TOXICITY OF INSECTICIDES USED IN MUSKMELON ON FIRST-INSTAR LARVAE OF Chrysoperla genanigra FREITAS (NEUROPTERA: CHRYSOPIDAE)

Abstract

Brazil is one of the world's largest producers of melon (Cucumis melo L.), and Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará are the largest producers states of the country (99% of exports). This crop had great socio-economic importance in the Brazilian Northeast, however, it is affected by insect pests and consequently, large amounts of pesticides are applied to it, which greatly affect beneficial organisms, such as Chrysopidae. This bioassay evaluated the toxicity of nine insecticides used in commercial crops of muskmelon, applied to first-instar larvae of Chrysoperla genanigra of up to 24-hour-old, from mass rearing cultures. Sublethal effects were evaluated, classifying the insecticides into the toxicity classes recommended by the IOBC. A completely randomized design was used, consisting of ten treatments (clothianidin, pymetrozine, lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorantraniliprole, indoxacarb, pyriproxyfen, beta-cyfluthrin+imidacloprid, imidacloprid, beta-cypermethrin and a control consisted of distilled water). The treatments consisted of exposure of thirty larvae to dry residues of each product in Petri dishes, assessing their mortality, duration of instars, sex ratio, fecundity and viability of eggs from adults of the insects evaluated. The products were classified in toxicity classes as harmful (Class 4) (clothianidin, pymetrozine, indoxacarb, lambda-cyhalothrin, beta-cyfluthrin+imidacloprid, imidacloprid, beta-cypermethrin and pyriproxyfen) and innocuous (Class 1) (chlorantraniliprole) to first-instar larvae of C. genanigra, by calculate their total effect. Based on this work, chlorantraniliprole is the only recommended insecticide for use in integrated pest management (IPM) programs in muskmelon crops.