Synomonal and kairomonal mediated tritrophic interactions between brinjal cultivars, mealybug Coccidohystrix insolita green and natural enemy Chrysoperla zastrowi sillemi Esben-Peterson

The orientation response of Chrysoperla zastrowi sillemi Esben-Peterson adults towards the synomonal compounds of different mealybug infested brinjal cultivars were evaluated using a multi-armed olfactometer and the results revealed that the cultivar Udit attracted the highest number of natural enemies while the cultivar Pusa Uttam attracted the lowest number. The differences in compounds and their concentration in the volatile profile of the cultivars may lead to the highest preference of C. zastrowii sillemi to Udit and the lowest preference to Pusa Uttam. The relative response of C. zastrowi sillemi adults to the synomonal extracts of healthy and mealybug infested brinjal cultivars in a Y-tube olfactometer were evaluated and the results revealed that C. zastrowi sillemi adults showed more preference towards the synomonal compounds of mealybug infested plants than that of healthy synomonal extracts. The relative response of C. zastrowi sillemi towards the kairomonal compounds of mealybug Coccidohystrix insolita Green was also evaluated in a Y tube olfactometer and the results revealed that the highest mean number of adult lacewings were attracted to the kairomonal compounds of mealybug compared to control n-hexane. The present study revealed that the difference in composition of hydrocarbons in volatile blend determined the selectivity of natural enemy, C. zastrowii sillemi.