The cucurbit borers Diaphania spp. are major cucurbit pests, causing losses of up to 100% in production. Biological control with the parasitoid Trichogramma is an alternative for reducing the use of insecticides. The objective of this study was to evaluate the selectivity of the active ingredients abamectin, chlorfenapyr and thiacloprid to Trichogramma atopovirilia Oatman & Platner (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). For this purpose, 20 newly emerged females of T. atopovirilla were confined individually in glass tubes (2.5 cm diameter x 8.5 cm in length), with 30 eggs of Diaphania hyalinata (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) glued on a small cardboard strip that was previously immersed for five seconds in chemical solution. The active ingredients abamectin, chlorfenapyr and thiacloprid did not affect the T. atopovirilia parasitism. However, chlorfenapyr reduced larval emergence. Abamectin and thiacloprid can be therefore recommended for the Integrated Pest Management, as they proved to be the most selective to T. atopovirilia in D. hyalinata eggs.
Diaphania hyalinata; parasitoid; toxicity
