First record of Trichogramma atopovirilia Otman y Platner (Hym.: Trichogrammatidae), for Argentina, attacking the eggs of Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Lep.: Noctuidae) on corn

MURÚA, M. G., FIDALGO, P. ; VIRLA E.

VEDALIA, Revista Internacional de Control Biológico

Año: 2003 vol. 9 p. 26 - 26

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Lep.: Noctuidae), is an important pest of many crop plants and is widely distributed throughout the Western hemisphere. During the development of a research project on natural enemies of FAW in northern Argentina, were obtained five males and seven females of an undetermined species of Trichogramma from FAW egg mass. FAW fresh egg masses were offered to the Trichogramma adults in order to begin a laboratory culture of this species. Recently, one of the authors (P. Fidalgo) identified the Trichogramma species reared in March 1996 as T. atopovirilia Oatman & Platner (Hym.: Trichogrammatidae). This species had not previously been recorded from Argentina. T. atopovirilia is one of the Trichogramma species most commonly collected from crops and orchards and this species began to be used in augmentative biological control of FAW on corn in Colombia and Venezuela. Through this presentation we mention the sporadic presence of this species on FAW eggs in Argentine, remarking that this is the southern record for the species (the previous record was for Felixlandia, Brazil, 18° 47’ S - 44° 55’ W). Taking into account the potential importance of T. atopovirilia as biocontrol agent, it would be necessary to begin most detailed studies to elucidate its bionomics in Argentinean ecosystems.