The effect of buckwheat flowers and cahaba vetch extrafloral nectaries on fitness of the vine mealybug parasitoid Anagyrus pseudococci (Hymenotpera: Encyrtidae)

Abstract

The effect of access to buckwheat flowers (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench; Polygonales: Polygonaceae) or vetch extrafloral nectaries (Vicia sativa L. cv. 'cahaba white'; Fabales: Fabaceae) on the fitness of Anagyrus pseudococci (Girault) (Hymenotpera: Encyrtidae) (a parasitoid of the vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus [Signoret]) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) was determined in the laboratory. Female A. pseudococci provided with vetch survived 4 days longer compared with water only. Buckwheat had no effect on the average longevity of A. pseudococci. Anagyrus pseudococci offspring production increased by 132% and 152% when females were provided either vetch or buckwheat, respectively, when compared with water. There was no significant difference in parasitoid longevity or fecundity between plant species. Buckwheat increased the percentage of female A. pseudococci offspring by 15% and 19% when compared with water and vetch, respectively.