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Maria Ligia Rodrigues Macedo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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purification of a kunitz type inhibitor from acacia polyphylladc seeds characterization and insecticidal properties against anagasta Kuehniella zeller lepidoptera pyralidae
Web Science, 2013Co-Authors: Suzy Wider Machado, Maria Das Gracas Machado Freire, Sergio Marangoni, Caio Fernando Ramalho De Oliveira, Cezar Da Silva Bezerra, Marta Regina Kill, Olga L T Machado, Maria Ligia Rodrigues MacedoAbstract:Anagasta Kuehniella is a polyphagous pest that causes economic losses worldwide. This species produces serine proteases as its major enzymes for protein digestion. In this study, a new serine-protease inhibitor was isolated from Acacia polyphylla seeds (AcKI).Further analysis revealed that AcKI is formed by two polypeptide chains with a relative molecular mass of ∼20 kDa. The effects of AcKI on the development, survival, and enzymatic activity of Anagasta Kuehniella larvae were evaluated, by incorporating AcKI in an artificial diet. Bioassays revealed a reduction in larval weight of ∼50% with the lower concentration of AcKI used in the study (0.5%). Although additionalassays showed an increase in endogenous trypsin and chymotrypsin activities, with a degree of AcKI-insensivity, AcKI produces an anti nutritional effect on A. Kuehniella, indicating AcKI as a promising bioinsecticide protein for engineering plants that are resistant to insect pests.
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regulatory effects of an inhibitor from plathymenia foliolosa seeds on the larval development of anagasta Kuehniella lepidoptera
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A-molecular & Integrative Physiology, 2009Co-Authors: Vanessa Da Silveira Ramos, Maria Ligia Rodrigues Macedo, Maria Das Gracas Machado Freire, Jose Roberto Postali ParraAbstract:The Mediterranean flour moth, Anagasta Kuehniella, is one of the most important insect pests of grains, reported worldwide, feeding on stored grains and products of rice, rye, corn and wheat. Plants synthesize a variety of molecules, including trypsin inhibitors, to defend themselves against attack by insects. In this study, a trypsin inhibitor (PFTI) was purified from Plathymenia foliolosa (Benth.) seeds and was tested for insect growth regulatory effect. The survival and mass of A. Kuehniella larvae feeding on control seeds were about 82.7% and 5 mg, respectively, whereas survival on seeds containing 0.7% PFTI was about 56%, while a 66.1% reduction in the average mass of the larvae was observed. The results from dietary utilization experiments with A. Kuehniella larvae showed a reduction in efficiency of conversion of ingested food and digested food, and an increase in approximate digestibility and metabolic cost. The level of trypsin was significantly decreased in larval midgut and increased in the feces of larvae reared on a diet containing 0.7% PFTI. Results indicate that PFTI possesses a toxic effect against A. Kuehniella larvae.
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insecticidal action of annona coriacea lectin against the flour moth anagasta Kuehniella and the rice moth corcyra cephalonica lepidoptera pyralidae
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology C-toxicology & Pharmacology, 2007Co-Authors: Mirela B Coelho, Sergio Marangoni, Maria Ligia Rodrigues MacedoAbstract:Abstract Annona coriacea lectin (ACLEC) was tested for insecticidal activity against larvae of two pyralid moths, Anagasta Kuehniella and Corcyra cephalonica. ACLEC produced ∼ 50% mortality and mass loss in A. Kuehniella larvae when incorporated into an artificial diet at levels of 1.5% and 1.0% (w/w), respectively. In contrast, the inclusion of up to 2% ACLEC in the diet did not significantly decrease the survival or weight of C. cephalonica larvae. The nutritional indices for A. Kuehniella and C. cephalonica suggested that ACLEC had a multi-mechanistic mode of action and was an antifeedant for both insects. The toxicity in A. Kuehniella apparently resulted from a change in the gut membrane environment and consequent disruption of digestive enzyme recycling mechanisms. Affinity chromatography showed that ACLEC bound to midgut proteins of A. Kuehniella and C. cephalonica. However, the 14 kDa subunit of ACLEC was not digested by midgut proteases of A. Kuehniella, but was degraded by the corresponding C. cephalonica proteases within a few hours. These findings suggest the possibility of using ACLEC to engineer crop plants.
