Trichogramma pretiosum reared on alternate hosts and its performance to control Plutella xylostella in greenhouse with exposition to Bacillus thuringiensis

• Grant number: 12/13749-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: October 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Sergio Antonio de Bortoli
• Grantee: Claudio Antonio Salas Figueroa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Species of the genus Trichogramma are used to control lepidopteran pests in many crops of economic interest, but little is known about their pre-imaginal conditioning, which can be a limiting factor for search and location of the target pest, reducing its efficiency as a biological control agent. In this context, the objective of this study is to create the parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum with alternating hosts and verify its performance in controlling Plutella xylostella in greenhouse with exposition to Bacillus thuringiensis. To do this, T pretiosum will be reared in alternative host Corcyra cephalonica for five consecutive generations, and later in natural host P. xylostella by 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 generations. In each generation will be evaluated: number of eggs parasitized, emergence rate, developmental period and longevity. At each generation will also be assessed the host preference using double-choice test arenas. Thus, it may be possible to determine how many generations are necessary for the parasitoid prefers the natural host, factor for success of biological control, especially if there is pre-imaginal conditioning. It will also evaluated the performance of T. pretiosum parasitizing P. xylostella in cabbage plants that will be previously reared in alternating hosts. Furthermore, the effect of formulated products based on B. thuringiensis will be studied by application on eggs of the diamondback moth in cabbage plants, measuring the parasitism of T. pretiosum. The importance of to study this kind of interaction is that the use of two biological control agents increase the likelihood of reducing populations of pest insects, keeping the balance of the ecosystem. Knowledge about the interaction between species of the genus Trichogramma, B. thuringiensis and insect pests are still incipient in Brazil. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

FIGUEROA, Claudio Antonio Salas. Alternância de hospedeiros de criação e efeito de bioinseticidas no parasitismo de Trichogramma pretiosum em ovos de Plutella xylostella. 2015. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias. Jaboticabal Jaboticabal.