This research aimed to evaluate the suitability of Aphis gossypii Glover and Myzus persicae (Sulzer) as hosts for Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson). The species of aphid were offered to the parasitoid separately. Small cages with a sweet pepper leaf and thirty 2nd- and 3rd-instar nymphs were used. One female of L. testaceipes was released into the cage and removed after 2h. The aphids were transferred to petri dishes (5 cm) containing a 1% solution of water/agar and a leaf disc of either sweet pepper or cotton for M. persicae and A. gossypii respectively. The mummies were transferred to glass tubes (100 mm x 8 mm) to evaluate adult emergence and longevity. Parasitism was higher in A. gossypii (44.2%) than in M. persicae (6.7%). There were no differences in adult emergence (100% in M. persicae and 92.6% in A. gossypii) and in development time of the parasitoid in the two host species (9.0 and 8.8 days for M. persicae and A. gossypii, respectively). Longevity of L. testaceipes was higher when developed in A. gossypii (5.5 days) than in M. persicae (3.9 days). Both aphid species were adequate for the development of the parasitoid, but A. gossypii was more suitable than M. persicae as a host for L. testaceipes.
Biological control; aphid; suitability; parasitoid
