Ankita Gupta ¹, M. Mohan ², M. Sampathkumar ³, A. N. Shylesha ³, S. R. Venkatachalam ⁴, N. Bakthavatsalam ³

Affiliations
1 ICAR–National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Germplasm collection and characterization, IN
2 ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, 2491, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Hebbal, Bengaluru - 560 024, Karnataka, IN
3 ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, 2491, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Hebbal, Bengaluru - 560024, Karnataka, IN
4 TCRS, TNAU, Yethapur - 636 117, Tamil Nadu

Abstract

High percentage of Homalotylus turkmenicus Myartseva (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) parasitizing Hyperaspis maindroni Sicard (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) predating on the colonies of the Cassava Mealybug (CMB) Phenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is observed in southern India. In the present study, cautionary note on the presence of H. turkmenicus in the food web of insects associated with the CMB and brief diagnosis of the parasitoid is presented for quick identification. The parasitism of Hy. maindroni grubs by H. turkmenicus ranged from 65.67 to 80.95 per cent. However, no primary parasitoid of the cassava mealybug was observed so far.

Keywords

Cassava Mealybug, Hyperparasitoid, Predation.

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