Trophic web associated with the South American tomato moth Tuta absoluta: implications for its conservation biological control in Argentina

LEE, S.; SALAS GERVASSIO, N.G.; LUNA, M. G. (AUTORA CORRESPONDENCIA); SÁNCHEZ, N.E.; SALVO, A.

AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST ENTOMOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2016 vol. 18 p. 137 - 144

1461-9555

1 TheSouthAmericantomatomothTutaabsolutaisamajorpesttargetedforbiologicalcontrol by entomophagous insects. Trophic interactions among parasitoids of T.absolutaandothergelechiidsfeedingoncropandspontaneouswildsolanaceouswereinvestigatedinnorth-easternBuenosAires(Argentina),withtheaimofassistinginthedesign of conservation biological control strategies.2 A quantitative parasitoid trophic web was constructed that included fiv egelechiidleafminers, fiv esolanaceou sspecie san d acomple xo f1 8parasitoi dspecies.3 The relative abundance of T. absoluta was highest in the Solanum melongenacrop, followed by the wild plants Nicotiana glauca, Solanum americanum, Solanumsisymbriifolium and Salpichroa origanifolia. Greater parasitoid species richnessassociatedwithT.absolutawasfoundinthewildplantsN.glaucaandS.americanum.4 Pseudapanteles dignus was the main parasitoid of T. absoluta and co-occurred withthis pest in four plant species.5 Parasitism of T. absoluta by P. dignus was observed throughout the year inS.melongena,reachingvaluesupto33%,whereasitwassporadicandexhibitedlowerparasitism rates in the noncrop S.sisymbriifolium, N.glaucaand S.americanum.6 The presence of some wild solanaceous plants should be promoted to maintain theT.absoluta? P.dignusinteraction in horticultural farms.