Suitability of new and old association hosts for the development of selected microgastrine parasitoids of gramineous stemborers

Abstract

The present study examined the acceptability and suitability of Old World stemborers (Chilo partellus and C. orichalcociliellus) for the development of New World parasitoids (Apanteles deplanatus and A. minator) and New World stemborers (Diatraea saccharalis and D. grandiosella) for the development of Old World parasitoids (Cotesia sesamiae, C. flavipes and C. chilonis). Results revealed that acceptance and suitability were high in old associations. In new associations, parasitoids accepted about 60% of the new association hosts. In addition, 10 out of 17 new associations were successful. Apanteles species appeared to be more physiologically host specific than Cotesia species. For example, two of four new association hosts were accepted by A. deplanatus and only one (D. saccharalis) was partially suitable for progeny development. Among the Cotesia species, Cotesia flavipes appeared to have a wider host range than the two other species. It attacked all hosts offered and successfully parasitized all but one (D. grandiosella). Diatraea saccharalis was accepted and was a suitable host for the development of all parasitoid species tested, whereas D. grandiosella was unsuitable for the development of four out of five parasitoid species tested. No clear pattern was observed as behavioral acceptance did not always agree with the pattern of physiological suitability. Implications of these findings for importation biological control of stemborers are discussed.