Neotropical Entomology (2009) 38, 512-519

Christian S.A. Silva-Torres, Reginaldo Barros and Jorge B. Torres (2009)
Efeito da idade, fotoperíodo e disponibilidade de hospedeiro no comportamento de parasitismo de Oomyzus sokolowskii Kurdjumov (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)
[Effect of age, photoperiod and host availability on the parasitism behavior of Oomyzus sokolowskii Kurdjumov (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)]
Neotropical Entomology 38 (4), 512-519
Abstract: The high reproduction rate, potential to cause damage, wide geographic distribution and resistance to insecticides of Plutella xylostella (L.) makes its efficient control difficult. However, larvae and pupae of this pest are naturally parasitized by Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov), providing opportunities to improve the natural parasitism. This study investigated the effects of the age of adult parasitoids, host availability and time of exposure on O. sokolowskii parasitism behavior. The number of larvae encounters by parasitoid females and the parasitism rate increased with parasitoid age up to 96h. The parasitization was higher when wasps received a constant number of hosts daily in comparison with a random number (13.3 versus 8.9 larvae parasitized). Female parasitization activity was maintained up to the age of 20 days in both treatments and exhibited similar longevity (constant host = 33.5 d; and random host = 34.7 d). The progeny produced per female and the number of parasitoids emerged per host significantly decreased as wasps aged. There was no significant effect of the light regime (12h darkness or 12h light exposure) on the parasitization, although parasitoid was more active after 3h of light exposure. Therefore, further studies on field application of O. sokolowskii should consider the release of 48h- to 72h-old parasitoids at dawn as a way to increase the success of host parasitization.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
(original language: Portuguese)
Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Jorge B. Torres

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.
	Plutella xylostella
Oomyzus sokolowskii (parasitoid)	Plutella xylostella