Unexpectedly High Levels of Parasitism of Wheat Stem Sawfly Larvae in Postcutting Diapause Chambers Author(S) :Tatyana A
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Unexpectedly High Levels of Parasitism of Wheat Stem Sawfly Larvae in Postcutting Diapause Chambers Author(s) :Tatyana A. Rand, Debra K. Waters, Thomas G. Shanower Source: The Canadian Entomologist, 143(5):455-459. 2011. Published By: Entomological Society of Canada URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.4039/n11-023 BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/ terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder. BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. 455 Unexpectedly high levels of parasitism of wheat stem sawfly larvae in postcutting diapause chambers Tatyana A. Rand, Debra K. Waters, Thomas G. Shanower Abstract*We examined rates of late-season parasitism of larvae of the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), by native species of Bracon F. (Hymenop- tera: Braconidae) over 8 years in Montana and North Dakota, United States of America. We found that rates of parasitism of larvae in diapause chambers reached a maximum of 46%, exceeding the previously reported maximum of 2.5% in 75% of sites and years examined. In contrast to previous work, our results demonstrate that C. cinctus larvae are suitable hosts for braconid parasitoids, even after the formation of diapause chambers, and suggest that parasitism rates may be underestimated if stems are sampled prior to harvest. Re´sume´*Nous examinons les taux de parasitisme en fin de saison chez les larves du ce`phe du ble´, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymnenoptera: Cephidae), par les espe`ces indige`nes de Bracon F. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) sur une pe´riode de 8 ans dans le Montana et le Dakota du Nord, E´ tats-Unis. Les taux de parasitisme des larves en diapause dans leur logette atteignent un maximum de 46 %, ce qui de´passe le maximum de 2,5 % enregistre´ ante´rieurement dans 75 % des sites et anne´es examine´s. Contrairement aux travaux pre´ce´dents, nos re´sultats de´montrent que les larves de C. cinctus sont des hoˆtes approprie´s pour les parasito¨ıdes braconide´s, meˆme apre`s la formation des logettes de diapause; il se peut que les taux de parasitisme aient e´te´ sous- estime´s par le pre´le`vement des tiges avant la pe´riode des re´coltes. [Traduit par la Re´daction] Introduction pressure on larvae of C. cinctus in wheat in some regions (Morrill 1997; Runyon et al. The wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Nor- 2001). Females of both Bracon species locate, ton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), is the most paralyze, and then lay eggs on larvae of important pest of wheat, Triticum aestivum L. (Poaceae), in the northern Great Plains of C. cinctus within stems; the braconid larvae the United States of America (Morrill and develop as ectoparasitoids (Nelson and Kushnak 1999; Shanower and Waters 2006). Farstad 1953; Somsen and Luginbill 1956; Yield losses occur in part as a result of lodging Holmes et al. 1963). The location of a para- resulting from the girdling of stem bases by the sitoid reflects the position of a larvawhen it was stem-mining larvae. Larvae subsequently form initially parasitized. First-generation parasi- diapause chambers in the resultant stem stubs, toids develop rapidly and enter a short pupal in which they overwinter. Larvae of two native stage, adults emerge, and a complete or braconid wasps, Bracon cephi (Gahan) and partial second generation follows (Nelson Bracon lissogaster Muesebeck (Hymenoptera: and Farstad 1953; Somsen and Luginbill Braconidae), exert significant parasitism 1956). Second-generation adult parasitoids Received 15 February 2011. Accepted 28 April 2011. T.A. Rand,1 D.K. Waters, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory, Sidney, MT 59270, United States of America T.G. Shanower, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Center for Grain and Animal Health Research, Manhattan, KS 66502, United States of America 1Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected]). doi: 10.4039/n11-023 Can. Entomol. 