Investigation on survival of Aphidius nigripes Ashmead (Hym.: Aphidiidae) reared on infected potato aphid by Lecanicillium muscarium (Deut.: Moniliaceae).
Survival of larval stages of endoparasitoid Aphidius nigripes Ashmead was investigated on entomopathogen Lecanicillium muscarium (Zare and Gains) infected potato aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae Thomas. Low and high concentrations of L. muscarium (10s and 10(7) blastospore/ml., respectively) were administered on parasitized aphid nymphs (by A. nigripes) on 0, 2, 4 and 6 day intervals base. Distilled water with surfactant agent was used as control and 3 replicates were applied. Ten days following inoculation by the pathogen, aphid mortality; aphid progeny and emerged parasitoids were sampled to estimate the aphid survival, treated aphid net reproductive rate (Ro) and survival of parasitoid, respectively. Results demonstrated that parasitoid and pathogen collectively enhanced aphid mortality and lowered its net reproductive rate compared to any single use of the agents (P<0.01). Mortality of immature parasitoid decreased when low concentration of fungus was applied and the same result obtained on any increase between fungus inoculation and parasitization interval. Parasitoid suffered a vast mortality rate in pupation period using high concentration of the fungal material. On the weight comparison base, there wasn't any significant differences (P>0.05) between emerged parasitoid adults, both from fungus infected mummified aphids and control treatments.
Askary
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Research Dep. of Forest and Range Protection, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, Iran, P.O. Box 13185-116. hassan.askary@rifr-ac.ir
Ajam Hassani
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Yarmand
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D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000254:growth & development*; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000502:physiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011158:Population Growth; D012098:Reproduction; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*