Shovon Chandra Sarkar

The tomato potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli, is an invasive pest in Australia, causing severe economic losses in solanaceous crop production and challenging sustainable pest management. Traditional pesticides (such as Organophosphates, Neonicotinoids groups, etc.), which have been used to manage other pests uses to control B. cockerelli, are increasingly challenged due to environmental risks and growing pest resistance, creating an urgent need for sustainable pest management alternatives. Biological control using resident generalist predators, such as ladybirds, shows promise in addressing these issues. This case study examines the potential of early dietary experience to enhance predator-prey interactions for pest control. Two ladybird species, the nonnative variegated ladybird, Hippodamia variegata, and the native transverse ladybird, Coccinella transversalis, were tested for their response to B. cockerelli after initial exposure. Results demonstrated that prior experience with B. cockerelli as prey increased the ladybirds preference and suppression of B. cockerelli populations. This training approach could improve the effectiveness of augmentative release strategies for targeting invasive pests. Information © The Authors 2025.

Plastic pollution is a pressing global challenge, with current management strategies often falling short regarding environmental impacts. As an alternative to plastic waste management approaches, the Galleria mellonella (Greater wax moth) has emerged as a potential natural agent to reduce plastic waste through its biodegradation. The G. mellonella larvae have a unique ability to consume and biodegrade various polymeric materials, including plastics, making them an eco-friendly solution to plastic waste management. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of G. mellonella larvae in waste bioconversion and future perspectives in plastic waste management. Key challenges of the application of G. mellonella include its use in large-scale waste processing, economic feasibility, and environmental impact. This review highlights the potential of G. mellonella as a sustainable solution for plastic waste management and its possible integration into biorefineries for the production of valuable materials.

The soil-inhabiting predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley) (Acari: Laelapidae) and the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) can both serve as effective biocontrol agents against the pest Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Assuming the fungus B. bassiana does not adversely affect S. scimitus, the combined application of these 2 agents could enhance the suppression of F. occidentalis. The age-stage, 2-sex life table was used in the present study to evaluate the effects of B. bassiana strain GZGY-1-3 on S. scimitus, mediated through F. occidentalis feeding. When S. scimitus fed on the prepupae of F. occidentalis that had been exposed to the GZGY-1-3 suspension for 24 h, the developmental times of protonymph, deutonymph, and preadult mites were significantly longer and the mites' longevity and fecundity were significantly lower than mites fed on untreated F. occidentalis. The intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ) and net reproduction rate (R0) of the mite population were all significantly lower in the treatment where B. bassiana was applied compared to untreated populations. Specifically, the indirect effects of B. bassiana on S. scimitus was mediated through mite consumption of fungus-infected pupae of F. occidentalis. Our results showed that the combined application of B. bassiana and S. scimitus may pose potential risks for the simultaneous biocontrol of F. occidentalis.

The tomato potato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) is a significant insect pest of Solanaceae. In early 2017, it was first detected in Perth, Western Australia. The objective of this work was to identify predator species of B. cockerelli occurring in fields of Solanaceae in Western Australia. Predatory insects and arachnids were sampled using sweep netting in some of the major Solanaceae-growing regions in the south-west of Western Australia in 2021 and 2022. Several laboratory feeding trials were conducted to develop PCR primers that could detect the DNA of B. cockerelli in predators that had fed on B. cockerelli rather than on alternative diets. The primers were then used to screen predators collected from the field to identify those that had been feeding on B. cockerelli. In the two years of field sampling, the predators collected represented a broad taxonomic range. The most abundant predator was green lacewing followed by ladybirds. Further, we analysed predators belonging to seven insect taxa (one Neuroptera, two Hemiptera and four Coleoptera) for the presence of B. cockerelli DNA. We found that 45% of the individual insects from all taxa that we caught were positive for B. cockerelli DNA, and Coleopteran predators showed the highest rate of positive results. This is the first report confirming predation on invasive B. cockerelli by the resident predator community in the field in Australia.

Exogenous plant hormones regulate the agronomic and physiological performance of plants and thus can influence the abundance of insect groups. We surveyed the arthropods on flowering plants Cnidium monnieri and found that the abundance of natural enemies Propylaea japonica and Orius minutus in the plots treated with salicylic acid (SA) and indole acetic acid (IAA) was significantly increased compared with those in the clean water (control) plots. Then, we investigated the effects of spraying SA, IAA, and clean water on the population parameters of Semiaphis heraclei reared on C. monnieri. Our results from the age-stage, two-sex life table analysis revealed a significantly shorter pre-adult duration for aphids reared on SA-treated C. monnieri compared to those reared on the other two treatments. The intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, and net reproductive rate of aphids reared on SA- and IAA-treated C. monnieri were significantly higher than those of aphids reared on clean water-treated C. monnieri. The fecundity rate was higher under the SA and IAA treatments than in the control, but the difference was not significant. This improved the ability of flowering plants to attract natural enemies by providing a larger food source.

