Pest Management Science (2015) 71, 1219-1227

Priscila Gomez-Polo, Oscar Alomar, Cristina Castañé, Jonathan G. Lundgren, Josep Piñol and Nuria Agustí (2015)
Molecular assessment of predation by hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Mediterranean lettuce crops
Pest Management Science 71 (9), 1219-1227
Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are generalist predators of a great variety of pests. Nasonovia ribisnigri (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) are two common pests in Mediterranean lettuce crops, where they occur alongside alternative prey (e.g. Collembola). A semi-field experiment was conducted in an experimental lettuce plot where hoverfly predation on N. ribisnigri, F. occidentalis and Collembola was studied by conventional PCR and qPCR using specific primers, as well as by next-generation sequencing (NGS) in order to reveal other potential trophic interactions.
RESULTS
Trophic linkages between hoverflies and N. ribisnigri were the strongest both in spring and summer. F. occidentalis and Collembolans were also detected in both seasons, but with less frequency. qPCR detected a higher frequency of consumption than conventional PCR when both tests were run at optimal conditions. NGS analyses showed intraguild predation on other hoverfly species, as well as on anthocorids, spiders and even aphid parasitoids.
CONCLUSIONS
Conventional PCR and qPCR provided important insights into Mediterranean hoverfly species predation on target pest and non-pest prey. NGS gave a complementary approach revealing a broader diet of these predators within the studied ecosystem.
(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): Nuria Agusti, Jonathan G. Lundgren, Oscar Alomar, Cristina Castañe

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Frankliniella occidentalis	Lettuce (Lactuca)
	Nasonovia ribisnigri	Lettuce (Lactuca)