Environmental Entomology (1997) 26, 978-982
Jinsong Yang and Clifford S. Sadof (1997)
Variation in the life histroy of the citrus mealybug parasitoid Leptomastix dactylopii (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) on three varieties of Coleus blumei
Environmental Entomology 26 (4), 978-982
Abstract: Red-, yellow-variegated, and green-leafed plants of Coleus blumei (Bentham) were studied to determine host plant effects on the size of the citrus mealvbug, Planococcus citri (Risso), and the life-history of its parasitoid Leptomastix dactylopi (Howard). Same-aged 4th-instar citrus mealybugs were significantly larger on red-variegated and green plants than on yellow-variegated plants. Body size of citrus mealybugs at parasitization was correlated positively with body size of emerging adult parasitoid females. Number of eggs within parasitoid adult females 24 h after adult emergence was correlated positively with parasitoid body size. Average fecundity of parasitoid females was significantly higher on red-variegated and green plants than on yellow-variegated plants. Survivorship of L. dactylopii was also higher on red-variegated and green plants. Overall, population growth rates (rm) of the parasitoid were higher on red-variegated and green-plants than on yellow-variegated plants. When differences among the population growth rates reported for citrus mealybugs on these plants are considered, the potential for biological control seems greatest on green plants. Thus, despite the positive relation between parasitoid rm and host size, L. dactylapii is unlikely to adequately compensate for plant-mediated increases in host population growth.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Clifford S. Sadof
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation
Pest and/or beneficial records:
| Beneficial | Pest/Disease/Weed | Crop/Product | Country | Quarant.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planococcus citri | ||||
| Leptomastix dactylopii (parasitoid) | Planococcus citri |
