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ViewAttendees 10

P-IE

Section Symposium

Early Career Professionals Promoting Biological Control in a Changing World

7: The African citrus psyllid honeydew as a carbohydrate and protein source for its specific parasitoid Tamarixia dryi

Wednesday, November 18, 2020
12:38 PM - 12:53 PM EST
Livestream
The African citrus psyllid, Trioza erytreae (Hemiptera: Psylloidae), vectors the citrus greening or huanglongbing (HLB), a lethal disease of citrus. The parasitoid Tamarixia dryi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) has been released in mainland Europe within a classical biological control program. One of the main carbohydrate sources that this parasitoid can find in citrus is the solid honeydew excreted by its host psyllid. However, the nutritional value of T. erytreae honeydew on T. dryi is unknown. Here we evaluated and compared the fitness (longevity, egg load and fecundity) of T. dryi when it fed on T. erytreae honeydew, water (control), sucrose 1M (sugar), and sucrose plus protein diets. Tamarixia dryi females lived longer when they fed on honeydew than on the other diets. Likewise, when females were three and seven days old, they had more eggs and parasitized more hosts when they fed on honeydew than on the other diets. Chemical analyses demonstrated that T. erytreae honeydew contained proteins that are present on citrus phloem and are related to plant defense. Overall, our results demonstrate that T. dryi enhance their biological parameters feeding on T. erytreae honeydew and, therefore, it is not necessary to add other carbohydrate and/or protein sources in its rearing colonies or during the field releases to improve the establishment of T. dryi in Europe. Further research should explore the presence and role of plant defense proteins in the honeydew of hemipterans.