Parasitoid age and host age interact to improve life history parameters and rearing of Trichogramma euproctidis

Authors: TABEBORDBAR, FATEMEH - Shahid Chamran University Of Ahvaz; SHISHEHBOR, PARVIZ - Shahid Chamran University Of Ahvaz; EBRAHIMI, EBRAHIM - Iranian Research Institute Of Plant Protection; POLASZEK, ANDREW - Natural History Museum - London; Riddick, Eric

Submitted to: Biocontrol Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/3/2021
Publication Date: 3/4/2022
Citation: Tabebordbar, F., Shishehbor, P., Ebrahimi, E., Polaszek, A., Riddick, E.W. 2022. Parasitoid age and host age interact to improve life history parameters and rearing of Trichogramma euproctidis. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 32(3):267-280. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2021.1990858.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2021.1990858

Interpretive Summary: Research is underway to develop effective techniques to mass produce parasitic Hymenoptera (e.g., egg parasitoids) for augmentative biological control of major crop pests (e.g., cotton bollworms). Factitious host egg age and maternal parasitoid age were manipulated in laboratory experiments to determine their effects on rearing and progeny production of Trichogramma euproctidis, a promising candidate for augmentative biological control of cotton bollworms. Direct rearing experiments as well as a life table analysis provided evidence that 1-d-old maternal females and 1-d-old factitious host eggs had optimal effects on Trichogramma euproctidis life history. These observations highlight the importance of utilizing young-aged host eggs and young-aged maternal females to maximize reproduction in mass rearing systems for Trichogramma species.

Technical Abstract: Trichogramma euproctidis (Girault) is an egg parasitoid under consideration for mass production and augmentative biological control of major lepidopteran pests in Iran and other countries. The main objective of this research was to determine the effects of T. euproctidis female age and Ephestia kuehniella Zeller egg age on life history parameters of T. euproctidis. Experimental design involved exposing 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-d-old E. kuehniella eggs to 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-d-old T. euproctidis females in glass test tubes. Results indicated that host egg age and parasitoid female age interacted significantly to improve parasitism rate, progeny emergence rate, sex ratio, longevity, and fecundity of T. euproctidis. The age of T. euproctidis females affected parasitism rate; 1-d-old females, rather than the other ages, parasitised more E. kuehniella eggs. The highest mean total fecundity (81.62 eggs) was recorded from adult progeny produced by 1-d-old T. euproctidis females reared from 1-d-old E. kuehniella eggs. Trichogramma euproctidis development time increased as the age of E. kuehniella eggs increased, but the parasitoid female age and host egg age interaction was not significant. A life table analysis confirmed the results that 1-d-old T. euproctidis females and 1-d-old E. kuehniella eggs resulted in optimal effects on T. euproctidis life history. This study implies that mass rearing systems designed to expose young-aged T. euproctidis females to young-aged E. kuehniella eggs would maximise T. euproctidis progeny production.