Genetic Diversity and Fine-Scale Genetic Structure of <i>Spodoptera litura</i> Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Southern China Based on Microsatellite Markers
Zhongwen Hu,
Fangyuan Yang,
Deping Zhang,
Shimeng Zhang,
Xiaofei Yu,
Maofa Yang
Affiliations
Zhongwen Hu
Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of Mountainous Region, Institute of Entomology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Pest in Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Fangyuan Yang
Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of Mountainous Region, Institute of Entomology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Pest in Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Deping Zhang
Science and Technology Department, China National Tobacco Corporation Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Company, Nanning 530022, China
Shimeng Zhang
College of Tobacco Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Xiaofei Yu
College of Tobacco Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Maofa Yang
Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of Mountainous Region, Institute of Entomology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Pest in Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Population genetic structure is strongly affected by dispersal events, especially for migratory species. The investigation of population structure is therefore conducive to increasing our understanding of species dispersal. Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an important tobacco pest in China causing serious damage to multiple crops. In this study, we explore its dispersal dynamics by clarifying the fine-scale population genetics using 545 S. litura samples collected from tobacco plantations at 24 locations (mainly in Baise, Hechi, and Hezhou, Southern China). We analyzed the genetic diversity, genetic structure, and gene flow of these populations using seven microsatellite loci. Our results revealed high genetic diversity and low population genetic structure among S. litura. The genetic distance was uncorrelated with geographical distance, indicating the complete randomness of dispersal among the local populations. Our results suggest that the movement scope of contemporary S. litura might be much higher than the local-level spatial scale, which will provide a theoretical basis for pest management.
