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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #378454
Research Project: Urban Landscape Integrated Pest Management

Location: Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory

Title: Comprehensive draft transcriptome of the maize stalk borer, Busseola fusca, from multiple tissue types, developmental stages, and parasitoid wasp exposures

Author
item HARDWICK, KAYLA - Reed College
item BICHANG'A, GLADYS - University Of Nairobi
item ABTEW, ANDNET - Bahir Dar University
item AWORI, RYAN - Goethe University
item CEPKO, LEAH - Reed College
item CHEBON-BORE, LORNA - Rhodes University
item DARBY, ALISTAIR - University Of Liverpool
item DEVRIES, JON - Reed College
item FILEE, JONATHAN - University Of Paris
item FUAD, MUNA - University Of Nairobi
item GACHARA, GRACE - Sokoine University Of Agriculture
item GITHAE, DEDAN - Jagiellonian University
item GUNGA, PATRICK - University Of Nairobi
item HELD, MADISON - Reed College
item KARIUKI, HELLEN - University Of Nairobi
item KATAKA, EVANS - University Of Nairobi
item KERFUA, SUSAN - National Livestock Research Institute
item KIMENYI, KELVIN - University Of Nairobi
item LE RU, BRUNO - University Of Paris
item LUTOMIA, ERNEST - Moi University
item LUVAI, ELIZABETH - Nagasaki University
item LUVANDA, MAUREEN - Kenyatta University
item LYIMO, BEATUS - Nelson Mandela African Institute Of Science And Technology
item MACHUKA, EUNICE - International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) - Kenya
item MAEDA, DANIEL - University Of Dar Es Salaam
item MAINA, SOLOMON - Australian Grains Genebank
item MATHENGE, PETERSON - University Of Nairobi
item MATOKE-MUHIA, DAMARIS - Kenya Medical Research Institute
item MILLER, CAITLIN - Cornell University
item MIRUKA, SILVIANE - University Of Nairobi
item MITEMA, ALFRED - University Of Nairobi
item MIYUNGA, ANTOINETTE - International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) - Kenya
item MUKOLWE, SARAH - University Of Nairobi
item MUGE, EDWARD - University Of Nairobi
item MURITHI, MARY - Kabarak University
item MUSABYIMANA, JEAN PIERRE - University Of Nairobi
item MUZOORA, SAPHAN - Makerere University
item MWANGI, ESTHER - National Museums Of Kenya
item MWANGI, HARRISON - University Of Nairobi
item MWANGI, NDUTA - University Of Nairobi
item MWAURA, ANN - National Museums Of Kenya
item NGALAH, BIDII - Heidelberg University
item NG'ANG'A, PETER - University Of Nairobi
item NJOROGE, HARUN - Jomo Kenyatta University
item NYANDIKA, BRENDA - National Museums Of Kenya
item NYASSANI, JOHNSON - Kenya Agricultural And Livestock Research Organization
item OBANGE, FAITH - University Of Nairobi
item OCHIENG, SHEM - Kenyatta University
item ODHIAMBO, WILLINGTONE - University Of Nairobi
item OGOT, HELLEN - University Of Kabianga
item OJWANG, MAUREIQ - North Carolina State University
item OSOWO, FRED - University Of Nairobi
item RATEMO, BILLY - Egerton University
item SONDA, TOLBERT - Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute
item SSAMULA, ALEXANDER - Makerere University
item TOWETT-KIRUI, SHARON - University Of Nairobi
item TWIZERIMANA, AUGUSTIN PENDA - Kenya Medical Research Institute
item WACHIURI, KELVIN - University Of Nairobi
item WACOO, ALEX PAUL - Makerere University
item WAMAE, KEVIN - Kenya Medical Research Institute
item WEBALE, MARK - Kirinyaga University
item YAA, REUBEN - University Of Nairobi
item Gundersen-Rindal, Dawn
item STOMEO, FRANCESCA - European Molecular Biology Laboratory
item DJIKENG, APPOLINAIRE - Centre For Tropical Livestock Genetics And Health
item CALATAYUD, PAUL ANDRE - University Of Paris
item SCHAACK, SARAH - International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) - Kenya

Submitted to: Genome Biology and Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/21/2020
Publication Date: 10/1/2020
Citation: Hardwick, K., Bichang'A, G.B., Abtew, A.B., Awori, R.M., Cepko, L.C., Chebon-Bore, L.J., Darby, A., Devries, J.D., Filee, J., Fuad, M., Gachara, G., Githae, D.K., Gunga, P., Held, M., Kariuki, H.W., Kataka, E.S., Kerfua, S.D., Kimenyi, K.M., Le Ru, B.P., Lutomia, E.M., Luvai, E.A., Luvanda, M.K., Lyimo, B.M., Machuka, E.M., Maeda, D.G., Maina, S., Mathenge, P.G., Matoke-Muhia, D., Miller, C.H., Miruka, S.A., Mitema, A., Miyunga, A.A., Mukolwe, S.A., Muge, E.K., Murithi, M.K., Musabyimana, J., Muzoora, S., Mwangi, E.W., Mwangi, H.N., Mwangi, N., Mwaura, A.N., Ngalah, B.S., Ng'Ang'A, P.N., Njoroge, H.N., Nyandika, B.N., Nyassani, J.O., Obange, F.A., Ochieng, S.J., Odhiambo, W.O., Ogot, H.A., Ojwang, M.A., Osowo, F.O., Ratemo, B.O., Sonda, T., Ssamula, A., Towett-Kirui, S., Twizerimana, A., Wachiuri, K.M., Wacoo, A., Wamae, K., Webale, M.K., Yaa, R.M., Gundersen, D.E., Stomeo, F., Djikeng, A., Calatayud, P., Schaack, S. 2020. Comprehensive draft transcriptome of the maize stalk borer, Busseola fusca, from multiple tissue types, developmental stages, and parasitoid wasp exposures. Genome Biology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaa195.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaa195

Interpretive Summary: Despite growing interest in the role of genomics as a method of ensuring food security, there are few examples where new technologies have been applied to insect species that devastate staple food crops in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we present the transcriptome (transcribed genetic material) of Busseola fusca, the maize stalk borer, a lepidopteran caterpillar insect pest that is not found in the US but is responsible for massive staple crop losses, including corn, in Africa. The comprehensive information obtained expands our current understanding of the genetics of this species and represents a key step towards identifying candidate genetic targets for the control and mitigation of infestations by B. fusca throughout regions where it is found. This information will be useful to scientists and industry who are interested in biological and non-chemical control of major caterpillar pests of crops worldwide.

Technical Abstract: Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), the maize stalk borer, is a widespread crop pest in sub-Saharan Africa that has been the focus of biological research and intensive management strategies. Here, we present an annotated draft transcriptome of B. fusca (originally collected in the Western Province of Kenya) based on ten pooled libraries including a wide array of developmental stages, tissue types, and exposures to parasitoid wasps. Parasitoid wasps have been used as a form of biocontrol to try and reduce crop losses with variable success, in part due to differential infectivities and immune responses among wasps and hosts. We identified a number of loci of interest for pest management, including genes potentially involved in chemoreception, immunity, and response to insecticides. The comprehensive sampling design used expands our current understanding of the transcriptome of this species and deepens the list of potential target genes for future crop loss mitigation, in addition to highlighting candidate loci for differential expression and functional genetic analyses in this important pest species.