Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T18:34:44.285Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effects of temperature and host-plant on regulation of glasshouse mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) populations by introduced parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

C. C. D. Tingle
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Wye College (University of London), Wye, Ashford, Kent, TN25 5AH, UK
M. J. W. Copland
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Wye College (University of London), Wye, Ashford, Kent, TN25 5AH, UK

Abstract

Introduction of parasitoids gave improved biological control of Planococcus citri (Risso) in a large glasshouse stocked with a variety of ornamental plants, supplementing that achieved by the predator Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant. Following parasitoid release, there was evidence of pest population regulation on guava and coffee bushes with reduced and stabilized mealybug numbers and stable percentage parasitism. The mean temperature during one sampling period was significantly correlated with the percentage parasitism two months later, indicating that temperature has a major impact on parasitoid efficiency. Leptomastidea abnormis (Girault) was responsible for about 90% of the parasitism observed; the remainder was by Leptomastix dactylopii Howard. The effects of supplementary inoculative releases of Leptomastidea abnormis were variable, but resulted in increased percentage parasitism only when the number released contributed significantly to those already established. No evidence of pest population regulation was found on Aristolochia or Passiflora vines nor on potted Gesneriaceae plants of the genera Streptocarpus and Saintpaulia. Peak mealybug populations on these last plants coincided with periods of new growth, fruiting or flowering. Host-plant quality thus seems to be a major factor inducing mealybug outbreaks.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bartlett, B. R. & Lloyd, D. C. (1958). Mealybugs attacking citrus in California - a survey of their natural enemies and the release of new parasites and predators.—J. econ. Ent. 51, 9093.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, B. C. & Duffey, S. S. (1979). Tomatine and parasitic wasps: potential incompatibility of plant antibiosis with biological control.—Science, N. Y. 205, 700702.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Copland, M. J. W., Tingle, C. C. D., Saynor, M. & Panis, A. (1985). Biology of glasshouse mealybugs and their predators and parasitoids.—pp. 82–86 in Hussey, N. W. & Scopes, N. (Eds.). Biological pest control: the glasshouse experience.—240 pp. Poole, UK, Blandford.Google Scholar
Dean, H. A., Hart, W. G. & Ingle, S. (1971). Citrus mealybug, a potential potential problem on Texas grapefruit.—J. Rio Grande Vall. hort. Soc. 25, 4653.Google Scholar
DeBach, P. (1964). The scope of biological control.—pp. 3–20 in DeBach, P. (Ed.). Biological control of insect pests and weeds.—844 pp. London, Chapman & Hall.Google Scholar
Doutt, R. L. (1951). Biological control of mealybugs infesting commercial greenhouse gardenias.—J. econ. Ent. 44, 3740.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doutt, R. L. (1952). Biological control of Planococcus citri on commercial greenhouse Stephanotis.—J. econ. Ent. 45, 343344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hussey, N. W. & Bravenboer, L. (1971). Control of pests in glasshouse culture by the introduction of natural enemies.—pp. 195–216 in Huffaker, C. B. (Ed.). Biological control.—511 pp. New York, Plenum.Google Scholar
Panis, A. & Brun, J. (1971). Essais de lutte biologique contre trois espèces de Pseudococcidae (Homoptera, Coccoidea) en serres de plantes vertes.—Revue Zool. agr. Pathol. veg. 70, 4247.Google Scholar
Siegel, S. (1956). Nonparametric statistics for the behavioural sciences.—312 pp. Tokyo, McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Smith, J. M. (1957). Effects of the food plant of California red scale. Aonidiella aurantii (Mask.) on reproduction of its hymenopterous parasites.—Can. Ent. 89, 219230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steiner, M. Y. & Elliott, D. P. (1983). Biological pest management for interior plantscapes.—30 pp. Vegreville, Alberta, Alberta Environmental Centre.Google Scholar
Strong, D. R., Lawton, J. H. & Southwood, R. (1984). Insects on plants: community patterns and mechanisms.—313 pp. Oxford, Blackwell Scientific.Google Scholar
Summy, K. R., French, J. V. & Hart, W. G. (1986). Citrus mealybug (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) on greenhouse citrus: density-dependent regulation by an encyrtid parasite complex.—J. econ. Ent. 79, 891895.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tingle, C. C. D. (1985). Biological control of the glasshouse mealybug using parasitic Hymenoptera.—375 pp. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. London.Google Scholar
Tingle, C. C. D. & Copland, M. J. W. (1987). Predicting development of the mealybug parasitoids Anagyrus pseudococci, Leptomastix dactylopii and Leptomastidea abnormis under glasshouse conditions.—Entomologia exp. appl. 45.Google Scholar
Webb, J. W. & Moran, V. C. (1978). The influence of the host plant on the population dynamics of Acizzia russellae (Homoptera: Psyllidae).—Ecol. Entomol. 3, 313321.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wellings, P. W. & Dixon, A. F. G. (1987). Sycamore aphid numbers and population density. III. The role of aphid-induced changes in plant quality.—J. Anim. Ecol. 56, 161170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitcomb, W. D. (1940). Biological control of mealybugs in greenhouses.—Bull. Mass. agric. Exp. Stn no. 375, 22 pp.Google Scholar
Woets, J. & van Lenteren, J. C. (1976). The parasite-host relationship between Encarsia formosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) and Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). VI. The influence of the host plant on the greenhouse whitefly and its parasite Encarsia formosa.—Bull. SROP no. 4, 151164.Google Scholar
Wyatt, I. J. (1974). Progress towards biological control under glass.—pp. 294–301 in Price-Jones, D. & Solomon, M. E. (Eds.). Biology in pest and disease control.—398 pp. Oxford, Blackwell Scientific.Google Scholar