Project Number: 5442-22000-039-02
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 29, 2005
End Date: Sep 28, 2010

Objective:
To investigate and differentiate the physiological and molecular mechanisms involved with beneficial and pest insects, e.g. mymarid parasitoids, sugarbeet root maggot, glassy-winged sharpshooter and the Colorado potato beetle, to overwinter and/or survive under cold conditions and also to distinguish the diverse relationships of various populations of the Lygus bug.

Approach:
For parasitoids and the glassy-winged sharpshooter, investigations will focus on exposing various ages of the female parasitoid, Gonatocerus ashmeadi, and its host to cold, non-freezing temperatures and examine possible debilitating effects conveyed maternally to the progeny. If chilling damage occurs, characterize the mechanism causing the debilitation. Diapause physiology and respiration rates of overwintering sugarbeet root maggots will be determined. Control regions from diapause regulated genes of Colorado potato beetle will be compared to other leaf beetles to find the universal elements. DNA markers will be employed to assess the geographic and species diversity of the Lygus pest complex.