The stage- and sex-specific transcriptome of the striped flea beetle Phyllotreta striolata

The striped flea beetle (SFB), Phyllotreta striolata, is a globally devastating cruciferous pest. A key challenge to its control lies in its complex life cycle—with egg, larval, and pupal stages confined to soil, while adults infest aerial plant parts—coupled with distinct antennal differences between males and females that underpin sex-specific ecological traits. Transcriptomic profiling across developmental stages offers a powerful approach to decode the genetic basis of these stage- and sex-related traits and inform targeted pest management. Here, we present the first comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of P. striolata, encompassing four key life stages (egg, larva, pupa, adult) with separate male and female. RNA sequencing of 15 samples (biological triplicates per group) generated 334.5 million raw reads. Dataset reliability was robust, as validated by correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and qRT-PCR. The deposited threshold-based gene lists may support future investigations of developmental-stage- and adult-sex-associated gene expression in P. striolata. These data provide valuable insights into the biology and developmental dynamics of P. striolata and establish a robust foundation for functional genetic studies. Moreover, the P. striolata transcriptome can be uploaded to the dsRIP platform, enabling systematic identification of effective RNAi targets and optimization of species-specific dsRNA designs with minimized off-target risks. Together, these resources may accelerate the translation of molecular insights into effective and sustainable strategies for controlling this pest. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give... [797 chars]