Article
Agronomy
Fu-Min Wang, Zhi-Jie Shen, Coby Schal, Junwei J. Zhu, Guo-Xin Zhou, Yu-Lei Wang, Ji-Rui Wang, Jian-Yu Deng, Nian-Feng Wan
Summary: The study revealed that pheromone components from different species may interfere with each other, and innovative pest management strategies can be developed through pheromone antagonism.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Nicolas Durand, Paleo Aguilar, Elodie Demondion, Thomas Bourgeois, Francoise Bozzolan, Stephane Debernard
Summary: In the moth Agrotis ipsilon, age- and odor experience-related increase in sex pheromone responsiveness is linked to the overexpression of neuroligin 1 in antennal lobes, suggesting a potential role played by this post-synaptic cell-adhesion molecule in mediating the plasticity of the central olfactory system in A. ipsilon.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Chan Wang, Lei Liu, Tian-Yu Huang, Yu Zhang, Yang Liu, Gui-Rong Wang
Summary: By studying the pheromone receptors in agricultural pests, it was found that there are differences in the pheromone components and receptors between different species, which helps to understand the evolutionary process of moth mating systems.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Bi-Yun Zhang, Feng-Qi Li, Cheng Qu, Youssef Dewer, Yue-Jun Fu, Chen Luo
Summary: In this study, researchers identified genes related to sex pheromone biosynthesis in the Noctuid moths Spodoptera litura and Spodoptera exigua. They found that only the genes SlitDes5 and SexiDes5 were significantly overexpressed in the sex pheromone glands of these moths. Functional analysis of the SlitDes5 gene showed that its expression level could be reduced by 49.42% through RNA interference. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the key genes involved in sex pheromone biosynthesis and provide potential gene targets for pest control strategies.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Antonio Felicioli, Simona Sagona, Francesca Coppola, Chiara Benedetta Boni, Mauro Pinzauti
Summary: This study describes the mating behavior of bees and analyzes its sequence using Markov analysis. The results show that there are repeated, stereotyped, and regular sequences of behavioral units, including short and long copulations. The findings support the hypothesis that aging could affect the reproductive success of mason bees.
Article
Agronomy
Sarah Wolf, Elias Barmettler, Michael Eisenring, Jorg Romeis, Jana Collatz
Summary: In the experiments, all three pupal parasitoid species showed a preference for D. suzukii as a host. In field cages, the majority of parasitoid offspring emerged from D. suzukii hosts. Both P. vindemmiae and T. drosophilae have the potential to parasitize D. suzukii in the field.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Elisabeth A. Hodgdon, Rebecca H. Hallett, James D. Heal, Andrea E. M. Swan, Yolanda H. Chen
Summary: Exposure to synthetic pheromones increases calling frequency in female swede midges but decreases their propensity to mate, potentially impacting the efficacy of pheromone-mediated mating disruption systems. Further research is needed to fully understand the implications of female autodetection for swede midge management.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anne M. Scott, Nicholas S. Johnson, Michael J. Siefkes, Weiming Li
Summary: Sex pheromones exert maximum attraction when their components are present at optimal ratios, but altering these ratios or adding analogs may disrupt attraction. In sea lamprey, a pheromone analog was found to reduce female attraction and disrupt spawning, providing evidence for balanced olfactory antagonism in vertebrates.
Review
Agronomy
Trisna Dewi Tungadi, Glen Powell, Bethan Shaw, Michelle T. Fountain
Summary: Drosophila suzukii is a global invasive pest that causes significant economic loss in fruit production. Current control methods primarily rely on chemical insecticides, but sustainable long-term solutions are needed. Studies suggest that interspecific interactions with other Drosophila species can negatively affect D. suzukii behavior, providing potential avenues for pest management.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Taisuke Seike, Natsue Sakata, Fumio Matsuda, Chikara Furusawa
Summary: This study compared the growth and mating phenotypes of 17 wild strains of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus, and found that strains isolated from Drosophila sporulated at high frequency even under nitrogen-abundant conditions, suggesting that insects like Drosophila might be a suitable niche for mating and sporulation of S. japonicus. The results also indicated frequent crossing between S. japonicus cells of different genetic backgrounds in the insect, providing insights into yeast ecology and evolution.
