Learning can be detrimental for a parasitic wasp

Bertoldi, Valeria; Rondoni, Gabriele; Peri, Ezio; Conti, Eric; Brodeur, Jacques

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0238336

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Although the active volatile compounds were not identified in this study, we provided evidence that the parasitoid ability to exploit such stimulus is strictly linked to its main host. However, some of the stimuli from host species in different life stages can be exploited by parasitoids at short range (Fatouros et al, 2005;Conti and Colazza, 2012;Bertoldi et al, 2021). For instance, T. japonicus recognizes tracks of H. halys females in arena bioassays (Boyle et al, 2020;Malek et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotypic plasticity in an egg parasitoid affects olfactory response to odors from the plant–host complex

Chierici,

Sabbatini-Peverieri,

Roversi

et al. 2023

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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Female egg parasitoids must optimize their ability to find a suitable host for reproduction in a limited foraging time. Odorant cues associated with the plant–host complex play an essential role in guiding females toward the host. However, parasitoid response is not always identical within the same genotype, and it could be influenced by the environment. This phenotypic plasticity affects parasitoid behavior and morphology and is directly linked to rearing conditions. Yet, how plasticity influences olfactory responses of egg parasitoids toward plant–host odors is largely unexplored. Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) is an effective biocontrol agent of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Laboratory no-choice and choice tests showed T. japonicus potential to develop in eggs of non-target Pentatomidae. In Y-tube olfactometer we evaluated the olfactory responses of T. japonicus reared on different hosts toward plant–host derived volatiles associated with H. halys and two other stink bug species. Parasitoids reared on the main host H. halys positively responded only to odors from V. faba–H. halys complex. When reared on alternative hosts, T. japonicus was smaller and did not exhibit attraction to any stimuli, although egg load was only partially affected. Host-induced phenotypic plasticity should be considered when evaluating parasitoids for classical biological control.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotypic plasticity in an egg parasitoid affects olfactory response to odors from the plant–host complex

Chierici,

Sabbatini-Peverieri,

Roversi

et al. 2023

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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“…The exploitation of adult-related chemical odours is quite common in egg parasitoids 11 , 78 , 79 , however in the present study we noticed a lack of T. mitsukurii response to females of H. halys . Although it is known that volatile and non-volatile cues from physogastric females may represent reliable information for some Scelionid wasps, kairomones from stink bug females elicit parasitoid responses mainly at short distance 47 , 80 . For instance, a previous investigation demonstrated that T. japonicus responds to H. halys females only in a “short-distance” olfactometer and not in a “long-distance” olfactometer (as the one we have used here) 44 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Olfactory responses of Trissolcus mitsukurii to plants attacked by target and non-target stink bugs suggest low risk for biological control

Rondoni

Chierici

Giovannini

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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In crop systems, successful management of invasive insect herbivores can be achieved through the introduction of exotic biocontrol agents, parasitoids or predators, having a coevolutionary history with the pest. To avert threats to local biodiversity, recent legislations require a risk assessment for the organism to be released. Evaluation of its ability to exploit, for host location, odours associated with target and non-target species is crucial for a better definition of its ecological host range. Using Y-tube olfactometer bioassays in a quarantine laboratory, we investigated the ability of the Asian egg parasitoid Trissolcus mitsukurii (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) to exploit odours associated with the global invader Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and with non-target stink bugs native to Southern Europe. We demonstrated that T. mitsukurii is attracted by plants exposed to feeding and egg deposition of the coevolved H. halys and the native Nezara viridula, while it is not attracted by physogastric (gravid) females or eggs alone. Remarkably, T. mitsukurii is repelled by plants bearing eggs of the beneficial Arma custos. Our results contribute to a more thorough and nuanced assessment of the potential non-target risks in the case of mass-release of parasitoids as part of a biological control programme for invasive stink bugs.

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“…Host quality may determine the value of the reward in oviposition learning, as it appears to affect memory consolidation in Cotesia glomerata and the egg parasitoid Trichogramma evanescens (Kruidhof et al, 2012), but not in the species Nasonia vitripennis and Nasonia giraulti (Hoedjes et al, 2014). Similarly, oviposition in non-hosts may either result in decreased interest in the non-host or associated volatiles, as is the case in C. kariyai (Aikawa et al, 2020;Steven et al, 2019), or to increased searching intensity, as found in the egg parasitoid Telonomus podisi (Bertoldi et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of oviposition in a non‐host species on foraging behaviour of the parasitoid Cotesia glomerata

Vet

Smid

Boer

2022

Ecological Entomology

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Parasitoids lay their eggs in or on a host, usually another insect. During foraging, parasitoids can encounter insects that differ in terms of host suitability and quality. At one extreme end of this spectrum are non‐hosts that are unsuitable for offspring development. Non‐hosts are generally ignored but parasitization does occur and occasionally also results in egg deposition. Here, the authors investigate how oviposition in a non‐host influences subsequent foraging behaviour of a parasitoid and whether this is mediated by learning. The study system consists of the endoparasitoid Cotesia glomerata and the presumed non‐host caterpillar Mamestra brassicae. In the presence of Pieris brassicae hosts and/or their traces (frass), C. glomerata inserted its ovipositor into M. brassicae caterpillars. Eggs were deposited, but all eggs disappeared within 96 h, confirming the non‐host status of M. brassicae. In contrast to the expectation, there was no memory retention after oviposition in a non‐host and parasitoids did not alter their behaviour with respect to non‐host contacts and ovipositions. Instead, C. glomerata became more motivated to forage on a non‐host infested leaf. The authors propose that egg deposition in non‐hosts by C. glomerata might be due to their high egg load, which is thought to make parasitoids less selective on host quality, especially when they have few reproductive opportunities. In such cases, fitness costs to individual females are low. Egg deposition in non‐hosts might ultimately lead to host range expansion if parasitoids overcome the defence response of non‐hosts over evolutionary time.

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Learning can be detrimental for a parasitic wasp

Cited by 11 publications

References 55 publications

Phenotypic plasticity in an egg parasitoid affects olfactory response to odors from the plant–host complex

Phenotypic plasticity in an egg parasitoid affects olfactory response to odors from the plant–host complex

Olfactory responses of Trissolcus mitsukurii to plants attacked by target and non-target stink bugs suggest low risk for biological control

Effects of oviposition in a non‐host species on foraging behaviour of the parasitoid Cotesia glomerata

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