Kant, Rashmi and Minor, Maria and Trewick, Steve (2015) Asymmetric effects of adult nutrition on reproductive success of male and female Diaeretiella rapae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae). Physiological Entomology, 40 . pp. 1-6. ISSN 0307-6962
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The role of diet supplements (honey, water, or no supplements) on egg maturation, oviposition strategy and longevity of the parasitic wasp, Diaeretiella rapae McIntosh (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae), is investigated. Parasitoids feed as larvae on hosts to acquire nutrition for growth and development, and further gain additional resources during their adult stage by feeding on either host or non-host resources. The additional resources acquired by adults can help them to increase their reproductive activity, life expectancy, or both. Diaeretiella rapae females emerge with some developed eggs and no additional resources are required for egg maturation or successful oviposition. Females are able to oviposit and produce viable offspring immediately after emergence and the number of eggs left in the ovaries of females decreases with subsequent oviposition, suggesting that ovigeny index of D. rapae is inclined towards pro-ovigenic status.. When unmated males and females are offered honey solution, females are attracted to it while males display courtship and made mating attempts, but then feed on honey after mating. Oviposition efficiency of female D. rapae increases by 30% when they feed on honey compared to when starved. Honey-fed D. rapae adults live significantly longer (almost twice as long) than starved adults. Honey-fed females that are deprived of hosts live longer than those offered hosts regularly. The positive effects of honey-feeding on longevity are greater in females than in males. Together, the results suggest that provision of additional resources to adult D. rapae parasitoids could enhance their life expectancy and parasitism efficiency in biological control programmes.
| 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: | 05 May 2016 04:17 |
| Last Modified: | 05 May 2016 04:17 |
| URI: | https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/8619 |
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