Abstract. Rahayuwati S, Kusumah YM, Prawirosukarto S, Dadang, Santoso T. 2020. Genetic variability of Indonesian Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV) as genus of Alphanudivirus. Biodiversitas 21: 2047-2055. Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV) is known as a successful classical biological control agent. Recent reports have revealed differences in pathogenicity among OrNV isolates, with correlation suspected between virus virulence and genetic variability. The aim of the research is to study the genetic variability of OrNV isolates based on the DNA polymerase (DNA pol) gene and their phylogenetic relationship with Genus Alphanudivirus. Oryctes rhinoceros (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) as an OrNV host were collected from Sumatra, Belitung, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi. Primers were designed to amplify complete gene of DNA pol. Sequencing, phylogenetic, and investigate genetic diversity scores were used to determine variability at nucleotide level. Five primers successfully amplified the entire DNA pol gene. Genetic variability of OrNV was high, from nine isolates found eight genetically different. Isolates could be divided into two groups of genetic diversity: high and low. High genetic diversity of OrNV supposed as an old population that occupied Sundaland and Wallacean paleogeography at first appearance in Miocene Era until early Pliocene 5 Mya. New population of OrNV had low genetic diversity were travel cross-island that supposed to correlate with oil palm plantation development and the genetic drift. The benefit information of the OrNV genetic variability is as preliminary guideline for virulence test. OrNV is a member of Nudiviridae family, Genus Alphanudivirus, and at recent moment they consist of eight species. Alphanudivirus infect Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera and Orthoptera order that soil as immature niche may explain their closely related taxa.

Elaeidobius kamerunicus Faust (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is widely known as the main pollinator of oil palm. Although economically important,the population genetics of this pollinator have remained relatively unexplored. This study explores population genetic structure and contemporary gene flow in E.kamerunicus in Indonesian provinces and attempts to place observed patterns within the broader geographical context. Based on combined data from mtDNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences and 11 SSR loci obtained from 32 individuals located in 11 province and 16 sites, overall genetic structuring was low. The study suggested a close relationship of individuals between close provinces but some of data showed that individuals from provinces with far geographical also shared some close relationship. The expansion history of this species, including likely human-mediated dispersal, may have played a role in shaping the observed weak structure detected in this study. The information resulted from this analysis of gene flow and population structure has broad implications for monitoring and management of this pollinator, especially in oil palm plantations in Indonesia. Future studies should concentrate efforts on sampling of African and South-East Asian populations, which would enable better inferences of the ancestral location of E.kamerunicus and its invasion history into and throughout world.

Abstract. Nopriawansyah N, Rauf A, Kusumah YM, Nurmansyah A, Koesmaryono Y. 2019. Genetic variation among the geographic population of Cassava mealybug Phenacoccus manihoti (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Indonesia inferred from mitochondrial COI gene sequence. Biodiversitas 20: 2685-2692. Cassava mealybug, Phenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is an invasive pest native to South America. Research was conducted with the objective to study genetic variation of cassava mealybug from different geographic areas in Indonesia. Thirty-six samples of cassava mealybugs were collected from eight different population locations. Genomic DNA was extracted from individual specimens of P. manihoti using gSYNC DNA Extraction Kit from Geneaid Lot No. FB221707. PCR amplification using primary CO1 gene showed the target position as long as 518 bp. Analysis of homology from eight populations revealed eight haplotypes in Indonesia with different variable sites. Genetic distance analysis was done by calculating base pair differences in each population. The percentage of genetic distance between populations was 0.0000% -0.00409%. The results of the analyst using the Kimura-2 parameter showed that the population was divided into 2 clusters. The highest haplotype (Hd) diversity value was 0.8333, while the lowest was zero (Hd = 0). The highest nucleotide diversity (π) was 0.00225 and the lowest was 0.000000. The genetic distance and nucleotide diversity were low because P. manihoti was thelytoky parthenogenesis.

The giant whitefly, Aleurodicus dugesii Cockerell (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a polyphagous insect which has a wide range of host plants. The insect is relatively a new pest to Indonesian agriculture. It was reported in 2008. The whitefly sucks on plant sap, extracting important nutrients that lead to defoliation, stunting and or plant death. Study of the host range and population density of the whitefly was conducted in horticultural crops at 5 villages in the Sub-district of Cipanas (Cianjur), West Java. Observation was done directly on the selected leaf samples. Twelve leaf samples were selected from four quadrants of the sample plants. The number of horticultural crops infested by the giant whitefly was 27 species consisted of 20 plant families. The most dominant host plants of the giant whitefly were families of Fabaceae, Solanaceae, and Euphorbiaceae, respectively. The highest population density of the giant whitefly was recorded on tamarillo (Solanum betaceum) as much as 1,986 per leaf. The result of this research revealed that the giant whitefly was a potential important pest which had a wide range of host plants, resulted in severe damages to horticultural crops.

Aphelenchoides besseyi merupakan nematoda penyebab penyakit pucuk putih yang terbawa benih padi. Gen AB FAR-1 diketahui sebagai gen penting yang mengendalikan patogenisitas A. besseyi.  Penelitian dilakukan untuk mengetahui karakter gen AB FAR-1 yang diisolasi dari nematoda yang berasal dari benih padi.  Ekstraksi nematoda dilakukan dengan metode corong Baerman dari benih 5 varietas padi “Ciherang“, “Inpari Sidenuk“, “Sintanur“, “Hibrida Prima“ dan “Pak Tiwi“.  Ekstraksi DNA total nematoda menggunakan metode CTAB dilanjutkan dengan amplifikasi gen AB FAR-1 menggunakan primer spesifik FAR-F1/R1 dan analisis  urutan nukleotidanya.  Pita DNA spesifik gen AB FAR-1 berukuran 150 pb berhasil diamplifikasi dari semua sampel nematoda.  Analisis sekuen menunjukkan bahwa gen AB FAR-1 tersebut memiliki homologi tertinggi (92.5 – 100%) dengan aksesi Genbank JQ686690.1, yaitu gen AB FAR-1 A. besseyi asal Cina.  Walaupun memiliki homologi yang tinggi, terdapat beberapa perbedaan nukleotida pada sampel gen AB FAR-1 A. besseyi asal “Ciherang“, “Inpari Sidenuk“ dan “Hibrida Prima“.  Analisis pohon filogenetika lebih lanjut mengelompokkan gen AB FAR-1 A. besseyi menjadi 2 grup, yaitu grup 1 terdiri atas gen AB FAR-1 A. besseyi asal Cina, “Sintanur“, “Hibrida Prima“ dan “Pak Tiwi“ dan grup 2 gen AB FAR-1 A. besseyi asal “Ciherang“, dan “Inpari Sidenuk“.