Molecular phylogeography and evolutionary history of the pink rice borer (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Implications for refugia identification and pest management

Abstract Understanding phylogeography, demographic dynamics as well as evolutionary forces of agricultural pests can enhance our understanding of their distribution dynamics, which is critical for developing effective control strategies. The pink rice borer (PRB), Sesamia inferens (Walker), is a destructive pest of rice that is widely distributed in Asia; however, little is known regarding its phylogeography and evolutionary history. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity, population genetic structure and demographic history of the PRB at the scale of its whole distribution in China. Both mitochondrial and microsatellite datasets indicated that PRB individuals exhibit high levels of genetic diversity. Two large phylogeographic clusters were identified, corresponding to Northern and Southern China regions, respectively. The glacial events during the penultimate glacial period likely led to the separation of these two clusters, and parts of Northern and Southern China areas acted as independent refugia for PRB during glacial period. Two microrefugia in the Sichuan Basin and Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau were also identified, and the PRB from Sichuan Basin could be one of the ancestral sources for PRB individuals from the Northern China lineage. Our study not only provides information that has implications for refugia identification, but also provides an example on how to reveal the phylogeography, demography history and evolutionary forces of an agriculture pest.