ABSTRACT
The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the nutritional quality of Aphis gossypii reared on cultivars Auburn SM 310, JPM 781-88-3, Allen and IPEACO-SL 22-61131 on some biological aspects of the immature stages of Chrysoperla externa. The trials were conducted at 25 ± 2º C, 60 ± 10% RH and 12-hour photophase, in a completely randomized design. Newly hatched larvae were individualized in glass tubes and fed on thirdand fourth-instar nymphs of the aphid reared on each cultivar and given at the densities of 14, 30 and 90 aphids to the first, second and third instars of the green lacewing, respectively. Development time, daily and total consumption, weight of larvae and survival at each instar, development time, weight and survival of pre-pupae and pupae were evaluated. The aphids from the JPM 781-88-3 cultivar caused a reduction in the daily and total consumption of first instar larvae and a shorter length of the second instar and the larval stage. The nutritional quality of the aphids was passed to the predator.
KEY WORDS:
Green lacewing; aphid; cotton cultivars.