The Influence of Weeds Associated With Reduced-Tillage Corn on a Black Cutworm Parasitoid, Meteorus Rubens (Nees Von Esenbeck), and Computer Simulation of The Consequences for Black Cutworm Damage

The impact of nectar-feeding at flowering weeds by Meteorus rubens on black cutworm damage to seedling corn was investigated through a combination of experimental research and computer simulation. In the laboratory, female M. rubens provided with flowering weeds lived on average 7.6 days, more than twice as long as starved wasps. Total parasitism and reproduction, 12.3 hosts and 164.7 offspring per wasp respectively, were also more than twice as great in nectar-fed wasps. In the field, wasps were visible in cages ca. 50% longer when flowering weeds were present, 6.1 versus 4.1 days. In the greenhouse, the density of nectar-fed wasps in cages was greater than that of their starved counterparts due to increased longevity. Consequently, parasitism increased from 25% to 41% and from 34% to 52% at low and moderate rates of wasp introduction into cages respectively.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Entomology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Foster, Michael Alexander

• Agriculture, Agronomy
• Biology, Entomology

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8422063

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/71093