Functional response of Dineulophus phtorimaeae de Santis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), an ectoparasitoid of the tomato moth Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), under laboratory conditions

SAVINO, V,; COVIELLA, C.E.; LUNA, M.G.; SÁNCHEZ, N.E.

Niagara Falls, Canada

Congreso; Biological Control in the Americas, Past, Present & Future. IOBC. . 11-13 mayo de 2010.; 2010

International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC)

For the functional response experiment, Dineulophus phtorimaeae female wasps 5 days of age and 4 days since mating were offered 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 host larvae infesting tomato leaflets. Each density treatment was replicated 10 times. As variables, we measured number and proportion of attacked (paralyzed) and parasitized hosts. The shape of the functional response curves was analyzed by fitting a logistic regression between the four variables against host density. Proportion of attacked and paralyzed hosts were density independent for the tested host range (slopes were not significantly different from 0), meanwhile number of attacked and paralyzed had a positive relationship (slopes >0). Proportions of paralyzed hosts were significantly greater than parasitized ones, indicating that host feeding can also produce additional mortality to T. absoluta, albeit a difficult one to measure in the field.