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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Newark, Delaware » Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #333430
Research Project: Host Specificity and Systematics of Insect Biological Control Agents

Location: Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit

Title: Host specificity of Aphelinus species considered for introduction to control Diuraphis noxia

Author
item Hopper, Keith
item Lanier, Kathryn
item RHOADES, JOSHUA - University Of Delaware
item KONDOS, ROBERT - University Of Delaware
item COUTINOT, DOMINIQUE - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item MERCADIER, GUY - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item RAMUALDE, NATHALIE - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item ROCHE, MARIE - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item WOOLLEY, JAMES - Texas A&M University
item HERATY - University Of California

Submitted to: Biological Control
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/13/2017
Publication Date: 1/17/2017
Citation: Hopper, K.R., Lanier, K., Rhoades, J., Kondos, R., Coutinot, D., Mercadier, G., Ramualde, N., Roche, M., Woolley, J.B., Heraty 2017. Host specificity of Aphelinus species considered for introduction to control Diuraphis noxia. Biological Control. 107:21-32.

Interpretive Summary: The Russian wheat aphid is a pest aphid from Eurasia that has invaded the USA and become a major pest of wheat and barley. A project was initiated to find, evaluate, and introduce parasitic wasps from Eurasia into North America to control this pest. Here we report experiments on the host ranges of seven species of parasitic wasps that are candidates for introduction against the Russian wheat aphid. One species, APHELINUS HORDEI, had a very narrow host range, being restricted to species in the genus DIURAPHIS, and especially the Russian wheat aphid. We report the results of experiments on the mechanisms of this host specificity. Most of the host specificity of A. HORDEI can be explained by differences in the behavior of females when they encountered different aphid species. Therefore, A. HORDEI is an excellent candidate for introduction into the USA to control D. NOXIA.

Technical Abstract: DIURAPHIS NOXIA has become a major pest of wheat and barley since it was detected in the western USA in 1986. DIURAPHIS NOXIA is seldom a pest in Eurasia, its area of origin. Field surveys and exclosure experiments showed that natural enemies can limit D. NOXIA abundance in Eurasia. Among the most important of natural enemies of D. NOXIA are parasitoids in the genus APHELINUS. Here we report results on host specificity of 10 populations in seven species from two species complexes in the genus APHELINUS. While some species had very broad host ranges and others had intermediate host ranges, APHELINUS HORDEI had a very narrow host range, being restricted primarily to species in the genus DIURAPHIS, and especially D. NOXIA. We report the results of experiments on the mechanisms of this host specificity. Most of the host specificity of A. HORDEI can be explained by differences in the behavior of females when they encountered different aphid species. Females of A. HORDEI rarely approach, sting, or oviposit in aphids outside the genus DIURAPHIS, and they oviposit most frequently in D. NOXIA. Therefore, A. HORDEI is an excellent candidate for introduction into the USA to control D. NOXIA.