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Laboratory and field evaluation ofAllorhogas pyralophagus for the control of lepidopterous borers infesting sugarcane in tropical India

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Abstract

All the seven species of lepidopteran insects viz.,Chilo infuscatellus Snell.,C. sacchariphagus indicus (Kapur),C. partellus Swinhoe,Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker,Sesamia inferens Walker,Corcyra cephalonica Staint., andGalleria mellonella (L.) were parasitized under laboratory conditions by the imported braconid parasite,Allorhogas pyralophagus Marsh. Among theseS. excerptalis was the most suitable host for the multiplication of the parasite. When commonly occurring borer pests of sugarcane in tropical India were offered in single and multiple choice test, the parasite preferredS. excerptalis compared toc. infuscatellus andC. sacchariphagus indicus. During 1988 and 1989 growing seasons, attempts were made to colonizeA. pyralophagus againstC. sacchariphagus indicus andS. excerptalis attacking sugarcane. A total of 11,754 and 15,651 mated females were released in 0.4 ha sugarcane field during 1988 and 1989 respectively, but the parasite failed to colonise on the sugarcane borers.

Résumé

Dans des expériences de choix menées en laboratoire, le braconide originaire du Mexique,Allorhogas pyralophagus Marsh a parasité 7 espèces de Lépidoptères:Chilo infuscatellus Snell.,C. sacchariphagus indicus (Kapur),C. partellus Swinhoe,Scirpophaga excerptalis Walker,Sesamia inferens Walker,Corcyra cephalonica Staint. etGalleria mellonella L.

Parmi celles-ci,S. excerptalis s'est révélé l'hôte le mieux adapté pour la multiplication du parasitoïde.

Lorsque les ravageurs communément rencontrés sur la canne à sucre en Inde tropicale étaient offerts, au cours de tests à choix multiple ou simple, le parasitoïde préféraitS. excerptalis àC. infuscatellus etC. sacchariphagus indicus. Pendant les périodes de végétation de la canne à sucre en 1988 et 1989, des tentatives d'installation d'A. pyralophagus ont été faites pour lutter contre les attaques deC. sacchariphagus indicus etS. excerptalis. Au total, 11 754 et 15 651 femelles accouplées ont été relâchées dans un champ de canne à sucre de 0,4 ha en 1988 et 1989 respectivement, mais le parasitoïde ne s'est pas installé.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sugarcane Breeding Institute, 641 007, Coimbatore, India

    S. Easwaramoorthy, H. David, M. Shanmugasundaram, G. Santhalakshmi & R. Kumar

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  1. S. Easwaramoorthy
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  2. H. David
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  3. M. Shanmugasundaram
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  4. G. Santhalakshmi
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  5. R. Kumar
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Easwaramoorthy, S., David, H., Shanmugasundaram, M. et al. Laboratory and field evaluation ofAllorhogas pyralophagus for the control of lepidopterous borers infesting sugarcane in tropical India. Entomophaga 37, 613–619 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02372332

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02372332

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