Neotropical Entomology (2007) 36, 247-253

José R. Gonçalves, Lêda R.D'A. Faroni, Raul N.C. Guedes, Carlos R.F. de Oliveira and Flávia M. Garcia (2007)
Interação da temperatura com o ácaro parasita Acarophenax lacunatus (Cross and Krantz) (Prostigmata: Acarophenacidae) sobre o desenvolvimento de Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)
[Interaction of the temperature with the parasite mite Acarophenax lacunatus (Cross and Krantz) (Prostigmata: Acarophenacidae) on the development of Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)]
Neotropical Entomology 36 (2), 247-253
Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different temperatures with the association of the mite Acarophenax lacunatus (Cross and Krantz) on the population suppression of Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius). The experimental units were petri dishes containing 40 g of whole wheat grains (13% moisture content) infested with 10 adults of R. dominica, under the temperatures of 20, 25, 30 and 35ºC, with or without A. lacunatus, in five replicates. Relative humidity of 60 ± 5% and escotophase of 24h were used for all temperatures. Five days after the infestation, five mites were inoculated in each experimental unit. The evaluations were carried out at 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 days after R. dominica infestation. The interaction of the temperature with the parasite A. lacunatus was an important tool for the population suppression of R. dominica. In temperatures higher than 25ºC, however, despite the reduction of the immature stages of R. dominica, there was a high grain weight loss after 120 days. The maintenance of the temperature of the wheat grains stored at 20ºC can be used to complement the biological control of R. dominica with A. lacunatus.
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(original language: Portuguese)
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Database assignments for author(s): Raul Narciso C. Guedes

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Rhyzopertha dominica	Stored grain
Acarophenax lacunatus (predator)	Rhyzopertha dominica	Stored grain