Effect of Cold Storage on the Quality of <i>Psyttalia incisi</i> (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Larval Parasitoid of <i>Bactrocera dorsalis</i> (Diptera: Tephritidae)

• Main Authors: Jia Lin, Deqing Yang, Xuxing Hao, Pumo Cai, Yaqing Guo, Shuang Shi, Changming Liu, Qinge Ji
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
• Series: Insects
• Subjects: <i>Psyttalia incisi</i>; oriental fruit fly; cold storage; emergence rate; quality; reproduction
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/6/558

<i>Psyttalia incisi</i> (Silvestri) is the dominant parasitoid against <i>Bactrocera dorsalis</i> (Hendel) in fruit-producing regions of southern China. Prior to a large-scale release, it is important to generate a sufficient stockpile of <i>P. incisi</i> whilst considering how best to maintain their quality and performance; cold storage is an ideal method to achieve these aims. In this study, the impacts of temperature and storage duration on the developmental parameters of <i>P. incisi</i> pupae at different age intervals were assessed. Then, four of the cold storage protocols were chosen for further evaluating their impacts on the quality parameters of post-storage adults. Results showed that the emergence rate of <i>P. incisi</i> was significantly affected by storage temperature, storage duration, and pupal age interval and their interactions. However, when late-age <i>P. incisi</i> pupae developed at a temperature of 13 °C for 10 or 15 d, no undesirable impacts on dry weight, flight ability, longevity, reproduction parameters of post-storage adults, emergence rate, or the female proportion of progeny were recorded. Our findings demonstrate that cold storage has the potential for enhancing the flexibility and effectiveness of the large-scale production and application of <i>P. incisi.</i>