ARCHIVES
VOL. 9, ISSUE 7 (2024)
Effect of age and host diet on protein content in parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), reared on Corcyra cephalonica stainton (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
Authors
Amit Vincent, Isaac L Mathew, Deepak Singh
Abstract
Effect of host diet on the age-specific total protein content of Habrobracon
hebetor Say, an idiobiont ectoparasitoid of the pyralid moths, was carried
out. The rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica, a stored product pest causing
severe losses to grains and products in storage, was used as host. The
parasitoids were reared on 4th instar host larvae fed with different
natural diets viz., wheat, maize, rice and sorghum. Total protein
content of parasitoids was estimated for each group on first, fifth and tenth
day of emergence. Age-specific total protein content of both male and female H.
hebetor were affected significantly by the host diet. Protein content
increased in both sexes from first to fifth day, however, towards the tenth day
it had mostly decreased significantly in females but continued increasing in
males. Females generally had more protein content than males. Parasitoids
reared on host larvae fed on wheat showed the highest protein content initially
in both males (6.10±0.04 mg/100mg ±SE) and females (7.86±0.15 mg/100mg), and
reached the highest levels by day ten at 8.25±0.06 mg/100mg and 11.07±0.16
mg/100mg, respectively); also, in females the levels were found to increase
from 5th to 10th day, unlike with other diets. Whereas,
those reared on rice-fed host had the lowest protein content overall. It
increased from 4.09±0.04 and 4.63±0.05 to 5.44±0.04 mg/100mg and 5.96±0.05
mg/100mg, in males and females respectively. Under similar conditions the
differences between both sexes were statistically significant (p< .05), with
the exception of sorghum on tenth day (p=.079) The protein level curves were
also moderately correlated, with some even showing statistically significant
association (p<.01). Since, H. hebetor, an idiobiont parasitoid,
develop in closed systems without external nutritional supply, free amino acids
and proteins, acquired via diet or through de novo synthesis, significantly
influence the dietary and metabolic adaptations of insect parasitoids which may
affect their performance. Therefore, it is critical to have in-depth knowledge
of interactions between biological control agent and the target host insect to
enhance the effectiveness of biological control.
Download
Pages:68-72
How to cite this article:
Amit Vincent, Isaac L Mathew, Deepak Singh "Effect of age and host diet on protein content in parasitoid <i>Habrobracon hebetor </i>say<i> </i>(Hymenoptera: Braconidae), reared on <i>Corcyra cephalonica</i> stainton (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 9, Issue 7, 2024, Pages 68-72
Download Author Certificate
Please enter the email address corresponding to this article submission to download your certificate.