Toxicity of insecticides to egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis Ishii under laboratory and semi-field conditions

Toxicity of commonly used insecticides was evaluated on egg parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis. Adult wasps were exposed to different insecticides at their recommended field dosage. Chlorantraniliprole, indoxacarb, diafenthiuron, spiromesifen and pyridalyl were found harmless (IOBC class-1, < 30% mortality) whereas, imidacloprid was found harmful (IOBC class-4, > 99% mortality) to adult T. chilonis. Under semi-field conditions only imidacloprid showed slight persistent toxicity and all other tested insecticides showed no persistent toxicity. Chlorantraniliprole, indoxacarb, diafenthiuron, spiromesifen and pyridalyl tested under the study were also found to have no adverse effect on the biotic potential of T. chilonis up to next generation.