Efficacy of Psyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a Biocontrol Agent against Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) using age-specific functional response

Psyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is the primary native biocontrol agent targeting the common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae), a major pest in Rafsanjan, the leading pistachio production region in Iran. In this study, how female parasitoid age influenc...

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Main Authors: Hamid Rahimzadeh Behzadi, Mahdi Ziaaddini, Mohammad Amin Jalali, Fateme Ranjbar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Entomological Society of Iran 2025-04-01
Series:نامه انجمن حشره‌شناسی ایران
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Online Access:https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_133162_9aaec9db9313e4288f85be0cc1a0dc4c.pdf
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author Hamid Rahimzadeh Behzadi
Mahdi Ziaaddini
Mohammad Amin Jalali
Fateme Ranjbar
author_facet Hamid Rahimzadeh Behzadi
Mahdi Ziaaddini
Mohammad Amin Jalali
Fateme Ranjbar
author_sort Hamid Rahimzadeh Behzadi
collection DOAJ
description Psyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is the primary native biocontrol agent targeting the common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae), a major pest in Rafsanjan, the leading pistachio production region in Iran. In this study, how female parasitoid age influences the type of functional response was examined by daily assessing two behavioral traits—host feeding and parasitism—across different densities of pistachio psylla, within the context of age-specific functional response. The logistic regression analysis identified a type II functional response for P. pistaciae, characterized by an increased attack rate (parasitism + host feeding) with increasing psylla density. Notably, this response pattern was consistent across different female ages. In the first week of adulthood, wasps demonstrated optimal searching efficiency for both parasitism and host feeding. However, as female wasps aged, there was a progressive increase in handling time for parasitism and feeding activities. Peak searching efficiency for host attacks was observed on day 7, while the minimum handling time occurred on day 5. The highest levels of parasitism were observed on the fifth day of the female's lifespan, underscoring increased efficiency in parasitism and attack rates during the early stages of the parasitoid's life, especially within the first week. Moreover, both host density and parasitoid age significantly affected these rates.
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spelling doaj-art-b2da19449a2e48648afaab517eaa3dfe2025-08-20T01:51:13ZengEntomological Society of Iranنامه انجمن حشره‌شناسی ایران0259-99962783-39682025-04-0145216117910.61186/jesi.45.2.2133162Efficacy of Psyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a Biocontrol Agent against Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) using age-specific functional responseHamid Rahimzadeh Behzadi0Mahdi Ziaaddini1Mohammad Amin Jalali2Fateme Ranjbar3Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, IranDepartment of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, IranDepartment of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, IranDepartment of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, IranPsyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is the primary native biocontrol agent targeting the common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae), a major pest in Rafsanjan, the leading pistachio production region in Iran. In this study, how female parasitoid age influences the type of functional response was examined by daily assessing two behavioral traits—host feeding and parasitism—across different densities of pistachio psylla, within the context of age-specific functional response. The logistic regression analysis identified a type II functional response for P. pistaciae, characterized by an increased attack rate (parasitism + host feeding) with increasing psylla density. Notably, this response pattern was consistent across different female ages. In the first week of adulthood, wasps demonstrated optimal searching efficiency for both parasitism and host feeding. However, as female wasps aged, there was a progressive increase in handling time for parasitism and feeding activities. Peak searching efficiency for host attacks was observed on day 7, while the minimum handling time occurred on day 5. The highest levels of parasitism were observed on the fifth day of the female's lifespan, underscoring increased efficiency in parasitism and attack rates during the early stages of the parasitoid's life, especially within the first week. Moreover, both host density and parasitoid age significantly affected these rates.https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_133162_9aaec9db9313e4288f85be0cc1a0dc4c.pdfbiological controlparasitoidhost-feedinghost densitiesparasitism
spellingShingle Hamid Rahimzadeh Behzadi
Mahdi Ziaaddini
Mohammad Amin Jalali
Fateme Ranjbar
Efficacy of Psyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a Biocontrol Agent against Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) using age-specific functional response
نامه انجمن حشره‌شناسی ایران
biological control
parasitoid
host-feeding
host densities
parasitism
title Efficacy of Psyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a Biocontrol Agent against Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) using age-specific functional response
title_full Efficacy of Psyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a Biocontrol Agent against Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) using age-specific functional response
title_fullStr Efficacy of Psyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a Biocontrol Agent against Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) using age-specific functional response
title_full_unstemmed Efficacy of Psyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a Biocontrol Agent against Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) using age-specific functional response
title_short Efficacy of Psyllaephagus pistaciae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a Biocontrol Agent against Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) using age-specific functional response
title_sort efficacy of psyllaephagus pistaciae hymenoptera encyrtidae as a biocontrol agent against agonoscena pistaciae hemiptera aphalaridae using age specific functional response
topic biological control
parasitoid
host-feeding
host densities
parasitism
url https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_133162_9aaec9db9313e4288f85be0cc1a0dc4c.pdf
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AT mohammadaminjalali efficacyofpsyllaephaguspistaciaehymenopteraencyrtidaeasabiocontrolagentagainstagonoscenapistaciaehemipteraaphalaridaeusingagespecificfunctionalresponse
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