ABSTRACT
Several predatory arthropod species have undergone laboratory selection for pesticide resistance. Selected strains of M. occidentalis are commercially produced for mass releases in almond and apple orchards, resulting in substantial economic benefits to California agriculture. This chapter reviews the progress of genetic selection of natural enemies for resistance to pesticides. Specifically, it reviews the success of selection programs with respect to steps outlined in the flow chart, identifies bottlenecks in the process that limit success, and uses estimates of realized heritability to evaluate the selection process. No one has reported heritability estimates for the numerous studies involving selection for pesticide resistance in natural enemies. The chapter analyzes realized heritability using selection data for the parasitoids A. melinus, A. holoxanthus, and Ganaspidium utilis Beardsley. Steps involved in postselection evaluation phase involve evaluation of parasitoid fitness; evaluation of efficacy in the laboratory, greenhouse, or field cages; genetic analysis of resistance traits; and development of specific natural enemy/pest interaction models.
