Single and Combined Release of Trichopria drosophilae (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) to Control Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae).

To further the use of local parasitoids to control the spotted wing drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) in Mexico, three treatments were implemented by sextuplicate in commercial berry fields of Colima and Jalisco from June 2017 to May 2018: single release of Trichopria drosophilae Perkins (pupal parasitoid), combined release of T. drosophilae + Leptopilina boulardi Barbotin, Carton & Kelner-Pillault (larval parasitoid), and a no release control. Compared with the no release sites, parasitism by T. drosophilae increased 4 and 4.1-fold at the single and combined release sites, respectively, and parasitism of L. boulardi increased 2.8-fold at the sites where it was evaluated. Additionally, it was registered a 50 and 55% reduction of D. suzukii at the sites with single and combined releases, respectively; in other words, supplementing T. drosophilae with L. boulardi provided little benefit compared with the release of T. drosophilae alone. These results indicate that single release of local T. drosophilae is a more cost-effective option to reduce D. suzukii populations, and that such activity can contribute significantly to the phytosanitary management of this invasive pest.

Haplotype characterization of Ceraeochrysa cubana (Hagen) and Ceraeochrysa valida (Banks) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) from the state of Colima, Mexico.

The larvae of Ceraeochrysa cubana and Ceraeochrysa valida, green lacewing species widely spread in Mexico, have been described as natural enemies of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), vector of the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter spp. causing Huanglongbing disease. To develop an effective biological control program, the establishment of the genetic structure of the biocontrol agent species is mandatory. Consequently, the goal of this work was to obtain reliable DNA barcoding regions of the two species, and then by sequence analysis of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, evaluate the genetic structure of Mexican lime populations of C. cubana and C. valida from the state of Colima. This research produced the first barcode region of C. cubana and C. valida with morphological and molecular confirmation. The genetic parameters revealed the presence of 15 and 10 haplotypes, and haplotype diversity values of 0.889 and 0.838 for C. cubana and C. valida, respectively. The populations showed high diversity and gene flow, and AMOVA analysis demonstrated no genetic structure in the two populations. Consequently, these single populations of C. cubana and C. valida could be used as unique genetic source for mass production and release in the Mexican lime-producing state of Colima to control D. citri.