Biology and Life Sciences

Abstract: Mosquitoes transmit a wide range of human pathogens, including Plasmodium parasites and arboviruses. Insects rely primarily on pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to initiate innate immunity against invading pathogens. Leucine-rich repeat proteins (LRRPs), such as LRIM1 and APL1, are critical PRRs that mediate anti- Plasmodium immunity in Anopheles mosquitoes. However, the roles of these proteins in Aedes albopictus, a major vector of dengue virus (DENV), remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified 49 LRRP-coding genes in the Ae. albopictus genome. On the basis of LRR copy number and sequence features, these LRRPs were classified into five subfamilies: “Long” LRRPs, “Short” LRRPs, “TM” LRRPs, “Coil-less” LRRPs and “F-box” LRRPs. Phylogenetic and functional domain analysis revealed that the LRRPs of Ae. albopictus were highly conserved relative to their orthologs in other mosquito species. Expression profiling indicated that the LRIM1 and APL1A/B/C orthologs in Ae. albopictus display distinct expression patterns across developmental stages and in adult tissues. Furthermore, both blood feeding and DENV infection significantly modulated the transcriptional profiles of Ae. albopictus LRRPs. Collectively, our study provides a foundation for systematically exploring the functions of LRRPs during mosquito development, blood feeding, and innate immunity.

Abstract: In daytime workers/learners, the reduction of sleep duration on weekdays can be partially compensated by an advance of circadian sleep phase caused by an advance of the 24-h cycle of exposure to light. Since health effects of these sleep reduction and phase advance cannot be easily separated in human studies, Drosophila melanogaster was used to compare health consequences of 1) shaking or heating between 3:00 to 7:00 during 5 weekdays applied to produce the 4-h sleep deprivation on weekday mornings and 2) shifting the 12-h interval of light exposure applied to produce the 4-h advance in weekday circadian timing. Flies showed a gradual restoration of the circadian phase on weekends after the 4-h weekday advance of the 24-h light-dark cycle. However, their reproduction and survival remained uncompromised. Shaking was associated with drastic negative consequences for reproduction and survival. Only survival was compromised by heating. Despite this, sleep loss caused by morning shaking or heating was compensated by its rebound during several following hours, and, on weekends, the 24-h sleep-wake pattern was already fully restored. While humans fail homeostatically compensate their monophasic sleep after its loss in the morning hours, polyphasic Drosophila sleep can be fully compensated during the same weekday.

Abstract: Background: Fruits and vegetables vary in flavor, texture and nutrient composition, but consumer impressions of historical deterioration are often conflated with nutritional inadequacy. Objective: To critically examine genetic, agronomic and postharvest determinants of produce quality and their implications for childhood dietary diversity. Methods: A narrative synthesis began with the preceding manuscript's bibliography and used targeted retrieval and bibliographic verification through 12 October 2026. Crop studies, sensory experiments, pediatric studies, evidence syntheses and World Health Organization guidance were interpreted according to design and population. No exhaustive screening or meta-analysis was conducted. Synthesis: Evidence across strawberries, melons, citrus, pome and stone fruits, tomatoes, carrots and brassicas supports crop-specific variability associated with genotype, production conditions, maturity, storage and preparation. Flavor differences do not establish a universal decline in nutrient content. Historical food-composition comparisons have substantial comparability limitations. Child studies support evaluating preparation and eating context, but adult preference and food-chemistry findings cannot directly establish sustained pediatric intake. Plate color is a useful educational cue to variety, not a validated measure of nutritional adequacy. The author's prior clinical work is integrated as a conceptual clinical perspective, with its preprint and conference-abstract status explicitly identified. Conclusions: Childhood nutrition assessment should connect food properties with actual intake, whole-diet adequacy, feeding skills and documented medical needs. Studies linking characterized produce to repeated child consumption are needed; the proposed clinical integration requires validation.

Abstract: The potential of the fungal strain Metarhizium anisopliae ESF1 to control Varroa destructor was evaluated in a field trial conducted on honey bee colonies, with comparisons made to the miticide Apiguard. At the end of the 73-day experimental period, M. anisopliae demonstrated efficacy comparable to the chemical treatment in suppressing V. destructor populations. The number of mites per honey bee (Apis mellifera) was significantly reduced in colonies treated with the miticide Apiguard and the fungus M. anisopliae; however, mite infestations increased in the control colonies. Similarly, the number of mites in sealed brood was significantly higher in the control colonies than in those treated with the miticide and the fungus. Mites remaining in the colonies post-treatments (residual mites) were higher in the control colonies but reduced by 75.6% and 92.8% in colony treated with the fungus and miticide, respectively. Colony strength in terms of bee populations, brood production, and food reserves (pollen and honey) were similar between treatment groups. Overall, microbial control of V. destructor with M. anisopliae could be a promising alternative to the use of chemicals and a useful component of an Integrated Pest Management program for the beekeeping industry.

