Method for interfering mating behavior of vegetable leafminers by using artificially synthesized vibration signals

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of agricultural pest vibration interference prevention and control, and particularly provides a method for interfering the mating behavior of vegetable leafminers by using artificially synthesized vibration signals. According to the method, vibration signals similar to vegetable leafminer courtship signals are accurately synthesized, and natural courtship behaviors are interfered through leaf surface propagation. By adjusting the frequency, the amplitude, the duration and the signal interval of the artificial vibration signal, leaf resonance can be effectively triggered, so that the duplication communication of the male and female liriomyza sativae is interfered, the male and female liriomyza sativae is prevented from successfully completing mating, the population reproductive capacity is remarkably reduced, and the crop damage is further reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of vibration interference prevention and control of agricultural pests, and relates to a method for interfering with the mating behavior of leafminers by using artificially synthesized vibration signals. Background Art

[0002] Courtship behavior is a core part of animal communication and can be defined as the behavior that maintains reproductive interactions with a partner. Insects can use chemical signals, visual signals, and mechanical signals to exchange information and coordinate complex courtship behaviors. Mechanical signals in insects can be divided into two categories based on the transmission medium: vibrations (sounds) mediated by air and vibrations mediated by solid substrates. It is estimated that among these species, more than 90% of species use substrates alone or in combination with air to transmit signals, and 70% of species use substrates alone. However, despite vibration communication being the most widespread mode of mechanical signal transmission, it has been relatively less studied. In those insect species that use substrate vibrations as courtship signals, both sexes may emit call signals to initiate pairing, and signal communication is often performed in a duet mode. Usually, the duet begins with one of the male and female first emitting a call signal, and then the other responds with a signal. The establishment of the duet is crucial for mate location and mating.

[0003] Liriomyza sativae is a typical polyphagous pest with more than 100 known plant hosts. Cucurbitaceae and Leguminosae are the main parasitic crops, and the damage rate to leaves can reach 10% to 80%. Currently, chemical control is the main means of controlling the American leafminer. However, the frequent use of chemical pesticides has brought many problems, such as the large-scale use of pesticides, which can easily cause some populations to develop different degrees of resistance, adverse effects on non-target organisms (such as pollinating insects and natural enemy insects), and the quality of fruits and vegetables deteriorated due to excessive pesticide residues.

[0004] Early observations of the courtship behavior of the American leafminer showed that both males and females vibrate their bodies before mating, which may transmit basal vibration signals, which are the key to the duet communication between male and female leafminers. However, the vibration courtship signals of the American leafminer and their interference technology have not been deeply developed. It is urgent to develop a pest control method based on the vibration courtship signals of the American leafminer that is efficient, environmentally friendly, friendly to the environment, ecology, and non-target organisms, and conducive to sustainable agricultural development. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention plays an artificial vibration signal with a frequency similar to the mating signal of the American leafminer to cause resonance on the leaves, thereby interfering with and drowning out the natural mating signal, preventing the male and female leafminers from mating smoothly. This method uses airborne sound to cause leaf vibration, which is an environmentally friendly and effective biological control strategy.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] A method for interfering with the mating behavior of Liriomyza sativae using artificially synthesized vibration signals comprises the following steps:

[0008] (1) Courtship signal collection:

[0009] Using a laser vibrometer and a high-speed camera to collect natural vibration signals of the American leafminer during courtship behavior, and analyzing the natural vibration signals to obtain signal parameters, wherein the signal parameters include frequency, amplitude, duration, and signal interval;

[0010] (2) Synthesis of artificial vibration signals:

[0011] Using signal generator software, synthesize an artificial vibration signal similar to the frequency, amplitude, duration and signal interval of the natural vibration signal of the American leafminer to ensure that the synthesized signal can effectively simulate the courtship signal of the American leafminer and produce a sufficient interference effect;

[0012] (3) Selection and playback of signal carriers:

[0013] Using high-quality audio equipment to play artificial vibration signals in the environment, so that the artificial vibration signals are transmitted through the air and induce resonance of the leaves, thereby interfering with the courtship behavior of male and female leafminers;

[0014] (4) Signal verification and optimization:

[0015] The male and female adults of Liriomyza sativae were placed on leaves, and artificial vibration signals were played. The interference effect of the artificial vibration signals was evaluated based on the changes in the mating success rate, courtship duration, and duet communication of the male and female adults, and the parameters of the interference signals were optimized to improve the interference efficiency.

