Searching behavior of the parasitoid Tamarixia triozae mediated by the host plant and experience

In the tritrophic system Solanaceae–Bactericera cockerelli Sulc (Hemiptera: Triozidae)—Tamarixia triozae Burks (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), we studied naïve and experienced T. triozae female attraction induced by the host plant (natal and alternate) and herbivory infestation. Naïve females are not attracted to healthy nor to infested plants (no choice). Early experience produces attraction to combined odors of plant and host, and the host plant induces preference when experience occurs on the natal host plants, but not when it occurs on alternate host plants. The results indicate that plants mediate female parasitoid response and that T. triozae needs to learn to find its hosts in order to optimize its host-searching behavior. This need to learn and the preference triggered by learning on the natal host plant suggest that it would be convenient to give T. triozae experience to improve its initial efficiency when it is used on an alternate cultivated host plant.