Applied Entomology and Zoology
Online ISSN : 1347-605X
Print ISSN : 0003-6862
ISSN-L : 0003-6862
Regular Papers
Borago officinalis attracts the aphid parasitoid Aphidius colemani (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
Masahiro FujinumaYooichi KainohHisashi Nemoto
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2010 Volume 45 Issue 4 Pages 615-620

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Abstract

Aphid parasitoids are often observed to gather around borages (Borago officinalis) used as banker plants in strawberry greenhouse. The attraction of Aphidius colemani as a model aphid parasitoid was observed in response to borage. An aphid generalist parasitoid, A. colemani, shows a preference based on their experience after hatching from mummies of the host-plant volatiles on which their host aphids are reared. A. colemani colonies reared on three host plant-aphid systems (borage/green peach aphid; Japanese radish/green peach aphid; barley/oat bird cherry aphid). A 4-arm olfactometer was used to test the preference of female A. colemani for several plants (infested Japanese radish; infested barley; infested, uninfested and mechanically-damaged borage). Females from each group showed a preference for the plant on which their hosts had been reared and also infested borage regardless of the host plant/aphid system. These results suggested that volatiles from aphid-infested borage attract A. colemani.

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© 2010 by the Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology
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