Effect of Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: scelionidae) density on control of Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: noctuidae) egg masses upon release in a maize field.

The impact of releasing different densities (0, 6, 9 and 12 adult females m-2) of the egg parasitoid Telenomus remus Nixon on maize plants artificially infested with Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) egg masses (one m-2) was evaluated. Egg masses were pinned in the mid-rib of the plant 36 days after planting. One egg mass contained approximately 65 eggs. The experimental design was in a randomized complete block design with five replications (16 m2 plots). There was a significant effect on percentage of parasitism egg masses. The highest parasitism values were verified in plots where 9 or 12 females of T. remus m-2 were released, respectively, 74 and 88.3 %. The relationship between percentage of parasitized egg masses and parasitoid densities was quadratic (Y = 16.8 + 9.98 X - 0.35 X2, r2 = 0.99). The natural occurrence of Trichogramma spp. was relatively constant over the egg masses fixed on maize plants (52.5%). However, the average T. remus parasitism on the eggs of a mass was much higher, representing 80.4% while the parasitism was only 21.3% in the case of Trichogramma. The presence of both parasitoids was responsible for up to 97.5% of parasitism, obtained from plots with a released density of 12 T. remus female m-2

Aspectos biológicos do parasitoide Chelonus insularis (Cresson) (Hymenoptera, braconidae) criados em ovos de Spodoptera frugiperda, noctuidae).

Biological aspects of the parasitoid Chelonus insularis (Cresson) (Hymenoptera, braconidae) reared on eggs of Spodoptera frugiperda(Smith) (Lepidoptera, braconidae). Biological aspects of Chelonus insularis (Cresson, 1865) an egg-larval parasitoid reared on Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith, 1797) eggs helonus insularis (Cresson, 1865) has been cited in the international literature as a promissing biological control agent against the fall armyworm. Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith, 1797). Its field occurrence in Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais (Brasil) has been increasing in the last years. For these reasons this experiment was conducted in the laboratory, at the National Corn and Sorghum Research Center, of EMBRAPA, under temperature of 25oC, RH of 73% and phophate of 12 hours. Ten couples of the parasitoid were individually placed in a glass jar (5 liters capacity). They were fed on a 10% sugar solution. Each couple received one fall armyworm egg mass to oviposit during a 24 hour period. After hatching, the larvae were fed on artificial bean diet, up to the death caused by the parasitoid larvae. The total biological life cycle was 26,61 days on the average (larval period of 20,42 and pupal period of 6.19 days). The average weight of two days - old pupae was 0.02g. The adult longevity was on average, 10 days (8,4 days for males and 11.6 days for females). The greatest rate of parasitism occurred when the female was three days old, with a maximum of 92 eggs parasitized in that day

Comportamento de lagartas de Spodopetra frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) parasitadas por chelonus insularis (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), sobre plantas de milho.

This research was conducted in greenhouse at the National Corn and Sorghum research center of Embrapa in Sete Lagoas, MG, Brasil. It aimed to study the general behavior of Spodoptera frugiperda lervae attacked by the egg-larval parasitoid Chelonus Insularis. Fourteen parasitized and fourteen non-parasitized 3 days old host larvae evaluated using a visual scale form zero to five. On 6th observation day plant corn leaf, regardless of being parasitized. Healthy larvae presented high mobility and caused higher damage on the plants than parasitized larvae which pupate earlier

Densidade populacional de Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) nas fases de ovo, larva e adulto em milho.

Estudou-se a flutuacao populacional de ovos, lagartas e adultos de Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) na cultura do milho (Zea mays), durante a fase de liberacao de estilos-estigma, no inverno, na primavera e outono, em Sete Lagoas, MG. Foi obtida uma grande quantidade de ovos, com tendencia a diminuicao juntamente com o secamento dos estilos-estigma. Essa quantidade nao correlacionou com o pequeno numero de lagartas amostradas, nem com o valor constante de machos adultos capturados. Fatores de mortalidade especialmente associados a ovos e a lagartas de primeiros instares exerceram papel importante na diminuicao da populacao do inseto. Portanto, nas condicoes onde os experimentos foram conduzidos, as decisoes a respeito de epocas de aplicacoes de inseticidas, embasadas somente no numero de machos capturados em armadilhas de feromonios ou no numero de ovos amostrados nos estilos-estigma, nao traduzem a real necessidade de medidas de controle. Para estimar a populacao de H. zea nas espigas de milho, o melhor indice foi portanto o numero de lagartas/estigma. A disponibilidade constante de alimento e as condicoes favoraveis de clima na regiao mantem uma populacao constante de adultos de modo a nao ser possivel detectar picos de ocorrencia em armadilhas