Effects of water deficiency on preference and performance of an insect herbivore Ostrinia furnacalis

Author(s):  
M.Y. Duan ◽  
H. Zhu ◽  
H. Wang ◽  
S.Y. Guo ◽  
H. Li ◽  
...  

Abstract With further climate change still expected, it is predicted to increase the frequency with plants will be water stressed, which subsequently influences phytophagous insects, particularly Lepidoptera with limited mobility of larvae. Previous studies have indicated that oviposition preference and offspring performance of Lepidoptera insects are sensitive to drought separately. However, the integration of their two properties is not always seen. Here, we evaluated changes in oviposition selection and offspring fitness of a Lepidoptera insect under three water-stressed treatments using a model agroecosystem consisting of maize Zea mays, and Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis. Results found that female O. furnacalis preferred to laying their eggs on well-watered maize, and then their offspring tended to survive better, attained bigger larvae mass, and developed more pupae and adults on the preferred maize. Oviposition selection of O. furnacalis positively correlated with height and leaf traits of maize, and offspring fitness positively related with water content and phytochemical traits of hosts. Overall, these results suggest that oviposition choice performed by O. furnacalis reflects the maximization of offspring fitness, supporting preference–performance hypothesis. This finding further highlights that the importance of simultaneous evaluation of performance and performance for water driving forces should be involved, in order to accurately predict population size of O. furnacalis under altered precipitation pattern.

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Yosefus F. Da-Lopez ◽  
Y. Andi Trisyono ◽  
Witjaksono Witjaksono

<p>Insects’ oviposition behavior on alternate host plants is very helpful to understand the interaction between host plants and insects, the dynamics of insect populations, and the effectiveness of alternate host plants as refugia in managing insect resistance. The oviposition preference of <em>Ostrinia furnacalis</em> on maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L), king grass (<em>Panicum maximum</em> Jacq.), and cogon grass (<em>Imperata cylindrica</em> (L.) was studied through no-choice test, two-choice test, and three-choice test. The oviposition preferences hierarchy of <em>O. furnacalis</em> on maize, king grass, and cogon grass wass sequentially maize &gt; king grass &gt; cogon grass when the tested plants were at 21 DAP (days after planting). However, the hierarchy pattern may change depending on host plants phenology. The 35-day-old king grass was more preferred by <em>O. furnacalis</em> (proportion of eggs = 0.692; OPI = 37.57) than maize (proportion of eggs = 0.301; OPI = -38.780) and cogon grass (proportion of eggs = 0.174; OPI = -65.183) for oviposition. These findings indicated that king grass was a potential alternate host for <em>O. furnacalis </em>to survive and could serve as refugia in IRM strategy. However, it needs further research in the field to ensure the potential of king grass as refugia for <em>O. furnacalis.</em></p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Sotelo-Cardona ◽  
Wen-Po Chuang ◽  
Mei-Ying Lin ◽  
Ming-Yao Chiang ◽  
Srinivasan Ramasamy

AbstractGiven the new spread and potential damage of the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Asia, it has become imperative to understand the development biology of this invasive species on selected vegetable crops in newer geographical regions. In this study, we investigated the ovipositional preference of FAW females on different host plants, under choice- and non-choice tests. In addition, using the age-stage, two-sex life table theory, we assessed the performance of immature FAW individuals fed and reared on selected vegetable crops to get information related to development time, survival, reproduction and longevity. Fall armyworm females had an oviposition preference on maize compared to other vegetable crops, including cabbage and soybean, and reluctance for tomato, which was confirmed during the choice and non-choice tests. In contrast to the oviposition preference, our results also suggest that despite low preference for cabbage, soybean, and tomato, these crops seemed to provide a high benefit for an appropriate offspring performance, exceeding in some cases the benefits from a maize-based diet. Information from this study was discussed in terms of FAW ecology and how female’s decision affects their reproductive fitness, and the survival and performance of its offspring.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Zhu ◽  
Jun Fu ◽  
Han Wang ◽  
Michael J. Bidochka ◽  
Mingyi Duan ◽  
...  

Abstract Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), often considered as a bioinsecticide, are also able to colonize and establish a symbiotic relationship with plants as an endophyte. Recent studies demonstrated that endophytic EPF can enhance plant growth and are antagonistic to fungal pathogens. These newly emerging, but not yet fully understood, ecological roles suggest the possibility that EPF may further mediate oviposition preferences and offspring performance of an herbivorous insect. However, such EPF-mediated effects and underlying mechanisms are largely unexplored. Here, we examined the hypothesis that the endophytic EPF Beauveria bassiana can modulate oviposition behavior of the Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis. We observed that O. furnacalis females preferred to lay eggs on B. bassiana inoculated maize plants. This is likely attributed to the net effects of plant volatile profiles induced by B. bassiana, with an increase in emitted amount of insect-attractive compounds 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and 3-hexen-1-ol and a decrease in insect-repellent compounds β-caryophyllene, naphthalene, and α-pinene. This finding provides an example of EPF-induced plant volatile-mediated interaction between plants and insects. However, fewer O. furnacalis larvae, pupae, and adults survived on the oviposition-preferred maize possibly due to lower plant nitrogen content. These results indicated that oviposition selection by O. furnacalis did not reflect the maximization of offspring fitness following B. bassiana inoculation. We suggest that fitness consequences of oviposition preferences should be considered when incorporating EPF as a biopesticide and as a potential biofertilizer within an integrated pest management programs.


2010 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 260-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Guo ◽  
Xiang-Yong Zeng ◽  
Deng-Yuan Wang ◽  
Guo-Qing Li

Insects ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Yu Wang ◽  
Yang-Yang Hou ◽  
Giovanni Benelli ◽  
Nicolas Desneux ◽  
Asad Ali ◽  
...  

The Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnicalis, is a serious corn pest in south-east Asia, causing huge economic losses every year. Trichogramma dendrolimi and Trichogramma ostriniae, two egg parasitoids, have previously been identified as key biological control agents. To determine the age impact of ACB eggs on their effective biocontrol potential, herein we compared the biological parameters (i.e., number of parasitized eggs, emergence, developmental time, and sex ratio) of both parasitoids on ACB eggs of various ages (i.e., 0–4, 4–8, 8–12, 12–16, 16–24, 24–36, and 36–48 h old), respectively. Our results showed that the age of ACB eggs had a significant impact on the parasitization activity of T. dendrolimi in both choice and no-choice conditions. Trichogramma dendrolimi preferred to parasitize 0–8-h-old ACB eggs, and its parasitization dramatically declined on ACB eggs older than 8 h under choice and no-choice conditions. On the other hand, T. ostriniae showed high preference to parasitize all tested ACB egg ages. The age of ACB eggs had no significant impact on the parasitization of T. ostriniae under choice and no-choice conditions. Furthermore, the female progeny of T. dendrolimi decreased as the age of ACB increased, while no differences were found in female progeny of T. ostriniae. Trichogramma ostriniae also developed faster on each ACB egg age group in comparison with T. dendrolimi. Overall, the age of ACB eggs had a significant impact on T. dendrolimi performance, leading us to conclude that T. ostriniae is more effective than T. dendrolimi as a biocontrol agent of the ACB.


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