1 research outputs found
Molecular characterization of parasitoids from armored scales infesting citrus orchards in Corsica, France
9 páginas, 4 figuras, 1 tablaArmored scales (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)
are important pests in citrus orchards worldwide.
Augmentative releases of Aphelinidae wasps (Hymenoptera)
have been performed in Corsica, France to
control the California Red Scale (Aonidiella aurantii
(Maskell, 1879)) and the arrowhead scale (Unaspis
yanonensis (Kuwana, 1923)), but biological control of
armored scales requires the identification of their
parasitoids to evaluate their potential as biological
control agents. In order to circumvent this issue,
parasitoids emerging from four armored scale species
were characterized through DNA barcoding. All the
parasitoids identified belong to the Aphelinidae (Hymenoptera)
and included a total of five Aphytis
(including A. melinus), four Encarsia (including cryptic
species) and one Ablerus (hyperparasitoid) species.
Host-specificity was found to be strong among
primary parasitoids, with Encarsia inquirenda Silvestri,
1930 and an unidentified Encarsia being the
sole taxa able to parasitize the two subfamilies
(Aspidiotinae and Diaspidinae).This work was funded by the
ONEMA through the ECOPHYTO program of the Cors’Aphy
Project. MC and FP received financial support from the Marie
Curie FP7 IAPP Project ‘‘Colbics’’ #324475. FP also
acknowledges support by the project CHALLENGEN
(CTM2013-48163) of the Spanish Government.Peer reviewe