Figure 3
From: Effects of plant virus and its insect vector on Encarsia formosa, a biocontrol agent of whiteflies
Patterns of parasite behavior in relation to plant pathogen and insect vectors.
In this schematic, the parasitoid is an endoparasitoid, E. formosa, the pathogen is a plant virus, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (infected plant is discoloured in yellow) and the vector is the sweetpotato whitefly B. tabaci B and Q cryptic species. Both insect vector and plant virus have a significant influence on the performance and fitness of E. formosa. Parasitic wasp performed better on B. tabaci B than on Q on healthy plants. Whereas, virus induced plant responses influences the behavior and physiology of the insect vector and consequently exerts its impact on the parasitoids indirectly. For B. tabaci Q, TYLCV had a positive effect on both performance and fitness of E. formosa. In contrast, a negative impact on the life history traits of E. formosa was observed when B was fed on the infected tomato plants. Please note the number of B. tabaci nymphs infected with E. formosa is purely hypothetical, implicating either positive (more) or negative (less) effects.
