Food diversification with associated plants increases the performance of the Neotropical stink bug, Chinavia impicticornis (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Abstract

The effect of different diets on the performance of nymphs and adults of Chinavia impicticornis (Stal, 1872) was studied, as well as the effect of switching diets from nymph to adult stages. Three diets were used to rear the insects (d1) 10 green bean pods of Phaseolus vulgaris (L.) plus a mixture of soybean [Glycine max (L.)] and sunflower [Helianthus annus (L.)] dry seeds and shelled raw peanuts [Arachis hypogaea (L.)]; (d2) diet 1 plus a bouquet of the native wild plants, Boldea fragans (Pers.), Bidens pilosa (L.), and Macroptilium atropurpureum (DC.) Urban; and (d3) a bouquet of the native plants. There was no significant difference in the nymphs’ development time when feeding on d1 or d2; however, the survival of the insects was significantly higher when fed on d2. Nymphs did not survive when fed d3. Female fecundity was higher when insects were fed d2 at both nymph and adult stages than when insects fed on other diet combinations. Survivorship and fecundity were negatively affected when adults were reared on d3, independently of the nymph diet. In terms of nutritional requirements for egg production, nymphs’ survival and development, d3 was shown to be the worst food, despite keeping adults alive. We concluded that the native plants evaluated here are associated plants for C. impicticornis. These associated plants in combination with host plants (d1) provide positive effects on some biological parameters relevant to the population dynamics of this stink bug.