Reproductive strategies of Diaeretiella rapae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae) during fluctuating temperatures of spring season in New Zealand

Kant, Rashmi and Minor, M. and Trewick, S. (2012) Reproductive strategies of Diaeretiella rapae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae) during fluctuating temperatures of spring season in New Zealand. Biocontrol Science and Technology, 22 (1). pp. 1-9. ISSN 0958-3157

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Abstract

Reproductive activities of naturally occurring population of Diaeretiella rapae (M’Intosh) (Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae) on Myzus persicae were studied during spring season in New Zealand. The cabbage seedlings were highly infested with the aphids (272+-25 individuals/plant) with about 30% on average parasitised by D. rapae. Rate of parasitism was positively correlated with the aphid density(R2-�0.64). Adult emergence from aphid mummies was 90%, with a higher frequency of females than males. Increase in female/male sex ratio was found between early and late spring (1.1 vs. 1.8). Mating in D. rapae occurred throughout the day. Nearly half of the mating pairs collected were male�-male pairs, which were especially prevalent during morning and evening while more male-�female mating pairs were found during midday. Male�-male mounting was probably because of low number of virgin females in morning and evening populations. About 80% females were mounted by smaller size males. Male�-male mounting is discussed in correlation with operational sex ratio of D. rapae population.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) > School of Agriculture and Food Technology
Depositing User:	Rashmi Kant
Date Deposited:	26 Aug 2013 22:43
Last Modified:	01 Aug 2016 23:39
URI:	http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/6394

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