Toxicity of Neem (Azadirachta indica) Seed Cake to Larvae of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), and Its Parasitoid, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) parasitism and the toxicity of neem seed cake (NSC) on survival of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly). Groups of 1600 - 1700 third instar C. capitata larvae were each wrapped in organdy cloth (“unit of parasitism”) and exposed to approximately 500 couples of sexually mature D. longicaudata parasitoids (5-d old) for one hour. C. capitata larvae exposed or not to parasitism were transferred to plastic cups containing vermiculite with different proportions of neem seed cake (NSC): 0% NSC (control), 5% NSC, 10% NSC, 15% NSC, 20% NSC, 25% NSC, 30% NSC. Both NSC and the parasitism caused larval/pupal mortality and reduced the emergence of C. capitata flies. NSC affected parasitoid emergence negatively. The effect of parasitism coupled to NSC did not provide greater reduction in the medfly emergence than when parasitism was used alone. However, each of these 2 methods affect a different life stage of medfly, larvae and pupae, respectively, and their joint use may increase the probability of controlling medfly populations in field.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a interação do parasitismo de Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) com a toxicidade da torta de nim sobre C. capitata. Larvas de 3o ínstar de C. capitata (Wiedemann) foram envolvidas em tecido tipo voil (“unidades de parasitismo”) e expostas ao parasitismo, por uma hora, a aproximadamente 500 casais do parasitóide sexualmente maduros, com cinco dias de idade. As larvas, expostas ou não ao parasitismo, foram transferidas para copos descartáveis contendo vermiculita com diferentes proporções de torta de nim (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% e 30%). Tanto a torta de nim como o parasitoide D. longicaudata causaram mortalidade nas larvas e reduziram a emergência de C. capitata. A torta de nim afetou negativamente a emergência de D. longicaudata. O efeito do parasitismo associado ao da torta de nim não causou maior redução na emergência de C. capitata do que quando utilizados isoladamente. Entretanto, como atingem estágios diferentes de desenvolvimento da praga, larvas e pupas, respectivamente, o uso integrado destas técnicas pode aumentar a probabilidade de controle populacional de moscamed em campo.
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