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purification and characterization of an n acetylglucosamine binding lectin from koelreuteria paniculata seeds and its effect on the larval development of callosobruchus maculatus coleoptera bruchidae and anagasta Kuehniella lepidoptera pyralidae
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2003Co-Authors: Maria Ligia Rodrigues Macedo, Daniela C S Damico, Maria Das Gracas Machado Freire, Marcos H Toyama, Sergio Marangoni, Jose C NovelloAbstract:This study describes the purification of an N-acetylglucosamine-binding lectin from Koelreuteria paniculata seeds and its effects on the larval development of Callobruchus maculatus and Anagasta Kuehniella. The lectin (KpLec) was characterized and isolated by gel filtration, affinity column, and reverse phase chromatography. SDS-PAGE indicated that this lectin is a dimer composed of subunits of 22 and 44 kDa. The N terminus exhibited 40% similarity with Urtiga dioica agglutinin. KpLec was tested for anti-insect activity against C. maculatus and A. Kuehniella. With regard to C. maculatus, an artificial diet containing 0.7 and 1% KpLec produced LD50 and ED50 value, respectively. However, for A. kuenhiella, an artificial diet containing 0.65% KpLec produced an LD50, whereas 0.2% KpLec produced an ED50. The transformation of genes coding for this lectin could be useful in the development of insect resistance in important agricultural crops. Keywords: Koelreuteria paniculata; N-acetylglucosamine binding; lecti...
Ekrem Atakan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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influence of different diets on some biological parameters of the mediterranean flour moth ephestia Kuehniella zeller lepidoptera pyralidae
Journal of Stored Products Research, 2020Co-Authors: Alican Kurtulus, Serkan Pehlivan, Tange Denis Achiri, Ekrem AtakanAbstract:Abstract The Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is one of the most important pests of stored products, especially damaging cereals. Besides pest status, its eggs and larvae are commonly used for mass rearing of many natural enemies. Different diets are suggested for the production of E. kueniella, but the influence of diet supplements, such as yeast and glycerine on the performance of E. Kuehniella diets are not clearly understood. In the present study, we investigated the effects of several diet ingredients on some major biological parameters of E. Kuehniella. Ten diets based on different combinations of wheat flour, cornmeal, wheat bran, glycerine and yeast were tested in the experiments. Twenty eggs of E. Kuehniella were added into 5 g of each diet within separate plastic cylindrical containers (5 cm height × 3 cm diameter) and incubated in climate rooms at 25 ± 1 °C and 60 ± 10 Relative Humidity (R.H) on a 14 h light: 10 h dark photoperiod. Pupal weight, developmental period, emergence ratio, fecundity and fertility were determined. The diet containing wheat flour, wheat bran, glycerine and yeast in a percentage of 53.33, 26.67, 15 and 5%, respectively, resulted in shorter development time and higher fertility, and could be used as an alternative to the standard diets currently used in insectaries.
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intraguild predation of orius niger hemiptera anthocoridae on trichogramma evanescens hymenoptera trichogrammatidae
European Journal of Endocrinology, 2017Co-Authors: Serkan Pehlivan, Alican Kurtulus, Tugcan Alinc, Ekrem AtakanAbstract:Intraguild predation of a generalist predator, Orius niger Wolff (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) on Trichogramma evanescens Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), was determined in choice and no-choice experiments using a factitious host, Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), under laboratory conditions. Choice and no-choice experiments were conducted in order to assess the level of intraguild predation of O. niger on E. Kuehniella eggs parasitized by T. evanescens. In no-choice experiments, approximately 50 sterile (1) non-parasitized, (2) 3-day-old parasitized, or (3) 6-day-old parasitized E. Kuehniella eggs were offered to 24-h-old females of O. niger in glass tubes. In choice experiments approximately 25 eggs of two of the three groups mentioned above were offered to 24-h-old O. niger females. In both choice and no-choice experiments, O. niger consumed more non-parasitized eggs of E. Kuehniella. However, intraguild predation occurred, especially of 3-day-old parasitoids, but very few 6-day-old parasitized eggs were consumed. The preference index was nearly 1 indicating O. niger preferred mainly non-parasitized E. Kuehniella eggs. A lower level of intraguild predation is expected under field conditions but needs to be investigated using further experiments.
