Metabarcoding of Parasitic Wasp, Dolichogenidea metesae (Nixon) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) That Parasitizing Bagworm, Metisa plana Walker (Lepidoptera: Psychidae)
Authors:   Centre for Insect Systematics, Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, Badrulisham Aqilah Sakinah ,   Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, Abu Bakar Muhammad Abdul-Latiff ,   Centre of Research for Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources (CoR-SUNR), Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Pagoh Campus), 84600, Muar, Johor, Malaysia, Md. Zain Badrul-Munir ,   Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, Md-Nor Shukor ,   Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, Mohd-Ridwan Abd Rahman ,   Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia,   Centre for Pre-University Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia, Mohd-Yusof Nur Syafika ,   Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Halim Madihah ,   Centre for Insect Systematics, Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia,   Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, Yaakop Salmah ,   Centre for Insect Systematics, Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia,   Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Published: April 2022

Microbiome studies of the parasitoid wasp, Dolichogenidea metesae (Nixon) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) are important because D. metesae has potential as a biological control agent to suppress the pest, Metisa plana Walker (Lepidoptera, Psychidae). Three field populations of parasitic wasps with different Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to control M. plana collected from Perak state (Tapah) and Johor state (Yong Peng and Batu Pahat districts) in Peninsular Malaysia were studied. Bacterial community composition and structure were analysed using α and β diversity metrics. Proteobacteria (83.31%) and Bacteroidetes (6.80%) were the most dominant phyla, whereas unknown family from order Rhizobiales was the most abundant family found in all populations followed by Pseudomonadaceae. Family Micrococcaceae was absent in Tapah. Rhizobiales gen. sp. and Pseudomonas sp. were abundant in all populations. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed the strongest correlation between individuals of Batu Pahat and Yong Peng (r = 0.89827, p < 0.05), followed by Tapah and Yong Peng with r = 0.75358, p < 0.05 and Batu Pahat and Tapah (r = 0.69552, p < 0.05). We hypothesize that low diversity and richness in Tapah might be due to direct and indirect effect of insecticides application. This preliminary data was the first study to do inventory of the microbiomes in the gut of the D. metesae.