Article
Neurosciences
Nobuaki K. Tanaka, Takashi Hirao, Hikaru Chida, Aki Ejima
Summary: The study revealed that the courtship behavior in male fruit flies is mediated by specific neurons, which respond to multimodal sensory stimuli and lead to a fixed sequence of behaviors. Furthermore, male flies are able to suppress or promote their courtship actions by receiving specific olfactory stimuli through neurons when in contact with females.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Heather K. E. Ward, Amanda J. Moehring
Summary: Surface chemical compounds play a crucial role in the survival and reproduction of insects, with CHCs being essential for desiccation resistance and chemical communication. Understanding the genetic basis of species variation in CHCs is important for reproductive success and isolation between species. The gene CG5946 has been identified as a new candidate locus contributing to species-specific variation in CHC profiles.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Crystal M. Vincent, Marc S. Dionne
Summary: Male and female animals show differences in infection outcomes, with potential sources of sexually dimorphic immunity being the sex-specific costs of immune activity or pathology. This study found that males and females exhibit differential immune activity but similar bacteria-derived metabolic pathology, with females having a female-specific immune-inducible expression of PGRP-LB which plays a critical role in reducing immune activity in response to bacterial reductions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sofie Y. N. Delbare, Asha M. Jain, Andrew G. Clark, Mariana F. Wolfner
Summary: In this study, transcript and microRNA abundances in the female reproductive tract of Drosophila melanogaster were measured before and after mating. The results showed significant changes in gene expression, with many genes being upregulated and microRNAs being downregulated post-mating. These findings suggest that mating induces early changes in the female reproductive tract primarily through the upregulation of target genes and the downregulation of microRNAs. Furthermore, male-derived factors such as exosomes were not uniquely essential for this process.
Article
Ecology
Tamara L. Johnson, Mark A. Elgar, Matthew R. E. Symonds
Summary: Darwin argued that sexual selection plays a role in the evolution of male sensory structures. A study on moth antennae found that the morphology and size of male antennae are linked to female mating behavior and flight ability. Elaborate antennae in males have evolved more frequently in species with monandrous females, and female loss of flight ability is more common in species where males have elaborate antennae. These results provide new insights into the relationship between male competition and interspecific sexual dimorphism.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sara Ruschioni, Emanuele Ranieri, Paola Riolo, Roberto Romani, Rodrigo P. P. Almeida, Nunzio Isidoro
Letter
Dermatology
P. Masini, S. Zampetti, G. Minon Llera, F. Biancolini, I. Moretta, R. Romani, M. Tramontana, K. Hansel, L. Stingeni
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY AND VENEREOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Emanuele Ranieri, Sara Ruschioni, Paola Riolo, Nunzio Isidoro, Roberto Romani
MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS
(2020)
Article
Entomology
Milos Sevarika, Gabriele Rondoni, Eric Conti, Roberto Romani
Summary: The invasive beetle species Harmonia axyridis, originally from Asia, has been released worldwide for biological control of herbivorous insects, but has become a threat to native predatory species due to its ability to reduce their populations. Surprisingly, despite extensive literature on the species, the sensory organs of its antennae have been poorly characterized. Studies using scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques revealed the presence of various types of sensilla and antennal glands in both male and female individuals, with no sexual dimorphism observed in their overall structure or sensory features.
ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Cristina Maria Crava, Damiano Zanini, Simone Amati, Giorgia Sollai, Roberto Crnjar, Marco Paoli, Marco Valerio Rossi-Stacconi, Omar Rota-Stabelli, Gabriella Tait, Albrecht Haase, Roberto Romani, Gianfranco Anfora
JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Entomology
Milos Sevarika, Marco Valerio Rossi Stacconi, Roberto Romani
Summary: This study investigates the sensory structures of antennae and ovipositor in the chestnut gall wasp, revealing the importance of sensory organs in locating oviposition sites and assessing the suitability of plant tissues. The diverse sensilla play a crucial role in the insect's ecological behavior, shedding light on the ovipositional mechanism used by this pest.
