Some biological characteristics of Ooencyrtus pityocampae Mercet parasitoid of Brachynema signatum Jakovlev under laboratory conditions

Background: Biological control is an important component of an eco-friendly approach in integrated pest management toprevent insecticide-resistant pests and minimize using pesticides. Ooencyrtus pityocampae (Mercet) (Hymenoptera:Encyrtidae) is an egg parasitoid of Brachynemasignatum (Hem.: Pentatomidae) in the pistachio orchards of Iran.Materials and Methods: In this study, biological characteristics, such as immature developmental time, adult longevity,parasitism percentage, and sex ratio were investigated.Results: Mean egg, larval, pupal, and total development time of O. pityocampae were ۱.۹۴±۰.۰۱, ۳.۴۲±۰.۰۳, ۷.۱۱±۰.۰۳,and ۱۱.۸۴±۰.۰۶ days, respectively. On five different food regimes (honey, water,۱۰% honey-water, no food diet, honey, and B.signatum egg), adult longevity of females and males were ۳۹.۲۹±۱.۴۵, ۳۸.۵±۳.۳۳, ۹.۳±۰.۵۶, ۵.۰۵±۰.۹۱, and ۱۹.۸۱±۰.۶۳ daysand ۴۰.۰۵±۱.۵۶, ۳۷.۵±۱.۰۵, ۷.۸±۰.۲۹, ۳.۸۹±۰.۱۳, and ۹.۰۹±۰.۷۴ days, respectively. Female wasps were laying eggs during thefirst two weeks after adult emergence, and maximum parasitism (۳۹.۲۷±۰.۰۱ Eggs) was observed on day ۳ of adult life span.Interestingly, sex ratio was positively correlated with B. Signatum egg mass size increased from ۰.۱۱ to ۰.۲۶ when the eggmass size increased from ۱۰ to ۴۰.Conclusions: These laboratory findings indicate that O. pityocampae may show good potential as a biocontrol agentagainst B. signatum under IPM programs.

کلیدواژه ها:

biological control ، egg parasitoid ، Encyrtidae ، green pistachio stink bug