Effects of two natural diets on the response of the predator Arma chinensis (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae) to cold storage

Authors: LI, XINGPENG - Beijing Forestry University; SONG, LIWEN - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; Coudron, Thomas; ZUO, TONGTONG - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; CHEN, YUEQU - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; ZHANG, YANG - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; WU, SUNAN - Beijing Forestry University

Submitted to: Applied Ecology and Environmental Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2019
Publication Date: 12/28/2019
Citation: Li, X., Song, L., Coudron, T.A., Zuo, T., Chen, Y., Zhang, Y., Wu, S. 2019. Effects of two natural diets on the response of the predator Arma chinensis (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae) to cold storage. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research. 17(6):15329-15347. https://doi.org/10.15666/aeer%2F1706_1532915347.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15666/aeer%2F1706_1532915347

Interpretive Summary: The present study demonstrated a dietary effect on the response of adult A. chinensis to cold temperatures. The content of glycerol, trehalose, sorbitol and fatty acids (unsaturated and saturated) in the adults were identified as possibly contributing to cold tolerance. Dietary content also was shown as affecting the level of those substances in the adults, thus providing an explanation for the observed differences in responses to cold storage treatments. These results suggest that the diet with higher content of carbohydrates and mineral could enhance the cold tolerance of A. chinensis by increasing energy reserves (glycerol, trehalose, sorbitol and unsaturated fatty acids) and decreasing super-cooling points. Our results are helpful for the selection of natural diets and the optimization of artificial diets for A. chinensis and other predatory insects. Further use of modern molecular biology technology, such as nutrigenomics and metabonomics, may assist with investigating the influence of specific nutrients of diet on the synthesis and metabolism of cold resistant substances of insects, and would be beneficial to optimize the formula of insect artificial diet.

Technical Abstract: The preservation and rearing of insect natural enemies is the key for biological control. The biological (survival, longevity and the fecundity) and biochemical (low-molecular-weight carbohydrates, glycerol and fatty acids contents) indexes of Arma chinensis fed by Antherea pernyi (diet AP) or Tenebrio molitor (diet TM) were measured after cold storage treatments. The results showed that the diet affected several biological and biochemical parameters, but varied with the length of cold storage. The survival rate and longevity after 30-day cold storage, and the fecundity after 40-day cold storage were significantly higher for adults reared on TM compared to AP. The super-cooling points and the freezing points were significantly lower for adults reared on TM than AP. Low-molecular-weight carbohydrates, glycerol and unsaturated fatty acids were significantly higher for TM than for AP. The structural equation model showed that diet influenced survival, fertility and SCPs of A. chinensis indirectly through the enzyme activity, and the content of carbohydrates, glycerol and unsaturated fatty acids. These results suggested that the nutrient content of diets affects the accumulation of cold-resistant substances, metabolism level and activities of related enzymes in A. chinensis in a manner that enhances tolerance to cold storage.