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Biology of L ysiphlebus fabarum following cold storage of larvae and pupae
Author(s) -
Mahi Hossein,
Rasekh Arash,
Michaud J.P.,
Shishehbor Parviz
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/eea.12223
Subject(s) - biology , pupa , larva , population , zoology , pest analysis , sex ratio , horticulture , photoperiodism , botany , ecology , toxicology , demography , sociology
Abstract Cold storage is one means of preserving parasitoids prior to release in augmentation biological control programs. This study examined the feasibility of storing larval and pupal stages of a sexual population of L ysiphlebus fabarum M arshall ( H ymenoptera: B raconidae: A phidiinae) at 6 ± 1 and 8 ± 1 °C, 50–60% r.h., and L14:D10 photoperiod. These life stages were stored for periods of 1, 2, and 3 weeks under fluctuating thermal regimes (2 h daily at 21 ± 1 °C). Generally, pupae gave better results than larvae, and 6 °C was better than 8 °C, considering wasp survival, wasp size (tibial and antennal lengths), egg load, and egg size. The best results were obtained with pupae stored for 2 weeks under a fluctuating temperature regime at 6 °C. Females emerging from this treatment did not differ from controls (developing directly at 21 °C) in body size, egg size, or progeny sex ratio, and suffered less than 20% mortality. Egg loads were reduced in these wasps, but the reductions were substantially less than occurred in other 2‐week‐storage treatments. Wasps stored in this manner successfully parasitized similar numbers of aphids as controls and produced similar progeny sex ratios. These results reveal a suitable set of low‐temperature conditions that can be used to delay the development of L . fabarum for 2 weeks with minimal impact on wasp fitness.