SUGAR SOLUTION TREATMENT TO ATTRACT NATURAL ENEMIES AND ITS IMPACT ON FALL ARMY WORM Spodoptera frugiperda IN MAIZE FIELDS

This study aimed to survey the effects of supplemental foods to attract natural enemies in maize field and their impact on Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae). The research was carried out in Londrina City, Parana State, Brazil, for three seasons, between 2009 and 2010. The following treatments were sprayed weekly: water only, water and white sugar, and water and molasses. Predators and fall armyworms were randomly quantified in 60 maize plants per treatment during each evaluation. To evaluate parasitism, 360 larvae were collected per treatment. The leaf injuries were surveyed randomly in 80 plants per treatment during each evaluation. Overall, spraying of sugar solution led to no increase in the predator population; however, it showed the highest number of parasitized fall armyworms (11.38%) relative to that when only water was sprayed (6.38%). The parasitoid Campoletis flavicincta (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera:Ichneumonidae) was the most abundant (30.48%), followed by Winthemia trinitatis Thompson (14.29%) and Exorista sp. (Meigen) (11.43%) (Diptera:Tachinidae). In addition, the species belonging to the family Tachinidae were more numorous when sugar and molasses were sprayed. Nevertheless, the higher parasitism caused by white sugar and molasses treatment reduced neither pest population nor leaf injuries. Taken together, our results show that white sugar and molasses treatment increases the parasitism on S. frugiperda in the field, but does not reduce the pest population.