Development of RNAi Methods to Control Exotic Woodboring Beetles

We will evaluate effect of ALB dsIAP and dsSNF7 on common parasitoids of wood borers. We will use braconid parasitoid, Ontsira mellipes Ashmead as a model species. We will inject and feed different doses (10-100 ug) dsIAP, dsSNF7 and dsGFP (control) to parasitoid adults. The mortality of the exposed adults will be scored and quantified a week later. Probit analysis model will be used to evaluate the effect of the test dsRNA doses on ALB larval mortality after correction of mortality from the negative control (dsGFP) using Abbot correction formula. A total of 20 insects will be tested for each dose and the experiment will be repeated three times.