Revista Brasileira de Entomologia (2010) 54, 322-327

Regiane Cristina Oliveira de Freitas Bueno, Adeney de Freitas Bueno, José Roberto Postalli Parra, Simone Silva Vieira and Luciele Januário de Oliveira (2010)
Biological characteristics and parasitism capacity of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae) on eggs of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)
Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 54 (2), 322-327
Abstract: This study aimed at evaluating the biological characteristics and the capacity of parasitism of a Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1869 (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae) strain (T. pretiosum RV) collected in Rio Verde County, State of Goiás, Brazil. The study was carried out on eggs of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) and conducted under controlled environmental conditions at different constant temperatures. The biological parameters determined were: developmental time (egg-adult; days); emergence (%); sex ratio; number of progeny/egg; number of generation/year; thermal constant (K); temperature threshold (Tb); daily number of parasitized eggs; cumulative parasitism (%); total number of eggs parasitized by T. pretiosum; and female longevity. To study the T. pretiosum parasitism capacity, 20 S. frugiperda eggs (< 24 h old) were placed into 8.0 cm x 2.0 cm glass vials containing one female (< 24 h old) each. Trials were carried out in a completely randomized experimental design, with 20 replications at each temperature. The environmental chambers (BOD type) were set at 18ºC, 20ºC, 22ºC, 25ºC, 28ºC and 32ºC ± 1ºC, 70 ±10% relative humidity, and 14/10 h (L:D) photoperiod. The eggs of S. frugiperda were replaced daily until parasitoid death. Results have shown an inverse correlation between developmental time and temperature, with statistically significant differences among means, except at 25ºC and 28ºC (10 days). Parasitoid emergence (%) was also influenced by temperature. The lowest percent emergence was observed at 32ºC, and the highest ones at 18ºC and 20ºC temperatures. The temperature did not affect T. pretiosum sex ratio and number of parasitoids per egg, thus allowing changes in the temperature to control insect mass production in the laboratory to meet the needs for field releases.
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Database assignments for author(s): Adeney de Freitas Bueno

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.
	Spodoptera frugiperda
Trichogramma pretiosum (parasitoid)	Spodoptera frugiperda		Brazil (south)