143: 455Á459 (2011) # 2011 Entomological Society of Canada 456 Can. Entomol. Vol. 143, 2011 are present from the middle of August through to break diapause. Samples were then removed late September (Nelson and Farstad 1953), from cold treatment and 50Á100 stubs were which is mostly after wheat harvest in the placed upright in 454 g plastic containers, northern Great Plains. covering the base of the stubs with a small The lack of late-season hosts on which amount of potting soil. Containers with stubs second-generation Bracon species can com- were placed inside sealable perforated 3.8 L plete development, and thereby increase in plastic bags (two containers per bag). These numbers, has been considered a major factor were maintained in the laboratory at 21Á25 8C limiting their success in controlling C. cinctus under fluorescent lighting with a 16L:8D (Holmes et al. 1963; Morrill et al. 1994). cycle, keeping the soil moist by spraying daily Holmes et al. (1963) observed that B. cephi with distilled water. rarely attacks C. cinctus successfully once it Stubs were monitored daily and emerging has formed overwintering chambers (this gen- C. cinctus and parasitoids were quantified and erally occurs when the moisture levels in the removed using an aspirator until emergence host plant drop below 50%, just prior to wheat ceased. Proportion parasitism was calculated harvest). Maximum rates of parasitism of as the number of Bracon spp. parasitoids C. cinctus by B. cephi in at least 600 stubs divided by the total number of emergent collected annually between 1953 and 1960 Bracon spp. and C. cinctus individuals com- near Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, was 2.5% bined. We pooled parasitoid numbers because (Holmes et al. 1963). Here we report on results the two Bracon species are difficult to distin- of a study designed to examine the generality guish morphologically (Runyon et al. 2001). of these findings by quantifying rates of Bracon cephi has previously been found to be parasitism of C. cinctus larvae in diapause the dominant parasitoid in eastern Montana chambers in wheat stubble after harvest (Meers 2005) and thus likely dominated our during an 8-year period in Montana and samples. North Dakota. Preharvest stem collection and dissection Materials and methods Sites used in 2001Á2004 were long-term research sites for which we also collected Postharvest stub collection and processing data on rates of C. cinctus stem infestation Stems that had been cut by C. cinctus to and parasitism. Between 87 and 151 stems form diapause chambers (hereinafter referred were collected just prior to harvest at each to as stubs) were collected after wheat harvest site in each year (Table 1), brought back to in Montana (Richland, Daniels, and Valley the laboratory, and dissected to assess rates of counties) and North Dakota (Golden Valley C. cinctus infestation and parasitism. Stems County), United States of America (Table 1) that contained any evidence of C. cinctus in the fall or early in the spring before the soil (eggs, larvae, or characteristic feeding damage warmed above 12 8C. Collections were made and frass) were considered infested. The pre- in one to three wheat fields per year between sence of Bracon spp. within stems was also 2001 and 2009, except in 2008. noted. Evidence of parasitoids included larvae In each sampling site-year, wheat stubble of Bracon spp. feeding externally on C. cinctus, was excavated and brought to the laboratory, cocoons present within the stems, or the where stubs were separated from uncut stems, presence of characteristic exit holes. Parasit- and carefully cleaned of excess soil and roots. ism was calculated as the number of stems More than 100 stubs were collected in each containing evidence of parasitism divided by site-year (Table 1). Stubs were placed into the number of stems infested by C. cinctus. sealable perforated 3.8 L plastic bags, lightly We fit general linear models using the sprayed with distilled water, and placed in cold REML (REstricted Maximum Likelihood) storage at 4Á8 8C for a minimum of 120 days method in JMP version 8.0.1 (SAS Institute # 2011 Entomological Society of Canada Rand et al. 457 Table 1. Location, sample sizes, and collection dates for each site and year of the study of parasitism of Cephus cinctus in North Dakota and Montana. Location* Latitude Longitude No. of stubs No. of stems Collection Year Site (N) (W) collected Collection dates collected date 2001 1 48.6406 105.2354 3164 10 Sept. Á 1 Nov. 87 28 Aug. 2 48.8384 106.3281 268 26 Oct. 151 21 Aug. 2002 1 48.6406 105.2354 153 12 Mar. 99 27 Aug. 2 48.8384 106.3281 883 5Á12 Mar. 111 27 Aug. 2003 1 48.6406 105.2354 2504 12 Sept. Á 23 Oct. 104 11 Aug. 2 48.8384 106.3281 1166 3 Apr. 102 31 July 2004 1 48.6406 105.2354 3645 22Á29 Oct. 129 5 Aug. 2005 1 48.6406 105.2354 3598 12Á19 Oct. NA NA 3 48.6571 105.2951 3738 3Á7Nov. NA NA 2006 3 48.6571 105.2951 400 18Á19 Oct.