Parasitism Efficiency of Trichogramma embiyophagum (Hymenoptera; Trichogrammatidae) on the Eggs of Brinjal Shoot and Fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Abstract

The parasitism efficiency of the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma embiyophagum on one- two- and three- day old eggs of Leucinodes orbonalis was studied under laboratory condition during three different seasons. The emergence rate of T. embryophagum from parasitized different aged eggs of L. orbonalis and the parasitizing ability of T. embryophagum through parthenogenesis reproduction in three different seasons were also analyzed at laboratory conditions. The results indicated that the activity of T. embryophagum was enhanced by the seasons Kharif and Rabi in study area. Besides, the egg parasitoid proved its efficacy against L orbonalis. The parasitism and emergence rate of T. embryophagum was 88.67 and 91.73 per cent, respectively, during Kharif, 2013 at 30.6±1.3°C and 90.67 and 90.42 per cent, respectively during Rabi, 2013 at 29.7±0.8°C compared to 67.33 and 79.34 per cent, respectively, at 36.2±1.3°C during summer season on one-day old eggs. The findings clearly described the slight susceptibility of T. embryophagum to weather conditions in summer season. It was also noted that the parasitoid, T. embryophagum preferred one-day-old eggs of L. orbonalis for parasitism during all seasons compared to 2- or 3-days old eggs. The ability of T. embryophagum in parasitizing the eggs of L. orbonalis by parthenogenesis reproduction was 10.7 eggs per single parasitoid. The results indicated the usefulness of T. embryophagumin parasitizing eggs of L. orbonalis.