Relative Toxicity of Different Pesticides to Campoletis chlorideae Uchida (Hym., Ichneumonidae)

The ichneumonid Campoletis cholrideae Uchida is a common parasitoid of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubn.) and Spodoptera litura (Fab.) on many crops in India. The toxicity of 30 pesticides (19 insecticides, 9 fungicides, neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) and nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) to the adults of C.chlorideae was studied. The data on the initial toxicity revealed that acephate, NSKE, NPV and the fungicides appeared to be safe to the parasitoids. The insecticides found to be toxic were tested furthur for their residual toxicity to C. chlorideae, Endosulfan, carbaryl, dichlorvos, phosalone and methyl demeton were less persistent than the other insecticides. Residual toxicity of synthetic pyrethroids especially cypermethrin persisted for a longer time (42 days) against C. chlorideae.