Prey Density Dependent Life Table of Aphidoletes Aphidomyza Rondani (Dip., Cecidomyiidae) Feeding on Aphis Craccivora Koch (Hem., Aphididae) under Laboratory Conditions

Abstract

Abstract:The life table provides an integrated and comprehensive description of development times, survivorship, and reproduction of a population. Life table parameters of aphidophagous midge, Aphidoletes aphidimyza Rondani (Dip., Cecidomyiidae) on different densities (5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80) of third instar nymphs of Aphis craccivora Koch as prey, were studiedat (25±1°C, 70±5% relative humidity (RH) and a photoperiod of 16L : 8D h). There were no significant differences among the adult pre-ovipositional periods (APOP) at different prey densities. The total pre-ovipositional period (TPOP) of female A. aphidimyza was reduced significantly as prey density increased. The oviposition period was significantly different at varying prey densities. It was 4.333±0.211 and 5.625±0.324 days at the lowest and highest prey densities, respectively. Female longevity was also significantly different at varying prey densities. Fecundity was directly dependent on prey density (R 2 = 0.990). The lowest fecundity was obtained at a density of 5 prey (52.5±1.544 eggs) and the highest was at a density of 80 prey, per day (121.375±4.301 eggs). The intrinsic rate of increase (r) was prey density dependent (R 2 = 0.958), and ranged from 0.122±0.017 to 0.193±0.014 d -1 as prey density increased. The net reproductive rate (R 0 ) was significantly increased as prey density increased. The peak reproductive values showed that female aphidophagous midges at the age of 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 days made the highest contribution to the population at different prey densities. It was concluded that the increase in the densitits of third instar nymphs of A. craccivora had significant effects on demographic parameters of A. aphidimyza.

Optimizing aphid biocontrol with the predator Aphidoletes aphidimyza, based on biology and ecology

“…For example, cumulative fecundity per female during a 16‐day period reached 80 eggs or 120 eggs when larvae were ad libitum fed on Aphis craccivora or on A. pisum , respectively . To investigate the effect of prey availability, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, and 80 third instar nymphs of A. gossypii were offered to newly hatched first instar larvae of A. aphidimyza daily . The fecundity of the adult females (fed on a sucrose solution) that resulted from these larvae was significantly dependent on larval prey density.…”

“…41 To investigate the effect of prey availability, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, and 80 third instar nymphs of A. gossypii were offered to newly hatched first instar larvae of A. aphidimyza daily. 62 The fecundity of the adult females (fed on a sucrose solution) that resulted from these larvae was significantly dependent on larval prey density. The lowest lifetime fecundity (50 eggs) was obtained at a prey density of five aphids per day and the highest (120) eggs at the highest prey density of 80 aphids per day.…”

Predation rate and numerical response ofAphidoletes aphidimyzafeeding on different densities ofAphis craccivora

“…Our results are similar to those of El Titi (1972), Stewart and Walde (1997) and Lucas and Brodeur (1999), where fecundity of A. aphidimyza females increased as a function of aphid density, and it was also dependent on larval nutrition. Also, Madahi et al (2013aMadahi et al ( , 2013b discovered that an increase in A. gossypii and A. craccivora density will result in longer longevity which in turn will lead to higher reproduction rates of A. aphidimyza. This study showed a curvilinear response of A. aphidimyza to different prey densities.…”

“…The net reproductive rate (R 0 : mean number of offspring produced by an individual during its life span) and the transformation rate from number of prey eaten to predator offspring (Q p ) and net predation rate (C 0 : mean number of prey consumed by an individual during its life span) at different densities of A. craccivora are shown in Table 1. The net reproductive rate (R 0 ) of this predator preying on different densities of A. craccivora is derived from life table of this predator (Madahi et al, 2013b). It is obvious that Q p increases with increasing prey density.…”

Bottom‐up effect of host plants on life‐history characteristics of Aphidoletes aphidimyza feeding on Aphis gossypii

“…Aphidoletes aphidimyza females have the ability to discriminate between species and varieties of plants (El‐Titi, ; Mansour, ; Lucas & Brodeur, ; Sentis et al, ; Jandricic et al, ) and can find a single aphid‐infested plant among 75 non‐infested plants (El‐Titi, ) using a combination of olfactory stimuli (honeydew of aphids) and visual stimuli (prey host plant) as cues (Chandler, ; Choi et al, ). Although many researchers have investigated the predation capacity (Madahi et al, ) and life table (Havelka & Zemek, ; Madahi et al, ,b) of A. aphidimyza and its functional response to different prey densities (Madahi et al, ; Mottaghinia et al, ; Jalalipour et al, ), no study has been done on tritrophic interaction between A. aphidimyza , A. gossypii, and their prey host plants.…”