<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The olive fruit fly <italic>Bactrocera oleae</italic> (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the major pest of olives worldwide. The figitid wasp, <italic>Aganaspis daci</italic> (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), is a larval-prepupal endoparasitoid of fruit fly species, and it was found to successfully parasitize medfly larvae in field-infested figs in Greece. To assess the potential of <italic>A. daci</italic> as a biological control agent against <italic>B. oleae</italic>, we studied the effect of olive fruit size on parasitism rates of <italic>A. daci</italic> on 2nd and 3rd instar larvae of <italic>B. oleae</italic>, by using fruit of different size (cultivar ‘Chalkidikis’) and wild olive fruit. In addition, we conducted releases of <italic>A. daci</italic> females in a pilot olive grove in Volos, Magnesia. From July to October, we released 200 <italic>A. daci</italic> females/0.1 ha/week, followed by olive fruit sampling to estimate olive fruit infestation levels and the parasitism rates of <italic>A. daci</italic>. Laboratory trials revealed that fruit size and larvae instar were predictors of parasitism success of <italic>A. daci</italic>, with parasitism rates higher for small-size fruit of the cultivar “Chalkidikis” and the 3rd instar larvae of <italic>B. oleae</italic>. In field trials, no <italic>A. daci</italic> adults emerged from the olive fly infested fruit.</abstract>

The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the major pest of olives worldwide. The figitid wasp, Aganaspis daci (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), is a larval-prepupal endoparasitoid of fruit fly species, and it was found to successfully parasitize medfly larvae in field-infested figs in Greece. To assess the potential of A. daci as a biological control agent against B. oleae, we studied the effect of olive fruit size on parasitism rates of A. daci on 2nd and 3rd instar larvae of B. oleae, by using fruit of different size (cultivar ‘Chalkidikis’) and wild olive fruit. In addition, we conducted releases of A. daci females in a pilot olive grove in Volos, Magnesia. From July to October, we released 200 A. daci females/0.1 ha/week, followed by olive fruit sampling to estimate olive fruit infestation levels and the parasitism rates of A. daci. Laboratory trials revealed that fruit size and larvae instar were predictors of parasitism success of A. daci, with parasitism rates higher for small-size fruit of the cultivar “Chalkidikis” and the 3rd instar larvae of B. oleae. In field trials, no A. daci adults emerged from the olive fly infested fruit.

Effect of the olive fruit size on the parasitism rates of <italic>Bactocera oleae</italic> (Diptera: Tephritidae) by the figitid wasp <italic>Aganaspis daci</italic> (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), and first field releases of adult parasitoids in olive grove

Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology

Hellenic Plant Protection Journal

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Effect of the olive fruit size on the parasitism rates of  (Diptera: Tephritidae) by the figitid wasp  (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), and first field releases of adult parasitoids in olive grove

The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the major pest of olives worldwide. The figitid wasp, Aganaspis daci (Hymenoptera:...

Effect of the olive fruit size on the parasitism rates of Bactocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) by the figitid wasp Aganaspis daci (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), and first field releases of adult parasitoids in olive grove

Published Online: Apr 18, 2020

Page range: 66 - 77

Received: Sep 29, 2019

Accepted: Jan 12, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/hppj-2020-0007

Keywords
biological control, larval instar, parasitism, olive fruit fly

© 2020 C.A. Moraiti et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Effect of the olive fruit size on the parasitism rates of Bactocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) by the figitid wasp Aganaspis daci (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), and first field releases of adult parasitoids in olive grove

Published Online: Apr 18, 2020

Page range: 66 - 77

Received: Sep 29, 2019

Accepted: Jan 12, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/hppj-2020-0007

Keywordsbiological control, larval instar, parasitism, olive fruit fly

© 2020 C.A. Moraiti et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
biological control, larval instar, parasitism, olive fruit fly