Non-target toxicity of synthetic insecticides on the biological performance and population growth of Bracon hebetor Say.

Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an important biological control agent of various species of order Lepidoptera and extensively used in biological control program worldwide. Present study evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects of insecticides on B. hebetor using demographic and population growth parameters. Doses of all the tested insecticides were within a maximum range of their recommended field dosages and adults were treated using residual glass vials method. For control experiments adults were treated with distilled water. Among the tested insecticides, the survivorship of various stages of B. hebetor was considerably prolonged on cyantraniliprole followed by chlorantraniliprole and shortest on chlorpyrifos and profenofos treated group. Total immature development time was prolonged in chlorpyrifos and profenofos treated group. Population growth parameters like intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm), net reproductive rate (R0), finite rate of increase (λ) and mean generation time (Tc) were considerably reduced in B. hebetor groups treated with chlorpyrifos and profenofos. However, B. hebetor groups treated with chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole showed a little or no much difference in population growth parameters when compared with untreated group. It was also observed that chlorpyrifos and profenofos modified the sex ratio, thereby female emergence get reduced. On the basis of present findings it can be concluded that all tested insecticides caused considerable ecotoxic effects on B. hebetor compared to control. However, comparisons among the tested insecticides on the basis of IOBC criteria showed that chlorantraniliprol and cyntraniliprol was less toxic as compared to other insecticides tested on this biological control agent.

Ecotoxicological hazards of herbicides on biological attributes of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Ecotoxic effects of commonly used herbicides i.e. glyphosate, atrazine, metribuzin, alachlor and 2, 4-D were evaluated on the biological and demographic parameters of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister on parthenium in laboratory. The herbicides used in the bioassay were within a minimum range of their recommended field dose. In direct toxicity experiment, 2,4-D and alachlor caused the highest mortality of 3rd instars and prolonged the development time. Fecundity and eggs viability were also significantly reduced in all treatments. Indirect toxicity (carryover effect) was evaluated through life table analysis of F1 progenies developed from surviving 3rd instars treated for direct toxicity experiment. Incubation period and overall development time was considerably prolonged in all treatments especially in 2, 4-D treated group. Daily fecundity and population growth parameters were significantly lowest in 2, 4-D treated groups compared to other tested herbicides. A significantly greater number of females were produced in glyphosate treatment than other treatments. Based on the present study, none of the tested herbicide can be classified as safe to Zygogramma bicolorata, while glyphosate was found to be least toxic. Therefore, it can be concluded that application of field recommended dose of glyphosate might be used in integration with Z. bicolorata for effective management of parthenium, however this needs to be conducted under natural field conditions.

Superparasitism in Cotesia glomerata does not benefit the host plant by reduction of herbivory caused by Pieris brassicae.

Superparasitism occurs in Cotesia glomerata L. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a gregarious endoparasitoid of Pieris spp. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). The responses of Pieris brassicae L. larvae to superparasitism were examined in order to elucidate the ecological significance of this behaviour. Models of tritrophic interactions often imply that attraction of herbivore natural enemies by the plant constitutes a defence. Parasitoid attack on herbivores is assumed to result in a reduction in herbivory and or an increase in plant fitness. Coupled with the active involvement of the plant in producing signals, this can be seen as an indirect mediation of wound induced defence. The results show that superparasitism of P. brassicae by the parasitoid C. glomerata reduced survivorship but increased food consumption and weight growth in P. brassicae larvae. The duration of host larval development was found prolonged as the number of oviposition increased and superparasitized larvae (three to five time parasitized) grew slower than unparasitized larvae or larvae parasitized one or two times.