Effect of Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Release on Moth Infestation in Stored Tobacco

Abstract

During the storage period of dry tobacco and its derivatives, insect pests such as species of Ephestia Guenée (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), popularly known as moths, cause damage to the product, being controlled mainly with physical practices and synthetic chemicals, although with limitations on their use and results. Some biological control agents, such as the parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), have the potential to control these pests. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of H. hebetor release in tobacco farms and industrial warehouses, on the infestation of Ephestia spp. adults. Parasitoids were released in tobacco farmers and tobacco industry warehouses between 2016-2018, comprising two years/crop seasons. Each release consisted of 1,000 parasitoids (four times) in tobacco farmers warehouses (70 m 2 ) and 30,000 (five times) in tobacco industry warehouses (8,000 m 2 ). Pheromone-baited sticky traps were used to weekly monitor the average number of adults of Ephestia spp. in warehouses with (WP) and without parasitoid release (NP). The average number of adults of Ephestia spp. captured in the traps in WP environments at farmers and industry level was significantly lower than the average captured in NP from the third and fifth weeks. In the following weeks, the averages of Ephestia spp. were always significantly lower in the WP environments until the end of monitoring. Therefore, the use of H. hebetor for moth control should be considered as part of a biological control program in stored tobacco environments. HIGHLIGHTS• The H. hebetor parasitoid is effective to control the population of Ephestia spp.• The potential of H. hebetor in stored tobacco is recorded for the first time in Brazil.• H. hebetor can be part of an integrated pest management program in stored tobacco.

Chemical Composition, Toxicity, and Repellency of Essential Oils from Three Hedychium Species Against Stored‐Product Insects

“…Food safety caused by stored‐product insects is increasing year by year and continues to damage biodiversity. In this work, three insects (Tribolium castaneum, Lasioderma serricorne, and Liposcelis bostrychophila) are selected as target insects, widely distributed in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions as common stored‐product insects [1–3] . During post‐harvest storage of products, there is a significant loss in both quality and quantity due to the presence of insects.…”