Abstract

ARIAS, Diana; CANTOR, Fernando; CURE, José Ricardo  and  RODRIGUEZ, Daniel. Biology and life cycle of Praon pos. occidentale (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid of Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Hemiptera:Aphididae). Agron. colomb. [online]. 2009, vol.27, n.3, pp.375-383. ISSN 0120-9965.

Previous research studies conducted in commercial rose crops in the Bogota Plateau have shown the presence of aphids parasitized by wasps of the genus Praon. The present research studied the biology and reproductive cycle of Praon sp. under laboratory conditions, at six constant temperatures (15, 17, 20, 25, 28 and 30°C). The parasitized aphids were kept in incubators at the selected temperatures, under a regime of alternate light and darkness 12 hour periods. They were periodically dissected to determine the development stage of the parasitoid, which allowed determining the average duration of all such stages, from egg to adult. At all temperatures, except for 15°C, the results showed complete development of all biological stages, for which a mathematical model of development rate as a function of temperature was fitted. The eggs were observed to need the highest minimum temperature threshold to complete their development. Both males and females were observed to live longer at low temperatures. Regarding sex effect, females were found to live longer than males at all temperatures. A larger number of males was observed at 17 and 20°C, while females were more numerous at 25, 28 and 30°C.

Keywords : biological control; aphid; tomato; wasp.

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