Location: Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory
Project Number: 8042-22000-315-028-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 30, 2024
End Date: Mar 1, 2026
Objective:
The objective of this study is to screen bacterial biopesticides from IIBBL or other culture collections to identify new or improved biopesticides for biological control of invasive Lepidopteran pests, especially Spongy Moth (Lymantria dispar). Spongy moth (formally Gypsy moth) is one of the most destructive pests of trees in the US, where European spongy moth (ESM) (Lymantria dispar dispar) populations feed on over 300 forest, shade, ornamental, and fruit trees; and shrubs (Elkinton and Liebhold 1990), defoliating over 98 million acres of US forests from 1924 to 2018 (USDA Forest Service 2019). Control measures consist of mating suppression with pheromones and/or application of pathogens like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) bacteria. Asian strains of spongy moth (ASM) (L. dispar asiatica and japonica) have not yet established in the US but have been accidentally introduced many times in the past 29 years (USDA/APHIS/PPQ 2016). Because of their greater dispersal potential (females fly) and broader host range than ESM, ASM pose serious and increasing threats to US landscapes.
Approach:
In the current project, in order to advance the use of Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory (IIBBL) pathogen collections and Lepidopteran pest full genomes, as well as to develop improved biopesticides for biological control of invasive pests, postdoctoral scientist(s) in IIBBL and in the Cooperator laboratories will screen, characterize, and test potential novel microbial (bacterial or molecular) biopesticide(s) against spongy moth or other Lepidopteran pests of significance to the Northeast Area by the following approach:
(1) Identify from IIBBL collections existing potential microbial pathogens capable of inducing detrimental effects, to be selected from:
a) Bacteria Chromobacterium – recently obtained isolates from soil or aquatic habitats will be examined for insecticidal activity against Lepidoptera and characterized for genomic identity.
b) Bacteria Bacillus: IIBBL possesses a collection of ~3500 partially characterized Bt and related Bacillus isolates from around the world; several distinct isolates will be selected based on known characteristics and screened for lepidopteran activity.
c) Lepidopteran dsRNAs identified with activity against Lepidopteran pests to be examined in vitro and in vivo. The dsRNAs will be generated from known L. dispar genome targets.
(2) Fully characterize molecular genetic content identified microbial pathogen(s) with promising lepidopteran activity through:
a) Latest high-throughput genome methods for sequencing, assembly, and annotation (automated and manual); and
b) Conduct comparison to known and/or related strains for identification of virulence features.
(3) Analyze biological effects of microbial pathogens and/or associated biological phenomena of their interactions in vitro and/or in vivo delivered to spongy moth larvae, other lepidopteran pests and evaluate efficacy:
a) Analyze infection in vitro and in vivo using qRT-PCR or other methods, to identify molecular phenomena in single or dual pathogen infections;
b) Conduct small scale laboratory bioassays to quantify activity and verify efficacy. If time allows, larger scale greenhouse, or small field/landscape trials using the most promising candidate(s) will be performed.
c) Conduct small scale laboratory bioassays to screen activity in a broader host range, including Dipteran insects like yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti), southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus), common house fly (Musca domestica), or others.