[0016] Furthermore, in step (1), when the laser vibrometer records the vibration signal, it only analyzes the natural vibration signal within 2 cm of the laser point.

[0017] Furthermore, in step (2), the similarity is that the frequency, amplitude, duration and signal interval of the artificial vibration signal and the natural courtship signal of the American leafminer are similar to each other, so as to ensure that the artificial vibration signal generates effective mechanical vibration on the surface of the blade, thereby interfering with the mating communication of male and female leafminers. The frequency range of the artificial vibration signal is set at 250-450 Hz, the amplitude range of the artificial vibration signal is 20-40 μm, the duration of the artificial vibration signal is 0.4-0.6 s, and the signal interval is 0.3-0.5 s.

[0018] Furthermore, in step (3), the inducing leaf resonance is to adjust the frequency and amplitude of the artificial vibration signal according to the physical characteristics of the plant leaves to ensure that resonance is induced on the target plant leaves; the physical characteristics of the leaves include leaf thickness, leaf hardness, and leaf shape.

[0019] Furthermore, the leaf resonance should adjust the frequency and amplitude of the artificially synthesized vibration signal according to the mechanical characteristics of the plant leaves to ensure that the vibration can effectively cover the leaf area where the courtship signal propagates.

[0020] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0021] (1) Highly efficient blocking of the mating behavior of leafminers: By interfering with the courtship vibration signals of male and female leafminers, the present invention can effectively reduce their mating success rate, significantly reduce the reproductive capacity of the population, and thus reduce crop damage.

[0022] (2) Environmentally friendly and pollution-free: The present invention does not use chemical agents, thus avoiding environmental pollution and potential harm to non-target organisms, and meets the development needs of sustainable agriculture.

[0023] (3) No resistance problem: Due to the use of physical interference mechanism, the present invention does not have the problem of resistance caused by excessive use of pesticides, and has the feasibility and stability of long-term application.

[0024] (4) No impact on non-target organisms: Vibration signal interference technology is highly selective and only targets specific pests (such as the American leafminer). It has no adverse effects on other beneficial organisms in the farmland, such as natural enemy insects, and helps maintain the ecological balance of the farmland.

[0025] (5) Broad application prospects: The present invention is applicable to a variety of agricultural scenarios, especially in ecological agriculture and organic agriculture. The method is simple and easy to operate, low cost, and easy to promote on a large scale. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the experimental setup: (a) small insect behavior high-speed video recording system; (b) laser vibration measurement system; (c) signal playback system.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a verification pattern diagram of the artificially synthesized vibration signal.

[0028] Figure 3 The results show the effects of artificially synthesized vibration signals on mating success rate, courtship duration, and duet communication after interfering with the mating behavior of Liriomyza sativae. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The specific implementation modes of the present invention are described below so that those skilled in the art can understand the present invention. However, it should be clear that the present invention is not limited to the scope of the specific implementation modes. For those of ordinary skill in the art, as long as various changes are within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined and determined by the attached claims, these changes are obvious, and all inventions and creations utilizing the concept of the present invention are protected.

[0030] Example 1 Identification and collection of vibration signals of mating behavior of Liriomyza sativae

[0031] For the collection and analysis of natural vibration signals, the petiole end of the bean leaf was inserted into a plastic bottle containing 100 ml of water, and a cylindrical plastic chamber with a diameter of 6 cm and a height of 2 mm was placed above the leaf and covered with a transparent glass sheet. A pair of American leafminers lightly anesthetized by carbon dioxide were gently transferred to the chamber, and the courtship behavior was recorded at a rate of 60 frames per second with a high-speed camera. The images of each experiment were taken with an exposure time of 5.13 ms and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The videos were directly stored on the computer for frame-by-frame analysis. A total of 41 pairs of three-leaf leafminers were tested in the experiment, and the recording time for each pair was 30 minutes, or until the end of mating.

