Response to short-term cold storage for eggs of agasicles hygrophila (coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biological control agent of alligator weed alternanthera philoxeroides (caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae)

Küçük Resim Yok

Tarih

2018

Dergi Başlığı

Dergi ISSN

Cilt Başlığı

Yayıncı

Oxford University Press

Erişim Hakkı

info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess

Özet

The alligator weed flea beetle, Agasicles hygrophila Selman & Vogt (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has been used very successfully for the biological control of the widely-distributed invasive weed Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae). In order to extend the 'shelf life' of natural enemies released in biological control programs, cold storage has proven to be a valuable commercial procedure. To determine a suitable low temperature for storage of A. hygrophila, we conducted short-term cold storage treatments of eggs (4°C for 0.5, 1, 2, 5 d, and 7.5, 10, 15°C for 5 d and a control of 25°C; all eggs were returned to 25°C after the treatments). We evaluated the effects of these treatments on the subsequent fitness of the populations based on a demographic analysis using group-reared age-stage two-sex life tables. For 5 d storage, temperatures below 10°C had lethal effects, which were also observed at 4°C for 2 d storage. Storage at 4°C for 0.5 d did not affect the fitness of A. hygrophila, but it did not prolong the developmental time. Storage at 10°C for 5 d significantly decreased rates of population increase compared with 25°C. A. hygrophila stored at 15°C for 5 d had similar age-(stage) specific survival rates, rates of population increase, increased longevity and reproductive capability to the controls at 25°C. It is concluded that there were no significant fitness costs after 5 d storage at 15°C, which is therefore potentially a suitable storage temperature for A. hygrophila eggs. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

Açıklama

Anahtar Kelimeler

biological control, cold storage, egg survival, population fitness

Kaynak

Journal of Economic Entomology

WoS Q Değeri

Q2

Scopus Q Değeri

Q1

Cilt

111

Sayı

4

Künye