DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3180.2012.00938.x Reproductive and toxicological impacts of herbicides used in Eucalyptus culture in Brazil on the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) C W G MENEZES*, M A SOARES*, J B SANTOS*, S L ASSIS JU ´ NIOR  , A J FONSECA* & J C ZANUNCIO à *Departamento de Agronomia, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Minas Gerais, Brazil,  Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Minas Gerais, Brazil, and àDepartamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Vic ¸ osa (UFV), Minas Gerais, Brazil Received 13 March 2012 Revised version accepted 25 May 2012 Subject Editor: Karen Bailey, AAFC, Canada Summary The expansion of eucalyptus tree plantations in Brazil has raised concerns that the use of herbicides may reach non-target organisms and compromise the envi- ronment where parasitoids are used to control Lepi- doptera defoliators. So, the effect of herbicides used in eucalyptus crops on the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle, 1993 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was evaluated in terms of the impact on reproduction and survival. Treatments consisted of commercial doses of the herbicides sulfentrazone, oxyfluorfen, glyphosate and isoxaflutole with a water-only control. The herbi- cides were sprayed on the pupae of the alternative host Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), which were exposed to parasitism by six females of P. elaeisis per pupa. Glufosinate and oxyfluorfen reduced parasitism and emergence of this parasitoid and were considered more harmful to the P. elaeisis females. Glyphosate and isoxaflutole resulted in higher numbers of individuals and females produced per female; thus these herbicides were less harmful to P. elaeisis and maybe used in IPM programmes in eucalyptus plantations. Keywords: biological control, chemical control, IPM, non-target organisms, reproductive side effects, survival, parasitoids. MENEZES CWG, SOARES MA, SANTOS JB, ASSIS JU ´ NIOR SL, FONSECA AJ & ZANUNCIO JC (2012). Reproductive and toxicological impacts of herbicides used in Eucalyptus culture in Brazil on the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Weed Research 52, 520–525. Introduction Eucalyptus LÕHer. spp. are planted in Brazil to obtain essential oils, wood, cellulose and for other industrial uses (Moreira et al., 2009; Zanuncio et al., 2010). Weeds can reduce the quantity and quality of wood (Tuffi Santos et al., 2005), so herbicides are frequently used because of their high efficiency, low cost and facility of application. However, the risks of contamination and impact on non-target organisms by these products have been reported in aquatic ecosystems and for soil microorganisms and insects (Santos et al., 2004; Reis et al., 2008; Botelho et al., 2009; Soares et al., 2009a). Defoliating insect pests are important phytosanitary problems in eucalyptus plantations, because of compe- tition, outbreaks and damage (Zanuncio et al., 2009). Palmistichus elaeisis (Delvare & LaSalle, 1993) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a generalist and gre- Correspondence: J C Zanuncio, Professor do Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Vic¸osa (UFV), 35.930-000, Vic¸osa, Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Tel: (+31) 3899 2534 ⁄ 2920; Fax: (+31) 3899 2864; E-mail: zanuncio@ufv.br Ó 2012 The Authors Weed Research Ó 2012 European Weed Research Society Weed Research 52, 520–525