Abstract: 【Aim】 To clarify the side effects of triazole fungicides to trichogrammatid wasps. 【Methods】 Acute toxicities of triazoles to adult Trichogramma japonicum Ashmead, T. ostriniae Pang et Chen and T. confusum Viggiani were determined by using the dry film residue method under laboratory conditions, and the safety of these fungicides was also evaluated. 【Results】 Among the triazoles tested, epoxiconazle showed the highest intrinsic toxicity, with the LC₅₀ values of 12.38 (11.34-13.60), 12.34 (10.34-15.07) and 41.12 (37.75-45.05) mg a.i/L against adult wasps of T. japonicum, T. confusum and T. ostriniae, respectively. Difenoconazole and ipconazole had the less toxicity, with the LC₅₀ values ranging from 507.14 (464.79-556.48) to 2 246.93 (1 866.65-2 755.12) mg a.i/L. Cyproconazole, hexaconazole and tebuconazole exhibited the least toxicity, with the LC₅₀ values ranging from 5 970.03 (5 062.21-7 093.93) to 11 712.34 (9 941.23-14 026.12) mg a.i/L. The results of risk assessment showed that epoxiconazole was classified as high risk to adult wasps of the three Trichogramma species with the safety factors of 0.10-0.34. Difenoconazole was ranked as moderate risk to adult wasps of T. confusum with the safety factor of 3.96, while this fungicide was classified as low risk to adult wasps of T. japonicum and T. ostriniae with the safety factors of 8.13 and 7.69, respectively. Cyproconazole, hexaconazole and tebuconazole to adult wasps of the three Trichogramma species were ranked as low risk with the safety factors of 7.31-107.74. 【Conclusion】 Some triazole fungicides have the potential risk of acute toxicity to tvichogrammatid wasps, so the use of triazoles, especially epoxiconazole, should be evaluated carefully in integrated pest management (IPM) programs in order to avoid serious damages to triching ogrammatid wasps.

Key words: Trichogramma spp., triazole fungicides, egg parasitoids, acute toxicity, safety evaluation