First record of Apanteles hemara (N.) on Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée and biodiversity of Hymenoptera parasitoids on Brinjal.

The brinjal fruit and shoot borer (BFSB), Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is a very detrimental pest that causes significant economic losses to brinjal crop worldwide. Infested brinjal fruits were collected from vegetable fields located at the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi, India, during two consecutive seasons (2021-2022). The larvae of the pest were brought to the laboratory and reared under controlled conditions of 25 ± 0.5 °C and 70 ± 5% relative humidity, for the emergence of parasitoids. In addition, the survey of Hymenoptera parasitoids in brinjal was conducted utilizing a sweep net and yellow pan trap over the course of two seasons. The results reveal that five parasitoid species were emerged from L. orbonalis viz., Apanteles hemara Nixon, 1965, Bracon greeni Ashmead 1896 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Goryphus nursei (Cameron, 1907), Trathala flavoorbitalis (Cameron, 1907) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and Spalangia gemina Boucek 1963 (Hymenoptera: Spalangiidae). Out of these, A. hemara and S. gemina were documented as new occurrences in Delhi. Additionally, A. hemara was recorded for the first time as a parasite on L. orbonalis. Trathala flavoorbitalis was observed during both seasons and exhibited higher parasitism reaching 15.55% and 18.46% in July and August 2022, respectively. However, the average parasitism (%) recorded by A. hemara, B. greeni, G. nursei, T. flavoorbitalis and S. gemina was 3.10%, 1.76%, 1.10%, 9.28% and 1.20% respectively. Furthermore, the findings showed a significant (p ≤ 0.01) strongly positive correlation between fruit infestation (%) by L. orbonalis and parasitism (%). The survey indicates the presence of a broad group (19 families and 60 species) of Hymenoptera parasitoids in the brinjal crop ecosystem in Delhi which could be valuable in biological control. In light of these results, this study revealed that A. hemara and other parasitoids identified in this study alongside T. flavoorbitalis would be ideal biocontrol agents within the integrated pest management (IPM) program of BFSB in Delhi.

A new species of bamboo-feeding leafhopper genus Mukariella Viraktamath and Webb (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) along with its morphological variant from India.

A new leafhopper species, Mukariella viraktamathi sp. nov., is described from India along with a distinct morphological variant. Illustrations of males and female are provided. An annotated species checklist of the genus and key to species of the genus Mukariella are also provided.

Integrative Approaches Establish Colour Polymorphism in the Bamboo-Feeding Leafhopper Mukaria splendida Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from India.

The leafhopper species, Mukaria splendida Distant, is economically important due to itsstatus as a pest on bamboo and was recently reported to bea vector for phytoplasmal disease. Morphological identification is often difficult and requires a high level of taxonomic expertise, with misidentifications causing problematic false-positive/negative results. In this paper, colour polymorphism was recorded in the bamboo-feedingleafhopper M. splendida (Distant, 1908), which is a major insect pest in the bamboo ecosystem based on explorations conducted in different locations of India. Ten morphs were identified for each sex of M. splendida Distant based on the colour pattern on the pronotum and forewings. However, in view of the economic importance of the species, the morphological studies were integrated with the molecular data for the accurate identification of the species. The morphological characteristics and sequence results of the amplified product of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) gene confirmed that all the morphs were M. splendida and the pairwise distance matrix showed a negligible genetic distance in the COI mtDNA gene. Simulated future predictions, along with detailed notes on the colour polymorphic forms with illustrations, and additional distribution records as well as thebiology of M. splendida were discussed in light of the available literature, all of which will aid the authentic identification of this species.

A new species of leafhopper genus Sophonia (Evacanthinae: Cicadellidae: Hemiptera) from India.

A new evacanthine leafhopper of the tribe Nirvanini, Sophonia submodesta sp. n. (Himachal Pradesh: Nauni), is described and illustrated from India. An annotated key is provided for the identification of all 17 species known under the genus Sophonia reported from the Indian subcontinent. Type material is deposited in the National Pusa Collection, Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi, India.

Bambuphaga, a new bamboo feeding-leafhopper genus (Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Punctulini) from India.

A new genus of bamboo feeding leafhopper, Bambuphagan. gen. (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Delcephalinae)with Bambuphaga balajiin. sp. from India (Andhra Pradesh) as the type species is described, illustrated, placed in the tribe Punctulini and an annotated checklist to the tribe is provided. The type specimens and material examined are deposited in the National Pusa Collection (NPC), Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India.

First record of subgenus Thao Tsuneki, 1982 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini) from India: a new subspecies and a key to all subspecies of Crossocerus (Thao) nitidicorpus Tsuneki.

