Les pucerons évitent ou contrôlent les défenses de leur plante hôte par des mécanismes moléculaires qui sont actuellement peu élucidés / Aphids attack virtually all plant species and cause serious crop damages in agriculture

Bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L.) is an important pest on spring-sown cereals. The aphid reduces yield and can act as a vector of barley yellow dwarf virus. R. padi does not give visible symptoms, but heavy infestation can reduce the yield substantially. R. padi is one of the most important pests of barley, which has the fourth rank among the cereals in global production. In order to overcome this problem, the plants are treated with pesticides. However, some of the pesticides are no longer permitted to use due to their negative environmental effects. Another problem is that the aphids develop resistance against them. Therefore, a new approach is to identify genetic factors that could be used in breeding host plants for resistance. There are many examples of successful plant breeding for resistance to aphids, but in the case of R. padi and barley, no resistant cultivar is commercially available. The aim of this thesis was to identify and characterise aphid resistance and susceptibility factors in barley. This was done using two major approaches. Firstly, constitutive and aphid-induced gene expression was studied in a large number of barley genotypes with known levels of resistance. Secondly, two cDNAs putatively adding to aphid resistance were transformed to Arabidopsis and barley and the effect of transformation on aphid performance and behaviour was evaluated.      The study of constitutive transcript abundance in 23 barley genotypes gave suggestive evidence that two genes might be related to aphid resistance; a thionin and a proteinase inhibitor gene, and that a lipoxygenase gene might be related to aphid susceptibility.The study of both constitutive and aphid-induced transcript abundances of three glucanase genes, gave support to the idea that two of them might be susceptibility factors. The cDNA of the proteinase inhibitor mentioned above was expressed in Arabidopsis, under control of either a constitutive or a phloem-specific promoter and the effects were evaluated using the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae Sulzer. This aphid is a generalist, feeding on many different plant species, both monocot (such as barley) and dicot (such as Arabidopsis).  The results showed lower settling and fecundity on some of the transgenic lines as compared to on controls.        In conclusion, the thesis suggests a role in resistance against R. padi in barley for two genes encoding a thionin and a proteinase inhibitor. It has also given support for a role in susceptibility against R. padi of genes encoding a lipoxygenase and two glucanases. The work further shows that a cDNA from barley, selected based on the interaction between a monocot plant and an essentially monocot specialist aphid, affected the resistance of the dicot Arabidopsis against a generalist aphid. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

Tesi realitzada al Centre de Recerca en Agrigenòmica (CRAG) / Consorci CSIC-IRTA-UB-UAB / En esta tesis se aborda la identificación de factores del pulgón Myzus persicae que podrían participar en el proceso de transmisión del potyvirus del grabado del tabaco, Tobacco etch virus (TEV), y se explora la posibilidad de alterar la expresión de genes particulares en el insecto vector como una manera de dificultar o impedir la diseminación de este virus. Se conoce la intervención de un factor auxiliar de origen viral, la proteína HCPro, en la transmisión de potyvirus, actuando como un puente molecular reversible para retener las partículas de virus en el aparato bucal del pulgón. La proteína HCPro interacciona con la proteína de la cápside viral, CP, y previsiblemente con receptores específicos en el pulgón. Después de analizar un conjunto de productos capaces de interaccionar con la proteína HCPro de TEV (interactoma), se han considerado dos proteínas candidatas. La primera, MpRPS2, presenta homología con proteínas ribosomales, y la segunda MpRR1Cp2 es una proteína cuticular. La interacción entre HCPro y MpRPS2 se ha verificado en ensayos Far Western Blot y en el sistema de doble híbrido de levaduras. Los intentos para confirmar la localización de esta proteína en estiletes diseccionados de pulgón no fueron concluyentes, aunque con un antisuero específico sí se ha podido detectar la presencia de MpRPS2 en la cutícula de mudas de pulgón aisladas. Para validar la participación de estos hipotéticos receptores en el proceso de transmisión viral, se han explorado estrategias de interferencia con la expresión génica de MpRPS2 y MpRR1Cp2 en pulgones. Tras analizar sus niveles de expresión durante a lo largo