The impact of mating condition on the reproductive efficiency of Anisopteromalus calandrae

The maize weevil parasitoid, Anisopteromalus calandrae, is a dominant parasitic wasp targeting stored-product Coleoptera pests, and rapid mass-rearing is a key factor influencing its practical application. The physiological state of female and male wasps significantly impacts their rapid reproduction. To gain deeper insights into the effects of female and male wasps' conditions on the reproductive efficiency of A. calandrae, this study investigated the influence of female age, sex ratio, and mating duration on parasitoid reproductive performance. The results showed that 3-day-old females achieved peak values in offspring emergence wasps (10.50±1.78), pest control rate (93.99±1.72) %, and number of female offspring wasps (7.60±3.06), while females aged over 16 days exhibited significantly reduced reproductive capacity. The 3:1 (female:male) sex ratio group had the longest female lifespan (17.40±0.55) d and the highest pest control rate (82.10±5.14)%, but its offspring sex ratio (0.54±0.02) was lower than that of the 1:1 group (0.75±0.07). Females with a 3-day mating duration showed the longest oviposition period and highest offspring emergence wasps (20.00±2.24) while maintaining a relatively high pest control rate (52.60±4.51)%. In contrast, prolonged mating duration (10 d) led to reduced reproductive performance. Therefore, the optimal reproductive conditions for A. calandrae females include selecting 3-day-old females, maintaining a 3:1 (female:male) sex ratio, and short-term mating (1-3 d). These findings provide key parameters for optimizing mass-rearing techniques of natural enemies and offer important guidance for enhancing the efficacy of biological control against stored-product pests.