Effects of seasonal mineral oil applications on the pest and natural enemy complexes of apple

This 3-yr study examined the use of two different apple, Malus domestica Borkhausen, pest management programs based on horticultural mineral oil. Whereas oil provided some additional control of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), when targeting eggs of both generations (Oil/Direct Pest program, typically six applications per season), the additional benefit was difficult to detect when densities were high. With moderate densities, oil reduced the number of fruit infestations, but not stings (unsuccessful entries). There also were some measurable benefits to leafroller, Pandemis pyrusana Kearfott control. Oil was most useful, however, in suppression of secondary pests. White apple leafhopper, Typhlocyba pomaria McAtee, was the primary target of oil applications in the Oil/Indirect Pest program (typically three applications per season). However, leafhopper suppression in the Oil/Direct Pest program was generally greater because of the higher number of applications. Phytophagous tetranychid and eriophyid mites also were suppressed by more oil applications. Predatory mite populations were lower in both oil programs than in the check, but it is difficult to determine whether direct toxicity or reduction of prey was responsible for lower predator populations. There also was some evidence that oil suppressed woolly apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum Hausman. The six-spray oil program largely prevented a woolly apple aphid outbreak that occurred in July and August 1998 in the check, although the three-spray program seemed to provide some suppression despite the nonspecific spray timing.     

Host plant and natural enemy impact on cereal aphid competition in a seasonal environment

Competition between phytophagous insects could be mediated by differential impact of natural enemies or by induced changes in host plant quality. The interaction between the aphids Sipha flava and Rhopalosiphum maidis on the shared host plant, Sorghum halepense , was evaluated during the fall and spring seasons in the presence or absence of natural enemies in a garden experiment. During the fall, S. flava was negatively affected by R. maidis in all treatments. However, during the spring season, S. flava was not affected by R. maidis when natural enemies were excluded, and positively affected by R. maidis with natural enemies present. Rhopalosiphum maidis was negatively affected by S. flava during the fall and spring seasons under all treatments. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that changes in host plant quality induced by S. flava attack and the presence of the parasitoid Lysiphlebus testaceipes negatively affected R. maidis , but not S. flava . Under abiotic conditions simulating fall and spring (lower temperature and daylength in the fall than in the spring), S. flava showed lower performance than R. maidis under "fall" conditions, and both aphid species showed similar life history traits under "spring" conditions. For S. flava , the time to the first reproduction and longevity were longer, and the nymphal production was lower, under "fall" conditions than under "spring" conditions. Our results showed that S. flava is benefited when R. maidis and the parasitoid L. testaceipes are present but the abiotic conditions are not adverse.     

Review Behaviour and indirect interactions in food webs of plant-inhabiting arthropods

With the increased use of biological control agents, artificial food webs are created in agricultural crops and the interactions between plants, herbivores and natural enemies change from simple tritrophic interactions to more complex food web interactions. Therefore, herbivore densities will not only be determined by direct predator–prey interactions and direct and indirect defence of plants against herbivores, but also by other direct and indirect interactions such as apparent competition, intraguild predation, resource competition, etc. Although these interactions have received considerable attention in theory and experiments, little is known about their impact on biological control. In this paper, we first present a review of indirect food web interactions in biological control systems. We propose to distinguish between numerical indirect interactions, which are interactions where one species affects densities of another species through an effect on the numbers of an intermediate species and functional indirect interactions, defined as changes in the way that two species interact through the presence of a third species. It is argued that functional indirect interactions are important in food webs and deserve more attention. Subsequently, we discuss experimental results on interactions in an artificial food web consisting of pests and natural enemies on greenhouse cucumber. The two pest species are the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae and the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis. Their natural enemies are the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis, which is commonly used for spider mite control and the predatory mites Neoseiulus cucumeris and Iphiseius degenerans and the predatory bug Orius laevigatus, all natural enemies of thrips. First, we analyse the possible interactions between these seven species and we continue by discussing how functional indirect interactions, particularly the behaviour of arthropods, may change the significance and impact of direct interactions and numerical indirect interactions. It was found that a simple food web of only four species already gives rise to some quite complicated combinations of interactions. Spider mites and thrips interact indirectly through resource competition, but thrips larvae are intraguild predators of spider mites. Some of the natural enemies used for control of the two herbivore species are also intraguild predators. Moreover, spider mites produce a web that is subsequently used by thrips to hide from their predators. We discuss these and other results obtained so far and we conclude with a discussion of the potential impact of functional indirect and direct interactions on food webs and their significance for biological control.     

