Journal of Biological Control

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Predation Efficiency of Five Coccinellid Beetles on Aphis craccivora Koch Infesting Cowpea


Affiliations
1 Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal 795004, Manipur, India
 

The predation efficiency of five species of coccinellids, namely, Coelophora biplagiata (Swartz), Coccinella transversalis F., Menochilus sexmaculatus (F.), Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant, and Chilocorus nigrita (F.), against cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch, was evaluated in the laboratory. Maximum consumption of A. craccivora (65.20 ± 0.59 to 214.60 ± 2.60) was observed in C. biplagiata released under various predator densities, whereas C. montrouzieri consumed the minimum numbers (19.40 ± 0.36 to 84.60 ± 0.73). C. biplagiata was closely followed by M. sexmaculatus and C. transversalis. It was also observed that C. biplagiata, M. sexmaculata and C. transversalis exhibited higher predation efficiency with a mean aphid consumption of 43.60 ± 0.46 to 485.80 ± 5.18, 41.20 ± 0.33 to 377.00 ± 3.35 and 40.60 ± 0.96 to 370.00 ± 3.74, respectively, under different prey densities of 45 to 720. When C. biplagiata was released, significantly lowest aphid population (23.06) was recorded, followed by M. sexmaculatus (35.26), C. transversalis (43.00) and C. nigrita (49.13) as against unreleased control (191.86). The highest aphid population (54.26) was recorded in the treatment where C. montrouzieri released.

Keywords

Aphis craccivora, Cowpea, Feeding Efficiency and Predaceous Coccinellids.
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  • Predation Efficiency of Five Coccinellid Beetles on Aphis craccivora Koch Infesting Cowpea

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Authors

K. I. Singh
Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal 795004, Manipur, India
C. H. Singh
Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal 795004, Manipur, India
M. P. Singh
Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal 795004, Manipur, India
M. K. Gupta
Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal 795004, Manipur, India

Abstract


The predation efficiency of five species of coccinellids, namely, Coelophora biplagiata (Swartz), Coccinella transversalis F., Menochilus sexmaculatus (F.), Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant, and Chilocorus nigrita (F.), against cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch, was evaluated in the laboratory. Maximum consumption of A. craccivora (65.20 ± 0.59 to 214.60 ± 2.60) was observed in C. biplagiata released under various predator densities, whereas C. montrouzieri consumed the minimum numbers (19.40 ± 0.36 to 84.60 ± 0.73). C. biplagiata was closely followed by M. sexmaculatus and C. transversalis. It was also observed that C. biplagiata, M. sexmaculata and C. transversalis exhibited higher predation efficiency with a mean aphid consumption of 43.60 ± 0.46 to 485.80 ± 5.18, 41.20 ± 0.33 to 377.00 ± 3.35 and 40.60 ± 0.96 to 370.00 ± 3.74, respectively, under different prey densities of 45 to 720. When C. biplagiata was released, significantly lowest aphid population (23.06) was recorded, followed by M. sexmaculatus (35.26), C. transversalis (43.00) and C. nigrita (49.13) as against unreleased control (191.86). The highest aphid population (54.26) was recorded in the treatment where C. montrouzieri released.

Keywords


Aphis craccivora, Cowpea, Feeding Efficiency and Predaceous Coccinellids.

References