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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Other Publication Acceptance Date: 2/16/2004 Publication Date: 2/16/2004 Citation: Zhu, Y. 2004. A specific and sensitive technique for detecting parasitoids within host. Meeting Abstract. Southeastern Branch Entomological Society of America Meeting. February 17, 2004. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Ribosomal ITS2 DNA fragments were sequenced from four Peristenus species, two Leiophron species, and two Lygus species. Specific primers were designed from ITS2 DNA sequences. PCR amplificaiton with these primers separated each species from the others. Using this molecular approach, we were able to determine if Lygus hesperus and Lygus lineolaris were parasitized by persistenus and Leiophron parasitoids. The PCR technique was very sensitive and could detect Peristenus stygicus DNA at a concentration of 0.01 pg/:1 or 7.5X10-7 wasp DNA equivalents. Detection of P. stygicus eggs confirmed that early detection of parasitoids was possible. Parasitoid DNA was readily recovered from all L. hesperus numphs which were parasitized by a single P. Stygicus after one hr of contact between the parasitoid and putative hosts. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a molecular technique for detecting parasitoids developing inside their hosts. |
