Journal of Applied Entomology (2011) 135, 177-183
L.M. Carvalho, V.H.P. Bueno and C. Castañé (2011)
Olfactory response towards its prey Frankliniella occidentalis of wild and laboratory-reared Orius insidiosus and Orius laevigatus
Journal of Applied Entomology 135 (3), 177-183
Abstract: Orius species are important biological control agents of thrips in protected crops. Rearing conditions in mass production facilities may affect their performance in the crop when searching for the target prey. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the search behaviour and orientation towards prey of two Orius species, O. laevigatus (Fieber) and O. insidiosus (Say) that have been reared in the laboratory under different conditions, with wild (field-collected) individuals. Adult predator females were placed in a Y-tube olfactometer and offered a choice between the odours released by plants of different species (cotton, common bean, sweet pepper and cucumber), which were either non-infested or infested with Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) adults.O. laevigatus and O. insidiosus responded to odours from thrips-infested plants and these responses were influenced by the origin of the colonies. A larger percentage of laboratory-reared O. laevigatus females (42%) did not made a choice between thrips-infested or clean plants, compared with wild individuals (17%). Of those females that did respond to plant odours, a smaller percentage of laboratory-reared O. laevigatus females (34%) responded to the odours from thrips-infested plants compared with wild insects (76%). No significant differences were found inO. insidiosus females that did not make a choice between thrips-infested or clean plants (14% for wild vs. 17% for lab individuals). Also, no significant differences were found between O. insidiosus females that selected thrips-infested plants at the corresponding proportion of wild (75%) and laboratory-reared (70%) individuals. We propose that the olfactometer test could be a complementary evaluation aspect to the already developed quality criteria for performance of mass-reared Orius predators.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Vanda Helena Paes Bueno
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation
rearing/culturing/mass production
Pest and/or beneficial records:
| Beneficial | Pest/Disease/Weed | Crop/Product | Country | Quarant.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frankliniella occidentalis | ||||
| Orius laevigatus (predator) | Frankliniella occidentalis | |||
| Orius insidiosus (predator) | Frankliniella occidentalis |
