Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #87004
Title: TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON DEVELOPMENT IN APHELINUS ALBIPODUS (HYMENOPTERA: APHELINIDAE) FROM TWO GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS (REVISE TITLE AND JOURNAL)

Author
item LEE, JANG-HOON - USDA-OICD
item Elliott, Norman - Norm

Submitted to: Great Lakes Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/11/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Aphelinus albipodus is a parasitoid that was imported to the United States for classical biological control of the Russian wheat aphid. Climatic adaptation to a new environment can affect the ability of a parasitoid to control a pest in the new environment into which it is released. This study was undertaken to determine the effects of temperature on two geographic strains of A. albipodus using the Russian wheat aphid as the host species. The purpose was to determine if differences in climatic responses existed between the strains which could potentially influence their effectiveness in biological control. The time required for development from egg to adult did not differ among strains. However, when the total immature development period was partitioned into periods from egg to mummy development and mummy development to adult eclosion, the time required for development through these two periods differed among strains at various temperatures. The strain from Urumqi, China developed faster than the Pinglou, China strain for the egg-mummy period at low temperatures, while the Pinglou strain developed faster for the mummy-adult period at all temperatures than the Urumqi strain. Results suggest that the Urumqi strain is better adapted for developing at low temperatures compared with the Pinglou strain, while the opposite is true at high temperatures. The ability to vary development rate in response to climate in new environments could have adaptive significance by allowing the parasitoid to exploit environments over a broad geographic range.

Technical Abstract: Aphelinus albipodus was imported to the United States for classical biological control of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia. Temperature effects on development of two geographic strains of A. albipodus were measured using the Russian wheat aphid as the host species. Lower temperature thresholds for egg-mummy, mummy-adult, and egg-adult periods were 9.75, 10.91 and 8.91 deg C, respectively, for A. albipodus from Pingluo, China, and were 9.59, 10.29, and 8.50 deg C for A. albipodus from Urumqi, China. The time required for development from egg to adult did not differ among strains. However, when the total immature development period was partitioned into periods from egg to mummy development and mummy development to adult eclosion, the time required for development through these two periods differed among strains at various temperatures. The Urumqi strain developed faster than the Pinglou strain for the egg-mummy period at low temperatures, while the Pinglou strain developed faster for the mummy-adult period at all temperatures than the Urumqi strain with the difference of 10.44, 2.98, 1.2, and 2.19 d, respectively. Results suggest that the Urumqi strain is better adapted for developing at low temperatures compared with the Pinglou strain, while the opposite is true at high temperatures. The ability to vary development rate in response to climate in new environments may have adaptive significance by allowing the parasitoid to exploit environments over a broad geographic range.