Host location and dispersal ability of the cosmopolitan parasitoid Trichopria drosophilae released to control the invasive spotted wing Drosophila

• Published in: Biological control Vol. 117; pp. 188 - 196
• Main Authors: Rossi Stacconi, Marco Valerio, Amiresmaeili, Nasim, Biondi, Antonio, Carli, Cristiano, Caruso, Stefano, Dindo, Maria Luisa, Francati, Santolo, Gottardello, Angela, Grassi, Alberto, Lupi, Daniela, Marchetti, Elisa, Mazzetto, Fabio, Mori, Nicola, Pantezzi, Tommaso, Tavella, Luciana, Tropea Garzia, Giovanna, Tonina, Lorenzo, Vaccari, Giacomo, Anfora, Gianfranco, Ioriatti, Claudio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.02.2018
• Subjects: Augmentorium; Biological control; Diapriidae; Drosophila suzukii; Field trials; Parasitism; Diapriidae; Parasitism; Drosophila suzukii; Field trials; Augmentorium; Biological control
• ISSN: 1049-9644; 1090-2112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2017.11.013

[Display omitted] •Trichopria drosophilae releases on Drosophila suzukii infested crops were performed.•In the field T. drosophilae attacked the pest up to 40 m far from its release point.•In semi-field trials the pest emergence from dropped fruit was significantly reduced.•The augmentorium technique enhanced the parasitoid action on the pest. Biological control remains unutilized as yet in the framework of Drosophila suzukii Matsumura management. Although several parasitoid species attack the pest under laboratory conditions, information is lacking on their host-finding and dispersal capabilities in natural environments. We tested the effect of repeated parasitoid releases on D. suzukii populations in infested orchards. The pupal parasitoid Trichopria drosophilae (Perkins) was released on different crops at eight sites. Parasitism was monitored using traps placed at various distances from the parasitoid release point (RP). A second experiment was carried out under semi-field conditions to evaluate augmentation of the parasitoid. In both experiments, D. suzukii infestation was evaluated through fruit samplings, both from the plant, and from the ground. In the open field trials, T. drosophilae attacked D. suzukii in traps up to 40 m away from the RP, and pest emergence was significantly reduced within a radius of 10 m at seven out of eight sites. In the semi-field trials, parasitoid releases significantly reduced D. suzukii emergence from ground-sampled fruit, and augmentation enhanced parasitism, increasing the numbers of parasitoids emerging from host pupae. Although further field studies are required, these results suggest that T. drosophilae may be considered a potential biocontrol agent for D. suzukii.