status of D. maroccanus in China and comprehensively analyzes its potential risks from three aspects: habitat characteristics in invaded areas, environmental conditions, and biological traits. In combination with the Biosecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China and current control practices, targeted control strategies and recommendations are proposed. This study aims to provide a theoretical reference and a scientific basis for decision-making in the early warning and effective management of D. maroccanus in China.