1. Optimizing the Release Pattern of Telenomus podisi for Effective Biological Control of Euschistus heros in Soybean.
- Author
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Hoback, William Wyatt, Ramos, Gabryele, Hayashida, Rafael, Santos, Daniel Mariano, Alvarez, Daniel de Lima, and Oliveira, Regiane Cristina de
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BIOLOGICAL pest control , *STINKBUGS , *BIOLOGICAL pest control agents , *PEST control , *INSECTICIDE resistance , *CHEMICAL resistance , *GRAIN , *SOYBEAN - Abstract
Simple Summary: The brown stink bug is a serious pest of soybeans in South America, and its control is challenging because of its resistance to chemical insecticides. As a result, the egg parasitoid Telenomus podisi has been tested in laboratory and field conditions as a biological control agent that attacks the brown stink bug eggs. The parasitoid is released into fields as adults or parasitized eggs and the effectiveness depends on its ability to find hosts. In this work, we evaluated the dispersal of T. podisi and determined a dispersal capacity influenced by soybean growth stage that varied between 31 and 39 m. The maximum parasitism rate of stink bug eggs was about 60%. Based on these results, we recommend that T. podisi release points are spaced at a maximum of 30 m apart in order to provide sufficient control of pest stink bugs. An augmentative biological control program using the egg parasitoid Telenomus podisi Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is a promising tool for the management of the brown stink bug, Euschistus heros (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in soybeans. The T. podisi are released as adults or pupae within lab-reared E. heros eggs. Because of the small size of the parasitoid and potentially limited dispersal ability, determining the optimal release pattern is critical for biological control of the target pest. This study used sentinel E. heros eggs to investigate T. podisi dispersal within soybean crops during two distinct phenological stages: the beginning of flowering (Vn–R1) and the grain-filling phase (R5–R6). Data were analyzed using semi-variograms and kriging maps. The results indicate significant differences in parasitism rates between the two plant growth stages and among different matrices. The maximum dispersal range for T. podisi was calculated at 39.0 m in the Vn–R1 stage with a maximum parasitism rate of 42%, while in the R5–R6 stage, the maximum dispersal range was calculated to be 30.9 m with a maximum parasitism of 73%. Therefore, it is recommended that release points for T. podisi be spaced no further than 30 m apart. These results provide valuable insights for future research and applications in biological control strategies, including adjustment of the logistics and release technique depending upon the crop phenological stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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