A three-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the tolerance and compensatory response of rice (Oryza sativa L.) to injury caused by the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.). Two mechanisms of within-plant tolerance/compensation were observed. Stem injured plants produced ca. 0.69 more tillers than uninjured plants, while tillers with leaf and leaf sheath injury produced larger panicles, up to 39.5% and 21.0% heavier than uninjured tillers, when injury occurred at 3rd tiller stage and at panicle differentiation, respectively. A 2-year field cage experiment was conducted to determine the biological control potential of Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) against the sugarcane borer on rice. The effective search rate was 49 cm2 ground area (2.2 tillers) parasitoid-1 day-1. A cohortbased age-structured model was developed to simulate the population dynamics and economic value of the sugarcane borer and C. flavipes in rice, as affected by overwintering larval density, timing and rate of parasitoid aerial release, and year-to-year climate (temperature and rainfall). The results suggest C. flavipes was most effective when released during the 1st sugarcane borer generation. The maximum simulated economic benefit ($112.05 ha-1) was ca. 7.8% of that provided by insecticide-based control. The inability of C. flavipes to provide economic control in temperate-subtropical areas is due to its high rearing cost, a low effective search rate, a low maximum rate of parasitism per female, and both spatial and temporal asynchrony of parasitoid emergence with the larval hosts. The biocontrol capability of Trichogramma galloi Zucchi was also simulated. The maximum economic benefit provided by T. galloi was $1128.75 ha-1, ca. 79.0% of that provided by insecticide-based control. Theoretical analyses were conducted to estimate the effectiveness of augmentative releases, using data from previous studies of parasitism of lepidopteran pests by hymenopteran parasitoids with host and parasitoid density as factors. The maximum daily parasitism per female was highest for parasitoids that attack exposed larvae, followed by parasitoids that attack eggs, semi-exposed larvae, and concealed larvae. Simulation analyses were conducted to estimate the population dynamics and economic value of D. saccharalis, herein used as a model host, and each of 5 parasitoid categories (solitary parasitoids that attack eggs, exposed larvae, and semi-exposed larvae, gregarious parasitoids that attack eggs and concealed larvae) in rice, as affected by overwintering larval density, timing of parasitoid release, and year-to-year climate. Among the 13,500 simulations that were conducted, 480 (3.6%) provided a greater economic value than insecticide-based control. All 480 simulations were obtained using solitary parasitoids that attack exposed or semi-exposed larvae. Solitary egg parasitoids provided an average of 42.2% of the economic value provided by insecticide-based control when released 30 days after planting. Gregarious parasitoids that attack eggs or concealed larvae provided almost no positive economic benefit. For parasitoid species that do not overwinter successfully in areas where they are released or that exhibit temporal or spatial asynchrony with their host early in the spring, our results suggest augmentative biological control is only effective for solitary parasitoids that attack either exposed or semi-exposed larvae, with current rearing, shipping and release costs.

O incremento aos programas de bioenergia em nosso país, aponta para uma provável duplicação da área plantada de cana-de-açúcar, num futuro bastante próximo. Neste contexto, a sustentabilidade da cultura deve ser preservada, evitando-se que sejam colocados em risco os avanços obtidos nas últimas cinco décadas no Controle Biológico de suas pragas. Para tanto, são necessárias pesquisas que atendam às necessidade das diversas etapas de um programa de Controlo Biológico. No presente estudo, avaliou-se o uso de temperaturas diferentes para criar cada fase do desenvolvimento de Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794), com o objetivo de fornecer informações importantes para sua criação massal. Avaliou-se também, o raio de ação de uma armadilha contendo fêmeas virgens, a dinâmica populacional de D. saccharalis e o seu desenvolvimento em plantas de cana-de-açúcar, visando desenvolver um modelo de previsão da praga, com vistas ao seu controle biológico pelos parasitoides T. galloi e C. flavipes. As combinações de temperaturas 28°C-25°C-25°C, 28°C-28°C-28°C, 30°C-25°C-25°C e 30°C-22°C- 22°C para criar lagartas, pupas e adultos, respectivamente, destacaram-se das demais por promover rápido desenvolvimento aliado a altas taxas reprodutivas e podem assim, serem utilizadas para a criação massal de Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) e de seu parasitoide Cotesia flavipes (Cameron, 1891). O aumento de densidade de criação de 1 lagarta por tubo para 250 lagartas por frasco, não afetou o desenvolvimento e reprodução de D. saccharalis. Foi possível prever o momento de liberação de C. flavipes em cana-de-açúcar com base em modelos de exigências térmicas, assim como, orientar as liberações de T. galloi ao definir o período de ocorrência dos ovos de D. saccharalis. Os parâmetros climáticos determinaram uma faixa térmica de atuação para as armadilhas contendo fêmeas virgens (temperatura média acima de 24°C), faixa na qual foram observadas altas correlações entre a captura de machos e amostragem de lagartas, realizada 21 dias após a captura dos machos de D. saccharalis. De acordo com a dinâmica populacional de D. saccharalis, foram identificadas quatro gerações ao longo do ciclo da cultura. Para a utilização do parasitoide de ovos T. galloi deve-se usar uma armadilha contendo 4 fêmeas virgens de D. saccharalis para amostrar 12,5 ha, área determinada em função do raio de ação de 200 metros. / The increase of bioenergy programs in our country indicates a probable duplication of the planted area with sugar cane in a near future. In this context, the sustainability of the culture must be preserved, avoiding the risk of loose the progress achieved in the last five decades in the Biological Control of its pests. For this, it is necessary researches that attend the needs of the various steps of a biological control program. In this study, was evaluated the use of different temperatures to rear each phase of the development of Diatrea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794), aimed to provide important informations for its mass rearing. It was also evaluated the radius of action of a trap containing virgin females, the population dynamics of D. saccharalis and its development in sugar cane, aimed the development of a prediction model of the occurence of D. saccharalis in sugar cane, suporting its biological control by the parasitoids T. galloi and C. flavipes. The temperatures combination 28°C-25°C-25°C, 28°C-28°C-28°C, 30°C-25°C-25°C, and 30°C-22°C- 22°C used to rear caterpillar, pupae and adults stood out from the others by promoting fast development combined with high reproductives rates and can be used for mass rearing of Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) and its parasitoids Cotesia flavipes (Cameron, 1891). The rearing of caterpillars individually or in groups of 250 did not interfere in the development and reproduction of D. saccharalis. It was possible to predict the release time of C. flavipes in sugar cane based in thermal requirements models and advise the releases of T. galloi deffining the period of occurrence of D. saccharalis eggs. The climatic parameters determined a temperature range of action for the pheromone traps with the virgin females (average temperatures above 24°C), range at which high correlations were observed between the males capture and caterpillar sampling performed 21 days after the capture of the D. saccharalis males. According to the population dynamics of D. saccharalis, four generations have been identified during the crop cycle. For the use of the egg parasitoid T. galloi, it should be used a trap containing four virgin femeales of D. saccharalis to sample 12.5 ha, area determined by the action radius of 200 meters.

