Journal of Applied Entomology (2019) 143, 277-288

Floriane Chardonnet, Arnaud Blanchet, Beatrice Hurtrel, Francesca Marini and Lincoln Smith (2019)
Mass-rearing optimization of the parasitoid Psyttalia lounsburyi for biological control of the olive fruit fly
Journal of Applied Entomology 143 (3), 277-288
Abstract: The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Tephritidae), is a direct pest of olives that has invaded the Mediterranean Region and California. Psyttalia lounsburyi (Braconidae), a larval parasitoid from Africa, has been approved for release in the USA as a classical biological agent. However, it has been difficult to rear the parasitoid in the laboratory because it is multivoltine, and the host develops only in fresh olives, which are not available for most of the year. A method to rear the parasitoid on the factitious host, Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) was developed, but it was not very efficient for producing large numbers of parasitoids needed for release. We developed a number of ways to improve the efficiency of rearing, including the frequency and duration of exposure for oviposition, optimizing the density of adult parasitoids, host age, as well as methods to quickly standardize the number of larvae exposed and to count emerging adult parasitoids. We significantly improved the number of progeny produced per female and the sex ratio of progeny. Thanks to these improvements, we produced in 2017 over 119,000 adults and shipped over 53,900 for release in California.
(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): Béatrice Hurtrel, Francesca Marini, Lincoln Smith

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
rearing/culturing/mass production
classical biocontrol/new introduction

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bactrocera oleae	Olive (Olea europaea)	U.S.A. (SW)
Psyttalia lounsburyi (parasitoid)	Bactrocera oleae		U.S.A. (SW)