Abstract
Aphidiine and aphelinid parasitoids of four principal pest aphids on greenhouse vegetable crops in Japan, Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae, Macrosiphum euphorbiae and Aulacorthum solani, were surveyed to find native parasitoids that would be useful as biological control agents. A total of 19 species (Aphidiinae: 13 species in 7 genera, Aphelinidae: 6 Aphelinus species) were confirmed as parasitoids of the four pest aphids from field collection and breeding experiments. Of these, six species (Lysiphlebus fabarum and 5 Aphelinus species) were new to Japan. In total, 145 tritrophic (parasitoid–host aphid–plant) relationships are reported. The principal aphidiine parasitoids were Lysiphlebus japonicus and Binodoxys communis on A. gossypii, Aphidius gifuensis and Diaeretiella rapae on M. persicae, and A. gifuensis on A. solani. There were no predominant species among the parasitoid spectrum of M. euphorbiae in Japan. Aphelinus gossypii, A. varipes, A. albipodus and A. asychis showed a high degree of suitability for Aphis gossypii, Aphis gossypii and M. persicae, M. persicae and M. euphorbiae, and all four principal pest aphids, respectively. A key to the parasitoid species associated with the four pest aphids in Japan is provided. The potential using the native parasitoids as biological control agents against the four pest aphids is discussed.
