Bottom‐up effect of host plants on life‐history characteristics of Aphidoletes aphidimyza feeding on Aphis gossypii. Issue 9 (19th August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Madahi, Khadijeh; Sahragard, Ahad; Hosseini, Reza; Baniameri, Valiollah
• Is Part Of: Entomologia experimentalis et applicata. Volume 167:Issue 9(2019)
• Page Start: 835
• Page End: 847
• Publication Date: 2019-08-19
• Subjects: cotton aphid -- tritrophic interaction -- plant tissue nitrogen content -- trichomes -- mass rearing -- predator -- biological control -- Diptera -- Cecidomyiidae -- biocontrol agent; Entomology -- Periodicals; 595.7
• DOI: 10.1111/eea.12824
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-8703

Abstract

Abstract: The predatory midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Rondani) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is widely used for the control of Aphis spp. in many agricultural systems. We aimed to determine the most suitable host plant for rearing the predatory midges on the prey Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Six host plants were selected: cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L. cv. Beith Alpha), tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Falat111), eggplant ( Solanum melongena L. cv. Yummy), pepper ( Capsicum annuum L. cv. Bertene) (all Solanaceae), okra [ Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moensch cv. Clemson Spineless] (Malvaceae), and squash ( Cucurbita pepo L. cv. Hybrid rajai) (Cucurbitaceae). Some physical traits (length and density of trichomes) and chemical attributes (nitrogen content) of prey host plants were investigated. The results showed that prey host plants differed significantly in their effect on fitness of the predator. The shortest immature development time (18.07 ± 0.257 days), the longest female adult longevity (7.5 ± 0.18 days), and the highest fecundity (89 eggs/female) of A. aphidimyza were found with squash as prey food. The highest intrinsic rate of increase (0.171 ± 0.009 day −1 ) and also the shortest mean generation time (22.4 ± 0.32 days) were also obtained when A. aphidimyza fed on A. gossypii reared on squash. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) approved the correlation between life‐history traits of A. aphidimyza and characteristics of prey host plants. The suitability of squash for rearing A. aphidimyza can be attributed to the higher nitrogen content, longer trichomes, and relatively high density of trichomes, which provided a better environment for A. gossypii and indirectly favored A. aphidimyza . This study showed that squash is the most suitable host plant for rearing A. aphidimyza feeding on A. gossypii . Abstract : Prey host plants affected development time and fecundity of the predatory midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Life table parameters of A. aphidimyza were different among six host plants of the prey Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Squash appears the most suitable host plant for rearing A. aphidimyza on A. gossypii . Squash has the highest nitrogen content and the densest and longest trichomes, which provided a better environment for A. gossypii and indirectly supported A. aphidimyza .