A new report on parasitisation of coconut spike moth, Tirathaba rufivena Walker by Goniozus nephantidis Muesebeck

The coconut spike moth/bunch moth of oil palm, Tirathaba rufivena (Pyralidae, Lepidoptera) is reported as a pest causing varying losses in coconut and oil palm. In recent years regular and increasing incidence of this lepidopteron pest is being recorded in young and dwarf coconut palms in East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. A high per cent infestation was recorded in the dwarf cultivar, Ganga Bondam (12.5%) and in various cross combinations the infestation of coconut spike moth ranged from 3.5 per cent to 9.4 per cent The laboratory observations on identification of promising parasitoid for this pest revealed that gregarious ectoparasitoid i.e., Goniozus nephantidis is an effective parasitoid on T. rufivena As G. nephantidis can be successfully multiplied on large scale in laboratory therefore, the field efficacy of G. nephantidis can be explored against T. rufivena in coconut and oil palm plantations.