The Euwallacea fornicatus species complex (Coleoptera: Curculionidae); emerging economic pests of tea in Taiwan

Liao, Yi-Chang; Liu, Fang-Ling; Rugman‐Jones, Paul F.; Husein, Deena; Liang, Hui-Hung; Yang, Yu-Hung; Lee, Chun-Yen; Liu, Lan-Yu; Tuan, Shu‐Jen; Stouthamer, Richard

doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2023.106226

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 22 publications

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“…crown health, stem injury, trunk diameter) (Coleman et al., 2019). PSHB and other members of Euwallacea have long been pests of tea in India, Sri Lanka and Taiwan (Gadd & Loos, 1947; Liao et al., 2023) and, more recently, also of avocado in Israel and California (Carrillo, 2019; Eskalen et al., 2012; Freeman et al., 2013). Other agriculturally relevant hosts affected by PSHB include various stone fruit species (de Jager & Roets, 2023), citrus species (van Rooyen et al., 2021), macadamia (Twiddy et al., 2021), pecan nut (de Beer & Fell, 2021), apple and grapevine (de Jager & Roets, 2022), though not all have been attacked in commercial settings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early impact assessment of the paninvasive polyphagous shot hole borer beetle on commercial pear production

Neethling,

Engelbrecht,

Roets

et al. 2024

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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The polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) beetle, Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), and its phytopathogenic fungal symbiont (Fusarium euwallaceae Freeman et al.) threaten commercial and urban tree species worldwide. This pest–fungus complex has been newly discovered in the commercial deciduous fruit industry (Western Cape, South Africa), where its effect is still unknown. This study explored the impact of PSHB infestation on fruit quality and plant water‐use efficiency (WUE) – as indicated by carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios – of commercially cultivated Packham's Triumph pear trees within the first year of invasion, as well as changes in phenotypic plasticity (trait expression range). The impact of PSHB infestation is currently most evident in fruit quality traits, with a clear distinction between the control and most densely attacked tree categories. Fruit and leaf traits showed high variation and a significant change in phenotypic plasticity. Increased PSHB attack density was associated with smaller, duller‐toned, sweeter fruit at the time of harvest and data tended towards reduced plant WUE. Producers can expect significant variation in fruit quality and plant WUE even in hosts without branch dieback, visible plant stress or extensive beetle breeding, especially in orchards where infestations persist beyond the first year. These findings necessitate additional research to describe the long‐term impact, examine the threat to other deciduous fruit crops and cultivars and assess the need for adapted management or harvesting methods.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early impact assessment of the paninvasive polyphagous shot hole borer beetle on commercial pear production

Neethling,

Engelbrecht,

Roets

et al. 2024

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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Pathogenicity of Bacillus subtilis Against Symbiotic Fungus of Euwallacea fornicates (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) From South India

Ashif,

Rabeesh

2024

Journal of Basic Microbiology

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In India, the shot‐hole borer, Euwallacea fornicates, commonly known as the tea borer, infests the galleries of tea plant twigs under natural conditions and is a major pest of tea. The current investigation focuses on the antagonistic ability of Bacillus subtilis to directly inhibit the growth of plant pathogens in two different climatic regions of tea‐growing area. The evaluation reveals that (a) B. subtilis can directly suppress the growth of plant pathogens (b) in the in vitro evaluation; the B. subtilis suppressed the growth of the Fusarium ambrossium, which is the nourishment for the ambrosia beetle, (c) it also revealed that the antagonistic microbes and the entomopathogens are able to control the pest population of the shot hole borer of tea. The impact of B. subtilis on mycelial growth, sporulation, and spore germination of F. ambrosium in agar medium was observed. In the field condition on the post‐treatment assessments shows an average decline of 40% in both foliar and soil drenching. Hence, we recommend the antagonistic bacterium B. subtilis for including as an IPM for the management of shot hole borer in tea.

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Genome diversification of symbiotic fungi in beetle-fungus mutualistic symbiosis

Huang,

Abdrabo,

Phang

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Ambrosia beetles and their fungal symbionts represent a widespread and diverse insect-fungus mutualism. This study investigates the genomic adaptations associated with the evolution of the ambrosia lifestyle across multiple fungal lineages. We performed comparative genomic analyses on 70 fungal genomes from four families (Irpicaceae, Ceratocystidaceae, Nectriaceae, and Ophiostomataceae), including 24 ambrosia and 34 non-ambrosia lineages. Our phylogenomic analyses reveal multiple independent colonization of insect vectors by the fungi, spanning from the mid-Cretaceous (114.6 Ma) to the early Quaternary (1.9 Ma). Contrary to expectations for obligate symbionts, ambrosia fungi showed no significant genome-wide reductions in size, gene count, or secreted protein repertoire compared to their non-symbiotic relatives. Instead, we observed complex, lineage-specific patterns of genomic adaptation. Key findings include lineage-specific expansions in carbohydrate-active enzyme families (AA4 in Nectriaceae, CE4 in Ophiostomataceae, and GH3 in Ophiostomataceae and Ceratocystidaceae), suggesting potential enhancement or loss of lignin modification, hemicellulose deacetylation, and cellulose degradation in different ambrosia lineages. Repeat-Induced Point mutation analysis revealed family-specific patterns rather than lifestyle-associated differences. These results highlight the diverse genomic strategies employed by ambrosia fungi, demonstrating that symbiont evolution can proceed through refined, lineage-specific changes rather than genome-wide, or convergent alterations. Our study suggests that unlike other insect-farmed fungi, ambrosia fungi are not domesticated crops, but rather free-living fungi which co-opted wood boring beetles as vectors via subtle, lineage-specific adaptations.

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The Euwallacea fornicatus species complex (Coleoptera: Curculionidae); emerging economic pests of tea in Taiwan

Cited by 3 publications

References 22 publications

Early impact assessment of the paninvasive polyphagous shot hole borer beetle on commercial pear production

Early impact assessment of the paninvasive polyphagous shot hole borer beetle on commercial pear production

Pathogenicity of Bacillus subtilis Against Symbiotic Fungus of Euwallacea fornicates (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) From South India

Genome diversification of symbiotic fungi in beetle-fungus mutualistic symbiosis

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