Genome Assembly and Population Sequencing Reveal Three Populations and Signatures of Insecticide Resistance of Tuta absoluta in Latin America.

Tuta absoluta is one of the largest threats to tomato agriculture worldwide. Native to South America, it has rapidly spread throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia over the past two decades. To understand how T. absoluta has been so successful and to improve containment strategies, high-quality genomic resources and an understanding of population history are critical. Here, we describe a highly contiguous annotated genome assembly, as well as a genome-wide population analysis of samples collected across Latin America. The new genome assembly has an L50 of 17 with only 132 contigs. Based on hundreds of thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms, we detect three major population clusters in Latin America with some evidence of admixture along the Andes Mountain range. Based on coalescent simulations, we find these clusters diverged from each other tens of thousands of generations ago prior to domestication of tomatoes. We further identify several genomic loci with patterns consistent with positive selection and that are related to insecticide resistance, immunity, and metabolism. This data will further future research toward genetic control strategies and inform future containment policies.

Transcriptome Analysis of Pyrethroid-Resistant Chrysodeixis includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Reveals Overexpression of Metabolic Detoxification Genes.

Chrysodeixis includens (Walker, [1858]) is one of the most important defoliator of soybean in Brazil because of its extensive geographical distribution and high tolerance to insecticides compared with other species of caterpillars. Because of this, we conducted bioassays to evaluate the efficacy of pyrethroid λ-cyhalothrin on a C. includens resistant strain (MS) and a susceptible (LAB) laboratory strain. High throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of larval head and body tissues were performed to identify potential molecular mechanisms underlying pyrethroid resistance. Insecticide bioassays showed that MS larvae exhibit 28.9-fold resistance to pyrethroid λ-cyhalothrin relative to LAB larvae. RNA-seq identified evidence of metabolic resistance in the head and body tissues: 15 cytochrome P450 transcripts of Cyp6, Cyp9, Cyp4, Cyp304, Cyp307, Cyp337, Cyp321 families, 7 glutathione-S-transferase (Gst) genes, 7 α-esterase genes from intracellular and secreted catalytic classes, and 8 UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (Ugt) were overexpressed in MS as compared with LAB larvae. We also identified overexpression of GPCR genes (CiGPCR64-like and CiGPCRMth2) in the head tissue. To validate RNA-seq results, we performed RT-qPCR to assay selected metabolic genes and confirmed their expression profiles. Specifically, CiCYP9a101v1, CiCYP6ae149, CiCYP6ae106v2, CiGSTe13, CiCOE47, and CiUGT33F21 exhibited significant overexpression in resistant MS larvae. In summary, our findings detailed potential mechanisms of metabolic detoxification underlying pyrethroid resistance in C. includens.

Ocorrência de Naupactus curtus Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) em três plantas de importância econômica no Brasil / Ocurrence of Naupactus curtus Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on three plants of economic importance in Brazil

É registrada a ocorrência de adultos de Naupactus curtus Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) alimentando-se de folhas de cafeeiro (Coffea arabica L.), aceroleira (Malpighia glabra L.) e amoreira (Morus alba L.) no Brasil, de outubro de 2001 a janeiro de 2002, período de chuva, em Piracicaba, SP.

Adults of Naupactus curtus Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) eating leaves of coffee (Coffea arabica L.), Barbados cherry (Malpighia glabra L.) and mulberry (Morus alba L.) are recorded in Brazil. The record was made during the rainy period, from October 2001 to January 2002, in Piracicaba, State of São Paulo.

Neodiplogrammus quadrivittatus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) no Estado de São Paulo / Neodiplogrammus quadrivittatus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Neodiplogrammus quadrivittatus (Olivier) is a beneficial insect native of South America. In Brazil it is cited for the State of Rio Grande do Sul on plants of Sesbania punicea (Cav.) Benth. andCassia corymbosa Lamk. Larvae and adults of this insect were found in July 2002 on plants of Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers. in the municipality of Piracicaba, State of São Paulo.

Neodiplogrammus quadrivittatus (Olivier) é um inseto originário da América do Sul, considerado benéfico. No Brasil é registrado para o estado de Rio Grande do Sul em plantas de Sesbania punicea (Cav.) Benth. e Cassia corymbosa Lamk. Em julho de 2002 foram encontrados adultos e larvas desta espécie em plantas de Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers. no município de Piracicaba, São Paulo.

Weevils Injurious for Roots of Citrus in São Paulo State, Brazil / Curculionídeos que Atacam as Raízes dos Citros no Estado de São Paulo

São registradas dez espécies de Entiminae, Naupactini que ocorrem em Citrus no estado de São Paulo, Brasil. A maioria das espécies pertence ao gênero Naupactus Dejean, sendo: N. rivulosus (Olivier), N. tarsalis Boheman, N. curtus Boheman, N. navicularis Boheman, N. versatilis Hustache, N. ambiguus Boheman, e N. cervinus Boheman; uma espécie do gênero Teratopactus, T. nodicollis (Boheman); uma do gênero Parapantomorus, P. fluctuosus (Boheman); e uma de Symmathetes (gênero revalidado), Symmathetes kollari Schoenherr. As larvas vivem no solo alimentando-se das raízes dos citros, causando danos mais importantes que os adultos que consomem as folhas das plantas. O objetivo deste trabalho é fornecer uma chave, com o diagnóstico e fotografias dos adultos, para sua identificação. Também são apresentadas informações sobre a distribuição geográfica das espécies, associação com outras plantas e discutidos aspectos relevantes da sua biologia, com ênfase à oviposição.

Ten species of broad nosed weevils belonging to Entiminae, Naupactini, are recorded as harmful for roots of citrus in São Paulo state, Brazil. Most species belong to Naupactus Dejean, N. rivulosus (Olivier), N. tarsalis Boheman, N. curtus Boheman, N. navicularis Boheman, N. versatilis Hustache, N. ambiguus Boheman, and N. cervinus Boheman; one species was assigned to Teratopactus Heller, T. nodicollis (Boheman); one to Parapantomorus, P. fluctuosus Schoenherr (Boheman) and one to Symmathetes Schoenherr (a genus herein reinstated), S. kollari Schoenherr. Larvae live in soil and bore on roots of the trees, causing more damages than adults, that feed on leaves. The main goal of this paper is to provide a key, diagnosis and habitus photographs of the species, in order to facilitate their identification. We also provide information on their geographic range in Brazil and previous plant associations, and we discuss some relevant biological features, especially those related to oviposition habits.