[0032] A layer of 400-mesh nylon net was laid on the anti-vibration table in the soundproof room. A pair of American fly miners were gently transferred to the nylon net and covered with a plastic culture dish to prevent them from escaping. A laser vibrometer was used to record the vibration signals generated by the courtship behavior of the American fly miners on the leaves. Only the vibration signals within 2 cm of the laser point were analyzed. Finally, vibration signal data of 26 pairs of American fly miners were collected.

[0033] The vibration signal data was analyzed to obtain the signal characteristics of the natural vibration signal generated by the courtship behavior of the American leafminer. It was determined that the frequency range of the natural vibration signal was 250-450 Hz, the amplitude was 20-40 μm, the duration was 0.4-0.6 s, and the signal interval was 0.3-0.5 s.

[0034] Embodiment 2 Synthesis of artificially synthesized vibration signal

[0035] Design and generation of vibration signal: Based on the characteristics of the natural courtship signal of the American leafminer obtained in Example 1, the synthesis of the vibration signal mainly refers to the frequency, amplitude and duration of its natural signal. The signal is processed by MATLAB software, and the signal frequency is set to 250-450Hz, close to the natural fundamental frequency of the leafminer, the amplitude is 20-40μm, the duration is 0.4-0.6s, and the interval between pulses is 0.3-0.5s. Through these parameters, it is ensured that the synthetic signal can effectively simulate the courtship signal of the leafminer and produce sufficient interference effect.

[0036] Signal conversion and application: The synthetic signal is played through high-quality audio equipment, and the vibration signal is transmitted to the surface of the bean leaf by using the air to propagate sound. The speaker is placed 5-10 cm away from the leaf to ensure that the signal can cause the vibration resonance of the leaf through air propagation, simulating the propagation path of the courtship signal of the leafminer under natural conditions. By adjusting the volume and playback angle, the signal is ensured to be evenly propagated on the entire leaf surface.

[0037] Resonance testing and verification: To verify the effectiveness of the synthetic signal, a laser vibrometer was used to detect the vibration on the blade. The results showed that the synthetic vibration signal can produce a vibration response on the blade similar to the natural courtship signal, and the frequency and intensity meet the standard of interfering with the natural behavior of the American leafminer. The analysis software confirmed that the signal covered the entire leaf surface and triggered a consistent vibration resonance response in different areas of the leaf, ensuring the effective propagation of the interference signal ( Figure 2 ).

[0038] Experimental results: The artificially synthesized vibration signal successfully triggered the resonance of the leaves and significantly interfered with the courtship behavior of the American leafminers. Under the interference of the leaf vibration signal, the male and female leafminers failed to successfully complete the duet communication, and the mating behavior was interrupted many times. The experimental results showed that the interference signal caused a significant decrease in the mating success rate and a significant prolongation of the courtship process.

[0039] Example 3: Artificially synthesized vibration signals are used to interfere with the mating behavior of Liriomyza sativae

[0040] The method in Example 2 was used to synthesize an artificial vibration signal to interfere with the mating behavior of American leafminers. 30 pairs of male and female American leafminers were divided into an experimental group and a control group at a ratio of 1:1. The male and female adults of the experimental group were placed on bean leaves and artificial vibration signals were played. No signal was played in the control group. The experiment lasted until mating behavior was observed. During the experiment, the behavior of male and female leafminers was recorded, including data such as courtship time, duet communication, and mating success rate. According to the changes in the mating success rate of male and female adults, the duration of courtship, and the duet communication, the interference effect of the artificial vibration signal was evaluated. During this period, the parameters of the interference signal were optimized to improve the interference efficiency. The signal frequency was set in the range of 250-450Hz, the amplitude was 20-40μm, the duration was 0.4-0.6s, and the interval between pulses was 0.3-0.5s.

[0041] The results showed that the mating behavior of American leafminers in the experimental group was significantly disturbed. Compared with the control group, the courtship behavior of male and female leafminers in the experimental group was significantly reduced, and the success rate of duet establishment was greatly reduced. The specific manifestations are:

[0042] Mating success rate: The mating success rate of the experimental group was significantly reduced to only about 30%, while the mating success rate of the control group was about 70%.

