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Predation by generalist arthropod predators on Apolygus lucorum (Hemiptera: Miridae): molecular gut‐content analysis and field‐cage assessment
Author(s) -
Li Jinhua,
Yang Fan,
Wang Qian,
Pan Hongsheng,
Yuan Haibin,
Lu Yanhui
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
pest management science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.296
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1526-4998
pISSN - 1526-498X
DOI - 10.1002/ps.4346
Subject(s) - predation , biology , generalist and specialist species , miridae , biological pest control , predator , pest analysis , nymph , arthropod , zoology , ecology , hemiptera , botany , habitat
BACKGROUND The mirid bug Apolygus lucorum (Meyer‐Dür) is a principal pest of cotton that also causes great damage to many other crops in China. A study was conducted to assess the mortality of A. lucorum from generalist arthropod predators using both molecular methods and a field‐cage trial. The species‐specific primer pair for the detection of A. lucorum tissues in predators was designed according to the sequences of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. RESULTS A total of 2096 generalist predators that consisted of ladybeetles, lacewings and spiders were collected, and A. lucorum remains were detected using the designed primers. Only 1.6% of these predators contained A. lucorum DNA, with the highest positive proportion (6.1%) for Harmonia axyridis larvae. In the field‐cage experiment, the daily predation rates of second‐instar A. lucorum nymphs by H. axyridis adults and larvae were 4.7 and 5.2% respectively. CONCLUSIONS The overall low positive proportion of generalist predators with A. lucorum DNA detected using the molecular method, combined with the low predation rate in the field‐cage experiment, indicated that the primary generalist predators likely had a limited role in the suppression of A. lucorum in the field. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry