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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #347750
Research Project: Biologically-based Management of Arthropod Pests in Small Fruit and Nursery Crops

Location: Horticultural Crops Research Unit

Title: Effects of marigold on the behavior, survival, and nutrient reserves of Aphidius platensis

Author
item SOUZA, IVANA - Universidade Federal De Lavras
item MARUCCI, ROSANGELA - Universidade Federal De Lavras
item PATERNO SILVEIRA, LUIS - Universidade Federal De Lavras
item PAIXÃO DE PAULO, NÁGILA - Universidade Federal De Lavras
item Lee, Jana

Submitted to: BioControl
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/2018
Publication Date: 4/19/2018
Citation: Souza, I.L., Marucci, R.C., Paterno Silveira, L.C., Paixão De Paulo, N.C., Lee, J.C. 2018. Effects of marigold on the behavior, survival, and nutrient reserves of Aphidius platensis. Biocontrol. 63(4):543-553. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-018-9882-8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-018-9882-8

Interpretive Summary: Marigolds suppress nematodes and are attractive plants, but their role in enhancing aphid control is unknown. We evaluated how exposure to marigold blooms impacts the aphid parasitoid wasp, Aphidius platensis. Female wasps previously exposed to marigold spent more time walking and parasitizing green peach aphid or greenbug aphids. Meanwhile, completely starved wasps spent more time stationary and grooming. Wasp survival was best on honey, followed by marigold, and lowest with non-blooming marigolds. Nutrient reserves of wasps given honey, aphid-infested marigold, or marigold alone were compared to newly emerged unfed wasps. Their resulting lipid, glycogen and sugar levels were similar suggesting that these foods helped wasps maintain reserves similar to emergence levels. These results support that marigold may improve biological control of aphids by A. platensis.

Technical Abstract: Marigolds (Tagetes erecta L.) suppress nematodes and are attractive companion plants, but their role in biological control is unknown. We evaluated how exposure to marigold blooms impacts the aphid parasitoid, Aphidius platensis Brethes. Female wasps previously exposed to marigold spent more time walking and parasitizing Myzus percisae Sulzer or Schizaphis graminum Rodani aphids, and subsequently had higher parasitism rates. Meanwhile, completely starved wasps spent more time stationary and grooming. Time spent probing, emergence rate, and sex ratio were not affected. Wasp survival was best on honey, followed by marigold, and lowest with non-blooming marigolds. Nutrient reserves of wasps given honey, aphid-infested marigold, or marigold alone were compared to newly emerged unfed wasps. Their resulting lipid, glycogen and sugar levels were similar suggesting that these foods helped wasps maintain reserves similar to emergence levels. These results support that marigold may improve biological control of aphids by A. platensis.