10027.pdf

Trichogramma wasps are used as biological control agents against lepidopterous insects in integrated pest management of crops and vegetables. Trichogramma chilonis is an aggressive parasitoid with the ability to increase in number and is widely used to control lepidopterous pests. The study investigated the parasitisation potential of T. chilonis on different hosts, including Corcyra cephalonica, Spodoptera litura, and Helicoverpa armigera. The results showed that T. chilonis accepted eggs of all hosts for parasitisation, with maximum parasitisation on S. litura eggs (94.00 ± 1.00 %), followed by C. cephalonica (74.33 ± 9.02 %), and minimum on H. armigera eggs (39.00 ± 3.61 %). The per cent adult emergence was also maximum on S. litura eggs (96.45 ± 1.61 %). The study suggests that T. chilonis has a high parasitisation potential on S. litura and C. cephalonica, making them suitable hosts for mass production of T. chilonis.