Predicting the current and future suitable distribution range of Trilocha varians (Walker, 1855) (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) in China.

Trilocha varians is one of the major pests of Ficus spp. Based on 19 bioclimatic variables provided by the Worldclim, our study analysed the suitable distribution areas of T. varians under current and future climate changes (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP5-8.5) for two periods (the 2050s and 2090s) using the maximum entropy algorithm (MaxEnt) model. Key environmental variables affecting the geographic distribution of T. varians were also identified, and the changes in the area of suitable range under current and future climate changes were compared. The results showed that the key environmental variables affecting the distribution of T. varians were temperature and precipitation, comprising annual mean temperature (bio1), temperature seasonality (standard deviation × 100) (bio4), precipitation of driest month (bio14), and precipitation of driest quarter (bio17). Under the current climatic conditions, the suitable distribution area of T. varians is within the range of 92°13'E-122°08'E, 18°17'N-31°55'N. The current high, medium, and low suitable areas for T. varians predicted by the MaxEnt model are 14.00 × 104, 21.50 × 104, and 71.95 × 104 km2, of which the high suitable areas are mainly distributed in southern Guangdong, southwestern Guangxi, western Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Hainan. Under different future climatic conditions, some of the high, medium, and low suitability zones for T. varians increased and some decreased, but the mass centre did not migrate significantly. The Pearl River Basin is predicted to remain the main distribution area of T. varians.

Chemical Composition Variation in Essential Oil and Their Correlation with Climate Factors in Chinese Prickly Ash Peels (Zanthoxylum armatum DC.) from Different Habitats.

Essential oils are secondary metabolites in plants with a variety of biological activities. The flavor and quality of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. are mainly determined by the essential oil components in the Chinese prickly ash peels. In this study, the correlation between climate change in different regions and the content of essential oils of Z. armatum was investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and multivariate statistical analysis. The Z1-24 refers to 24 batches of samples from different habitats. A total of 145 essential oils were detected in 24 batches of samples, with the highest number of terpene species and the highest content of alcohol. The relative odor activity (ROAV) values identified nine main flavor compounds affecting the odor of Z. armatum. Linalool, decanal, and d-limonene were the most critical main flavor compounds, giving Z. armatum a spicy, floral, oily, and fruity odor. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) classified Z5 into a separate group, Z2 and Z7 were clustered into one group, and the rest of the samples were classified into another group. Correlation analysis and path analysis showed that temperature and precipitation were the main climatic factors affecting essential oils. Comparisons can be made with other plants in the genus Zanthoxylum to analyze differences in essential oil type and content. This study contributes to the identification of Z. armatum quality, promotes the accumulation of theories on the effects of climatic factors on essential oils, and enriches the site selection and breeding of Z. armatum under similar climatic conditions.

Potential impact of climatic factors on the distribution of Graphium sarpedon in China.

Graphium sarpedon is a significant foliar pest of Laurel plants in China. In this study, the MaxEnt model was used to investigate the distribution of G. sarpedon and predict its potential distribution areas in China in the future (2050s and 2090s) based on three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5), and key environmental variables affecting its distribution were identified. The results showed that under the current climatic conditions, the suitable distribution areas of G. sarpedon were 92.17°-134.96° E and 18.04°-33.61° N, including Yangtze Plain (Middle and Lower), Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, and Lingnan areas. Under the future climate conditions, the total suitable distribution area of G. sarpedon decreased, but the area of medium suitable area increased. The study identified 11 key environmental variables affecting the distribution of G. sarpedon, the most critical of which was Precipitation of Warmest Quarter (bio18) and precipitation in April, May, June, and September (prec4, prec5, prec6, and prec9). This study is beneficial for monitoring and preventing the possible changes of G. sarpedon and provides theoretical references for its prevention and control.

Predicting the potential distribution range of Batocera horsfieldi under CMIP6 climate change using the MaxEnt model.