The subgenus Thao Tsuneki, 1982 of the genus Crossocerus Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brull, 1835 is recorded for the first time from India. A new subspecies viz., Crossocerus (Thao) nitidicorpus indicus, (India: Uttarakhand) is described. A key to all subspecies in the subgenus Thao is provided.

A new species and some new records of leafhopper tribe Scaphoideini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from India.

A new species of leafhopper, Scaphoideus banjarensis sp. nov. from India (Himachal Pradesh: Banjar), is described. Also two genera, Neolimnus Linnavuori and Wanritettix Vilbaste, and four species of tribe Scaphoideini, are newly reported from India: N. egyptiacus (Matsumura) and N. quadricornis Khatri Webb; W. wanrianus (Matsumura); and Grammacephalus punjabensis Shah Duan. Indian Scaphoideini currently comprises 78 species in 18 genera, including those newly reported here. Illustrations and distributions for newly recorded species are also included.

Description of Rhopalum (s. str.) gulmargense n. sp. with a key to the Indian species of the subgenus Rhopalum Stephens, 1829 s. str. (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini).

A new species of the genus Rhopalum is described from India: Rhopalum (s. str.) gulmargense Saini Dey. A key to the Indian species of the subgenus Rhopalum s. str. and a checklist of all Indian Rhopalum are provided.

Lapnana, a new genus of tribe Evacanthini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Evacanthinae) from India.

A new leafhopper genus Lapnana gen. nov. and species Lapnana ishanya, sp. nov. are described and illustrated from Arunachal Pradesh, India. The new genus is closely related to genus Onukindia Viraktamath and Webb but differs in having a median lamellate carina extending from the base to apex of the crown and ventral processes on the male pygofer.

Dasyproctus helenae, a new species of solitary hunting wasp from India and a checklist of Dasyproctus Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brullé, 1835 from the Indian subcontinent (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabronini).

A new species of genus Dasyproctus Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brullé, 1835 is described from India: Dasyproctus helenae Saini and Dey n. sp. A checklist is provided for all Dasyproctus species reported from the Indian subcontinent.

Indian Hecalina (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Hecalini) with description of three new species.

Genera and species of the subtribe Hecalina from the Indian subcontinent are reviewed. Three genera, Hecalus (28 species), Linnavuoriella (1 species), Thomsonia (4 species) comprising 33 valid species reported from the Indian subcontinent are recognized. Three new species, Hecalus shanayai sp. nov. (Maharashtra: Chikhaldhara), Hecalus tumidus sp. nov. (Himachal Pradesh: Kinnaur) and Thomsonia assymetrica sp. nov. (Meghalaya: Barapani) from India are described and illustrated. An annotated checklist and key to genera of Hecalina from the Indian subcontinent are provided.

Redescription of the fig wasp genus Sycophilodes Joseph (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae: Epichrysomallinae) with description of a new species from India.

Sycophilodes Joseph is a non-pollinating fig wasp genus so far reported only from Ficus benghalensis L. The genus Sycophilodes is revised with redescription of the male and the first description of the female of its only currently included species, S. moniliformis. A second species, Sycophilodes uluberiaensis Pramanik & Dey sp. nov. is described. Available keys are modified and supplemented to facilitate identification of Sycophilodes and a key for distinguishing both sexes of the two included species is presented. All type specimens are deposited in the National Pusa Collection, IARI, New Delhi.

Residue and bio-efficacy evaluation of controlled release formulations of imidacloprid against pests in soybean (Glycine max).

Controlled release (CR) formulations of imidacloprid (1-(6 chloro-3-pyridinyl methyl)-N- nitro imidazolidin-2- ylideneamine) were prepared using novel amphiphilic polymers synthesized from polyethylene glycol and aliphatic diacids employing encapsulation technique. The bioefficacy of the prepared CR formulations was evaluated against major pests of soybean, namely stem fly, Melanagromyza sojae Zehntmer and white fly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius along with a commercial formulation at the experimental farm of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi during kharif 2009 and 2010. Most of the CR formulations of imidacloprid gave significantly better control of the pests compare to its commercial formulations, however the CR formulations, Poly [poly (oxyethylene-1000)-oxy suberoyl] amphiphilic polymer based formulation performed better over others for controlling of both stem fly incidence and Yellow Mosaic Virus (YMV) infestation transmitted by white fly. Some of the developed CR formulations recorded higher yield over commercial formulation and control. Nodulation pattern of soybean was not affected due to treatment of CR and commercial formulations of imidacloprid. Also the residues of imidacloprid in seed and soil at harvest were not detectable for both CR and commercial formulations.