Natural biological control of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in a wheat field by parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Aphidiinae) in Medianeira, PR, Brazil

Abstract

Aphids constitute one of the main phytosanitary problems in wheat crops in southern Brazil, and are the target of a biological control program with parasitoids implemented in Brazil since the 1970’s. In spite of the initial success quickly achieved, no recent study exists for the west region of the State of Paraná that evaluates the current status of aphid biological control; therefore, this was the object of the present work. Weekly surveys were conducted in a commercial wheat crop in Medianeira, PR. The aphids were identified and, when parasitization was verified, they were analyzed until emergence of the parasitoid. The population of aphids did not reach the mean value of 1 insect/tiller, with predominance of Rhopalosiphum padi (53%), followed by Sitobium avenae and R. maidis (19.5%) and Metopolophium dirhodum (8%), which were verified mostly from the wheat elongation stage. The parasitoids were observed starting at the wheat flowering season (about 3 months after planting), and only two species of braconids, Lysiphlebus testaceipes (97.3%) and Diaeretiella rapae (2.7%), were identified, whose population growth followed the aphids population of, keeping the same trend after the number of aphids in the field was reduced.