del desarrollo, se consideraron dos sistemas para inducir respuestas de silenciamiento (RNAi) basados en la alimentación. El uso de dietas artificiales suplementadas con dobles cadenas de RNA específicas sintetizadas in vitro no produjo en general reducciones de la acumulación de RNA mensajeros, mientras que la alimentación de pulgones sobre plantas infectadas con un vector viral basado en el virus del cascabeleo del tabaco, Tobacco rattle virus (TRV), que contiene un fragmento de la secuencia del gen, tuvo un efecto más pronunciado. Las reducciones de expresión observadas fueron variables entre los dos genes, con el efecto más fuerte en el caso del gen MpRR1Cp2, en pulgones alimentados en plantas de tabaco infectadas con una variante de TRV que incorporaba un fragmento de este gen. Este sistema de RNAi nos ha permitido ensayar el efecto de la reducción de la expresión de los dos candidatos seleccionados en experimentos de transmisión de TEV. Estos resultados podrían ayudar a mejorar la comprensión de las interacciones moleculares necesarias durante la transmisión, a identificar factores en el vector que participan en el proceso, y eventualmente podrían usarse para el diseño de estrategias innovadoras de bloqueo de la diseminación viral basadas en la interferencia de la expresión de dichos factores. / This thesis addresses the identification of Myzus persicae aphid factors that could be involved in the transmission process of Tobacco etch virus (TEV), a potyvirus, and explores the possibility of altering the expression of specific genes in the insect vector as a way to prevent virus spread. An auxiliary factor of viral origin, the HCPro protein is known to participate in potyvirus transmission. HCPro acts as a reversible molecular bridge retaining virus particles in aphid mouthparts. HCPro interacts with the viral coat protein, CP, and predictably with specific receptors in aphid mouthparts. After analyzing a set of products able to interact with the TEV HCPro (interactome), we have considered two candidate proteins. The first one MpRPS2, shows homology with ribosomal proteins, and the second one, MpRR1Cp2 is a cuticular protein. The interaction between HCPro and MpRPS2 has been verified in Far Western Blot assays and in yeast two-hybrids. Attempts to confirm the localization of this protein in dissected aphid stylets were not conclusive, although using an specific antiserum it has been possible to detect the presence of the MpRPS2 in the cuticle of isolated aphid moults. To confirm the involvement of these hypothetical receptors in the viral transmission process, strategies of interference with expression of MpRR1Cp2 and MpRPS2 have been explored in aphids. After analyzing their expression levels along development, two systems based on feeding were considered to induce silencing responses (RNAi). The use of artificial diets supplemented with specific in vitro synthesized dsRNA did not produced reductions in mRNA accumulation, while aphids fed on plants infected with a viral vector based on Tobacco rattle virus (TRV), which contains a fragment of the targeted genes, showed more clear effects. The observed reductions in expression were rather variable between the two genes considered, with a stronger effect in the case of MpRR1Cp2 in aphids fed on tobacco plants infected with a TRV variant that incorporates a fragment of this gene. This RNAi system allowed us to test the effect of knocking down the expression of the two selected candidates in TEV transmission experiments. Our results might help to improve our understanding of the molecular interactions during transmission, to identify factors in the vector that participate in the process, and eventually could serve to design new strategies to interfere with viral dissemination based on specifically interfering with their expression.

An alkaline extract of the brown seaweed, Ascophyllum nodosum (ANE) increases plant growth and imparts resistance against biotic stresses. However, little is known of the effects of ANE on insects. Myzus persicae, green peach aphid (GPA), and Arabidopsis model were used to determine whether application of ANE confers protection from GPA infestation. GPA colonization increased in ANE treated plants, associated with improved biomass. However, ANE treated plants exhibited less cell death and also showed a greater ability to recover from GPA injury. Lower expression of SAG13, SAG21 and CHL1 and a higher expression of ARR5 was observed in ANE treated plants. Taken together, gene expression along with lower cell death suggests ANE may delay senescence in Arabidopsis. Delayed senescence in Arabidopsis following ANE treatment may be a result of increased cytokinin activity. Increased GPA numbers could be, at least in part, due to delayed senescence in Arabidopsis following ANE treatment.

