The European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner, 1796) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is the major pest of maize (Zea mays Linnaeus, 1753) in Serbia. One potential method for managing this pest is the augmentative release of naturally occuring egg parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma. The first step in this process is accurately identifying the naturally occuring species and estimating their natural distribution and abundance. Molecular identification, based on differences in DNA sequences, has commonly been employed for the identification of Trichogramma species. A simple, quick, and accurate molecular assay is urgently required for the identification of two common Trichogramma species, associated with ECB in Serbia: T. brassicae Bezdenko, 1968 and Trichogramma evanescens Westwood, 1833. Such an assay will facilitate an expansive survey of resident populations of Trichogramma associated with ECB across agricultural growing regions of Vojvodina province. A species-specific multiplex PCR assay for the 2 species was developed and validated that assay using a sample of 79 parasitoid wasps reared from ECB egg masses collected from sample sites across Vojvodina province. Trichogramma brassicae was confirmed as the dominant egg parasitoid of ECB in this region, accounting for 77 of the 79 wasps (97.47%). The remaining 2 were confirmed as T. evanescens. Trichogramma brassicae was detected at all 12 sample sites, while T. evanescens was detected at only 2 plots, Mokrin and Nakovo. The species-specific multiplex PCR assay presented herein can provide the basis of a quick, cheap, and reliable means for identifying the species of Trichogramma that parasitize ECB egg masses in Serbia. Two currently documented species, T. brassicae and T. evanescens, are readily diagnosed by the size of the PCR product they produce in the assay. Any additional species are expected to not produce a band of a diagnostic size. Such species would subsequently be identified by sequencing, which may also allow them to be promptly incorporated into a revised assay.

中文翻译：

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寄生虫在塞尔维亚的欧洲玉米bore卵（鳞翅目：Crimbidae）的卵中的赤眼蜂（膜翅目：Trichogrammatidae）的快速分子鉴定

欧洲玉米bore（ECB）玉米Ost（Hübner，1796）（鳞翅目：Crambidae）是塞尔维亚的主要玉米害虫（Zea mays Linnaeus，1753）。控制这种害虫的一种潜在方法是增生赤眼蜂属的卵中的天然寄生虫。此过程的第一步是准确识别自然存在的物种，并估计其自然分布和丰度。基于DNA序列差异的分子鉴定已普遍用于鉴定赤眼蜂属物种。迫切需要一种简单，快速且准确的分子测定方法来鉴定与塞尔维亚ECB相关的两种常见的赤眼蜂属物种：T. brasicaee Bezdenko，1968和Trichogramma evanescens Westwood，1833。这种测定法将有助于对伏伊伏丁那省农业生长地区与欧洲央行有关的赤眼蜂的居民种群进行广泛调查。开发了针对这2个物种的物种特异性多重PCR检测方法，并验证了该检测方法是使用从伏伊伏丁那全省样本地点收集的ECB卵块中饲养的79个寄生蜂进行的。棉铃虫被确认为该区域ECB的主要卵类寄生虫，占79次黄蜂中的77次（97.47％）。剩下的2个被确认为淡紫色T. evanescens。在所有12个样本位点均检测到了黄铜色赤眼蜂，而仅在Mokrin和Nakovo 2个样地中检测到了棉铃虫。本文介绍的物种特异性多重PCR分析可提供快速，廉价，可靠的手段来鉴定寄生于塞尔维亚的ECB卵块的赤眼蜂的种类。通过在测定中产生的PCR产物的大小，可以轻松地诊断出两个当前记录的物种，即芸苔属和棉铃虫。预计任何其他物种都不会产生诊断大小的条带。此类物种随后将通过测序进行鉴定，这也可能使它们能够迅速整合到修订的测定中。