BioControl (2014) 59, 395-402

Nicholas C. Manoukis, Scott M. Geib and Roger I. Vargas (2014)
Effect of host Bactrocera dorsalis sex on yield and quality of the parasitoid Fopius arisanus
BioControl 59 (4), 395-402
Abstract: This study examines the effect of host Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae) sex on performance of the parasitoid Fopius arisanus Sonan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to enable use of a genetic sexing strain (GSS) to transfer this parasitoid to regions where B. dorsalis is not established with lower risk of accidental introduction of the host. Sex ratio and yield of F. arisanus did not significantly differ between the two sexes of a GSS, or between GSS and a standard colony strain. F1 parasitoids of individuals that emerged from the standard colony strain, male GSS hosts and female GSS hosts had similar hatching and parasitization rates on colony eggs. Survivorship of F1 parasitoids with parents from female hosts was significantly greater than for those from male hosts. Using GSS to improve the safety of parasitoid shipments is suggested to be viable, but there may be fitness effects of host sex on F1 parasitoid fitness.
(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): Roger I. Vargas, Scott M. Geib

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
rearing/culturing/mass production

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bactrocera dorsalis		U.S.A. (Hawaii)
Fopius arisanus (parasitoid)	Bactrocera dorsalis		U.S.A. (Hawaii)