The tobacco-adapted form of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), is one of the most important insect pests of tobacco in the United States and around the world. Insecticides play a major role in controlling the aphid on tobacco because natural enemies usually fail to maintain its populations below damaging levels. The aphid has a history of developing resistance to many insecticides. Therefore, baseline information on the aphid's susceptibility to imidacloprid and other insecticides is critical for developing future resistant management programs to minimize losses attributed to the aphid. Studies were conducted on colonies of the tobacco-adapted form of the green peach aphid collected from nine states in the eastern United States in 2004-2007. The susceptibility of 151 colonies to imidacloprid was determined in serial leaf-dip bioassays. When combined over the four years, 18, 14, and 4% of the colonies had 10- to 20-fold, 20- to 30-fold, and 30- to 90-fold resistance ratios, respectively, suggesting that high levels of resistance to imidacloprid are present in field populations of the aphid. A colony collected near Clayton, NC had the highest LC50 value (31 ppm) combined over six tests and three years, but the average resistance ratios for the first three runs was over 130-fold (48 ppm). Geographic location had little effect on susceptibility to imidacloprid. Aphid colonies (136) including red, green, and orange color morphs were screened for total esterase activity using microplate assay with 1-Naphthyl acetate as the substrate. The green morphs generally had lower esterase levels than the red and orange morphs. All orange morphs had among the highest esterase activities. Esterase activities of red and green morphs were positively correlated with LC50 values as determined by leaf-dip bioassays for acephate and methomyl. All 25 colonies tested for esterase gene amplification had either E4 or FE4 gene amplification. The amplification of both E4 and FE4 seen as an 865-bp band characteristic of the FE4 gene and an additional 381-bp band characteristic of a deleted upstream region of the E4 gene occurred in all (4) orange morphs and one (1 of 9) green morph. Target-site insensitivity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), as modified AChE resistance (MACE) was assessed in 65 colonies of field-collected tobacco-adapted forms of M. persicae. Eight colonies over a range of AChE activity were selected to study inhibition of AChE in the presence of two carbamate insecticides, methomyl and pirimicarb. IC50 values for methomyl ranged from 0.35 to 2.4 μM while six of eight colonies had lower values with a range of 0.16 to 0.30 μM for pirimicarb. Two colonies that were inhibited by methomyl had very high IC50 values of 40.4 and 98.6 μM for pirimicarb. Such insensitivity may be due to mutations in the ace2 gene, but this needs to be confirmed by genetic and molecular analysis. Glutathione S- transferases (GSTs), isoenzymes that are involved in the metabolism and detoxification of many xenobiotic compounds were quantified for 100 colonies by CDNB conjugation. There was a wide range of GST activity for the red (8 to 343 pmol/min/mg protein) and green (15.3 to 330 pmol/min mg protein) morphs, but all six orange morphs collected in 2007 had a narrower range (160 to 211 pmol/min/mg protein). About 45% of the red morphs had GST activity from 200-300 pmol/min/mg of protein, while 53% of the green morphs had a range of 100-200 pmol/min/mg protein. The influence of temperature-mediated synergisms on the toxicity of insecticides in red and green color morphs of the tobacco-adapted from of M. persicae were evaluated using leaf-dip bioassay procedures in laboratory incubators. Post-exposure temperatures of 15, 20, and 25°C were evaluated for four classes of insecticides, acephate, imidacloprid, lambda-cyhalothrin, and methomyl. The temperature change from 15 to 20°C caused almost a 3-fold increase in toxicity to the red and green color morphs for methomyl, acephate, and imidacloprid. In contrast, the toxicity of lambda-cyhalothrin decreased as the temperature increased, showing a negative temperature coefficient. Bioassay experiments conducted with the red morph for indirect estimates of imidacloprid concentrations in flue-cured tobacco showed that leaf position, imidacloprid rate and time after application affected the concentration of the toxicant in the leaf. The differences in aphid mortality between the lower and upper leaf positions indicate that the concentration of imidacloprid and its metabolites were unevenly distributed with the lowest mortality for aphids feeding on the younger, upper leaves and the highest for those feeding on the older, lower leaves. In field experiments, higher aphid populations occurred on tobacco treated with imidacloprid less than the field recommended rate of 41.4 ml/1,000 plants. The development of aphid populations in the field was consistent with the laboratory bioassays. Field trials were conducted to evaluate the performance of various insecticides currently registered for aphid control on tobacco. Imidacloprid applied as a tray drench treatment and acephate as foliar sprays were the most effective treatments. Moderate declines in control with imidacloprid were observed at 75-87 d after transplanting in 2006 and 2007. Aldicarb gave good to excellent control in one of three years, but only fair to poor control in the other two years. Methomyl and lambda-cyhalothrin gave good control in all three years except the residual was shorter. The poor performance of aldicarb in the two years may have been related to the presence of E4 or FE4 resistance in the naturally occurring TGPA in the experimental plots. / Ph. D.

