Annals of the Entomological Society of America (2014) 107, 691-695

R.E.M. Guanabens, J.E. Serbão, T.V. Zanuncio and J.C. Zanuncio (2014)
The effect of the interaction between Podisus nigrispinus and Brontocoris tabidus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) on the reproductive biology of the predators of agroforestry pests
Annals of the Entomological Society of America 107 (3), 691-695
Abstract: To effectively reduce agroforestry pest populations, two or more species of their natural predators, rather than only one, could be released. Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) and Brontocoris tabidus (Signoret) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) are significant pest predators; however, these natural enemies can interact negatively, thereby decreasing the efficacy of biological control. The aim of this research was to study the effect of increasing the density of B. tabidus on the reproduction of P. nigrispinus and vice versa. The number of eggs per egg masses, nymphs, and longevity of P. nigrispinus decreased when the number of B. tabidus females increased. Furthermore, the egg viability was >75% with one, two, three, and four B. tabidus females; however, with five females, the viability of the P. nigrispinus eggs dropped below 70%. The number of egg masses of P. nigrispinus was similar with increasing density of B. tabidus and, even at low density, P. nigrispinus reduced reproduction of B. tabidus. P. nigrispinus and B. tabiclus often occur simultaneously in the field; these predators can coexist without any reproductive damage to any species when both are at low density.
(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): José Cola Zanuncio

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Podisus nigrispinus (predator)
Brontocoris tabidus (predator)