Variable production costs of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) for fruit fly control

Applied biological control consists of mass releases of predators or parasitoids after large-scale laboratory rearing. Evaluating the production cost of the parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata for biological control of fruit flies will provide a tool to assist in planning, control, and support companies in their decision-making. This work aimed to identify and analyze the variable production costs of the parasitoid D. longicaudata , reared on Anastrepha fraterculus larvae . For this, Activity-Based Costing (ABC) was used. The production process was monitored to obtain the total variable production cost in a research laboratory and biofactory of natural enemies, located in Piracicaba, São Paulo. The production capacity of A. fraterculus pupae parasitized by D. longicaudata is one million per week in this laboratory, where one million pupae represents 34 L, and one mL contains approximately 30 pupae. The variable production cost to produce one million parasitized pupae per week was R$ 5,919.65. Labor costs represent 57% of the total cost, while material costs represent 43%. Therefore, the cost of a pupa parasitized by D. longicaudata was R$ 0.0059 considering one million pupae per week. The producer's decision regarding biological control using D. longicaudata will depend on prior studies on the parasitoid and the intended crop.