Abstract: Flight in Drosophila melanogaster depends on a division of labour between asynchronous indirect flight muscles that supply power and synchronous steering muscles that modify wing motion. The indirect muscles operate through interactions between calcium-dependent activation, delayed stretch activation, sarcomere kinetics and thoracic mechanics. Their motor neurons do not command each wing stroke, but neural input can regulate the operating state of the flight motor. Understanding this system requires connecting measurements across scales: calcium signals, muscle force, wing kinematics, aerodynamic loading and behaviour. This narrative review examines the evidence for calcium-dependent power regulation and places it within the neural and mechanical organisation of flight. Published optogenetic studies illustrate how perturbing visual pathways, descending neurons or motor circuits can identify causal contributions to wing control, while also exposing the limits of interpreting a behavioural response as a direct measure of muscle function. Particular attention is given to tethered-flight arenas, open-loop and closed-loop visual stimulation, free-flight measurements and wingbeat recordings. Changes in wingbeat frequency, stroke amplitude or flight persistence can arise through several mechanisms and do not, on their own, establish changes in indirect-muscle force or power. A conceptual multiscale framework is proposed to organise these relationships and distinguish measured quantities from inferred states. An accompanying computational supplement illustrates energy-accounting and numerical checks in an imposed-strain simulated system; it is not a calibrated model of flight or evidence for calcium-dependent power generation. The central argument is that causal interpretation improves when perturbations and measurements span more than one level of the flight system.

Abstract: Acyl-CoA thioesterase 9 (ACOT9), a member of the type II hot-dog fold thioesterase superfamily, play important roles in regulating the balance between intracellular acyl-CoA and free fatty acids. Although its functions have been extensively studied in vertebrates, its evolutionary diversification and physiological roles in Diptera, particularly in the economically important insect black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), remain largely unclear. In this study, ACOT9 homologs were identified from 93 representative dipteran species, and H. illucens was used as a model to investigate phylogenetic re-lationships, synteny, domain architecture, expression profiles, and RNA interference (RNAi)-based functional analysis. The results showed that ACOT9 underwent lineage-specific duplications in the suborder Brachycera, giving rise to four paralogs (ACOT9.1–9.4), accompanied by lineage-specific gene losses. Synteny and conserved domain analyses suggested potential functional divergence among these paralogs. In contrast, the ancestral single-copy ACOT9 retained a catalytically con-served domain (e.g., d1lo7a) shared between vertebrates and insects. We cloned the full-length open reading frame (ORF) of H. illucens ACOT9. Transcript abundance peaked on day 12 of larval devel-opment (pre-pupation), with higher expression in males than in females, and predominant localiza-tion in the Malpighian tubules. RNAi-mediated knockdown in 6- to 7-day-old larvae significantly altered fatty acid composition: total saturated fatty acids increased by 13.35%, while monounsatu-rated and polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased by 5.39% and 14.27%, respectively, with relative abundances of lauric acid and linoleic acid changing by more than 10%. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that ACOT9 knockdown significantly upregulated genes involved in de novofatty acid synthesis (FAS1/2/3, ACC, MAT, KAS, ACP) and acyl-CoA activation (ACSM1/2, ACSL4/6), down-regulated the lipolysis gene LIP, and induced expression of the mitochondrial β-oxidation trans-porter genes CPT1/2. These findings indicate that ACOT9 deficiency triggers compensatory lipid synthesis and β-oxidation activation, ultimately leading to saturated fatty acid accumulation. In summary, this study elucidates the evolutionary diversification of ACOT9 in Diptera and demon-strates its pivotal role in lipid homeostasis in H. illucens, providing important insights into insect thioesterase function and endogenous lipid metabolic networks.

Abstract: The study investigated the influence of different land-use types on terrestrial soil invertebrate species diversity. Fifteen 25 m x 25 m plots were demarcated in the cultivated farmland, grazing land, secondary forest and the forest reserve. The findings revealed significant variations in soil invertebrate communities in the different land-use types, with natural forest ecosystems generally supporting higher species richness and diversity than more intensively managed cultivated and grazing land. These differences highlight the impact of land-use practices on belowground biodiversity and ecosystem health. Findings of the study provide valuable information for biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration, and the development of land-use policies that promote resilient and healthy terrestrial ecosystems.

