This work was carried out to study the effect of the association of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma galloi Zucchi with the larval parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Cam.) to control the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (Fabr.) through inundative releases. The sugarcane variety `RB 72454' plant cane was used, with canopy height of 1 m, in Brasilândia, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. The following treatments were studied: one, two and three releases of T. galloi associated with one release of C. flavipes and two controls, the first one with no parasitoid release and the second one with only one release of C. flavipes (standard). T. galloi and C. flavipes were released at 200,000 and 6,000 parasitoids per ha, respectively. Multiple releases of T. galloi were done at weekly intervals. The association of one release of C. flavipes with three releases of T. galloi was the best treatment for the sugarcane borer control, reducing the infestation level in 60.2% in comparison with the first control (without release) and was 3.7 times more efficient than the standard treatment. These results show the advantage of using the egg parasitoid T. galloi in association with the larval parasitoid C. flavipes for controlling the sugarcane borer.
Insecta; biological control; sugarcane borer
