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Mamestra configurata

Summary
Resource Type
Organism
Genus
Mamestra
Species
configurata
Common Name
Bertha Army Worm
Description

Mamestra configurata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is commonly known as the bertha armyworm and is found primarily in western North America and Mexico. Adult moths are grey-black with a silvery-whitish reniform spot and fringe on each forewing. M. configurata overwinters as pupae in the soil with adults emerging from June until early August. The larvae are highly polyphagous and feed on a wide variety of broadleaved plants and some grasses . It is a pest of several important crops, including flax (Linum usitatissimum), sweet clover (Melilotus spp.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and canola (Brassica napus and B. rapa). It is a periodic, but serious pest of canola with outbreaks occurring every 7-10 years and spanning the entire Canadian prairies. The larvae initially feed on canola leaves, but later may feed on pods before dropping to the ground in late August to pupate. Control of the pest in crops is generally achieved through the use of insecticides, although naturally-occurring biological agents (bacteria, viruses, parasitoids) are believed to be responsible for curtailing outbreak populations. The status and distribution of M. configurata and other pests is monitored annually be the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Research on M. configurata has focused on host plant selection, population genetics, genomics, biological control agents, pheromone biology, and digestive physiology/biochemistry. The M. configurata genome is approximately 590 Mb and is the largest noctuid genome reported to date.

Organism Image
Mamestra configurata
Image Credit
Dr. Tyler Wist CC-BY.
Analysis
NameProgramDate Constructed
Mamestra configurata genome assembly ASM219265v1 (GCA_002192655.1)SOAPdenovo2Jun 22nd, 2018
Short_read_RNA_mapped_to_genomeCLC genomics workbenchJul 30th, 2018
long_read_RNA_mapped_to_genomeCLC genomics workbenchJul 30th, 2018
Assembly Stats
Scaffold N50
207752
GC Content
37.15
Other Information
Community Contact
Cathy Coutu|Cathy.Coutu@AGR.GC.CA
Links