Abstract: The bottle bioassay is a method for detecting insecticide resistance in mosquito populations. Naled (dimethyl 1,2-dibromo-2,2-dichloroethylphosphate) is the active ingredient in many products used in mosquito control operations. Naled is photolabile, its half-life and rate of decay depend on temperature and humidity. Amber glass is used to protect the contents of the glassware container from photodegradation. This study was initiated to determine whether amber bottles rather than flint glass bottles could be used in bottle bioassays to protect the concentration of naled within the bottles from degradation due to light exposure, and to evaluate the effects of different light sources and the effects of leaving bottle caps on or off. Time to mortality data were collected. Effects of pesticide chemistry, pesticide formulation, bottle chemistry, light source, and sex of mosquitoes are discussed. Generally, mosquitoes died more quickly in the amber bottles, mosquitoes died more quickly in capped bottles than those left uncapped, and males died more quickly than females.

Abstract:

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Southeast Asia and is thought to circulate between Culex mosquitoes, amplifying pig hosts, and ardeid birds, with humans acting as incidental dead-end hosts. However, multiple mosquito species may contribute to transmission, making community composition, abundance, and feeding behaviour important for understanding human exposure risk. This study investigated mosquito diversity, abundance, and blood feeding patterns across 24 sites in three Philippine provinces with a history of JEV cases. Mosquitoes were collected using CO₂-baited BG-Pro traps during five surveys between August 2024 and February 2026, and associations with environmental and host-density variables were assessed using generalised linear mixed-effects models. A total of 8,595 mosquitoes were collected, including 5,378 females representing eight genera and 13 species. Culex dominated collections (86.5%), with Culex quinquefasciatus the most abundant species. Mosquito abundance, diversity, and blood feeding activity were higher during the rainy season, while abundance increased with temperature and chicken density and diversity was greatest in high NDVI and low human dense environments. Genus-specific analyses showed overall abundance patterns were largely driven by Culex, whereas Aedes and Armigeres exhibited distinct environmental responses. Of 274 blood meals, 88.3% originated from chickens, primarily from Cx quinquefasciatus, highlighting the critical need to study the potential role of chickens in JEV ecology.

Abstract: The Pyraloidea are among the largest superfamilies of Lepidoptera, yet their distribution in the eastern Mediterranean is documented unevenly. Light-trapping was carried out on 54 nights between 2008 and 2024 at 45 localities in the districts of Erdemli and Mezitli, Mersin Province, southern Türkiye, along an elevational gradient from 150 to 1800 m a.s.l. The survey yielded 492 occurrence records of 1330 specimens belonging to 161 species in 91 genera; the Pyralidae are represented by 78 species and the Crambidae by 83, and the largest subfamilies are the Phycitinae (61 species), the Crambinae (23) and the Spilomelinae (22). Eighty species are reported for the first time from Mersin Province, the assessment being made against the national catalogue, two annotated lists for the district of Anamur, an unpublished doctoral thesis on the region and the applied entomological literature. Nomenclature was checked species by species against the Global Information System on Pyraloidea, which altered 28 entries relative to the source material and included five changes of generic placement and one synonymy. Ten of the species were described from Anatolian type localities. Species composition became increasingly dissimilar with increasing elevational distance between sampling events (Spearman ρ = 0.187, p < 0.001), an effect independent of season, and 94% of the dissimilarity between assemblages was attributable to species replacement rather than to nestedness; no significant relationship between elevation and species richness per night was found once overdispersion was accounted for. Sample-based rarefaction and the Chao2 estimator indicate that about three-quarters of the pyraloid fauna likely to be present has been recorded. Neither district contains a protected area. The occurrence data are published in Darwin Core format.

