The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an important crop to the economy of Brazil, and the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is one of the limiting factors responsible for reducing its yields. These insects are part of a cryptic species group present across almost the entire globe. The most relevant cryptic species in the world are B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED due to their capability to adapt and cause damage to vegetables, grain, and ornamental crops. The arrival of MED in Brazil through the state of São Paulo represents risks to farmers in the region due to the difficulty in managing these insects. This study assessed the occurrence of both species in tomato crops in the southeastern region of Brazil in 2020 and 2021. An amount of 79 samples containing 767 insects were collected throughout the study period, and in the cities of Sumaré (SP) and Monte Mor (SP), several samples were collected from the same location throughout the year. The insects were stored and sent for molecular analysis. The results showed an increase in MED compared to MEAM1. The presence of MED in the Minas Gerais samples was not recorded. However, a higher percentage of MED was observed in the state of São Paulo, which was detected in the municipalities of Sumaré and Monte Mor. These results possibly indicate that MED could be starting to stabilize in open tomato fields in Brazil.

The development of the mass rearing technique for the egg parasitoid Telenomus podisi has been under study for about 20 years, with increasing attention on the development of quality control. Here, we evaluated the behavior, biological parameters, morphometrics and presence of endosymbionts of T. podisi produced in cryopreserved eggs compared to those produced in traditional fresh stink bug eggs. Parasitoids reared from cryopreserved eggs showed similar parasitism and emergence rates, sex ratios, longevity, morphometrics, and proportions of flyers compared to those originating from fresh eggs. Slight differences, including an increase in egg-to-adult development time and differences in the presence of endosymbionts, were observed. Despite these differences, we conclude that the use of cryopreserved eggs is suitable for T. podisi mass rearing, allowing more options for timed inundative parasitoid releases for biological control.