Biology of aphid mummy (Diaeretiella rapae) (Mclntosh) and testing of its host preference among different species of aphids under laboratory conditions at Raipur, Chhattisgarh
Author(s):
Rashmi Gauraha and Jayalaxmi Ganguli
Abstract:
Diaeretiella rapae (Mclntosh), commonly known as aphid mummy is a ubiquitous cosmopolitan parasitoid with a wide range of hosts such as green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia, Rhopalosiphum padi and Schizaphis graminum), cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii), broadbean aphid (Aphis craccivora), corn leaf aphid (R. maidis), reed plant aphid (Hyalopterus pruni) and oleander aphid (Aphis nerii). Testing of the parasitizing efficiency of aphid mummies (D. rapae) on different species of aphids was conducted during the year 2019-20 and 2020-21 at Biocontrol laboratory of the Department of Entomology, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur (C.G.).The immature stages (eggs, larvae and pupae) of D. rapae passes within the body of its host. The duration of egg to pupa ranged from 8 to 10 days with an average of 8.84 ± 0.39 days. Longevity of female and male was recorded up to 6 to 8 and 5 to 6 days with an average of 7.20 ± 0.41 and 5.44 ± 0.17 days respectively. The result showed that the female lived slightly longer than the male. Total duration of life cycle egg to adult stage of female and male were observed from 14 to 18 and 13 to 16 days with mean value of 16.18 ± 0.74 and 14.80 ± 0.52 days, thus females took relatively more time to complete one generation as compared to males. Among the four aphid species tested, highest parasitization (60.60%) was observed in case of cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae followed by green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (56.82%) and mustard aphid, Liphaphis erysimi (37.72%). Aphis craccivora infesting cowpea had lowest preference as only (23.42%) aphids were parasitized by D. rapae under laboratory conditions.
How to cite this article:
Rashmi Gauraha and Jayalaxmi Ganguli. Biology of aphid mummy (Diaeretiella rapae) (Mclntosh) and testing of its host preference among different species of aphids under laboratory conditions at Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The Pharma Innovation Journal. 2021; 10(11S): 215-218.