The nutritional quality of artificial diets composed of pupal holotissues of Diatraea saccharalis (Fabr.) (Lep.: Crambidae) from three different age classes (1-2, 3-4 and 5-6 days old) were tested for rearing Trichogramma galloi Zucchi and T. pretiosum Riley (Hym.: Trichogrammatidae) in vitro. Pupal holotissues were added to egg yolk, bovine fetal serum, lactoalbumine hydrolysate and preservatives, and offered to the parasitoids into artificial eggs. The quality of these diets in supporting the development of both parasitoids was evaluated by assessing the acceptance and parasitism of the artificial host eggs, larval and pupal survival, size, parasitism capacity and longevity of the in vitro-reared females, and the presence of deformed adults. Diets... |