Orius sauteri (Poppius) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) is a polyphagous predator used as a biological control agent of palm thrips, Thrips palmi (Karny) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). We studied O. sauteri' s searching efficiency, time allocation on a leaf, leaving tendency, and attacking of prey. Approximately 78% of the encountered prey was eaten. Searching for prey was concentrated for 86% of the time on the lower leaf side, where palm thrips are usually found. Patch residence times on empty leaves were different from those on leaves with T. palmi larvae. Walking activity was not affected by the thrips density, and walking took place during 64% of the total search time. The leaving tendency of O. sauteri was affected by the time from patch entry and the presence or absence of palm thrips, but not by the thrips density. If prey were present, the leaving tendency decreased (multiplication factor 0.327), resulting in longer giving-up times than when no prey was present. The fact that the leaving tendency increases when patch exploitation lasts longer suggests that not much time is wasted on patches where encounters with prey are scarce.

New virus-like sequences, TvAQ7 and TvP15, were found in a Japanese grapevine accession of OKY-AQ7 (cv. Aki Queen) and of OKY-P15 (cv. Pione) by nested RT-PCR to simultaneously amplify a segment of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene from members of the genera Vitivirus and Foveavirus. The TvAQ7 genome, except for an exact 5' terminus, is composed of about 7.6 kb containing five potential open reading frames. The genomic organization resembles those of grapevine virus A and other known vitiviruses. The 199-amino-acid sequence deduced from the ORF4 of TvAQ7 has 38.5-54.0% identity with the coat protein (CP) of known grapevine vitiviruses and 86.9% identity with TvP15. Phylogenetic analysis based on amino acid sequences of the CP showed that TvAQ7 and TvP15 were closely related to the vitiviruses. In addition, we confirmed that TvAQ7 and TvP15 were transmitted from infected grapevine to healthy seedlings by the mealybug Pseudococcus comstocki Kuwanae. On the basis of our findings, TvAQ7 and TvP15 should be considered isolates of a new species of the genus Vitivirus, and both isolates are probably genetic variants of the new species. We propose to name this virus grapevine virus E (GVE).

The predator Orius sauteri (Poppius) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) is an effective arthropod natural enemy of thrips, especially Thrips palmi Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), a serious pest of vegetables. First, we studied O. sauteri's response to the odour from thrips‐infested eggplant [Solamum melongena L. (Solanaceae)] in a laboratory by two‐choice experiments using a Y‐tube olfactometer. When detached eggplant leaves were used as odour sources, O. sauteri preferred the volatiles from uninfested leaves to clean air. Concerning preferences among differently infested leaves, O. sauteri preferred the volatiles from plants infested with 10–100 thrips per leaf to uninfested leaves, but showed no significant preference for artificially damaged leaves over uninfested leaves. Similar results were obtained when complete plants were tested as the odour source. Second, release and recapture experiments in a greenhouse, a more realistic set of conditions, were conducted to confirm whether a significant preference for infested plants occurred at similar infestation levels as in the laboratory. Trends favouring infested plants were detected at densities of five and 500 thrips per plant; however, at the five thrips per plant, this trend was due to the large deviation seen in infested plants in only one replicate. In light of the low tolerable thrips density of eggplant, it is necessary to confirm whether artificial treatments with chemicals induce the emission of herbivore‐induced plant volatiles that can attract O. sauteri and prolong its residence time on the leaf.

No abstract