Journal of Economic Entomology (2019) 112, 2142-2148

Jun-Ce Tian, Yang Chen, Anthony M. Shelton, Xu-Song Zheng, Hong-Xing Xu and Zhong-Xian Lu (2019)
Screening sugars can benefit the parasitoid Cotesia chilonis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) without benefiting its host, Chilo suppressalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
Journal of Economic Entomology 112 (5), 2142-2148
Abstract: Most adult parasitoids depend on carbohydrate-rich food as an energy source for longevity, fecundity, and mobility. Thus, providing sugars has been proposed as a technique to maximize the biological control efficacy of parasitoids. However, the sugars provided for parasitoids need to be carefully selected because herbivore hosts might also benefit. Here we explore the effects of 12 naturally occurring sugars on the longevity and fecundity of the rice pest, Chilo suppressalis, and the longevity of its parasitoid, Cotesia chilonis, as well as the effect of sugars on sugar consumption of C. chilonis. Results showed that none of the tested sugars significantly impacted the longevity of C. suppressalis, but fructose, glucose, maltose, and sucrose significantly increased its fecundity. The longevity of C. chilonis was significantly increased when fed fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, trehalose, and melezitose. Our data suggest that C. chilonis consumed larger quantities of glucose, fructose, and sucrose followed by maltose, melezitose, and trehalose and the longevity of C. chilonis was positively correlated to sugar consumption. Our data also suggest that the herbivore C. suppressalis and its parasitoid C. chilonis responded differently to trehalose and melezitose. Although additional studies are needed, our data suggest that these sugars could be considered as candidate components for sugar sprays to enhance the activity and efficacy of C. chilonis, but without benefiting its pest host.
(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): Jun-Ce Tian, Anthony M. Shelton, Zhong Xian Lu

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Chilo suppressalis
Cotesia chilonis (parasitoid)	Chilo suppressalis