The tomato potato psyllid, Šulc (Hemiptera: Triozidae) is a significant insect pest of Solanaceae. In early 2017, it was first detected in Perth, Western Australia. From the two years of field sampling, the predators collected represented a broad taxonomic range. The most abundant predator was green lacewing. Therefore, this study investigates the potential of the Australian native and commercially available green lacewing, Mallada signatus Schneider (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), as a biological control agent for B. cockerelli. The effect of feeding on B. cockerelli on the development rate and survival, of M. signatus were evaluated. Further, a greenhouse cage study was conducted to determine the optimal density of M. signatus larvae needed to effectively control an established B. cockerelli population. The third instar larvae of M. signatus consumed over 75 B. cockerelli nymphs in 24 hours. Following the introduction of M. signatus larvae to caged tomato plants, eight M. signatus larvae per caged tomato plant decreased B. cockerelli population by 64 % at the end of the sampling. These results indicated M. signatus, particularly at the larval stage, are an effective biological control option for B. cockerelli, especially in greenhouse tomato cultivation. This research provides valuable insights for Australia's horticultural industry, offering an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides.

The rise in insecticide resistance in various pest species, the risk of chemical residues, and the potential impact of insecticides on non-target species have led to the exploration of alternative methods of management. Biological control, which involves the use of natural enemies to help manage pest populations, has been the focus of considerable research efforts. However, in the case of a newly invasive pest in an ecosystem, there is the specific question of whether any of the resident natural enemy species in the region are capable of effectively utilising the new pest as a food source. In this context, generalist predators are likely to be promising options because their ability to adapt to a wide range of prey species. An invasive pest, tomato potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) was first detected on mainland Australia near Perth. It can cause significant losses to solanaceous crops via direct feeding and by transmitting the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum that causes zebra chip disease in potatoes, although this pathogen has not yet been detected in mainland Australia. Considering B. cockerelli’s demonstrated ability to develop resistance to insecticides, utilizing resident predatory natural enemies as biological control agents could make a valuable contribution to managing B. cockerelli. The species of B. cockerelli predators occurring in fields of Solanaceae in Western Australia were identified and the biocontrol potential of the two most abundant ladybirds, both generalist predators, were evaluated in laboratory and glasshouse experiments. Sampling was conducted in fields of different solanaceous crops to identify the species of generalist predators that occurred in the environment of south-western WA. The most abundant generalist predator was green lacewing (Neuroptera) followed by ladybirds (Coleoptera). To screen the field collected predators for those which had been feeding on the B. cockerelli, PCR primer pairs were developed. Individuals from 7 insect taxa were analysed for the presence of DNA of B. cockerelli. Coleopteran predators were most frequently detected with B. cockerelli DNA. Hippodamia variegata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), an introduced ladybird species, was positive in 70% of cases and an Australian native ladybird, Coccinella transversalis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), was positive in 65% of cases. The biocontrol potential of H. variegata and C. transversalis were investigated and compared. Both ladybirds could successfully develop and reproduce when feeding on B. cockerelli. In the greenhouse, the release of ladybird larvae significantly suppressed the development of the B. cockerelli population and positively influenced the plant chlorophyll content and biomass. Moreover, early life experience with B. cockerelli as a prey species significantly increased the preference of both ladybird species for the psyllid. The results of this study have the potential to contribute the implementation of sustainable pest management solutions for the invasive B. cockerelli. They also demonstrate the value of examining generalist predators as possible biocontrol agents for newly invasive species and point to the possibility of improving the impact of augmentative release strategies through early life exposure of generalist predatory insects to target pests. This may be particularly useful in cases of invasive pest species.

The tomato potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli, is an invasive pest in Australia, which can cause severe economic loss in the production of Solanaceous crops. As an invasive pest, B. cockerelli may also modify biotic interactions in Australian agricultural and native ecosystems. Resident generalist predators in an area may have the ability to utilize invasive pest species as prey but this will depend on their specific predatory behavior. The extent to which generalist predators learn from their previous dietary experience (i.e., whether they have used a particular species as prey before) and how this impacts subsequent prey choice will influence predator and prey population dynamics after invasion. In this study, one nonnative resident ladybird, Hippodamia variegata, and one native ladybird, Coccinella transversalis, were investigated. Dietary experience with B. cockerelli as a prey species significantly increased preference for the psyllid in a short term (6 h) Petri dish study where a choice of prey was given. Greater suppression of B. cockerelli populations by experienced ladybirds was also observed on glasshouse grown tomato plants. This was presumably due to altered prey recognition by experience. The result of this study suggest the potential to improve the impact of biological control agents on invasive pests by providing early life experience consuming the target species. It may prove valuable for developing improved augmentative release strategies for ladybirds to manage specific insect pest species.

The tomato potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli Šulc, originating from North and Central America, poses a serious threat to Solanaceae crops in Australia. This study investigates the potential of the Australian native and commercially available green lacewing, Mallada signatus Schneider, as a biological control agent for B. cockerelli. The effect of feeding on B. cockerelli on the development rate and survival, of M. signatus were evaluated. Further, a greenhouse cage study was conducted to determine the optimal density of M. signatus larvae needed to effectively control an established B. cockerelli population. In our study, the third instar larvae of M. signatus consumed over 75 B. cockerelli nymphs in 24 h. Following the introduction of M. signatus larvae to caged tomato plants, eight M. signatus larvae per caged tomato plant decreased B. cockerelli population by 64% at the end of the sampling. These results indicated M. signatus, particularly at the larval stage, is an effective biological control option for B. cockerelli, especially in greenhouse tomato cultivation. This research offers valuable insights for the Australian horticultural industry, presenting a viable, eco-friendly alternative to traditional, chemical pesticide-reliant pest management strategies.