The broad bean weevil Bruchus rufimanus is a major pest of faba bean in Europe, where infestations are responsible for increasing economic losses. Despite its importance for both predictive modelling and biological control strategies based on oophagous parasitoids, the thermal biology of egg development remains poorly understood. This study aimed to address this gap by collecting pods bearing eggs and incubating them under 11 constant temperatures ranging from 12°C to 40°C. Egg development through four morphological substages was monitored daily. Data were organised as stage-frequency matrices and life-tables' parameters were estimated through an optimisation problem that reconstructed the distributions of stage-specific development times. Early substages (S1-S2) were generally longer at lower temperatures, whereas differences among substages became minimal within the optimal thermal range of 20°C-35°C. At 40°C, development ceased at stage S3, preventing egg hatching. The proposed method provided reliable estimates of development time distributions and showed consistent thermal responses across substages. These findings provide the first quantitative baseline for the egg development of B. rufimanus and offer valuable parameters for physiologically based models. Moreover, they supply essential information for synchronising parasitoid releases with susceptible egg stages, thereby supporting the development of sustainable integrated pest management strategies.

Environmental and demographic pressures have driven researchers to explore alternative protein sources for soybean meals and fish meals in ruminant nutrition. Among these alternatives, insects have emerged as a promising option due to their high protein content and well-balanced amino acid profiles. However, most studies identify regulatory restrictions on processed animal proteins as the primary limitation to their inclusion in ruminant diets. This critical review aims to go beyond regulatory concerns by highlighting the physiological and functional limitations of using insect proteins in ruminant nutrition. Special emphasis is placed on the unique aspects of ruminant nitrogen metabolism, the current limitation due to the cost of these proteins, the issue of feed–food competition, and the current methods used to assess insect protein value. In doing so, this review seeks to provide a more nuanced understanding of the challenges and potential of insect-based proteins for sustainable ruminant feeding systems.

Biowaste and agro-industrial co-products continue to increase with population growth and rising living standards, calling for scalable valorization strategies that go beyond simple mineralization. The black soldier fly (BSF) has emerged as a practical bioconversion platform capable of channeling biodegradable organic waste into high-value proteins, lipids, and chitin. In parallel, microbial interventions are increasingly recognized as key levers for substrate conditioning, process stabilization, and performance optimization in BSF-based systems. In this review, we adopted a function-first perspective to examine how microbial processes shape and connect three major biological valorization routes: aerobic composting, anaerobic digestion (AD), and BSF bioconversion. Rather than focus on taxonomic inventories, we synthesized evidence on microbial functions that matter in practice, including extracellular hydrolysis of complex polymers, regulation of short-chain fatty acids, detoxification and pathogen suppression, and process stabilization. We further reviewed microbe-assisted strategies, such as lactic pre-fermentation, directed acidogenesis, and probiotic or defined consortia and their effects on waste reduction, conversion efficiency, product quality, and sanitary safety. Finally, we translated these microbial mechanisms into scalable design principles for configuring and operating integrated insect-microbe systems, highlighting how microbial functions underpin reproducible, enterprise-ready performance across composting, AD, and BSF-integrated workflows.