Abstract: Species-level identification of mosquitoes within the Anopheles gambiae complex is essential for vector surveillance but remains challenging because several members are morphologically indistinguishable and share substantial genomic variation. Here, I evaluate varKoding, a genome-wide k-mer fingerprinting approach that classifies low-coverage sequencing data without genome assembly using 296 specimens representing seven species of the An. gambiae complex and two non-complex Anopheles species.Leave-one-out validation was performed across five sequencing data amounts (500K–10M bp) using varKode and conventional chaos game representation (CGR) images. varKode consistently outperformed CGR at every sequencing depth, with multi-class accuracy increasing from 95.27% at 500K bp to 98.65% at 10M bp. At 10M bp, six of nine taxa achieved 100% recall; An. gambiae s.s. and An. coluzzii each achieved 97.5% recall, while An. stephensi achieved 95.0%. Reciprocal gambiae–coluzzii errors were concentrated among specimens from Tiassalé, Côte d'Ivoire, including a pre-2013 specimen whose species label cannot be independently verified. An independent Ag3 analysis using geographically held-out An. gambiae and An. coluzzii specimens confirmed strong discrimination of near-pure individuals but showed that relative class scores did not reliably resolve fine-scale genomic ancestry within populations. Confidence scores generally separated correct from incorrect predictions. Classification remained correct for all six evaluable species at up to 20% simulated contamination across four biologically relevant non-target DNA backgrounds.Overall, varKoding provides high-accuracy identification from low-coverage data across the represented members of the complex, including reliable identification of the important malaria vector An. arabiensis and the non-vector An. quadriannulatus. Difficult or unexpected specimens can be directed to orthogonal molecular or population-genomic confirmation, allowing the method to serve as a practical first-pass surveillance tool. Broader geographic validation of the full multi-species classifier and expanded reference representation would further support routine surveillance applications.

Abstract: This review examines how eusociality reshapes breeding strategies in Apis mellifera and why honeybee colony phenotypes should be interpreted within a population-based framework. Rather than treating colonies as isolated breeding entities, we argue that interconnected populations of colonies represent the most relevant evolutionary scale for honeybee improvement, because genetic variation is continuously generated, exchanged, and filtered across colonies through reproduction, environmental pressures, and selection. The review first examines the genetic mechanisms that structure colony and population diversity. It then considers how non-genetic factors such as nutrition, landscape, disease pressure, management practices, and temporal variability shape colony phenotypes and constrain experimental repeatability, trait interpretation, and breeding evaluation. Together, these dimensions support a Genotype × Environment × Time (G×E×T) framework in honeybees that challenges breeding concepts largely derived from conventional livestock improvement programmes. From this perspective, breeding strategies grounded in population genetics, population-based mass selection, and conservation-oriented management are more consistent with honeybee biology than breeding frameworks derived from individually selected livestock species. Excessive reliance on a limited number of elite lineages may increase introgression, reduce effective population size, erode local adaptation, and weaken long-term adaptive potential. Acknowledging honeybee biological specificities, this review proposes a framework that reconciles conservation and breeding through a gradient of human selection intensity, ranging from protected conservation populations to managed hybridisation zones. Consequently, this review suggests solutions to reconcile conservation to breeding resulting in complementation of maintaining long-term evolution potential while assuring colony productivity.

Abstract: Significant regional variation was observed in colony composition, productivity, and disease prevalence. Modern colonies (colonies housed in frame hives) produced significantly higher honey yields than traditional colonies (horizontal cylindrical wooden hive), and colony composition was a stronger determinant of productivity than disease prevalence. Multiple regression indicated that the proportion of modern colonies positively influenced honey yield, while geographical region was the primary predictor of high Varroa destructor infestation. No significant predictors were identified for high Nosema sp. incidence. PCA and cluster analyses identified four distinct production system typologies differing in colony composition, productivity, and disease burden. Beekeepers identified imported bees, biosecurity risks, predator pressure, inadequate disease management, and marketing constraints as the major challenges affecting sector performance. The findings provide an evidence-based framework for developing a National Honeybee Sector Development Strategy focused on strengthening disease surveillance, biosecurity, extension, advisory and value chain interventions along with conservation and genetic improvement of Apis mellifera jemenitica. These interventions will enhance honey production, reduce colony losses, improve pollination services, and support the long-term sustainability and resilience of Saudi Arabia's apiculture sector.

Abstract:

Greenhouse cage trials were conducted to evaluate the biocontrol potential of the predatory tiger fly Coenosia attenuata against the Chinese chive maggot Bradysia odoriphaga infesting Allium tuberosum. To enhance pest suppression, we supplemented the predator with alternative prey (Drosophila melanogaster adults), a banana‑based banker medium, and a coir mulch layer across four treatments over 50 weeks. When C. attenuata was released alone (T1), corrected control efficacy against B. odoriphaga larvae ranged from 56.14% to 59.82%. Notably, peak larval suppression was significantly higher in treatments combining the predator with mulch layer (T2: 94.23%) or with the banker media system (T4: 100%). Against adult stages, T1 achieved 32.68%–69.73% corrected efficacy, whereas T2 and T4 reached peak values of 100% and 97.69%, respectively. Predator application also doubled the dry weight of Chinese chive. However, the concurrent use of banker medium and mulch layer (T3) did not produce synergistic effects. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that banker media system and coir mulch layers are effective auxiliary tools for enhancing C. attenuata‑based biocontrol in protected cultivation systems.

