title: Genome-wide analysis reveals distinct global populations of pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella)

authors: Matheson, Paige

subjects: Humans

abstract: The pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) is one of the world's most destructive pests of cotton. This invasive lepidopteran occurs in nearly all cotton-growing countries. Its presence in the Ord Valley of North West Australia poses a potential threat to the expanding cotton industry there. To assess this threat and better understand population structure of pink bollworm, we analysed genomic data from individuals collected in the field from North West Australia, India, and Pakistan, as well as from four laboratory colonies that originated in the United States. We identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using a reduced-representation, genotyping-by-sequencing technique (DArTseq). The final filtered dataset included 6355 SNPs and 88 individual genomes that clustered into five groups: Australia, India-Pakistan, and three groups from the United States. We also analysed sequences from Genbank for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) locus cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) for pink bollworm from six countries. We found low genetic diversity within populations and high differentiation between populations from different continents. The high genetic differentiation between Australia and the other populations and colonies sampled in this study reduces concerns about gene flow to North West Australia, particularly from populations in India and Pakistan that have evolved resistance to transgenic insecticidal cotton. We attribute the observed population structure to pink bollworm's narrow host plant range and limited dispersal between continents.

text: Genome-wide analysis reveals distinct global populations of pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) The pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) is one of the world's most destructive pests of cotton. This invasive lepidopteran occurs in nearly all cotton-growing countries. Its presence in the Ord Valley of North West Australia poses a potential threat to the expanding cotton industry there. To assess this threat and better understand population structure of pink bollworm, we analysed genomic data from individuals collected in the field from North West Australia, India, and Pakistan, as well as from four laboratory colonies that originated in the United States. We identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using a reduced-representation, genotyping-by-sequencing technique (DArTseq). The final filtered dataset included 6355 SNPs and 88 individual genomes that clustered into five groups: Australia, India-Pakistan, and three groups from the United States. We also analysed sequences from Genbank for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) locus cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) for pink bollworm from six countries. We found low genetic diversity within populations and high differentiation between populations from different continents. The high genetic differentiation between Australia and the other populations and colonies sampled in this study reduces concerns about gene flow to North West Australia, particularly from populations in India and Pakistan that have evolved resistance to transgenic insecticidal cotton. We attribute the observed population structure to pink bollworm's narrow host plant range and limited dispersal between continents.

year: 2023-07-20

title: Mitochondrial DNA indicates different North American east coast origins for New Zealand and German invasions of Skistodiaptomus pallidus (Copepoda: Calanoida)

authors: Branford, Suzanne Nicola

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: The freshwater calanoid copepod Skistodiaptomus pallidus (Herrick, 1879), native to the Mississippi basin of North America, has recently established non-indigenous populations in New Zealand, Germany and Mexico. We used the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to more precisely identify the origins of S. pallidus populations within New Zealand and Germany. The S. pallidus COI sequences suggested that both New Zealand and German populations were most similar to those from the most easterly regions of the USA (e.g., New York, Virginia and Georgia). However, several haplotypes were found to be divergent between the New Zealand and German populations, indicating the exact sources of the introductions were likely different for each country. German sequences possessed two of the major haplotypes known from the east coast of USA, while New Zealand had one, indicating a shipping related vector of introduction with greater propagule supplies to Germany is plausible. Although both German and New Zealand populations contained haplotypes identical to common east coast North American sequence records, both non-indigenous populations had haplotypes not yet recorded in the USA. Further sampling of the native range will be required to determine the exact origin of the non-indigenous S. pallidus populations and may also help to identify more precisely the vectors and pathways of the translocations.

text: Mitochondrial DNA indicates different North American east coast origins for New Zealand and German invasions of Skistodiaptomus pallidus (Copepoda: Calanoida) The freshwater calanoid copepod Skistodiaptomus pallidus (Herrick, 1879), native to the Mississippi basin of North America, has recently established non-indigenous populations in New Zealand, Germany and Mexico. We used the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to more precisely identify the origins of S. pallidus populations within New Zealand and Germany. The S. pallidus COI sequences suggested that both New Zealand and German populations were most similar to those from the most easterly regions of the USA (e.g., New York, Virginia and Georgia). However, several haplotypes were found to be divergent between the New Zealand and German populations, indicating the exact sources of the introductions were likely different for each country. German sequences possessed two of the major haplotypes known from the east coast of USA, while New Zealand had one, indicating a shipping related vector of introduction with greater propagule supplies to Germany is plausible. Although both German and New Zealand populations contained haplotypes identical to common east coast North American sequence records, both non-indigenous populations had haplotypes not yet recorded in the USA. Further sampling of the native range will be required to determine the exact origin of the non-indigenous S. pallidus populations and may also help to identify more precisely the vectors and pathways of the translocations.

year: 2017

title: Bucking the Trends: Increasing retention rates of Māori students enrolled in Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences courses at the University of Waikato

authors: Levy, Michelle Patricia

subjects: Maori

abstract: Reports on the success of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Waikato’s monitoring and support for Maori students initiative. The aim of the initative was to implement a support system in the FASS that would enhance retention rates for
Māori students in the Faculty.

text: Bucking the Trends: Increasing retention rates of Māori students enrolled in Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences courses at the University of Waikato Reports on the success of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Waikato’s monitoring and support for Maori students initiative. The aim of the initative was to implement a support system in the FASS that would enhance retention rates for
Māori students in the Faculty.

year: 2003