Parasitismo e desenvolvimento de Tetrastichus howardi (Hymenoptera: eulophidae) em lagarta e pupa de Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: crambidae)

Abstract

Tetrastichus howardi (Olliff, 1893) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gregarious endoparasitoid and polyphagous, was collected in sugarcane crop in Dourados-MS parasitizing pupae of Diatraea sp. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and is being created in the Laboratório de Entomologia/Controle Biológico at Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, of Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados in Dourados - Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil, aimed at studies on its potential to control the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). As the success of biological control programs with parasitoids depends on knowledge of the interaction of these natural enemies with their hosts, and the development of techniques for mass rearing of these insects, the aim of this study was to evaluate the parasitism and development of T. howardi in caterpillar and pupae of D. saccharalis. For this, we developed the following work: Record of T. howardi parasitizing Diatraea sp. in sugarcane crop in Brazil. Multiplication of T. howardi by successive generations in pupae of D. saccharalis. Reproduction of T. howardi in pupae of D. saccharalis: relationship of densities different of parasitoid and host. Parasitism and development of T. howardi in D. saccharalis caterpillar. In general, in addition to parasitize pupae, T. howardi parasite to caterpillar of D. saccharalis in the laboratory. The multiplication of T. howardi in pupae of D. saccharalis for 25 successive generations did not compromised the biological quality of the parasitoid. The density of up to 14 females of T. howardi per pupa of D. saccharalis is more effective to provide increased progeny without losing biological features essential in creating laboratory. A female T. howardi parasite up to seven pupae of D. saccharalis. T. howardi is able to complete its life cycle and emergence of adult D. saccharalis Also, T. howardi parasited caterpillar of second, third, fourth and fifth instars of D. saccharalis. The third instar of D. saccharalis is the most suitable for use in creations T. howardi. This information is important for contributing to the optimization of the multiplication of T. howardi in laboratory, aimed at biological control of D. saccharalis with this natural enemy in the field.