Journal of Pest Science (2017) 90, 1169-1179

Christopher Hedstrom, David Lowenstein, Heather Andrews, Barry Bai and Nik Wiman (2017)
Pentatomid host suitability and the discovery of introduced populations of Trissolcus japonicus in Oregon
Journal of Pest Science 90 (4), 1169-1179
Abstract: Trissolcus japonicus is an egg parasitoid of Halyomorpha halys, brown marmorated stink bug, a severe agricultural pest in the USA. T. japonicus is being evaluated in quarantine as a classical biological control agent to manage H. halys populations in the USA. To determine T. japonicus ' potential for successful management of the pest, we performed a series of no-choice and paired-host-range tests, evaluating parasitism and host recognition in ten nontarget insects. In laboratory no-choice tests, T. japonicus successfully parasitized egg masses of seven Pentatomidae native to Oregon in addition to H. halys. Mean parasitism proportions of egg masses were greater than 40% in two species, B. dimidiata and H. abbreviatus, and were statistically similar to parasitism of H. halys. However, paired-host tests identified higher proportions of parasitized H. halys egg masses compared to four other pentatomids. T. japonicus was equally attracted to volatiles produced by H. halys and other pentatomids but demonstrated significantly longer arrestment response time on surfaces with H. halys contact kairomones. Although host acceptance patterns were similar between stink bug species, our results suggest a greater potential for parasitoid development in H. halys eggs compared to the native pentatomids. During host-range testing, we detected field populations of T. japonicus at 11 sites in Portland, OR, indicating an unintentional introduction and establishment. Further work is needed to characterize its nontarget activity and dispersal patterns in areas where H. halys causes economic damage in Oregon.
(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): Nik G. Wiman

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Halyomorpha halys		U.S.A. (NW)
Trissolcus japonicus (parasitoid)	Halyomorpha halys		U.S.A. (NW)