Abstract

RUBIO C, SILVIA ALEJANDRA; VARGAS A, BLANCA IRENE  and  LOPEZ-AVILA, ARISTÓBULO. Evaluation of the efficiency of Tftchogramma lopezandinensis (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) to controlTecla solanivora (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in storage potato. Rev. Colomb. Entomol. [online]. 2004, vol.30, n.1, pp.107-113. ISSN 0120-0488.

The efficiency of the parasitoid Trichogramma lopezandinensis Sarmiento to control the Quatemalan potato tuber moth Teda solanivora (Fovolny) in stored potato was evaluated. Four experiments were carried out to determine biológica! aspects of their interaction at three trophic levéis constituting the stored potato, the pest and the parasitoid. These experiments included the design of a device to reléase the parasitoid, determination of the densities and frequencies of parasitoid reléase required to prevent damage of the pest and effect of light on the parasitic activity of the wasp. The study was conducted at the Research Center Tibaitatá, in the IPM program of Corpoica, and was conducted under controlled conditions of temperature, humidity and light. The experimental unit consisted of a wooden cage with muslln walls, in which a tray was introduced with 100 tubers, of an average 100 g each. An efflcient device to reléase the parasitoid in storage conditions was designed and implemented which was denominated the "tunnel type". It was found that light conditions are an important factor in the parasitic activity of the wasp, presenting the highest percentages of parasitism under normal light conditions in the laboratory compared to complete darkness. In the experiments of densities and frequencies of parasitoid reléase, it was found that frequency is a significant factor in preventing of damage caused by the pest. Frequency of reléase every three days showed the best results, indicating that the continuous presence of young females is critical for achieving better parasitism.

Keywords : Densities; Frequencies; Reléase; Light.