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Flying with a ‘death sentence’ on board: electrophoretic detection of braconid parasitoid larvae in migrating winged grain aphids, Sitobion avenae (F.)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2011

M.P. Walton ,
H.D. Loxdale  and
L.J. Allen-Williams
M.P. Walton
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, UK Plant & Invertebrate Ecology Division, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK
H.D. Loxdale*
Affiliation:
Institute of Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Dornburger Strasse 159, 07743 Jena, Germany
L.J. Allen-Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, UK
*
*Authors for correspondence Fax: +49 3641 949 402 E-mail: Hugh.Loxdale@uni-jena.de
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Abstract

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of enzymes (carboxylesterases) was used for the first time to monitor rates of parasitism in airborne alate (winged) grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (F.) population samples collected by suction trapping in Hertfordshire, UK. Using previously described electrophoretic ‘keys’, the species of hymenopterous parasitoids present in individual aphids were identified and found to be Aphidius ervi (Haliday) and/or Aphidius rhopalosiphi (De Stephani Perez) (Braconidae). Entomophthoralean fungal infection was also detected using this approach. Aphidiid wasp parasitism was detected from early June to mid-August and fungal infection from late June to late July. The results are discussed in relation to parasitoid population structure and dynamics, especially (i) the fact that winged aphids passively transport the early stages of their braconid parasitoids and fungal pathogens, potentially to newly-founded colonies, which may directly impact on the dual aphid-parasitoid populations genetics; and (ii) the approach used to collect and assay parasitised and fungal infected aphids involving both suction trapping and electrophoretic testing may have potential in assessing the level and efficacy of these biological control agents in integrated pest management (IPM) schemes to combat cereal aphid outbreaks.

Keywords

aphidhymenopterous wasp parasitoidgel electrophoresispercentage parasitismpassive transportintegrated pest management
Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 101 , Issue 4 , August 2011 , pp. 443 - 449
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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