Natural Parasitism of Lepidopteran Eggs byTrichogrammaSpecies (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in Agricultural Crops in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-26T16:40:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-06-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) The genus Trichogramma Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) includes insect egg parasitoids that are widely used throughout the world as control agents of pest insects. The aim of this study was to identify the species of Trichogramma naturally associated with the eggs of lepidopteran pests of the following agricultural and horticultural crops: collards, Brassica oleracea L. (Brassicales: Brassicaceae); papaya, Carica papaya L. (Capparales: Caricaceae); tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. (Solanales: Solanaceae); cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz (Malpighiales: Euphorbiaceae); banana, Musa sp. L. (Zingiberales: Musaceae); passion fruit, Passiflora sp. Degener (Malpighiales: Passifloraceae); sugarcane, Saccharum sp. L. (Poales: Poaceae); and corn (maize), Zea mays L. (Poales: Poaceae); and an invasive species (Sodom's apple milkweed, Calotropis procera Aiton; Gentianales: Apocynaceae) in the semiarid region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. We report natural parasitism by Trichogramma in eggs of Agraulis vanillae vanillae (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Antichloris eriphia F. (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), Danaus sp. (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Diatraea saccharalis F. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), Erinnyis ello L. (Lepidopera: Sphingidae), and Protambulyx strigilis L. (Lepidopera: Sphingidae). In total, 2,242 specimens of Trichogramma were obtained, belonging to the species T. pretiosum Riley, T. manicobai Brun, Moraes & Soares, T. marandobai Brun, Moraes & Soares, and T. galloi Zucchi. These species of Trichogramma may be candidates for biological control programs of lepidopteran pests in the semiarid region of Minas Gerais and in other semiarid regions. Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Protecao Vegetal, Fac Ciencias Agron, BR-18610307 Sao Paulo, Brazil Univ Estadual Montes Claros, BR-39440000 Janauba, MG, Brazil Embrapa Meio Norte, Empresa Brasileira Pesquisa Agropecuaria, BR-64006220 Teresina, Piaui, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Protecao Vegetal, Fac Ciencias Agron, BR-18610307 Sao Paulo, Brazil