Effect of Wolbachia (Alpha-proteobacteria, Rickettsiaceae) infection on some biological properties of trichogramma species

Endosymbionts of the genus Wolbachia are widely seen particularly parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma. Wolbachia is an obligate intracellular bacteria that causes fully parthenogenesis (thelytoky) in some Trichogramma species. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the presence of bacteria in some biological properties like the longevity and parasitism capacity of Trichogramma species. The presence of Wolbachia infection in Trichogramma embryophagum (Hartig) was defined by wsp-PCR tecnique in the study. T. embryophagum and Trichogramma cacoeciae (Marchal) that determined not have Wolbachia, were compared according to their longevity and parasitization capacities. T. cacoeciae adults survived longer but this difference wasn't statistically important (P>0,05), according to parasitization capacity this species was more successful and difference was statistically important (P<0,05). Also, T. embryophagum females were treated with temperature (˃30ºC) for curing bacteria and bacteria containing (thelytoky), and temperature applied adults were compared by same properties. There was no difference found between the two groups in terms of longevity and parasitization. As a result, it has been demonstrated that, in T. embryophagum presence of Wolbachia haven't got a negative or positive effect on some biological properties and T. cacoeciae can be used successfully in biological control programs.