Batocera horsfieldi (Hope) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Batocera) is an important wood-boring pest in China, mainly affecting natural forests, economic forests, urban gardens, and green landscapes. In this study, based on the MaxEnt model and ArcGIS, we combined 216 distribution records of B. horsfieldi with 11 selected key environmental variables to predict its potential suitable distribution under current climate data (1970-2000) and 3 climate emission scenarios from the Sixth Phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). The results showed that monthly mean diurnal temperature ranges (bio2), isothermality (bio3), temperature seasonality (bio4), minimum temperature of the coldest month (bio6), mean temperature of the wettest quarter (bio8), mean temperature of the driest quarter (bio9), annual precipitation (bio12), precipitation of the wettest month (bio13), precipitation of the driest month (bio14), precipitation seasonality (coefficient of variation) (bio15), and altitude were the key environmental variables influencing the potential distribution of B. horsfieldi. In the future scenarios of SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5, the areas of high, moderate, and low suitable distribution areas have varied to different extents. However, under the SSP2-4.5 scenario (2050s), there is an observable increase in the areas of high, moderate, and low suitability. The total area of the suitable area reaches 160.88 × 104 km2 and is also shifting toward higher latitudes and altitudes. This study provides scientific reference for future pest control by predicting B. horsfieldi's potential distribution. A "graded response" detection and early warning system and prevention and control strategies can be formulated based on the potential suitable areas to address this pest challenge effectively.

Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on the Geographical Distribution of Leafhopper, Cicadella viridis in China through the MaxEnt Model.

Cicadella viridis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is an omnivorous leafhopper that feeds on plant sap. It significantly reduces the yield of agricultural and forestry crops while feeding or ovipositing on the host plant. In recent years, the rapid expansion of C. viridis has posed a serious threat to agricultural and forestry crops. To study the impact of climate change on the geographical distribution of the leafhopper, the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model and ArcGIS software, combined with 253 geographic distribution records of the pest and 24 environmental variables, were used, for the first time, to predict the potential distribution of C. viridis in China under conditions of climatic change. The results showed that the currently suitable areas for C. viridis are 29.06-43° N, 65.25-85.15° E, and 93.45-128.85° E, with an estimated area of 11,231,423.79 km2, i.e., 11.66% of China. The Loess Plateau, the North China Plain, and the Shandong Peninsula are the main suitable areas. The potential distribution of the leafhopper for the high and medium suitability areas decreased under each climate scenario (except RCP8.5 in the 2090s). Several key variables that have the most significant effect on the distribution of C. viridis were identified, including the mean annual temperature (Bio1), the standard deviation of temperature seasonality (Bio4), the minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio6), and the precipitation of the coldest quarter (Bio19). Our research provides important guidance for developing effective monitoring and pest control methods for C. viridis, given the predicted challenges of altered pest dynamics related to future climate change.

SMRT Sequencing Technology Was Used to Construct the Batocera horsfieldi (Hope) Transcriptome and Reveal Its Features.

Batocera horsfieldi (Hope) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an important forest pest in China that mainly infests timber and economic forests. This pest primarily causes plant tissue to necrotize, rot, and eventually die by feeding on the woody parts of tree trunks. To gain a deeper understanding of the genetic mechanism of B. horsfieldi, this study employed single-molecule real-time sequencing (SMRT) and Illumina RNA-seq technologies to conduct full-length transcriptome sequencing of the insect. Total RNA extracted from male and female adults was mixed and subjected to SMRT sequencing, generating a complete transcriptome. Transcriptome analysis, prediction of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), coding sequences (CDs), analysis of simple sequence repeats (SSR), prediction of transcription factors, and functional annotation of transcripts were performed in this study. The collective 20,356,793 subreads (38.26 G, clean reads) were generated, including 432,091 circular consensus sequences and 395,851 full-length non-chimera reads. The full-length non-chimera reads (FLNC) were clustered and redundancies were removed, resulting in 39,912 consensus reads. SSR and ANGEL software v3.0 were used for predicting SSR and CDs. In addition, four tools were used for annotating 6058 lncRNAs, identifying 636 transcription factors. Furthermore, a total of 84,650 transcripts were functionally annotated in seven different databases. This is the first time that the full-length transcriptome of B. horsfieldi has been obtained using SMRT sequencing. This provides an important foundation for investigating the gene regulation underlying the interaction between B. horsfieldi and its host plants through gene editing in the future and provides a scientific basis for the prevention and control of B. horsfieldi.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of the longhorn beetle, Batocerahorsfieldi (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) and its phylogenetic analysis with suitable longhorn beetles.