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are promising biocontrol agents that can also function as plant endophytes, mediating interactions within plant-insect-pathogen systems. Here, we evaluated four EPF isolates, two endemic (Metarhizium brunneum strain GxABT-2 and Metarhizium majus strain GxABT-3) and two reference strains (M. brunneum ARSEF4556 and V275), for their efficacy against the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) and their ability to limit beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV) transmission. Concentration-dependent bioassays assessed aphid mortality, fecundity, and post-mortem fungal development, while seed treatments evaluated the endophytic colonization and impact on BMYV establishment. All isolates caused > 80% aphid mortality at the highest concentration (1 × 108 conidia ml-1), whether applied directly (spray or immersion of aphids) or indirectly (spray or immersion of leaves), with GxABT-2 producing the greatest reduction in fecundity. Three post-mortem developmental stages (melanized, non-sporulating, and sporulating) were primarily observed at lower concentrations (1 × 105 and 1 × 106 conidia ml-1). Overall, melanized aphid cadavers were more frequent with endemic isolates, whereas sporulating cadavers predominated in the V275 and ARSEF4556 treatments. Endophytically colonized plants exhibited significantly lower BMYV loads, with GxABT-2 being the most effective. These results highlight the potential of endemic Metarhizium spp. as sustainable biocontrol agents in a post-neonicotinoid era and underscore the importance of understanding isolate-specific variability in plant-fungus interactions for optimizing viral suppression.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) could transform evidence synthesis and revolutionize the global scientific enterprise, yet its agricultural applications are understudied. Here, we systematically assess the performance of three web-grounded AI engines (ChatGPT, ScholarAI and DeepSeek) in synthesizing the global literature on biological control of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda, and benchmark their outputs against a recent, near-exhaustive human review. Though all engines rapidly screened vast literature corpora, they exhibited shortcomings in factual accuracy, reporting reliability and data consistency. In machine-run syntheses, natural enemy prevalence and performance data often diverged from published records while the level of agreement in enumerating top-performing taxa was evenly low. Meanwhile, internal consistency between laboratory and field-level parasitism data for ScholarAI and DeepSeek was similar to that in human-run reviews. All models tended towards faulty data extrapolation, hallucination and data fabrication, and a sporadic exclusion of key species. While autonomous, machine-only efforts accurately capture coarse-grained patterns in natural enemy identity, abundance, and impacts, they carry limited utility for (living) evidence syntheses or rigorous decision-support. Yet, handled with prudence and due human oversight, machine power might eventually revitalize underfunded disciplines and advance nature-friendly farming.

The conversion of agro-industrial co-products and unsold organic plant-based residues into black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens (L. 1758)) proteins was assessed for use in organic post-weaning piglet diets in Belgium. A total of 72 crossbred female piglets (Landrace × Pietrain) were enrolled in a 5-week feeding trial. Experimental diets consisted of a common energy core (81.2% of the feed) and a protein core (18.8%) composed of organic soybean meal, pea meal, and potato protein, partially replaced by defatted BSF meal at inclusion levels of 15%, 25%, and 35%. All diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isonitrogenous, with standardized ileal digestibility values for lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan held constant. Incorporating 15% defatted BSF meal can substitute conventional organic protein sources without compromising growth performance in post-weaning piglets. However, economic modelling based on a cumulative feed conversion ratio expressed on a dry matter (DM) basis showed that break-even prices for organic BSF meal remained well below the price of the control protein nucleus (€1039·t−1, excluding VAT), indicating that economic parity could not be achieved at typical market prices under the observed feed efficiency.

Superworms (Zophobas morio) are edible insects that hold promise for sustainable bioconversion of agricultural waste. However, its ability to degrade recalcitrant lignocelluloses, such as straw, remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that Z. morio larvae efficiently utilized wheat straw without a survival cost. We first profiled the gut transcriptome of Z. morio larvae to uncover this mechanism, and identified a host-encoded, midgut-specific lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase, ZmLPMO15-2I, which was significantly upregulated in response to straw feeding. Functional characterization confirmed that ZmLPMO15-2 oxidatively cleaves cellulose and synergistically boosts its glycosyl hydrolase activity. Its functional role in the degradation of straw cellulose by Z. morio was further validated by RNAi knockdown and subsequent rescue via bacterial replenishment. Concurrently, the gut microbiota of straw-fed larvae shifted significantly, becoming enriched for Kluyvera. Using culturomics, whole-genome sequencing, and structural characterization, we isolated a novel lignin-degrading bacterial strain, Kluyvera sp. Zm8 in the gut of straw-fed larvae. A novel cooperative model has emerged whereby host enzymes target cellulose, whereas symbiotic bacteria dismantle lignin, enabling efficient lignocellulose breakdown in Z. morio.

