Medfly Phenotypic Plasticity as A Prerequisite for Invasiveness and Adaptation

Darija Lemic, Mario Bjeliš, Pave Ninčević, Ivana Pajač Živković, Luka Popović, Helena Virić Gašparić and Hugo A. Benitez
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Darija Lemic: Department of Agricultural Zoology, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Svetosimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Mario Bjeliš: University Department of Marine Studies, University of Split, Ruđera Boškovića 31, 21000 Split, Croatia
Pave Ninčević: Department of Agricultural Zoology, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Svetosimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ivana Pajač Živković: Department of Agricultural Zoology, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Svetosimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Luka Popović: Department for Research and Application of the SIT, Center for Plant Protection, Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food, Tisno 42, 20355 Opuzen, Croatia
Helena Virić Gašparić: Department of Agricultural Zoology, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Svetosimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Hugo A. Benitez: Laboratorio de Ecología y Morfometría Evolutiva, Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados del Maule, Universidad Católica del Maule, 3460000 Talca, Chile

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 22, 1-17

Abstract: The hypothesis of this study was that different plant hosts of the medfly Ceratitis capitata may cause variability as a prerequisite for its invasiveness. The main objective was to determine population variability based on medfly wing shape in three favorable medfly host plants (peach, fig and mandarin) from different agroecological growing areas with different pest management practices, and to evaluate phenotypic plasticity as a basis for future expansion into new areas and new hosts. Using geometric morphometric methods across 14 specific landmarks on the medfly wings, 10 populations were tested from infested peach, fig and mandarin fruits, as well as laboratory-grown sterile populations. The studies led to the following main findings: (1) all of the medfly populations that were studied exhibited sexual dimorphism in wing shape; (2) the hosts in which the medfly develops influence wing shape and condition its variability; (3) there is significant variability between laboratory mass-reared sterile and wild individuals in male and female populations; (4) a high phenotypic plasticity of medfly populations was observed along the study sites. Even the low but clearly detected variability between different agroecological conditions and localized variability indicate genotypic stability and high phenotypic plasticity, which can be considered as a prerequisite for medfly invasiveness and dispersal to new areas.

Keywords: Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann); geometric morphometrics; invasiveness; spreading potential; plasticity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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