Host plant shapes the gut microbiota and drives the adaptation of the oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata: insights from life history traits and microbial community
The oriental armyworm Mythimna separata (Walker) was used as the test insect in this study, and three of its major host plants (maize, wheat, and rice) were selected for the feeding assay. 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) high-throughput sequencing were performed to compare the gut bacterial and fungal community structures of M. separata fed on different host plants. On this basis, microbial source-tracking analysis was carried out in combination with the phyllosphere and rhizosphere microbial datasets of the corresponding host plants, to clarify the plant and environmental sources of the insect's gut microbiota.