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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Filitsa Karamaouna, Georgios Partsinevelos, Professor Angharad MR GatehouseORCiD, Dr Martin EdwardsORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
BACKGROUND: The neurotoxin peptide ω-ACTX-Hv1a, fused to the carrier molecule GNA presents potential for insect control as a biopesticide, being orally toxic to insect pests from different orders. However, thorough evaluation is required to assure its safety towards non-target invertebrates. Effects of this novel biopesticide on the parasitoid Eulophus pennicornis via its host Lacanobia oleracea are presented. RESULTS: Hv1a/GNA did not cause mortality when injected or fed to 5th stage L. oleracea, but caused up to 39% reduction in mean larval weight (p<0.05) and increased developmental time when injected. When fed, GNA, but not Hv1a/GNA, caused ~35% reduction in larval weight, indicating that host quality was not affected by the fusion protein. Although GNA and Hv1a/GNA were internalized by the hosts following ingestion, and thus available to higher trophic levels, no significant changes on rate of E. pennicornis parasitism occurred. The number of parasitoid pupae/host, adult emergence and sex ratio were unaffected by GNA- or Hv1a/GNA-treated hosts (p>0.05). The fusion protein was degraded by parasitoid larvae, rendering it non-toxic. CONCLUSION: Hv1a/GNA has negligible effects on the parasitoid, even under worst-case scenarios. This low toxicity to these insects is of interest in terms of biopesticide specificity and safety to non-target organisms.
Author(s): Nakasu EY, Karamaouna F, Partsinevelos GK, Abd-El-Halim HM, Fitches EC, Pyati P, Gatehouse JA, Gatehouse AMR, Edwards MG
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Pest Management Science
Year: 2016
Volume: 72
Issue: 3
Pages: 585-590
Print publication date: 01/03/2016
Online publication date: 23/05/2015
Acceptance date: 23/04/2015
Date deposited: 27/05/2015
ISSN (print): 1526-498X
ISSN (electronic): 1526-4998
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Ltd
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ps.4030
DOI: 10.1002/ps.4030
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