Effects of the host and parasitoid densities on the quality production of Trichogramma chilonis on lepidopterous (Sitotroga cereallela and Corcyra cephalonica) eggs

Abstract

The present study was conducted for efficient and quality production of the stingless wasp, Trichogramma chilonis Ishii with respect to rearing host and parasitoid densities of the angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cereallela (Olivier) and the rice meal moth, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) on its biology. For host density,percentage parasitism and adult longevity was the highest at 20 eggs whereas emergence was the highest from 10 eggs of S. cereallela while of C. cephalonica percentage parasitism and emergence was the highest at 10 eggs. For parasitoid density, parasitism was the highest at 5 pairs of T. chilonis. Percentage of emergence and longevity remained similar among all the 5 treatments. It is concluded that S. cereallela eggs more suitable as compare to C. cephalonica eggs for mass and quality rearing of parasitoid, T. chilonis.

Keywords

• adult longevity
• Corcyra cephalonica
• developmental period
• host age
• parasitism
• Sitotroga cerealella
• Trichogramma chilonis