A limited understanding of the feeding habits of ecosystem service providers is a notable obstacle to the deployment of natural enemies in pest management.Understanding the dietary diversity of predators can enhance c...A limited understanding of the feeding habits of ecosystem service providers is a notable obstacle to the deployment of natural enemies in pest management.Understanding the dietary diversity of predators can enhance conservation strategies and assess their effects on pest populations.In this study,we used metabarcoding of DNA extracted from the gut contents of an artificially released generalist predator,Eocanthecona furcellata,collected from tobacco cultivation fields in Yunnan Province,China.We aimed to investigate prey composition,selectivity,and efficiency of biological control.Among the individuals of E.furcellata,we detected diverse potential prey,comprising 53 insect species across 28 families and seven orders.Several agricultural pests,including Spodoptera exigua,S.litura,Helicoverpa armigera,and Agrotis segetum,were identified.Diptera are important in the diet of E.furcellata,with 22 species from 14 families accounting for 52.2%of the observed predation events.Eocanthecona furcellata consumed certain beneficial predators present in the tobacco fields,such as carabid beetles,hoverflies,wasps,and lacewings,although the incidence was generally low,except for Syrphidae.Our findings revealed previously unidentified trophic linkages involving E.furcellata with pest species and other biological control agents,as well as highlighting the critical role of neutral insects in shaping the dietary spectrum of E.furcellata in tobacco fields.This study establishes an important foundation for integrating metabarcoding technology into biological control research,particularly for elucidating trophic interactions between natural insect enemies and their prey.展开更多
基金supported by the Pests and Diseases Green Prevention and Control Major Special Project(Nos.110202101049[LS-09],110202201018[LS-02])the Key Project of Science and Technology Plan of Yunnan Company of China National Tobacco Corporation(Nos.2022530000241019,2022530000241021)the 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University.
文摘A limited understanding of the feeding habits of ecosystem service providers is a notable obstacle to the deployment of natural enemies in pest management.Understanding the dietary diversity of predators can enhance conservation strategies and assess their effects on pest populations.In this study,we used metabarcoding of DNA extracted from the gut contents of an artificially released generalist predator,Eocanthecona furcellata,collected from tobacco cultivation fields in Yunnan Province,China.We aimed to investigate prey composition,selectivity,and efficiency of biological control.Among the individuals of E.furcellata,we detected diverse potential prey,comprising 53 insect species across 28 families and seven orders.Several agricultural pests,including Spodoptera exigua,S.litura,Helicoverpa armigera,and Agrotis segetum,were identified.Diptera are important in the diet of E.furcellata,with 22 species from 14 families accounting for 52.2%of the observed predation events.Eocanthecona furcellata consumed certain beneficial predators present in the tobacco fields,such as carabid beetles,hoverflies,wasps,and lacewings,although the incidence was generally low,except for Syrphidae.Our findings revealed previously unidentified trophic linkages involving E.furcellata with pest species and other biological control agents,as well as highlighting the critical role of neutral insects in shaping the dietary spectrum of E.furcellata in tobacco fields.This study establishes an important foundation for integrating metabarcoding technology into biological control research,particularly for elucidating trophic interactions between natural insect enemies and their prey.
