Statistical modeling of the development of Podisus nigrispinus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) under different prey

• Grant number: 10/16957-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2011
• End date: December 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Clarice Garcia Borges Demétrio
• Grantee: Rafael de Andrade Moral
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The predator Podisus nigrispinus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is widely distributed in the Central and South Americas. It is considered, by its generalist behavior, a useful species in an integrated pest management approach, as it predates several species, including immature noctuid leaf-predators, e.g., Alabama argillacea, Anticarsia gemmatalis and Spodoptera frugiperda. This project has the objectives of comparing the growth curves of P. nigrispinus obtained from the predating of different prey, consisting of the three noctuid species previously cited, throughout the life cycle of the bug. The results will consist of repeated measures through time (longitudinal data) which will be analyzed by the usage of mixed-effects models. This will allow for comparison of the growth curves and better knowledge of the laboratory predation dynamics, which may help in the mass production of predators prior to releasing them in the field, as well as inferring about which prey the predator is able to control more efficiently. With that information, one is able to optimize the biological control with P. nigrispinus in several crops (e.g., tomato, soybean and cotton) and in forestry (e.g., eucalyptus).