Mitochondrial genome analysis is an important tool for studying insect phylogenetics. The longhorn beetle, Batocerahorsfieldi, is a significant pest in timber, economic and protection forests. This study determined the mitochondrial genome of B.horsfieldi and compared it with the mitochondrial genomes of other Cerambycidae with the aim of exploring the phylogenetic status of the pest and the evolutionary relationships among some Cerambycidae subgroups. The complete mitochondrial genome of B.horsfieldi was sequenced by the Illumina HiSeq platform. The mitochondrial genome was aligned and compared with the existing mitochondrial genomes of Batoceralineolata and B.rubus in GenBank (MF521888, MW629558, OM161963, respectively). The secondary structure of transfer RNA (tRNA) was predicted using tRNAScan-SE server v.1.21 and MITOS WebSever. Thirteen protein-coding genes (PCGs) and two ribosomal RNA gene sequences of 21 longhorn beetles, including B.horsfieldi, plus two outgroups, Dryopsernesti (Dryopidae) and Heterocerusparallelus (Heteroceridae), were analyzed. The phylogenetic tree was constructed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. In this study, we successfully obtained the complete mitochondrial genome of B.horsfieldi for the first time, which is 15 425 bp in length. It contains 37 genes and an A + T-rich region, arranged in the same order as the recognized ancestor of longhorn beetles. The genome of B.horsfieldi is composed of 33.12% A bases, 41.64% T bases, 12.08% C bases, and 13.16% G bases. The structure, nucleotide composition, and codon usage of the new mitochondrial genome are not significantly different from other longhorn mitochondrial genomes. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that Cerambycidae formed a highly supported single clade, and Vesperidae was either clustered with Cerambycidae or formed a separate clade. Interestingly, B.horsfieldi, B.rubus and B.lineolata were clustered with Monochamus and Anoplophora species in both analyses, with high node support. Additionally, the VesperidaeSpiniphilusspinicornis and Vesperussanzi and the 19 Cerambycidae species formed a sister clade in the Bayesian analysis. Our results have produced new complete mitogenomic data, which will provide information for future phylogenetic and taxonomic research, and provide a foundation for future relevant research.

Predicting the Current and Future Distributions of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) Based on the MaxEnt Species Distribution Model.

Climate change has a highly significant impact on the distribution of species. As the greenhouse effect intensifies each year, the distribution of organisms responds to this challenge in diverse ways. Therefore, climatic environmental variables are a key entry point for capturing the current and future distribution trends of pests. Frankliniella occidentalis is an invasive pest attested worldwide. Its damage is mainly divided into two aspects, including mechanical damage caused by its feeding and egg laying and the spread of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). TSWV is the most dominant transmitted virulent disease. Moreover, F. occidentalis is the major vector for the transmission of this virus, which poses a grave threat to the yield and survival of our crops. In this study, the distribution pattern of this pest was explored using 19 bioclimatic variables based on the Maxent model. The results indicated that in the future, high-suitability areas of F. occidentalis will be widely distributed in 19 provinces of China, with Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Tianjin and Yunnan being the most abundant. Among the 19 bioclimatic variables, the five variables of annual mean temperature (Bio 1), temperature seasonality (standard deviation × 100) (Bio 4), min temperature of the coldest month (Bio 6), mean temperature of the driest quarter (Bio 9) and precipitation of the coldest quarter (Bio 19) were selected as the key environmental variables affecting the distribution of F. occidentalis. In summary, temperature and precipitation are vital factors for the study of the species' distribution, and this study aims to provide new perspectives for the control of this pest in China.

Predicting the distributions of Scleroderma guani (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) under climate change in China.

The wasp Scleroderma guani is an important parasitic natural enemy of a variety of stem borers such as longicorn beetles. Studying and clarifying the suitable area of this wasp plays an important role in controlling stem borers. Based on information about the actual distribution of S. guani and on a set of environmental variables, MaxEnt niche model and ArcGIS were exploited to predict the potential distribution of this insect in China. This work simulated the geographical distribution of potential climatic suitability of S. guani in China at present and in different periods in the future. Combining the relative percent contribution score of environmental factors and the Jackknife test, the dominant environmental variables and their appropriate values restricting the potential geographical distribution of S. guani were screened. The results showed that the prediction of the MaxEnt model was highly in line with the actual distribution under current climate conditions, and the simulation accuracy was very high. The distribution of S. guani is mainly affected by bio18 (Precipitation of Warmest Quarter), bio11 (Mean Temperature of Coldest Quarter), bio13 (Precipitation of Wettest Month), and bio3 (Isothermality). The suitable habitat of S. guani in China is mainly distributed in the Northeast China Plain, North China Plain, middle-lower Yangtze Plain, and Sichuan Basin, with total suitable area of 547.05 × 104 km2, accounting for 56.85% of China's territory. Furthermore, under the RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 climate change scenarios in the 2050s and 2090s, the areas of high, medium, and low suitability showed different degrees of change compared to nowadays, exhibiting expansion trend in the future. This work provides theoretical support for related research on pest control and ecological protection.

