Steven Skoda | University of Nebraska Lincoln (original) (raw)

Papers by Steven Skoda

Insect science, Jan 18, 2015

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), is a blood-feeding, economically im... more The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), is a blood-feeding, economically important pest of animals and humans worldwide. Improved management strategies are essential and their development would benefit from studies on genetic diversity of stable flies. Especially if done on a global scale, such research could generate information necessary for the development and application of more efficient control methods. Herein we report on a genetic study of stable flies using amplified fragment length polymorphism, with samples of 10-40 individuals acquired from a total of 25 locations in the Nearctic, Neotropic, Palearctic, Afrotropic and Australasian biogeographical regions. We hypothesized that genetic differentiation would exist across geographical barriers. Although FST (0.33) was moderately high, the GST (0.05; representing genetic diversity between individuals) was very low; Nm values (representing gene flow) were high (9.36). The mismatch distribution and tests o...

Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 1998

ABSTRACT

Bulletin of Entomological Research

Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 2000

Four hydrolases and Þve oxido-reductases were examined using native stacking polyacrylamide gel e... more Four hydrolases and Þve oxido-reductases were examined using native stacking polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Homogenate of Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.), ÔArapahoeÕ (aphid-susceptible) and ÔHaltÕ (aphid-resistant) wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and powdery mildewÐinfected Erysiphe graminis DC. ex Merat f. sp. tritici Em. Marchal, Arapahoe wheat leaves were assayed for enzyme activities. Pectinesterase, polygalacturonase (or pectinase), cellulase, and amylase activities were examined in the hydrolase group. Catalase, peroxidase, catechol oxidase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbate oxidase activities were examined in the group of oxido-reductases. The two aphid species had the same hydrolases but different oxido-reductases. Although pectinesterase and cellulase enzymes were present in D. noxia and R. padi, the banding patterns were different. Polygalacturonase and ␦-amylase were not detected from either aphid species. In the oxido-reductase group, catalase was detected from D. noxia, wheras peroxidase was detected from R. padi. Superoxide dismutase and ascorbate oxidase activities also were detected from both aphids. Enzyme assays using aphid head tissue that included salivary glands but excluded aphid foregut supported the enzyme assays using whole aphids. Peroxidase activity was detected from the salivary tissue of R. padi, but not D. noxia, and catalase activity was detected from D. noxia salivary tissue, but not R. padi. We suggest that the salivary enzyme difference between the 2 aphid species (i.e., catalase and peroxidase) is important in the type of damage symptom formation on susceptible wheat plants.

International Journal of Tropical Insect Science

Journal of economic entomology, 2015

Spray-dried whole bovine blood, dry poultry egg, and a dry milk substitute are the constituents o... more Spray-dried whole bovine blood, dry poultry egg, and a dry milk substitute are the constituents of the artificial diet currently used for mass rearing screwworm larvae, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Due to high cost and uncertainty of the commercial supply of spray-dried blood, research was conducted to identify alternative, locally available, inexpensive, dietary ingredients which could reduce cost of rearing and eliminate concerns of short supply. Experimental diets were prepared without blood component and with various ratios of bovine blood or blood cell product and defatted soy flour. Results indicate that spray-dried bovine blood can be replaced by a readily available and less expensive blood cell product. When the quantity of whole dried blood or blood cell component was reduced or removed completely from the diet, the larvae did not feed adequately, resulting in high mortality. Those larvae that survived produced pupae that were of unacceptable...

Journal of economic entomology, Jan 14, 2015

Mass production, sterilization, and release of screwworms (Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel)) th... more Mass production, sterilization, and release of screwworms (Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel)) that were competitive in the field significantly contributed to the successful application of the sterile insect technique for eradication of screwworms from continental North America. Metabolic byproducts resulting from protein-rich diets required for larval screwworms lead to ammonia liberation, sometimes at high levels, within the mass rearing facility. Until recently a sodium polyacrylate gel bulking agent was used for the larval media and adsorbed much of the ammonia. A need to replace the gel with an environmentally "friendly" bulking agent, while not increasing ammonia levels in the rearing facility, led to a series of experiments with the objective of developing procedures to reduce ammonia emissions from the larval media bulked with cellulose fiber. Additives of ammonia-converting bacteria, potassium permanganate, and Yucca schidigera Roezl ex Otrgies powder extract, pre...

Environmental Entomology

ABSTRACT

Journal of Economic Entomology

ABSTRACT

Abstract The presence of a sex pheromone in (New World Screwworm) females was demonstrated some t... more Abstract The presence of a sex pheromone in (New World Screwworm) females was demonstrated some time ago, but no natural compounds were isolated for proof of activity, and no synthetic compounds were ever tested. We report biological activity as powerful ...

