Oecologia (2011) 166, 391-400

Velemir Ninkovic, Sate Al Abassi, Elham Ahmed, Robert Glinwood and Jan Pettersson (2011)
Effect of within-species plant genotype mixing on habitat preference of a polyphagous insect predator
Oecologia 166 (2), 391-400
Abstract: The effects of within-species plant genotype mixing on the habitat preference of a polyphagous ladybird were studied. Plant species diversity is often claimed to positively affect habitat preferences of insect predators, but the effects of within-species genotype diversity have not been extensively studied. In a field experiment with different barley (Hordeum vulgare) genotypes in mixed and pure stands, adult seven-spot ladybird Coccinella septempunctata, a polyphagous predator, preferred a specific combination of genotypes over the single genotypes alone before aphids had arrived in the crop, and again when aphids were emigrating. In laboratory experiments on adult ladybird orientation to odour from barley, ladybirds were attracted/arrested by the mixed odour of the same barley genotype mixture that was preferred in the field. Exposure of one barley genotype to volatiles from the other also caused the odour of the exposed plants to become more attractive to ladybirds. The results support the hypothesis that plant volatiles may attract or arrest foraging adult ladybirds, contributing to the selection of favourable habitats, and they show that within-species plant genotype mixing can shape interactions within multitrophic communities.
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Database assignments for author(s): Velemir Ninkovic, Robert T. Glinwood

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Rhopalosiphum padi	Barley (Hordeum vulgare)	Sweden
Coccinella septempunctata (predator)	Rhopalosiphum padi	Barley (Hordeum vulgare)	Sweden