Serkan Pehlivan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Influence of the eggs of Ephestia Kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) reared on different diets on the performance of the predatory bug Orius laevigatus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)
'Biology Centre AS CR', 2021Co-Authors: Serkan PehlivanAbstract:The predatory bug, Orius laevigatus (Fieber, 1860) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), is an important biological control agent and widely used for augmentative biological control of the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande, 1895 (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in greenhouse crops. This bug is generally reared using the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller, 1879 (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of E. Kuehniella eggs produced by adult moths reared on different larval diets on the performance of O. laevigatus. The diets were 95% cornmeal + 5% yeast (CY diet), 53.3% cornmeal + 26.7% wheat bran + 15% Glycerine + 5% yeast (CBGY diet) and 53.3% wheat flour + 26.7% wheat bran + 15% Glycerine + 5% yeast (WBGY diet). Laboratory studies started with newly emerged nymphs of O. laevigatus kept in a climate chamber at 27°C, 60% relative humidity and a 14L :10D photoperiod. Eggs of E. kuheniella adults that were fed on one of the three different larval diets were provided to the nymphs as a source of food and bean pods of water. Following adult emergence, all individuals were sexed, and female and male pairs were put in plastic containers (30 cc) with eggs of E. Kuehniella and bean pods. Nymphal development time, fecundity and longevity of O. laevigatus were not differently affected by feeding on the eggs of E. Kuehniella reared on the three diets. In addition, the daily and total egg consumption of adults of O. laevigatus were similar. Because the CY diet eggs contain more nutrients, their consumption by nymphs was lower. This study indicates that the CY diet is an adequate diet for rearing E. Kuehniella for producing eggs for rearing O. laevigatus
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influence of different diets on some biological parameters of the mediterranean flour moth ephestia Kuehniella zeller lepidoptera pyralidae
Journal of Stored Products Research, 2020Co-Authors: Alican Kurtulus, Serkan Pehlivan, Tange Denis Achiri, Ekrem AtakanAbstract:Abstract The Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is one of the most important pests of stored products, especially damaging cereals. Besides pest status, its eggs and larvae are commonly used for mass rearing of many natural enemies. Different diets are suggested for the production of E. kueniella, but the influence of diet supplements, such as yeast and glycerine on the performance of E. Kuehniella diets are not clearly understood. In the present study, we investigated the effects of several diet ingredients on some major biological parameters of E. Kuehniella. Ten diets based on different combinations of wheat flour, cornmeal, wheat bran, glycerine and yeast were tested in the experiments. Twenty eggs of E. Kuehniella were added into 5 g of each diet within separate plastic cylindrical containers (5 cm height × 3 cm diameter) and incubated in climate rooms at 25 ± 1 °C and 60 ± 10 Relative Humidity (R.H) on a 14 h light: 10 h dark photoperiod. Pupal weight, developmental period, emergence ratio, fecundity and fertility were determined. The diet containing wheat flour, wheat bran, glycerine and yeast in a percentage of 53.33, 26.67, 15 and 5%, respectively, resulted in shorter development time and higher fertility, and could be used as an alternative to the standard diets currently used in insectaries.
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intraguild predation of orius niger hemiptera anthocoridae on trichogramma evanescens hymenoptera trichogrammatidae
European Journal of Endocrinology, 2017Co-Authors: Serkan Pehlivan, Alican Kurtulus, Tugcan Alinc, Ekrem AtakanAbstract:Intraguild predation of a generalist predator, Orius niger Wolff (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) on Trichogramma evanescens Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), was determined in choice and no-choice experiments using a factitious host, Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), under laboratory conditions. Choice and no-choice experiments were conducted in order to assess the level of intraguild predation of O. niger on E. Kuehniella eggs parasitized by T. evanescens. In no-choice experiments, approximately 50 sterile (1) non-parasitized, (2) 3-day-old parasitized, or (3) 6-day-old parasitized E. Kuehniella eggs were offered to 24-h-old females of O. niger in glass tubes. In choice experiments approximately 25 eggs of two of the three groups mentioned above were offered to 24-h-old O. niger females. In both choice and no-choice experiments, O. niger consumed more non-parasitized eggs of E. Kuehniella. However, intraguild predation occurred, especially of 3-day-old parasitoids, but very few 6-day-old parasitized eggs were consumed. The preference index was nearly 1 indicating O. niger preferred mainly non-parasitized E. Kuehniella eggs. A lower level of intraguild predation is expected under field conditions but needs to be investigated using further experiments.
Souad Rouis - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Ephestia Kuehniella tolerance to Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Aa is associated with reduced oligomer formation.
Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 2016Co-Authors: Maissa Chakroun, Slim Tounsi, Sameh Sellami, Juan Ferré, Souad RouisAbstract:The basis of the different susceptibility of Ephestia Kuehniella to the Cry1Aa and Cry1Ac δ-endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki BNS3 was studied. Both toxins bound specifically to the BBMV of E. Kuehniella. The result of the ligand blot showed that Cry1Ac bound to three putative receptors of about 100, 65 and 80 kDa and Cry1Aa interacted only with a 100 kDa protein. Pronase digestion of the BBMV-bound toxins was used to analyze the toxin insertion. Both toxins inserted into the BBMV as monomers however, a 14 kDa peptide of α4-α5 which correspond to the oligomeric form of this peptide was detected in case of Cry1Ac only. Analysis of the in vitro oligomerisation of these toxins in the presence of the BBMV of E. Kuehniella showed reduced oligomer formation in case of Cry1Aa in comparison with Cry1Ac. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that the difference of toxicity between Cry1Aa and Cry1Ac to E. Kuehniella is due to a deficient oligomerisation of Cry1Aa.
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molecular characterisation of bacillus thuringiensis strain meb4 highly toxic to the mediterranean flour moth ephestia Kuehniella zeller lepidoptera pyralidae
Pest Management Science, 2016Co-Authors: Nouha Abdelmalek, Slim Tounsi, Sameh Sellami, Asma Ben Kridis, Souad RouisAbstract:Background Cry2 proteins play an essential role in current Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) applications and in the prevention of insect resistance to Cry1A toxins. This paper reports on the screening and characterisation of novel Bt strains harbouring effective cry2A-type genes and higher insecticidal activity to Ephestia Kuehniella. Results A total of 29 native Bt strains were screened to search for the potent strain against E. Kuehniella. The plasmid pattern of the selected strains showed interesting variability. PCR-RFLP analysis of two amplified regions showed high sequence identity within the selected cry2A-type genes. SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis revealed the presence of Cry2Aa toxin only in the MEB4 and BLB240 strains. The activation of Cry2Aa protoxins by larval midgut juice, trypsin or chymotrypsin enzymes revealed significant differences in terms of proteolysis profiles. Interestingly, a 49 kDa band was detected in the proteolysis pattern of BLB240, suggesting the presence of a chymotrypsin cleavage site that might have affected its insecticidal activity. Further, bioassays demonstrated that MEB4 (103.08 ± 36 µg g(-1)) was more active than BLB240 (153.77 ± 45.65 µg g(-1)) against E. Kuehniella. Conclusion Based on its potent insecticidal activity, the MEB4 strain could be considered to be an effective alternative agent for the control of E. Kuehniella.
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investigation of the steps involved in the difference of susceptibility of ephestia Kuehniella and spodoptera littoralis to the bacillus thuringiensis vip3aa16 toxin
Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 2011Co-Authors: Lobna Abdelkefimesrati, Slim Tounsi, Maissa Chakroun, Souad Rouis, Hanen Boukedi, Fakher Kamoun, Hichem Azzouz, Samir JaouaAbstract:Abstract BUPM95 is a Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki strain producing the Vip3Aa16 toxin with an interesting insecticidal activity against the Lepidopteran larvae Ephestia Kuehniella . Study of different steps in the mode of action of this Vegetative Insecticidal Protein on the Mediterranean flour moth ( E. Kuehniella ) was carried out in the aim to investigate the origin of the higher susceptibility of this insect to Vip3Aa16 toxin compared to that of the Egyptian cotton leaf worm Spodoptera littoralis . Using E. Kuehniella gut juice, protoxin proteolysis generated a major band corresponding to the active toxin and another band of about 22 kDa, whereas the activation of Vip3Aa16 by S. littoralis gut juice proteases generated less amount of the 62 kDa active form and three other proteolysis products. As demonstrated by zymogram analysis, the difference in proteolysis products was due to the variability of proteases in the two gut juices larvae. The study of the interaction of E. Kuehniella BBMV with biotinylated Vip3Aa16 showed that this toxin bound to a putative receptor of 65 kDa compared to the 55 and 100 kDa receptors recognized in S. littoralis BBMV. The histopathological observations demonstrated similar damage caused by the toxin in the two larvae midguts. These results demonstrate that the step of activation, mainly, is at the origin of the difference of susceptibility of these two larvae towards B. thuringiensis Vip3Aa16 toxin.
