Tropical Tasar culture is forest and agro-based activity that covers agricultural and industrial activity. Tasar silk is produced by the silkworm, Antheraea mylitta which is polyphagous in nature. A large number of pests are reported to attack both the host plant as well as silkworm. As the rearing is conducted outdoor silkworms are exposed to attack of various pests during their life cycle. Eocanthecona furcellata (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is the major predator of tasar silkworm during young age rearing. Both nymphs and adults of the stink bug suck the heamolymph of silkworm leading to death. The present work was undertaken to study the life cycle of E. furcellata on larvae of vapourer tussock moth which is a major pest of tasar host plants. The incubation period, nymphal duration and total developmental period from egg to adult was 8.0 ± 0.45 d, 16.0 ± 3.24 and 22.0 ± 4.20 d, respectively. Pre-oviposition, oviposition and longevity of male and female stink bug was 3.20 ± 0.38, 17.60 ± 1.86, 42.40 ± 1.94, 37.00 ± 3.18 d, respectively. Analysis of the data revealed no significant difference in life cycle of the predator when provided silkworm and vapourer tussock moth larvae as hosts. Which clearly indicates that E. furcellata can multiply on vapourer tussock moth larvae during non rearing periods. Adoption of recommended pest control measures for defoliators of tasar host plants during non-rearing periods will help in reducing the incidence of host plant pests and also in reducing the incidence of stink bug during rearing season. During the study it was also observed that larvae semilooper, boll headed caterpillar and nymphs of leaf hopper serve as alternate/secondary hosts to E. furcellata during non rearing seasons. Abstract 27Int. J. Indust. Entomol. Vol. 30, No. (1), pp. 26-30 (2015) rearing field of CTR&TI, Ranchi. They were maintained in the laboratory on silkworm larvae to get the eggs for the experiment.Stock culture of the stink bug was maintained on silkworm larvae.
Rearing of tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury is mainly conducted in outdoor on Terminalia tomentosa W. & A. a nature grown primary host plant available in forest and also on raised primary host plant Terminalia arjuna Bedd. Temperature, relative humidity and rainfall are the main environmental factors for occurrence of pests (parasites and predators) of tasar silkworm during I, II and III crop rearing in the tropical tasar producing zones. The present study was aimed to study the influence of abiotic factors on prevalence of tasar silkworm pests. The study was conducted at different agro-climatic regions viz., Central Tasar Research &Training Institute, Ranchi, Jharkhand, Regional Extension Centre, Katghora, Chattisgarh and Regional Extension Centre, Hatgamaria during 2010-13 covering 3 seed crop and 6 commercial crops. Data on incidence of tropical tasar silkworm endo-parasitoids like Uzi Fly, Blepharipa zebina Walker and Ichneumon fly (Yellow Fly), Xathopimpla pedator, Fabricius and Predators such as Stink bug (Eocanthecona furcellata Wolf), Reduviid bug (Sycanus collaris Fabricius) and Wasp (Vespa orientalis Linnaeus) was recorded Weekly. The meteorological data was collected daily. Data was collected from 4 different agro-climatic zones of tasar growing areas. Analysis of the data revealed a significant negative correlation between abiotic factors and incidence of ichneumon fly and uzi fly. Based on the 3 years data on prevalence of pests region-wise pest calendars and prediction models were developed.
Nesolynx thymus Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is one among 20 hymenopteran parasitoids reported to attack the uzi fly, Exorista bombycis , which in turn infests the silkworm, Bombyx mori accounting a cocoon yield loss of 10-20%. A host of factors viz., age and size of host, age and size of parasitoid, availability of host, temperature and quality of host are reported to influence the reproductive efficiency of the parasitoids. In the present study an attempt was made to record the influence of foraging parasitoid density on their reproductive performance. Three day-old uzi pupae were offered to varying numbers (1 -10) of 2 day old Nesolynx thymus adults for parasitization. The progeny production per pupa (84.44 -132.77) increased significantly with increase in the number of foraging parasitoid adults (1 -10) however, progeny production per female decreased. The sex ratio (M : F) (1:25.49 -1:1.53) decreased significantly with increase in foraging parasitoid adults. The morphometric parameters except female abdomen width of first generation parasitoid showed significant negative correlation with number of foraging adults. However, correlation between the parasitoid size in first generation and their reproductive performance was nonsignificant.
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