Field test on parasitoid recruitment of maize (Zea mays L.) along its domestication and selection gradients against a specialist herbivore (Dalbulus maidis, Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

This experiment is based on the premise that antiherbivore defenses are affected as a consequence of domestication in cultivated plants. We are testing the parasitoid recruitment along the domestication gradient of maize (Zea mays ssp. mays, Poaceae) under the action of a specialist herbivore, the leafhopper Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). The field site it’s located in south east Jalisco-Mexico (Buffer zone of Reserva de Biosfera de la Sierra de Manantlan). Currently in the field, the experiment consists in 4 blocks of plants, each block is composed of 5 separated cages containing adifferent 4 leaf stage maize plants within the domestication gradient ( Zea diploperennis, Zea mays ssp parviglumis, Zea mays ssp mexicana, Zea mays ssp mays ) 20 adults of D. maidis will be enclosed into the cages, a fifth cage with Z. mays ssp mays and without D. maidis will work as a control; parasitoids will be collected using sticky traps around the cages. Repetitions of the experiment will last 6 days beginning in July 2010 up to the second week of august 2010. If the premise is correct, we expect to register a significant great quantity of parasitoids around the Z. diploperennis and Z. mays spp parviglumis plants.