Does the Neotropical-native parasitoid Ganaspis pelleranoi successfully attack the globally invasive pest Drosphila suzukii?

BUONOCORE BIANCHERI, M. JOSEFINA; SUAREZ, L.; SEGUNDO R. NÚÑEZ CAMPERO; MARCOS D. PONSSA; DANIEL S. KIRSCHBAUM; OVRUSKI S. M.

Congreso; 7th International Entomophagous Insects Conference (IEIC); 2023

Does the Neotropical-native parasitoid Ganaspis pelleranoi successfully attack the globally invasive pest Drosphila suzukii? Buonocore Biancheri M.J.1,2, Suárez L.3, Núñez Campero Segundo4,5, Ponssa M.D.1,2, Kirschbaum DS3 & Ovruski S.M.1 1 LIEMEN, División Control Biológico de Plagas, PROIMI Biotecnología, CCT CONICET NOA Sur, Avda. Belgrano y Pje. Caseros, T4001MVB San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.2 Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e IML, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Miguel Lillo 205, (4000), Tucumán, Argentina.3 Dirección de Sanidad Vegetal, Animal y Alimentos (DSVAA), Gobierno de la provincia de San Juan, Avda. Nazario Benavides 8000 Oeste, J5413ZAD Rivadavia, San Juan, Argentina.4 Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja (CRILAR), Provincia de La Rioja, UNLaR, SEGEMAR, UNCa, CONICET, Entre Ríos y Mendoza s/n, (5301), Anillaco, La Rioja, Argentina.5 Universidad Nacional de La Rioja (UNLaR), IBICOPA, Av. Luis M. de la Fuente s/n. (5300), La Rioja, Argentina.6 INTA Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá, Ruta Prov. 301, km 32, 4132 Famaillá, Tucumán, Argentina; dCátedra Horticultura, Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, (4000), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.Ecologically friendly strategies with the environment and human health, such as Biological Control, have achieved relevance in programs for the control/eradication of insect pests in agriculture worldwide. In this context, the objective of the study was to comparatively analyze the preference of the native endoparasitoid G. pellenaroi (Gp) (Figitidae: Eucoilinae) for three economically and quarantine important frugivorous dipterans, such as Anastrepha fraterculus, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) and Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophiidae). Host choice and non-host choice tests were performed under lab-conditions. Treatments were as follows: no-choice tests involving only (1) A. fraterculus, (2) C. capitata, and (3) D. suzukii, and choice tests including (4) A. fraterculus and D. suzukii, and (5) C. capitata and D. suzukii. For the first treatment, an oviposition unit (OU) was used with 200 A. fraterculus larvae of 9-10 d-old exposed to 10 females of Gp. For the second treatment, an OU was used with 200 C. capitata larvae of 6-7 d-old to 10 females of Gp. For the third treatment, an OU was used with 200 D. suzukii larvae of 5 d-old exposed to 10 females of Gp. Finally, for the fourth and fifth treatments, two OU were used, one of them with 100 larvae of A. fraterculus or C. capitata and the other one with 100 larvae of D. suzukii, exposed to 10 females of Gp. A 20:1 host/parasitoid female ratio and 5-d-old unexperienced, mated Gp females were used. Host larvae were exposed 8 h. The number of females located on the surface of the OU (= number of visits) and the number of females that were inserting their ovipositor inside the OU (= number of ovipositions) were recorded. Parasitism, parasitoid and fly emergence, sex ratio, and host additional mortality were also assessed. Data were analyzed by using General Linear Models. In the first part of the study, the proportion of emerged adults was recorded while in the second part host puparia were dissected at 72 hours to determine the presence of parasitoid immature stages. The parasitoid Gp caused high mortality in all dipteran species tested, but the figitid successfully developed only in both tephritid species. The performance of Gp as a host mortality factor was similar and significant for all pest species; the cumulative mortality (parasitism plus additional host mortality) recorded in tephritid species and D. suzukii was close to 98%. This ability of Gp is a valuable trait as a potential biological control agent.Keywords: Biological Control, parasitoids, Ganaspis pelleranoi, Drosophila suzukii, Anastrepha fraterculus and Ceratitis capitata.