RESPONSE OF EGG PARASITOIDS TO POSSIBLE SYNERGY BETWEEN CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL STIMULI

Authors

  • Ana Carolina Gomes Lagôa Programa de Pós Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília
  • Brunna Letícia Santana Curso de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Paulista
  • Maria Carolina Blassioli-Moraes Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia
  • Miguel Borges Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia
  • Raúl Alberto Laumann Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia

Keywords:

BEHAVIOR, SYNERGY, NATURAL ENEMY.

Abstract

Egg parasitoids of the Scelionidae family are important biological control agents. Different stimuli produced directly or indirectly by their hosts influence the foraging behavior of these insects. However, the interaction and possible synergy between stimuli of different nature are little known. This knowledge is relevant for a correct interpretation of parasitoid foraging behavior, since in nature these stimuli do not occur isolated. This study aimed to evaluate the behavior of female egg parasitoids Telenomus podisi Ashmead, 1893 (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) in response to the association of chemical and physical stimuli. Stimuli that influence the behavior of parasitoids (attraction) were evaluated. The evaluated stimuli were: (1) herbivory-induced volatiles (HIV) of soybean plants with food injury of Euschistus heros (Fabricius, 1798) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), (2) methyl 2,6,10-trimethyltridecanoate (component of E. heros sex pheromone), (3) chemical footprints released on the substrate by E. heros females, (4) vibratory signals produced by E. heros females, (5) and the yellow color of the substrate. The experiments were performed in a double choice arena. In the first test each stimulus was combined with another stimulus on one arm of the olfactometer versus the control (arena arm without stimuli). In the second test, each stimulus combination was contrasted with each of the combination components separately. The results of the first test do not indicate synergistic or additive effect of stimulus combinations. In the second test, no difference was observed between the contrasting treatments, except when the HIV and color versus HIV. The results suggest that the presence of stimuli of different nature does not modify the behavior of the parasitoid. We propose the hypothesis of sequential use of these stimuli with a possible enhancement of the parasitoid response after contact with a previous sequence stimulus.

Published

2019-10-19

How to Cite

Lagôa, A. C. G., Santana, B. L., Blassioli-Moraes, M. C., Borges, M., & Laumann, R. A. (2019). RESPONSE OF EGG PARASITOIDS TO POSSIBLE SYNERGY BETWEEN CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL STIMULI. Caderno Verde De Agroecologia E Desenvolvimento Sustentável, 9(5), b–46. Retrieved from https://gvaa.com.br/revista/index.php/CVADS/article/view/7193

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