Efeito da ausência de hospedeiro e de alimento sobre aspectos biológicos de Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

Abstract

The use potential of Trichogramma genus parasitoids is huge for several insect-pests of agricultural importance. However, some biological aspects, such as parasitism capacity, viability and sexual ratio are dependent of the host availability and of food supply. This work evaluated the effect of food absence and of alternative host Sitotroga cerealella Olivier (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), absence, in different time intervals, over biological aspects of three Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) strains. The fed strains sponged up to 96 hours, and when the strains were not fed one, two and three of T. pretiosum sponged for 60, 84 and 72 hours, respectively. The results indicate that alimentary stress affects the parasitism capacity of T. pretiosum, after a period of host absence