Blackman (1987) used life cycle and morphology to separate Myzus nicotianae Blackman, a tobacco-feeding species of aphid, from Myzus persicae (Sulzer). In the present study, the first objective was to investigate the influence of temperature and host plant on the morphology of M. nicotianae and M. persicae. The second objective was to assess Blackman's 1987 key to Myzus for separating tobacco and non-tobacco originating morphs under different environmental conditions. Four host plants were used: tobacco, turnip, pepper, and okra, and three temperatures, 15°C, 20°C, and 25°C. The intraclonal plasticity of two tobacco collected morphs and one turnip collected morph was investigated in relation to these combinations of host and temperature in a 4 x 3 x 3 factorial experimental design. Fifth generation mature apterous aphids were mounted on slides and 10 different morphological structures utilized in morphometric analysis were measured. Data support a morphologically distinct, host-adapted tobacco race but not a separate tobacco-feeding species of M. persicae. The key developed by Blackman (1987) did not discriminate between the tobacco and non-tobacco originating clones but the canonical variates generated from the analysis successfully separated the tobacco and non-tobacco groups. Other studies have used many different clones to investigate the possible distinctions between M. persicae and M. nicotianae; the objective here was to see how much morphological perturbation may be induced within a clone by rearing at different temperatures and on different host plants. Temperature and host plant had substantial influences on the morphology of these aphids. The physiological interactions of temperature-host plant-aphid morphology are very complex yet controlling only for temperature and host plant was sufficient to group specimens according to these independent variables with remarkable accuracy using the linear discriminant functions generated with these data. Percent of aphids in which rearing temperature was correctly identified using linear discriminant functions generated for temperature classes was 87%, 63%, and 64% for 15°C, 20°C, and 25°C, respectively. Random designations would be 33%. Correct identification of host plant was 65%, 45%, 47%, and 48% successful for tobacco, turnip, pepper, and okra, respectively. Random designations for host plant would be 25%. Canonical variates produced clusters by host, temperature, morph, and combinations of these independent variables with varying degrees of discreteness. CV1 by CV2 for host plants gave a very distinct cluster for tobacco and also separate groupings for aphids reared on turnip and pepper. Aphids from the host plant okra were scattered quite widely across the CV1 by CV2 graph. CV1 by CV2 for temperature conditions showed a tight cluster for aphids from 15°C and still distinct though less closely grouped clusters for both 20°C and 25°C rearing temperatures. CV1 by CV2 for the three morphs gave substantial overlap for the two tobacco originating morphs and a more separate cluster for the morph originally collected from turnip. / Master of Science

La recherche de solutions alternatives à l’usage de pesticides en production horticole est devenue une exigence de santé publique. Ainsi, l’introduction de plantes de service (PdS) est une méthode écologique qui peut contribuer à diminuer le recours à la lutte chimique contre Myzus persicae, le puceron vert du pêcher. L’intérêt de certaines de ces PdS réside dans leur capacité à perturber l’installation du puceron sur son hôte et/ou à diminuer ses performances grâce à l’émission des composés organiques volatils (COV). Cependant, un obstacle majeur à leur utilisation est que leur efficacité se limite à un périmètre restreint et que leur production olfactive est sensible à de nombreuses variables biotiques et abiotiques. Identifier les plantes les plus performantes, comprendre leur mode d’action et chercher à optimiser leur efficacité est donc une démarche propre à favoriser leur emploi en horticulture. L’analyse de l’environnement olfactif est une clé pour évaluer et comprendre les interactions PdS-plante hôte-puceron.Au laboratoire, un typage avec un olfactomètre en Y a permis de sélectionner deux PdS émettrices de mélanges de COV ayant un effet répulsif marqué sur M. persicae : le basilic (Ocimum basilicum) qui agit directement sur l’insecte, et l’œillet d’Inde (Tagetes patula) qui agit indirectement via la plante hôte. Ainsi, les COV émis par T. patula rendent la plante-hôte (le poivron, Capsicum annuum) répulsive. En effet, lors des tests de choix, les