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2017, N 1 (27) |
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ECOLOGY
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Konoplev N., Popov S., Ignatov A. |
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Effect of bacterial symbiont Cardinium on reproduction of two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) |
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Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), one of the most significant pests of agricultural plants, can be a host of endosymbiotic bacterium “Candidatus Cardinium hertigii”.We have estimated reproductive abnormalities by carrying out crossing experiment between two strains of T. urticae: infected and uninfected (cured by ampicillin and verified by PCR). Results showed a connection between Cardinium infection and alteration of host population demographic structure: an appearance of significant portion of females incapable to lay eggs, biased sex ratio in the offspring of infected females towards females, which under shortage of males may lead to population reduction, as well as fecundity reduction in variant with infected female and uninfected male.
Keywords: TETRANYCHIDAE, TETRANYCHUS URTICAE, CARDINIUM, SYMBIONT, REPRODUCTIVE ABNORMALITIES |