We learned from the Agricultural Genomics Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences that recently, the Agricultural Pest Genomics Innovation Team of the Agricultural Genomics Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences revealed the molecular mechanism by which migratory locusts gather and lay eggs using maternal symbiotic bacteria. The relevant research results were published in “Cell”. Migratory locusts are a major agricultural pest in the world. Migrant locusts gather in groups to lay their eggs in the same area of soil. This “cluster” spawning method is the key to the continuation of the locust plague from generation to generation. However, the closer the eggs gather, the easier they are to be preyed upon by natural enemies. There has been a long lack of understanding why flying locusts dare to lay eggs in “groups”. Through various technical methods such as behavior, molecular biology, and ecology, the research team discovered that a type of symbiotic bacteria transmitted from female locusts to offspring is attached to the eggs of migratory locusts that gather and lay eggs, which can synthesize a special volatile signaling molecule. This molecule can not only attract female locusts of the same type to lay eggs centrally, but also drive away and even poison various natural enemies that eat locust eggs, such as red fire ants, nematodes, and scabbards. Industry insiders believe that this study provides a new theoretical framework for understanding the continuous outbreak of the locust plague across generations, and also provides important molecular targets for monitoring, early warning, and green prevention and control of major migratory pests.

We learned from the Agricultural Genomics Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences that recently, the Agricultural Pest Genomics Innovation Team of the Agricultural Genomics Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences revealed the molecular mechanism by which migratory locusts gather and lay eggs using maternal symbiotic bacteria. The relevant research results were published in “Cell”. Migratory locusts are a major agricultural pest in the world. Migrant locusts gather in groups to lay their eggs in the same area of soil. This “cluster” spawning method is the key to the continuation of the locust plague from generation to generation. However, the closer the eggs gather, the easier they are to be preyed upon by natural enemies. There has been a long lack of understanding why flying locusts dare to lay eggs in “groups”. Through various technical methods such as behavior, molecular biology, and ecology, the research team discovered that a type of symbiotic bacteria transmitted from female locusts to offspring is attached to the eggs of migratory locusts that gather and lay eggs, which can synthesize a special volatile signaling molecule. This molecule can not only attract similar female locusts to lay eggs, but also drive away and even poison various natural enemies that eat locust eggs, such as red fire ants, nematodes, and scabbards. Industry insiders believe that this study provides a new theoretical framework for understanding the continuous outbreak of the locust plague across generations, and also provides important molecular targets for monitoring, early warning, and green prevention and control of major migratory pests.