Journal of Applied Entomology - Zeitschrift für angewandte Entomologie (2002) 126, 326-332

J.B. Torres, W.S. Evangelista Jr., R. Barras and R.N.C. Guedes (2002)
Dispersal of Podisus nigrispinus (Het., Pentatomidae) nymphs preying on tomato leafminer: effect of predator release time, density and satiation level
Journal of Applied Entomology - Zeitschrift für angewandte Entomologie 126 (6), 326-332
Abstract: The dispersal potential of nymphal stinkbug, Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas, 1851) (Het., Pentatomidae) preying on larvae of the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lep., Gelechiidae) was studied in an open-sided greenhouse. The parameters investigated were (1) the density of nymphs released per plant (one or five); (2) the release time (0600 and 1800 h); and (3) predator satiation level (satiated and 24-h-starved nymphs). Tomato plants were infested with larvae of the tomato leafminer (one third or fourth instar per leaf). The evaluations started 30 min after the release of predators second instar and hourly evaluations were carried out over 36 and 24 h for release times of 0600 and 1800 h, respectively. Starved nymphs released in the morning, either alone or in groups of five, dispersed faster than satiated nymphs. All of the starved individuals had left the plant by the end of the observation period, whereas 25 and 36% of the satiated nymphs released alone and in groups, respectively, stayed on the plant until the end of the observation period. Both satiated and starved nymphs showed slower rates of dispersal when released at 1800 h. Satiated nymphs delayed prey attack up to 9 h, whereas starved individuals started to attack T. absoluta caterpillars 1 h after their release at both densities. Our findings suggest more effective biological control of T. absoluta is possible with the release of second instar nymphs of P. nigrispinus when starved for 24 h prior to release and then released either in the morning or in the evening.
(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): Jorge B. Torres, Raul Narciso C. Guedes

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

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phthorimaea absoluta
Podisus nigrispinus (predator)	Phthorimaea absoluta