International Journal of Tropical Insect Science (2019) 39, 25-33

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Adama Kabore, Niango Malick Ba, Clementine Dabire-Binso and Antoine Sanon (2019)
Towards development of a parasitoid cottage industry of the parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor (Say): optimum rearing and releases conditions for successful biological control of the millet head miner Heliocheilus albipunctella (De Joannis) in the Sahel
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science 39 (1), 25-33
Abstract: Augmentative biological control by the parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is the most promising strategy to control millet head miner, Heliocheilus albipunctella (De Joannis) a major insect pest of pearl millet in the Sahel. As H. hebetor survival is somehow challenging during the nine month long off-season when the host, H. albipunctella is in diapause, there needs to be a sufficient supply of parasitoids for fresh release each year. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish a small-scale parasitoid rearing process adjusted to the Sahel conditions that can be scaled-up as necessary. We conducted experiments to fine-tune and standardize the rearing technique of H. hebetor for cottage industrial use. The results showed that parasitoids fed with 30% honey solution and supplied daily with one late-larval-stage Corcyra cephalonica Stainton (Lepidotera, Pyralidae) produced highest number of progeny. The optimal times for mating and egg fertilization, was achieved when a male and female pair was confined for 24 h in a 30-cc vial. Our findings indicated that, compared with the conventional rearing method -2 females supplied once with 25 C. cephalonica larvae-, this new method resulted in 14-times greater parasitoid production. Furthermore parasitoid female can be stored for up to three weeks at fluctuating 23–32°C temperature and 25%–80% relative humidity for numbers accumulations prior to on-farm augmentative releases without altering its fitness.
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Database assignments for author(s): Niango Malick Ba, Antoine Sanon

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
rearing/culturing/mass production
inundative/inoculative release

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Heliocheilus albipunctella	Pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus)
Habrobracon hebetor (parasitoid)	Heliocheilus albipunctella	Pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus)