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Research Project: IPM Methods for Insect Pests of Orchard Crops

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Title: Kairomones effect on parasitic activity of Trichogramma japonicum against rice yellow stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas

Author
item MURALI-BASKARAN,, RAMASAMY - Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
item SRIDHAR, JANDRAJUPALLI - Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
item SHARMA, KAILASH - Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
item JAIN, LATA - Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
item SENTHIL-NATHAN, SENGOTTAYAN - Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU)
item Hunter, Wayne
item KUMAR, JAGDISH - Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
item KAUSHAL, PANKAJ - Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/26/2020
Publication Date: 3/29/2020
Citation: Murali-Baskaran,, R.K., Sridhar, J., Sharma, K.C., Jain, L., Senthil-Nathan, S., Hunter, W.B., Kumar, J., Kaushal, P. 2020. Kairomones effect on parasitic activity of Trichogramma japonicum against rice yellow stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas. Journal of Applied Entomology. 00:1-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.12747.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.12747

Interpretive Summary: Biological control of pest insects through the use of insect parasitoids often fails due to low rate of parasitism. Research on improving parasitism rate resulted in the identification of volatile compounds that attract egg parasitoids to eggs of stem boring pests of plants. Out of the 20 chemicals identified, laboratory spray bioassays showed that three: n-hexadecanoic acid, n-octadecanoic acid and octadecane, increased parasitism by Trichogramma japonicum. Parasitism rates increased after treatments from 26.4% to 92.6% at 200 ppm, 27.3% to 96.5% at 500 ppm, respectively. These results suggest that key chemical cues used by the parasitoid could be used to enhance egg parasitism. Information gained from this study is being used to guide related research on using volatiles to improve the efficacy of parasitoid-based biological control programs for the control of other pest insects, such as those in citrus.

Technical Abstract: The volatile compounds for attraction of egg parasitoid to eggs of the yellow stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas, were identified. Out of the 20 chemicals identified laboratory assays showed that three of these: n-hexadecanoic acid, n-octadecanoic acid and octadecane, increased parasitization by the parasitoid Trichogramma japonicum, when applied on eggs from 26.4% to 92.6% at 200 ppm, 27.3% to 96.5% at 500 ppm and 23.6% to 82.8% at 500 ppm, respectively. Evaluation of these compounds revealed the key chemical cues of biocontrol potential (n-hexadecanoic acid, n-octadecanoic acid and octadecane) could enhance egg parasitism. Similar chemical compounds may aid other biological control programs to improve effectiveness of releasing parasitoids to control insect pests, like those in citrus and other crops.