Temperature-Dependent Development of Two Neotropical Parasitoids of Liriomyza sativae (Diptera: Agromyzidae)

Abstract

We studied two species of neotropical parasitoids that occur naturally in northeastern Brazil and are associated with Liriomyza sativae (Blanchard): Opius (Gastrosema) scabriventris Nixon (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Chrysocharis vonones (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). We evaluated the influence of seven temperatures on the duration of the egg–adult period and on the survivorship of the immature stages of the parasitoids. A temperature increase from 15 to 30°C shortened the egg–adult period of O. scabriventris and C. vonones . However, at 32°C, the developmental time for the braconid was prolonged, and no difference was observed for the eulophid, compared with 30°C. The highest temperature, 35°C, proved to be lethal for both species. At 15°C, C. vonones pupal survivorship was drastically reduced, whereas that of O. scabriventris was unaffected. At most temperatures, the eulophid had an egg–adult period shorter than or similar to the braconid, except at 15°C. The threshold temperature ( Tt ) of the egg–adult period for O. scabriventris was 7.3°C with a thermal constant ( K ) of 257.1 degree days (DD). For C. vonones the Tt was 7.4°C for the total cycle and 6.2°C for the pupal stage, with a thermal constant of 246.3 and 140.3 DD, respectively. These data allow an estimate of 29.4 annual generations for O. scabriventris and 30.5 for C. vonones in a melon production region in northeastern Brazil, values that are equivalent to 4.9 and 6.0 more generations than the host. These results demonstrate that both species have potential for application in biological control programs against the leafminer fly L. sativae .

Study of Productivity and Economic Evaluation of Intercropping Cowpea With Maize Under Three Irrigation Water Levels and Their Response to Insect Infestation and Viral Infection

“…With respect to leaf miner fly, sole cowpea with application of the highest applied irrigation water (120% ETo) had higher infestation with leaf miner fly on cowpea leaves than the others. High temperatures are harmful for the parasitoids of leaf miner fly (Costa-Lima et al, 2014) which increased leaf miner fly assemblages on sole cowpea. The infestation with leaf miner fly was increased with increasing leaf moisture content (120% ETo) which reflected positively on insect growth rate.…”

Does the high density of trichomes influence the parasitism of Liriomyza sativae by Opius scabriventris on melon cultivars?

“…Parasitoids of the Opius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) genus are reported as an important biological control agents of Liriomyza, being among the species of natural enemies used for leafminer control in Europe and the United States (LIU et al, 2009; CORTEZ-MONDACA; VALENZUELA-ESCOBOZA, 2013). In the main melon-producing areas in Brazil, Opius scabriventris Nixon (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is reported as a relevant natural enemy of Liriomyza (COSTA-LIMA et al, 2014;ARAUJO et al, 2015).…”

Toxicity of insecticides used in melon crop to Opius scabriventris, a natural parasitoid of Liriomyza sativae

“…In several regions worldwide, parasitoids are deemed as important biological controlling agents that assist in regulating the population of leafminers of the genus Liriomyza (Liu et al, 2011). In Brazil, the larva-pupa endoparasitoid Opius scabriventris (Nixon, 1955) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is reported as one of the main natural enemies of the leafminers (Costa-Lima et al, 2014;Araujo et al, 2015). Besides Brazil, this parasitoid is mentioned in several countries of South America, such as Argentina, Peru or Chile and, in some regions where O. scabriventris was reported, the natural parasitism rates were over 50% (Salvo & Valladares, 1995).…”