滞育是昆虫应对不利环境的一种生态适应行为，研究其机理有助于揭示昆虫与环境信号之间的识别与响应机制，认知这种机制对有效控制害虫和利用天敌具有重要价值。美国白蛾是我国重大入侵害虫，主要受光周期信号调控产生滞育。与棉铃虫等蛹滞育的昆虫不同，美国白蛾蛹滞育受光周期诱导的敏感期为低龄幼虫，但关于其滞育发生及调控机理的研究目前尚未见报道。本项目以美国白蛾滞育和非滞育（正常发育）个体互为对照，通过对光周期诱导美国白蛾蛹滞育过程中的不同时间点进行全面的转录组学、蛋白质组学和代谢组学研究与分析，筛选和鉴定参与光周期诱导美国白蛾蛹滞育的关键调控基因和信号途径，并利用RNAi和qPCR等技术对关键基因的功能进行验证，阐明光周期诱导美国白蛾蛹滞育的分子机理。研究结果将为揭示鳞翅目害虫光周期诱导蛹滞育机理提供重要科学数据，也对今后利用滞育调控遏制美国白蛾越冬代害虫种群数量具有重要的现实意义。

Diapause is an ecological adaptation response in insects to cope with adverse environments. Knowledge regarding molecular mechanism of diapause is helpful to understand the signal recognition and interaction between insects and environment, and further is useful for control of pests and utilization of natural enemies. The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) is an important invasive pest in China. The diapause of this insect pest is mainly induced by photoperiod. Differring from other pests diapausing in pupal stage, such as Helicoverpa armigera, the photosensitive phase of H. cunea is early instar larva. However, until to now, reports on the molecular mechanism associated with pupal diapause induced by photoperiod in H. cunea is very few. In this study, to explore molecular mechanism of pupal diapause in H. cunea, mRNA, protein and metabolite levels across non-diapause (regular development) and diapause individuals induced by photoperiod in different stages will be analysed using transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics. Key regulatory genes and related pathways will be identified based on the “-omics” data. Then, the function of some important regulatory gene will be evaluated using RNA interference (RNAi) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). Findings in this study will provide important clues for understanding the molecular mechanism underlying diapause induced by photoperiod in lepidoptera pests. Furthermore, the data obtained in the study is also useful to regulate the population quantity of H.cunea in overwintering generation in the future.