Plant-Microbe-Insect Interactions

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 854

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
Interests: pest control; microbe
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
Interests: pest control; natural enemy; parasitoids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microbes regulate the "insect–plant" interaction by influencing host insects and can also shape the interaction between the two by changing plant physiological characteristics. The successful analysis of the microbe-mediated "insect–plant" interaction is helpful to target the development of novel and efficient insecticidal strategies. At present, with the continuous development of omics technology, the functions of . Through the study of microbe–insect–plant interaction model, the interaction mechanisms of microbes, insects, and plants will be further revealed, the understanding of insect adaptability mechanisms will be deepened, and the research and development of new pest control and target technologies will be promoted.

In this Special Issue, we welcome articles within (but not limited to) the following broad themes:

  • Plant–microbe–insect interactions
  • Plant defense
  • Insects
  • Pest control
  • Microbiology

Reviews and original research articles are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Jinjie Cui
Dr. Xueke Gao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • plant–microbe–insect interactions
  • plant defense
  • insects
  • pest control
  • microbiology

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 2047 KiB  
Article
Biosynthesized Chitosan-Coated Silver Nanoparticles: Insecticide Activity and Sublethal Effects Against Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae)
by Daniel Martínez-Cisterna, Olga Rubilar, Lingyun Chen, Marcelo Lizama, Manuel Chacón-Fuentes, Andrés Quiroz, Pablo Parra, Ramón Rebolledo and Leonardo Bardehle
Biomolecules 2025, 15(4), 490; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15040490 - 27 Mar 2025
Viewed by 298
Abstract
The overuse of synthetic pesticides has triggered resistance in insect pests and caused severe environmental impacts, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable alternatives in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This study aimed to biosynthesize and characterize chitosan-coated silver nanoparticles (AgChNPs) using Galega officinalis leaf [...] Read more.
The overuse of synthetic pesticides has triggered resistance in insect pests and caused severe environmental impacts, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable alternatives in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This study aimed to biosynthesize and characterize chitosan-coated silver nanoparticles (AgChNPs) using Galega officinalis leaf extract and evaluate their insecticidal effects against Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae), a key pest of fruit crops worldwide. The biosynthesized AgChNPs (257.2 nm) were polydisperse, crystalline, and stable, as confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). AgChNPs exhibited strong toxicity across multiple developmental stages. Combined larvicidal and pupicidal activity reached 48.3% and 73.3% at 500 and 1000 ppm, respectively, significantly affecting immature stages. As a consequence, adult emergence declined to 46.7%, 51.7%, and 26.7% at 250, 500, and 1000 ppm. Among emerged adults, 71.7% displayed sublethal effects, with 62.8% showing morphological malformations (deformed wings, dehydration) and 37.2% presenting cuticle demelanization. Adulticidal bioassays revealed progressive mortality over 48 h, with 96% mortality at 1000 ppm. Overall, AgChNPs caused acute and chronic toxicity, reduced adult emergence, and induced severe morphological alterations, demonstrating their potential as a sustainable nanotechnological tool for effective pest control within IPM programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Microbe-Insect Interactions)
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