Bulletin of Insectology 71 (1): 151-158, 2018 ISSN 1721-8861 Effect of temperature, host plant, and host instar on the development and survival of the parasitoid Semielacher petiolatus 1 2 2 2 Argyro P. KALAITZAKI , Antonios E. TSAGARAKIS , Dionyssios PERDIKIS , Dionyssios P. LYKOURESSIS 1Hellenic Agricultural Organization ‘DEMETER’, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Plants and Viticulture, Chania, Greece 2Agricultural University of Athens, Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Athens, Greece Abstract Laboratory studies were conducted to assess the effect of temperature on the development and survival of the parasitoid Semiela- cher petiolatus (Girault) on its host, the citrus leaf miner Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton. Experiments were conducted at five con- stant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 and 32.5 °C), with RH 60 ± 10% and a photoperiod of 14:10 h (L:D). The relationship between the developmental rate and temperature was investigated using both linear and non-linear (Lactin’s formula) models. The shortest developmental period was recorded at 30 °C and the longest at 15 °C. No adults emerged at 32.5 °C, as no pupa survived. Mortal- ity (%) from egg to adult was lower at temperatures within the range 20-30 °C than at either 15 °C or 32.5 °C. The lower devel- opmental thresholds estimated by the non-linear model for egg, larval and pupal development were higher than those estimated by the linear model. The estimated upper developmental thresholds for egg, larval and pupal development were 36.5, 32.9 and 30.9 °C, respectively. The optimum temperature for development ranged between 26.7-29.5 °C. Our results provide a broad in- sight into the biological characteristics and thermal requirements of S. petiolatus, factors important to further characterize its role as biological control agent under typical Mediterranean climatic conditions. Key words: Hymenoptera, Eulophidae, ectoparasitoid, Phyllocnistis citrella, constant temperatures, developmental threshold, thermal constant, biological control, optimum temperature. Introduction zaki et al., 2011). S. petiolatus also spread and became an abundant Semielacher petiolatus (Girault) (Hymenoptera Eulo- parasitoid of the citrus leafminer in Italy (Sicily) (Mineo phidae) is a solitary ectoparasitoid, indigenous to Aus- et al., 1998; Mineo, 1999; Massa et al., 2001; Zappalà, tralia (Bouĉek, 1988; Heppner, 1993; Smith and Beattie, 2010), Jordan (Ateyyat, 2002), Algeria (Schauff et al., 1996) and the Solomon Islands (Schauff et al., 1998). In 1998), Israel (Argov and Rössler, 1996), Morocco Australia S. petiolatus is the major parasitoid of the cit- (Abbassi et al., 1999), Turkey (Uygun et al., 1997), and rus leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidop- Portugal (Zappalà, 2010), although it failed to establish tera Gracillariidae) (Smith et al., 1997). in Spain (Garcia-Mari et al., 2004). The above parasitoid has been introduced into several Massa et al. (2001) reported that S. petiolatus could Mediterranean countries for the biological control of also be found on insect hosts other than citrus leafminer, citrus leafminer, including Greece (Kalaitzaki et al., including two Lepidoptera (Cosmopterix pulchrimella 2011), Cyprus, Israel, Morocco, Oman, Syria, Tunisia Chambers on Parietaria diffusa M. et K. and Stigmella (Schauff et al., 1998), Turkey (Elekcioglu and Uygun, aurella F. on Rubus ulmifolius Schott) and two Diptera 2006), and Spain (Garcia-Mari et al., 2004), as well as (Liriomyza sp. on Mercurialis annua L. and Chromato- the USA (Florida) (Lim and Hoy, 2005).The parasitoid myia horticola Goureau on Sonchus spp.) in Italy and a was found in Italy in 1998, although it is unknown how further Lepidoptera (Dialectica scalariella Zeller on it arrived there (Mineo et al., 1998). S. petiolatus was Echium sp.) in Jordan. introduced in Greece in 1996, during the frame of a However, to evaluate a natural enemy for its potential classical biological control project for the citrus leaf- as a biological control agent, studies on its biological miner. Among the introduced species were the eulo- characteristics such as development and survival under phids Citrostichus phyllocnistoides (Narayanan), different conditions as well characterization of its inter- Quadrastichus sp. and Cirrospilus quadristriatus actions with other natural enemies (Lim et al., 2006; (Subba Rao et Ramamani) (Hymenoptera Eulophidae), Naselli et al., 2017) are essential. The development and the encyrtid Ageniaspis citricola Logvinovskaya time, adult longevity, total fecundity, host mortality, and (Hymenoptera Encyrtidae). The parasitoids were re- host-size choice have been studied at 25 °C by Lim and leased in several areas of Greece (Kalaitzaki et al., Hoy (2005). In a further study its host discrimination 2011; Tsagarakis et al., 2013). Among the released capacity, relative humidity tolerance and parasitisation parasitoids, C. phyllocnistoides and S. petiolatus be- of alternative hosts were also