Field Evaluation of Host-Parasitoid Scenario in Different Varieties of Cotton
Field Evaluation of Host-Parasitoid Scenario in Different Varieties of Cotton
Umair Faheem1*, Qurban Ali2, Mussurat Hussain1, Abrar Ahmad3, Tamsila Nazir2, Ghayour Ahmad3, Idrees Ahmad3, Madiha Mobeen4, Hammad Hussnain3 and Nadia Hussain Ahmad3
ABSTRACT
Cotton crop is attacked by several sucking (whitefly, thrips and jassid) and chewing (american bollworm, spotted bollworm, pink bollworm and armyworm) insect pests, which severely affects its quality and quantity. Cotton also contains the populations of parasitoids i.e. Trichogramma spps., Braconid wasps and Encarsia spps., which act to reduce the population of these notorious insect pests. Cotton plants shows genetic resistance or tolerance against these insect pests. In the current experiment six varieties of cotton i.e. CIM-496, CIM-534, NIAB-111, MNH-786 and Bt-121 were sown in the field under sprayed and un-sprayed condition to check the genetic resistance or tolerance against these insect pests and to also check the population of the parasitoids. It was observed that MNH-786 and Bt-121 were the most resistant or tolerant varieties against the insect pests but the pesticide application would still be required to keep their population below the economic threshold level. Population of insect pests and parasitoids significantly reduced using insecticides. In Pakistan, environmental friendly insecticides need to be encouraged to avoid their deleterious effects on beneficial insects.
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