Bulletin of Entomological Research

Journal of Entomological Science

Southwestern Entomologist

International Journal of Tropical Insect Science

Insect science, Jan 18, 2015

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), is a blood-feeding, economically im... more The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), is a blood-feeding, economically important pest of animals and humans worldwide. Improved management strategies are essential and their development would benefit from studies on genetic diversity of stable flies. Especially if done on a global scale, such research could generate information necessary for the development and application of more efficient control methods. Herein we report on a genetic study of stable flies using amplified fragment length polymorphism, with samples of 10-40 individuals acquired from a total of 25 locations in the Nearctic, Neotropic, Palearctic, Afrotropic and Australasian biogeographical regions. We hypothesized that genetic differentiation would exist across geographical barriers. Although FST (0.33) was moderately high, the GST (0.05; representing genetic diversity between individuals) was very low; Nm values (representing gene flow) were high (9.36). The mismatch distribution and tests o...

Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 1998

ABSTRACT

Bulletin of Entomological Research

Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 2000

Four hydrolases and Þve oxido-reductases were examined using native stacking polyacrylamide gel e... more Four hydrolases and Þve oxido-reductases were examined using native stacking polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Homogenate of Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.), ÔArapahoeÕ (aphid-susceptible) and ÔHaltÕ (aphid-resistant) wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and powdery mildewÐinfected Erysiphe graminis DC. ex Merat f. sp. tritici Em. Marchal, Arapahoe wheat leaves were assayed for enzyme activities. Pectinesterase, polygalacturonase (or pectinase), cellulase, and amylase activities were examined in the hydrolase group. Catalase, peroxidase, catechol oxidase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbate oxidase activities were examined in the group of oxido-reductases. The two aphid species had the same hydrolases but different oxido-reductases. Although pectinesterase and cellulase enzymes were present in D. noxia and R. padi, the banding patterns were different. Polygalacturonase and ␦-amylase were not detected from either aphid species. In the oxido-reductase group, catalase was detected from D. noxia, wheras peroxidase was detected from R. padi. Superoxide dismutase and ascorbate oxidase activities also were detected from both aphids. Enzyme assays using aphid head tissue that included salivary glands but excluded aphid foregut supported the enzyme assays using whole aphids. Peroxidase activity was detected from the salivary tissue of R. padi, but not D. noxia, and catalase activity was detected from D. noxia salivary tissue, but not R. padi. We suggest that the salivary enzyme difference between the 2 aphid species (i.e., catalase and peroxidase) is important in the type of damage symptom formation on susceptible wheat plants.

International Journal of Tropical Insect Science

Journal of economic entomology, 2015

Spray-dried whole bovine blood, dry poultry egg, and a dry milk substitute are the constituents o... more Spray-dried whole bovine blood, dry poultry egg, and a dry milk substitute are the constituents of the artificial diet currently used for mass rearing screwworm larvae, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Due to high cost and uncertainty of the commercial supply of spray-dried blood, research was conducted to identify alternative, locally available, inexpensive, dietary ingredients which could reduce cost of rearing and eliminate concerns of short supply. Experimental diets were prepared without blood component and with various ratios of bovine blood or blood cell product and defatted soy flour. Results indicate that spray-dried bovine blood can be replaced by a readily available and less expensive blood cell product. When the quantity of whole dried blood or blood cell component was reduced or removed completely from the diet, the larvae did not feed adequately, resulting in high mortality. Those larvae that survived produced pupae that were of unacceptable...

Journal of economic entomology, Jan 14, 2015

Mass production, sterilization, and release of screwworms (Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel)) th... more Mass production, sterilization, and release of screwworms (Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel)) that were competitive in the field significantly contributed to the successful application of the sterile insect technique for eradication of screwworms from continental North America. Metabolic byproducts resulting from protein-rich diets required for larval screwworms lead to ammonia liberation, sometimes at high levels, within the mass rearing facility. Until recently a sodium polyacrylate gel bulking agent was used for the larval media and adsorbed much of the ammonia. A need to replace the gel with an environmentally "friendly" bulking agent, while not increasing ammonia levels in the rearing facility, led to a series of experiments with the objective of developing procedures to reduce ammonia emissions from the larval media bulked with cellulose fiber. Additives of ammonia-converting bacteria, potassium permanganate, and Yucca schidigera Roezl ex Otrgies powder extract, pre...

Environmental Entomology

ABSTRACT

Journal of Economic Entomology

ABSTRACT

Abstract The presence of a sex pheromone in (New World Screwworm) females was demonstrated some t... more Abstract The presence of a sex pheromone in (New World Screwworm) females was demonstrated some time ago, but no natural compounds were isolated for proof of activity, and no synthetic compounds were ever tested. We report biological activity as powerful ...

Bulletin of Entomological Research

Journal of Entomological Science

Southwestern Entomologist

International Journal of Tropical Insect Science