Parasitoid Hymenoptera associated with Triozoida limbata nymphs in guava plantation, at Ivinhema, MS, BrazilBrazil has an excellent climate for commercial use of guava Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae). However, guava crops throughout Brazil are severely attacked by the insect Triozoida limbata Enderlein, 1918 (Hemiptera: Triozidae), one of the pest of guava crops. The control of this pest with chemicals is costly and often undesirable, whereas parasitoids are a great alternative because they can efficiently regulate their host populations. This study aimed to identify the parasitoid species in T. limbata occurring in a guava plantation and their rates of parasitism, in Ivinhema, MS, Brazil. Data were collected every two weeks early in the morning from March to October 2010, collecting 10 terminal branches from plants with T. limbata nymphs. The base of the branches were wrapped in cotton wool, placed in 5-mL glass vials with water, packed in transparent acrylic glasses, juxtaposed, and maintained until adult parasitoids emerged. These samples were used to calculate the percentage and index of parasitism. From the 349 parasitoid specimens found, 91.11% were Psyllaephagus trioziphagus Howard, 1885 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) with 20.96% of parasitism, whereas 8.89% were from the genus Signiphora with 2.04% of parasitism.
biological control; horticulture; sucking insect.