Inbreeding and quality of the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes produced in biofactories in Brasil

• Grant number: 16/10084-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: September 02, 2016
• End date: January 15, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Sergio Antonio de Bortoli
• Grantee: Alessandra Marieli Vacari
• Supervisor: Andrea L. Joyce
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of California, Merced (UC Merced), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/25677-3 - Inbreeding and quality of the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes produced in biofactories in Brasil., BP.PD

Abstract

Currently there are about 40 bio-factories rearing Cotesia flavipes in different Brazilian states, with no exchange of insects. All bio-factories obtained the parasitoids to start the rearing of individuals that were originally introduced from Trinindad and Tobago in 1974. Over the years the number of bio-factories rearing C. flavipes in Brazil increased to 40, but many of these bio-factories reared the parasitoids in isolation for years. This poses several questions that need to be answered, such as: 1) Have the populations of C. flavipes maintained separately over the years become different strains? 2) Are these populations genetically distinct? The aim of this study will be to investigate the geographic population structure of C. flavipes strains in Brasil, to determine whether these strains of C. flavipes are genetically distinct after the isolated rearing of strains for over 40 years in different Brazilian states. We will compare the genetic differences with any behavioral differences, or performance differences that might have been noticed in this study in previous experiments (process number 2013/25677-3). To assess genetic divergence among these C. flavipes populations we will use amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). Amplified fragment length polymorphisms are used to examine gene flow among populations, and can be used to infer reproductive isolation. Furthermore, mitochondrial DNA will show us if there are different cryptic species of C. flavipes in Brazilian populations. Genetic divergence will be expected among C. flavipes populations due to isolated rearing of the Brazilian populations. The results of this research will determine the level of genetic diversity among Brazilian populations of C. flavipes, and this will help to decide whether or not new imports and introductions of parasitoid are needed in Brazil. This knowledge will help us understand the genetics of C. flavipes populations that are currently reared in Brazil, allowing the biological control program that today reaches an area of 3.5 million hectares of sugarcane to continue with its deserved success. (AU)