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Intraguild predation by the generalist predator Orius majusculus on the parasitoid Encarsia formosa

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Abstract

Intraguild predation of Orius majusculus (Reuter) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) on Encarsia formosa (Gahan) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), both natural enemies of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae), was studied under laboratory conditions. The experiments quantified prey consumption by 5th instar nymphs and adults of O. majusculus offered unparasitised 3rd, early 4th or 4th instar B. tabaci nymphs or parasitised nymphs containing 2nd or 3rd larval instar or pupal parasitoids. In addition, prey preference of the two stages of O. majusculus for parasitised or unparasitised whitefly nymphs was studied using nine different prey combinations. Both predator stages readily preyed upon on both unparasitised and parasitised B. tabaci. In no-choice experiments, predation on 3rd instar E. formosa by adult predators was the highest, while predator nymphs preyed most on unparasitised 3rd instar B. tabaci and 2nd instar parasitoids. Predation of predator stages was lowest on 4th instar B. tabaci and E. formosa pupae. In all prey combinations, both stages of O. majusculus showed a significant preference for parasitised over unparasitised whitefly nymphs except for the combination of 5th instars of O. majusculus with early 4th instar whiteflies and E. formosa pupae. The results indicate that intraguild interactions between O. majusculus and E. formosa may have negative effects on biological control of B. tabaci.

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Acknowledgments

This project was carried out in Denmark during a sabbatical leave of the first author. The authors would like to thank the associate editor and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable and helpful comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript. We also thank technician Gitte Christiansen, Dept. of Agroecology, for her kind assistance during the experiments as well as senior scientist Kristian Kristensen, Dept. of Agroecology, for statistical assistance and Kirsten Jensen, Dept. of Agroecology, for editorial and language assistance. Financial support provided by the Research Deputy of the Shahid Chamran University and Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Agriculture, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran

    Fariba Sohrabi

  2. Department of Agroecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Aarhus University, Forsoegsvej 1, 4200, Slagelse, Denmark

    Annie Enkegaard

  3. Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran

    Parviz Shishehbor & Mohammad Said Mosaddegh

  4. Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh, Maragheh, Iran

    Moosa Saber

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  1. Fariba Sohrabi
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  2. Annie Enkegaard
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  3. Parviz Shishehbor
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  4. Moosa Saber
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  5. Mohammad Said Mosaddegh
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Correspondence to Annie Enkegaard.

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Handling Editor: Arne Janssen

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Sohrabi, F., Enkegaard, A., Shishehbor, P. et al. Intraguild predation by the generalist predator Orius majusculus on the parasitoid Encarsia formosa . BioControl 58, 65–72 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-012-9468-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-012-9468-9

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