Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #147675
Title: ENCARSIA TRANSVENA (HYMENOPTERA: APHELINIDAE) DEVELOPMENT ON DIFFERENT BEMISIA TABACI GENNADIUS (HOMOPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE) INSTARS

Author
item ANTONY, BINU - CROP PROTECTION INDIA
item PALANISWAMI, M. S. - CROP PROTECTION INDIA
item HENNEBERRY, THOMAS

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2003
Publication Date: 6/1/2003
Citation: ANTONY, B., PALANISWAMI, M., HENNEBERRY, T.J. ENCARSIA TRANSVENA (HYMENOPTERA: APHELINIDAE) DEVELOPMENT ON DIFFERENT BEMISIA TABACI GENNADIUS (HOMOPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE) INSTARS. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY. 2003. 32(3): 584-591.

Interpretive Summary: The sweetpotato whitefly is a serious pest of food crops and cotton in India. Biological control is the preferred approach to population management. The parasitoid Encarsia transvena is of particular interest. Results of studies showed that mated E. transvena females lay eggs internally in sweetpotato whitefly nymphs and develop as primary parasitoids. Males develop as hyperparasitoids, either on their own species or other primary parasitoids. Parasitoids have 3 larval, a prepupal, and pupal stages. Females develop from egg to adult in 11-15 d and males in 12 d. Superparasitism is common. E. transvena females developed in all whitefly nymphal stages but preferred the third and early fourth instars. Parasite oviposition was highest and parasite development was longest on first and fourth (late) whitefly instars. The highest percentages of whitefly parasitization occurred in third instar and fourth instars the lowest in the first and fourth (late) whitefly instars. The information should be useful in design of mass rearing protocols and in release trials for suppression of whitefly populations.

Technical Abstract: Encarsia transvena is a potentially useful parasitoid of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) in India. Development, host preference and parasitism by the parasitoid were studied at 25-30 OC and 70-75% RH. Results showed that E. transvena is a solitary, arrhenotokous, facultative, autoparasitoid. Female eggs are laid internally in whitefly nymphs and develop as primary parasitoids. Males develop as hyperparasitoids, either on their species or other primary aphelinid parasitoids. Both sexes have an egg, 3 larval, a prepupal and pupal stage. Development from egg to adult occurred in 11.3-15.0 d for females and 12.1-14.6 d for males. Superparasitism was common under cage conditions on specific females or other primary parasitoids. E. transvena females were able to develop in all B. tabaci nymphal stages but preferred the third and early fourth instars. Oviposition and developmental periods of the parasite are longest on first and fourth (late) instars of B. tabaci. The highest percentages of parasitization occurred in third instar and fourth (early) instar B. tabaci and the lowest percentages in first and fourth (late) instars. The information should be useful in designing mass rearing protocols and in release trials for suppression of B. tabaci populations.