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International Journal of Pure & Applied Bioscience (IJPAB)
Year : 2018, Volume : 6, Issue : 4
First page : (709) Last page : (711)
Article doi: : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-6764

Studies on Predatory Potential of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) on
Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera:Gelechiidae)

Lakshmi Sireesha, E.T.*, Ramesh Babu, T., Koteswara Rao, S.R. and Panduranga, G.S.

Department of Entomology, S.V. Agricultural College, ANGRAU, Tirupati -517 502, A.P.
*Corresponding Author E-mail: sireeshaetlakshmi@gmail.com
Received: 25.07.2018  |  Revised: 19.08.2018   |  Accepted: 18.08.2018  

 

 ABSTRACT

South American tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) is a recently introduced invasive insect pest on solanaceous crops. Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) is a predator of major insect pests of solanaceous crops and it has been used in biological control programmes. The predatory potential of nymphs and adults of N. tenuis  was evaluated on various life stages of T.  absoluta  under laboratory conditions. The  results showedthat both nymphs and adults of N. tenuis preferentially fed on egg stage of T. absoluta. In addition, third nymphal instars of N. tenuis fed voraciously on  first and second  instars of T. absoluta with feeding potential of 2 and 1.75 prey for predator, respectively. Whereas first instar nymph of N. tenuis showed least preference towards first (0.75 prey/ predator) and second larval instars  (0.25 prey/ predator) of T. absoluta. Hence, N. tenuis should be released during third nymphal stage to allow them to fed on first and second larval instars of T. absoluta to maximize the effectiveness of predator in reducing the population of  T. absoluta. It is also concluded that these predatory bug can be utilized as an effective biocontrol agent along with other management tactics for ecofriendly management of invasive insect pest like T. absoluta.

Key words:  Predator, N. tenuis, T. absoluta, tomato.

Full Text : PDF; Journal doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782

Cite this article: Lakshmi Sireesha, E.T., Ramesh Babu, T., Koteswara Rao, S.R.  and Panduranga, G.S., Studies on Predatory Potential of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) on Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Int. J. Pure App. Biosci.6(4): 709-711 (2018). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.6764