GRANULOSIS-VIRUS INFECTION OF THE SMALLER TEA TORTRIX (LEPIDOPTERA, TORTRICIDAE) - EFFECT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENDOPARASITOID, ASCOGASTER RETICULATUS (HYMENOPTERA, BRACONIDAE)

Infection of Adoxophyes sp, larvae by a granulosis virus (AsGV) advers ely affected the development of the endoparasitoid, Ascogaster reticul atus. Parasitoid larvae developing in AsGV-infected hosts grew more sl owly and spent more time in their hosts than did parasitoid larvae dev eloping in noninfected hosts, Parasitoid larvae developing in AsGV-inf ected hosts accumulated numerous viral capsules in their gut lumen, El ectron microscopy confirmed no infection of AsGV in fat body and midgu t tissues of those parasitoid larvae, There were no significant differ ences in the emergence rates between parasitoid larvae that developed in AsGV-infected hosts and those that developed in noninfected hosts. However, pupation and eclosion rates of parasitoids that had developed in infected hosts with AsGV were significantly lower than those of pa rasitoids that developed in noninfected hosts, The proportion of paras itoids that pupated and emerged as adults increased as the timing of A sGV administration to the host was delayed, Significant numbers of par asitoid larvae that emerged from AsGV-infected hosts did not exhibit e xternal feeding. This appeared to be the main reason for high mortalit y rates of parasitoids that developed as larvae in AsGV-infected hosts . (C) 1997 Academic Press