Rearing Host Dependency of Ovariole Number and Body Size in <i>Campoletis chlorideae</i> Uchida (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)
Liangheng Tian,
Xiongya Wang,
Yu Wang,
Xiaohang Gu,
Xin Li,
Shiheng An,
Xinming Yin,
Sufen Bai
Affiliations
Liangheng Tian
Henan International Laboratory for Green Pest Control, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Pest Biological Control, College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Xiongya Wang
Institute of Biology Co., Ltd., Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou 450008, China
Yu Wang
Henan International Laboratory for Green Pest Control, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Pest Biological Control, College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Xiaohang Gu
Henan International Laboratory for Green Pest Control, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Pest Biological Control, College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Xin Li
Henan International Laboratory for Green Pest Control, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Pest Biological Control, College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Shiheng An
Henan International Laboratory for Green Pest Control, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Pest Biological Control, College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Xinming Yin
Henan International Laboratory for Green Pest Control, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Pest Biological Control, College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Sufen Bai
Henan International Laboratory for Green Pest Control, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Pest Biological Control, College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Campoletis chlorideae has great biocontrol potential against some major noctuid pests. In order to achieve the commercial development and utilization of C. chlorideae, this study focused on the effect of rearing host species and larval instars on the ovariole number and body size of this wasp. Firstly, the morphology of the reproductive system and ovarioles of female wasps were observed. The number of ovarioles displayed great variability and asymmetry between bilateral ovaries. Moreover, the effect of four host species on ovariole number and body size of C. chlorideae were studied. The wasps had a larger ovariole number and body size when reared in Helicoverpa armigera. Additionally, the ovariole number and body size were larger when reared in the third instar larvae than in the first or second instar larvae of H. armigera. There was a strong positive correlation between the ovariole number and body size of C. chlorideae. The ovariole number and body size of the wasp could be improved under optimized artificial rearing conditions. According to these results, body size combined with ovariole number can be used as an important index to evaluate the quality of C. chlorideae. This study provides important clues for the development and application of biocontrol using C. chlorideae.
