Based on the Dualistic Model of Passion (Vallerand et al., 2003), a sequence involving the determinants and affective experiences associated with two types of passion (harmonious and obsessive) toward sport was proposed and tested. This sequence posits that high levels of sport valuation and an autonomous personality orientation lead to harmonious passion, whereas high levels of sport valuation and a controlled personality orientation facilitate obsessive passion. In turn, harmonious passion is expected to lead to positive affective experiences in sport but to be either negatively related or unrelated to negative affective experiences. Conversely, obsessive passion is hypothesized to be positively related to negative affective experiences in sport but to be either negatively related or unrelated to positive affective experiences. Results of three studies conducted with recreational and competitive athletes involved in individual and team sports provided support for the proposed integrative sequence. These findings support the role of passion in sport and pave the way to new research.

Quality assessment of entomophagous arthropods used in augmentative biological control is one of the main concerns after their mass production. The quality-testing procedures for natural enemies reared on artificial diets largely remain to be defined. As a first approach, comparisons of some relevant parameters between in vivo- and in vitro-reared entomophages are presented in this chapter. Results from experiments with different kinds of diets with or without insect components, developed for parasitoids and predators, are examined. Morphological traits as well as development and reproduction parameters used for comparisons between in vivo- and in vitro-grown arthropods are discussed. Morphological characters include body size and weight and the occurrence of abnormalities. Immature development is assessed by measuring duration and survival rates of the different stages. Sex ratio and symbiont association, fecundity-fertility and longevity are compared as reproduction parameters. It is important to consider biochemical parameters, such as protein, lipid and carbohydrate content, for quality control. These parameters may also indicate the deficiency or excess in a particular nutritional component. Behavioural and genetic parameters are considered as well. The establishment of relationships between certain parameters, e.g. between body size and fecundity or longevity, may help in simplifying quality control procedures. The ultimate quality criterion for an artificially reared natural enemy is its capacity to reduce pest populations, which can be evaluated by measuring the predation efficiency or the parasitization rate under laboratory or field conditions.

The predatory coccinellid Harmonia axyridis is a polyphagous species, efficient at controlling certain aphid species and already commercialized in Europe for that purpose. The complete development of this predator can be accomplished using the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum or Ephestia kuehniella eggs as substitution prey. Biochemical analyses were conducted on the proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates of these two different prey species. E. kuehniella eggs were 2 times richer in amino acids than A. pisum adults (12% of the fresh weight vs. 6%). E. kuehniella eggs were 3 times richer in lipids than the aphids but, on the contrary, the aphids were 1.5 times richer in glycogen. The impact of these two kinds of food on the body composition of the coccinellid was evaluated to appreciate the degree of nutritional plasticity of the coccinellid. The composition of the coccinellids feeding either on E. kuehniella eggs or on aphids was compared for amino acid, fatty acid and glycogen contents, revealing a good capability of H. axyridis to develop on foods that are very different in their biochemical composition. Nevertheless, when fed on aphids, the crude protein content of the predator was reduced and the lipid content decreased by a factor of two, with a change in amino and fatty acid patterns. Some biological parameters, such as larval mortality, adult weight, and fecundity, were modified according to the food eaten.

Rickettsial symbionts of the genus Wolbachia, harboured by many arthropod species, are implicated in feminization, cytoplasmic incompatibility and parthenogenesis phenomena. These symbionts induce thelytokous parthenogenesis in some egg parasitoids of the Trichogramma genus. In our study of these minute wasps, puri¢ed Wolbachia from an infected species, T. pretiosum, were transferred by microinjection into in vitro developed pupae of an uninfected species,T. dendrolimi. We believe this to be the ¢rst successful transfer of Wolbachia in parasitoids. The presence or absence of Wolbachia was determined using DAPI staining, PCR and ftsZ gene sequencing. An ftsZ gene fragment from microinjected T. dendrolimi was shown to be identical to that of T. pretiosum, con¢rming that transfer was successful. Wolbachia were still present in the recipient species 26 generations after the transfer, although only partial induction of thelytoky was observed. Therefore, in Trichogramma, density of symbionts or symbiont^host interactions may be involved in the expression of parthenogenesis. The successful transfer of the symbiont within the Trichogrammatidae, a group of insects used in biological control strategies, could increase their agronomic importance by manipulating their reproductive system.