Florida Entomologist (2015) 98, 865-869

Kellen Favero, Fabricio Fagundes Pereira, Jorge Braz Torres, Harley Nonato De Oliveira, Samir Oliveira Kassab and José Cola Zanuncio (2015)
Reproduction of Tetrastichus howardi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) pupae at different temperatures
Florida Entomologist 98 (3), 865-869
Abstract: Temperature is a major abiotic factor affecting insects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of Tetrastichus howardi (Olliff) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) on Diatraea saccharalis F., sensu Guenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) pupae at 6 constant temperatures (16, 19, 22, 25, 28, and 31 °C). This parasitoid developed at all temperatures with the shortest development time and lowest survival at 31 °C. Tetrastichus howardi females oviposited immediately after making contact with the host pupae. Parasitoids that were kept at 25 °C had the greatest fecundity, and those kept at 16 °C had the greatest longevity. The greatest net reproductive rate (R₀) occurred at 25 °C, and the intrinsic rates of increase (r_m) at 25, 28, and 31 °C were similar but significantly greater than at the lower temperatures. The generation time (T) of T. howardi was significantly the longest at 16 °C, which resulted in the slowest development and greatest female longevity. The fecundity of Tetrastichus howardi was greater in the 19 to 28 °C temperature range than at 16 °C and at 31 °C. These results are important for the multiplication of T. howardi in the laboratory, and for understanding its potential for the biological control of D. saccharalis.
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Database assignments for author(s): Jorge B. Torres, José Cola Zanuncio, Fabricio F. Pereira

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Diatraea saccharalis
Tetrastichus howardi (parasitoid)	Diatraea saccharalis