Abstract
The multicolored Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis, H. axyridis, Coleoptera, and Coccinellidae) is an effective biocontrol agent against agricultural pests. Previous studies have suggested that amount, type, and the quality of food can directly affect the biological aspects of H. axyridis. In this study, we investigated the influence of the food sources (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, and artificial diets) on the gut microbiota diversity and the biology, reproductive variables, and population growth indicators of H. axyridis. Three kinds of diets were considered in this study: (1) HY: the adult of A. pisum Harris (HY group); (2) HM: the adult of D. citri Kuwayama (HM group); (3) HR: artificial diets prepared by blending a portion of fresh homogenized pork liver (15 g), honey (3 g), distilled water (35 ml) (HR group). We found that gut microbiota composition and diversity and the biological parameters differed when H. axyridis was fed with different diets. The abundance of Enterobacteriaceae was the highest in the HM group, followed by HY group, and was the lowest in the HR group. The abundance of Staphylococcaceae was highest in the HR group. Among the gut fungi, Davidiellaceae and Wallemiaceae were the highest and lowest in the HY group; Incertae_sedis were the major gut fungi in the HR group. Meanwhile, the changes of biological parameters may be correlated with the changes of Streptococcaceae abundance, Micrococcaceae abundance, Staphylococcaceae abundance, and Enterobacteriaceae abundance in responds to diet changes. To sum up, these data suggest that different diets can influence the changes in adult H. axyridis gut microbiota, consequently affecting the biological parameters.
Highlights
The multicolored Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (H.axyridis, Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), is an invasive generalist predator native to Southeast Asia, which has been used as an effective biocontrol agent against agricultural pests (Huang et al, 2019; Ricupero et al, 2020)
We investigated the influence of the food sources (A. pisum, D. citri, and artificial diets) in shaping the gut microbiota diversity and the biology, reproductive variables, and population growth indicators of H. axyridis
Our experiment suggested that H. axyridis could complete its development and reproduction when fed with A. pisum and D. citri, which was not possible when using an artificial diet prepared by blending a portion of fresh pork liver, honey, and distilled water
Summary
The multicolored Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (H.axyridis, Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), is an invasive generalist predator native to Southeast Asia, which has been used as an effective biocontrol agent against agricultural pests (Huang et al, 2019; Ricupero et al, 2020). H. axyridis can consume over 77 different prey species (found in approximately 85 plant species in 35 families) Their prey includes coccids, aphids, psyllids, and they even consume pollen and fruits (Koch, 2003; Soares et al, 2004; Koch et al, 2006; Martins et al, 2009; Guedes and Almeida, 2013). These aliments increase energy and assist in migration, providing survival in periods of prey scarcity and improving reproductive capacity. When the ingested food is low or of poor quality, the development time usually increases, and the reproductive rates, i.e., oviposition, fecundity, and fertility, decrease (Sighinolfi et al, 2008; Castro-Guedes et al, 2016)
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