IDENTIFICATION, CONSERVATION AND AUGMENTATION OF SAW-TOOTHED GRAIN BEETLE PARASITOID, CEPHALONOMIA TARSALIS (ASHMEAD, 1893) IN DATE FRUITS

Abstract

The renown of date fruits is growing day by day therefore, the high quality with no or less chemical treatment is a topic of interest for consumers worldwide. For this purpose, this kind of research was scheduled for the proper biological control agent’s identification and its confirmation of the dry date’s major pest. The sample collection was made from the different godowns of the vicinity of Khairpur and the bulk stock was made to initiate the study from the Aseel date variety. For each treatment there were counted (n=200) date fruits by releasing different doses of male and female parasitoids hence; there were 5 treatments including control and replicated 5 times. The results showed that the release of T1=03 couples of parasitoids mean control efficiency resulted after 10 days after release (DAR) 34.40, DAR 20; 40.20, and DAR 30; 42.60 when compared with the overall mean of control. In this next T2=04 couples of natural enemies showed the efficiency up to 24.50; 38.45; 43.70 followed by T3=05 indicated up to 21.25; 26.30; 33.30; and T4=06 found with 35.45; 38.55; 43.70, respectively. The effectiveness of natural enemies against pests was found to be the most effective of all treatments. Couples four and six yielded the best results for effectively controlling the STGB larvae stage. Furthermore, it is suggested that the conservation and augmentation processes be encouraged in order to reduce the pest population on date fruits.