Affiliation:
1. State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University , Hefei , China
2. School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University , Hefei , China
Abstract
Abstract
Wolbachia, a prevalent intracellular symbiotic bacterium in insects, plays a significant role in insect biology. Ectropis grisescens (Warren; Lepidoptera: Geometridae) is a devastating chewing pest distributed in tea plantations throughout China. However, it is unclear how Wolbachia titers affect the fitness and reproduction of E. grisescens. In this study, the impacts of 3 different infection lines, naturally Wolbachia-infected, Wolbachia-uninfected, and Wolbachia transinfected, regarding the life history traits of E. grisescens, were evaluated using the age-stage, 2-sex life table. Wolbachia infection significantly shortened preadult duration and preoviposition periods and notably increased the fecundity, net reproductive rate, and finite rate of increase. Meanwhile, population projection indicated that E. grisescens population size with Wolbachia infection can increase faster than without. These results indicate that Wolbachia plays a regulatory role in the fitness of E. grisescens. It is also noted that the life history parameters of E. grisescens may positively correlate with Wolbachia titers. These findings could aid in pest management in tea gardens.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
National Key Research and Development
Anhui Key Research and Development
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)