Invasive species increasingly threaten global biodiversity and agricultural productivity. However, research on invasion processes often lacks historical references and predictive insights. Liriomyza sativae, native to the Americas, is rapidly expanding worldwide. This study integrated the population genetics and ecological niche modeling to investigate its population history, contemporary global spread, and future invasion risks using global mitochondrial COI genes and occurrence records. Adaptive mechanisms to climatic environments during the expansion were also analyzed using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The results reveal that the suitable habitats and demography of L. sativae have expanded rapidly since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), likely driven by Holocene warming, creating conditions conducive to its contemporary global invasion. Gene migration analysis reveals a long-distance dispersal network, with Mexico serving as a key source of ancestral haplotypes for invasive populations anda major center of global spread. Recent human activities, including trade and cultivation, may have facilitated its migration. Future climate changes are projected to further enhance the ecological suitability of L. sativae, combined with human-mediated dispersal, may facilitate its expansion into higher-latitude regions. Niche comparisons reveal that invasive populations tolerate colder conditions than native populations, with the mean minimum temperature of the coldest month (bio6) being 0.82 degrees C in the invasive range compared to 9.25 degrees C in the native range. Genotype shifts and candidate genes associated with distinct climatic conditions suggest the species' capacity for rapid adaptive evolution during invasion. Under future climate change and globalization, prevention and control efforts should prioritize high-latitude regions and human-mediated dispersal routes.

Food allergies are an increasing public health concern, mainly because of stable allergenic proteins in common foods like soy. This study explores two processing methods—microfluidization and enzymatic hydrolysis—that show promise for industry use to reduce food allergenicity while maintaining protein function. We examined the effect of microfluidization (137 MPa) alone for 1, 3, and 5 passes and combined with enzymatic hydrolysis using Flavourzyme® (50 °C, 15 min, pH 7.0) on the allergenicity of soybean protein isolate (SPI). The protein profile was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, while allergenicity was measured using Western Blot and indirect ELISA with sera from soy-allergic patients. Results indicated that microfluidization alone did not significantly lower allergenicity and, under certain conditions, even increased immunoreactivity (129.9

Microplastics (MPs) contaminate terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems worldwide, yet the mechanisms linking their ingestion, biological effects, and ecological redistribution by organisms remain poorly integrated across taxa and environments. Although many organisms ingest MPs, existing evidence is often fragmented by ecosystem or species group, limiting our ability to identify broader patterns. This review addresses this gap by examining fish and insects, two ecologically distinct and influential groups that collectively span all major ecosystems, to reveal cross-taxon insights in MP exposure and impacts. We synthesize current knowledge on MP sources, environmental distribution, and diversity, and compare the mechanistic pathways through which organisms are exposed to MPs and how such exposure affects physiology, behavior, development, reproduction, and gut microbiota. Despite their contrasting anatomies and life histories, fish and insects exhibit convergent responses to MPs and play key roles in their redistribution through trophic transfer, movement, and cross-ecosystem life cycles. Some species from both groups demonstrated the ability to alter or degrade polymers, likely mediated by their microbiota, with potential implications for MP fate. This cross-taxon perspective clarifies how individual-level effects scale to ecosystem processes and highlights uneven research efforts across taxa, which hinder accurate comparisons. This underscores the need for harmonized, standardized, and ecologically realistic approaches to advance global assessments of MP pollution.

The grain aphid, Sitobion miscanthi, poses a serious threat to cereal crops worldwide, leading to considerable yield losses and demanding annual insecticide applications during the grain-filling stage. As a sustainable alternative, we explored host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) targeting an aphid-specific gene. In this study, we identified SmDSR32, a novel gene encoding a salivary peptide in S. miscanthi, and validated its suitability for RNAi. Transgenic wheat lines expressing SmDSR32-dsRNA were generated. Aphids feeding on these lines showed a 20-fold reduction in SmDSR32 transcript levels compared with controls. This silencing disrupted normal feeding behavior in electropenetrography (EPG) analyses, characterized by a 1.94-fold prolongation of intercellular probing and a 61% shortening of phloem ingestion. Consequently, aphid performance was severely compromised, with at least a 56.7% decrease in survival, a shortening of 5 days in lifespan, and a reduction of 9-10 individuals in aphid progeny production. Impressively, upon being transferred to wild-type plants, both the surviving aphids and their progeny sustained fitness deficits, with a 30% reduction in survival still observed in the first generation. These findings validate SmDSR32 as a potent RNAi target and establish HIGS targeting essential salivary genes as a promising strategy for sustainable aphid management in wheat.

