Abstract
Many insects harbor heritable endosymbionts, whether obligatory or facultative, and the role of facultative endosymbionts in shaping the phenotype of these species has become increasingly important. However, little is known about whether micro-injected endosymbionts can have any effects on aphid clones, which was measured using various ecological parameters. We examined the effects between symbiotic treatments and the vital life history traits generated by Regiella insecticola on the life table parameters of Sitobion avenae. The results showed that R. insecticola can decrease the intrinsic rate of increase (r), the finite rate of increase (λ) and birth rate and can increase the mean generation times (T) of S. avenae clones, suggesting that R. insecticola may decelerate the normal development of the hosts. No significant differences of these parameters were observed between the examined Sitobion avenae clones, and the symbiont treatment by genotype interaction affected only the net reproduction rate R0, pre-adult duration and total longevity but not the other parameters. Additionally, a population projection showed that R. insecticola decelerated the growth of the S. avenae clones. The evocable effects of R. insecticola on the S. avenae clones may have significant ramifications for the control of S. avenae populations under field/natural conditions.
Highlights
Secondary endosymbionts do not present in all aphid individuals, suggesting they are not generally required for the survival and reproduction of aphids
For a more exact understanding of the impacts of R. insecticola on hosts, it is necessary to obtain S. avenae clones with R. insecticola inoculated via micro-injection, which would have the same genetic background as symbiont-free aphids
The objectives of the study are to investigate the ecological effects of R. insecticola on different S. avenae clones based on the life table data
Summary
Secondary endosymbionts do not present in all aphid individuals, suggesting they are not generally required for the survival and reproduction of aphids. There is evidence that secondary endosymbionts play major roles in protecting host aphids against natural enemies[17,24], and their effects on host aphid population dynamics[25] can affect the communities involved[26]. To examine the dynamic population parameters affected by endosymbionts, an appropriate study of the life history of aphids is essential. For a more exact understanding of the impacts of R. insecticola on hosts, it is necessary to obtain S. avenae clones with R. insecticola inoculated via micro-injection, which would have the same genetic background as symbiont-free aphids. The study of the interactive effects between micro-injected endosymbionts and the genotypes of the hosts and the ecological effects of endosymbionts on the aphid population is warranted. The objectives of the study are to investigate the ecological effects of R. insecticola on different S. avenae clones based on the life table data. The results that we present here might provide new insight for the future systematic study of endosymbionts and its ramifications in suppressing S. avenae populations
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