Comparison of Spodoptera frugiperda parasitoid performance under laboratory conditions

Abstract

Spodoptera frugiperda is a newly discovered pest in Indonesia. S. frugiperda attacks can cause crop failure and significant losses. As a preventive control measure, research was conducted to determine the most effective parasitoid in controlling S. frugiperda. This research used egg parasitoids (Telenomus remus and Trichogramma chilotraeae) and larval parasitoids (Microplitis manilae). This research was done by exposing 50 eggs of S. frugiperda each to Telenomus and Trichogramma and ten larvae of S. frugiperda to M. manilae. Ten replication was made for each treatment. The parasitism rate, parasitization rate, and progenies’ sex ratio were all observed during the experiment. The results showed that the parasitism rate of T. remus and T. chilotraeae was higher than that of M. manilae. T. chilotraeae had the lowest parasitization rate compared to other parasitoids. The sex ratio of T. remus and T. chilotraeae was also better than that of M. manila, which had more male offspring than females.