Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata (2022) 170, 656-665

Thibault P.M. Costaz, Rieta Gols, Peter W. de Jong, Joop J.A. van Loon and Marcel Dicke (2022)
Effects of extreme temperature events on the parasitism performance of Diadegma semiclausum, an endoparasitoid of Plutella xylostella
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 170 (8), 656-665
Abstract: With climate change, the occurrence of extreme weather events such as heatwaves is expected to increase. Extreme temperature events are short periods of high temperature (i.e., >95th percentile of temperature distribution), and their occurrences are difficult to predict. These extreme temperature events pose great challenges to living organisms, especially ectotherms such as insects whose body temperature is greatly influenced by environmental temperature. Temperature is known to play an essential role in driving insect performance as well as inducing behavioral changes. Exposure to extreme temperatures causes physiological damage leading to potential long-lasting effects on insect performance. We aimed at assessing the impact of direct (i.e., current) and indirect (previously experienced) exposure to extreme temperature on the oviposition success of Diadegma semiclausum Hellén (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Diadegma semiclausum is a larval endoparasitoid of Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), a worldwide pest of brassicaceous crops. Oviposition success, measured as the percentage of parasitized P. xylostella, was significantly lower at 33 °C than at 25 °C. However, previous exposure to 33 °C did not significantly impact the egg-laying performance of D. semiclausum, indicating that, after a heatwave, the egg-laying performance can recover. Neither the direct nor indirect exposure to extreme temperature altered D. semiclausum host-instar preference. These results indicate that temperature directly impacts D. semiclausum parasitism performance, although more detailed research is needed to disentangle direct physiological mechanisms from behavioral responses. Overall, these study results confirm others, suggesting that control of P. xylostella by D. semiclausum is likely to be impaired by more frequent heatwaves predicted under climate change scenarios.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Rieta Gols, Joop J.A. van Loon, Marcel Dicke

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		Netherlands
Diadegma semiclausum (parasitoid)	Plutella xylostella		Netherlands