Abundance of important parasitoids in the vegetable ecosystem and their prospects in integrated pest management

Abstract

Intensive surveys were conducted during 2009-18 at Varanasi and its adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh for recording the major insect pests and their associated hymenopteran parasitoids in the major groups of vegetables viz., solanaceous, cruciferous, cucurbitaceous, malvaceous and leguminous. A critical study revealed that all of these recorded parasitoids (Trathala flavo orbitalis, Pediobius foveolatus, Pristomerus euzopherae, Apanteles oblique, Meteorus sp., Campoletes chloridae, Neochrysocharis formosa, Aenasius arizonensis, Chelonus blackburni, Agathis spp., Cotesia plutellae, Microplitis tuberculifer, Diaeretiella rapae, Apanteles paludicole, Cotesia glomerata, Dinarmus basalis), Brachymeria lasus and Pristomerus euzopherae showed greatest affinity (70.59%) towards lepidopteran pests (Leucinodes orbonalis, Euzophera perticella, Spilosoma obliqua, Helicoverpa armigera, Earias vittella, E. insulana, Plutella xylostella, Spodoptera litura, Sphenarches caffer, Diaphania indica), followed by coleopteran (Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata, Epilachna dodecastigma, Callosobruchus chinensis, C. analis, C. maculatus) and hemipteran hosts (Phenacoccus solenopsis, Myzus persicae, Brevicoryne brassicae, Lipaphis erysimi) (11.77% each). However, only one parasitoid (5.88%) viz., Neochrysocharis formosa had a dipteran host i.e., Liriomyza trifolii. Considering the month wise distribution and abundance of these parasitoids, the highest diversity of parasitoids (53.33%) in terms of species occurred during the months of February, March and September, coinciding with the spring and autumn seasons in northern India followed by August (46.67%). However, only one parasitoid i.e., P. euzopherae was recorded in the month of May. The host range, seasonal incidences, level of parasitization and the probable role of the recorded parasitoids in biointensive integrated pest management (BIPM) systems are discussed briefly.