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Ch. Padmavathi ¹, Gururaj Katti ¹, A. P Padmakumari ¹, I. C. Pasalu ¹

Affiliations
1 Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500 030, Andhra Pradesh, IN

Abstract

Field-cum-laboratory studies were carried out on the prevalence, prey preference and predatory potential of staphylinid beetle, Paederus fuscipes Curtis, and carabid beetle, Ophionea sp., in rice. The predatory beetle population was significantly higher in rabi compared to that of kharif season and P. fuscipes population was higher than that of Ophionea sp.in both the seasons. Within the season, both the beetles were significantly more abundant at reproductive stage compared to vegetative stage. The two predators preferred brown planthopper and white backed planthopper nymphs to other prey species tested. The predatory potential was 9.5 BPH nymphs and 1 WBPH nymphs per day for P. fuscipes, and 10.2 BPH nymphs and 9 WBPH nymphs per day for Ophionea sp.

Keywords

Carabid, Predatory Potential, Preference, Prey, Rice, Staphylinid Beetle.

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Chitra Shanker ¹, P. Sapna ¹, K. Shabbir ¹, V. Sunil ¹, B. Jhansi Rani ¹, Gururaj Katti ¹

Affiliations
1 ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad – 500030, Telangana State, IN

Abstract

The pentatomid bug, Andrallus spinidens (F.), is a polyphagous predator on lepidopteran larvae in rice fields in India. The basic biology and predatory potential of the bug was studied under laboratory conditions. The nymphs were reared in petri dishes and were fed 3^rd to 5^th instar Spodoptera mauritia (Boisduval) larvae. The mean development period from egg to adult was 21 days. Eggs were laid in batches of 45 to 95 and the mean total number of eggs laid by each female was 259. The second, third and fourth stage nymphs fed on 7.99, 8.32, 26.33 number of third instar larvae instar larvae of S. mauritia, respectively. The predator exhibited a type II functional response to S. mauritia larvae with a disc equation of Y’ = 0.41(5-0.74) x to the increasing density of S. mauritia. This study provides important life history information for using the predator A. spinidens as a possible biological control agent for army worm management in rice.

Keywords

Spiny Soldier Bug, Attack Ratio, Handling Time, Searching Time, Predatory Potential.

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Chitra Shanker ¹, M. Sampathkumar ², V. Sunil ¹, S. Amudhan ¹, G. Sravanthi ³, B. Jhansirani ⁴, J. Poorani ⁵, Gururaj Katti ¹

Affiliations
1 ICAR - Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad - 500030, Telangana, IN
2 ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Hebbala, Bengaluru - 560024, Karnataka, IN
3 Mango Research Station, Nuzvid - 521201, Dr YSR Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh, IN
4 ICAR - Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad - 500030, Telangana,, IN
5 ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Thayanur post, Tiruchirapalli - 620102, Tamil Nadu, IN

Abstract

Coccinellid species belonging to fifteen genera, under five tribes of the family Coccinellidae were collected and identified in this study. Harmonia (Fab.) was the most predominant in southern regions and Coccinella septumpunctata L. was more abundant in the northern and hill regions. Margalef richness index ranged from 9.07 to 14.00 while the species richness directly measured by Hills number H0 ranged from 5-10, with highest species richness present at Malan, Himachal Pradesh. The highest predation was observed in female H. octomaculata which fed on a maximum of 8.00, 7.42 and 6.59 brown planthopper (BPH), WBPH white backed planthopper (WBPH) and green leafhopper (GLH) respectively per day, while the lowest was observed in Propylea dissecta which fed on 3.18 to 4.50 hoppers per day. Coccinellids like H. octomaculata can be utilized in biological control programmes as a part of Integrated Pest Management to reduce pest outbreaks.

Keywords

Biodiversity, BPH, Coccinellids, Predatory Potential, Rice, WBPH.

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