Intra-guild predation relaxes natural enemy impacts on herbivore populations

Abstract. 1. To investigate the role of intra-guild predation in mediating the impact of the natural enemy complex on herbivore populations, a manipulative field experiment was conducted using uncaged plots (islets of Spartina cordgrass) on a North American salt marsh. The densities (moderate or low) of two invertebrate predators, the generalist wolf spider Pardosa littoralis and the specialist mirid bug Tytthus vagus , were manipulated in a 2 × 2 factorial design, and the resulting treatment effects on the population growth of their herbivorous prey, Prokelisia planthoppers, were assessed.
2. The abundance of wolf spiders on experimental islets was unaffected by the presence of mirid bugs, however the density of mirid bugs was influenced very negatively by the presence of the wolf spider.
3. The negative effect of the wolf spider on mirid bugs most probably resulted from the intra-guild predation of mirids by spiders because planthopper limitation by the wolf spider alone was significantly greater than when both predators were present.
4. As a result of intra-guild predation, planthopper population growth was positive in the presence of both predators, despite the fact that each predator alone promoted a decrease in planthopper population growth.
5. Notably, the occurrence of intra-guild predation diminished top-down impacts on planthopper populations in a relatively simple food web where strong top-down effects were expected. This result, however, was limited to habitats on the marsh with simply structured vegetation lacking leaf litter.     

Direct and indirect effects of plant genetic variation on enemy impact

Abstract.

• 1 The Tritrophic and Enemy Impact concepts predict that natural enemy impact varies: (a) among plant genotypes and (b) may depend on the abundance of heterospecific herbivores, respectively. I tested these predictions using three herbivore species on potted, cloned genotypes of Salik sericea Marshall in a common garden experiment.
• 2 Densities of the leaf miner (Phyllonorycter salicifoliella (Chambers)) and two leaf galling sawflies (Phyllocolpa nigrita (Marlatt) and Phyllocolpa eleanorae Smith and Fritz) varied significantly among willow clones, indicating genetic variation in resistance.
• 3 Survival and natural enemy impact caused by egg and larval parasitoids and/or unknown predators differed significantly among willow clones for each of the three herbivore species, indicating genetic variation in survival and enemy impact.
• 4 Survival of Phyllonorycter was negatively density-dependent among clones.
• 5 Survival of Phyllonorycter and Phyllocolpa eleanorae were positively correlated with densities of heterospecific herbivores among clones and parasitism of these species were negatively correlated with densities of the same heterospecific herbivores among clones.
• 6 At least for Phyllonorycter this positive correlation may suggest either facilitation of survival between herbivore species, which do not share natural enemies, or an apparent interaction caused by host plant genetic variation.
• 7 Among clones, egg parasitism of Phyllocolpa eleanorae was weakly positively correlated with density of Phyllocolpa nigrita. Since these species share the same Trichogramma egg parasitoid, this interaction could support the hypothesis of apparent competition.

     

天敌昆虫对害虫的非直接致死效应

天敌是影响害虫种群动态的重要因素。一般认为天敌对害虫作用的方式,主要是通过直接的捕食或寄生。事实上,天敌还可以通过捕食或寄生过程中产生的"威吓"等非直接致死效应(Non-lethal effects)或胁迫作用(Stress),影响着害虫的生长发育、繁殖。有时这种天敌存在的非直接致死效应对害虫产生的负面影响甚至比天敌对害虫的直接捕食作用还强。显然,评价天敌作用时,除了计算天敌对害虫的直接捕食或寄生的效率,还应考虑天敌存在时对害虫的非直接致死效应。本文基于作者及前人的研究,分别论述了捕食性天敌、寄生性天敌对害虫的非直接致死效应,解析了环境变化对天敌非直接致死效应的影响,探讨了这种非直接致死效应的可能机制,提出了未来的研究发展方向。     

引进天敌莲草直胸跳甲的遗传多样性

我国从美国引进天敌昆虫莲草直胸跳甲防治喜旱莲子草已有20多年历史.本研究采用随机引物扩增多态性DNA(RAPD)分析方法,对引入我国的4个莲草直胸跳甲地理种群(广州、重庆、昆明、福州)的遗传多样性情况进行分析,并以美国佛罗里达种群为参照,从分子水平上揭示其种群的遗传分化及其与环境之间的关系.从111条随机引物中选取13条条带清晰、重复性好的引物对5个种群的25个样本进行扩增.结果表明:总多态位点百分率为42.0％,其中美国佛罗里达种群的多态位点百分率显著高于我国的4个地理种群;25.5％遗传分化发生在4个群体间;对各地理种群间的遗传距离采用非加权配对算术平均法( UPGMA)进行聚类分析发现,遗传距离与种群空间分布距离呈正相关.     

