Effect of quinoa on the biological cycle and morphological traits of Nysius simulans (Stål, 1860) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) in the laboratory under environmental conditions

Maquera-Cruz W.A.; Goñi-Ameri L.A.; Campos-Julca A.P.; Rodríguez-Berrio A. · Idesia (2025) · DOI: 10.4067/0718-3429-idesia-2025-43-e05

Resumen

The quinoa bug Nysius simulans (Stal, 1860) is a key pest in quinoa plantations along the coastal region of Peru. This study evaluated the influence of three commercial quinoa cultivars as a dietary source on the biological cycle and morphological traits of N. simulans in a laboratory setting under ambient conditions in La Molina-Lima, Peru. Mass rearing was conduc-ted by collecting adults of N. simulans in quinoa fields, transporting them to the laboratory, and placing them in rearing chambers containing leaves and shoots of Amaranthus caudatus, 10 broken sunflower seeds, crushed kiwicha grains, water-soaked cotton, and three pipe cleaners as food sources. The biological parameters were carried out by extracting individuals from the mass rearing and feeding them using each quinoa cultivar: Rosada de Huancayo, Blanca de Hualhuas, and Roja Pasankalla. The complete biological cycle lasted 62.5 days under laboratory conditions (T = 26.3 °C; RH = 85.1%). The incubation period lasted 7.91 days, and five nymphal instars were recorded, with a total duration of 26.22 days. The pre-oviposition period lasted 4.37 days, oviposition 21.77 days, and post-oviposition 2.23 days. Females laid an average of 106.54 eggs, with a male-to-female ratio of 1/1.4. The length of the average egg was 0.915 mm, while the adult males measured 3.08 mm and females 3.44 mm. The labium lenght at the V stage resulted 1.127 mm in males and 1.182 mm in females. The cultivars Blanca de Hualhuas, Roja Pasankalla and Rosada de Huancayo did not present significant diffe-rences in incubation period, nymphal stage, pre-oviposition period, oviposition period, or egg length. However, the Rosada de Huancayo cultivar was associated with a longer post-oviposition period (2.9 days) and greater male body lenght (3.13 mm). In contrast, the Roja Pasankalla cultivar was linked to a higher number of egg-laying events, with an average of 121.2 eggs per female.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina; Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión