Effect of adult age and insect density of Dicyphus tamaninii Wagner (Heteroptera: Miridae) on progeny

The polyphagous predator Dicyphus tamaninii is widely used in IPM programs on horticultural crops in the Mediterranean basin, where it is commonly found in natural populations. The development of a mass-rearing protocol is necessary to ensure the permanent availability of this predator for potential introductions into crops. Introductions occur mainly in those periods of the year when the predator is not present in enough quantities to spontaneously colonize the crops, as well as to guarantee its presence in IPM horticultural crops. The effects of two different adult ages and three densities (number of individuals/cage) on mortality and production of D. tamaninii were evaluated in order to develop a mass-rearing protocol. The adult age had an effect on mortality but did not affect the final production (number of adults + nymphs/female/day). On the contrary, the increased number of adults in the cages had a strong increasing effect on mortality while reducing final production. These results are of highly important for the development of a mass-rearing protocol for this natural enemy.