Original paper
Fitness and host preference of Encarsia formosa reared from Trialeurodes vaporariorum and Bemisia tabaci
Wang, Juan; Khuhro, Niaz H.; Abubakar, Muhammad; Zhang, Fuyu; Hu, Du; Zhang, Ye; Zhu, Wenya
Entomologia Generalis Volume 45 Number 3 (2025), p. 765 - 774
published: Aug 19, 2025
published online: Jul 14, 2025
manuscript accepted: Apr 29, 2025
final revised version received: Apr 18, 2025
manuscript revision requested: Mar 10, 2025
manuscript received: Sep 12, 2024
Open Access (paper may be downloaded free of charge)
Abstract
Host suitability studies are essential for effective mass rearing and implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. This study assessed whether the rearing host species influences the fitness and host preference of the whitefly parasitoid Encarsia formosa Gahan. Two strains were reared for eight generations in the laboratory: one on Trialeurodes vaporariorum (EncarsiaT) and the other on Bemisia tabaci (EncarsiaB), under laboratory conditions. Fitness and parasitism rates were evaluated on both whitefly species across four host plants: eggplant, tomato, cucumber, and kidney bean. Results showed that E. formosa developed faster on T. vaporariorum than on B. tabaci, except on cucumber where the opposite was observed. EncarsiaT developed significantly faster than EncarsiaB across all host conditions, despite no notable difference in body size. However, EncarsiaT exhibited shorter host-leaving times. Parasitism rates also differed: EncarsiaT generally parasitized more nymphs than EncarsiaB, regardless of the host plant or whitefly species. Furthermore, E. formosa showed a consistent preference for T. vaporariorum, independent of rearing history. Given that B. tabaci and T. vaporariorum often coexist on crops, these findings provide valuable insights for improving mass-rearing protocols and enhancing biological control efficiency against mixed whitefly populations.
Keywords
biological control • host preference • handling time • parasitism rate • whitefly