Manipulation of plant odour preference by learning in the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus abdominalis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)
Aphelinus abdominalis Dalman (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a solitary endoparasitoid of cereal aphids [e.g. Sitobion avenae (F.)] and aphids in greenhouses [e.g. Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas)] is available as biological control agent against aphid pests in greenhouses. As...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Science
2000-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Entomology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.eje.cz/artkey/eje-200004-0015_Manipulation_of_plant_odour_preference_by_learning_in_the_aphid_parasitoid_Aphelinus_abdominalis_Hymenoptera.php |
| _version_ | 1818963553566064640 |
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| author | Gunnar MÖLCK Helga PINN Urs WYSS |
| author_facet | Gunnar MÖLCK Helga PINN Urs WYSS |
| author_sort | Gunnar MÖLCK |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aphelinus abdominalis Dalman (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a solitary endoparasitoid of cereal aphids [e.g. Sitobion avenae (F.)] and aphids in greenhouses [e.g. Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas)] is available as biological control agent against aphid pests in greenhouses. As little is yet known about its long-range host location after release, the in-flight orientation of female A. abdominalis was investigated with regard to the effects of post-emergence experience, using a wind tunnel bioassay. In no-choice tests experienced females responded to the odour of M. euphorbiae-infested sweet pepper and aubergine plants while naive females exhibited mostly random flights. In a choice test, offering infested and uninfested plants of the same species, experienced wasps were able to recognize the plant-host complex (PHC) and selected it as landing site. In contrast to uninfested plants, host-damaged plants (infested plants with aphids removed) attracted experienced females just as well as infested plants. When the responses of groups of parasitoids with experience on two different plant-host complexes were studied, specifically trained wasps were observed to orientate significantly better towards the infested target plant than wasps with previous experience on the non-target plant. A final choice test, with an infested pepper and an infested aubergine plant as odour sources, showed that females trained on one of the offered plant-host combinations significantly preferred the odour of the learnt PHC to that of the different PHC. The results suggest that A. abdominalis females employ specific volatile signals emitted by host-infested plants (synomones) during long-range host location. These odours must be learnt, e.g. in association with a successful oviposition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T12:47:03Z |
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| id | doaj.art-ee5a6ca149ac40da80dd70cca91cb479 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1210-5759 1802-8829 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T12:47:03Z |
| publishDate | 2000-12-01 |
| publisher | Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Science |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Entomology |
| spelling | doaj.art-ee5a6ca149ac40da80dd70cca91cb4792022-12-21T19:40:17ZengInstitute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of ScienceEuropean Journal of Entomology1210-57591802-88292000-12-0197453353810.14411/eje.2000.082eje-200004-0015Manipulation of plant odour preference by learning in the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus abdominalis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)Gunnar MÖLCK0Helga PINN1Urs WYSSInstitute of Phytopathology, University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Str. 9, D-24118 Kiel, GermanyInstitute of Phytopathology, University of Kiel, Hermann-Rodewald-Str. 9, D-24118 Kiel, GermanyAphelinus abdominalis Dalman (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a solitary endoparasitoid of cereal aphids [e.g. Sitobion avenae (F.)] and aphids in greenhouses [e.g. Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas)] is available as biological control agent against aphid pests in greenhouses. As little is yet known about its long-range host location after release, the in-flight orientation of female A. abdominalis was investigated with regard to the effects of post-emergence experience, using a wind tunnel bioassay. In no-choice tests experienced females responded to the odour of M. euphorbiae-infested sweet pepper and aubergine plants while naive females exhibited mostly random flights. In a choice test, offering infested and uninfested plants of the same species, experienced wasps were able to recognize the plant-host complex (PHC) and selected it as landing site. In contrast to uninfested plants, host-damaged plants (infested plants with aphids removed) attracted experienced females just as well as infested plants. When the responses of groups of parasitoids with experience on two different plant-host complexes were studied, specifically trained wasps were observed to orientate significantly better towards the infested target plant than wasps with previous experience on the non-target plant. A final choice test, with an infested pepper and an infested aubergine plant as odour sources, showed that females trained on one of the offered plant-host combinations significantly preferred the odour of the learnt PHC to that of the different PHC. The results suggest that A. abdominalis females employ specific volatile signals emitted by host-infested plants (synomones) during long-range host location. These odours must be learnt, e.g. in association with a successful oviposition.https://www.eje.cz/artkey/eje-200004-0015_Manipulation_of_plant_odour_preference_by_learning_in_the_aphid_parasitoid_Aphelinus_abdominalis_Hymenoptera.phpaphelinus abdominalisaphid parasitoidwind tunnelmacrosiphum euphorbiaecapsicum annuumsolanum melongenahost locationplant-host complexlearningsynomones |
| spellingShingle | Gunnar MÖLCK Helga PINN Urs WYSS Manipulation of plant odour preference by learning in the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus abdominalis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) European Journal of Entomology aphelinus abdominalis aphid parasitoid wind tunnel macrosiphum euphorbiae capsicum annuum solanum melongena host location plant-host complex learning synomones |
| title | Manipulation of plant odour preference by learning in the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus abdominalis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) |
| title_full | Manipulation of plant odour preference by learning in the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus abdominalis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) |
| title_fullStr | Manipulation of plant odour preference by learning in the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus abdominalis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Manipulation of plant odour preference by learning in the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus abdominalis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) |
| title_short | Manipulation of plant odour preference by learning in the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus abdominalis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) |
| title_sort | manipulation of plant odour preference by learning in the aphid parasitoid aphelinus abdominalis hymenoptera aphelinidae |
| topic | aphelinus abdominalis aphid parasitoid wind tunnel macrosiphum euphorbiae capsicum annuum solanum melongena host location plant-host complex learning synomones |
| url | https://www.eje.cz/artkey/eje-200004-0015_Manipulation_of_plant_odour_preference_by_learning_in_the_aphid_parasitoid_Aphelinus_abdominalis_Hymenoptera.php |
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