Informatics Publishing Limited

C. R. Ballal ¹, R. Srinivasan ¹, K. Chandrashekhar ¹

Affiliations
1 P. B. No. 2491, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560 024, Karnataka, IN

Abstract

The post-shipment quality of parasitized egg cards of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii obtained from nine production units in South India was evaluated. Evaluations included the number of parasitized eggs per card, per cent parasitism, per cent adult emergence, sex-ratio and parasitizing efficiency on the target host. There was a lot of variation in the card size and the number of eggs per card. The parasitism was more than 90 per cent in the tricho-cards supplied by two units. The adult emergence and sex-ratio was as per the quality standards, Considering the recommendation of 1,50,000 parasitized eggs per hectare of cotton, only three units could reach the quality standards. The parasitizing efficiency of T. chilonis supplied by two units was less than 50 per cent and parasitism ranged between 60 and 73 per cent in the others. There is a need for regulatory agencies to periodically evaluate the quality of Trichogrammatids produced by insectaries based on simple and reliable methods. Trichogramma producers should reach a consensus with respect to the method of producing Tricho-cards and recommendations to be given to farmers. This would ensure the proper utility of Trichogrammatids in biocontrol programmes.

Keywords

Helicoverpa armigera, Quality Evaluation, Trichogramma chilonis.

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C. R. Ballal ¹, K. R. Lylla ¹, S. Joshi ¹, L. Lakshmi ¹

Affiliations
1 Biological Control (ICAR) P. B. No. 2491, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Hebbal, Bangalore 560024, Karnataka, IN

Abstract

A novel method was devised for the transportation of parasitized egg cards of the scelionid parasitoid, Telenomus remu Nixon. Several consignments of parasitized eggs of T. remus were transported and based on the feedback obtained from the receiving station, it was evident that the eggs within the newly designed transportation containers were not damaged in transit. One container can hold 20,000 parasitized eggs and it costs Rs. 20. From this study, it is also evident that it is ideal to transport 0 to 4 day old un-stored eggs. If stored parasitized eggs (0-2 day old) have to be transported, the pre-transportation storage period should not exceed 4 days. This would prevent adult emergence in transit and also ensure that the receiving station has sufficient time to plan field releases prior to adult emergence.

Keywords

Spodoptera litura, Storage, Telenomus remus, Transportation.

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Ankita Gupta ¹, K. Selvaraj ¹, Nigel Wyatt ², S. K. Rajeshwari ¹, C. R. Ballal ¹

Affiliations
1 ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Post Bag No. 2491, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Hebbal, Bengaluru – 560 024, Karnataka, IN
2 Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, GB

Abstract

First ever record of family Xenasteiidae (Diptera: Brachycera: Cyclorrhapha) from mainland India is provided. Most of the previous records of this family are from coastal sites, as they have usually been found on islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. For the first time biology and life stages of Xenasteia are illustrated. Xenasteia members were found associated with an exotic rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW) colony of Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in the coastal areas of Karnataka in southern India, however no direct obligate association could be diagnosed. Also for the first time Anagyrus sp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was recorded from the genus Xenasteia as its solitary parasitoid. Worldwide, this is the first ever report of parasitism associated with any member of this little-known family Xenasteiidae.

Keywords

India, New Record, Xenasteiidae.

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