TY - JOUR
T1 - Consequences of constitutive and induced variation in the host’s food plant quality for parasitoid larval development
AU - Bukovinszky, T.
AU - Gols, R.
AU - Smid, H.M.
AU - Bukovinszkine-Kiss, G.
AU - Dicke, M.
AU - Harvey, J.A.
N1 - Reporting year: 2012
Metis note: 5195; WAG; AqE; TE
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Constitutive and induced changes in plant quality impact higher trophic levels, such as the development 27
of parasitoids, in different ways. An efficient way to study how plant quality affects parasitoids is to 28
examine how the parasitoid larva is integrated within the host during the growth process. In two exper- 29
iments, we investigated the effects of varying nutritional quality of Brassica oleracea on parasitoid larval 30
development inside the host, the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella). First, we compared larval 31
growth of the specialist Diadegma semiclausum and the generalist Diadegma fenestrale, when the host 32
was feeding on Brussels sprout plants that were either undamaged or were previously induced by cater- 33
pillar damage. Larvae of the generalist D. fenestrale showed lower growth rates than larvae of the special- 34
ist D. semiclausum, and this difference was more pronounced on herbivore-induced plants, suggesting 35
differences in host-use efficiency between parasitoid species. The growth of D. semiclausum larvae was 36
also analyzed in relation to herbivore induction on Brussels sprouts and on a wild B. oleracea strain. Par- 37
asitoid growth wasmore depressed on induced than on undamaged control plants, andmore on wild cab- 38
bage than on Brussels sprouts, which was largely explained by differences in host mass. The effects of 39
induction of wild Brassica on parasitoid development were pronounced early on, but as P. xylostella feed- 40
ing began inducing the previously undamaged control plants, the effect of induction disappeared, reveal- 41
ing a temporal component of plant–parasitoid interactions. This study demonstrates how insights into 42
the physiological aspects of host–parasitoid interactions can improve our understanding of the effects 43
of plant-related traits on parasitoid wasps.
AB - Constitutive and induced changes in plant quality impact higher trophic levels, such as the development 27
of parasitoids, in different ways. An efficient way to study how plant quality affects parasitoids is to 28
examine how the parasitoid larva is integrated within the host during the growth process. In two exper- 29
iments, we investigated the effects of varying nutritional quality of Brassica oleracea on parasitoid larval 30
development inside the host, the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella). First, we compared larval 31
growth of the specialist Diadegma semiclausum and the generalist Diadegma fenestrale, when the host 32
was feeding on Brussels sprout plants that were either undamaged or were previously induced by cater- 33
pillar damage. Larvae of the generalist D. fenestrale showed lower growth rates than larvae of the special- 34
ist D. semiclausum, and this difference was more pronounced on herbivore-induced plants, suggesting 35
differences in host-use efficiency between parasitoid species. The growth of D. semiclausum larvae was 36
also analyzed in relation to herbivore induction on Brussels sprouts and on a wild B. oleracea strain. Par- 37
asitoid growth wasmore depressed on induced than on undamaged control plants, andmore on wild cab- 38
bage than on Brussels sprouts, which was largely explained by differences in host mass. The effects of 39
induction of wild Brassica on parasitoid development were pronounced early on, but as P. xylostella feed- 40
ing began inducing the previously undamaged control plants, the effect of induction disappeared, reveal- 41
ing a temporal component of plant–parasitoid interactions. This study demonstrates how insights into 42
the physiological aspects of host–parasitoid interactions can improve our understanding of the effects 43
of plant-related traits on parasitoid wasps.
KW - national
U2 - 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2011.12.017
DO - 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2011.12.017
M3 - Article
SN - 0022-1910
VL - 58
SP - 367
EP - 375
JO - Journal of Insect Physiology
JF - Journal of Insect Physiology
IS - 3
ER -