The complete chloroplast genome of Salix cupularis Rehder, a sand binder in alpine hillslope, China.

The complete chloroplast genome of Salix cupularis Rehder was assembled and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The chloroplast genome of S. cupularis was 155,518 bp in length, containing a large single-copy region (84,373 bp), a small single-copy region (16,226 bp), and two inverted repeat regions (27,458 bp). The overall GC content of S. cupularis chloroplast genome was 36.70%. The chloroplast genome of S. cupularis contained 127 unique genes, including 82 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that S. cupularis was most related to Salix magnifica.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Poecilocoris druraei (Linnaeus, 1771) (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) and its phylogenetic implications.

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Poecilocoris druraei was sequenced and analyzed. The 16,524 bp mitogenome of P. druraei contained 21 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), and a control region. Most PCGs used standard ATG start codons and complete TAA ermination codons. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that P. druraei is closed related with P. nepalensis.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Sibiraea angustata, a traditional Chinese medicine in Sichuan Province, China.

The complete chloroplast genome of Sibiraea angustata was assembled and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The chloroplast genome of S. angustata was 155,869 bp in length, containing a large single-copy region (84,343 bp), a small single-copy region (18,820 bp), and two inverted repeat regions (26,353 bp). The overall GC content of S. angustata chloroplast genome was 36.80%. The chloroplast genome of S. angustata contained 127 unique genes, including 83 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA genes and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that S. angustata was related to Malus ioensis, Malus florentina and Malus trilobata.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the olive weevil, Dyscerus cribripennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

The olive weevil Dyscerus cribripennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an uncontrollable noxious insect to Olea europaea. The 15,977 bp complete mitochondrial genome of D. cribripennis contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 21 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and a control region (GenBank accession number MW023069). The trnI was not found in the D. cribripennis mitogenome. The phylogenetic analysis based on mitogenomes showed that D. cribripennis is closed related with Hylobitelus xiaoi.

Characterization and analysis of the transcriptome in Opisina arenosella from different developmental stages using single-molecule real-time transcript sequencing and RNA-seq.

Opisina arenosella is one of the main pests harming coconut trees. To date, there have been few studies on the molecular genetics, biochemistry and physiology of O. arenosella at the transcriptional level, and there are no available reference genomes. Here, Illumina RNA sequencing combined with PacBio single-molecule real-time analysis was applied to study the transcriptome of this pest at different developmental stages, providing reference data for transcript expression analysis. Twelve samples of O. arenosella from different stages of development were sequenced using Illumina RNA sequencing, and the pooled RNA samples were sequenced with PacBio technology (Iso-Seq). A full-length transcriptome with 41,938 transcripts was captured, and the N50 and N90 lengths were 3543 bp and 1646 bp, respectively. A total of 36,925 transcripts were annotated in public databases, 6493 of which were long noncoding RNAs, while 2510 represented alternative splicing events. There were significant differences in the gene expression profiles at different developmental stages, with high levels of differential gene expression associated with growth, development, carbohydrate metabolism and immunity. This work provides resources and information for the study of the transcriptome and gene function of O. arenosella and provides a valuable foundation for understanding the changes in gene expression during development.

Transcriptome and gene expression analysis of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) during developmental stages.

BACKGROUND: Red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier, is one of the most destructive pests harming palm trees. However, genomic resources for R. ferrugineus are still lacking, limiting the ability to discover molecular and genetic means of pest control. METHODS: In this study, PacBio Iso-Seq and Illumina RNA-seq were used to generate transcriptome from three developmental stages of R. ferrugineus (pupa, 7th-instar larva, adult) to increase the understanding of the life cycle and molecular characteristics of the pest. RESULTS: Sequencing generated 625,983,256 clean reads, from which 63,801 full-length transcripts were assembled with N50 of 3,547 bp. Expression analyses revealed 8,583 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Moreover, gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis revealed that these DEGs were mainly related to the peroxisome pathway which associated with metabolic pathways, material transportation and organ tissue formation. In summary, this work provides a valuable basis for further research on the growth and development, gene expression and gene prediction, and pest control of R. ferrugineus.

