Do releases of the mirid predator Macrolophus basicornis (Hemiptera: Miridae) together with the egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) improve biological control of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in tomato?

During the past decade, the use of predatory mirids alone or combined with releases of egg parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma have been tested in Europe for biological control of the worldwide invasive pest, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick). Here, we evaluated the control of this pest by the release of the Neotropical mirid Macrolophus basicornis (Stal), the Neotropic/Nearctic parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, and by combined releases of the predator and the parasitoid. Tests were conducted in greenhouse compartments during the summer and fall season.

The pest kill rate of thirteen natural enemies as aggregate evaluation criterion of their biological control potential of Tuta absoluta.

Ecologists study how populations are regulated, while scientists studying biological pest control apply population regulation processes to reduce numbers of harmful organisms: an organism (a natural enemy) is used to reduce the population density of another organism (a pest). Finding an effective biological control agent among the tens to hundreds of natural enemies of a pest is a daunting task. Evaluation criteria help in a first selection to remove clearly ineffective or risky species from the list of candidates.

How to escape from insect egg parasitoids: a review of potential factors explaining parasitoid absence across the Insecta.

The egg is the first life stage directly exposed to the environment in oviparous animals, including many vertebrates and most arthropods. Eggs are vulnerable and prone to mortality risks. In arthropods, one of the most common egg mortality factors is attack from parasitoids.

Pest kill rate as aggregate evaluation criterion to rank biological control agents: a case study with Neotropical predators of on tomato.

Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), a key pest of tomato, is quickly spreading over the world and biological control is considered as one of the control options. Worldwide more than 160 species of natural enemies are associated with this pest, and an important challenge is to quickly find an effective biocontrol agent from this pool of candidate species. Evaluation criteria for control agents are presented, with the advantages they offer for separating potentially useful natural enemies from less promising ones.

Comparative Effectiveness and Injury to Tomato Plants of Three Neotropical Mirid Predators of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

Tuta absoluta (Meyrick; Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a key pest of tomato and is quickly spreading over the world. We conducted an experiment aimed at evaluating the control capacity and risk for plant damage of three Neotropical mirid species, Campyloneuropsis infumatus (Carvalho; Hemiptera: Miridae), Engytatus varians (Distant; Hemiptera: Miridae) and Macrolophus basicornis (Stal; Hemiptera: Miridae) on T. absoluta infested tomato plants in large cages in an experimental greenhouse.