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Parasitism byAphidius ervi (Hym.: Aphidiidae): Preference for pea aphid and blue alfalfa aphid (Hom.: Aphididae) and competition withA. Smithi

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Abstract

The pea aphidAcyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) and the blue alfalfa aphidA. kondoi Shinji are pests of alfalfaMedicago sativa L. worldwide. The parasitoidAphidium ervi Haliday attacks both species andA. smithi is host specific to pea aphid Experiments were conducted to determine the preference ofA. ervi forA. pisum andA. kondoi at three densities of hosts using the percentages of parasitism and superparasitism, and the distribution of eggs among hosts as criteria. Also examined was the outcome of competition between the two parasitoids when exposed to the same hosts.

A. ervi attacks moreA. pisum when provided alone (no choice test) and when provided together in equal numbers withA. kondoi (choice test). There was no significant difference in the number of progeny produced by either parasitoid when a female of each species was introduced simultaneously into the same test unit containingA. pisum hosts. The effects of the pathogenPandora neoaphidis on this competition is reviewed.

Résumé

Le puceron du pois (Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)) et le puceron bleu de la luzerne (A. kondoi Shinji) sont des ravageurs de la luzerneMedicago sativa L. Le parasitoïdeAphidius ervi Haliday se développe sur les deux espèces maisA. smithi ne se développe que surA. pisum. Des expériences furent réalisées afin de déterminer la préférence deA. ervi enversA. pisum etA. kondoi à trois niveaux de densité des hôtes. Le pourcentage de parasitisme, super-parasitisme et la distribution des œufs dans les hôtes ont été employés comme critères. Le résultat de la compétition entre les deux parasitoïdes quand tous deux sont exposés aux mêmes hôtes a aussi été examiné.

Ce travail montre que,A. ervi parasite plus souventA. pisum quand ce dernier est présenté seul (“no choice test”), ou quand il est présenté en nombre égal au nombre deA. kondoi (“choice test”). Aucune différence significative n'a été obtenue entre le nombre de descendants des deux espèces quand une femelle de chaque espèce est exposée en même temps àA. pisum dans une même unité d'expérimentation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Fitossanidade, Escola Superior de Agricultura de Lavras, Cx. Postal 37, 37200, Lavras, MG, Brasil

    B. H. P. Bueno

  2. Division of Biological Control, University of California at Berkeley, 1050 San Pablo Ave., 94706, Albany, Ca., USA

    B. H. P. Bueno, A. P. Gutierrez & P. Ruggle

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  1. B. H. P. Bueno
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  2. A. P. Gutierrez
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  3. P. Ruggle
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Bueno, B.H.P., Gutierrez, A.P. & Ruggle, P. Parasitism byAphidius ervi (Hym.: Aphidiidae): Preference for pea aphid and blue alfalfa aphid (Hom.: Aphididae) and competition withA. Smithi . Entomophaga 38, 273–284 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02372563

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