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Associative learning for host-induced fruit volatiles in Psyttalia concolor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a koinobiont parasitoid of tephritid flies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2014

A. Canale ,
S. Geri  and
G. Benelli
A. Canale
Affiliation:
Insect Behaviour Group, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
S. Geri
Affiliation:
Insect Behaviour Group, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
G. Benelli*
Affiliation:
Insect Behaviour Group, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
*
*Author for correspondence Phone: +39 0502216141 Fax: +39 0502216087 E-mail: g.benelli@sssup.it; benelli.giovanni@gmail.com
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Abstract

Parasitic wasps are fascinating organisms that rely on a wide range of communication channels to locate their hosts. Associative learning for foraging kairomones has been demonstrated for various parasitic wasps, but little is known for parasitoids of Tephritidae flies. Psyttalia concolor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a koinobiont parasitoid able to attack at least 14 tephritid pests. Females are innately attracted by some host-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs), whereas others of the same bouquet are unattractive. We hypothesize that females may detect unattractive HIPVs in association with key resources, such as food and hosts, learning to respond favourably to these cues in consecutive experiences. We evaluated associative learning for HIPVs in P. concolor females, testing if they are able to associate a food reward with the presence of different dosages of three HIPVs, thus developing a preference for an odour innately unattractive. Results demonstrated that P. concolor responded favourably to the learned cue in consecutive experiences. For all tested HIPVs (nonanoic acid, decanoic acid and geranyl acetone), regardless of dosage, trained females preferred the reward-associated odour, whereas naïve did not. Both HIPV-trained and naïve females did not show consistent differences in latencies when choosing HIPVs over blank. HIPV-trained and naïve wasps did not spend more time on HIPVs over blank. Odour learning is of adaptive importance for this generalist parasitoid, since it enhances host location efficiency by reducing the time wasted on the decision of where to search for hosts. From an applied perspective, these HIPVs could be used to train mass-reared P. concolor in pre-release, to potentially improve its efficacy in the field.

Keywords

foraging kairomoneshost-seeking behaviourolfactory cuesparasitic waspVOCs
Type
Research Papers
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 104 , Issue 6 , December 2014 , pp. 774 - 780
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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