Abstract: Field recordists often deal with situations where the presence of a species is documented exclusively by an audio file, without accompanying images nor physical specimens. Machine Learning (ML) classifiers trained on annotated datasets are increasingly popular for the automated identification of insect species from soundscapes or single-species recording. Such promising technology is generally reliable, but cannot correctly classify a species whose time/frequency patterns is not included in the reference datasets. Human experts cannot match the speed of a ML classifier but can provide the flexibility needed to overcome its limitations, by taking advantage of the digital audio software commonplace in the field of bioacoustics and of simple operations such as cut and paste. Such empirical comparisons are complicated by several factors, here individually addressed: guidelines are provided to mitigate the difficulties of specific recognition, both by emphasizing the nature of the obstacles, and by providing step-by-step procedures to overcome them. In light of a growing concern for the lack of verifiability in arthropod research, and a corresponding lack of repeatability in bioacoustic studies, and considering that science is the study of repeatable falsifiable phenomena with a methodology designed to minimize confirmation/cognition biases, the paper introduces the empirical “sandwich method”, that involves two audio files: “the filling”, a time slice of 2 seconds – or one echeme, if its duration exceeds two seconds – cut from the novel, unrecognized recording and inserted in “the bread”, the exemplary reference audio. On-screen view is then zoomed to “the sandwich”, a time window of six seconds (or at least three echemes) centered on the filling. Recognition is based on the similarity of bread and filling as observed side by side first visually (oscillogram), and then aurally (unaided ear comparison). Recognition of the poorly audible sandwiches can be improved by the frequency-lowering effect granted by playing the audio at lower speed (e.g., 1/4 or 1/10 of the natural speed) thanks to the special functions of the audio software. The method requires to save the decisive sandwich as an audio file and as a screenshot, thus ensuring persistence, verifiability, repeatability and possible redaction of the recognition.

Abstract: The role of insects in classical music was investigated using online sources. Over 1000 cases of insect works and pieces were discovered. Many composers repeatedly used insects in their works. The most common groups of arthropods represented were Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Orthoptera and Aranea. The vast majority of cases were published recently, rather than during the traditional age of classical music from 1750 to 1830. The greatest number of composers came from the USA, followed by France, England, Austria and Germany. Only 9% of composers were female. A number of composers of insect pieces are ranked among the best known and most productive, though most insect compositions are poorly known. The music itself often evoked insects via buzzing, droning, and tremolo effects. Many pieces were inspired by literature featuring insects. Classical music is much like other genres of music, such as rock and folk, in that it uses the same groups of species for the same reasons–such as butterflies for beauty and flies for revulsion. However, the prevalence of insects in classical music is much greater than anticipated. The use of literary sources as inspiration is unique, as is the production of insect sounds using traditional instruments.

Abstract: Hydrazine (N₂H₄) and its derivatives are components of rocket fuel that contaminate soils around aerospace facilities and military training grounds. The toxicity of hydrazine hydrate, 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) and 2,4-dinitroaniline to terrestrial invertebrates remains unexplored. This study examined the effects of these substances on the mortality, body mass, pupation, and intensity of Gregarina spp. infestation in larvae of Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) at temperatures of 21–23 and 26–28 °C. Six hundred larvae were distributed into 10 treatment groups at each of two temperatures, with three containers per group, over a 5-day exposure. A dose-dependent effect on the physiological parameters of T. molitor was recorded: mortality rose with dose for all three compounds and at 90 mg/kg reached 26.7% (DNPH, 26–28 °C). Pupation proved the earliest indicator of exposure: none was recorded in the control (0.0%), whereas 59.6% of the exposed larvae pupated, already at the lowest concentration of 10 mg/kg, where no deaths occurred. The proportion pupating was similar across the three compounds (55.0–62.2%) but declined with increasing concentration, from 67.2% at 10 mg/kg to 52.2% at 90 mg/kg. Temperature had no effect on it (57.8% at 21–23 °C versus 61.5% at 26–28 °C). All pupae survived (100.0%), compared with 85.3% of those that remained larvae. Initial body mass did not differ between these groups, so no size threshold for initiating metamorphosis was detected. Within the 21–28 °C range, no main effect of temperature on mortality, pupation, or body mass was found, although a statistically significant temperature × concentration interaction was recorded for the last of these. All three compounds reduced the intensity of Gregarina spp. infestation with increasing concentration, and raising the temperature to 26–28 °C lowered the mean parasite count from 18.0 to 13.0 specimens/larva. Under acute 5-day exposure, therefore, hydrazine compounds cause little larval mortality but alter pupation, body mass and the intensity of parasitic infestation at concentrations that kill no larvae. This makes the T. molitor–Gregarina spp. system suitable for the early detection of substrate contamination by hydrazine compounds.

