Tomato Varieties Influence the Performance of Tamarixia triozae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) on Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) Nymphs

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Horticultural crops are often exposed to insect attacks, and insect vectors of plant diseases represent a significant agronomical challenge. The tomato psyllid is a principal vector for bacterial pathogens causing disease and economic losses in crops. In the present study, we evaluated the performance of the parasitoid (T. triozae) against tomato psyllid on tomato varieties. Our results showed that parasitoids selected one commercial variety of tomato plants and attacked the psyllid under greenhouse conditions. We also demonstrated that healthy plants of commercial variety attracted more natural enemies under laboratory conditions. Therefore, these results could help fine-tune the release of natural enemies in greenhouse and field crops. ABSTRACT: The potato/tomato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli is the Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum bacterium vector that causes diseases in Solanaceae crops. Pest control is based on synthetic chemical insecticides, plant extracts, and natural enemies such as parasitoids. Tamarixia triozae feeds on nymphs of B. cockerelli, reaching up to 95% parasitism. This work aimed to evaluate the parasitic performance of T. triozae on tomato leaves with B. cockerelli N3 nymphs, using two domesticated (Floradade and Micro-Tom) and one Wild tomato variety. Several assays were completed to identify the parasitoid attraction toward un-infested plants (healthy) and infested plants (damaged) of three varieties. Parasitism preference and “Y” tube olfactometer tests were performed, respectively. The parasitism of Tamarixia triozae showed a preference toward plants of the Floradade variety by 44% compared with the other two varieties (p = 0.0003). T. triozae was more attracted to damaged plants of the Wild variety (p = 0.0523). Healthy plants of Floradade and Micro-Tom varieties attracted a higher proportion of parasitoids, except in the Wild variety, where T. triozae was more attracted to damaged plants. Taken together, the results of this study show that the domestication degree in tomato plants positively influenced the interactions between tomato plants and the parasitoid, T. triozae.