Abstract
To improve the mass production of the parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) the effects of supplementary nutrition on its reproduction and mating behaviour were investigated using Plodia interpunctella Hubner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larva as a host. The survival of mated male wasps was markedly prolonged after feeding with five different types of nutrients and that of unmated males was markedly prolonged except when provided with yeast solution. Providing female wasps with supplementary nutrition did not affect their longevity. When H. hebetor reproduced sexually and was supplied with an abundance of hosts, females produced 101.0 and 96.7 female offspring, respectively, when fed 20% sucrose or 20% honey solutions, however, when provided with only ten hosts the provision of supplementary nutrition did not affect the number of female offspring they produced. The 20% maltose, 20% sucrose and 20% honey solutions significantly promoted the courtship behaviour of male wasps, and the 20% yeast and 20% honey solutions increased the mating success of males paired with virgin females.
Highlights
Controlling pests using their natural enemies is one of the most important measures proposed for the development of sustainable agriculture (Ahmad & Jam, 2015)
We report the effect of providing supplementary nutrition in the form of one of five nutrient solutions on the reproduction and mating behaviour of adult H. hebetor
The supplementary nutrition did not prolong the longevity of female wasps
Summary
Controlling pests using their natural enemies is one of the most important measures proposed for the development of sustainable agriculture (Ahmad & Jam, 2015). The control of pests by natural enemies is in accord with the natural order and processes, includes the protection and utilization of indigenous natural enemies in nature and the release of artificially produced natural enemies (Yang et al, 2006). For improving pest control using natural enemies the most immediate and effective means is to simultaneously release artificially produced natural enemies into nature (Michaud, 2018). Approaches for effectively enhancing the efficiency of artificial breeding and use of natural enemies have been developed by scientists to overcome the obstacles to the use of natural enemy control. H. hebetor can adapt its reproductive strategy by producing more offspring and a higher female-to-male ratio when it parasitizes well developed host larvae (Akinkurolere et al, 2009; Al-Taweel et al, 2014; Jarrahi & Safavi, 2016; Majeed et al, 2018)
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