No abstract

Human-mediated changes in landscapes can facilitate niche expansion and accelerate the adaptation of insect species. The interaction between the evolutionary history of the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis Fabricius, and historical and modern agricultural activity in Brazil shaped its spatial genetic structure, facilitating ecological divergence and incipient host shifting. Based on microsatellite data, STRUCTURE analyses identified two (K = 2) and three (K = 3) significant genetic clusters that corresponded to: (a) a strong signal of spatial genetic structure and, (b) a cryptic signal of host differentiation. We inferred that K = 2 reflects the footprint of agricultural activity, such as expansion of crop production (sugarcane and maize), unintentional dispersion of pests, and management practices. In contrast, K = 3 indicated incipient host differentiation between larvae collected from sugarcane or maize. Our estimates of population size changes indicated that a historical bottleneck was associated with a reduction of sugarcane production ≈200 years ago. However, a more recent population expansion was detected (>1950s), associated with agricultural expansion of large crop production into previously unfarmed land. Partial Mantel tests supported our hypothesis of incipient host adaptation, and identified isolation-by-environment (e.g., host plant) in São Paulo and Minas Gerais states, where sugarcane has been traditionally produced in Brazil. The impact of agricultural production on D. saccharalis may continue, as the current population structure may hinder the efficacy of refuge plants in delaying insect resistance evolution to Bt toxin.

The sugarcane borer moth, Diatraea saccharalis , is one of the most important pests of sugarcane and maize crops in the Western Hemisphere. The pest is widespread throughout South and Central America, the Caribbean region and the southern United States. One of the most intriguing features of D . saccharalis population dynamics is the high rate of range expansion reported in recent years. To shed light on the history of colonization of D . saccharalis , we investigated the genetic structure and diversity in American populations using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) markers throughout the genome and sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase (COI). Our primary goal was to propose possible dispersal routes from the putative center of origin that can explain the spatial pattern of genetic diversity. Our findings showed a clear correspondence between genetic structure and the geographical distributions of this pest insect on the American continents. The clustering analyses indicated three distinct groups: one composed of Brazilian populations, a second group composed of populations from El Salvador, Mexico, Texas and Louisiana and a third group composed of the Florida population. The predicted time of divergence predates the agriculture expansion period, but the pattern of distribution of haplotype diversity suggests that human-mediated movement was most likely the factor responsible for the widespread distribution in the Americas. The study of the early history of D . saccharalis promotes a better understanding of range expansion, the history of invasion, and demographic patterns of pest populations in the Americas.

ABSTRACT. The Old World bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) was recently discovered in Brazil. This species is closely related to the New World bollworm H. zea (Boddie), and mating between these species has already been reported under laboratory conditions. Here, we tested the cross-species amplification of 20 microsatellite (SSR) loci in field populations of H. armigera and H. zea collected from Brazilian cropping systems. Seven SSR loci were successfully amplified and polymorphic in both species except for the locus HaC14, which was monomorphic for H. zea. All SSR loci were in linkage equilibrium, and deviations from HardyWeinberg equilibrium were only observed for the locus HarSSR1 in the HaRS-2 population, where null alleles were present. A moderate level of polymorphism was detected in H. armigera and H. zea populations with a mean allele number of 4.14, and 2.24, respectively. Interestingly, most of the populations of the recent invader H. armigera showed higher genetic diversity and inbreeding coefficients than H. zea populations. The genetic identity of each species was recovered using a STRUCTURE analysis, where the populations formed two clusters (K = 2) according to their species. STRUCTURE also suggested the occurrence of potential hybrid offspring between H. armigera and H. zea individuals in natural conditions. These SSR loci will be valuable in characterizing population differentiation, invasion routes, adaptation, reproductive behavior, and intra-and interspecific gene flow in H. armigera and H. zea populations in Brazil, the USA, and other areas where these two pests occur.