Measuring the laboratory costs for the production of the wasp Cotesia flavipes - a natural enemy of the sugarcane borer - at Usina Naviraí SA: a comparative analysis

Biological control using specific larval and egg parasitoids or entomopathogens (fungi, bacteria, or viruses), manipulated in artificial breeding facilities and released en masse to control the sugarcane borer, is the most widespread method. However, among these, the one most commonly used on a commercial scale is biological control with larval parasitoids. In this context, the species *Cotesia flavipes* is a parasitoid wasp that combats the sugarcane borer *Diatraea saccharalis* (Lepidoptera), a pest that causes significant losses in sugarcane production. Given the importance of this type of biological control, this work aims to measure the costs of the Cotesia flavipes production system at Usina Naviraí SA – Açúcar e Álcool (USINAVI), located in Naviraí, Mato Grosso do Sul. It is noteworthy that due to the damage caused by the borer, field losses reach up to 25% of crop productivity. In this sense, the main results of this study suggest: 1. Investing in training and qualification of laboratory and field personnel; 2. Research aimed at adapting the biological control technique to the ecophysiological conditions of the planting region; 3. Rigorous process control in terms of asepsis and hygiene.