Massal production of Telenomus podisi Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), in eggs of Oebalus insularis (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

The need to implement a massal productions  system of Telenomus podisi, under controlled conditions, is fundamental for the establishment of applied biological control targeted to Oebalus insularis. Therefore, the objective of this research is to asses the production system of T. podisi, in O. insularis eggs, under controlled conditions (26⁰C), relative humidity (80%) and 12 hours of photophase. To that extent, plastic containers of 6 cm diameter and 22 cm length were used and considered for the multiplication unit. Once O. insularis eggs from adults bred under laboratory conditions were obtained, they were submitted to T. podisi parasitism. With the purpose of establishing the ideal number of O. insularis couples, three treatments were evaluated (10, 15 and 20 per multiplication unit). In addition, the egg parasitoid rate and the emergence rate of  female parasitoids of four T. podisi haplotypes were evaluated, collected at different production areas and differentrice varieties. The experimental design was completed at random, with 25 repetitions per treatment. The data was submitted to ¨U¨ Mann Witney and Tukey test, at 5% probability. The implementation of 15 O. insularis couples per multiplication unit produce 1,516 eggs that were submitted to haplotype (Tpo4) T. podisi parasitism. obtaining 816 females per unit.