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Comparative Study of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Aa and Cry1Ac δ-Endotoxin Activation, Inactivation and In Situ Histopathological Effect in Ephestia Kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
Molecular Biotechnology, 2008Co-Authors: Souad Rouis, Maissa Chakroun, Samir JaouaAbstract:A comparative study of different steps in the mode of action of the individual Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki BNS3 Cry1Aa and Cry1Ac δ-endotoxins on E. Kuehniella larvae was performed in order to investigate the origin of the difference in the response of this larvae to each of the latter. Proteolytic activation was shown to be one of the main steps impaired in E. Kuehniella tolerance to Cry1Aa. The absence of two proteinase activities as well as an altered activity level observed in the case of Cry1Aa would be the consequence of proteinase-mediated tolerance of E. Kuehniella to this toxin. In situ binding and histopathological effect analyses allowed concluding that the binding of the toxin to BBMV receptors is the key step in E. Kuehniella tolerance to Cry1Aa toxin. The latter was slightly bound to apical membranes of epithelial cells that remained intact, whereas Cry1Ac was tightly bound to completely damaged cells basal membranes.
Patrick De Clercq - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Eggs of Ephestia Kuehniella and Ceratitis capitata, and motile stages of the astigmatid mites Tyrophagus putrescentiae and Carpoglyphus lactis as factitious foods for Orius spp.
Insect science, 2016Co-Authors: Jochem Bonte, Anaïs Van De Walle, Des Conlong, Patrick De ClercqAbstract:Several factitious foods were assessed for rearing the anthocorid predators Orius thripoborus (Hesse) and Orius naivashae (Poppius) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) in the laboratory. Developmental and reproductive traits of both Orius species were examined when offered frozen eggs of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller, frozen processed eggs of the medfly, Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann, or mixed motile stages of the astigmatid mites Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) or Carpoglyphus lactis (L). Whereas C. lactis and T. putresecentiae proved to be an inferior food for rearing O. thripoborus and O. naivashae, eggs of C. capitata fully supported development and reproduction of both predators. Results on medfly eggs were similar or slightly inferior to those on E. Kuehniella eggs, which is the standard food for culturing these anthocorid bugs. O. thripoborus could be maintained for 4 consecutive generations on C. capitata eggs indicating that processed medfly eggs can be a suitable and cheaper alternative to E. Kuehniella eggs for prolonged rearing of these Orius spp.
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a semi artificial rearing system for the specialist predatory ladybird cryptolaemus montrouzieri
Biocontrol, 2014Co-Authors: Sara Maes, Tim Antoons, Jeanclaude Gregoire, Patrick De ClercqAbstract:In the present study a semi-artificial rearing system for the Australian ladybird Cryptolaemusmontrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), a specialist predator of mealybugs, was developed. In a first step, a rearing system using eggs of the Mediterranean flour moth Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) as a food and synthetic polyester wadding as an oviposition substrate was compared with a natural rearing system using the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), as to its effects on the predator’s developmental and reproductive parameters. In a second series of experiments the performance of C. montrouzieri on bee pollen or on a mixture of E.Kuehniella eggs and bee pollen was assessed. E. Kuehniella eggs proved to be a suitable food to support larval development of the predator. Ladybird larvae reared on flour moth eggs developed two days faster and weighed approximately 10 % more than their counterparts reared on mealybugs. Despite a prolongation of the preoviposition period with ca. eight days and a decrease in egg hatch by about 10 %, C. montrouzieri females fed moth eggs accepted the synthetic wadding as an oviposition substrate and deposited the same number of eggs their counterparts maintained on mealybugs. A mixture of E. Kuehniella eggs with pollen yielded similar developmental and reproductive rates as E. Kuehniella eggs alone, but a diet of bee pollen alone was not adequate for the predator. Our findings indicate the potential of a rearing system using E. Kuehniella eggs as a factitious food and synthetic wadding as an artificial oviposition substrate for the mass production of C. montrouzieri.
