Original paper
Comparative analysis of life history traits in Wolbachia wRem-infected Telenomus remus under three temperature regimes
Wu, Li-Hsin; Lai, Ching-Ting; Wu, Chia-Hong; Dai, Jheng
Entomologia Generalis Volume 45 Number 3 (2025), p. 689 - 698
published: Aug 19, 2025
published online: Jun 27, 2025
manuscript accepted: Mar 30, 2025
final revised version received: Feb 27, 2025
manuscript revision requested: Feb 13, 2025
manuscript received: Oct 16, 2024
ArtNo. ESP146004503008, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, poses a significant threat to agricultural production worldwide. Biological control using egg parasitoids like Telenomus remus has emerged as a promising alternative to chemical control. This study examined the effects of Wolbachia wRem infection on T. remus life history traits and reproductive strategies. Infected (Inf) and uninfected (unInf) T. remus strains from southern Taiwan were compared across three temperatures (23 °C, 27 °C, and 31 °C). Results showed that wRem infection significantly impacted T. remus biology, with the Inf strain exhibiting prolonged female development times. At 27 °C, the Inf strain demonstrated superior net reproductive rate (R₀) and gross reproductive rate (GRR), likely due to its higher female ratio exceeding 94%. However, at 31 °C, the unInf strain displayed better maintenance of R₀ and GRR, suggesting enhanced high-temperature adaptability. Both strains significantly reduced S. frugiperda egg hatch rates from 58.39% to less than 13%. This comparison at different temperatures provides a clear understanding of the strains’ adaptability and reproductive rates. These findings have important implications for biological control programs. The Inf strain’s higher female ratio could offer advantages in mass rearing and initial field releases, while the unInf strain’s better performance to high temperatures suggests greater plasticity to diverse field environments. This study advances our understanding of Wolbachia-host interactions in parasitoids and their implications for biological control, paving the way for future field trials to explore potential synergies between Inf and unInf strains, such as their combined effectiveness in controlling pest populations, in various environmental contexts.
Keywords
biocontrol • egg parasitoids • climate adaptation • life cycle analysis • thelytokous