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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #193318
Title: TESTING THE HOST SPECIFICITY OF ANAGRUS EPOS AND DEVELOPMENT OF A REARING METHOD USING BEET LEAFHOPPER

Author
item KRUGNER, R - UNIV OF CALIF-RIVERSIDE
item JOHNSON, M - UNIV OF CALIF-RIVERSIDE
item TRIAPITSYN, S - UNIV OF CALIF-RIVERSIDE
item MORGAN, D - CDFA-MT. RUBIDOUX, CA
item Groves, Russell
item MORSE, J - UNIV OF CALIF-RIVERSIDE

Submitted to: Entomology Society of America Pacific Branch Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2006
Publication Date: 3/5/2006
Citation: Krugner, R., Johnson, M., Triapitsyn, S., Morgan, D., Groves, R.L., Morse, J. 2006. Testing the Host Specificity of Anagrus epos and Development of a Rearing Method Using Beet Leafhopper. 90th Annual Meeting Pacific Branch, Entomology Society of America Abstracts. Available: http://pbesa.prosser.wsu.edu/2006abs.pdf.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Anagrus epos Girault is a mymarid egg parasitoid imported into California from Minnesota as an addition to the ongoing biological control program for Homalodisca coagulata (Say), a cicadellid species that vectors Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce's Disease in grapes. Preliminary observations determined that Anagrus epos females parasitize all developmental stages of H. coagulata eggs, with up to 14 adult wasps emerging from a host egg. Host specificity tests, basic information on its biology, and a search for alternative rearing hosts that are relatively easy to rear in a controlled environment were needed. Our studies consisted of oviposition tests that constitute observations to determine levels of female discrimination; and host suitability tests to determine if progeny can complete development on a variety of host eggs. Females recognized the eggs of Homalodisca liturata Ball, Erythroneura variabilis Beaver, Circulifer tenellus (Baker), Phoracantha recurva Newman, P. semipunctata (F.), and Amblysellus grex (Oman) and performed an ovipositor probing response. Host suitability tests determined that A. epos successfully completed development in the eggs of H. coagulata, H. liturata, E. variabilis, C. tenellus, and A. grex. Results of host specificity tests, potential rearing techniques using an alternative rearing host, and potential non-target effects of this generalist parasitoid are discussed.