Glutaredoxin (Grx) is a group of redox enzymes that control reactive oxygen species (ROS), traditionally defined as redox regulators. Recent research suggested that members of the Grx family may be involved in more biological processes than previously thought. Therefore, we cloned the AcGrx5 gene and identified its role in A. chinensis diapause. Sequence analysis revealed the ORF of AcGrx5 was 432 bp, encoding 143 amino acids, which was consistent with the homologous sequence of Halyomorpha halys. RT-qPCR results showed that AcGrx5 expression was the highest in the head, and compared with non-diapause conditions, diapause conditions significantly increased the expression of AcGrx5 in the developmental stages. Further, we found that 15 °C low-temperature stress significantly induced AcGrx5 expression, and the expression of antioxidant enzyme genes AcTrx2 and AcTrx-like were significantly increased after AcGrx5 knockdown. Following AcGrx5 silencing, there was a considerable rise in the levels of VC content, CAT activity, and hydrogen peroxide content, indicating that A. chinensis was exposed to high levels of reactive oxygen species. These results suggested that the AcGrx5 gene may play a key role in antioxidant defense.

Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) is a major agricultural pest, and the establishment of efficient mass-rearing systems is critical for advancing biological control and integrated pest management strategies. In our previous work, evaluation of 17 artificial diets identified an optimised corn-based formulation (F15) that significantly improved larval performance relative to a standard control (CK) diet. However, the metabolic mechanisms underlying these performance differences remain largely unresolved. Here, we employed untargeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to elucidate the biochemical pathways associated with enhanced development in S. litura larvae reared on F15 compared with CK. Larvae fed the F15 diet exhibited a prolonged developmental period (21.49 ± 0.86 vs. 20.13 ± 0.53 days), higher emergence rates (1.20 ± 0.27% vs. 0.85 ± 0.10%), and increased body mass during both early (3.28 ± 0.12 vs. 2.93 ± 0.08 mg) and later instars (77.55 ± 2.30 vs. 73.51 ± 1.17 mg) relative to those reared on the control diet. Metabolomic profiling revealed that the CK diet, characterised by lower levels of the essential fatty acid linoleic acid (LA), was associated with reduced metabolite abundance and weaker enrichment of energy-related metabolic pathways. In contrast, the F15 diet contained substantially higher levels of linoleic acid, which is known to contribute to membrane stability and mitochondrial function. Notably, linoleic acid was consistently enriched in the gut of F15-fed larvae, suggesting a correlative central role in promoting metabolic efficiency, growth, and developmental performance. Collectively, these findings provide mechanistic insight into how dietary composition modulates insect metabolism and highlight the nutritional and physiological advantages of corn-based formulations for large-scale rearing. This study offers a foundational theoretical foundation for optimising artificial diets and supports their application in sustainable pest-management programs.

Flowering time represents a pivotal agronomic trait that determines regional adaptability and grain yield in maize (Zea mays). Members of the 14-3-3 protei