Journal of Pest Science (2022) 95, 435-446
Enakshi Ghosh, Richa Varshney and Radhika Venkatesan (2022)
Performance of larval parasitoid, Bracon brevicornis on two Spodoptera hosts: implication in bio-control of Spodoptera frugiperda
Journal of Pest Science 95 (1), 435-446
Abstract: Successful pest management using parasitoids requires careful evaluation of host-parasitoid interactions. Here, we report the performance of larval ecto-parasitoid wasp, Bracon brevicornis (Wesmael) on important agricultural pests, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) and S. frugiperda (J.E. Smith). Biology of B. brevicornis was studied on different host instars under laboratory and cage setup. In no-choice assay, the parasitoid development was highest on fifth-instar S. litura larvae as the wasp laid ~ 253 eggs with 62% hatching, 76% pupae formation and 78% adult emergence. Similarly, these parameters were highest on fifth instar S. frugiperda larvae (293 eggs, 57% hatching, 80% pupae formation, 70% adult emergence). In two-choice assay, B. brevicornis preferred fourth or fifth over third instar larvae of both hosts. Successful parasitism depends on host paralysis and suppression of host immunity. B. brevicornis interaction downregulated cellular immunity of both hosts as shown by reduced hemocyte viability and spreading. The percent parasitism rate of B. brevicornis was unaltered in the presence of host plant, Zea mays in cage study. 76 and 84% parasitism was observed on fifth-instar larvae of S. litura and S. frugiperda, respectively. We evaluated the performance of B. brevicornis as a biocontrol agent on S. frugiperda in maize field. Our results show 54% average reduction in infestation after release of B. brevicornis. Taken together, we report the performance of B. brevicornis on important insect pests for the first time in laboratory and field conditions. Our findings indicate that B. brevicornis is a promising candidate for integrated pest management.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Enakshi Ghosh
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
evaluation - screening - selection
Pest and/or beneficial records:
| Beneficial | Pest/Disease/Weed | Crop/Product | Country | Quarant.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spodoptera litura | Maize/corn (Zea mays) | India | ||
| Spodoptera frugiperda | Maize/corn (Zea mays) | India | ||
| Bracon brevicornis (parasitoid) | Spodoptera litura | Maize/corn (Zea mays) | India | |
| Bracon brevicornis (parasitoid) | Spodoptera frugiperda | Maize/corn (Zea mays) | India |
