Semiochemical-based alternative concepts for the management of wireworms

线虫是欧洲和北美谷类作物和根茎类蔬菜的主要害虫。种子处理和其他接触性杀虫剂被用来保护作物免受幼虫取食的损害。然而，目前的化学选择在欧洲受到挑战，何时以及是否可以注册一种新的土壤杀虫剂来管理线虫是非常值得怀疑的。信号化学品(自然产生的发育和改变行为的化学品)以无毒的方式发挥作用，并可为土壤害虫管理提供一种无害环境的替代方案。与地上昆虫类似，土生节肢动物也会被气相中出现并扩散到土壤孔隙中的信号化学物质吸引或排斥。虽然二氧化碳是一种通用的引诱剂，但根际衍生的信号化学物质为土壤害虫提供了更具体的、中等范围的寄主位置线索。这个先正达案例博士项目的主要目的将是为开发基于线虫信号化学的管理战略进行基础研究。学生将在Rothamsted Research(80%)和英国西部大学(20%)学习，并将接受广泛的化学生态和分析化学技术培训，包括信号化学提取技术、分析化学(GC、GC-MS、SIFT-MS、GC-EAG、HPLC、LC MS)和生物分析(土壤嗅觉仪、土壤中隔)方法。由此产生的半化学混合物，例如作为缓释制剂应用，将为线虫推拉式害虫管理系统的开发创造基础，绕过杀虫剂固有的问题。通过更好地了解根际化学生态过程，导致这种新方法的工作将对英国和国际植物和昆虫科学和化学生态社区产生重大影响，它还将为作物保护实践创建一个针对土壤害虫的一般模式，转向其他更可持续的解决方案，例如培育具有理想抗虫害特性的作物。

Wireworms are major pests of cereal crops and root vegetables in Europe and also in North America. Seed treatments and other contact insecticides are used to protect crops from larval feeding damage. However, current chemical options are challenged in Europe and it is very questionable when and if at all a new soil insecticide could be registered for wireworm management. Semiochemicals (naturally occurring development- and behaviour-modifying chemicals) act in a non-toxic mode of action and can provide an environmentally benign alternative for soil pest management. Similar to aboveground insects, soil-dwelling arthropods are also attracted to or repelled by semiochemicals that occur in the gas phase and diffuse in soil pores. Whereas CO2 is a generic attractant, rhizosphere-derived semiochemicals provide more specific, mid-range host location cues for soil pests. The main aim of this Syngenta CASE PhD project will be to conduct underlying research for the development of wireworm semiochemical-based management strategies. The student will be based at Rothamsted Research (80%) and at the University of the West of England (20%) and will be trained in a wide range of chemical ecological and analytical chemistry techniques, including semiochemical extraction techniques, analytical chemistry (GC, GC-MS, SIFT-MS, GC-EAG, HPLC, LCMS) and bioassay (soil olfactometry, soil mesocosm) methods. The resulting semichemical blends, applied as slow-release formulations for example, will create the basis for the development of push-pull pest management systems for wireworms, circumventing the issues innate of insecticides. The work leading to such novel approaches will significantly impact UK and international plant and insect science and chemical ecological communities by providing a better understanding of rhizosphere chemical ecology processes, and it will also create a model for crop protection practice against soil pests in general towards other more sustainable solutions, such as breeding of crop plants with desirable pest resistance traits.