Summary: | <i>Tamarixia radiata</i> (Waterston) is an important ectoparasitoid of the Asian citrus psyllid, <i>Diaphorina citri</i> Kuwayama, a globally destructive pest of citrus. In the present study, a Y-tube olfactometer was employed to investigate whether the parasitoid <i>T. radiata</i> is capable of utilizing the odour source emitted by both plants and insect hosts during its foraging. The odour sources included <i>Murraya paniculata</i> (L.) shoots, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th <i>D. citri</i> instar nymphs, both individually and in combinations. Moreover, nymph-stage choice for parasitism, including 3rd, 4th, and 5th <i>D. citri</i> instar nymphs, was carried out. The results indicated that female <i>T. radiata</i> were only significantly attracted to volatiles emitted by <i>M. paniculata</i> shoots, 3rd, 4th, and 5th instar nymphs of <i>D. citri</i>, but could not distinguish between them. <i>T. radiata</i> males were not attracted by odours sourced from any instar <i>D. citri</i> nymphs. Female <i>T. radiata</i> adults exhibited a significant preference to later instar nymphal stages of <i>D. citri</i> for oviposition. The results from this study can be used to guide further investigations on the searching behaviour of this parasitoid and its utilization in <i>D. citri</i> biocontrol.
|