Article
Entomology
Annalisa Andreani, Marzia Cristiana Rosi, Roberto Guidi, David Jafrancesco, Alessandro Farini, Antonio Belcari, Patrizia Sacchetti
Summary: Insects use visual cues, especially colors, to navigate their environment and find food or mates. Lipoptena fortisetosa, a deer ked from Japan, has spread to Europe and poses a potential threat as a vector for pathogens. This study found that blue sticky panels attracted the most deer keds, suggesting that colored traps could be effective for monitoring and controlling this ectoparasite.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Luisa Ederli, Giovanni Beccari, Francesco Tini, Irene Bergamini, Ilaria Bellezza, Roberto Romani, Lorenzo Covarelli
Summary: This study investigated the impact of ENB, DON, and ENB+DON on bread wheat and Fusarium development. Synergistic effects were observed in seed germination, growth, and chlorophyll degradation, while antagonistic interaction was found in cell death and oxidative stress induction. ENB inhibited FG growth, while DON promoted FA growth, highlighting the potential role of ENB in cell death control and fungal competition.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Milos Sevarika, Gabriele Rondoni, Sonia Ganassi, Onofrio Marco Pistillo, Giacinto Salvatore Germinara, Antonio De Cristofaro, Roberto Romani, Eric Conti
Summary: The meadow spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius) exhibits intraspecific chemical communication, as evidenced by the attraction of males to unmated females and their headspace volatile extracts in bioassays. However, females did not respond to unmated male volatiles or their extracts, and both males and females did not respond to volatiles from individuals of the same sex. Electroantennography assays revealed measurable responses in the antennae of both sexes to headspace extracts, with stronger responses observed for males to body wash extracts. The study suggests the presence of compounds that are highly detected by the male's olfactory system, possibly originating from the female's head.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Annalisa Andreani, Antonio Belcari, Patrizia Sacchetti, Roberto Romani
Summary: This study investigates the antennae of four species of Hippoboscidae and explores their role in host location. Morphological observations reveal common features among the studied species, while the sensory structures on the antennae are hypothesized to play a role in perceiving host odors, temperature, and humidity. The findings provide insights into the complex process of host searching in these poorly studied insects.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Milos Sevarika, Andrea Di Giulio, Gabriele Rondoni, Eric Conti, Roberto Romani
Summary: The ultrastructural organization of the cephalic glands in the transmitters of Xylella fastidiosa was studied, revealing two types of glands and describing their location and composition. The presence of maxillary sensory pit and the ultrastructural organization of sensilla trichoidea were also recorded.
MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Milos Sevarika, Paolo Giannotti, Andrea Lucchi, Roberto Romani
Summary: Perception of olfactory cues is a core function of insects, which is achieved through sensilla located on their antennae. In addition to olfactory sensilla, antennae are equipped with other types of sensilla for perceiving different types of signals. By integrating stimuli from the environment, insects can interact dynamically with the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem. This study investigated the antennae structure of Anagyrus vladimiri, an important biocontrol agent of scale insects, and provided functional hypotheses for different types of sensilla based on their ultrastructural characteristics.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Irene Valenti, Francesco Tini, Milos Sevarika, Alessandro Agazzi, Giovanni Beccari, Ilaria Bellezza, Luisa Ederli, Silvia Grottelli, Matias Pasquali, Roberto Romani, Marco Saracchi, Lorenzo Covarelli
Summary: Fusarium mycotoxins pose a serious threat to animal and human health. The co-occurrence of different mycotoxins in the same cereal field is common, making it difficult to predict the risks and effects of mycotoxins. This review focuses on the combined effects of enniatins (ENNs) and deoxynivalenol (DON) in multiple organisms and highlights the complexity of mycotoxin interactions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sara Falsini, Marzia Cristiana Rosi, Elia Ravegnini, Silvia Schiff, Cristina Gonnelli, Alessio Papini, Alessandra Adessi, Silvia Urciuoli, Sandra Ristori
Summary: The increasing demand for food has led to the intensive use of pesticides that are harmful to the ecosystem. However, biopesticides can be a viable alternative, but they often have low solubility in water and poor bioavailability. This study developed innovative nanocarriers containing capsaicin and hydroxytyrosol, loaded into nanosystems using exopolysaccharides and lipids. These nanocarriers showed increased ovicidal effect and reduced female attraction in pest control programs, making them potentially effective in managing pests like the Mediterranean Fruit Fly.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Aya Ibrahim, Ilaria Giovannini, Gianfranco Anfora, Marco Valerio Rossi Stacconi, Robert Malek, Lara Maistrello, Roberto Guidetti, Roberto Romani
BULLETIN OF INSECTOLOGY
(2019)