Influence of nectar as food on adult longevity, fecundity and offspring sex ration of Trichogramma evanescens (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) reared on rice moth egg, its factitious host

Issue Date

10-2012

Abstract

The effect of food on parasitoid survival, reproductive potential as well as on sex ration was studied using the laboratory population of Trichogramma evanescens mass reared on rice moth eggs at the Biological Control Laboratory of the Crop Protection Cluster-National Crop Protection Center. Assessement were made from individually separated wasps fed with honey and nectars from Santan (Ixora sp.), Thunbergia grandiflora and Th. battiscombe. Rice moth eggs were used to assess the impact of the different food sources on the reproductive performance of the parasitoid. Nectars from the three plant species when offered to male and female had similar adult lifespan to wasps offered with honey with an average adult life expectancy of 7.3 ± 0.42 days. Females offered with nectar from Th. battiscombe produced an average potential fecundity of 25.5 ± 1.87 pupae per female compared honey fed wasps with 27.9 ± 1.42 pupae on average. Superparasitism was observed in all female wasps regardless of the food offered. Highest number of wasp emerging into adults (realized fecundity) was observed on wasps offered with Th. grandiflora nectar. The sex ratio of the emerging wasps was female biased regardless of the food offered. Santan nectar had the lowest potential as food source for adult parasitoids.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Entomologist

ISSN

0048-3753

Volume

26

Issue

2

Page

187

Document Type

Article

Frequency

biannually

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

TRICHOGRAMMA EVANESCENS; CORCYRA CEPHALONICA; PARASITOIDS; NECTAR; LONGEVITY; FERTILITY

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