Evaluation of Selected Host Plants for Basic Life Cycle Parameters of Cotton Mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley under Laboratory Conditions

In order to establish a good mass-rearing production techniques of Aenasius bambawalei Hayat (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) (a parasitoid of the cotton mealybug) in the Laboratory, it is necessary to know the development capacity of the cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae), on different host plants. Such studies would identify the best host plant for its efficient rearing. The present study investigated some basic life table parameters i.e. female life span, adult female weight, longevity and reproductive potential of P. solenopsis on okra (Abelmoschus esculentus Linn.), brinjal (Solanum melongena Linn.), potato (Solanum tuberosum Linn.), China rose (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The experiment was conducted under Laboratory conditions (25-32°C, 55-65% R.H. and 12:12 light: dark, photoperiod) during 2012. Results revealed that P. solenopsis successfully and significantly (P 0.05) completed its life cycle along with highest body weight gain on China rose followed by potato. Moreover, P. solenopsis had the best survival (34.2 ± 3.8 days) and reproduction (7.8 ± 0.4 nymphs/adult female) when separated and kept without food from their respective host plants. China rose therefore seems to have the potential as suitable host for the rearing of P. solenopsis under laboratory conditions for the mass scale production of Aenasius bambawalei. However, further study is suggested to identify if there are any detrimental effects on the reared parasitoid i.e. a tri-trophic effects on parasitoid- Aenasius bambawalei.