pucerons s’orientent vers les poivrons seuls mais évitent les COV émis par des poivrons précédemment mis en culture associée pendant 5 jours avec l’œillet d’inde. Deux composés, le (E)-β-farnésène (EBF) et l'eugénol ont de fortes propriétés répulsives envers M. persicae.Différents facteurs peuvent affecter l’efficacité répulsive de ces plantes (climat, conduite, génétique). Nous avons comparé les COV émis selon les espèces et les chémotypes et testé l’effet répulsif individuel des COV. Cet effet « génotype » a été examiné en étudiant le comportement olfactif de M. persicae en présence des COV individuels émis par différents clones de Romarin (Rosmarinus officinalis). Cinq composés sont répulsifs, l’acétate de bornyle, le camphre, l’α-terpinéol, le terpinène-4-ol et le géranyle acétone. Seul le clone de romarin Voltz Splindler s’est avéré répulsif, alors que les autres clones contiennent également ces 5 composés répulsifs mais dans des proportions différentes. On peut donc conclure que la présence de ces composés ne suffit pas à induire une perturbation du comportement olfactif du puceron et que la concentration, la proportion, voire l’association des COV présents dans les bouquets olfactifs libérés, sont à l’origine de ces résultats contrastés. Par la technique d’électropénétrographie (EPG), nous avons mis en évidence un deuxième effet des COV émis par O. basilicum au stade végétatif et par T. patula au stade floraison sur le puceron. Ils perturbent fortement son comportement alimentaire, en réduisant notamment la durée d’ingestion du phloème qui se traduit par une baisse des ressources nutritionnelles et aboutit à une diminution de sa fécondité. Un suivi de la fécondité sur organe détaché nous a permis de mettre en évidence l’importance du stade phénologique de la PdS sur la composition et l’efficacité du mélange olfactif libéré. Une dernière étape de mon travail a permis de confirmer dans des conditions de cultures sous tunnels, l’effet de COV émis par ces deux PdS sur la démographie de M. persicae liée à une baisse de sa fécondité.En conclusion, cette thèse a mis en évidence que les COV émis dans l’environnement d’une plante hôte par des plantes voisines peuvent fournir un service aux cultures en réduisant les performances de ravageurs tels que M. persicae. Nous avons montré que des variables comme le chémotype ou le stade phénologique de la PdS peuvent modifier son message olfactif et constituer un moyen d’optimiser ce service. / The search for alternatives to the use of pesticides in horticultural production has become a public health requirement. Thus, the introduction of Companion plants (CP) is an ecological method that can help reduce the use of chemical control against Myzus persicae, the green peach aphid. The interest of some of these CP lies in their ability to disturb the installation of the aphid on its host plant and/or to reduce its performance through the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, a major obstacle to their use is that their effectiveness is limited to a limited scope and their olfactory production is sensitive to many biotic and abiotic variables. Identifying the most efficient plants, understanding their mode of action and seeking to optimize their effectiveness is therefore an appropriate approach to promote their use in horticulture. Olfactory environment analysis is a key to assessing and understanding CP-host plant -aphid interactions.In the laboratory, we selected with a Y-olfactometer two CP producing VOC mixtures with a marked repellent effect on M. persicae: basil (Ocimum basilicum) which acts directly on the insect, and french marigold (Tagetes patula) which acts indirectly via the host plant. Thus, the VOCs emitted by T. patula make the host plant (pepper, Capsicum annuum) repellent: during the choice tests, the aphids move towards the peppers alone but avoid the VOCs emitted by peppers previously grown intercropped for 5 days with the french marigold. Two compounds, (E)-β-farnesene (EBF) and eugenol have strong repellent properties against M. persicae.Different factors can affect the repellent effectiveness of these plants (climate, plant management, genetics). We compared the VOCs emitted by species and chemotypes and tested the individual repellent effect of VOCs. This "genotype" effect was examined by studying the olfactory behaviour of M. persicae in the presence of individual VOCs emitted by different clones of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). Five compounds are repellent, bornyl acetate, camphor, α-terpineol, terpinene-4-ol and geranyl acetone. Only the rosemary