Crop Research

Surveys were conducted to explore the Aphelinidae, Encyrtidae, Eucharitidae and Torymidae (Chalcidoidea: Hymenoptera) fauna in rice ecosystems of Tamil Nadu during 2015–16 in three different rice growing zones viz., western zone, Cauvery delta zone and high rainfall zone. Aphelinus abdominalis, Eriaphytis orientalis and Marietta leopardina are the three species of Aphelinids collected in the present study and a total of 15 aphelinids were collected. Seventeen individuals that constitute six species of Encyrtidae viz., Anicetus ceroplastodis, Callipteroma sexguttata, Homalotylus sp., Homalotylus indicus, Ooencyrtus sp. and Prochiloneurus pulchellus were collected in the present study. Only one individual of Chalcura deprivata was collected under the family Eucharitidae. A total of 10 torymid individuals were collected under two species, namely, Chrysochalcissa indica and Podagrion opisthacanthum.