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.

Full Text

   

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.

Full Text