Does Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: Phoridae) have potential as a biological control agent of fall armyworm?

Authors

  • Adriana Acevedo-Alcalá Colegio de Postgraduados, Posgrado en Fitosanidad, Entomología y Acarología, Montecillo, CP 56230 Texcoco, Estado de México, Mexico
  • J. Refugio Lomeli-Flores Colegio de Postgraduados, Posgrado en Fitosanidad, Entomología y Acarología, Montecillo, CP 56230 Texcoco, Estado de México, Mexico
  • Esteban Rodríguez-Leyva Colegio de Postgraduados, Posgrado en Fitosanidad, Entomología y Acarología, Montecillo, CP 56230 Texcoco, Estado de México, Mexico
  • Susana Eva Rodríguez-Rodríguez Colegio de Postgraduados, Posgrado en Fitosanidad, Entomología y Acarología, Montecillo, CP 56230 Texcoco, Estado de México, Mexico
  • Eréndira Ortiz-Andrade Colegio de Postgraduados, Posgrado en Fitosanidad, Entomología y Acarología, Montecillo, CP 56230 Texcoco, Estado de México, Mexico

Abstract

Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: Phoridae) has been recovered from Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and it has been identified as a possible biological control agent. However, in laboratory tests M. scalaris preferred to develop as saprophagous on a meridic diet (84.3%), and secondly as necrophagous of dead larvae (12.7%). Its development as an endoparasitoid occurred in 2.2 and 0.7% in third and fifth instar larvae, respectively. This suggests that it has no potential as a biological control agent for S. frugiperda.

 

Sumario

Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: Phoridae) se ha recuperado de Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), y se señaló como un posible agente de control biológico. Sin embargo, en pruebas de laboratorio M. scalaris prefirió desarrollarse como saprófago de una dieta merídica (84.3%), y en segundo lugar como necrófago en larvas muertas (12.7%). Su desarrollo como endoparasitoide sucedió en 2.2 y 0.7% en larvas de tercer y quinto ínstar, respectivamente. Esto sugiere que no tiene potencial como agente de control biológico de S. frugiperda.

Key Words: Spodoptera frugiperda; necrophagous insect; Zea mays; scuttle fly

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Published

2023-04-20

Issue

Vol. 106, No. 1 (March 2023)

Section

Scientific Notes

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