Effect of agricultural intensification on the genetic diversity of Helicoverpa armigera

Abstract

Agricultural intensification affects natural and crop ecosystems, and increases the risk of agricultural pests in agroecosystems. Helicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an important pest that damages a wide range of crops. However, the effect of agricultural intensification on the genetic diversity of this pest is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of the composition and configuration of the landscape on the genetic diversity of the agricultural pest H. armigera based on cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) analyses. In total, 10 haplotypes were found in 2016 and 15 haplotypes in 2021 based on COI genes. The haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity were the highest in the Anqiu (AQ) region during 2016 and in the Bincheng (BC) region during 2021. Haplotype 2 and haplotype 3 (Hap2 and Hap3) were the dominant haplotypes in the H. armigera population. Agricultural intensification had no effect on the genetic diversity of H. armigera between 2016 and 2021. Our study highlights the effect of agricultural intensification on the genetic diversity of H. armigera. Understanding the genetic consequences of agricultural intensification is essential for the green control of agricultural pests and the sustainable development of agriculture.