Influence of voltine ecotype and geographic distance on genetic and haplotype variation in the Asian corn borer

• Published in: Ecology and evolution Vol. 11; no. 15; pp. 10244 - 10257
• Main Authors: Wang, Yangzhou, Kim, Kyung Seok, Li, Qiyun, Zhang, Yunyue, Wang, Zhen‐Ying, Coates, Brad Steven
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bognor Regis John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.08.2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Arthropods; Chromosomes; Circadian rhythm; Climatic conditions; Cytochrome; Diapause; Divergence; divergent phenotypic selection; Dormancy; ecological adaptation; Ecological effects; Ecotypes; Environmental conditions; Gene flow; Gene polymorphism; Genes; Genetic diversity; Genetic structure; Genotypes; Haplotypes; Loci; Mitochondria; Nucleotides; Original Research; Polymorphism; Population; Population genetics; Quantitative genetics; Seasonal variations; Single-nucleotide polymorphism; Sympatric populations; Voltinism; United States > US; China; Jilin China
• ISSN: 2045-7758; 2045-7758
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7829

Diapause is an adaptive dormancy strategy by which arthropods endure extended periods of adverse climatic conditions. Seasonal variation in larval diapause initiation and duration in Ostrinia furnacalis may influence adult mating generation number (voltinism) across different local environments. The degree to which voltine ecotype, geographic distance, or other ecological factors influence O. furnacalis population genetic structure remains uncertain. Genetic differentiation was estimated between voltine ecotypes collected from 8 locations. Mitochondrial haplotypes were significantly different between historically allopatric univoltine and bivoltine locations, but confounded by a strong correlation with geographic distance. In contrast, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes show low but significant levels of variation and a lack of influence of geographic distance between allopatric voltine locations. Regardless, 11 of 257 SNP loci were predicted to be under selection, suggesting population genetic homogenization except at loci proximal to factors putatively under selection. These findings provide evidence of haplotype divergent voltine ecotypes that may be maintained in allopatric and sympatric areas despite relatively high rates of nuclear gene flow, yet influence of voltinism on maintenance of observed haplotype divergence remains unresolved. The Asian corn borer (ACB) is a major pest insect of cultivated maize throughout China, including Jilin Province where ecotypes of this species differ in voltine traits. The distribution of significant mitochondrial haplotype and nuclear genetic variation among sample locations suggests geography and voltinism are factors influencing contemporary ACB genetic structure in Jilin Province.