Performance of <i>Pseudapanteles dignus</i> (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Natural Enemy of <i>Tuta absoluta</i> (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in Eggplant

Abstract

<i>Pseudapanteles dignus</i> (Muesebeck; Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an American endoparasitoid that attacks the South American tomato leafminer <i>Tuta absoluta</i> (Meyrick; Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). The interaction between <i>P. dignus</i> and <i>T. absoluta</i> in tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.; Solanales: Solanaceae) crops has demonstrated that this enemy exhibits some desirable ecological traits as an effective biological control agent of this pest. With the aim of extending the use of <i>P. dignus</i> to other solanaceous crops, laboratory experiments were carried out to assess some life history traits and the parasitism efficiency when parasitizing <i>T. absoluta</i> larvae fed on eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.; Solanales: Solanaceae). Rearings and experiments were conducted at 25 ± 2°C, ≈70% RH, and 14:10 (L:D) h photoperiod, and <i>T. absoluta</i> was fed with eggplant. <i>P. dignus</i> developmental times of immature stages were lower (~ 5 d) on <i>S. melongena</i> than on <i>S. lycopersicum</i>. The female did not exhibit a pre-reproductive period, and its oviposition period lasted longer (~ 4 d) than that determined in tomato plants. Adult longevity was ca. 24 d for both sexes. Females produced ca. 61 cocoons during their lives and the maximum daily percentage of parasitism was 50% at the first day of adult emergence. Functional response of <i>P. dignus</i> on eggplant was density-independent of the host density offered, as in tomato plant, and the instantaneous attack rate (a′) was 0.24 attacked larvae/ available larvae, in 24 h. Our results indicate that although there are differences, <i>P. dignus</i> would have a similar performance in eggplant and tomato in terms of its efficacy in the control of <i>T. absoluta</i>.