Cucurbitaceae plants are seriously damaged by attack of insects and the damages are present from germination to harvest, in all parts of the plants. Among sucking insects attacking squash (Cucurbita moschata) and pumpkin (C. maxima), the nymphs and adults of Leptoglossus gonagra (Fabr.) (Hemiptera: Coreidae) are pointed as one of the main pests, sucking leaves, branches and fruits, causing necrosis and reducing the yield. To compare the attractivity of seedlings of squash and pumpkin cultivars in respect to adults of this insect, and the effects of these plants on the biology of the nymphs, assays were carried out under laboratory conditions. For the attractivity test, the BRA015113 squash genotype was the least attractive as compared to the Exposição pumpkin genotype, while BRA003531 was preferred. All the genotypes caused 100% of mortality of the nymphs, indicating the presence of antibiotic components, harmful to the biological development of L. gonagra.
Insect; host plant resistance; seedlings; attractivity; antibiosis