14CONFAP: Impact and biological control of a new invasive global crop pest in Brazil

Invasive species pose a serious threat to native ecosystems, food security and income generation. The Old World cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, is a global crop pest, causing >US$2 billion of damage annually. Recently, it was found that this voracious pest had finally arrived in Brazil and is now established across the country. The aims of this partnership are:
- To convene a workshop of stakeholders to undertake a risk assessment of the potential impact of bollworm spread in Brazil.
- To collect field samples of bollworms for analysis of genetic diversity, beneficial microbes and natural enemies.
- To assess the potential for microbial symbionts to modulate biopesticide efficacy.
- To determine the role of phenotypic plasticity in modulating susceptibility to biopesticides.
The longer-term goal is to establish a consortium of stakeholders equipped to identify, monitor and control the spread of this invasive species and to minimize its environmental impact.

The Partnership will focus on exploring the current state of the Brazil cotton bollworm population and the factors likely to impact on current efforts to control this important invasive crop pest using environment-friendly biopesticides. Specifically our aims are:
(1) To convene a workshop of stakeholders to undertake a risk assessment of the potential impact of bollworm spread for food security in the region.
A select group of stakeholders will convene in Brazil to assess the current state of knowledge regarding the bollworm's pest status in the region, its known natural enemies, its rate of spread and current control efforts. A particular focus will be the identification of biological and environmental variables that could make or break biocontrol efforts.
(2) To collect field samples of bollworm caterpillars and moths for analysis of genetic diversity, beneficial microbes and natural enemies.
A smaller group of individuals will visit field sites in several Brazilian states, with a view to observing its interactions with natural enemies in the field (predators, parasitoids, etc.), and to collect samples of caterpillars and moths for further analysis.
(3) To assess the potential for symbiont modulation of biopesticide efficacy
Live insects will be collected for bioassays with existing chemical and biological pesticides. Susceptibility will be compared among bollworm strains carrying or free of symbionts, so determining how much scope there is for enhancing future biocontrol efforts by manipulating the microbiota or combining the biopesticide with additives to enhance efficacy or uptake.
(4) To determine the role of phenotypic plasticity in bollworm biology and ecology, particularly in relation to susceptibility to biopesticides
Using lab populations of the cotton bollworm, the effects of insect density on larval phenotype will be examined, in particular, the tendency of larvae to aggregate, their resistance to biopesticides, and their life-history traits

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