Host plant effects on the functional response ofNeoseiulus cucumeristo onion thrips larvae

Abstract

The performance of herbivores, natural enemies and their interactions may be affected directly or indirectly by host plant traits, e.g. the physical plant characteristics may influence the search pattern and the functional response of predators. We studied the functional response of adult females of the predatory mite Neoseiulus cucumeris to first instar larvae of Thrips tabaci on three host plants (sweet pepper, eggplant and cucumber). The 24-h leaf disc experiments conducted at 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 10% relative humidity and 16 : 8 h (light : dark) showed that N. cucumeris exhibited a type II functional response on all host plants. The following search rates and handling times were estimated from fitting the data to the disc equation 0.043/h and 1.798 h (cucumber); 0.048/h and 1.030 h (sweet pepper) and 0.0441/h and 2.294 h (eggplant) giving an estimated maximum predation of 13.35, 23.31 and 10.46 larvae per day respectively. The data from sweet pepper could also be described by the random predator equation (a¢: 0.051/h; T h : 0.472 h). The host plant species interacted significantly with prey density on the functional response of N. cucumeris with the relative differences in the number of thrips eaten on each host plant increasing with density. It is suggested that it is mainly the difference in trichome density between the three host plants that is responsible for the observed differences in the functional response of N. cucumeris. These results emphasize the importance of the host plant characteristics on the performance of natural enemies and for optimizing their use in biological control of pests.

Functional and numerical responses of Amblydromalus limonicus and Neoseiulus cucumeris to eggs and first instar nymph of tomato/potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli)

“…Various factors may affect handling time such as predator speed, movement of prey, and the time spent subduing individual prey (Hassell 1978), which could possibly be related to behavioural and physical prey attributes (Ali et al 2011). Madadi et al (2007) and Yao et al (2014) also demonstrated similar results to our study in regards to attack rate and handling time as both studies investigated the functional response of N. cucumeris on Thrips tabaci larvae and first instar of T. flavidulus. Madadi et al (2007) indicated the attack rate for N. cucumeris was 0.048 and the handling time was 1.030 hrs at 25°C.…”

“…Madadi et al (2007) and Yao et al (2014) also demonstrated similar results to our study in regards to attack rate and handling time as both studies investigated the functional response of N. cucumeris on Thrips tabaci larvae and first instar of T. flavidulus. Madadi et al (2007) indicated the attack rate for N. cucumeris was 0.048 and the handling time was 1.030 hrs at 25°C. Yao et al (2014) indicated the attack rate for N. cucumeris was 0.8856 and the handling time was 0.0298 hrs at 26°C.…”

“…The negative values estimated for the linear parameters as well as the inverse density-dependant relationship between the proportion of prey consumed and initial prey density of eggs and 1 st star nymphs indicate a type 2 functional response for both A. limonicus and N. cucumeris. In several phytoseiid species, type 2 functional response is common, including N. cucumeris on western flower thrips (Shipp & Whitfield 1991), N. cucumeris, Neoseiulus barkeri, and Euseius nicholsi on Thrips flavidulus (Yao et al 2014), N. cucumeris on Thrips tabaci larvae (Madadi et al 2007), and N. cucumeris on T. tabaci (Nielsen et al 2014). Predators with a type 2 functional response have proved to be efficient, especially at low prey densities (Koehler 1999).…”

<p class="Body"><strong>Re-description of <em>Neoseiulus</em> <em>bicaudus</em> (Acari: Phytoseiidae) newly recorded from Xinjiang, China</strong></p>

“…The host plant is an interactive component of biological control practices and the characteristics of the host plant need to be considered when determining the predator release rate (Krips et al1999;Loughner et al2008;Madadi et al 2007;Romero & Vasconcellos 2005). Life tables of both predatory mites and spider mites on different plant species provide important information that is needed for the efficient release of predatory mites to control pests in crop fields (Villanueva & Childers 2006;McMurtry et al 2004;Gotoh & Kitashima 2006).…”

Temperature dependent functional response of Diaeretiella rapae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) to the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

“…The response of a natural enemy to increasing host density (functional response) is important for the outcome of parasitoidbased biocontrol programs (Berryman, 2004) and together with the numerical response an indispensable element in their biological characterization (Cedola et al, 2001, Gilioli et al, 2005 and an important determinant of their effectiveness as biological control agents (Houck & Strauss, 1985;Jost & Ellner, 2000). Different factors may influence their functional responses, including host plant surface traits (Coll & Ridgway, 1995;Messina & Hanks, 1998;Madadi et al, 2007), host species (Mansfield & Mills, 2004), natural enemy life stages (Seko & Miura, 2008), host age (King, 1994;Ode & Strand, 1995) and spatial complexity (Madadi et al, 2011). However, the functional response of poikilothermic organisms like parasitoids, are greatly affected by temperature (Cave & Gaylor, 1989;Flinn, 1991;Enkegaard, 1994;Bazzocchi & Burgio, 2001;Jones et al, 2003;Kalyebi et al, 2005;Shojaei et al, 2006;Moezipour et al, 2008;Tazerouni et al, 2012).…”