Side effects of flonicamide and pymetrozine on five aphid natural enemy species

The effects of flonicamide and pymetrozine, on inert and natural substrates, on the rove beetle Aleochara bilineata (Gyll.), the parasitic wasp Aphidius rhopalosiphi (DeStefani-Perez), the ladybird Adalia bipunctata (L.), the carabid beetle Bembidion lampros (Herbst), and the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus (DeGeer) were assessed in the laboratory. Deltamethrin and pirimicarb were also tested as toxic reference compounds. The results indicated high selectivity of flonicamide and pymetrozine for all the species tested. No significant effects on B. lampros and A. bilineata were recorded for sand or on E. balteatus for plants. Pymetrozine on inert substrates had no effects on A. bipunctata larvae, whereas flonicamid was slightly toxic on glass plates but harmless on plants. Both compounds were toxic to adult A. rhopalosiphi on glass plates and on plants in the laboratory, but no effects were observed on plants treated in the field. In comparison, the toxic reference products were always more toxic. Compared with classical insecticides tested on the same species using similar methods, flonicamide and pymetrozine seem to be promising insecticides for aphid control in terms of selectivity for aphid antagonists.     

Acaricidal effects of natural six-carbon and nine-carbon aldehydes on stored-product mites

The toxicities of three plant volatiles, (2E)-hexenal, (2E, 6Z)-nonadienal and (2E)-nonenal, intermediate products of the oxylipin biosynthesis pathway, were tested on three mites of importance for medical purposes and as pests. The aldehydes were diluted in hexane separately and incorporated into diets in ranges of 4–143 mg g⁻¹. The final density of mites in control and aldehyde-enriched diets was compared after 21 days. The aldehydes were toxic to the mites, whose final density showed an inverse correlation with aldehyde concentration. In addition to the effects of aldehyde concentration, the final density of mites was also influenced by the different aldehydes tested and the interaction among aldehyde concentration and chemical structure. In a functional combination of aldehydes and species, the doses calculated for growth inhibition and eradication of mites ranged from 4 to 35 mg g⁻¹ and from 36 to 314 mg g⁻¹, respectively. Due to the protective role displayed by natural six-carbon and nine-carbon aldehydes, these compounds are potential candidates for controlling stored-product mites in stored food and feed products.     

Negative interactions between Willamette mites and Pacific mites: possible management strategies for grapes

Willamette mites and Pacific mites are often negatively associated on grape vines. In particular, vineyards with early season infestations of the less damaging Willamette mite rarely develop high populations of the economically important Pacific mite. We report that Willamette mites had a negative effect on Pacific mite populations in both the greenhouse and field. In some experiments, the negative effect was more pronounced when vines had been damaged by previous feeding of Willamette mites and in other experiments concurrent feeding by both mite species was necessary to demonstrate a negative effect. Therefore, we cannot conclude if the mechanism of the response involves induced resistance against Pacific mites, more conventional interspecific competition, or both. Since predators were uncommon in our experiments, predator build up on Willamette mites did not cause the low Pacific mite population that we observed, although this mechanism may be important in many vineyards. Further, larger scale experiments are necesary to determine if growers can introduce Willamette mites to help control Pacific mites.

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Résumé E. willametti et T. pacificus sont souvent antagonistes dans les vignobles. En particulier, dans les vignobles contaminés tôt dans la saison par E. willametti,-dont les dégâts sont moins conséquents-, on observe rarement des populations élevées de T. pacificus, dont les dégâts sont économiquement importants. Nous avons constaté que E. Willametti a réduit les populations de T. pacificus, tant en serres qu'à l'extérieur. Dans quelques cas, l'effet antagoniste était plus marqué quand les vignes avaient été préalablement endommagées par l'alimentation de E. willametti. Dans d'autres expériences, la compétition alimentaire entre les deux espèces d'acariens était nécessaire pour produire un effet antagoniste. Cependant, nous ne pouvons pas en conclure que la réponse implique une résistance induite contre T. pacificus, ou une compétition interspécifique plus classique, ou les deux à la fois. Puisque les prédateurs étaient rares dans nos expériences, une explosion des prédateurs sur E. willametti n'a pu provoquer le faible niveau de population observé avec T. pacificus, bien qu'un tel méchanisme puisse être important dans certains vignobles. Quoi qu'il en soit, des expériences à plus grande échelle sont nécessaires pour déterminer si les vignerons peuvent introduire Eotetranychus willametti afin de limiter les populations de Tetranychus pacificus.