clone Voltz Splindler was found to be repellent, while the other clones also contain these 5 repellent compounds in varying proportions. It can therefore be concluded that the presence of these compounds is not sufficient to induce a disturbance of the aphid's olfactory behaviour and that the concentration, proportion or even association of VOCs present in the released olfactory bouquets are at the origin of these contrasting results. By the electropenetrography (EPG) technique, we have demonstrated a second effect of the VOCs emitted by O. basilicum in the vegetative stage and by T. patula in the flowering stage on the aphid. They strongly disrupt its feeding behaviour, in particular by reducing the duration of phloem ingestion, which results in a decrease in nutritional resources and leads to a decrease in its fertility. A fertility monitoring on detached organs has allowed us to highlight the importance of the phenological stage of the CP on the composition and efficacy of the olfactory mixture released. A final step in my work confirmed, under tunnel conditions, the effect of VOCs emitted by these two CP on the demographics of M. persicae due to a decrease in its fertility. In conclusion, this thesis highlighted that VOCs emitted into the environment of a host plant by neighbouring plants can provide a service to crops by reducing the performance of pests such as M. persicae. We have shown that variables such as chemotype or phenological stage of the CP can modify its olfactory message and provide a way to optimize this service. We have thus identified disruptive CP and VOCs repellent to M. persicae, the first step towards the development of the push component of a stimulodissuasive diversion strategy to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides against M. persicae.

L’afide del pesco Myzus persicae rappresenta uno degli insetti più dannosi in agricoltura. Estremamente polifago e cosmopolita, viene combattuto principalmente con trattamenti insetticidi. Nel corso degli ultimi anni neonicotinoidi e piretroidi hanno rappresentato i componenti principali delle strategie di difesa contro questa specie, ma recenti programmi di monitoraggio condotti in Sud Europa hanno rivelato la presenza di popolazioni resistenti, mettendo in dubbio l’efficacia a lungo termine di queste classi di prodotti. Il presente lavoro prende in esame la diffusione dei principali meccanismi di resistenza agli insetticidi nelle popolazioni di M. persicae presenti sul territorio italiano. La prima parte si concentra sulle resistenze target-site e considera la distribuzione delle principali mutazioni che sono state associate alla resistenza a neonicotinoidi e piretroidi. La seconda parte riguarda le resistenze metaboliche e analizza le principali classi di enzimi associate ad attività di sequestro o detossificazione delle molecole di insetticida. Infine, il progetto si focalizza sulla caratterizzazione delle possibili interazioni tra tali enzimi detossificanti e molecole sinergizzanti quali il ben noto piperonil butossido (PBO). I risultati ottenuti consentiranno di migliorare le strategie di difesa per evitare trattamenti inefficaci e mantenere il più a lungo possibile l’efficacia dei prodotti oggi disponibili per il controllo di M. persicae. / The green peach aphid Myzus persicae is a globally significant crop pest, controlled mainly by chemical treatments. In recent years neonicotinoids and pyrethroids have been the main components of pest management strategies used by growers. However, recent monitoring programmes in Southern Europe have shown the widespread presence of resistant populations, posing a serious threat to the long-term efficacy of these insecticide classes. The present work aims to characterise the main biochemical and molecular mechanisms responsible for insecticide resistance in Italian populations of M. Persicae. The first part is focused on target-site resistance and consider the frequency and distribution of the main target-site mutations associated with neonicotinoid and pyrethroid resistance. The second part is related to metabolic resistance and analyses the involvement of detoxifying enzymes able to sequester or metabolise the insecticide molecules. Furthermore, the project aims to characterise possible interactions between those enzymes and synergistic compounds like the well-known piperonyl butoxide (PBO). Results obtained by this investigation will help to improve insecticide resistance management strategies, in order to avoid ineffective applications and maintain the long-term sustainability of chemical control against M. persicae.

