Toxicity of insecticides to Aenasius arizonensis (Girault) (=Aenasius bambawalei Hayat), a solitary endoparasitoid of Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley on Bt cotton under semi-field conditions

Abstract

The toxicity of different insecticides was assessed against Aenasius arizonensis (Girault) (= Aenasius bambawalei Hayat) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a key endoparasitoid of Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Bt cotton under semi-field conditions at the Entomological Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during kharif, 2015. Eight insecticides, viz. profenophos 50 EC, thiodicarb 75 WP, buprofezin 25 EC, imidacloprid 17.8 SL, flonicamid 50 WG, spiromesifen 240 SC, diafenthiuron 50 WP and sulfoxaflor 24 SC were sprayed at recommended field doses on potted cotton plants having parasitized mealybugs (mummies). Based on the per cent reduction in adult emergence over control, spiromesifen (11.11 %), buprofezin (11.11 %) and flonicamid (12.11 %) were categorized as harmless; imidacloprid (28.28 %) as slightly harmful; diafenthiuron (55.56 %) and thiodicarb (70.70 %) as moderately harmful, whereas, profenophos (100.0 %) and sulfoxaflor (100.0 %) were highly toxic to the parasitoid. Insecticides like spiromesifen, buprofezin and flonicamid can be viable option for use in integrated pest management strategies against sucking insect pests in cotton ecosystem.