Shi Zhuoke, Zhang Huiyuan, Lu Shaohua, Chen Mingshun
School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
Insects. 2025 Sep 3;16(9):927. doi: 10.3390/insects16090927.
is a globally significant pest of stored grains, posing a major threat to food safety. To explore its cold-adaptation mechanisms, this study evaluated the physiological and developmental responses of different life stages following short-term cold acclimation at 4 °C. Results showed that cold acclimation significantly reduced the supercooling points (SCPs) of larvae and pupae, with the greatest reduction observed in the second instar larvae. Antioxidant enzyme assays revealed marked increases in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD), indicating enhanced oxidative stress resistance. Developmental durations were significantly shortened at lower temperatures in acclimated individuals, and fecundity was notably increased at 24 °C, although no significant changes were observed at higher temperatures. These findings suggest that cold acclimation improves the cold tolerance and reproductive performance of under low-temperature conditions, offering insights into insect adaptability and providing theoretical support for the development of low-temperature-based pest management strategies in stored grain systems.
是一种对全球储存谷物具有重大影响的害虫，对食品安全构成重大威胁。为了探究其冷适应机制，本研究评估了在4°C下短期冷驯化后不同生命阶段的生理和发育反应。结果表明，冷驯化显著降低了幼虫和蛹的过冷却点（SCPs），其中二龄幼虫的降低幅度最大。抗氧化酶分析显示超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）和过氧化物酶（POD）的活性显著增加，表明其抗氧化应激能力增强。驯化个体在较低温度下发育持续时间显著缩短，在24°C时繁殖力显著提高，尽管在较高温度下未观察到显著变化。这些发现表明，冷驯化提高了在低温条件下的耐寒性和繁殖性能，为昆虫适应性提供了见解，并为储存谷物系统中基于低温的害虫管理策略的开发提供了理论支持。
