Combined Non-Target Effects of Insecticide and High Temperature on the Parasitoid Bracon nigricans

PLoS One. 2015 Sep 18;10(9):e0138411. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138411. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

We studied the acute toxicity and the sublethal effects, on reproduction and host-killing activity, of four widely used insecticides on the generalist parasitoid Bracon nigricans (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a natural enemy of the invasive tomato pest, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Laboratory bioassays were conducted applying maximum insecticide label rates at three constant temperatures, 25, 35 and 40°C, considered as regular, high and very high, respectively. Data on female survival and offspring production were used to calculate population growth indexes as a measure of population recovery after pesticide exposure. Spinetoram caused 80% mortality at 25°C and 100% at higher temperatures, while spinosad caused 100% mortality under all temperature regimes. Cyantraniliprole was slightly toxic to B. nigricans adults in terms of acute toxicity at the three temperatures, while it did not cause any sublethal effects in egg-laying and host-killing activities. The interaction between the two tested factors (insecticide and temperature) significantly influenced the number of eggs laid by the parasitoid, which was the lowest in the case of females exposed to chlorantraniliprole at 35°C. Furthermore, significantly lower B. nigricans demographic growth indexes were estimated for all the insecticides under all temperature conditions, with the exception of chlorantraniliprole at 25°C. Our findings highlight an interaction between high temperatures and insecticide exposure, which suggests a need for including natural stressors, such as temperature, in pesticide risk assessments procedures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Female
  • Hot Temperature*
  • Hymenoptera / drug effects*
  • Hymenoptera / growth & development
  • Insecticides / pharmacology*
  • Larva / drug effects*
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Pest Control, Biological / methods*

Substances

  • Insecticides

Grants and funding

This research was partially funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (PRIN project GEISCA, 2010CXXHJE_004), the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under REA grant agreement n°318246 and the project FIR n.ABAA52 of the University of Catania. KA was the recipient of a grant from the Tunisian Ministry of High Education and Scientific Research and AK received an ERASMUS EU grant. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.