Granulosis Virus Infection of the Smaller Tea Tortrix (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): Effect on the Development of the Endoparasitoid,Ascogaster reticulatus(Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Infection ofAdoxophyessp. larvae by a granulosis virus (AsGV) adversely affected the development of the endoparasitoid,Ascogaster reticulatus.Parasitoid larvae developing in AsGV-infected hosts grew more slowly and spent more time in their hosts than did parasitoid larvae developing in noninfected hosts. Parasitoid larvae developing in AsGV-infected hosts accumulated numerous viral capsules in their gut lumen. Electron microscopy confirmed no infection of AsGV in fat body and midgut tissues of those parasitoid larvae. There were no significant differences in the emergence rates between parasitoid larvae that developed in AsGV-infected hosts and those that developed in noninfected hosts. However, pupation and eclosion rates of parasitoids that had developed in infected hosts with AsGV were significantly lower than those of parasitoids that developed in noninfected hosts. The proportion of parasitoids that pupated and emerged as adults increased as the timing of AsGV administration to the host was delayed. Significant numbers of parasitoid larvae that emerged from AsGV-infected hosts did not exhibit external feeding. This appeared to be the main reason for high mortality rates of parasitoids that developed as larvae in AsGV-infected hosts.