Side-effects of insecticides used in tomato fields on Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae)

Abstract

The side-effects of lufenuron (0.4g a.i./L), triflumuron (0.15g a.i./L), imidacloprid (0.28g a.i./L), cyromazine (0.11g a.i./L), methoxifenozide (0.12g a.i./L), pirimicarb (0.25g a.i./L) and abamectin (0.18g a.i./L) on different developmental stages of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, were investigated. Abamectin was the only insecticide to affect parasitoid emergence and sex ratio, regardless of the developmental stage and parasitoid generation exposed. Abamectin, lufenuron and pirimicarb also decreased the lifetime of F1 females exposed during the egg-larva stage. The capacity of parasitism was significantly reduced by all the products when females were treated in pupal stage.