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Effects of temperature and host plant on the biological parameters of Aphidius transcaspicus Telenga (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

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Abstract

The performance of the parasitoid species Aphidius transcaspicus Telenga on Hyalopterus amygdali Blanchard as the aphid host has been evaluated through a no-choice test. The experiments were carried out by measuring the prepupal and preimaginal development times, parasitism rate, emergence rate and sex ratio under controlled conditions. The effects of three constant temperatures between 20 and 27 °C (± 1 °C) and two host plants (almond tree, Prunus dulcis-winter host and reed, Phragmites communis-summer host) have been assessed. The results indicated that the highest prepupal (16.85 ± 0.293 days) and preimaginal (30.65 ± 0.254 days) development times appeared at 20 °C on P. communis and the lowest ones were also shown on the same host plant at 27 °C. In addition, the highest parasitism rate was observed on almond (62.78 ± 4.43% at 24 °C) while the lowest occurred on P. communis (30.38 ± 4.86% at 24 °C). The highest emergence rate was observed at 20 °C on P. communis (73.66 ± 5.03%) and on almond (61.64 ± 5.58%) whereas the lowest appeared at 27 °C on P. communis (27.50 ± 3.45%). Furthermore, the sex ratio was biased in favor of females on almond (0.360 ± 0.036 at 24 °C). However, it was slightly biased in favor of males on P. communis (0.547 ± 0.035 at 24 °C). Thus, the most favorable host plant and temperature for the development and multiplication of A. transcaspicus on H. amygdali was obviously almond tree and 24 °C (± 1 °C) respectively, among the tested plants and temperatures. Hence, these encouraging results could lead to carry on a release of this parasitoid in almond orchards.

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Abbreviations

RH:

relative humidity

N:

number of observations

SE:

Standard error

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

α:

significance level

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the members of the Entomology laboratory in the Higher Institute of Agronomic Sciences of Chott Mariem for their efficient help throughout this work. We are also thankful to the reviewers for their meaningful contribution in improving this manuscript.

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No research grant from any funding agency was received for this research work.

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  1. LR21AGR05: Gestion des espèces horticoles en mode biologique et conventionnel. Institut Supérieur Agronomique (ISA), Université de Sousse, Chott Mariem, 4042, Tunisia

    Sana Zouari & Monia Ben Halima Kamel

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  1. Sana Zouari
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The author SZ carried out the study, performed all the experimental work and the statistical analysis of the data and wrote the manuscript. The coauthor MBHK supervised and participated in the planning and implementation of the experiments and reviewed the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Sana Zouari.

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Zouari, S., Ben Halima Kamel, M. Effects of temperature and host plant on the biological parameters of Aphidius transcaspicus Telenga (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Int J Trop Insect Sci 44, 351–357 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-024-01175-y

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