Evolution and functional analysis of odorant‐binding proteins in three rice planthoppers: Nilaparvata lugens, Sogatella furcifera, and Laodelphax striatellus

BACKGROUND The white‐backed planthopper (WBPH) Sogatella furcifera , the brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens , and the small brown planthopper (SBPH) Laodelphax striatellus are three notorious rice pests that cause annual losses in rice yield through sap‐sucking and virus transmission. Odorant‐binding proteins (OBPs) are crucial olfactory genes involved in host‐seeking behavior. RESULTS We discovered the presence of 12, 12, and 16 OBPs in...