Jy. Honda et Gp. Walker, OLFACTORY RESPONSE OF ANAGRUS-NIGRIVENTRIS (HYM, MYMARIDAE) - EFFECTSOF HOST-PLANT CHEMICAL CUES MEDIATED BY REARING AND OVIPOSITION EXPERIENCE, Entomophaga, 41(1), 1996, pp. 3-13
The egg parasitoid Anagrus nigriventris Girault is an important natura
l enemy of the beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus (Baker) which has
a broad host range that includes cultivated sugar beets and the weed,
Russian thistle. When parasitoids were reared on leafhopper eggs depos
ited in sugar beets, females were attracted to sugar beet volatiles an
d preferred them over a blank control and over Russian thistle volatil
es in Y-tube olfactometer tests. No preference was detected for either
plant by female wasps that were reared on Russian thistle. Wasps rear
ed on Russian thistle and allowed an oviposition experience on sugar b
eet showed a strong attraction to sugar beet volatiles; however, wasps
reared on sugar beets and allowed oviposition experience on Russian t
histle demonstrated no preference between the two plants. The implicat
ions of parasitoid response towards plant volatiles and their importan
ce in biological control are discussed.