Biocontrol Science and Technology (2016) 26, 1489-1503

Mahdi Hassanpour, Mohammadreza Bagheri, Ali Golizadeh and Shahram Farrokhi (2016)
Functional response of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) to Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae): effect of different host plants
Biocontrol Science and Technology 26 (11), 1489-1503
Abstract: The influence of three host plants, namely cucumber, tomato and eggplant, on functional response of male, virgin and mated female predatory bug Nesidiocoris tenuis was investigated on different densities of Trialeurodes vaporariorum nymphs. The 24-h experiment conducted at laboratory conditions revealed that N. tenuis exhibited a type II functional response to T. vaporariorum on host plants. There were no significant differences between attack rates, as well as handling times estimated for each adult stage of the predator between host plants. However, on each host plant, the handling time estimated for the mated female in comparison with two other adult stages had lower values (0.7952, 0.6827 and 0.8884 h^-1 on cucumber, tomato and eggplant, respectively). Handling time estimated for the mated female on cucumber was significantly lower than that estimated for the male predator. The highest maximum handling rate (T/T_h) was estimated for the mated female followed by the virgin female and male on all host plants. For three adult stages of the predator, the highest value of this parameter was determined on tomato followed by cucumber and eggplant. Unlike virgin and mated females, the host plant significantly affected prey consumption by the male. Prey consumed by mated females was higher than those obtained for two other adult stages of the predator on each host plant. The difference in trichome density between three host plants may be responsible for the obtained results. These results revealed that N. tenuis is more effective in the biological control of T. vaporariorum on tomato in comparison with cucumber and eggplant.
(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): Ali Golizadeh

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Eggplant (Solanum melongena)
	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
Nesidiocoris tenuis (predator)	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)