Desempenho Biológico de Diceraeus melacanthus (Dallas, 1851) sob Diferentes Regimes Alimentares

Abstract

Diceraeus melacanthus (Dallas, 1851) is a polyphagous stink bug that causes significant damage to different agricultural crops, making the establishment of efficient laboratory rearing protocols essential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological development of D. melacanthus on different food sources. The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions (26 ± 1 °C, RH ± 60%, 14 h photophase), and the parameters of weight, nymphal duration, survival, longevity, and fecundity were analyzed for the treatments soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr., 1917), peanut (Arachis hypogaea L., 1753), and a control diet, aiming to select the best option for maintaining the species. Data were subjected to ANOVA, and means were compared using Tukey’s test. The results showed that the peanut diet, although allowing initial survival, resulted in lower body weight, delayed nymphal development, and total mortality before the reproductive stage, possibly due to the presence of protease inhibitors. Soybean, despite ensuring survival to the adult stage, proved insufficient for reproduction, with low egg viability. The control diet provided the best biological indices, with greater weight gain, extended longevity, and a high hatching rate. It is concluded that the use of a mixed diet is the most efficient strategy for rearing D. melacanthus in the laboratory, as it provides the nutritional balance necessary for reproductive success and colony stability.