Abstract: Triatoma infestans is the main vector of Trypanosoma cruzi in the South Cone, where vectorial transmission of Chagas is still occurring despite control campaigns with pyrethroid insecticides. High pyrethroid resistance was detected in T. infestans populations from Argentina and Bolivia. This raises the urgent need of including strategies for monitoring and management of insecticide resistance as an essential component of control campaigns. Voltage-gated sodium channel is the target site of pyrethroids; single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the gene encoding this channel, called kdr variants, are associated with pyrethroid resistance in T. infestans. The early detection of kdr in a population allows taking control decisions timely. In this work, we present the development of a high-throughput assay based on multiplex High Resolution Melting for genotyping kdr variants in this species. We characterized T. Infestans populations according to their toxicological response to deltamethrin, and efficiently used this assay for genotyping. Our work confirms that high pyrethroid resistance is strongly associated with kdr variants in T. Infestans, and provides a high-throughput method for vector surveillance and resistance management.

Abstract: Environmental, climatic, and socio-economic conditions coexist in La Guajira, in north-western Colombia, that favour the transmission of dengue. However, gaps in knowledge remain regarding the distribution and temporal dynamics of its main vector, Aedes aegypti. This study assessed the potential distribution and temporal dynamics of Ae. aegypti in the municipality of Manaure, incorporating climatic variables using maximum entropy (MaxEnt) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models, to identify entomological risk areas and support vector surveillance. First, for environmental suitability, occurrence records were obtained from published literature, the National Institute of Health’s collection of medically important insects, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and field surveys. Nineteen WorldClim v2.1 bioclimatic variables were used to model the potential distribution using MaxEnt, with model performance evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC). Second, temporal dynamics of Ae. aegypti, were carried out over the course of a year in two neighbourhoods with high and low dengue incidence, using Prokopack aspirators for indoor sampling. MaxEnt models showed good predictive performance (AUC >0.8), with temperature annual range (BIO7) as the most influential predictor. In the study of temporal dynamics, a total of 2,313 mosquitoes (53% females) were collected. La Cruzada neighbourhood showed greater temporal dependence (φ₁ = 0.679; p < 0.001) compared with Altos de Salinas (φ₁ = 0.309; p = 0.02), while rainfall one to two weeks earlier was positively associated with an increase in female abundance in both neighbourhoods. The integration of spatial and temporal models enabled the prioritization of risk areas. At the spatial level, MaxEnt estimated patterns consistent with the ecology of the vectors at state level; in those municipalities where entomological risk is highest, it is recommended that time series analyses be carried out to improve forecasts and planning for the integrated management of arboviruses transmitted by the Ae. aegypti mosquito.

Abstract: Plutella xylostella is a destructive pest damaging the cruciferous plants worldwide. Transgenic plants expressing dsRNA can be widely deployed for pest control. However, highly effective lethal target genes are currently lacking. Here, we assessed the efficacy of RNA interference (RNAi) against P. xylostella through microinjection of in vitro synthesized dsRNA targeting PxvATPaseA. Injecting 800 ng of dsPxvATPaseA into the fourth-instar larvae greatly reduced the corresponding mRNA level by 1.88-fold on day 2, causing 45.8% larval mortality, and lastly 54.2% treated larvae sucessfully pupated. At a higher dose of 1200 ng of dsPxvATPaseA, RNAi efficacy was significantly enhanced. The expression level of PxvATPaseA was reduced by 2.22-fold and 1.92-fold on day 2 and 3, respectively, leading to 79.2% larval lethality, and only 20.8% of depleted larvae pupated. Our results indicate that PxvATPaseA is an effective target for managing P. xylostella. These findings will facilitate the development of genetically modified plants for the control of this pest.