Abstract Insect proteins represent a promising and more sustainable alternative to soybean meal in swine nutrition. However, high dietary inclusion levels often result in reduced animal performance, indicating that factors other than crude protein concentration should be considered. This study evaluated the protein quality and degradability of feed-grade defatted black soldier fly (BSF) meal in comparison with a conventional organic protein core for post-weaning piglets. Protein content, amino acid composition, reactive lysine, Maillard reaction markers, buffering capacity, and protein hydrolysability were determined. Our results showed that defatted BSF meal exhibited a protein content and amino acid profile comparable to those of the protein core but contained substantially higher levels of free amino acids. Accounting for free amino acids reduced the estimated lysine damage from 18.41% to 10.87%, highlighting the importance of considering free amino acids when determining reactive lysine. In addition, BSF meal exhibited a higher buffering capacity and lower protein degradability than the protein core. These findings provide new insights into the nutritional limitations of feed-grade BSF meal and suggest that a more accurate assessment of reactive lysine, together with dietary strategies to reduce buffering capacity, may improve its utilization in post-weaning piglet diets.

Alarm pheromones are crucial for the survival of social insects, enabling coordinated escape from predators. Their evolution has co-evolved with the development of olfactory recognition systems, suggesting specific molecular mechanisms underlie this adaptive relationship. We analyzed alarm pheromone compositions across 36 aphid species and found that EBF serves as the sole or primary alarm signal in the Aphidinae subfamily. Genomic annotation of 13 aphid species identified eight conserved, Aphidinae-specific odorant receptor (OR) clades under strong purifying selection. Three receptors-OR5, OR40, and OR43-were EBF-selective in Aphidinae species. Their individual or collective knockdown suppressed EBF-induced repellency in Acyrthosiphon pisum, indicating non-redundant roles in receptor combinational coding. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated variation in gene age among these receptors, with losses confined to species that do not use EBF as an alarm signal. This study demonstrates a multi-receptor system for EBF detection in Aphidinae aphids and advances the understanding of olfactory system evolution.

Laccase2 is a multicopper oxidase that plays a central role in insect cuticle tanning and sclerotization, yet its molecular characteristics and biological functions remain poorly understood in the edible beetle superworm Zophobas morio. In this study, the laccase2 homolog, Zmlaccase2, was identified and functionally characterized in Z. morio. Sequence analysis revealed conserved multicopper oxidase domains and copper-binding motifs typical of insect laccase2 orthologs. Expression profiling showed that Zmlaccase2 is dynamically expressed from embryogenesis to adulthood, with expression peaks corresponding to periods of active cuticle remodeling, particularly during the prepupal and late pupal stages. RNAi-mediated silencing of Zmlaccase2 resulted in persistent cuticle hypopigmentation, with larval depigmentation persisting through pupal development and adult emergence, ultimately preventing normal adult cuticle melanization. Moreover, Zmlaccase2 knockdown significantly impaired larval growth and survival, accompanied by decreases in pupation and adult emergence rates. To further investigate its biological function, we established a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome-editing platform in Z. morio and generated Zmlaccase2 loss-of-function mutants. Consistently, Zmlaccase2 knockout individuals exhibited mosaic depigmentation and severe growth inhibition, and all tested mutants completely failed to pupate. Overall, our study demonstrates that Zmlaccase2 plays vital roles in cuticle tanning, growth, and development in Z. morio and provides both a valuable phenotypic marker gene and a functional genomic platform for this species.

The increasing demand for animal‐based protein has led to biodiversity loss, deforestation, pollution, and extensive land use, mainly due to the rising production of soybean meal and fish meal used to feed livestock. Some edible insects, such as the black soldier fly, mealworm, and cricket, have emerged as a new sustainable source of protein. This review highlights that these edible insects can replace a significant portion of soybean meal and fish meal in monogastric animals (pigs and chickens) and aquaculture (fish and crustaceans). Their protein content, amino acid profile, and digestibility often meet the nutritional requirements of these animals. However, some indispensable amino acids require special attention. Overall, edible insect meals can be compared to those made from soybeans and fish. They can partially or fully replace these traditional protein sources in livestock farming.

