EFFECT OF DIFFERENT INSECTICIDES ON SOLENOPSIS MEALYBUG PARASITOID, A. BAMBAWALEI (HAYAT)

Inspite of the success of the biological control, chemical control is still being largely used as an important component of integrated pest management (IPM) and is used in conjunction with the biological control. But pesticides when used along with natural enemies may limit the efficacy of these biocontrol agents and have deleterious effects on parasitoids such as A. bambawalei. Although all pesticides may not have a specific site of action on the beneficial organisms, but they can induce sub lethal effects on reproduction and other biological functions (Manzoni et al., 2006; Junior et al., 2008). Results of augmentative releases of parasitoids have been variable and atleast some of the variability has been attributed to the use of broad spectrum insecticides (Stinner et al., 1974). Hence, any pesticide applied during the crop growing season has the potential to disrupt biological control. The efficacy of parasitoids is also influenced greatly by the insecticide spray schedule before and after the parasitoid release. Pesticides may also interfere with the searching behaviour by acting as repellent, feeding inhibitor or even reducing the olfactory capacity in addition to resulting in direct mortality of the parasitoid (Desneux et al., 2007). The conservation and inoculative release of the parasitoid is considered as an economically feasible and environmentally safe option for the control of P. solenopsis.