Chandish R. Ballal ¹, Tripti Gupta ¹, Sunil Joshi ¹

Affiliations
1 National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects (ICAR), H. A. Farm P. O., Bellary Road, Bangalore 560 024, Karnataka, IN

Abstract

The predatory potential of two anthocorid predators, Blaptostethus pallescens Poppius and Anthocoris muraleedharani Yamada on cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley and papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink was studied under laboratory conditions. During the nymphal stage, A. muraleedharani could feed on a total of 66 crawlers of P. solenopsis and the adult consumed 141 crawlers. Young nymphs (3-4 day old) of B. pallescens could not predate on P. solenopsis, crawlers, while, the mature nymph could consume 35 P. solenopsis crawlers and adult 23 crawlers. B. pallescens could feed on P. marginatus and the feeding potential was recorded as 18, 29 and 31 crawlers, for young nymph, mature nymph and adult, respectively. However, the longevity of B. pallescens was found significantly reduced when fed on P. marginatus. A. muraleedharani could not predate on P. marginatus. Though B. pallescens could predate on both mealybug species, A. muraleedharani appeared to be a more voracious predator of P. solenopsis based on its greater predatory potential, higher adult longevity and shorter nymphal duration.

Keywords

Anthocoris muraleedharani, Blaptostethus pallescens, Feeding Potential, Paracoccus marginatus and Phenacoccus solenopsis.

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Tripti Gupta ¹, Chandish R. Ballal ¹

Affiliations
1 National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects, Post Bag No. 2491, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Hebbal, Bangalore 560024, Karnataka, IN

Abstract

Protocols for the mass rearing of the anthocorid predator, Orius tantillus (Motschulsky), were standardised by utilising UV-irradiated Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) eggs as prey. By maintaining 150 ovipositional containers with 50 O. tantillus adults in each, and by providing S. cerealella eggs as feeding and pieces of bean pods as ovipositional substrates, 86,250 nymphs could be produced per month. By taking into account the fixed and variable costs, the cost of 100 seven-day-old O. tantillus nymphs was worked out to be Rs. 34.30. The protocols developed can be adopted for commercial production.

Keywords

Orius tantillus, Sitotroga cerealella, Commercial Production, Cost of Production, Mass Rearing.

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Chandish R. Ballal ¹, S. P. Singh ¹, J. Poorani ¹, Tripti Gupta ¹

Affiliations
1 Project Directorate of Biological Control (ICAR) P.B. No. 2491, H.A. Farm Post, Bellary Road Bangalore 560024, Karnataka, IN

Abstract

Biology and feeding potential of an anthocorid predator, Blaptostethus pallescens Pop pius were studied on the eggs of alternate host, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton). Approximately 100 UV irradiated C. cephalonica eggs are required for rearing one nymph throughout its nymphal period of about 16 days (4-11 eggs per day) and 630 eggs for an adult throughout its longevity (3-19 eggs per day). Adult females had a greater feeding potential (943 eggs per adult) in comparison to males (381 eggs per adult). Utilising 9cc of C. cephalonica eggs, 1000 B. pallescens could be produced. The lab-reared adults had a very high longevity (38- 78 days) and fecundity (110-203 nymphs/female), indicating the suitability of C. cephalonica eggs for mass production.

Keywords

Biology, Blaptostethus pallescens, Corcyra cephalonica, Feeding Potential, Rearing.

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Chandish R. Ballal ¹, Tripti Gupta ², Sunil Joshi ¹

Affiliations
1 ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, H. A. Farm P. O., Bellary Road, Bangalore - 560 024, Karnataka, IN
2 Pest Control (India) Pvt. Ltd., Bio-Control Research Laboratory 36/2, Sriramanahalli, Arakere Post, Bangalore - 561203, Karnataka, IN

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of different temperature regimes (16, 20, 24, 28, 32 and 36±1^°C) on the biological and fertility table parameters of Orius tantillus (Motsch.), an efficient indigenous predator of various thrips species in India Temperature influenced the development and reproduction of O. tantillus. Based on the biological parameters, viz. longevity, fecundity and fertility parameters, 24^°C was recorded to be the optimum temperature for rearing O. tantillus. The temperature of 16^°C had a detrimental effect on nymphal survival, while 36^°C on fecundity. Thus, 16 and 36^°C were recorded as unsuitable for rearing O. tantillus. The lower threshold temperatures for development of eggs and nymphs of O. tantillus were 8.66 and 6.92^°C, respectively, indicating that the eggs are more heat-sensitive than the nymphs. Based on the T₀ values, O. tantillus appears to be less heat sensitive in comparison to other Orius spp. The information generated through this study could be used for further improving the standardized production protocol for O. tantillus and also for planning and timing field releases to target thrips species.

Keywords

Biological Parameters, Effect of Temperature, Fertility Parameters, Orius tantillus, Rearing, Sitotroga cerealella, Thermal Requirement.

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Tripti Gupta ¹, Chandish R. Ballal ², Shashikala S. Kadam ³

Affiliations
1 Pest Control (India) Pvt. Ltd., Bio-Control Research Laboratories (BCRL), Arakere Post, Bengaluru - 562163, Karnataka, IN
2 ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Bengaluru - 560024, Karnataka, India, IN
3 ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Bengaluru - 560024, Karnataka, IN

Abstract

The present research paper provides detailed morphology and morphometrics of an anthocorid predator, Blaptostethus pallescens Poppius. To identify the alternate laboratory host to be utilized for mass production, biological parameters of the anthocorid were evaluated by rearing on UV irradiated eggs of two alternate laboratory hosts, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) and Sitotroga cerealella (Motsch.). Five nymphal instars were recorded on both hosts. No significant differences were observed in incubation period, nymphal duration, total developmental period and sex ratio when reared on the two hosts. However, significant differences were observed in two biological parameters i.e., adult longevity and fecundity. Longer life span and higher fecundity of B. pallescens was recorded when reared on C. cephalonica eggs in comparison to S. cerealella eggs, indicating the suitability of C. cephalonica eggs for mass rearing B. pallescens in the laboratory. B. pallescens could be reared continuously for 7 generations on C. cephalonica eggs.

Keywords

Blaptostethus Pallescens, Biological Parameters, Corcyra Cephalonica, Fecundity, Generations, Incubation, Morphology, Morphometrics, Sitotroga Cerealella.

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