Bt Research 2024, Vol.15, No.1, 1-9 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/bt 2 evolution process of B.t. strains and provide theoretical guidance and practical basis for the development of pest control strategies. Through in-depth research on the mechanism of resistance evolution of B.t. strains, it will also enhance understanding of pest resistance and response strategies, making contributions to sustainable agricultural development. 2 Biological Characteristics and Damage Degree of Phenacoccus solenopsis 2.1 The classification and distribution of Phenacoccus solenopsis Phenacoccus solenopsis is a widely distributed pest in the world, belonging to the Coccidae family in the Gastropoda class. It is an insect with an extra-long slender stylet mouthpart, and its body length is about 1-2 mm. Phenacoccus solenopsis is red or orange in the adult stage, and has a strong sucking effect, parasitizing on plants, leading to yellowing, distortion, and even death of leaves, causing serious harm to crops such as cotton, fruit trees, vegetables, etc. (Figure 1) (Jin et al., 2018). The distribution of Phenacoccus solenopsis is widespread, with the earliest origin in southern America, and then rapidly spread to Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Especially in Asia, Phenacoccus solenopsis has become an important agricultural pest, causing serious damage to the yield and quality of crops such as cotton, tomato, pepper, etc. Its transmission routes are diverse, and can be rapidly transmitted to new geographical regions through wind, insects, human activities, etc., forming new pest populations. InChina, Phenacoccus solenopsis has rapidly spread since its first appearance in 2008, becoming one of the main threats to cotton cultivation. It has a wide distribution in China, mainly distributed in the southern coastal provinces of the main cotton-producing regions, such as Guangdong, Hainan, Fujian, etc. Due to its high reproduction and strong adaptability, coupled with the lack of effective prevention and control measures, Phenacoccus solenopsis has caused huge losses to China's cotton industry. Phenacoccus solenopsis, as an agricultural pest with a wide distribution, its harmfulness affects crop yields and farmers' incomes globally. With the intensification of global trade and human mobility, the spread of Phenacoccus solenopsis has become a global challenge (Omar et al., 2019). 2.2 The extent of damage caused by Phenacoccus solenopsis to cotton and other crops The damage caused by Phenacoccus solenopsis to cotton and other crops is severe, posing a significant economic loss and risk to agricultural production. Phenacoccus solenopsis is one of the major pests of cotton, feeding on plant juices and parasitizing on cotton leaves and tender branches. It satisfies its nutritional needs by absorbing large amounts of plant juice, leading to serious damage to cotton, yellowing and desiccation of leaves, affecting photosynthesis and nutrient supply, and further reducing the growth and yield of cotton bolls. At the same time, the feeding of Phenacoccus solenopsis can also cause mechanical damage to plants and transmit pathogens, further increasing the risk of plant diseases (Heckel, 2020). Besides cotton, Phenacoccus solenopsis can also attack other crops, causing similar damage. It prefers to parasitize on various fruit trees, vegetables and other cash crops, such as tomato, pepper, eggplant, and mango. When Phenacoccus solenopsis appears on these plants, it will also suck plant juice, leading to limited plant growth, leaf wilting and deformation, and causing fruit yield reduction, quality decline or even death (Figure 1). This poses a great threat to farmers' income and food security. The worrying thing is that due to the high reproduction and adaptability of Phenacoccus solenopsis, as well as the lack of effective prevention and control measures, the degree of its harm is gradually increasing. Not only that, Phenacoccus solenopsis also has the potential for rapid adaptive evolution and resistance to pesticides, making targeted prevention and control more difficult. The serious harm caused by Phenacoccus solenopsis highlights the importance of strengthening research on its ecological characteristics, biological characteristics, and prevention and control methods to develop more effective prevention and control strategies to ensure crop production and farmers' interests.
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