Phytoparasitica (2017) 45, 639-649

Mark M. Stevens, Richard J. Faulder, Jianhua Mo, Elizabeth M. Mudford and Stephen G. Morris (2017)
Attraction of Parastethorus nigripes and other insect species to methyl salicylate and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate dispensers in a citrus grove and vineyard in south-eastern Australia
Phytoparasitica 45 (5), 639-649
Abstract: Herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) play an important role in tritrophic interactions, and have the potential to attract beneficial arthropods into crops to enhance biological control of target pests. We conducted field trials in citrus and grapes to evaluate the response of abundant insect species to two HIPVs, methyl salicylate (MeSa) and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate. Micromus tasmaniae (Hemerobiidae) showed significant attraction to MeSa, but only in the vineyard trial. Parastethorus nigripes (Coccinellidae) was also attracted to MeSa in the vineyard, but in the second citrus trial the treatment response was just outside the nominal 5% significance level. In the first citrus trial where P. nigripes was not separated taxonomically from the closely related coccinellid Stethorus vagans, a combined analysis was undertaken and significant attraction of both coccinellid species to MeSa was also observed. There was also a significant positive combined response of P. nigripes and S. vagans to (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate in the first citrus trial. Other predatory insect species did not respond to MeSa or (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate. As compared with the vineyard trial, weaker attraction of some insect species in the citrus trials may reflect high levels of background odour in the citrus orchard that could have interfered with normal insect olfactory responses. Our results support previous studies demonstrating coccinellids in the tribe Stethorini are often strongly attracted to MeSa. Deploying MeSa dispensers in vulnerable crops could attract increased numbers of P. nigripes, enhancing the biological control of pest tetranychid mites in Australian horticultural systems and reducing or eliminating the need for miticide applications.
(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): Mark M. Stevens, Jianhua Mo

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.
Parastethorus nigripes (predator)		Citrus (genus)	Australia (South+SE)
Stethorus vagans (predator)		Citrus (genus)	Australia (South+SE)