Experimental and Applied Acarology (2006) 40, 27-36

Hamid R.S. Moayeri, Ahmad Ashouri, Henrik F. Brødsgaard and Annie Enkegaard (2006)
Odour-mediated responses of a predatory mirid bug and its prey, the two-spotted spider mite
Experimental and Applied Acarology 40 (1), 27-36
Abstract: It has been shown that many natural enemies of herbivorous arthropods use herbivore induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) to locate their prey. Herbivores can also exploit cues emitted by plants infested with heterospecifics or conspecifics. A study was conducted to test whether green bean HIPVs as well as odours emitted directly by spider mites influenced the orientation behaviour of the predatory mirid bug, Macrolophus caliginosus and its prey, Tetranychus urticae in a Y-tube olfactometer. Our results show that both spider mites and M. caliginosus preferred spider mite infested green bean plants to uninfested plants. For M. caliginosus this response was mediated by HIPVs whereas for T. urticae it was mediated through a composite response to both HIPVs and odours emitted directly by the conspecifics (and their associated products). The results may be of use in practical biocontrol situations, through e.g., plant breeding for improved HIPV production, conditioning of mass-reared predators to appropriate cues, and employment of 'push-pull-strategies' by using HIPVs.
(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): Ahmad Ashouri

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tetranychus urticae
Macrolophus melanotoma (predator)	Tetranychus urticae