You Zhou,De-Qiang Qin,Pei-Wen Zhang,Ben-Ju Liu,Xiao-Tian Chen,Zhi-Xiang Zhang
Azadirachtin , as the most promising and effective botanical insecticide, exhibits significant growth inhibition activity against agricultural and forestry pests. However, its biochemical effects at the metabolic level compared with those of other insect growth regulators have not been studied. Therefore, in this study, a GC–MS based untargeted metabolomics approach was applied to compare azadirachtin with pyriproxyfen (a juvenile hormone analog) and tebufenozide (a molting hormone analog) in terms of their metabolic effects on Bactrocera dorsalis larvae. The bioactivity of azadirachtin against B. dorsalis larvae was significantly different than those of pyriproxyfen and tebufenozide. A total of 693 mass features were recognized, and 112 metabolites were identified in this study. The results showed that a total of 16, 13 and 10 differentially regulated metabolites corresponding to 12, 5 and 8 pathways occur in Aza versus CK, Pyr versus CK and Teb versus CK group, respectively. Further analysis showed that 6 differentially regulated metabolites corresponding to 5 key pathways could be the primary differential metabolic response of B. dorsalis larvae to the three insect growth regulators. The pathways were myo-inositol corresponding to ascorbate and aldarate metabolism as the specific response of B. dorsalis larvae to azadirachtin; xylitol, xylulose and 3-aminopropionitrile corresponding to pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and cyanoamino acid metabolism as the common responses to azadirachtin and pyriproxyfen; and 3-hydroxypropionic acid and beta-alanine corresponding to propanoate metabolism and beta-alanine metabolism as the specific responses to tebufenozide. The results showed that the metabolic response of B. dorsalis larvae to azadirachitin is closer to that of pyriproxyfen than tebufenozide. The differentially regulated metabolites and pathways responsible for this difference are discussed.
Diaphorina citri Kuwayama is of great concern because of its ability to transmit devastating citrus greening illness (Huanglongbing). One strategy for controlling HLB may involve limiting the spread of D. citri . Insecticides using dsRNA target genes may be a useful option to control D. citri . The ecdysone receptor ( EcR ) and ultraspiracle ( USP ) are crucial for the growth and reproduction of insects. This study identified the genes for D. citri ecdysone receptor ( DcEcR ) and ultraspiracle ( DcUSP ). According to the qPCR data, DcUSP peaked at the 5th-instar nymph stage, while DcEcR peaked at the adult stage. Females expressed DcEcR and DcUSP at much higher levels than males. RNAi was used to examine DcEcR and DcUSP function. The findings demonstrated that inhibition of DcEcR and DcUSP delayed nymph development and decreased survival and eclosion rates. ds EcR caused adults to develop deformed wings, and ds USP caused nymphs to wither and die. Female adult ovaries developed slowly, and the females laid fewer eggs. Additionally, DcEcR and DcUSP were inhibited, increasing D. citri susceptibility to pesticides . These findings suggest that DcEcR and DcUSP are critical for D. citri development, growth, and reproduction and may serve as potential targets for D. citri management.