Natural parasitisation of Spodoptera litura F. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by Zele chloropthalma Nees (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in vegetable ecosystems of Kashmir Valley, India

2011·0.8 MB·

by  Deen Mohamad Bhat

IS
Natural parasitisation of Spodoptera litura F. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
by Ze/e chloropthalma Nees (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
in vegetable ecosystems of Kashmir Valley, India
Deen Mohamad Bhat1 R. C. Bhagat2 and Ajaz A. Qureshi3
,
1. DepartmentofZoology, Govt. Degree College Pulwama, Kashmir, J&Klndia-192301.
1email: [email protected])
(
2 and3. P. G. Deptt. ofZoology, UniversityofKashmir, Hazratbal Srinagar, J&Klndia-190006.
Abstract
The present paper reports the occurrence ofZe/e chloropthalma Nees as a parasitoid of lepidop-
teran pestSpodopteralitura F.forthefirsttimefrom KashmirValley.Observationshave beenmade
ontheseasonalabundanceandtheextentofparaitisationofS.liturabyZ. choloropthalmainvarious
vegetableecosytsms ofKahmir. The highestextentofparasitisationwasobservedto be 9.75%.
Keywords: Parasitoid, Spodoptera, Zele chloropthalma, Kashmir
Introduction
SomespeciesofgenusSpodoptera(Lepidoptera: Results and Discussion
Noctuidae) such as Spodopteraexigua (Hubner)and S. Inthe presentsurvey, thelarvaeofS. liturawere
litura(Fabricius)arereportedasminorpestsofvegetable found attacking several vegetable cole crops viz.
crops in India (Nair, 1970; Butani and Jotwani, 1984; cabbage, cauliflower, knoll-kholand kale. In general, the
Capinera, 2001). Several parasitoidshavebeen reported attack of lepidopteron pest, S. litura was witnessed
to parasitize S. litura on various hostplants in different during the months from May to August in each study
regions oftheworld (Rao and Satyanarayana, 1984 in year. Given the maximum number of larvae recorded
India and Hassanein et a/., 1985 in Egypt). However, (Table 1), the highestextentofinfestationwasobserved
there is no systematic report of any parasitoid of S. duringthe monthsofJuneand July. Kaleand knoll-khol
litura from KashmirValley. In the present investigation were most severely attacked. The larvae after rearing
natural parasitisation of S. litura has been reported and were found to be parasitized by a hymenopteran
theextentofparasitisation recorded. parasitod, Zele chloropthalma Nees (Hymenoptera:
Braconidae). The presentreporting ofZ. chloropthalma
Materials and Methods Nees as a parasite of S. litura is the first record from
To record the parasitoids of S. litura and other Kashmir(India).
pests, field surveys were undertaken in the prevailing Obtained data indicate that, the parasitisation
agroclimatic conditions, during the years from 2005 to ofS. liturabyZ. chloropthalmaismostlyobservedduring
2008, covering variousvegetableecosystemsacross6 the monthsofJune and July. In theyear2005, atotalof
districts of Kashmir Valley viz., Anantnag, Badgam, 174 larvaewerecollectedfromtheselected sites, outof
Baramulla, Ganderbal, Pulwama and Srinagar. Weekly which, 7 larvaewerefound parasitized, and hence, the
collectionofthelarvaeofS. liturawasmadefromseveral percentageofparasitismwas4.02%.Thehighestextent
sites selected in thesedistricts. The larvaewere reared ofparsitisation in thisyearwas recorded to be 8.33% in
in the laboratory until the emergence of parasites or the lastweek ofJune.
adult pest. The parasites emerged were properly In the year 2006, a total of 184 larvae were
preserved and the identification of parasitoid, Ze/e collected from theselected sites, outofwhich, 7 larvae
choloropthalma (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)wasdone were found parasitized, and hence, the percentage of
according to Achterberg (1979) and Wharton et al. ipnartahsiistiysemarwawsa3s.8r0e%c.orTdheedhtioghbeest7e.xt6e9n%to%fpairnsitthiesatliaosnt
(1997).
Natural parasitisation of Spodoptera litura F. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by Ze/e chloropthalma Nees. 89
weekofJune. In the year 2008, a total of 177 larvae were
In the year 2007, a total of 167 larvae were collected fromthe selected sites, outofwhich, 9 larvae
collectedfromthe selected sites, outofwhich, 10 larvae were found parasitized, and hence, the percentage of
were found parasitized, and hence, the percentage of parasitismwas 5.08%. Thehighestextentofparsitisation
parasitismwas 5.98%. Thehighestextentofparsitisation in this yearwas recorded to be 9.75% in the lastweek
in this yearwas recorded to be 9.09% in the in the 3rd ofJune,
and 4thweekofJune.
Table-1: Weekly number of S. litura and its Hymenopteran parasitoid, Z. chloropthalma recorded in
vegetable ecosystems during 2005-2006survey in Kashmir(India).
No. oflarvae
Month No. of S. litura %age parasitism
parasitized by
/Week
collected
Z. chloropthalma
2005 2006 2007 2008 2005 2006 2007 2008 2005 2006 2007 2008
May
Iweek 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
II week 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
III 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 o 0 0 0
;
IV 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
June
I 9 6 5 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
II 8 16 10 14 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 7.14
III 26 24 22 20 1 0 2 1 3.84 0 9.0^ 5.0
IV 36 39 44 41 3 3 4 4 8.33 7.69 9.0S 9.75
July
I 32 35 34 29 2 2 3 2 6.25 5.71 8.82 6.89
II 22 24 15 20 1 1 0 1 4.54 4.16 0 5.0
III 12 15 20 14 0 0 1 o 0 0 5.0 0
IV 13 9 11 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
August
I 9 7 5 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
II 2 4 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
III 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
IV 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 174 184 167 177 7 7 10 9 5.17% 3.80% 5.98% 5.08%
90 Halteres, Vol.3, 2011
This work gives an opportunity to further extend the Academic Press, California.
present study to explore the possibility of utilizing the
recorded parasite for biological control after Hassanein, F. A., Elheneidy, A. H, Abbas, M. S. T. and
standardization of rearing techniques in Kashmirvalley. Hamed, A. R. 1985: Survey of the parasitoids
of main lepidopterous pests in vegetable crop
Acknowledgements
fields in Egypt. Bulletin de la societe
Theauthrosarehighlythankfulto Prof. Dr. Ing. C. (Kees) entomologiqued' Egypte, 65: 259-265.
van Achterberg, National Museum of Natural History,
Leiden (seniorresearcher/curatorof Hymenoptera), for Nair, M.R.G.K. 1970. Insectsand mitesofcrops in India.
providing useful literature on family Braconidae and New Jack Printing Works Private Limited.
subfamilyZelinae.
Rao, R. S. N. and Satyanarayana, S. V. V. 1984. Note
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