Feeding preference and intraguild interactions between the parasitoid Trichogramma achaeae and the predator Macrolophus pygmaeus, two biological agents of Tuta absoluta

• Autor(es): Borges, Isabel ; Oliveira, Luisa ; Durão, Ana ; Arruda, Patricia ; Soares, António O.
• Data: 2023
• Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/6860
• Origem: Repositório da Universidade dos Açores
• Assunto(s): Augmentative Biological Control; Egg Parasitoid; Intraguild Predation
• Tipo de Documento: Artigo científico
• Idioma: Inglês
• Contribuidor(es): Repositório da Universidade dos Açores

Descrição

ABSTARCT: Tuta absoluta is an exotic species and a major pest of tomato crops in Europe. Macrolophus pygmaeus and Trichogramma achaeae are two biocontrol agents widely used in integrated pest management programs of the South American tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta. In this study, we evaluated under laboratory conditions the (i) voracity of M. pygmaeus females fed on single diets of Tuta absoluta eggs parasitized or unparasitized by Trichogramma achaeae, (ii) voracity and feeding preference of M. pygmaeus females provided with mixed diets of Tuta absoluta eggs unparasitized and parasitized by Trichogramma achaeae and (iii) effect of competitive and intraguild interactions between M. pygmaeus and Trichogramma achaeae on the number of Tuta absoluta eggs consumed and/or parasitized. Lastly, we assessed under field conditions the effect of interspecific and intraspecific interactions between natural enemies on the number of Tuta absoluta eggs consumed and/or parasitized.