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artificial and factitious foods support the development and reproduction of the predatory mite amblyseius swirskii
Experimental and Applied Acarology, 2014Co-Authors: Dominiek Vangansbeke, Duc Tung Nguyen, Patrick De ClercqAbstract:The generalist predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was reared on Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller eggs (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), decapsulated dry cysts of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana Kellogg (Anostraca: Artemiidae), and on meridic artificial diets (composed of honey, sucrose, tryptone, yeast extract, and egg yolk) supplemented with pupal hemolymph of the Chinese oak silkworm Antheraea pernyi (Guerin-Meneville) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) (AD1), with E. Kuehniella eggs (AD2) or with A. franciscana cysts (AD3). Development, reproduction and predation capacity of the predatory mites were assessed in the first (G1) and sixth generation (G6) of rearing on the different diets. Immature survival rates in G1 were similar on all diets (96.8–100 %). After six generations, however, survival of A. swirskii was significantly reduced on all diets except on A. franciscana cysts. Oviposition rates did not differ between generations when females were fed on E. Kuehniella, AD2 or AD3. The total number of deposited eggs was similar among diets except in G6 where the females fed on A. franciscana cysts produced more eggs than those maintained on E. Kuehniella eggs. On most diets the intrinsic rates of increase in G1 were superior to those in G6, except for predators supplied with A. franciscana cysts where no differences were observed among generations. Female mites did not lose their capacity to kill first instar Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) after six generations on the different diets, but predation rates in G6 on E. Kuehniella were lower than in G1. In conclusion, the different factitious and artificial diets tested in the present study supported the development and reproduction of A. swirskii for a single generation but fitness losses occurred to a varying degree after several generations on E. Kuehniella eggs or the artificial diets. Artificial diet enriched with A. franciscana cysts yielded better results than the other artificial diets. Amblyseius swirskii performed best on decapsulated Artemia cysts indicating their potential for use in the mass production of the predator or to sustain its populations in the crop after release.
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Artificial and factitious foods support the development and reproduction of the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii
Experimental and Applied Acarology, 2014Co-Authors: Duc Tung Nguyen, Dominiek Vangansbeke, Patrick De ClercqAbstract:The generalist predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was reared on Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller eggs (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), decapsulated dry cysts of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana Kellogg (Anostraca: Artemiidae), and on meridic artificial diets (composed of honey, sucrose, tryptone, yeast extract, and egg yolk) supplemented with pupal hemolymph of the Chinese oak silkworm Antheraea pernyi (Guérin-Méneville) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) (AD1), with E. Kuehniella eggs (AD2) or with A. franciscana cysts (AD3). Development, reproduction and predation capacity of the predatory mites were assessed in the first (G1) and sixth generation (G6) of rearing on the different diets. Immature survival rates in G1 were similar on all diets (96.8–100 %). After six generations, however, survival of A. swirskii was significantly reduced on all diets except on A. franciscana cysts. Oviposition rates did not differ between generations when females were fed on E. Kuehniella , AD2 or AD3. The total number of deposited eggs was similar among diets except in G6 where the females fed on A. franciscana cysts produced more eggs than those maintained on E. Kuehniella eggs. On most diets the intrinsic rates of increase in G1 were superior to those in G6, except for predators supplied with A. franciscana cysts where no differences were observed among generations. Female mites did not lose their capacity to kill first instar Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) after six generations on the different diets, but predation rates in G6 on E. Kuehniella were lower than in G1. In conclusion, the different factitious and artificial diets tested in the present study supported the development and reproduction of A. swirskii for a single generation but fitness losses occurred to a varying degree after several generations on E. Kuehniella eggs or the artificial diets. Artificial diet enriched with A. franciscana cysts yielded better results than the other artificial diets. Amblyseius swirskii performed best on decapsulated Artemia cysts indicating their potential for use in the mass production of the predator or to sustain its populations in the crop after release.
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pollen as an alternative or supplementary food for the mirid predator macrolophus pygmaeus
Biological Control, 2010Co-Authors: Bjorn Vandekerkhove, Patrick De ClercqAbstract:Abstract For the mass production of the mirid predator Macrolophus pygmaeus eggs of the Mediterranean flour moth Ephestia Kuehniella are routinely used as an effective but expensive factitious food. In the current study, the potential of pollen as a supplementary food for M. pygmaeus was investigated. In a first experiment, the minimum amount of E. Kuehniella eggs needed for optimal development and reproduction was determined to be 40 eggs per individual per 3 days. Then, different amounts of E. Kuehniella eggs were offered to individual nymphs, supplemented or not with frozen moist honeybee pollen. Insects reared on only 10 E. Kuehniella eggs per 3 days suffered higher mortality, developed slower and had lower adult weights and oocyte counts than insects reared on 40 E. Kuehniella eggs or 10 eggs supplemented with pollen. When the nymphs were fed only pollen, survival rates and oocyte production were lower than when both pollen and flour moth eggs were provided. On pollen alone, ca. 80% of the nymphs successfully reached adulthood; their adult weights and oocyte counts were, respectively, 12% and 32% lower compared with individuals fed optimal amounts of flour moth eggs. When an egg yolk-based artificial diet was supplemented with bee pollen, development and fecundity were better than on the artificial diet alone. The practical implications of pollinivory for the mass production and the use of this beneficial insect in augmentative biological control programs are discussed.
