Functional Responses of Three Neotropical Mirid Predators to Eggs of Tuta absoluta on Tomato

Abstract

Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) has quickly developed into a significant tomato pest worldwide. While the recently found mirid predators Macrolophus basicornis (Stal), Engytatus varians (Distant) and Campyloneuropsis infumatus (Carvalho) of this pest are able to establish and reproduce on tomato, biological knowledge of these mirids is still limited. Here we describe the functional response of the three mirid predators of the tomato pest T. absoluta when offered a range of prey densities (four, eight, 16, 32, 64, 128 and 256 eggs) during a 24 h period inside cylindrical plastic cages in the laboratory. Engytatus varians and M. basicornis showed a type III functional response, whereas C. infumatus showed a type II functional response. At the highest prey densities, C. infumatus consumed an average of 51.0 eggs, E. varians 91.1 eggs, and M. basicornis 100.8 eggs. Taking all information into account that we have collected of these three Neotropical mirid species, we predict that M. basicornis might be the best candidate for control of the tomato borer in Brazil: it has the highest fecundity, the largest maximum predation capacity, and it reacts in a density-dependent way to the widest prey range.

Do nymphs and adults of three Neotropical zoophytophagous mirids damage leaves and fruits of tomato?

“…The necrotic rings are small and do not result in deformation of leaves, stems, flowers or fruit. This is a very positive finding, and together with their impressive predation capacities (Bueno et al , 2013; van Lenteren et al , 2016 a , b ) may make these species interesting candidates for biological control of tomato pests.…”

Pest kill rate as aggregate evaluation criterion to rank biological control agents: a case study with Neotropical predators of Tuta absoluta on tomato

“…We can illustrate this with the functional response data obtained at the highest prey density presented in van Lenteren et al . (2016) and the data on adult lifetime predation. In the functional response experiment, female mirids of 2–7 days old were used, so we calculated the daily predation capacity during this 2–7 day period for females used in the lifetime predation experiment.…”

Plant Bugs Predators (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) with References to Arthropods and Fungi in Brazil

“…Ceratocapsus mariliensis Carvalho & Fontes, 1983 Alabama argilacea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (eggs and larva) Three species of plant bugs are recorded as predators of the Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) (Table I): Campyloneuropsis infumatus, preying on eggs and larvae found on tomato (Martínez et al 2014, Van Lenteren et al 2016; Engytatus varians, preying on eggs and larvae (Van Lenteren et al 2016), and Macrolophus basicornis, preying in natural and laboratorial conditions (Martínez et al 2014, Van Lenteren et al 2016. T. absoluta is a neotropical Lepidoptera found in many countries of South America (Benavent et al 1978, Souza et al 1983, Larraín 1986, Cáceres 1992, IAN-JICA 1994.…”