Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2022

Abstract

Background: Domestication usually has negative effects on insect performance, especially when they are reared continuously for many generations. Rejuvenation can reduce the negative effects of domestication in the parasitoid, Trichogramma brassicae Bezdenko (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) reared for 30 generations (G) on Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Life table and parasitism parameters in the primary colony (G31–G45) were compared with the respective colony rejuvenated with field-collected individuals. Results: There were significant differences in life history traits between domesticated and rejuvenated populations. The highest (38.4 eggs/female) and lowest (13.3 eggs/female) fecundity was observed in rejuvenated G31 and domesticated G45, respectively. The highest values of the life table and parasitism parameters were observed in rejuvenated G31 without significant difference with G32, G33 and G34. The relationship between finite parasitism rate (ω) and generation number in both rejuvenated and domesticated populations were fitted to the cubic regression model, indicating the parasitism potential of T. brassicae increased significantly after adding feral individuals but decreased remarkably over the generations. Conclusions: Therefore, it seems that adding 10% feral individuals re-established the reproductive performance of the wasps at least for four generations, and it needs to be repeated routinely or it needs to be made by adding a higher rate of feral individuals. However, this issue should be investigated by more studies in which different rates of feral individuals are added to the primary colony.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

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