Predictive modelling in biological control: the mango mealy bug (Rastrococcus invadens) and its parasitoids.
Godfray H. C. J., Waage J. K.
Author Affiliation: Department of Biology and Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College at Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks SL5 7PY, UK.
Journal of Applied Ecology 28 : 434-453
Abstract : Age-structured host/parasitoid population models with overlapping generations were developed to investigate the interactions of Rastrococcus invadens, a pest of mangoes and Citrus, and its 2 potential parasitoids, the encyrtids G. tebygi and Anagyrus sp. The models predicted that one parasitoid (Gyranusoidea tebygi) would lead to a greater decrease in pseudococcid density than the other parasitoid (Anagyrus sp.). The robustness of this prediction was tested by sensitivity analysis. The models predicted that the addition of Anagyrus sp. to a system already containing G. tebygi would lead to little improvement in host depression.