Applied Entomology and Zoology (2005) 40, 113-117

Maolin Hou, Junji Takabayashi and Yooichi Kainoh (2005)
Effect of leaf age on flight response of a parasitic wasp Cotesia kariyai (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to a plant-herbivore complex
Applied Entomology and Zoology 40 (1), 113-117
Abstract: Effect of leaf age on the flight response of a parasitic wasp, Cotesia kariyai, to a plant-herbivore complex was studied in a wind tunnel. Both young and old leaves infested with host larvae (common armyworms: Mythimna separata) attracted more wasps than their respective uninfested leaves. Preference of the wasps to uninfested young leaves vs. uninfested old leaves was not significantly different in choice experiments. However, when young infested leaves were compared against old infested leaves in choice experiments, the wasps showed a significant preference for the former. In the single stand experiments, % landing response to young infested leaves was not significantly different from the old infested leaves. The fact that attractiveness of infested corn leaves to wasps differs according to leaf age suggests differential allocation of induced indirect defense in the corn plant.
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Database assignments for author(s): Mao-Lin Hou, Yooichi Kainoh, Junji Takabayashi

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
identification/taxonomy
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Mythimna separata	Maize/corn (Zea mays)
Cotesia kariyai (parasitoid)	Mythimna separata	Maize/corn (Zea mays)