Managing Helicoverpa armigera is still a major challenge for Brazilian farmers, due to limited information available about chemicals and biological control of this pest in Brazil. This study focused on evaluating the biological aspects of Podisus nigrispinus fed with H. armigera, under laboratory conditions, as well as verifying the capacity of the P. nigrispinus in preying on caterpillars of H. armigera in the field, in soybean crops. The experiments were conducted in laboratory under controlled temperature conditions of 25±2 ºC, relative humidity (RH) 60±10% and 14-hour photophase, as well as in the field, at the experimental station of Fundação MS in Maracaju, MS. In the laboratory, second instar nymphs of P. nigrispinus were placed in plastic jars and fed with H. armigera larvae or Tenebrio molitor larvae throughout the nymphal phase. When they reach adulthood, 15 couples were formed, remaining with the same prey of the previous phase. For the field trial, soybean plants were caged, and inside these cages were released eight quarter-instar H. armigera caterpillars. Subsequently, in each cage were released an adult female or a fifth instar nymph, and after 24 hours, the number of prey caterpillars were assessed. Predator nymphal duration was shorter in treatment with H. armigera than with T. molitor. Nymphal viability was similar between treatments. Adult females and males fed with H. armigera presented greater body mass than those fed with T. molitor. The number of postures per female and the number of eggs per female were similar between treatments. The incubation period of eggs was longer for treatment with H. armigera, differing statistically from treatment with T. molitor. Eggs from treatment with H. armigera showed similar viability to treatment with T. molitor, not differing statistically. Females and males under treatment with H. armigera showed longer longevity compared to treatment with T. molitor. Adult females preyed on average 2.26 caterpillars within 24 hours and fifth instar nymphs preyed on 1.73 caterpillars/day. P. nigrispinus showed better development when fed with H. armigera, demonstrating that it can be used as an alternative host for breeding this predator. The predator showed satisfactory performance for predation rate/day. Release of fifth instar nymphs and adult females of P. nigrispinus may reduce the pest population in relation to the absence of the predator under field conditions, an important alternative to be used in H. armigera integrated management programs.

Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner, 1805) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an insect pest that attacks several cultures and has been a cause of concern in Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate parasitism in pupae and caterpillars of H. armigera by Tetrastichus howardi (Olliff, 1893) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), in laboratory, as well as checking if T. howardi parasitoid has the ability to locate and infect H. armigera. In the laboratory, pupae of H. armigera and Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) were exposed to 15 T. howardi females for 24 hours. Third, fourth and fifth instars of H. armigera were exposed to three T. howardi females for 24 hours. In the field experiment, cages were installed. Ten caterpillars of the fifth instar of H. armigera were released in each cage and waited for the necessary period for them to soak in the soil. After this period, 150 T. howardi females were released in each of four cages and in one cage there was no release of parasitoids. In the laboratory, the percentage of parasitized and emergent pupae was 100% in both hosts. The life cycle of T. howardi in H. armigera pupae was 15 days, and for D. saccharalis it was 16 days. The progeny was significantly larger for the host H. armigera (689.00) compared to D. saccharalis (358.27). The sex ratio was 0.91 and 0.87 for H. armigera and D. saccharalis, respectively. The longevity of males (25.60 days) and females (26.95 days) in the treatment with H. armigera differed from the treatment with D. saccharalis, which was 21.70 days for males and 22.95 days for females. For the experiment with H. armigera caterpillars, it was found that only two caterpillars from the fifth instar were parasitized with emergence of parasitoids in the pupal phase, with a progeny of 81 individuals; egg-adult cycle was 19.5 days; sex ratio of 0.88; male longevity was 19.6 days and for females 20.3 days. Despite the high rate of parasitism of T. howardi in H. armigera pupae in the laboratory, the same did not occur for caterpillars. In the field evaluation, of the total of 50 caterpillars released in the cages, 34 pupae were collected. Of these, 31 pupae had emergence of the H. armigera moth. No parasitism by T. howardi was found in H. armigera pupae. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate T. howardi parasitism in H. armigera pupae under field conditions.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the development and reproduction of the zoophytophagous predator Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) fed kale, broccoli and cabbage affects its. Nymphs and adults of this predator were fed on larvae of Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) as prey with kale, cabbage, or broccoli. In the nymph period, the duration and prey consumption were similar with all the Brassicacea cultivar. However, nymph viability was higher for predators with broccoli leaves. The mean weight of 5 th -instar nymphs, newly emerged females and the sex ratio were similar among the Brassicacea cultivars, while newly emerged males were heavier with kale and broccoli leaves. The supply of broccoli leaves resulted in greater oviposition, higher number of eggs per egg mass and longer longevity of P. nigrispinus males and females. Furthermore, the consumption of P. xylostella larvae by adult predators was higher with these cultivars. The net reproductive rate (R 0 ) and mean generation time (T) were highest for predators with prey and broccoli leaves. The reproductive parameters of P. nigrispinus were enhanced when fed on P. xylostella larvae with and broccoli leaves, which can be an alternative diet in laboratory rearing of this predator.Keywords: biological control, mass rearing, predatory stinkbug, zoophytophagous.Fitofagia do predador Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas, 1851) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) em diferentes brassicáceas Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar o desenvolvimento e reprodução do zoofitófago Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) em couve, brócolis e repolho. Ninfas e adultos deste predador foram alimentados com lagartas de Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) como presa e receberam folhas de couve, repolho ou brócolis. Durante o período ninfal, a duração do período e o consumo de presas foram semelhantes com as diferentes cultivares de brassicácea. Porém, a viabilidade ninfal foi maior para predadores com folhas de brócolis. O peso de ninfas de quinto instar e de fêmeas recém-emergidas e a razão sexual de P. nigrispinus foram semelhantes entre as cultivares de brassicáceas, enquanto que o peso de machos recém-emergidos foi maior com folhas de couve e brócolis. Folhas de brócolis proporcionaram maiores número de oviposições, ovos por postura e longevidade de machos e fêmeas de P. nigrispinus. Além disso, o consumo de lagartas de P. xylostella por adultos desse predador fora maiores com esta cultivar. A taxa líquida de reprodução (R 0 ) e o tempo médio de geração (T) foram maiores para predadores com presa e folhas de brócolis. Podisus nigrispinus alimentados com lagartas de P. xylostella e folhas de brócolis apresentaram melhores parâmetros reprodutivos, podendo ser uma alternativa para a criação deste predador em laboratório.Palavras-chave: controle biológico, criação massal, percevejo predador, zoofitófago.