Title: Molecular gut content analysis of generalist predators to identify specific predator-prey relationships for advanced integrated pest management
Abstract:
The purpose of this research is to establish predators as an efficient IPM tool in the Australian macadamia agroecosystem by conducting a metagenomic investigation of the gut contents of predators to identify particular predator-prey dynamic interactions. Predators play an important role in integrated pest control (IPM) without costing the grower. To reduce the labour cost, it is required to know which predators consume which pests. Here, we used DNA studies to determine the pests that were consumed by predators of macadamia orchards. To identify which predators were eating which pests in the macadamia environment, we first verified the species identities of the predators and subsequently performed a metagenomic study of their gastrointestinal contents. Extracted DNA from the guts of predators was amplified by using primers LCO and HCO, and sequencing was performed by the Australian Genome Research Facility (AGRF). The genomic data was extracted from FASTQ sequencing files and compared to the genomic data already stored in BOLD and BLAST, a genomic library. The single nucleotide sequencing confirmed the species and family name of generalist predators used for gut content analysis. Metagenomic analysis revealed that 34 individual pests, which represent 18 species belonging to 3 families, are as follows: Fall Armyworm moths (Noctuidae), aphids (Aphididae), and weevils (Curculionidae). This is the first analysis of this kind of research in macadamia in Australia.
