Department of Entomology, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004, Haryana, India
*Corresponding author's present address: National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture Project, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University, Paithan Road, Aurangabad-431 005, Maharashtra, India; E-mail: santoshkedar56@yahoo.com
Online published on 3 April, 2017.
Studies on seasonal abundance of S. parcesetosum and its predatory potential on whitefly in cotton were carried out in field and laboratory conditions. The peak activity of B. tabaci nymphs and S. parcesetosum larvae and adults were observed in cotton fields in mid growing season. Development duration of S. parcesetosum averaged 21.9 days and it was longest for pupa and shortest in first instar. The mean prey consumption increased with growth of the predator, being maximum in the fourth instar. On an average, a single S. parcesetosum larva consumed a mean of 560.2 nymphs of B. tabaci during its entire larval period of 12.8 days. The predator was active for most part of the cotton season. Which indicated it to be a potential biological control agent for B. tabaci.
Serangium parcesetosum, Bemisia tabaci, predatory potential, biological control
