Parasitism behavior of parasitoid and host relationship of Acerophagus papayae on Paracoccus marginatus under laboratory conditions

Abstract

Acerophagus papaya, a solitary endoparasitoid, is widely used in classical biological control of papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus. The parastism behaviour of A. papayae on two host stages of P. marginatus at ambient environment was examined. The results revealed that there were more percent parasitism when A. papayae offered adult female and 2nd instar nymph of P. marginatus in choice situations (44±5.47%) as compared to adult female only (36±5.47%). The higher number of female parasitoids, were emerged from adult female hosts while the developmental time for male parasitoids was shorter than female in both no choice and choice situations. This information may lead that parasitoid efficiency will be increased with diverse stages of papaya mealybug in the field.