Rapid evolution of symbiont-mediated resistance compromises biological control of aphids by parasitoids.

ABSTRACT: There is growing interest in biological control as a sustainable and environmentally friendly way to control pest insects. Aphids are among the most detrimental agricultural pests worldwide, and parasitoid wasps are frequently employed for their control. The use of asexual parasitoids may improve the effectiveness of biological control because only females kill hosts and because asexual populations have a higher growth rate than sexuals. However, asexuals may have a reduced capacity to track evolutionary change in their host populations. We used a factorial experiment to compare the ability of sexual and asexual populations of the parasitoid Lysiphlebus fabarum to control caged populations of black bean aphids (Aphis fabae) of high and low clonal diversity. The aphids came fr

SUBMITTER: Kach H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5775498 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature