Breeding natural enemies to generate populations with improved characteristics is an attractive idea, particularly nowadays with the increase in use of biological control and the availability of modern molecular and genetic tools. A first step in the process is to characterize traits which can be important for biological control and their intraspecific variation. In this study we characterized fecundity, longevity and dispersal-related traits of four endogamic and three exogamic laboratory populations (lines) of Mastrus ridens, an important parasitoid of the codling moth (Cydia pomonella (L.)). We found that several traits were positively correlated and that there was variability among lines and between endogamic and exogamic lines. Exogamic lines presented a better combination of trait values than endogamic lines. The absence of trade-offs among the traits studied in M. ridens would be advantageous for a breeding program. Nevertheless, it would be important not to lose genetic variability in the process, because of the presence of complementary sex determination (CSD) and negative effects of inbreeding on other traits. The results of this study could be useful for the selection of M. ridens lines with better traits and as preliminary information for breeding programs.

培育天敌以产生具有改进特性的种群是一个有吸引力的想法，特别是在当今随着生物控制的使用增加以及现代分子和遗传工具的可用性的增加。该过程的第一步是表征对生物控制及其种内变异很重要的性状。在这项研究中我们的特点繁殖力，寿命和四个endogamic和三个exogamic实验室群（系）的扩散相关性状Mastrus ridens中，苹果蠹蛾的重要寄生（苹果蠹蛾(L.))。我们发现几个性状呈正相关，并且品系之间以及内交系和外交系之间存在变异性。外配系比内配系呈现出更好的性状值组合。在M. Ridens 中研究的性状之间没有权衡将有利于育种计划。尽管如此，重要的是不要在这个过程中失去遗传变异性，因为互补性决定 (CSD) 的存在和近亲繁殖对其他性状的负面影响。这项研究的结果可用于选择具有更好性状的M.ridens品系，并作为育种计划的初步信息。