Identification of parasitoids associated with coconut scale insects from Basilan and Zamboanga based on 28SRDNA

Issue Date

10-2016

Abstract

The massive coconut insect (CSI) infestation in the recent years has posed serious threat to the coconut industry. This urged agricultural scientists and different concerned agencies, in cooperation with coconut farmers, to devise and implement strategies to reduce CSI damage at a certain manageable level. One integral component of these management strategies in the introduction of natural enemies. Using the large subunit ribosomal DNA (28S) region as a molecular marker, several naturally-occurring parasitoids of CSI were identified. BLAST hit results of the deduced nucleotide sequences showed the identity of the different parasitoid species as related to Comperiella (88% identical with C. bifasciata GenBank Acc. No. AY599317.1)and Marietta (93% identical with Marietta sp. GenBank Acc. No. AY599363.1) associated with field-collected A. rigidus from Isabela City and Lantawan, Basilan respectively; Pteroptrix (89% identical with Pteroptrix sp. GenBank Acc. No. JN623564.1) and Coccophagus (?) (90% identical with Coccophagus sp. GenBank Acc. No. KF780961.1) associated with scale insects from Zamboanga; and Encarsia (91% identical with E. heratyi GenBank Acc. No. HQ731041.1) associated with the laboratory-reared A excisus in Isabela, Basilan. Further morphological and molecular studies are still underway to maximize the potential of these biological control agents.

Source or Periodical Title

The Philippine Entomologist

ISSN

0048-3753

Volume

30

Issue

2

Page

180-181

Document Type

Article

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

COMPERIELLA; COCCOIDEA; COCONUTS; PESTS OF PLANTS; PARASITOIDS; GENETIC MARKERS; DNA; INFESTATION; PHILIPPINES

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS