Increasing radiation doses in Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae) larvae improve parasitoid mass-rearing attributes

JORGE CANCINO,; AMANDA AYALA; LAURA RIOS; PATRICIA LOPEZ; LORENA SUAREZ; OVRUSKI, SERGIO; JORGE HENDRICHS

BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2022

0007-4853

Doses of 40, 80, 120, and 160 Gy were applied to 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-day-old Anastrepha obliqualarvae, which were exposed to the Neotropical-native braconids Doryctobracon crawfordi andUtetes anastrephae and the Asian braconid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata. These tests wereperformed to know the effect of the increase in host radiation on the emergence of the aforementioned parasitoids and the related consequences of oviposition on the host. The study was based on the fact that higher radiation doses may cause a decrease in the host immune activity. There was a direct relationship between the increase in radiation dose and the parasitoidemergence. Both, the weight and the mortality of the host larvae were not affected by radiation. Although the larval weight of the larvae was lower and the mortality was higher inthe younger larvae. Both, the number of scars and immature stages per host puparium originated from the younger larvae were lower than those from older larvae. Only U. anastrephaesuperparasitized more at lower radiation. Superparasitism by D. longicaudata was more frequent at 160 Gy. Qualitative measurements of melanin in the larvae parasitized showedthat the levels were lower with increasing radiation. As radiation doses increased, the antagonistic response of the A. obliqua larva was reduced. Host larvae aged 5- and 6-day-old irradiated at 120–160 Gy significantly improve parasitoid emergence. This evidence is relevant forthe mass production of the three tested parasitoid species.