Large-scale genetic admixture suggests high dispersal in an insect pest, the apple fruit moth

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236509
• Publication Date: 2020-08-12T18:13:21Z
• Authors: Abdelhameed Elameen; Cornelya F. C. Kl...; Ida Fløystad; Geir K. Knudsen; Marco Tasin; Snorre B. Hagen; Hans Geir Eiken
• Keywords: Isolation by distance

Knowledge about population genetic structure and dispersal capabilities is important for the development of targeted management strategies agricultural pest species. The apple fruit moth, Argyresthia conjugella (Lepidoptera, Yponomeutidae), a pre-dispersal seed predator. Larvae feed on rowanberries (Sorbus aucuparia), when rowanberry production low (i.e., inter-masting), moth switches from laying eggs in to apples (Malus domestica), resulting devastating losses crops. Using methods, we investigated if this small expresses any local structure, or alternatively gene flow may be high within Scandinavian Peninsula (~850.000 km2, 55o - 69o N). Genetic diversity was found (n = 669, mean He 0.71). For three out ten tetranucleotide STRs, detected heterozygote deficiency caused by null alleles, but tests showed little impact overall results. differentiation between 28 sampling locations very (average FST 0.016, P < 0.000). Surprisingly, that all individuals could assigned one two non-geographic clusters, third, geographic cluster associated with 30% locations, weak significant signals isolation-by-distance. Conclusively, our findings suggest wind-aided spatial synchrony both sexes over large areas across different climatic zones. We speculate species recently have had separate origins bottleneck after inter-masting, followed rapid homogenization pool landscape. further investigations similarities differences at larger geographical scales, through life-stages, during attacks parasitoid wasp (Microgaster politus).