Diversity of native and exotic parasitoids attacking agricultural pests in Ecuador: are Ecuadorian biocontrol programs in decline?

In Ecuador, agriculture is an important economic activity. Crops are grown mainly in the regions of the continental area: Amazon, Andes and Coast. We conducted this study to elaborate a compendium about the diversity of parasitoids of agri­cultural insect pests and to estimate the trend of biocontrol by the use of these natural enemies. Approximately 200 taxa of parasitoids were found to be reported controlling various pests that affect cultivated crops in continental Ecuador. The ma­jor parasitoids referred in biological control in Ecuador are Telenomus spp. (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), Trichogramma spp. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and Encarsia spp. (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). The results suggest a decreasing trend in the use of parasitoids as biocontrol agents from 1980 to the present (R2: 0.80, P