Fitness of two mushroom flies Bradysia minpleuroti (Diptera: Sciaridae) and Coboldia fuscipes (Diptera: Scatopsidae) fed on two edible mushrooms

Abstract

Dictyophora rubrovolvata and Pleurotus ostreatus are economically important mushrooms in China. Bradysia minpleuroti Yang et Zhang and Coboldia fuscipes (Meigen, 1830) are important mushroom flies that damage the two mushrooms. In this study, we used the age-stage, two-sex life table method to assess the fitness of B. minpleuroti and C. fuscipes when they were respectively fed on D. rubrovolvata and P. ostreatus. Our results showed that the first (2.39 days) and second (1.41 days) instar larvae, pupa (2.87 days) and total longevity (18.19 days) of B. minpleuroti were shorter when fed on P. ostreatus than fed on D. rubrovolvata (3.46, 1.86, 3.10 and 20.19 days). B. minpleuroti had similar fecundity when fed on the two edible mushrooms. B. minpleuroti had higher values of net reproductive rate (R₀, 87.73), intrinsic rate of increase (r, 0.2604 day^-1), and finite rate of increase (λ, 1.2974 day^-1) and shorter mean generation time (T, 17.19 days) when fed on P. ostreatus than fed on D. rubrovalvata (26.96, 0.1659 day^-1, 1.1805 day^-1, 19.85 days). The developmental period of larvae and pupa stages of C. fuscipes were significantly different fed on the two edible mushrooms. Female fecundity, total longevity, R₀, r, λ and T of C. fuscipes were not significantly different between the two edible mushrooms. We found that fitness of B. minpleuroti larvae had higher fitness when fed on P. ostreatus than fed on D. rubrovolvata. However, there was no significant difference in the fitness of C. fuscipes larvae when fed on the two edible mushrooms. This study has provided valuable data and insights by delving into the adaptability of two significant pests on two edible mushrooms, thereby facilitating the development of more effective pest management strategies and contributing to the advancement of the mushroom industry. For instance, it provides guidance on the appropriate timing for preventive measures and treatment.