Entomological News (2009) 120, 476-487

Francisco S. Ramalho, Paulo A. Wanderley, José B. Malaquias, Jefferson V.S. Souza, Karjoene C.V. Rodrigues and J.C. Zanuncio (2009)
Effect of temperature on the reproduction of Bracon vulgaris Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid of the cotton boll weevil
Entomological News 120 (5), 476-487
Abstract: This research studied the effect of temperature on the reproduction of Bracon vulgaris Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), an ectoparasitoid of the cotton boll weevil Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in climatic chambers, using constant temperatures of 20, 25, and 30°C, relative air humidity of 70 ± 10% and a photophase of 14 h. Females of the parasitoid produced a greater number of eggs when exposed to 25°C (124.65 eggs) in relation to those exposed to 20 (43.40 eggs) and 30°C (49.60 eggs). The mean number of parasitized larvae per female of B. vulgaris at 25°C (71.75) was greater than at 20°C (31.40) and 30°C (25.15). The daily intrinsic rates of increase (r_m) were -0.007 at 20°C, 0.07 at 25°C and 0.03 at 30°C, revealing that the temperature of 25°C produced increases of 1,100 and 133% in the value r_m in relation to the temperatures of 20 and 30°C, respectively. In programs of biological control of the boll weevil using innoculative releases, adult females of B. vulgaris with approximately five (at 25 or 30°C) or 20 day old (at 20°C) should be used; when using innundative releases, adult females of B. vulgaris, with ages between 11 and 31; 9 and 29 or 3 and 14 days of age, respectively, at 20, 25, or 30°C should be used.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Francisco de Sousa Ramalho, José Cola Zanuncio

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anthonomus grandis
Bracon vulgaris (parasitoid)	Anthonomus grandis