[0043] Duration of courtship: The courtship process of the experimental group was significantly prolonged, and the leafminers were interrupted by interference signals many times during the courtship process, resulting in the courtship time being more than doubled.

[0044] Duet communication: In the experimental group, the duet interaction between male and female fly miners was significantly reduced, and some fly miners even failed to complete the exchange of duet signals.

[0045] The experimental results show that the artificially synthesized vibration signal successfully interfered with the mating behavior of the American leafminers and significantly reduced their mating success rate. The interference signal simulated the natural courtship signal and interrupted the interaction between males and females during the critical duet communication stage, making it impossible for them to successfully complete mating. The experiment also showed that the interference signal not only prolonged the courtship process, but also caused some leafminers to escape and behave uncooperatively during mating.

[0046] The foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention is for the purpose of illustration and demonstration. The scope of protection disclosed by the present invention is not limited thereto, so that those skilled in the art can utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention and various selections and changes. The scope of the present invention is intended to be limited by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for interfering with the mating behavior of Liriomyza sativae using artificially synthesized vibration signals, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: (1) Courtship signal collection: Using a laser vibrometer and a high-speed camera to collect natural vibration signals of the American leafminer during courtship behavior, and analyzing the natural vibration signals to obtain signal parameters, wherein the signal parameters include frequency, amplitude, duration, and signal interval; (2) Synthesis of artificial vibration signals: Using signal generator software, synthesize an artificial vibration signal similar to the frequency, amplitude, duration and signal interval of the natural vibration signal of the American leafminer to ensure that the synthesized signal can effectively simulate the courtship signal of the American leafminer and produce a sufficient interference effect; (3) Selection and playback of signal carriers: Using high-quality audio equipment to play artificial vibration signals in the environment, so that the artificial vibration signals are transmitted through the air and induce resonance of the leaves, thereby interfering with the courtship behavior of male and female leafminers; (4) Signal verification and optimization: The male and female adults of Liriomyza sativae were placed on leaves, and artificial vibration signals were played. The interference effect of the artificial vibration signals was evaluated based on the changes in the mating success rate, courtship duration, and duet communication of the male and female adults, and the parameters of the interference signals were optimized to improve the interference efficiency.

2. The method of using artificially synthesized vibration signals to interfere with the mating behavior of Liriomyza sativae leafminers according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step (1), when the laser vibrometer records the vibration signal, it only analyzes the natural vibration signal within 2 cm of the laser point.

3. The method of using artificially synthesized vibration signals to interfere with the mating behavior of Liriomyza sativae leafminers according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step (1), the frequency range is 250-450 Hz, the amplitude range is 20-40 μm, the duration is 0.4-0.6 s, and the signal interval is 0.3-0.5 s.

4. The method of using artificially synthesized vibration signals to interfere with the mating behavior of Liriomyza sativae leafminers according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step (2), the similarity is that the frequency, amplitude, duration and signal interval of the artificial vibration signal and the natural courtship signal of the American leafminer are similar to each other, so as to ensure that the artificial vibration signal produces effective mechanical vibration on the surface of the blade, thereby interfering with the mating communication of male and female leafminers. The frequency range of the artificial vibration signal is set at 250-450 Hz, the amplitude range of the artificial vibration signal is 20-40 μm, the duration of the artificial vibration signal is 0.4-0.6 s, and the signal interval is 0.3-0.5 s.

5. The method of using artificially synthesized vibration signals to interfere with the mating behavior of Liriomyza sativae leafminers according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step (3), the inducing leaf resonance is to adjust the frequency and amplitude of the artificial vibration signal according to the physical characteristics of the plant leaves to ensure that resonance is induced on the target plant leaves; the physical characteristics of the leaves include leaf thickness, leaf hardness, and leaf shape.

6. The method of using artificially synthesized vibration signals to interfere with the mating behavior of Liriomyza sativae leafminers according to claim 5, characterized in that: The leaf resonance should adjust the frequency and amplitude of the artificially synthesized vibration signal according to the mechanical characteristics of the plant leaves to ensure that the vibration can effectively cover the leaf area where the courtship signal is transmitted.

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