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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #111018
Title: LABORATORY PRODUCTION AND FIELD EVALUATION OF HYMENOPTEROUS ECTOPARASITOIDSREARED ON ARTIFICIAL DIETS

Author
item Carpenter, James
item GREANY, P
item Ferkovich, Stephen
item Gelman, Dale

Submitted to: Entomology International Congress Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2000
Publication Date: 1/15/2000
Citation: Carpenter, J.E., Greany, P.D., Ferkovich, S.M., Gelman, D.B. 2000. Laboratory production and Field evaluation of Hymenopterous ectoparasitoids reared on artificial diets. Proceedings of the XXI International Congress of Entomology. Abstract p. 362.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Diapetimorpha introita (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a native ectoparasitoid of Spodoptera spp. pupae, was reared in the laboratory on an artificial diet devoid of any insect host components. Diet-reared wasps demonstrated a propensity to search for and parasitize natural hosts in a field cage trial. However, developmental time was significantly longer for rwasps reared on the artificial diet than for wasps reared on host pupae. Also, reduced fecundity and reduced wasp weight were characteristics of diet-reared D. introita. Efforts to improve wasp weight, developmental time, fecundity and longevity have included the use of culture media conditioned by insect cell lines, additional nutrients in the diet, and diets supplemented with lipid extracts from host pupae. These efforts resulted in some improvement in wasp weight and fecundity. Other studies comparing molting hormone titers of diet-reared and host-reared D. introita found that insufficient ecdysteroid in the hemolymph during metamorphosis may contribute to the higher percentage mortality that occurred in wasps reared on the artificial diet. Because the wasps can be reared on the artificial diet without any exposure to host kairomones, we investigated the role of preimaginal and imaginal exposure to host kairomones on the acceptance and preference of different host species. We found that rearing D. introita on artificial diet (in the absence of host kairomones) did not significantly influence female wasps oviposition response in choosing a perfered host.