Dans ce travail, l’effet de la présence de certaines plantes de service (PdS) à proximité d’une plante hôte (Capsicum annuum) sur le comportement et l’installation d’une population de pucerons (Myzus persicae) a été étudié afin de contribuer à la recherche de méthodes de luttealternatives et innovantes contre ces insectes.Dans une première étape, une étude bibliographique a été réalisée, à partir de la littérature etdes connaissances sur des pratiques de jardinage traditionnel afin d’identifier des PdSméditerranéennes caractérisées par leurs propriétés insecticides et surtout aphicides. Nousavons sélectionné treize PdS : Rosmarinus officinalis, Lavandula latifolia, Ocimum basilicum,Tagetes patula, Tagetes erecta, Pelargonium zonal, Calendula officinalis, Thymus vulgaris,Satureja hortensis, Mentha piperita, Allium schoenoprasum, Carthamus tinctorius, Dittrichiaviscosa. Nous avons étudié dans une deuxième étape, le comportement d’installation deMyzus persicae sur sa plante hôte en présence d’une PdS en conditions contrôlées. Lesrésultats de ces travaux ont montré que la présence de certaines espèces comme R. officinalis,T. patula, T. erecta, P. zonal, L. latifolia, O. basilicum, C. officinalis ou A. schoenoprasum,affectait la survie et /ou la fécondité des femelles au cours du temps en comparaison avec letémoin. Nous avons aussi caractérisé chaque plante par un profil de composés volatils etrechercher des relations entre ces profils de COV et l’efficacité des PdS.Ensuite nous nous sommes intéressés aux mécanismes d’action des PdS et nous avons étudiél’effet direct des PdS sur les pucerons par olfactométrie. Nous avons trouvé qu’en présence deR. officinalis, T. patula en fleur, P. zonal, L. latifolia, O. basilicum, ou M. piperita lesfemelles se dirigent préférentiellement vers l’odeur de leur plante hôte. Nous avons égalementtesté une deuxième hypothèse correspondant à l’effet des COV émis par les PdS sur la plantehôte. Pour cela les plantes hôtes ont été pré-conditionnées avec les PdS pendant 5 jours. Cepré-conditionnement a modifié le profil volatil du poivron et a eu un effet négatif surl’installation des pucerons sur les poivrons pré-conditionnés avec T. patula. Enfin, nous avonstesté l’efficacité de l’association avec R. officinalis, L. latifolia ou O. basilicum dans desconditions de cultures moins confinées (sous tunnels). Nous avons retrouvé un effetsignificatif sur le comportement du puceron de ces PdS. Dans le cas du romarin nous avonsobservé une diminution de l’efficacité de l’association lorsque l’on s’éloigne des plantes deromarin. L’efficacité maximale a été observée sur les poivrons placés à côté du romarin. Aplus grande distance, l’efficacité des PdS diminuait et n’était plus significative. Ces donnéesoffrent des nouvelles pistes de recherche en vue de l’utilisation judicieuse des PdS au sein desagroécosystèmes / In this work, the effect of intercropping companion plants (CP) near a host plant (Capsicumannuum) on the performance and the installation of an aphid’s population (Myzus persicae)was studied to contribute to the search of alternative and innovative methods of pests control.First, a bibliographic study based on the literature and traditional gardening was performed toidentify mediterranean CP characterized by their insecticidal and mainly aphicide properties.We selected thirteen CP: Rosmarinus officinalis, Lavandula latifolia, Ocimum basilicum,Tagetes patula, Tagetes erecta, Pelargonium zonal, Calendula officinalis, Thymus vulgaris,Satureja hortensis, Mentha piperita, Allium schoenoprasum, Carthamus tinctorius, Dittrichiaviscosa. In a second step, we investigated the settling of Myzus persicae on its host plantwhen intercropped with CP under controlled conditions. The results showed thatintercropping with some species such as R. officinalis, T. patula, T. erecta, P. zonal, L.latifolia, O. basilicum, C. officinalis or A. schoenoprasum, affects the survival and / or femalefecundity over time compared to the control. We also characterized each plant by a volatilecompounds profile and looked for relationships between these profiles and the effectivenessof CP. Then, we investigated the mechanisms of action of a CP. We studied the direct effectof CP on aphids by olfactometric tests. We found that, in the presence of R. officinalis,flowering T. patula, zonal P., L. latifolia, O. basilicum, or M. piperita, females prefer theodor of