1Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar-263 145, U.S. Nagar (Uttarakhand), India
2Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012, India
*E-mail: patel19.rk@gmail.com
Online published on 12 July, 2017.
The legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (F.) (Lep., Pyralidae), is one of the major limitations to increase the production and productivity of grain legumes in the tropics. A large number of natural enemies have been recorded from the key pests of pigeon pea, little is known about their parasitization. Parasitoids and pathogens contributed 41% and 36% to the total generation mortality (K) at two sites, respectively, but observed that parasitism contributed less than 4%. In present study, the parasitoids, Trichogramma spp. (Trichogrammatidae: Hymenoptera) and Apanteles spp. (Braconidae: Hymenoptera) were found to parasitized the eggs and larvae of Marucavitrata, respectively. The peak period of egg parasitization was recorded during 46th SW in which parasitization reached up to 48.07 percent whereas the peak activity of larval parasitoids was recorded in 48th SW with 25 percent parasitism. The present study revealed that low level of interaction was found between insect pest and its parasitoids in pigeon pea ecosystem.
Marucavitrata, natural enemies, parasitization, parasitoids, pigeon pea
