Life Cycle, Host Stage Suitability and Pesticide Susceptibility of the Grape Mealybug Parasitoid, Allotropa japonica sp.n

Allotropa japonica sp. n. a Platygasterld parasitoid of Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) completed its life cycle in 25.5 days at 25.5°C. It oviposited on all three nymphal stages and on the adult female mealybugs. The second and third nymphal stages (10-15 days old) were found suitable to breed the parasitold since tbe number of parasitoids emerging was greater, and ratio of female to male was also higher in these nymphal instars. Adult parasitolds were highly susceptible to monoaotophos, dichlorvos, dimethoate, oxydemeton methyl, methyl parathion, dlazlnon, chlorpyripbos, phosalone, qulnalphos, fenthion and carbaryl. But the acaricides and fungicides (dicofol, copper oxychloride, mancozeb, captafol, carbendazim, Bordeaux mixture) except sulphur proved less harmful to the parasitold.