title: Host Range Testing of Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) for Use in Classical Biological Control of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) in California.
abstract: Host range tests for Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis (Shafee, Alam, & Agarwal) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), an endoparasitoid of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), sourced from Punjab Pakistan, were conducted in quarantine at the University of California, Riverside, CA. Seven nontarget psyllid species representing four psyllid families were exposed to mated D. aligarhensis females in four different treatment types: 1) short sequential no-choice treatments, 2) prolonged sequential no-choice treatments, 3) prolonged no-choice static treatments, and 4) choice treatments. Selection of nontarget psyllid species was based on phylogenetic proximity to D. citri, likelihood of being encountered by D. aligarhensis in the prospective release areas in California, and psyllid species in biological control of invasive weeds. D. aligarhensis exhibited high host affinity to D. citri, and only parasitized one nontarget species, the pestiferous potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc), at low levels (<14%). Based on the results of this study, we conclude that D. aligarhensis has a narrow host range and exhibits a high level of host specificity, as it shows a significant attack preference for the target pest, D. citri. Results presented here suggest D. aligarhensis poses minimal risk to nontarget psyllid species in California.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of California, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bistline-East
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of California, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521. Citrus Research Board, 1201 Research Park Drive, Riverside CA 92507.
authors.forename: Raju
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.affiliation: Bati Akdeniz Agricultural Research Institute Department of Plant Protection, Entomology Unit P.B. 35 Antalya/Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kececi
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of California, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521. Center for Invasive Species Research, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521. mark.hoddle@ucr.edu.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hoddle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D061046:Biological Control Agents; D002140:California; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000254:growth & development / Q000469:parasitology*; D009758:Nymph / Q000254:growth & development / Q000469:parasitology*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D013045:Species Specificity; D014863:Wasps / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D061046:Biological Control Agents
keywords: Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis; Diaphorina citri; biological control; host range testing; huanglongbing