O incremento aos programas de bioenergia em nosso país, aponta para uma provável duplicação da área plantada de cana-de-açúcar, num futuro bastante próximo. Neste contexto, a sustentabilidade da cultura deve ser preservada, evitando-se que sejam colocados em risco os avanços obtidos nas últimas cinco décadas no Controle Biológico de suas pragas. Para tanto, são necessárias pesquisas que atendam às necessidade das diversas etapas de um programa de Controlo Biológico. No presente estudo, avaliou-se o uso de temperaturas diferentes para criar cada fase do desenvolvimento de Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794), com o objetivo de fornecer informações importantes para sua criação massal. Avaliou-se também, o raio de ação de uma armadilha contendo fêmeas virgens, a dinâmica populacional de D. saccharalis e o seu desenvolvimento em plantas de cana-de-açúcar, visando desenvolver um modelo de previsão da praga, com vistas ao seu controle biológico pelos parasitoides T. galloi e C. flavipes. As combinações de temperaturas 28°C-25°C-25°C, 28°C-28°C-28°C, 30°C-25°C-25°C e 30°C-22°C- 22°C para criar lagartas, pupas e adultos, respectivamente, destacaram-se das demais por promover rápido desenvolvimento aliado a altas taxas reprodutivas e podem assim, serem utilizadas para a criação massal de Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) e de seu parasitoide Cotesia flavipes (Cameron, 1891). O aumento de densidade de criação de 1 lagarta por tubo para 250 lagartas por frasco, não afetou o desenvolvimento e reprodução de D. saccharalis. Foi possível prever o momento de liberação de C. flavipes em cana-de-açúcar com base em modelos de exigências térmicas, assim como, orientar as liberações de T. galloi ao definir o período de ocorrência dos ovos de D. saccharalis. Os parâmetros climáticos determinaram uma faixa térmica de atuação para as armadilhas contendo fêmeas virgens (temperatura média acima de 24°C), faixa na qual foram observadas altas correlações entre a captura de machos e amostragem de lagartas, realizada 21 dias após a captura dos machos de D. saccharalis. De acordo com a dinâmica populacional de D. saccharalis, foram identificadas quatro gerações ao longo do ciclo da cultura. Para a utilização do parasitoide de ovos T. galloi deve-se usar uma armadilha contendo 4 fêmeas virgens de D. saccharalis para amostrar 12,5 ha, área determinada em função do raio de ação de 200 metros. / The increase of bioenergy programs in our country indicates a probable duplication of the planted area with sugar cane in a near future. In this context, the sustainability of the culture must be preserved, avoiding the risk of loose the progress achieved in the last five decades in the Biological Control of its pests. For this, it is necessary researches that attend the needs of the various steps of a biological control program. In this study, was evaluated the use of different temperatures to rear each phase of the development of Diatrea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794), aimed to provide important informations for its mass rearing. It was also evaluated the radius of action of a trap containing virgin females, the population dynamics of D. saccharalis and its development in sugar cane, aimed the development of a prediction model of the occurence of D. saccharalis in sugar cane, suporting its biological control by the parasitoids T. galloi and C. flavipes. The temperatures combination 28°C-25°C-25°C, 28°C-28°C-28°C, 30°C-25°C-25°C, and 30°C-22°C- 22°C used to rear caterpillar, pupae and adults stood out from the others by promoting fast development combined with high reproductives rates and can be used for mass rearing of Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) and its parasitoids Cotesia flavipes (Cameron, 1891). The rearing of caterpillars individually or in groups of 250 did not interfere in the development and reproduction of D. saccharalis. It was possible to predict the release time of C. flavipes in sugar cane based in thermal requirements models and advise the releases of T. galloi deffining the period of occurrence of D. saccharalis eggs. The climatic parameters determined a temperature range of action for the pheromone traps with the virgin females (average temperatures above 24°C), range at which high correlations were observed between the males capture and caterpillar sampling performed 21 days after the capture of the D. saccharalis males. According to the population dynamics of D. saccharalis, four generations have been identified during the crop cycle. For the use of the egg parasitoid T. galloi, it should be used a trap containing four virgin femeales of D. saccharalis to sample 12.5 ha, area determined by the action radius of 200 meters.