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Olfactory attraction of egg parasitoids to virgin females of noctuid stemborers

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Abstract

To locate hosts, egg parasitoids rely on infochemicals of the adult host stage, e.g. pheromones, rather than cues emitted by the inconspicuous egg themselves. Here, we show that three different egg parasitoid species the scelionids Telenomus busseolae Gahan and Telenomus isis Polaszek and the trichogrammatid Trichogramma bournieri Pintureau & Babault were attracted to both calling and non-calling females of the noctuids Busseola fusca (Fuller), Sesamia calamistis (Hampson) and Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefebvre). In Y-tube olfactometer experiments this study revealed a preference of all three parasitoids for non-calling (general odors of virgin females) and calling moth (sex pheromone) over the control (clean air), and for calling over the non-calling moth. However, the three parasitoids were equally attracted to calling moth of B. fusca and S. calamistis indicating low host specificity. The findings indicated that all three parasitoids used the pheromones released by the calling moth in host finding. It is suggested that the low host specificity may affect egg parasitism of the target pest in crop fields.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr Adenirin Chabi–Olaye for reviewing the early version of this manuscript. Thanks are also given to Mr. Peter Owuor for valuable technical assistance and the Directorate General for International Co-operation (The Netherlands) and the German Office for Academic Exchange (DAAD) for their financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772, 00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Anani Yaovi Bruce & Fritz Schulthess

  2. Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844, 00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Anani Yaovi Bruce & Jones Mueke

  3. Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UR 072, c/o International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Noctuid Stemborer Biodiversity (NSBB) Project, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Paul-André Calatayud

  4. Université Paris-Sud 11, 91405, Orsay cedex, France

    Paul-André Calatayud

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  1. Anani Yaovi Bruce
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  2. Fritz Schulthess
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  4. Paul-André Calatayud
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Correspondence to Anani Yaovi Bruce.

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Bruce, A.Y., Schulthess, F., Mueke, J. et al. Olfactory attraction of egg parasitoids to virgin females of noctuid stemborers. BioControl 54, 763–772 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9231-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9231-z

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