     

The evolution of developmental timing in natural enemy systems

A population of [PSI⁺] Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells can be cured of the [PSI⁺] prion by the addition of guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl). In this paper we extend existing nucleated polymerisation simulation models to investigate the mechanisms that might underlie curing. Our results are consistent with the belief that prions are dispersed through the cells at division following GdnHCl addition. A key feature of the simulation model is that the probability that a polymer is transmitted from mother to daughter during cell division is dependent upon the length of the polymer. The model is able to reproduce the essential features of data from several different experimental protocols involving addition and removal of GdnHCl.     

棉田捕食性天敌群落动态研究

对安徽沿江棉田捕食性天敌群落动态进行了研究。结果表明,棉田捕食性天敌种类很多,共记录19种,主要优势种为龟纹瓢虫,草间小黑蛛,八斑球腹蛛,三突花蛛,小花蝽和三色长蝽,捕食性天敌数量丰富,但雨季较少,优势种中龟纹瓢虫,三突花蛛,小花蝽和三色长蝽主要分布于棉株上部和中部,草间小黑蛛和八斑球腹蛛主要分布于棉株中,下部,群落多样性在棉花生育期前期较高,7月上旬棉花蕾花期达最大值,此后不断下降,影响群落多样性的主要因子,在棉花生育前期（苗期至蕾花期）是物种丰富度,在棉花生育后期（花铃期至吐絮期）是均匀度。群落特征在8月中旬前棉花苗期至花铃期较为类似,以后群落优势种特征日益突出,群落变化显著。     

菜用大豆田害虫天敌资源调查初报

根据田间系统调查,共发现菜用大豆田害虫天敌83种,隶属于2个纲8个目34个科69属;另发现2种病原微生物。其中索非亚恩蚜小蜂、银纹夜蛾多胚跳小蜂等是主要的寄生性天敌;青翅蚁形隐翅甲、龟纹瓢虫、草间小黑蛛、齿螯额角蛛和八斑鞘腹蛛等是主要的捕食性天敌。     

白背飞虱及其天敌黑肩绿盲蝽的趋光性研究

测定了白背飞虱Sogatella furcifera Horváth及其天敌黑肩绿盲蝽Cyrtorhinus lividipennis Reuter对紫光(410⁴15 nm)、蓝光(455415 nm)、蓝光(455⁴58 nm)、绿光(515458 nm)、绿光(515⁵18 nm)、黄光(587518 nm)、黄光(587⁵90 nm)、红光(615590 nm)、红光(615⁶18 nm)、白光(6 000618 nm)、白光(6 000⁶ 500 K)6种LED的趋光率。白背飞虱对蓝光和绿光较为敏感,且光波对白背飞虱趋光率的影响效应与暗适应时间有明显的互作;光照强度、羽化日龄及暗适应时间对白背飞虱的趋光率无显著影响。在不同光照强度下,黑肩绿盲蝽对蓝光的趋光率达19.25%±1.12%,显著地高于其它5种光波。     

Infochemical-mediated intraguild interactions among three predatory mites on cassava plants

Carnivorous arthropods exhibit complex intraspecific and interspecific behaviour among themselves when they share the same niche or habitat and food resources. They should simultaneously search for adequate food for themselves and their offspring and in the meantime avoid becoming food for other organisms. This behaviour is of great ecological interest in conditions of low prey availability. We examined by means of an olfactometer, how volatile chemicals from prey patches with conspecific or heterospecific predators might contribute to shaping the structure of predator guilds. To test this, we used the exotic predatory mites Typhlodromalus manihoti and T. aripo, and the native predatory mite Euseius fustis, with Mononychellus tanajoa as the common prey species for the three predatory mite species. We used as odour sources M. tanajoa-infested cassava leaves or apices with or without predators. T. manihoti avoided patches inhabited by the heterospecifics T. aripo and E. fustis or by conspecifics when tested against a patch without predators. Similarly, both T. aripo and E. fustis females avoided patches with con- or heterospecifics when tested against a patch without predators. When one patch contained T. aripo and the other T. manihoti, females of the latter preferred the patch with T. aripo. Thus, T. manihoti is able to discriminate between odours from patches with con- and heterospecifics. Our results show that the three predatory mite species are able to assess prey patch profitability using volatiles. Under natural conditions, particularly when their food sources are scarce, the three predatory mite species might be involved in interspecific and/or intraspecific interactions that can substantially affect population dynamics of the predators and their prey.