Does rearing an aphid parasitoid on one host affect its ability to parasitize another species?. (30th July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vafaie, Erfan K.; Fitzpatrick, Sheila M.; Cory, Jenny S.
• Is Part Of: Agricultural and forest entomology. Volume 15:Number 4(2013:Nov.)
• Page Start: 366
• Page End: 374
• Publication Date: 2013-07-30
• Subjects: Insect pests -- Control -- Periodicals; Agricultural pests -- Control -- Periodicals; Forest insects -- Control -- Periodicals; 632.7
• DOI: 10.1111/afe.12022
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-9555

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="afe12022-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p id="afe12022-para-0001"> <list list-type="order"> <list-item> <p>Generalist parasitoids are commonly used for the biological control of insect pests; however, they are often reared on a single host species because this is more practical for commercial production. Few studies have investigated the consequences of rearing a generalist parasitoid on a single host species in terms of performance on other target pests.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>We investigated the impact of rearing the generalist parasitoid <italic>Praon unicum</italic> Smith (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae) on an alternative aphid host <italic>Myzus persicae</italic> Sulzer (Hemiptera: Aphididae) with respect to its ability to perform on <italic>Ericaphis fimbriata</italic> Richards (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a pest of highbush blueberries.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>Parasitoids reared on the two aphid hosts did not differ in physical size measurements.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p> <italic>Praon unicum</italic> reared on <italic>M. persicae</italic> had a lower oviposition success over 6 days compared with insects reared on <italic>E. fimbriata</italic>, mainly as a result of differences early in life.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>There was no difference in parasitoid egg size, lifetime fertility, age‐specific fertility, female offspring ratio, development time or calculated intrinsic rate of increase from the two aphid hosts.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>We conclude that there were no negative consequences of rearing <italic>P. unicum</italic> on <italic>M. persicae</italic> on its ability to parasitize <italic>E. fimbriata</italic>, although further field studies would need to be performed to investigate whether natal host influences parasitoid preference.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> </abstract>