SEARCHING FOR TRANSGENERATIONAL BACTERIAL INOCULATION IN THE DESERT LOCUST

The desert locust (Orthoptera: Schistocerca gregaria) has affected the lives of millions of people throughout documented history and probably even earlier. Its polyphagous nature enables it to feed on a large verity of vegetation and, when in its swarming phase, to cause severe damage to agricultural crops in large areas of the world.

Numerous studies have shown that bacterial residents within the locust gut are essential for the host`s successful development and reproduction. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that high biodiversity of beneficial/ commensal bacterial agents, has a dramatic impact on the locust’s resistance to pathogenic bacteria.

Though the bacterial composition of the locust gut was comprehensively studied, the mechanism by which this species assures the inoculation of its offspring with a consortium of beneficial bacteria is yet unknown.

Here we suggest that the foam-plug deposited above the egg pod during oviposition may serve as an inoculation vector, assuring that young locust hatchlings will be provided with a beneficial bacterial composition. The foam, originating from the female’s accessory glands, seems to act as a reservoir for a bacterial consortium, collected by hatchlings as they crawl through it post hatching. We provide preliminary evidence in support of that hypothesis.