Quality of Myzus persicae (Hem.: Aphididae) as host for Praon volucre(Hym.: Braconidae: Aphidiinae)

Abstract: Praon volucre parasitizes several species of aphids in Brazil, mostly belonging to thetribe Macrosiphini. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of Myzus persicae as host forP. volucre. Experiments were conducted in a climatic chamber at 22±1ºC, RH 70±10%, and a 12-h photophase. One 24h-old P. volucre female, mated and without previous oviposition experiencewas released into a Petri dish containing a Nicandra leaf disk (5cm diameter) on an agar/watersolution (1%) and 20 second- and third-instar M. persicae nymphs during 90 minutes. Thedevelopmental time of the parasitoid was 16.8 days. Immature mortality was 36.5%, parasitism57.5%, and emergence rate was 63.5%. The sex ratio expressed as fraction females was 0.37. Thelongevities of male and female were 16.3 and 20 days, respectively. The tibia length ofparasitoids was on average 0.6mm (females) and 0.54mm (males). These results show thatM. persicae is parasitized by P. volucre. However, the low sex ratio and the high immaturemortality indicate that M. persicae is not a good quality host for P. volucre.