BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND PREDATORY POTENTIAL OF MENOCHILUS SEXMACULATUS FAB. (COLEOPTERA:COCCINELLIDAE) AT VARYING TEMPERATURE ON RHOPALOSIPHUM PADI L.
Asrar Ali*, Ehsan-ul-Haq**, Abdul Rehman***, Javed Khan, Waseem Ahmad Gillani** and Maria Rauf*
ABSTRACT
The biological parameters of Menochilus sexmaculatus Fab., as influenced by different temperature regimes and host were studied at Insectary-Biological Control Laboratories, National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad. The results revealed that there was a significant effect of different temperature regimes on the development and predatory potential of M. sexmaculatus reared on Rhopalosiphum padi. The egg incubation period of predator beetle was 4.16, 3.66 and 2.24 days at 22±1°C, 28 1°C and 34 1°C, respectively. Mean fecundity was 430.53, 548.67 and 432.43 eggs, respectively. Percentage egg hatchability of the predator was significantly higher at 28±1°C. The total larval duration of predator was 9.47, 7.70 and 5.49 days, respectively. Duration of pupal period ranged between 2.21 and 4.35 days on R. padi at three temperatures. The pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition periods were between 4.64 and 7.48, 24.99 and 39.93 and 4.76 and 8.09 days, respectively on R. padi. Mean predatory potential of all larval instars ranged from 148 to 162 aphids, respectively. The prey consumption of female beetle was significantly higher than male. The adult male consumed from 2294 to 2422 aphids and female consumed from 2912 to 3085 aphids, respectively. Based on results of present study, possibility of quality mass rearing and commercialization of predatory beetle, M. sexmaculatus was ascertained.
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