U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska
Date of this Version
2008
Citation
Biocontrol Science and Technology, 2008, 17, iFirst article
Abstract
Results from 13 additional host populations improves resolution on the diversity of Wolbachia bacteria in Spalangia spp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). These bacteria are of interest because they can profoundly affect their host’s reproduction. Manipulating Wolbachia infections may provide a method to improve the efficacy of biocontrol agents including Spalangia spp.
Parasitoid wasps (Pteromalidae: Hymenoptera) are of interest as biocontrol agents for pest flies (Diptera: Muscidae) of livestock confinements; e.g. dairies, cattle feedlots, poultry houses, swine barns. Many of these wasps are infected with Wolbachia bacteria that can profoundly affect their host’s reproduction. Wolbachia induce parthenogenesis in Muscidifurax uniraptor Kogan & Legner (Zchori-Fein, Gottlieb, and Coll 2000) and cytoplasmic incompatibility in Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Breeuwer and Werren 1990) and Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead) (Kyei-Poku, Floate, Benkel, and Goettel 2003).
Additional information on the occurrence and effect of Wolbachia on members of this parasitoid guild may facilitate their mass-production for use in biocontrol programmes. A recent survey identified infections of Wolbachia in 15 of 21 species of these wasps (Kyei- Poku et al. 2006). Most of the species were infected with single isolates of Wolbachia as determined by genetic variation in the wsp gene. Infections of two and four isolates were detected in N. vitripennis and Spalangia cameroni Perkins, respectively. The same study showed incompatible crosses of S. cameroni to produce fertilised eggs that died during embryogenesis. In addition, the progeny of infected males exhibited prolonged development regardless of whether the female parent was infected or whether the males developed from fertilised or unfertilised eggs (Kyei-Poku et al. 2006).