title: Developmental responses of the diamondback moth parasitoid Diadegma semiclausum (Hellén) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) to temperature and host plant species.
abstract: Effects of constant rearing temperature and the plant species fed upon by its hosts were investigated for several developmental parameters of Diadegma semiclausum (Hellén), an important parasitoid of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.). Temperature had highly significant effects on all developmental parameters measured, and effects were usually both linear and quadratic with increasing temperature. Host plant species, comprising Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis and Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata, also affected development of the parasitoid, and significant interactions were observed between plant species and rearing temperature for all developmental parameters measured. Development of D. semiclausum occurred successfully on all host plant species tested for the temperature range of 10 to 25°C. However, when its P. xylostella hosts consumed leaf tissue of B. napus, no specimens survived to pupate at 30°C, whilst pupation and adult eclosion occurred at 30°C on B. rapa ssp. pekinensis and B. oleracea var. capitata. At high ambient temperatures, such as those characteristic of tropical or subtropical regions (especially at low elevations) or regions that undergo temperature increases due to climate change, P. xylostella is predicted to occur at a higher range of temperatures than its biocontrol agent, D. semiclausum. Effects of high temperatures are expected to be more profound on the parasitoid for some host plants than others, with greater developmental limitations for the parasitoid on B. napus than on B. rapa or B. oleracea.
authors: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada.
authors: L M
authors: LM
authors: Dosdall
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
authors: M P
authors: MP
authors: Zalucki
authors: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada.
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Tansey
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Furlong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D061046:Biological Control Agents; D001937:Brassica / Q000469:parasitology*; D029688:Brassica napus / Q000469:parasitology; D029741:Brassica rapa / Q000469:parasitology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007814:Larva; D009036:Moths / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D014863:Wasps / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D061046:Biological Control Agents