assessed (Lim et al., came established in Greece, dispersing very rapidly over 2006). However, no experimental data concerning its large distances from the release sites, and contributing thermal requirements (developmental thresholds, opti- to a reduction in the citrus leafminer population (Kalait- mum temperature, and thermal constant) for develop- ment are currently available. eggs using a binocular stereoscopic microscope. Leaves Various mathematical formulae have been used to ex- with hosts on which one egg had been deposited were press the relationship between temperature and the rate transferred and placed individually on a water soaked of development of insects. Linear degree-day models cotton layer in a 9 cm diameter plastic Petri dish. are usually used, but the non-linear models describe de- The development time and mortality of the parasitoid velopment of insects under variable temperatures (Stin- immature stages were studied on sweet orange leaves at ner et al., 1975; Sharpe and DeMichele, 1977; Hilbert 15, 20, 25, 30 and 32.5 °C, and on mandarin leaves at and Logan, 1983; Campolo et al., 2014). 20, 25 and 30 °C, in a controlled growth room with RH In the present study the immature development of 60 ± 10%, 14:10 (L:D) h photoperiod and 10,000 Lux S. petiolatus was studied at several temperatures, and light intensity. The cohort size at each temperature was both linear and non-linear models were used to describe 80, 62, 43, 50 and 44 at 15, 20, 25, 30 and 32.5 °C on the relationship between temperature and its rate of de- sweet orange and 55, 44 and 54 eggs at 20, 25 and velopment. This study aimed to: (1) studying the devel- 30 °C on mandarin, respectively. Each egg was consid- opment and survival of egg, larval and pupal stages of ered as a replicate. The developmental time and mortal- S. petiolatus when reared on two instars of P. citrella at ity of the immature stages of the parasitoid were re- different temperatures; (2) studying whether the host corded at 12 h intervals until adult emergence, at all plant (on two important Greek citrus cultivars) and the temperatures except for 32.5 °C where observations sex ratio of the parasitoid affect its development; (3) de- were conducted at 8 h intervals. The host stage of the scribing the relationship temperature and the rate of de- parasitized larvae of P. citrella as well as the sex of the velopment using both linear and non-linear models; and emerged parasitoids was recorded in all cases. finally (4) estimating the thermal requirements for de- velopment of the parasitoid on each host - plant system. Thermal requirements for development The thermal requirements for the development of S. petiolatus were estimated using the linear model as Materials and methods described by Campbell et al. (1974). The temperature threshold (t) for development was estimated by extrapo- Insect rearing lating to zero the linear part of the relationship between The P. citrella colony was initiated using adults that temperature and development rate (the reciprocal of the emerged from infested shoots collected from citrus or- average development period in days). This relationship chards in the Chania prefecture of Crete. The rearing is described by the regression equation y = a + bT was maintained on two to three year old potted sour or- where y is the rate of development and T is the tempera- ange plants, Citrus aurantium L., in a glasshouse at ture in °C. The temperature threshold was calculated as 22.5 ± 2.5 °C under natural lighting at the Institute of t = −a/b and the thermal constant k (i.e. the amount of Olive Tree, Subtropical Plants and Viticulture, Chania. heat units required for development) as k = 1/b degree- Rearing of the parasitoid S. petiolatus was initiated days (DD) (Campbell et al., 1974). In the current study from adults that had emerged from parasitized larvae of the data obtained at 15, 20, 25 and 30 °C were used in P. citrella collected in citrus orchards in the area of the calculations. The data recorded at the highest tem- Chania, Crete. The rearing of S. petiolatus was main- perature (32.5 °C) were excluded because they didn’t tained on sour orange plants infested with P. citrella. fall within the linear region of the relationship between Plants were placed in transparent Plexiglas cages (50 × temperature and rate of development. 50 × 100 cm) in growth chambers in the laboratory, at The relationship between temperature and developmen- 25 ± 0.5 °C, 60 ± 10% RH with a 14L:10D photoperiod. tal rate was also investigated using the improved non- linear model of Lactin et al. (1995) (modification 2). Development and mortality of immature stages This model, which is based on a version of Logan et al. The development of S. petiolatus was studied using (1976), eliminates a redundant parameter and introduces eggs less than 8 h old oviposited on citrus leafminer lar- an intercept parameter to allow estimation of the lowest vae on the leaves of either sweet orange Citrus sinensis developmental threshold. Also, it describes the relation- (L) Osbck (cv.