Laboratory rearing and mass production of the Hibiscus Mealybug Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) and the parasitic wasp Anagyrus kamali at the Caribbean and Latin American station of the IIBC in Trinidad
1998
Lopez, V.F. (International Institute of Biological Control (Trinidad and Tobago). Caribbean and Latin American Station (IIBC-CLAS))
An update on activities at the International Institute of Biological Control - Caribbean and Latin American Station (IIBC-CLAS) related to the Hibiscus Mealybug (HMB), Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) and the parasitic wasp Anagyrus kamali is provided. Under a collaborative project between IIBC-CLAS and the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources (MALMR), cultures of HMB were initiated on pumpkins and potatoes during December 1995 and a dossier on Anagyrus kamali submitted. In February 1996, the first A. kamali shipment containing 1500 females was hand-carried into Trinidad by a mealybug specialist from IIBC-UK who trained CLAS and MALMR staff in laboratory rearing. There was poor emergence of A. kamali from HMB reared on pumpkins while buildup under sleeve cages in the field on hibiscus plants was very good. This confirmed that hibiscus plants were more suitable for rearing and mass production activities. In March, a second shipment containing 1200 A. kamali females was received and used to rejuvenate laboratory cultures and for field release under sleeve cages. Methods developed at IIBC for rearing of both HMB and A. kamali under laboratory conditions are discussed. Mass production of A. kamali is currently anticipated to be done at least once a month, depending on the availability of resources, to be followed by field releases, both inoculative and inundative.
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