Pest Management Science (2019) 75, 1621-1629

Yaohui Wang, Awawing A. Andongma, Yongcheng Dong, Zhenzhong Chen, Penghui Xu, Xueming Ren, Matthew N. Krosch, Anthony R. Clarke and Changying Niu (2019)
Rh6 gene modulates the visual mechanism of host utilization in fruit fly Bactrocera minax
Pest Management Science 75 (6), 1621-1629
Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Vision plays a critical role in host location and oviposition behavior for herbivorous insects. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying visual regulation in host recognition and oviposition site selection in insects remains unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the key visual genes that are linked to the host plant location of the fruit fly, Bactrocera minax.
RESULTS
Using a host specialist fruit fly, B. minax, which lays eggs only into immature green citrus fruit, we undertook behavioral, transcriptomic, and RNAi research to identify the molecular basis for host fruit color recognition. In laboratory and field assays we found that adults prefer green over other colors, and this preference is significantly increased in sexually mature over immature flies. Furthermore, we identified that the Rh6 gene, responsible for green spectral sensitivity, has elevated expression in mature flies over immature flies. RNAi suppression of Rh6 eliminated the preference for green, resulting in a significant decrease in the number of eggs laid by B. minax in green unripe citrus.
CONCLUSION
These results show that the Rh6 gene modulates the visual mechanism of host utilization in B. minax, providing a genetic basis for visual host location in a non-model insect herbivore.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Chang-Ying Niu

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pheromones/attractants/traps

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bactrocera minax	Citrus (genus)