Effects of Indol-3-Acetic Acid on the biology of Galleria mellonella and its endoparasitoid Pimpla turionellae

Abstract

The effects of indol-3-acetic acid (IAA) were investigated on biological parameters of Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and its endoparasitoid Pimpla turionellae (Linnaeus 1758) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) reared on hosts treated with 50 to 10,000 ppm of IAA in their diet. Percent fecundity of first generation of G. mellonella females increased by 12% at 50 ppm whereas the most effective decrease, by 33%, was observed at 5,000 ppm. Percent fertility decreased by 20% at 1,000 ppm. All treatments displayed ±5% variations when compared to controls except for a 20% increase in corrected percent sterility at 1,000 ppm. The results did not reveal any considerable effect of IAA on egg hatching, larval and pupal developmental, or adult emergence times. The most striking effect observed was a decline in second generation pupal developmental time by 47% at 1,000 and 10,000 ppm. No dose-wise alterations were observed in adult longevity, weight, size and female sex ratio of G. mellonella. Treatment with IAA caused a slight prolongation in adult emergence and decrease in longevity of P. turionellae reared on hosts; longevity of wasps declined by 27% at higher doses. Neither wasp size nor weight displayed significant changes upon IAA treatment.

Effects of kinetin on biological parameters and hemocytes of Achroia grisella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

“…In a study conducted with another PGR, the effects of IAA added to the host diet were examined within the host-parasitoid interactions. Researchers found that neither the host Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) nor the endoparasitoid Pimpla turionellae L. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) displayed significant changes in adult size and weight upon IAA treatment [54]. The reason for the differences between our result and others' findings may be attributed in part to the use of different insect species.…”

“…The adverse effects of PGRs on the reproductive potential of insects were attributed to their interference with the neurosecretory system [29]. There are also other investigations showing the adverse effect of PGRs on beneficial insects through the host species [34,35,[54][55][56][57][58][59][60]. For example, IAA and GA 3 added to the diet of A. grisella were shown to cause undesirable effects on some life history traits and biochemical parameters of the parasitoid A. galleriae [34,35,59].…”

“…For example, IAA and GA 3 added to the diet of A. grisella were shown to cause undesirable effects on some life history traits and biochemical parameters of the parasitoid A. galleriae [34,35,59]. Another parasitoid, P. turionellae, was also shown to be influenced by IAA and GA 3 in the host diet [54,55,58]. In the current study, the sex ratio of A. grisella adults was male-biased in all tested groups, independent of kinetin dose.…”

Reprograming of epigenetic mechanisms controlling host insect immunity and development in response to egg-laying by a parasitoid wasp

“…Stock cultures of G. mellonella and P. turionellae were maintained in the laboratory as previously described [29]. Last-instar G. mellonella larvae, each weighing 200-250 mg, were reared to the pupal stage.…”

Proteo-Transcriptomic Characterization of the Venom from the Endoparasitoid Wasp Pimpla turionellae with Aspects on Its Biology and Evolution

“…To obtain sufficient specimens for proteome and transcriptomic work, colonies of P. turionellae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) were reared in the lab according to reference [104], using pupal stages of Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) as hosts. Adult parasitoids were collected after hatching from the host pupae and held in 1 L glass jars without a host and fed on 50% (v/v) honey solution.…”