Temperature Effects on Development and Fecundity of Aphidius gifuensis Ashmead

Temperature is an important climatological variable that influences the biology and ecology of aphids and their parasitoids.Aphidius gifuensis is an important solitary primary endoparasitoid that mainly attacks Myzus persicae at the tobacco growing season in Yuxi,Yunnan Province.The population of A.gifuensis were reared in Lab.in five constant temperatures (10,15,20,25 and 30 ℃) and effects of these constant temperature on developmental rate,longevity,fecundity and reproductive rate were investigated.The relationship between temperature and developmental rate is fits Logistic curve with the fastest developmental rate at 25 ℃.The temperature threshold and thermal requirement for development from egg to adult were 3.3 ℃and 266.0 day-degree respectively.The female A.gifuensis could oviposite 90% eggs during first 4 days in its reproductive period,and 80% of the eggs were oviposited during daytime from 6:30 am to 22:30 pm.High temperatures (>25℃) have significant negative effect on total fecundity,longevity of female parasite,and the weight (size) and emergence rate of aphids mummies of A.gifuensis.Moderate temperature (20 ℃) was optimal for A.gifuensis survival,development and reproduction.Moreover,we concluded that the most favorable temperature for mass rearing and releasing of A.gifuensis was at the temperature range of 20-25 ℃ in biological control.Furthermore,the application of the result in this study for biological control of M.pericae by temperature was also discussed in the paper.