Abstract

VENZON, Madelaine; FERREIRA, João A. M  and  RIPPOSATI, João G. Parasitism of stink bug eggs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) of soybean fields in the Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Rev. biol. trop [online]. 1999, vol.47, n.4, pp.1007-1013. ISSN 0034-7744.

A survey of the seasonal occurrence of stink bug egg parasitoids was carried out in soybean fields in the Triângulo Mineiro region, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Collections of egg masses of stink bugs and monitoring of population levels of mobile stages were done weekly during the 1993/94 and 1994/95 soybean seasons. Piezodorus guildinii and Euschistus heros were the most abundant stink bugs throughout the survey. Rates of parasitism in P. guildinii eggs ranged from 50.2 to 77% in 1993/94 and from 31.3 to 44.1% in the 1994/95 soybean season. Parasitism in E. heros eggs ranged from 50.6 to 64.7 % in 1993/94 but no parasitized eggs were found in 1994/95. Telenomus podisi was the main parasitoid collected and the only species found to parasitize E. heros eggs. Trissolcus brochymenae and Ooencyrtus sp. were found attacking P. guildinii eggs, but at low levels. We discuss the contribution of egg parasitoids to natural control of stink bugs.

Keywords : Soybean; Cerrado; Pentatomidae; Euschistus heros; Piezodorus guildinii; Telenomus podis i.