ABSTRACT
The objective of this research was to determine the survival, reproduction and predaceous capacity of Orius insidiosus on cotton aphid Aphis gossypii. Cotton plants of Antares, CNPA7H and Acala 90 cultivars (respectively, without tricome, medium tricome density and high tricome density) were individualized and infested with 15 third/fourth instar nymphs ofA.gossypii, and then first-instar nymphs ofO. insidiosus were released on the plants. The evaluations were made daily, quantifying survival and nymphal development; the number of cotton aphids A. gossypii per day and total; the number of eggs and the population of the predator (number of insects by female); and the conversion efficiency ofA. gossypii predaceous. The nymphal development did not differ according to the cotton cultivars. The Antares cultivar favored a higher daily predation rate for the 1st, 2nd and 4th instars and adults of O. insidiosus. The number of eggs and nymphs was smaller when. O. insidiosus females were confined on the Acala 90 cultivar. According to the predation rate of O. insidiosus, the efficiency of alimentary conversion was determined for the Antares, CNPA7H and Acala 90 cultivars, being respectively, 4.28, 3.00 and 2.75 cotton aphid predation for each egg of the predator.
KEY WORDS
Biological control; minute pirate bug; plant resistance; predation behavior
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