Resumen

WEIR L., Enrique H.  y  SAGARZAZU, Luis. Interspecific competition between Metagonystilum minense (Diptera: Tachinidae) and Cotesia flavipes (Hymenotera: Braconidae) parasitosis of sugarcane borers (Diatraea spp., Lepidoptera:Pyralidae). Rev. biol. trop [online]. 1998, vol.46, n.4, pp.1135-1139. ISSN 0034-7744.

We evaluated the effect of interspecific competition between M. minense and C. flavipes larvae on survival in both species and on the growth of M. minense. Interspecific competition was evaluated by the inoculation of M. minense larvae (1 or 2 per host larvae: D. sacharalis) 1 to 5 days before or 3 to 8 days after the inoculation of C. flavipes eggs (one inoculation = 45 - 50 eggs). All experiments were done with ten replicas. We found a significant effect of interspecific competition on larval and pupal survival in both parasitoids and body weight in M. minense. M. minense dominated over C. flavipes, except when M. minense was inoculated 5 or more days after C. flavipes.

Palabras clave : Metagonystilum minense; Cotesia flavipes; parasitoids; Diatraea; sugarcane.