No abstract

Pupae of Thyrinteina arnobia (Stoll) and

Interactions of the parasitoids Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle and Trichospilus diatraeae Cherian & Margabandhu (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) with its alternative host Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) affect the success or failure of the mass production of these parasitoids for use in integrated pest management programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the cellular defense and encapsulation ability of A. gemmatalis pupae against P. elaeisis or T. diatraeae in adult parasitoid densities of 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13 parasitoids/pupae. We evaluated the total quantity of circulating hemocytes and the encapsulation rate versus density. Increasing parasitoid density reduced the total number of hemocytes in the hemolymph and the encapsulation rate by parasitized pupae. Furthermore, densities of P. elaeisis above 5 parasitoids/pupae caused higher reduction in total hemocyte numbers. The encapsulation rate fell with increasing parasitoid density. However, parasitic invasion by both species induced generally similar responses. The reduction in defensive capacity of A. gemmatalis is related to the adjustment of the density of these parasitoids to their development in this host. Thus, the role of the density of P. elaeisis or T. diatraeae by pupa is induced suppression of cellular defense and encapsulation of the host, even without them possesses a co-evolutionary history. Furthermore, these findings can predict the success of P. elaeisis and T. diatraeae in the control of insect pests through the use of immunology as a tool for evaluation of natural enemies.

Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gregarious and polyphagous parasitoid mainly of Lepidoptera pupae. The objective of this paper was to study the development of parasitoid on Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) pupae exposed to one, nine, 18, 27, 36, 45 or 54 female P. elaeisis, respectively. The females of the parasitoid remained in contact with pupae for 24 hours in glass tubes (14.0 × 2.2 cm), packed in a climatic chamber regulated at 25 ± 2 • C, 70 ± 10% relative humidity and photo phase of 12 hours. With the exception of density 1:1 (72.72%), in other densities parasitism was 100%. Adults of P. elaeisis did not emerge from pupae at densities of 1:1 and 9:1, but 100.0% of parasitoid emergence was observed at the density of 45:1 and 54.54% at 54:1. The duration of the life cycle of this parasitoid ranged from 20 to 28 days. P. elaeisis produced 49 to 589 descendants per pupa of B. mori. The sex ratio of P. elaeisis ranged from 0.93 ± 0.01 to 0.97 ± 0.01 without differences with 18, 27, 36, 45 and 54 females/host. This parasitoid should be reared with the density of 45 females per pupa of B. mori.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract