Gut microbes help radiation-weakened moths regain strength and mating drive
Li S, Yang Y, Xu J, Huang W, Hu Q
Crop Improvement
The corn in your garden or the field down the road is targeted by this exact pest, and this discovery could make a widely-used, pesticide-free control method work far better at protecting that crop.
Farmers sometimes fight crop pests by releasing radiation-sterilized male moths that can't produce offspring, but the radiation often leaves those males weak and unable to compete for mates. Researchers discovered that feeding these moths certain gut bacteria, including strains of Lactobacillus and Pseudomonas, repairs the metabolic damage from radiation and restores their lifespan, flight, and mating success. This means pest control programs could use these bacterial boosts to make sterile-male release strategies more effective against crop-damaging moths.
Key Findings
Irradiation significantly reduced gut bacterial diversity and richness in male moths, altering the microbial community structure.
Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis extended lifespan in irradiated males, while Pseudomonas hibiscicola uniquely improved both mating and flight ability.
Untargeted metabolomics identified 3,591 metabolites and showed that combining L. plantarum with P. hibiscicola restored disrupted nucleotide, amino acid, and cofactor metabolism pathways.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists found that specific gut bacteria can help male corn borer moths recover from radiation damage used in pest control programs, restoring their lifespan, mating ability, and flight strength.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Gut bacteria alleviate irradiation-induced fitness decline via metabolic regulation in Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée).
The sterile insect technique (SIT) is a green strategy for controlling lepidopteran pests like Ostrinia furnacalis, but its efficacy is limited by irradiation-induced fitness declines in irradiated...
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