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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #216786
Title: The Anagrus epos Complex: a Likely Source of Effective Classical Biological Agents for Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Control

Author
item MORSE,, JOSEPH - UC RIVERSIDE
item STOUTHAMER,, RICHARD - UC RIVERSIDE
item TRIAPITSYN,, SERGUEI - UC RIVERSIDE
item MORGAN,, DAVID - CDFA, MT. RUBIDOUX
item LYTLE,, JONATHAN - UC RIVERSIDE
item Krugner, Rodrigo
item RUGMAN-JONES,, PAUL - UC RIVERSIDE

Submitted to: CDFA Pierce's Disease Control Program Research Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/21/2007
Publication Date: 12/12/2007
Citation: Morse,, J.G., Stouthamer,, R., Triapitsyn,, S.V., Morgan,, D.J., Lytle,, J.M., Krugner, R., Rugman-Jones,, P. 2007. The Anagrus epos Complex: a Likely Source of Effective Classical Biological Agents for Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Control. In: CDFA Pierce's Disease Control Program Research Symposium, San Diego, CA, Dec 12-14, 2007. p. 94-97.

Interpretive Summary: Anagrus epos is a common and seemingly widespread egg parasitoid of leafhoppers in North America. Location records for this species also include Colorado, Kentucky, New Mexico, and New York in the U.S. as well as Baja California and Sonora in Mexico. Wasps collected from Minnesota have been reared continuously since June 2004, in the UC Riverside Quarantine facility on eggs of the glassy-winged sharpshooter. Like many minute parasitoids, identification to species in this group is exceedingly difficult because of the lack of adult morphological features. We tested the hypothesis that there might be cryptic species hidden in this complex by conducting: 1) examination of male and female A. epos populations for unique morphological characters, 2) molecular characterization of mitochondrial and ribosomal DNA of A. epos populations, and 3) mating compatibility studies between A. epos strains. Results showed that an Anagrus species found in Mexico, two species in Colorado, and one in the state of Washington were found to be genetically different from the Minnesota strain of A. epos. In addition, rearing A. epos on GWSS eggs for field release has been problematic and to help solve this, several studies were undertaken (Krugner et al. 2007) which compared alternative rearing hosts (i.e. eggs of various leafhopper species) and investigated the basic biology of A. epos. Based on the results of that work, we have started to rear the aster leafhopper as an alternative leafhopper egg host to allow greater numbers of parasitoids to be produced and released in California to potentially suppress GWSS populations.

Technical Abstract: What appear to be 8 or 9 different Anagrus species were obtained from 18 collection sites for morphological and molecular examination. Confirming our hypothesis that there might be cryptic species hidden in this complex, an Anagrus species in Mexico, two species in Colorado, and one in the state of Washington were found to be genetically different from the Minnesota strain of A. epos. Genetic and morphological analyses are nearly complete and we are preparing a manuscript on this work (Triapitsyn et al. 2008). Rearing A. epos on GWSS eggs for field release has been problematic and to help solve this, several studies were undertaken (Krugner et al. 2007, 2008) which compared alternative rearing hosts (i.e. eggs of various leafhopper species) and investigated the basic biology of A. epos. Limited field releases have been made during summer 2006 and 2007 (because of rearing difficulties) but to date, A. epos has not been recovered. Based on this work, we have started rearing aster leafhopper as an alternative A. epos host to allow greater numbers of parasitoids to be released and field sleeve cage releases are planned for next year.