Bulletin of Entomological Research (2012) 102, 373-384

L.M. Dosdall, M.P. Zalucki, J.A. Tansey and M.J. Furlong (2012)
Developmental responses of the diamondback moth parasitoid Diadegma semiclausum (Hellén) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) to temperature and host plant species
Bulletin of Entomological Research 102 (4), 373-384
Abstract: Effects of constant rearing temperature and the plant species fed upon by its hosts were investigated for several developmental parameters of Diadegma semiclausum (Hellén), an important parasitoid of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.). Temperature had highly significant effects on all developmental parameters measured, and effects were usually both linear and quadratic with increasing temperature. Host plant species, comprising Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis and Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata, also affected development of the parasitoid, and significant interactions were observed between plant species and rearing temperature for all developmental parameters measured. Development of D. semiclausum occurred successfully on all host plant species tested for the temperature range of 10 to 25°C. However, when its P. xylostella hosts consumed leaf tissue of B. napus, no specimens survived to pupate at 30°C, whilst pupation and adult eclosion occurred at 30°C on B. rapa ssp. pekinensis and B. oleracea var. capitata. At high ambient temperatures, such as those characteristic of tropical or subtropical regions (especially at low elevations) or regions that undergo temperature increases due to climate change, P. xylostella is predicted to occur at a higher range of temperatures than its biocontrol agent, D. semiclausum. Effects of high temperatures are expected to be more profound on the parasitoid for some host plants than others, with greater developmental limitations for the parasitoid on B. napus than on B. rapa or B. oleracea.
(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): Lloyd M. Dosdall, James A. Tansey, Myron P. Zalucki, Michael J. Furlong

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Plutella xylostella	Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)
	Plutella xylostella	Rape/canola (Brassica napus)
	Plutella xylostella	Brassica - other species
Diadegma semiclausum (parasitoid)	Plutella xylostella