Phytoparasitica (2001) 29, 71-72

Nelli Rajuan and D. Gerling (2001)
Pupal features of whitefly-attacking Encarsia species as defenses against autoparasitism and host feeding
Phytoparasitica 29 (1), 71-72
18th Conference of the Entomological Society of Israel, May 18, 2000, Bet Dagan, Israel, lecture
Abstract: Bemisia tabaci is a polyphagous whitefly that is considered a serious plant pest. It is attacked by numerous parasitoids including several species of the genus Encarsia (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). The parasitoids exhibit different characteristics: E. transvena is autoparasitic and has a black puparium; E. inaron is not autoparasitic and has a black puparium; E. lutea is autoparasitic but has a transparent puparium. Following publications that attribute protective characteristics to the black puparium of E. transvena, we set out to determine whether this was true also for the two other species and if protection was conferred against autoparasitism and against host feeding. Young and mature puparia of all three Encarsia species were subjected to autoparasitism and to host feeding. The results showed that mature pupae were immune to both host feeding and to autoparasitism, irrespective of the color of the puparium or of the habit of the female (autoparasitic or not). Thus, the danger of internecine action among parasitoids of the genus Encarsia is greatly reduced during their pupal stages.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bemisia tabaci		Israel
Encarsia sophia (parasitoid)	Bemisia tabaci
Encarsia lutea (parasitoid)	Bemisia tabaci
Encarsia inaron (parasitoid)	Bemisia tabaci