Avaliação da interação tritrófica de Soja Bt, Spodoptera eridania (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) e Dolichozele sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract

The development of insect resistance poses a threat to pest control using Bt plants. The conservation of natural enemies may contribute to reduce the evolution of Bt soybean resistance. Among the insects of interest for use in the control of species of the genus Spodoptera, parasitoids have been considered the most important due to their efficiency and specificity in relation to the host. In this way, this study aimed to evaluate the interactions of Spodoptera eridania (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and the endoparasitoid Dolichozele sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) when treated with Bt soybean that synthesizes Cry1Ac protein. For this purpose, S. eridania larvae were exposed to the following treatments: (T1) non-parasitized and fed with conventional soybean; (T2) non-parasitized and fed with Bt soybean; (T3) parasitized and fed with conventional soybean; (T4) parasitized and fed with Bt soybean; and (T5) parasitized and fed with transgenic BRR soybean. The biology of the parasitoids descendant from larvae fed with Bt soybean was evaluated by observing the date of formation of the parasitoid pupa, date of emergence, sex, adult parasitoid longevity and survival. In the evaluation of the parasitoid preference for larvae fed with Bt soybean and non-Bt soybean, larvae received different exposure times to the parasitoid female, of 2h, 4h and 6h. In the treatments using Dolichozele sp. isolated or in conjunction with Bt soybean, mortality was significantly higher than the control treatment (F = 63.5; gl = 4.14; P = 0.001), with a mean larval mortality of 17.0 (T3), 20.2 (T4) and 17.5 (T5). Through the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), it was possible to detect the transfer of the Cry1Ac protein in S. eridania and Dolichozele sp.). The parasitoids emerged from larvae fed Bt soybean showed significant difference in the pupal phase (F = 15.058, gl = 2, P = 0.001) in the treatments T4 (16.6 days) and T5 (17.08 days) when compared as control T3 (18.2 days). The survival of the parasitoids that emerged from larvae fed with Bt soybean (T4) was lower (Kaplan-Meier, Log Rank, X2 = 8.22, gl = 2, p = 0.016, Breslow, X2 = 9.58, gl = 2, p = 0.008; Tarone-Ware, X2 = 9.94, gl = 2, p = 0.007). There was a positive correlation between the exposure time and the parasitism rate of Dolichozele sp. in S. eridania (Spearman's Rho = 0.758, p = 0.001). The results of this study indicate that the parasitoid has a positive effect on the control of S. eridania, however its development and survival may be influenced by the presence of the Bt toxin. Dolichozele sp. presented the potential to act positively in strategies to manage the evolution of resistance to Cry proteins in Bt soybeans, as they may help suppress pest populations.