Antipredator behaviour of Myzus persicae affects transmission efficiency of Broad bean wilt virus 1

Biological control has the potential to limit the population growth of arthropod vectors and consequently may be expected to reduce plant virus spread in a crop. However, reduction of vector abundance is not the only effect of biological control. Natural enemies might induce antipredator behaviour that affects feeding and dispersal of vectors, and therefore virus spread.Here we test the effect of two natural enemies on dispersal of the aphid vector Myzus persicae and transmission of Broad bean wilt virus 1 (BBWV-1), genus Fabavirus, which is non-persistently transmitted by aphids. One of the predators tested, the syrphid Sphaerophoria rueppellii, is considered to induce low disturbance in aphid colonies, whereas the other, the coccinellid Adalia bipunctata, is assumed to induce high disturbance. Natural enemies enhanced aphid dispersal, but not virus transmission as compared to the control treatment without predators. However, transmission efficiency of BBWV-1 was higher in the presence of coccinellid adults than with syrphids. The behavioural observations of predators and the reactions of aphids to their presence indicate that a stronger antipredator behaviour is induced by coccinellid adults than by syrphids. The different antipredator behaviour displayed by aphids towards coccinellid adults and syrphids might explain the differences found in the rate of virus spread in their presence.

► We test the effect of predators on transmission of a non-persistent plant virus by an aphid vector.
► Predators enhanced aphid dispersal, but not virus transmission as compared to the control treatment.
► In the presence of coccinellid adults transmission efficiency of BBWV-1 was higher than with syrphids.
► Coccinellid adults induced a stronger antipredator behaviour in aphids than syrphids
► This might explain the difference in transmission efficiency of BBWV-1 by Aphis gossypii.