[Biological studies on Trichogrammatoidea bactrae Nagaraja (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), egg parasitoid of Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)]. / Estudios biológicos de Trichogrammatoidea bactrae Nagaraja (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), parasitoide de huevos de Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

The tomato moth, Tuta absoluta Meyrick, is one of the most important tomato pests in South America. In Argentina, management strategies include only chemical control. In this work, the parasitoid wasp Trichogrammatoidea bactrae Nagaraja was evaluated as a potential natural enemy against this pest. Biological and population parameters were estimated by developing a life table under laboratory conditions at 25 ± 1ºC, 14:10 photoperiod and 60 ± 10% RH. Three cohorts of 26-30 T. bactrae females each were placed with one of the three following treatments: 1 - Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) eggs on a piece of cardboard; 2 - S. cerealella eggs on a piece of tomato leaf, and 3- T. absoluta eggs on a piece on tomato leaf. The following parameters were estimated for each cohort: survival (egg to adult), longevity, fecundity and oviposition period of females, sex proportion of the F1, net rate of reproduction (Ro), mean generation time (T) and intrinsic rate of population increase (r m). Survival of the T. bactrae immatures was higher than 90% on both, S. cerealella and T. absoluta eggs. The female survival curves corresponded to type III and showed no significant differences among treatments. The three cohorts did not show significant differences between sex ratio, female longevity, oviposition period, fecundity and the population parameters studied. These results indicate that T. bactrae would be a potential biological control agent of T. absoluta.

Estudios biológicos de Trichogrammatoidea bactrae Nagaraja (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), parasitoide de huevos de Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) / Biological studies on Trichogrammatoidea bactrae Nagaraja (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), egg parasitoid of Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

The tomato moth, Tuta absoluta Meyrick, is one of the most important tomato pests in South America. In Argentina, management strategies include only chemical control. In this work, the parasitoid wasp Trichogrammatoidea bactrae Nagaraja was evaluated as a potential natural enemy against this pest. Biological and population parameters were estimated by developing a life table under laboratory conditions at 25 ± 1ºC, 14:10 photoperiod and 60 ± 10 percent RH. Three cohorts of 26-30 T. bactrae females each were placed with one of the three following treatments: 1 - Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) eggs on a piece of cardboard; 2 - S. cerealella eggs on a piece of tomato leaf, and 3- T. absoluta eggs on a piece on tomato leaf. The following parameters were estimated for each cohort: survival (egg to adult), longevity, fecundity and oviposition period of females, sex proportion of the F1, net rate of reproduction (Ro), mean generation time (T) and intrinsic rate of population increase (r m). Survival of the T. bactrae immatures was higher than 90 percent on both, S. cerealella and T. absoluta eggs. The female survival curves corresponded to type III and showed no significant differences among treatments. The three cohorts did not show significant differences between sex ratio, female longevity, oviposition period, fecundity and the population parameters studied. These results indicate that T. bactrae would be a potential biological control agent of T. absoluta.

[Conidiobolus coronatus isolation from a pest aphids of chives (Allium schoenoprasum L.)]. / Aislamiento de Conidiobolus coronatus a partir de un áfido plaga (corrected) del cebollín (Allium schoenoprasum L.).

Conidiobolus coronatus (Entomophthorales), a pathogen of human and some insects, was isolated from dead specimens of the aphid Neotoxoptera formosana present on chives leaves. C. coronatus infected aphids could pose a threat to growers health. Pest control strategies of N. formosana may also contribute to reduce the human infection risk by C. coronatus.

Aislamiento de Conidiobolus coronatus a partir de una plaga de áfidos del cebollín (Allium schoenoprasum L. ) / Conidiobolus coronatus isolation from a pest aphids of chives (Allium schoenoprasum L. )

Conidiobolus coronatus, entomoftoral patógeno para el hombre y algunosinsectos, se aisló a partir de especímenes muertos del áfido Neotoxopteraformosana sobre hojas de Allium schoenoprasum. La presencia deC. coronatus supone el riesgo de una potencial infección para quienestrabajan en la producción de cebollín. El control fitosanitario de N. formosanapodría, además, contribuir a reducir el riesgo de infección humana conC. coronatus(AU)

Conidiobolus coronatus (Entomophthorales), a pathogen of human and someinsects, was isolated from dead specimens of the aphid Neotoxopteraformosana present on chives leaves. C. coronatus infected aphids could posea threat to growers health. Pest control strategies of N. formosana may alsocontribute to reduce the human infection risk by C. coronatus(AU)

Insecticide resistance in Argentine populations of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), is one of the key pests of tomato in Argentina. Since its dispersal in the 1970s, chemical control has been the main method of controlling it. However, reduced efficacy of some of the recommended insecticides has been observed since the 1980s. The aim of this work was to study the toxicity of three insecticides widely used in chemical control of T. absoluta (abamectin, deltamethrin and methamidophos) on larvae from a laboratory susceptible population (CASTELAR) and two greenhouse populations (ROSARIO and BELLA VISTA). Insecticides were dissolved in acetone and topically applied to the mid-dorsal abdominal region of two-day old 4th instar larvae. LD50 values were estimated and the Resistance Ratio (RR) for each insecticide was calculated (RR = LD50 value of each greenhouse population/LD50 value of the susceptible population). ROSARIO and BELLA VISTA populations showed the following RRs values: > 68.38 for deltamethrin; 2.48 and 3.49 for abamectin, respectively; and 0.79 and 0.86 for metamidophos, respectively. Deltamethrin resistance observed in ROSARIO could be due to the high selective pressure exerted by pyrethroids in this location. Deltamethrin resistance in BELLA VISTA is more difficult to explain, because pyrethroids were scarcely used in the greenhouse where the insects were sampled. The incipient abamectin resistance detected in the BELLA VISTA population could result from the frequent use of this insecticide in this location, although natural variation can not be discarded.

A traça-do-tomateiro, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), é uma das pragas chaves no tomateiro na Argentina. O controle químico tem sido o principal método de controle empregado a partir da sua dispersão nos anos 70. Contudo, tem-se observado uma redução na eficácia de alguns dos inseticidas recomendados a partir da década de 80. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a toxicidade de três inseticidas amplamente usados no controle químico de T. absoluta (abamectina, deltametrina e metamidofós) em larvas de uma população susceptível de laboratório (CASTELAR) e duas populações colectadas em casa de vegetação (ROSARIO e BELLA VISTA). Inseticidas foram diluídos em acetona e aplicados topicamente na região dorsal mediana do abdome de larvas no segundo dia do quarto estágio larval. Para cada inseticida estimou-se o LD50 e calculou-se o Nível de Resistência (NR = LD50 de cada população de casa de vegetação/LD50 população de laboratório). As populações de ROSARIO e BELLA VISTA mostraram os seguintes NRs: > 68.38 para deltametrina; 2.48 e 3.49 para abamectina, respetivamente; e 0.79 e 0.86 para metamidofós, respetivamente. A resistência a deltametrina observada em ROSARIO pode ser resultante da alta pressão seletiva exercida pelos piretróides nessa localidade. A resistência incipiente a abamectina detectada em BELLA VISTA pode ter sido causado pelo uso freqüente do inseticida nessa localidade ou pode estar associada à variação natural.