Title:	Cold storage of Gonipterus platensis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) eggs for Anaphes nitens (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) rearing.
Authors:	RIBEIRO, M. F. CAVALLINI, G. SOLCE, G. N. FAVORETO, A. L. PASSOS, J. R. de S. BARBOSA, L. R. HURLEY, B. WILCKEN, C. F.
Affiliation:	MURILO FONSECA RIBEIRO, INSTITUTO DE PESQUISAS E ESTUDOS FLORESTAIS; GABRIELA CAVALLINI, UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTA; GABRIEL NEGRI SOLCE, UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTA; ANA LAURA FAVORETO, UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTA; JOSÉ RAIMUNDO DE SOUZA PASSOS, UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTA; LEONARDO RODRIGUES BARBOSA, CNPF; BRETT HURLEY, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA; CARLOS FREDERICO WILCKEN, UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTA.
Date Issued:	2026
Citation:	PeerJ, v. 14, e20903, 2026.
Description:	Background Anaphes nitens (Girault, 1928) (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) is an egg parasitoid used for the biological control of Gonipterus spp. in regions where this pest is present. Cold storage of host eggs is a crucial strategy in biological control programs. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cold storage on G. platensis eggs for laboratory rearing of both the host and its parasitoid, A. nitens. Methods Gonipterus platensis eggs, aged 1 and 3 days, were stored in a refrigerator at 7 ± 1 °C for 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 days in complete darkness. After each storage period, the eggs were transferred to a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) chamber at 25 °C and hatching rates and larval survival were assessed. To evaluate parasitoid reproduction, fresh host eggs were stored at 7 ± 1 °C for 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 days under dark conditions and subsequently exposed to A. nitens. Parasitism rate, sex ratio, and offspring longevity were recorded. Results Results showed that 1- and 3-day-old G. platensis eggs maintained the highest viability within the first 10 days of storage, with hatching rates exceeding 50% up to 20 days post-storage. A 20-day storage period was the longest duration that did not differ significantly from the non-stored eggs (control) considering A. nitens parasitism and progeny longevity when stored host eggs were offered. Conclusion Therefore, storing host eggs for this period effectively supports colony maintenance while simultaneously facilitating parasitoid propagation.
Thesagro:	Controle Biológico Eucalipto Besouro Criação Massal
NAL Thesaurus:	Anaphes nitens Biological control Eucalyptus Mass rearing
Keywords:	Gonipterus platensis
ISSN:	2167-8359
DOI:	DOI 10.7717/peerj.20903
Type of Material:	Artigo de periódico
Access:	openAccess
Appears in Collections:	Artigo em periódico indexado (CNPF)