Malays. Appl. Biol. (1997) 26(2): 51-55
EFFECT OF HOST-FOOD PLANT TRANSFER ON THE LIFE-TABLE OF LYSIPHLEBIA MIRZAI, AS A PARASITOID OF CEREAL APHIDS
S.K. TRIPATHI and RAJENDRA SINGH*
Aphid-Biocontrol Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Gorakhpur, Gorakhpur- 273 009, U. P., India
ABSTRACT
The parasitoid Lysiphlebia mirzai Shuja-Uddin (Hym.: Braconidae) obtained from different natural resources [reared from different aphid hosts, e.g., Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner), Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) and Scliizaphis graminuin (Rondani) and food plants, e.g., Pennisentm glauciiin, Sorghum bicolor and Zea mays collected from the fields] and transferred to M. sacchari infesting Z. mays demonstrated that the reproductive potential of the females is significantly influenced by the host (aphid) and food plant combinations on which it developed. It yielded the lowest number of progeny (< 50 progeny/female) on M. sacchari-Z. mays if transferred from S. graminuin - Z. mays. In contrast, it yielded a greater number of progeny ( > 250 progeny/female) and female births if transferred from R. maidis - Z. mays, M. sacchari-Z. mays, M. sacchari-S. bicolor or M. sacchari-P. glauciiin. The present study revealed that at least the parasitoid readily transferred on M. sacchari-Z. mays from its aphid host and food plants as mentioned above (on which it can develop in nature). The switching over the hosts and food plants in the laboratory did not reveal that it happens in nature. The present study, however, indicates the importance of genotype in determining the ability of L. mirzai to shift to different host-food plant combinations. This information may be utilised not only in management of these aphids biologically on given crops but also for maximising the number of female progeny in mass culture.
ABSTRAK
Parasitoid Lysiphlebia mirzai Shuja-Uddin (Hym.: Braconidae) yang diperolehi dari sumber asli berbeza [dipelihara dari perumah afid berbeza, contohnya Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner), Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) and Scliizaphis graminuin (Rondani), atau tumbuhan makanan berlainan, contohnya Pennisentm glauciiin, Sorghum bicolor dan Zea mays yang dikutip dari lapangan] dan dipindahkan kepada M. sacchari menjangkiti Z. mays telah menunjukkan yang keupayaan pembiakan betina dipengaruhi secara signifikan oleh perumah (afid) dan gabungan tumbuhan makanan di mana ia berkembang. lanya telah menghasilkan bilangan progeni yang rendah (<50 progeni/betina) ke atas M. sacchari-Z. mays jika dipindahkan dari S. graminuin - Z. mays. Sebaliknya, ia menghasilkan bilangan progeni yang tinggi (>250 progeni/betina) dan kelahiran betina jika dipindahkan dari R. maidis - Z. mays, M. sacchari-Z. mays, M. sacchari-S. bicolor atau M. sacchari-P. glauciiin. Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan yang parasitoid mudah dipindahkan kepada M. sacchari-Z. mays daripada perumah afid dan tumbuhan makanan seperti yang disebut sebelum ini (di mana ia berkembang dalam keadaan semulajadi). Pindaan ke atas perumah dan tumbuhan makanan dalam makmal tidak semestinya berlaku dalam keadaan semulajadi). Kajian ini bagaimanapun menunjukkan pentingnya genotip dalam menentukan keupayaan L. mirzai berubah kepada gabungan perumah-tumbuhan makanan. Maklumat ini boleh digunakan dalam pengurusan afid secara biologi ke atas tanaman tertentu dan memaksimumkan bilangan progeni betina dalam kultur mass.
Key words: Aphidiinae, biocontrol, cereal aphids, host transfer, hymenoptera, life-tables, Lysiphlebia mirzai, parasitoid
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