Post-harvest losses of cereals remain a major challenge for food security in tropical regions, yet data from Central Africa are scarce. This study investigated the entomofauna, mycotoxin contamination, and storage loss dynamics of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) stored under traditional conditions in the Tshopo province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Cereals were sampled at nine storage sites across three zones at 0, 30, and 60 days of storage. Insect pests were identified using morphological and molecular approaches, mycotoxins were quantified using immunochromatographic assays validated by UHPLC-MS/MS, and grain quality losses were assessed through weight, moisture, integrity, and germination measurements. Stored cereals were dominated by three insect pests: Sitophilus zeamais, Sitotroga cerealella, and Tribolium castaneum, accounting for more than 98% of all collected insects. S. zeamais was ubiquitous and reached high densities in both crops, while S. cerealella showed site-specific infestations, particularly in rice. Aflatoxin contamination was detected in both crops and increased significantly during maize storage, frequently exceeding the European regulatory limit after 60 days in some zones. Fumonisins were detected exclusively in maize at low but consistent concentrations. Grain moisture readings point to a high risk of pre-storage mycotoxin accumulation, with additional in-storage aflatoxin production occurring specifically in stores with the highest moisture levels. Grain quality deteriorated during storage, with significant losses in dry weight, integrity, and germination capacity, particularly in sites with high insect pressure and mycotoxin levels. Correlation analyses revealed strong associations between insect abundance, mycotoxin accumulation, grain moisture content, and grain deterioration. Findings demonstrate that post-harvest losses in stored rice and maize in Tshopo province are driven by synergistic interactions between storage pests and fungal contamination. The study provides the first comprehensive baseline data for the region and highlights the urgent need for improved storage management to reduce food safety risks and cereal losses.

The plastic-degrading capacity of some insects has been investigated over the past decade, with the aim of identifying gut microorganisms potentially involved in plastic degradation. However, plastic-only diets impose severe nutritional constraints, potentially driving microbial selection independently of plastic exposure. Here, we examined how nutritional stress influences gut bacterial community and the identification of plastic-associated bacteria in two plastivorous insects, Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor, using polyurethane (PU) as a representative polymer. Bacterial communities were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing under contrasted dietary conditions, including starvation, and complemented by a culture-dependent isolation approach using PU as the sole carbon source. In both species, gut bacterial communities under plastic-only feeding closely resembled those observed under starvation, whereas they differed from nutritionally balanced conditions. Differential abundance analyses reflected this pattern, as taxa enriched under plastic feeding were also enriched under starvation. This convergence was strong and structured in T. molitor, but weaker and more variable in G. mellonella. In addition, bacterial strains were isolated from the gut of T. molitor under both PU-amended and carbon-free conditions. Overall, our results demonstrate that nutritional stress is a driver of gut bacterial community restructuring under plastic-based diets and can bias the identification of candidate plastic-associated bacteria.

Cyflumetofen (CYF) and its main metabolite, trifluoromethyl benzoic acid (B-1), both of which contain a trifluoromethyl group, are increasingly used in agriculture due to their high stability and efficacy. Structurally, these molecules share several physicochemical features with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), including endocrine disruption and reproductive toxicity. This study aims to evaluate the reproductive toxicity effects of CYF and its metabolites using adult zebrafish as a model organism. The results indicate that exposure to CYF and B-1 at environmentally relevant concentrations for 21 days causes hormonal disruption and abnormal gonadal development in fish; moreover, as the concentrations increase, CYF and B-1 significantly impair the reproductive capacity of zebrafish and lead to developmental abnormalities in their offspring. Based on the ratio of E2/T and the alteration of key genes in the HPG axis, such as cyp17a2 and cyp11c1, it is hypothesized that CYF and B-1 disrupt hormonal homeostasis via the HPG axis. Notably, male fish were more susceptible when exposed to CYF or B-1, exhibiting sex-specific differences. RNA-seq analysis revealed that CYF/B-1 promotes Ca2+ release from the zebrafish brain and induces steroid hormone dysregulation based on the HPG axis via genes such as hsd17a and gnrh. In summary, this study provides key insights into the reproductive toxicity of CYF and its major metabolite, highlighting their risks to the environment and human health.