Biological control potential of Wolbachia-infected versus uninfected wasps: Laboratory and greenhouse evaluation of Trichogramma cordubensis and T. deion strains

The effects of thelytoky-inducing Wolbachia (alpha-proteobacteria) on Trich ogramma cordubensis and T. deion (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae) were stud ied in laboratory and greenhouse conditions. One infected (thelytokous, all female) line of each wasp species was compared with its conspecific uninfe cted (arrhenotokous, sexual) counterpart for several fecundity and dispersa l traits. Arrhenotokous lines had a higher fecundity than their thelytokous counterparts, which suggests that Wolbachia negatively affect the fecundit y of Trichogramma females. The arrhenotokous females dispersed more in the laboratory than their thelytokous counterparts In the greenhouse, the oppos ite effect or no difference between lines was found, indicating that the la boratory set-up used to measure dispersal is not useful to predict relative dispersal of the females in the greenhouse Calculations show that by relea sing 100 adult wasps of both? lines, thus including arrhenotokous males in the sexual line, more eggs are parasitized by the thelytokous wasps. Theref ore, in spite of their lower individual female fecundity, thelytokous lines have a better potential for biological control than their arrhenotokous co unterparts.