In this study, the effects of various chemical and biological insecticides on adults of the parasitoid species Trichogramma pretiosum (Riley) were examined in cassava. The chemical insecticides zeta-cypermethrin, lufenuron + profenofós, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and teflubenzuron and the biological agents Bacillus thuringiensis and Baculovirus erinnyis were evaluated. For each treatment group, the effects were evaluated using T. pretiosum mortality rates, longevity of females, the number of eggs parasitized by the F0 generation, and number of emergent F1 parasitoids. The insecticides were classified using the International Organization for Biological Control categories. The tested insecticides had little effect on longevity and survival of adults, but all affected parasitism (F0) and were moderately harmful to the parasitoid. In relation to the emergent (F1) generation, the pesticides were either harmless or slightly harmful, except for zeta-cypermethrin which was classified as harmful with a 100% reduction in parasitoid emergence. The results indicate that the tested insecticides were moderately harmful to T. pretiosum in the laboratory; future studies will examine the effects of the insecticides under semi-field and field conditions to confirm their toxicity.

Resumo. A produção de inimigos naturais com qualidade comparável àqueles encontrados na natureza é primordial para os sistemas de criação de insetos em condições de laboratório, que vise atender a programas de controle biológico. Dentre os indicadores de qualidade de parasitoides, a capacidade de voo é uma característica importante a ser avaliada em laboratório, pois está relacionada à dispersão e alcance de abrigo, alimentos e hospedeiros em condições de campo. Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle é um endoparasitoide gregário, polífago, idiobionte que parasita pupas, principalmente da ordem Lepidoptera. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade da população do parasitoide P. elaeisis, criada em pupas Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) em laboratório pelo teste de voo. Pupas de D. saccharalis com 24 horas de idade foram expostas ao parasitismo por fêmeas de P. elaeisis. Os adultos emergidos foram classificados de acordo com suas posições no interior da Unidade de teste em: voadores, caminhadores e não voadores. A porcentagem dos parasitoides encontrados na tampa (voadores) foi de 51,23%, no anel (caminhadores) de 23,49% e no fundo (não voadores) de 25,26%. Em razão aos percentuais de não voadores observado para outras espécies de parasitoides, o valor constatado para P. elaeisis pode significar uma queda na qualidade desse parasitoide, o que levaria a necessidade de introdução de novos indivíduos coletados em campo para recompor essa qualidade de voo.Flight Test as Evaluation Criteria of the Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) QualityAbstract. The production of natural enemies of comparable quality to those found in nature is essential to the creation of systems of insect in laboratory conditions, which object to meet biological control programs. Among the indicators of quality of parasitoids, flight capacity is an important factor to be evaluated in the laboratory feature, because it is related to the dispersion and range of shelter, food and hosts under field conditions. Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle is a gregarious endoparasitoid, polyphagous, idiobionte and parasite pupae, especially the Lepidoptera order. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of the parasitoid P. elaeisis population, created in pupae of Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) laboratory for the flight test. Pupae D. saccharalis with 24 hours of age were exposed to parasitism by females of P. elaeisis. The emerged adults were classified according to their positions within the unit test, flyers, running and not flying. The percentage of parasitoids found on the cover (flying) was 51.23%, the ring (running) of 23.49% and the bottom (non-flying) of 25.26%. Because the percentage of non-flying observed for other species of parasitoids, the value found for P. elaeisis could mean a drop in quality of the parasitoid, which would lead to the need to introduce new individuals collected in the field to restore this quality of flight.

Use of synthetic insecticides remains main control strategy for percevejo-marrom (Euschistus heros) in corn. However, indiscriminate use of these products can have adverse effects on the environment and human health. Thus, incorporation of bio-agents like Telenomus podisi a preferred option in corn pest management. Study was conductedto evaluate the effects of insecticides application on T. podisi mortality rates, the number of eggs parasitized by the F0 generation, and number of emergent F1 parasitoids. The insecticides tested were: imidacloprid+bifenthrin, bifenthrin+carbosulfan, thiametoxam+lambda-cyhalothrin, acephate, bifenthrin, and imidacloprid at the highest concentrations indicated for corn. Each insecticide was classified according to its selectivity, based on the methodology proposed by IOBC/WPRS. Only imidacloprid did not affect parasitoid survival however the parasitism rates of F0 females, were affected, classifying this product as slightly harmful for this biological trait. Regarding parasitoid emergence (F1), thiametoxam+lambda-cyhalothrin was classified as moderately harmful, while bifenthrin+carbosulfan and bifenthrin were considered harmful, no parasitism occurred. Thus the evaluated insecticides were classified as slightly harmful to the parasitoid T. podisi under laboratory conditions for the biological characteristics evaluated. Further studies under semi-field and field conditions are needed in order to confirm these toxicity levels on T. podisi.