Acceptability and Suitability of Three Liriomyza Leafminer Species as Host for the Endoparasitoid Chrysocharis flacilla (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

Liriomyza leafminers represent important threats to the horticulture sector in East Africa. Parasitism rates of local parasitoids are reported to be low and the endoparasitoid, Chrysocharis flacilla (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), was introduced in Kenya for a classical biological control program. Acceptability and suitability bioassays were conducted on the three economically important Liriomyza species in Africa (Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), Liriomyza sativae (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), and Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) (Diptera: Agromyzidae). Foraging behavior, developmental time, sex ratio, parasitism rates, host pupal mortality, and body indices of C. flacilla were assessed. Results showed that the three Liriomyza leafminer species were accepted and suitable to C. flacilla. Foraging time was significantly shorter on L. trifolii than on L. sativae and L. huidobrensis. Ninety-eight per cent of females successfully oviposited in the three-host species. Female parasitoids were significantly aggressive in attempting to oviposit on L. huidobrensis than on L. sativae and L. trifolii. High parasitism rates ranging between 73 and 78% were observed from the three Liriomyza hosts, but no significant difference among hosts. C. flacilla-induced significant nonreproductive pupal mortality ranging from 23 to 35%, an attribute rare among endoparasitoids. In all three Liriomyza hosts, the parasitoid progeny was female biased. Parasitoid development period ranged between 16 and 24 d. Female parasitoids reared on L. huidobrensis were significantly bigger than those reared on L. sativae and L. trifolii. The acceptance to local Liriomyza leafminers and high host suppression ability is potential for considerations of C. flacilla in the management of Liriomyza spp. in Africa.