its host plant. We also tested a second hypothesis that VOCs emitted by a CP mayaffect the host plant. Plants were preconditioned with CP for five days. This preconditioningmodified the volatile profile of pepper but had only a negative effect on the settling of aphidson pepper preconditioned with T. patula. Finally, we tested the association with R. officinalis,L. latifolia and O. basilicum under greenhouse conditions. We found a significant effect onthe settling of aphid when using these CP and a decrease of rosemary efficiency when movingaway from rosemary plants. The larger effect was observed on peppers located close torosemary. These data provide new avenues of research and indication on judiciously CP thatcould be intercropped within agro-ecosystems

Investigations were carried out on the seasonal changes of aphids, particularly Myzus persicae (Sulz.), on hrussels sprouts and the importance of their natural enemies, from autumn 1968 to spring 1971 in the area around Edinburgh. M. persicae overwintered anholocyclically on weeds, particularly on dock plants, hut rarely on brassica crops. Plants in glasshouses also provided overwintering sites for M. persicae and Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas). These aphids started gradually to infest the brussels sprout plants during the end of June in a constant but irregular movement. Both M. persicae and M.euphorbiae have no fixed patterns of population changes throughout the field nor from year to year. During early July the initially low densities of M. persicae and M. euphorbiae populations increased fast. By early August parasitism and predation increased; condensation of water droplets on the aphids also appeared in August and drowned some of them. Subsequently these mortality factors caused a sharp decline of the first peak of M. persicae abundance, and complete disappearance of H. euphorbiae from the field by mid-September. Favourable weather and reduced activities of natural enemies caused another peak of M. persicae to be reached in September. A slight drop in abundance occurred again, due mainly to parasitism; the third and last peak of a season appeared during late October and early November. The fall of this peak was attributed to the cold weather which reduced the rate of reproduction and hastened the abscission of bottom leaves which carried the aphid population. Eighteen species in eight genera of aphid parasites and at least eight species in five genera of hyperparasites were recorded. All the eleven species of primary parasites and five genera containing at least eight species of hyperparasites noted as parasites of M. persioae; and fifteen species of primary parasites and five genera of at least eight species of the hyperparasites listed tinder M. euphorbias were first records of any such parasites in Scotland. The M. persicae records as aphid host of seven species of primary parasites and two genera of at least three species of hyperparasites; and M. euphorbiae also as an aphid host of seven species of primary parasites and two genera of at least four species of hyperparasites were new records in Britain. Three and four species of primary parasites listed respectively under M, persicae and M. euphorbiae as aphid host were found to he new records in the general literature. Praon volucre (Hal.) was the dominant species of the primary parasites followed by Diaeretiella rapae Mcintosh and Aphidius picipes (Hees) which were about half and one third as numerous as the dominant species. Asaphes vulgaris Walker was the dominant species of the hyperparasites with cynipids about equally abundant. Some aspects of the bionomics of hyperparasites and primary parasites, particularly P. volucre, were given. Factors which limited the effectiveness of the parasites, particularly P. volucre, included 1. the fast developmental rate and the lower threshold of the aphid host (M, persicae) as compared to that of thep parasite (P. volucre). 2. hyperparasitism; - in 1969 and 1970 aphids on brussels sprouts were hyperparasitised respectively to the extent of 39.4% and 46.9% 3. harvesting of brassica crops during autumn which destroyed some of the aphid mummies and the aphid populations which could be parasitised to increase the numbers of the overwintering mummies. 4. overwintering of the parasites which started during late summer and early autumn while the aphid hosts were reproducing.