Predicting distribution of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. in China.

BACKGROUND: With the growth of economic benefits brought by Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. and the increasing market demand, this species has been widely introduced and cultivated in China. It is important to scientifically select suitable areas for artificial planting and promotion, and to understand the status and potential of Z. bungeanum resources. RESULTS: The maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model and ArcGIS technologies were used to analyze the climatic suitability of Z. bungeanum based on known distribution data, combined with environmental data in China. Z. bungeanum was mainly distributed in subtropical and mid-eastern warm temperate regions. The total suitable area (high and medium suitability) accounted for 32% of China's total land area, with high suitability areas composing larger percentage, reaching 1.93 × 106 km2. The suitable range (and optimum value) of the key environmental variables affecting the distribution of Z. bungeanum were the maximum temperature in February of 2.8-17.7 °C (10.4 °C), the maximum temperature in March of 8.6-21.4 °C (16.3 °C), the maximum temperature in December of 2.5-17.1 °C (9.9 °C), the maximum temperature in November of 7.7-22.2 °C (14.5 °C) and the mean temperature in March of 3.2-16.2 °C (12.0 °C). CONCLUSIONS: The model developed by MaxEnt was applicable to explore the environmental suitability of Z. bungeanum.

Extraction, purification and antioxidant activity of polysaccharide from cold pressed oil cake of 'Tengjiao' seed.

Tengjiao (Zanthoxylum armatum DC.) seed cold pressed oil cake (CPC), the main by-product of the cold-pressed oil process, is mainly used for animal feed or crop fertilizer, resulting in a great waste of resources. To improve the added value, the CPC polysaccharide (CPCP) was extracted and purified, and its antioxidant activity was studied. The extraction conditions by microwave assisted extraction, and purification conditions by trichloroacetic acid and polyamide column chromatography treatment were optimized. High performance liquid chromatography and Fourier transforms infrared were applied to characterize the primary structural features. And the antioxidant activity was analyzed by detecting the reducing power, and scavenging activity on radical of superoxide anion, DPPH and ABTS. The results showed that, under the optimal extraction conditions (liquid-to-solid ratio 44 mL/g, processing time 16 min, microwave power 500 W and extraction temperature 80 °C), and the optimal purification conditions, the extract rate of crude CPCP reached 4.76 ± 0.07%, and the purity increased from 48.52 ± 2.76% to 93.76 ± 2.06%. CPCP was mainly water-soluble pyranose with α-configuration, and composed of five kinds of monosaccharides including L-Rhamnose, D-Glucuronic acid, d-Glucose, D-Galactose and D-(-)-Arabinose. CPCP displayed certain degree of antioxidant activity, revealing the potential development and utilization value as antioxidants.

SMRT sequencing of the full-length transcriptome of the Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

BACKGROUND: Red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the most destructive insects for palm trees in the world. However, its genome resources are still in the blank stage, which limits the study of molecular and growth development analysis. METHODS: In this study, we used PacBio Iso-Seq and Illumina RNA-seq to first generate transcriptome from three developmental stages of R. ferrugineus (pupa, 7th larva, female and male) to increase our understanding of the life cycle and molecular characteristics of R. ferrugineus. RESULTS: A total of 63,801 nonredundant full-length transcripts were generated with an average length of 2,964 bp from three developmental stages, including the 7th instar larva, pupa, female adult and male adult. These transcripts showed a high annotation rate in seven public databases, with 54,999 (86.20%) successfully annotated. Meanwhile, 2,184 alternative splicing (AS) events, 2,084 transcription factors (TFs), 66,230 simple sequence repeats (SSR) and 9,618 Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were identified. In summary, our results provide a new source of full-length transcriptional data and information for the further study of gene expression and genetics in R. ferrugineus.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the fig weevil, Aclees cribratus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Aclees cribratus Gyllenhyl (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an important pest of fig. In this study, the complete mitogenome of A. cribratus was determined, which was 17,329 bp in length and contained 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA, 22 tRNA genes, and 2 control regions. The phylogenetic analysis based on mitogenomes showed that A. cribratus is the sister group of Molytinae.

Correction: Transcriptome analysis in different developmental stages of Batocera horsfieldi (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and comparison of candidate olfactory genes.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192730.].