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Egg laying and host stage preference at constant temperatures inEncarsia tricolor [Hym.: Aphelinidae]

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Abstract

Encarsia tricolor Foërster is a facultative autoparasitoid that develops on the important pestTrialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) in outdoor crop conditions, which makes this aphelinid species promising for biological control programs in regions where field and protected crops coexist.

In this paper we report the results obtained in the study of daily and totalE. tricolor egg laying and of adult female preference for different host stages in which to lay eggs at constant temperatures in the range 10 to 32 °C. Only whitefly nymphs were present in the searching arena (tomato leaflets).

The mean number of eggs laid per female in one day ranged from 4.0 (10 °C and 32 °C) to 15.2 (24 °C). The mean total number of eggs increased with temperature from 10 to 28 °C, reaching a maximum of 123 eggs per female at 28 °C, and decreased sharply from 28 to 32 °C.

The relation between the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) and temperature in the range 10 to 28 °C followed a straight line whose equation was rm=−0.076+0.011*T (R2=0.99). The rm ofE. tricolor was greater than the rm ofT. vaporariorum when temperature was higher than 9.2 °C.

The preference for any particular host instar in which to lay eggs was not always significant. However, N4 was the host instar preferred whenever preference was statistically significant.

Résumé

On présente les résultats obtenus dans l'étude de la fécondité, totale et journalière, d'Encarsia tricolor et de la préférence pour les différents stades de l'hôte (larves deTrialeurodes vaporariorum) dans lesquels déposer les œufs, à différentes températures constantes.

Le maximum d'œufs pondus par femelle par jour va de 6 (à 10 et 32 °C) à 21 (à 28 °C). La moyenne de la ponte totale par femelle va augmenter avec la température de 10 à 28 °C, pour atteindre le maximum de 123 œufs et retomber brusquement à 28 à 32 °C. Le taux intrinsèque de croissance d'E. tricolor fut supérieur à celui deT. vaporariorum au-dessus de 9,2 °C.

La préférence pour un stade hôte particulier dans lequel déposer les œufs n'était pas toujours significative. Mais, quand elle le fût, la larve du quatrième stade a été préférée.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Area de Protecció de Conreus, Centre UPC-IRTA, Rovira Roure, 177.25006, Lleida, Spain

    M. Artigues, J. Avilla, M. J. Sarasua & R. Albajes

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  1. M. Artigues
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  2. J. Avilla
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  3. M. J. Sarasua
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  4. R. Albajes
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Artigues, M., Avilla, J., Sarasua, M.J. et al. Egg laying and host stage preference at constant temperatures inEncarsia tricolor [Hym.: Aphelinidae] . Entomophaga 37, 45–53 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02372973

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02372973

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