Capacity of Japanese Asobara species (Hymenoptera; Braconidae) to parasitize a fruit pest Drosophila suzukii (Diptera; Drosophilidae). (10th June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nomano, F. Y.; Mitsui, H.; Kimura, M. T.
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied entomology. Volume 139:Number 1/2(2015)
• Page Start: 105
• Page End: 113
• Publication Date: 2014-06-10
• Subjects: Entomology -- Periodicals; Insect pests -- Periodicals; 595.7
• DOI: 10.1111/jen.12141
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0931-2048

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jen12141-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Drosophila suzukii</italic> is a pest of soft fruit such as cherry, strawberry or blueberry and recently colonized North America and Europe from Asia. In this study, we assessed the utility of Japanese <italic>Asobara</italic> species as agents for the biological control of this pest species by examining their host use in nature and their capacity to parasitize this pest species. From Japan, eight <italic>Asobara</italic> species including putative three undescribed species were found; <italic>Asobara japonica</italic> was recorded from all over Japan, <italic>Asobara tabida</italic> from high altitude areas in central and northern Japan, <italic>Asobara rossica</italic> and <italic>Asobara rufescens</italic> from central to northern Japan, three undescribed species from central to western or southern Japan and <italic>Asobara pleuralis</italic> from a subtropical island of Japan. Among them, an undescribed species <italic>Asobara</italic> sp. TK1 may be useful as an agent for the biological control because it was recorded only from <italic>D. suzukii</italic>. All of the remaining seven species were generalists mainly using drosophilid species associated with fermenting fruits, and four of them had no or very low abilities to parasitize <italic>D. suzukii</italic>, indicating that these seven species are not or less appropriate as agents for biological control.</p> </abstract>