Parasitoid diversity in the soybean agroecosystem of Tucumán province, Argentina

Abstract

The abundance and frequency of Hymenoptera and Diptera parasitoids were determined in soybean crop and surrounding vegetation of the Tucumán province. The study was conducted during the 2005/2006 agricultural season at three plots located in two soybean fields, with weekly samplings of the crop and surrounding vegetation. Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera) and Phoridae (Diptera) were the most abundant and frequent groups of parasitoids. The dominance and occurrence indices of parasitoids were determined classifying them as common, intermediate and rare. There were differences between plots in relation to the abundance and frequency of adults, both in crops and in the surrounding vegetation.