Life Table studies on Thelytokous and Antibiotically cured Trichogrammatids

Life table studies on four wolbachia derived thelytokous trichogrammatids, viz., Trichogramma brasiliense, T. pretiosum, T. evanescens, and T. embryophagum and that of antibiotically cured conspecifics was determined in the laboratory at 27±1°c and 65±5% RH. There was no significant difference between adult longevity of infected and cured wasps. Total female progeny production (R_o) was more in thelytokous species compared to cured species. Intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) of thelytokous species was 0.285, 0.397, 0.404 and 0.346, respectively, and that of cured ones were 0.308, 0.312, 0.351 and 0.312, respectively. The finite rate of increase (ë) was 1.329, 1.487, 1.498 and 1.413 female/female/day, and that of cured ones was 0.360, 1.366, 1.42 and 1.366 female/female/day for thelytokous and cured species, respectively. The results of the life table study showed that thelytokous species were more suitable candidate for biological control programmes than its conspecific cured species.