BioControl (2013) 58, 515-524
Modesto del Pino, Paul Rugman-Jones, Estrella Hernández-Suárez, Andrew Polaszek and Richard Stouthamer (2013)
Rapid molecular identification of five species of Trichogramma occurring in the Canary Islands with notes on their distribution in banana groves
BioControl 58 (4), 515-524
Abstract: Trichogramma egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) have been identified as the most important natural enemies of the golden twin-spot moth, Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper, 1789) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in banana crops grown in the Canary Islands. However, accurate identification of the Trichogramma spp. involved is complicated by their small size (<1 mm) and a general paucity of diagnostic morphological characters. Molecular identification, based on differences in DNA sequences, is commonly employed to identify Trichogramma spp., but it results in high costs associated with sequencing, and therefore may not be practical for studies aimed at surveying the distribution of species. Here, we present a simple, quick and accurate method to identify the five species of Trichogramma commonly associated with C. chalcites in the Canary Islands: T. achaeae Nagaraja and Nagarkatti, T. bourarachae Pintureau and Babault, T. euproctidis (Girault), T. evanescens Westwood and T. sp. nr. brassicae. This method is based on amplification of ribosomal DNA, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with multiplexed, species-specific primers.
(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): Paul F. Rugman-Jones, Richard Stouthamer, Andrew Polaszek
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
identification/taxonomy
surveys/distribution/isolation
