Evaluation of sugarcane stem borers parasitism level by egg parasitoid wasp, Telenomus busseolae (Hym.: Platygastridae) in sugarcane fields of Khuzestan province

The sugarcane stem borers, Sesamia cretica Led. and S. nonagrioides Lef. are significant and key pests of sugarcane fields in Khuzestan province, Iran, causing both quantitative and qualitative damage to sugarcane crop. Telenomus busseolae Gahan is the principal egg parasitoid of sugarcane stem borers in Khuzestan Province, and plays a key role in regulating host populations. We assessed its activity across four sugarcane agro‑industrial companies (Imam Khomeini, Amirkabir, Salman Farsi, Mirza Kuchak Khan). In October, egg masses of stem borers were sampled from three commercial cultivars (CP۶۹‑۱۰۶۲, CP۵۷‑۶۱۴, CP۴۸‑۱۰۳), and the parasitism rate was measured. For each cultivar, five fields were chosen. Results showed that sugarcane stem borer eggs parasitism ranged from ۸۸.۴% to ۹۹.۴%, with the highest rate in Salman Farsi and the lowest in Mirza Kuchak Khan. Among cultivars, CP۴۸‑۱۰۳ had the highest parasitism. These results indicate that T. busseolae is established throughout the sugarcane‑growing region of Khuzestan.

کلیدواژه ها:

sugarcane cultivar ، parasitism ، Sesamia