Effect of different feeding sources on lifespan and fecundity in the biocontrol agent Torymus sinensis

Publication date: Available online 9 April 2019Source: Biological ControlAuthor(s): L. Picciau, A. Alma, C. FerraciniAbstractTorymus sinensis Kamijo (Hymenoptera, Torymidae) is a biocontrol agent released to control outbreaks of the Asian chestnut gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae). This wasp is mass reared in controlled conditions in order to be released on a large scale in chestnut orchards and coppices, thus factors such as food quality may deeply influence the effectiveness of parasitoids. To identify different diets that could be used to increase mass rearing, performance, longevity and fecundity of T. sinensis were assessed using honey, honey plus pollen, pollen, and water as diet, compared to unfed wasps in laboratory experiments.In the present study diet quality greatly influenced survival and reproductive output in T. sinensis. Adults using honey plus pollen as food had the longest life span, and significantly increased fecundity compared to pollen alone, water, and unfed wasps. Median lifespan (day at which 50% of the initial number of wasps are still alive) was 31, 31, 2.5, 4, 1.5 days, in the honey, honey plus pollen, pollen, water, control, respectively.The egg production in wasps fed with honey (diet 1) and honey plus pollen (diet 2) observed over lifetime showed the newly emerged specimens with an average of 2.40 ± 0.21 and 0.14 ± 0.12 respectively at day 0. The number of mature eggs increased rapidly reaching in diet 1 the hi...
Source: Biological Control - Category: Biology Source Type: research