Contact toxicity of insecticides against egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis ishii under laboratory condition

Trichogramma chilonis Ishii, an important egg parasitoid, is used as a biocontrol agent for lepidopteran pests, but its biological attributes are limited by non-selective insecticide use. Therefore, the study was conducted to check contact toxicity of nine insecticides viz, chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC (0.006%), clothianidin 50 WDG (0.004%), emamectin benzoate 5 SG (0.002%), lambda-cyhalothrin 5 EC (0.004%), cypermethrin + quinalphos 3+20 EC (0.07%), buprofezin 25 SC (0.05%), indoxacarb 14.5 SC (0.012%), fipronil 5 SC (0.015%) and thiodicarb 75 WP (0.15%) against T. chilonis. The results revealed that none of the insecticides was found to be safer than the control treatment for T. chilonis adults under contact toxicity trial. Furthermore, insecticides chlorantraniliprole and clothianidin were considered slightly harmful. Buprofezin, indoxacarb, emamectin benzoate and thiodicarb were grouped into moderately harmful. However, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin + quinalphos and fipronil were found highly toxic to T. chilonis adults hence they were categorized under the harmful class.