Population genetics of the yellow peach moth, Conogethes punctiferalis, reveals landscape-mediated genetic distribution in agroecosystems

Understanding the genetic diversity and structure of pest species is crucial for developing effective pest management strategies. In this study, we investigated the yellow peach moth (YPM), Conogethes punctiferalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), which has become a common pest on maize in addition to its original role as a fruit pest. We sampled YPM populations from 23 locations in China, encompassing maize fields and orchards, and analyzed their population genetics using mitochondrial (CO-I and CO-II) and nuclear DNA (EF1 alpha) markers. Our results showed that YPM populations from different hosts had high genetic diversity, but we did not detect significant genetic divergence between populations from maize fields and orchards. However, we found that landscape factors were related to the frequency of certain mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, suggesting that YPM genetic distribution can be influenced by the environment. Our findings indicate similar genetic properties of YPM populations in maize fields and orchards, which has practical implications for pest management strategies across these two host types. Moreover, considering the influence of landscape factors on YPM genetic distribution is crucial for effective pest management.